Adventures in Country Living: Raising Chickens

So these are our lovely ladies. They are a great group of chickens and there's nothin' like fresh eggs.

The yolks are a deep orange that make the yummiest fried eggs, rich quiches and are a blessing to have on hand when throwing together a cake or batch of brownies. What? No eggs in the fridge? Time to trek out to the coop! And I must admit, I'm the #1 go to person on our street for "Do you have an egg to spare?" :D

As you can see they're a hodgepodge of different breeds. We started out with a quad of beautiful Rhode Island Reds.

And then we got a dog.

Turns out chickens and ADD Labrador teenagers (who know how to dig) don't mesh well. I'm pretty sure he meant well but no, they weren't moving toys. So the Labrador went to a neighbor (thanks Kelly). And she posted this picture on Facebook a few days later...

"If I don't make eye contact, they can't see me"

This would have been our backyard.
And those feathers would not have been a pillow.

So fortunately now, Zak has a home that is chicken-free with a super loving family, and a BFF named Kaya to play with all day long.

Keeping chickens is incredibly easy. All they need is a little shelter from varmints, food, water and room to roam when the weather is nice. Ours love walking the yard and eating grass and worms. This makes for happier chickens. I used to run a country store with my mother-in-law. We had a sign out front for "Happy Chicken Eggs." They sold as quick as we could put them into cartons. There's nothing like a farm fresh egg and the experience is all the more enjoyable knowing they come from happy chickens :) 


My favorite way to eat eggs is fried with crumbled goat cheese on top. SO good! How about you?

Adventures In Country Living: Homemade Soap

I decided to make soap. From scratch. And it sounded like a really good idea. A fun, simple activity that shouldn't be too hard to screw up. I watched a video on making soap that seemed easy enough. After watching it a few more times, I was confident. If they could do it, I could do it. Simple as that, right?

The first thing I had to do was order the lye from a soap making company. It came in really intimidating containers with hazard warnings all over it. I knew it was caustic which meant it would burn if I got it on my skin. Not intimidating in the slightest *cough*. Insert cheesy Christmas apron and bright blue rubber gloves. I was certain I could handle this without a trip to the ER.

So once I got all the rest of my various oils, fragrances, and other necessities like molds, spoons, pot, etc., I was ready to go. I timed my soap making adventure to take place during the kids' naps so no harm would befall them, and once they were snoozing away, I set up all the supplies outside so I wouldn't breathe the fumes.

I was ready to go.

All my ingredients were carefully weighed (not measured) and all that was left to do was snap on my rubber gloves and face the dreaded container of lye. After a mini pep talk and a few heart palpitations, I opened the lid and poured it into the bowl. Add the lye to the water only, not the other way around. I kept repeating this to myself as I went through the motions. Immediately, as expected, the pot steamed as the lye heated up the water in a cloud of funky smelling solution. And of course I think I got some on my rubber gloves.

Why is it that once you get in a position where you can't touch anything, every surface on your body starts itching? I sort of wiggled and tried to psych myself out of the crazies as I stirred the mixture, thankful for my rubber gloves. I don't know if it actually happened or if it was just a result of being over neurotic, but I was certain that a drop of lye got on my skin. In a moment of sheer panic, I poured white vinegar on it (as the video instructed) and hurried inside to rinse it all off. My husband, who was sort of poking around, seemed slightly worried for my health and sanity. Once I assured him that I was a highly trained professional and the incident required no medical attention, he seemed only more worried. He may have hovered after this point.

Back outside, I added the rest of the ingredients, coconut and olive oil, to name a few. This is a good point to mention that the video highly recommended using an immersion blender. Well I didn't have an immersion blender and thinking that I would just do it the "old fashioned way", figured it wouldn't really matter. If our ancestors could do it without an immersion blender, so could I. Stirring with a wooden spoon would just take longer. That's OK, I thought, I've got plenty of time.

Fast forward an hour and a half. I'm still standing there with my stupid snowman apron, stupid blue gloves and stupid wooden spoon...waiting for the famous "tracing" to occur--the point when the mixture has thickened properly. It was here that I learned that talking to a pot of soap and begging it to trace will not actually make it happen. Eventually my soap sort of traced (shhh, don't tell) and I decided to call it good enough. I dumped in pumpkin pie spice, yummy fall fragrances and some oats for exfoliation, stirred it together, and poured the mixture into my well-greased mold to set. After that, I cut it and left it to cure for several weeks.

Of course since tracing didn't actually occur, my mixture was still quite warm and down the road, when we used the first bar, I realized the oats had sort of cooked. Lovely. Just the effect I was going for. So now, I have a lifetimes supply of apple and oatmeal scented soap that is rather homely. But honestly, it works quite well. So if you know me, don't be surprised when you get a bar at Christmas. And when you discover my mushy oat mistake, please just smile and pretend like you didn't read this.

Apple Recipes

As fall has come upon us, I realized that I truly have a pathetic stash of apple recipes. Any applelicious treats that have blown my socks off were always made by other people. Pie. Cobblers. Crisps. Apple cake. Now, to vamp up my stash of tried and trues, it would be easy enough to google a few or buy a cookbook, but there's nothing like those really good recipes--yummy family delicacies or those home tested favorites.

It's just that time of year to bust out the apple peeler, pull out the cinnamon and spices and dress up these tart and tasty fruits. Homemade crusts call my name and although I think melting a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top is criminal, it should certainly be on hand for those who disagree. (I know I'm weird. You can throw your apple corer at me. I won't hold it against you)

So jump on in and share your favorite recipe and I'll give you mine (as lonely as it is) and I have to admit that this isn't even my recipe. My sister-in-law gave it to me and I have to also confess that she makes it ten times better than I do. I don't know how she does it. They grow their own apples. They're really small and crisp and the crumble topping is buttery and golden and tender all at the same time. OK, now I'm just plain hungry!

Apple Crisp

4-5 medium apples (or 8 small), peeled and sliced
1/4 cup sugar
sprinkle of cinnamon
sprinkle of nutmeg
*cut apples into pie dish and sprinkle with sugar and spices

Crumble Topping:

3/4 cup Quick Oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup butter or margarine softened
*mash together with a fork until thoroughly mixed and "crumbly" :)
Sprinkle over apples and lightly pat down

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes or until top is golden brown

Pumpkins and Crows

Its that time of year when cobwebs creep up in front yards and felt spiders the size of preschoolers cling to the sides of trees. Grocery stores are bursting at the scenes with bagged candy and costume advertisements make people blush.

I'm not really that into Halloween--I mean the bats and ghosts side of things-- but don't get me wrong, I love this time of year. There's something in the air that makes October just plain fun. Its a time when its perfectly OK to nibble on handfuls of candy corn and blast the Phantom of the Opera from the CD player. (side note--who would have thought you could Jazzercise to the Phantom? Our instructor put together a spooky set for us and I had no idea what the motions were so when in doubt, keep bouncing--and hope no one notices you. And...try not to fall down the stairs. I have a bad habit of standing in front of the stairwell. I've had visions of myself sashaying my way to a rather abrupt demise.)

What was I talking about? Oh yeah, pumpkins and crows. So I love pumpkins on my front porch. I've also developed a little fascination for crows this fall. Not in a scary way, more like the Nanny McPhee kind of way. You know. Cute. But not creepy. I don't know what it is about October--fall is just my favorite time of year. It makes me happy. There's something about living in Southern California that makes one appreciate cold weather. The other day it was pouring and my one and three-year olds were playing on the front porch, soaking wet, happy as tadpoles after a drought. And me? I was sitting in the doorway--trying not to get wet--reading a book. I know, we're weird about rain.

I've already made my first pumpkin pie cake of the season, every morning there's a fire in our wood burning stove and more often than is good for the 'ol waistline, there's a pot of homemade popcorn crackling away on the stove top. (We don't have a microwave but even if we did, it would still be the best way to do it.) We like ours in olive oil with a drizzle of butter and salt. And if we're going all out, homemade cherry cokes with grenadine and maraschinos. Yum! Its the way my dad did. Its the way his dad did it. If it ain't broken...

Yay for October :D

Adventures in Country Living: Drying Herbs

Summer is winding down. The arid days are drawing to an end and with a few summer storms prayerfully on the horizon, gardeners and growers everywhere are putting up their garden harvests. Aside from the usual methods of preserving like canning and freezing, drying is an excellent way of storing everything from apple slices to fresh herbs.

Herbs are a delightful addition to any garden. They are relatively easy to grow, can live in convenient containers and are so rewarding to harvest. I love to toss fresh chives and cilantro onto the table as taco fixin's and making rosemary Italian bread at Christmas is a cheery gift for family and friends.

In the past I have only used herbs fresh. But this year, I've put some energy into drying and storing my herbs to use year round. It suddenly struck me one day when I was completely out of Italian seasoning, that I had all the makings of the herb blend right in my garden. So I snipped several sprigs of rosemary, thyme, oregano, basil and parsley, dried them for several days, then crushed the herbs up and tossed them in a glass jar with a pinch of red pepper flakes. Yum! Not to mention, I'd always bought dried herbs from the store. I had never taken advantage of using my own herbs, but when I did, even in their dried stage, they remained bright and green and had a lovely, fresh taste.

For another project, I purchased jumbo teabags on eBay ( I felt like a bidding geek--I mean, who sits there watching the minutes and doing the math to buy a two dollar box of empty tea bags on eBay. Me, apparently) Anywho, the key to drying herbs is that not all herbs are ready when you want them, so be sure to dry them at the peak of their season. I cut handfulls of lavender and chocolate mint (my personal fav) and hung the bundles upside down in an airy spot away from direct sunlight which will kill their potency. I've got the rest of the ingredients for bath teas right in the pantry: oats, Epsom salts and powdered milk (sounds strange but oats and milk have been popular bath additions for years.)

The third use for herbs is medicinal purposes. Now I am not an herbalist, so I have a hard time figuring out the many uses and properties of herbs, but its easy to look on the web and find great sources. My particular favorite is the Bulk Herb Store (check out their Eden Salve. LOVE IT!) This is where I got the recipe for a tincture that is designed to draw out poison and toxins, things like bug bites and beyond. So far it has worked great. I bought a pound of dried plantain and soaked the herbs in a jar of apple cider vinegar for three weeks. After straining away the herbs that have now relinquished their potency to the vinegar, I labeled the jar and it comes in handy all the time.

Drying herbs is fun, satisfying and this is just the beginning. I'm excited to add new and different herbs to my garden each year and study up on their medicinal uses, skin care qualities and yummy recipes for the fam.

Happy Homesteading!

Adventures in Country Living: Sourdough Bread

My latest project thats been going on for about six months is learning how to bake homemade bread. As usual, my attempts at these sort of tasks are not only for my families benefit, but its also hands on research for my books...when I say someone lets the dough rise on the back of the stove in my story, I really want to know what I'm talking about.

So this path at homemade bread making has been a ton of fun. It might be responsible for a few extra pounds padded onto me and my family (sorry guys) but there's this thing about homemade bread...when it comes out of the oven and its hot and the house smells amazing, you can't just eat one slice. ( A dear friend of mine who bakes bread regularily for her family says the excitement wears off after awhile and you develope some self control...I don't know about that) I mean, I've never seen anyone sit down with a loaf of store bought bread, undo the twisty tie, pull it out of the bag, and eat the whole thing. It just doesnt have the same effect on the soul as homemade bread.

So now, I'll tell my adventures in the wonderful world of sourdough! There are some misconceptions about sourdough. 1) you don't have to live in San Fran 2) you don't have to be an apron-clad Italian man in a bakery to make good sourdough 3) and although you have to feed your sourdough starter like a pet, its not going to crawl off your counter and attack you while your sleeping (haha) although when it bubbles, it can be a little creepy.

I bought my sourdough starter online (amazon.com, about $6) after researching how to make a starter. But what I didn't realize is that you can make it just as easy. All the online recipes discouraged making a starter from scratch using yeast (hence the amazon purchase) But, after looking in Carla Emery's, Encyclopedia of Country Living, she says it plain: "I hate to say it but there's a certain element of hoax potential in this sourdough business. You don't have to send away for a starter..." (don't I feel dumb!) "...anybody who wants an authentic and usable starter and who lives in a normal (food around and air circulating) environment rather than a totally antiseptic one (an operating room) need only to mix a cup of flour with a cup of water and leave it covered with a light cloth up to 5 days." What will happen then, is wild yeast in the air will be attracted to your flour/water mixture and decide to live there :-) Gross in a cool kinda way!

Well, my sourdough starter arrived, I followed the simple directions of keeping it in a loosley covered container, fed it flour and water occasionally and after a few days, it smelled like beer and looked like bubbling toothpaste (this was all quite exciting for the 3 year old in my household) I got the easiest recipe for 1.2.3. Sourdough bread on youtube and baked up my first loaf this morning. I've worked with a lot of homemade dough in the past and I have to say that this was THE EASIEST recipe I have ever used. It only required 3 ingredients (flour, salt, water) and a slight ammount of brain power which I successfully provided and, voila! For breakfast we're eating crunchy crusted, soft centered, warm, fresh from the oven sourdough bread with melting butter. I think I better go for a jog later.

Now that I know how easy sourdough is and that it did not originate with the goldminers as is a misconception (they simply popularized the bread because it was so easy for those single guys, it originated, supposedly with the Egyptians) I think I will sneak it into my next story. It seems such a practical way for folks to bake, even if you have no baking powder or yeast, you can still have wonderful bread for your family. Salt, flour, water and some wild yeast floating in the air. How easy is that? Oh, and a bonus: If for some strange reason your dough ever flops, it makes great playdough for the kiddies!

Happy Homesteading!

Adventures in Country Living: Braided Rag Rug

Adventures in Country Living Braided Rag Rug: "As part of my research, and just general fun, I like to try my hand at tasks and projects people would have done on a regular basis one hundred years ago; soap making, bread making, gardening, and my latest project: rug braiding. These sort of projects are a hands on way of discovering and understanding what life may have required for women such as Elsie or Lonnie in my book, Cry of My Heart, and homesteading women all across America.

After searching ebay to try and buy one, I discovered they are much to expensive for the handmade kind, which I really wanted, so I have began my first braided rug. Traditionally, these rugs are made from scraps that frontier women saved and cut into strips for future use. Waste not, want not! Was certainly their mantra in those days when they had an entire household and family to see after, with often, little income. It would make sense to start with a small rug, say a 2 x 3, but since I am in desperate need of a 5 x 8 for my living room that has just been re-done in hardwood flooring, I'm tackling a biggy!

The colorful strips are braided into loooong (did I say long?) braids (I purchased 20 yards of fabric and cut it all into 2 ' wide strips...that's a lot of braiding!) The braids are sewn together in a flat coil to create a beautiful, homemade and unique rustic rug. So far I have had several meltdowns and nearly as many tantrums over this project, but I am finally getting somewhere! I am about to sew my first few feet of braiding and I am excited to see how it turns out.

As I attempt new projects, I will post them here :-) I would love to hear about other old-time projects, so please share what you are creating! Happy homesteading!"