Chickens in the Road Newsletter

May 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2012-05-30T19:46:09Z

May 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: A Brief History of Milking

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: This Print

*Recent Highlights: An Interesting Cookie, Second Place Ribbon, Preparation 101, and More

*Farm Bell Recipes: Hot Bites Meal

*Blast from the Past: Woman Attacked by Goats, Film at 11

*Newsletter Sponsors:

Hobby Hill Farm: Whether your chickens are in the yard, pen or "in the roadâ we have you covered--purses, mugs, garden flags, and more. Affordable prices. Download our catalog or call 804-598-6095. "Like" us on Facebook!

Still Meadows: Check our unique online primitive shop/greenhouses for plant specials and watch for the monthly "Treasures and Tips"! Succulent wreaths available now--make one at the shop, or order online.

*Newsletter Stats: 8734 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Alert: A Brief History of Milking

The first known domesticated cows are documented back to 6000 B.C. Greece. Cheese was common in the ancient world by 4000 B.C. Using cows for meat is actually a much more recent development. Man went after domesticating cows for carrying loads and providing milk.

I first started milking a cow in my own ancient world of Stringtown Rising Farm. I started out milking Beulah Petunia in the meadow bottom. I had to deal with donkeys and sheep while milking. I had to cross a creek on foot with my bucket and carry it up the driveway afterward. (See A Hard Day's Morning.) Then I got smart and started driving down to the meadow bottom. I would sit in the road on an overturned bucket, transferring my milk from the bucket to quart jars so I could close it up with a lid before transporting it up the bumpy driveway. I'd carry a box of quart jars into the house each day to filter and store the milk.

This wasn't easy, and sometimes BP caused a little bit of a ruckus. (See Cows are Strong.) But it often had a Disney quality to it. There is always something magical about roughing it--and if you can see the magic, then it makes the difficulty go down a little easier. The sound of the birdsong, the bright beams of morning sun, the butterflies swooping in front of you as you walk, the chime of the moving creek, the warm bulk of the cow above your fingers.

Later, I had a milk stand up near the house. Eventually, it became an unrecoverable mud pit due its location at the base of a ravine and I started milking, without a milk stand, near one of the back doors of the house. This was actually pretty handy and BP was well-trained enough to cooperate without a milk stand. Or maybe it was me who was well-trained by then. Plus I had gotten a milking machine at that point, which made the entire process go more quickly.

Now, I'm having a milking parlor constructed inside one of the stalls in the barn. I'll have an outlet for my milking machine, lights, solid milk stands (for cows and goats) set in concrete, and wire to keep out chickens. Tucked well inside the barn, it will always be dry and protected from the cold winds in winter. I'm planning to be SO SPOILED!

I'm entering a new era! A new day is dawning! Modern milking! Sort of! Something that man has been doing for thousands of years can never be completely modern, and that is the way it should be. Even now, with a milking machine--and soon a lovely milking parlor--there is something elemental about milking a cow that is grounding and why I keep doing it. Watch the blog to see the daily progress of my new milking parlor. I can't wait to show it to BP.

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: This Print

It could be yours!

This painting was created by artist Kelly Walker from a photograph of Patriot and Zip, my two rescue horses. This painting will be made into a print for the Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue benefit at my studio grand opening party on June 16. You can get more details about the party here (you're invited!), but even if you can't come to the party, you can participate. Every individual or family who donates at least $25 or more to the Heart of Phoenix for this event will receive a print, suitable for framing, of the above art. Attendees at the party can take their print home that day. If you can't attend the party, your print will be shipped to you. ALSO, every person who makes a $25 donation to the Heart of Phoenix for this event will be entered in a drawing for a custom pet (pets, farm animals, etc) portrait by Kelly Walker. (THAT is an amazing prize. But even if you don't win, you will still receive the print.) Checks should be addressed to: Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue. Envelopes should be addressed to: Chickens in the Road, P.O. Box 858, Clendenin, WV 25045. Coming to the party? Register here. Find out more about the Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue here. HOP is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and your donations are tax-deductible.

*Recent Highlights: An Interesting Cookie, Second Place Ribbon, Preparation 101, and More

Barn: What happened when I Tried to Relax Again, The Coco Report, and who gets Second Place Ribbon around here. Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: An Interesting Cookie (cornmeal!) and a Bread 911! Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: See All the Pretty People (and dresses!) at high school graduation, life in A Small County, and what happened when I Tried to Drive the Truck. (I'm getting better at it now!) See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: I've been decluttering and tossing out again, going through old stuff. Check out my junior high Preparation 101 and go along on my Garden Tour. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Farm Bell Recipes: Hot Bites Meal

Homemade hot wings and jalapeno poppers--what's not to love? Check out community member Butterbean's delicious recipes and step-by-step instructions in her Hot Bites Meal post and visit her at her Adventures In Country Living. Butterbean was the May contributor giveaway winner!

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The prize for the June contributor giveaway will be an Aroma Rice Cooker and Food Steamer.

May 2012 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

Butterbean -- Adventures In Country Living
Cassie
charleycooke -- Cooke's Frontier
gardensandgarlic -- Gardens and Garlic
Jayme Payne -- Dreaming of Poultry
katieiacobellis
kbrenna -- Planting My Life
LisaAJB -- You Probably Shouldn't Read This
murphala -- Flour, Water, Yeast, and Salt
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
STH

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Woman Attacked by Goats, Film at 11

The secrets of the path.

What pulls these mystical creatures inexorably on its trail? Find out the truth in Woman Attacked by Goats, Film at 11. (I hope you don't have any cookies in your pocket.)

***

Know a friend who would enjoy receiving the Chickens in the Road newsletter? Send them over to Chickens in the Road and tell them to sign up with the newsletter link in the sidebar or send them this handy link.

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Thank you for your comments, your support, and just for being there. Here's hoping to see you on the Chickens in the Road Forum (make friends, have fun, come join us!) and every day on the farmhouse blog!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away books on preserving so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

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April 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2012-04-30T12:26:28Z

April 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Alert: Weekenders at the Farm

*Kitchen Extra: The Studio Kitchen Cometh

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: Baby Girl

*Recent Highlights: Ramps, Rednecks, Apple Lilac Jelly, and More

*Sneak Peek: Exciting Farm Activity

*Farm Bell Recipes: Family Dinners and Treasures

*Blast from the Past: Ever Seen a Baby Goat Born?

*Newsletter Sponsors:

*Newsletter Stats: 8734 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Alert: Weekenders at the Farm

CITR Retreat 2012 is SOLD OUT. You can sign up for the Waiting List here.

Or--sign up for a Studio at Sassafras Farm event! Weekenders are themed workshop weekends geared to smaller groups in the intimate atmosphere of the studio and the farm. Unlike the big retreat, Weekenders are open to teens 13 and up accompanied by a parent.

Check out the 2012 Weekenders series here!

*Kitchen Extra: The Studio Kitchen Cometh

It's nearly there!

The kitchen at the new Studio at Sassafras Farm is nearly finished. The latest thing to go in were the shelves. Ross and Morgan put them together over the weekend. Electrical is being completed today and the cabinets and countertops will be next. Keep an eye on the House & Garden page and the Daily Farm page for updates. By the end of May, I should have my health department permit in hand. For those of you who are Kickstarter backers, rewards are still going out, one at a time. If you haven't received your photo yet, please bear with me. It's coming! Thank you so much for your support!

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: Baby Girl

It's a girl and I'm sure!

My goat farmer friends Pete and Missy stopped by yesterday to see our new baby (born Friday--see here) and confirmed that she is a girl. I always feel more sure if someone else takes a look! Baby and Mama Fanta are doing well, though they were a little high maintenance for a few days. The baby had trouble figuring out where to nurse and sucked on every part of Fanta except her teats. I had to hold Fanta down and show the baby the teats for awhile. After finally "discovering" the teats on her own, the baby drank so much she gave herself the runs. (I hope you aren't reading this with a snack. Put your Little Debbie down for a minute here.) This resulted in a case of "pasty butt"--which means she got a little "plug" on her bottom. This can kill a baby fast. I had to pull it off. By this time, Fanta had a huge case of lopsideness in her udder and I had to milk her out on th e side the baby was neglecting. Whew. It was a busy baby weekend! Everyone has sorted themselves out now and all is well. Baby and mama are healthy, and in fine nursing order. I don't know if I'm keeping this baby or not, though she's quite special as the first baby born at Sassafras Farm. I'm calling her Sassy, short for Sassafras, in honor of her first new farm baby status. Since sassafras is an ingredient in root beer, that fits in my Fainter-soda pop name theme, too!

*Recent Highlights: Ramps, Rednecks, Apple Lilac Jelly, and More

Barn: I got a big birthday present--Coco is home! That wasn't the end of my animal troubles, though--see Patriot's escape in my Not So Relaxing Evening. (He's home, whew.) I'm not just the queen of animal escapees, though. I'm also an Extra Small Producer--read the process of becoming certified to legally sell eggs. Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: I've been pretty busy this month cooking family favorites for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for Ross while he's home on leave before reporting to his submarine, but I also tried out one of Julia Child's recipes in Queen of Sheba Cake, and created one of my own in Apple Lilac Jelly. Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: Watch me get in touch with My Inner Redneck when Ross brings me his old pickup truck, but even so, will I ever be country enough? Read There's Always Something. See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: I went to get one thing, but ended up with another--see the studio floor in Wooed Away in the Flooring Aisle. I've been busy planting here--I've gotten nearly nearly 20 trees in the ground and I've started my new ramps patch, too. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: Exciting Farm Activity

They're coming back.

BP and Glory went away on a little trip nearly two months ago. In May, they'll be coming home. I hope they each bring back a memento--a baby! Moving cows is always what I like to refer to as an Exciting Farm Activity. Exciting because you know something is going to go wrong. Farm because, well, it involves cows. Activity because no doubt at some point I will be chasing somebody in a circle. That somebody's name will probably be Glory Bee. Stay tuned!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Family Dinners and Treasures

While nobody loves a great recipe more than I do, I especially savor the sentimental posts that are often so beautifully written by our community members. Don't miss there sweet posts from the past month: Family Dinners by grouchymama, and A Discovery of Forgotten Treasure by tsmith.

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The prize for the May contributor giveaway will be a Non-Slip Pastry Mat.

The April contributor giveaway winner of a Sunbeam Donut Maker was katpecosa1.

April 2012 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

CindyP â Our Life Simplified
grouchymama â Blue Silo Farm
katpecosa1
Moopsee
Rachel â The Henway
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
STH
tsmith
xlibbax

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Ever Seen a Baby Goat Born?

Fanta had already popped out baby Sassy before I got down to the goat house, but I've watched several babies come into the world and it's always an amazing thing.

You can see a baby goat born, too, even if you don't have any goats. Flashback to Nutmeg Has a Baby and watch the birth video.

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away books on preserving so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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March 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2012-03-31T13:16:31Z

March 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: Donkeys in the Driveway

*Kitchen Extra: Studio Kitchen Update

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: Fence Me In

*Recent Highlights: White Pickets, New Lands, Agritourism, and More

*Sneak Peek: Patriot Is Coming!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Freezing Cake Batter

*Blast from the Past: Feeding Baby Birds

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Check our unique online primitive shop/greenhouses and watch for the monthly "Treasures and Tips"!!

*Newsletter Stats: 8494 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Feature: Donkeys in the Driveway

Yesterday, I finished painting my new gate posts. Dave and Matt hung the gates back up. I closed the gates and--

--went to tell the donkeys. Only they paid no attention to me! Or the open gate!

Donkeys are a hard sell. I had to get come cookies for them and THEN they strolled on out.

And started mowing!

I think it might take them a while to get the job done. They aren't very efficient, but they fertilize.

And they're quite picturesque!

Eventually it was time for the farrier to arrive, so I got a couple of apple treats and took them back to the barn. I'm going to get a lawnmower this week.

I have not mowed a yard since I was 12 years old. I was always the one who had to do yard work with my dad. Whenever it was time for yard work, my sister would coincidentally put her hair in curlers. Our suburban yard in Maryland was small and relatively flat. I never put my hair in curlers, but my dad must have felt sorry for me because he stopped making me mow. The funny thing is, I don't remember really hating it. I remember hot summer days, wearing shorts, pushing the mower up and down the little rectangles of grass on either side of the driveway in the front yard. If I'd kept mowing, I wouldn't dread mowing now. I'd be an experienced mower! I'd be like, a yard to mow, awesome! I would think it was great exercise and a meditative, zen event. That I don't think that way is-- My dad's fault! Because he stopped making me mow! I haven't thought of something I could blame on my parents in years! Oh never mind, he just felt sorry for me. I probably whined.

Like....now.

However! I have a solution. I'm going to put curlers in my hair and make Morgan mow! I don't want her to hate me later!!!

Though Morgan has declared she won't mow so she may beat me to the curlers. Then we'll have to bring the donkeys back. I wouldn't bet against the donkeys.....

Do you or don't you mow? (Particularly asking women here.) I started a topic thread on the CITR forum for encouragement and women-friendly mower/weedeater suggestions. I need to get over my mower fear. Check it out and tell me your thoughts: Do You Mow? Tell Me.

*Kitchen Extra: Studio Kitchen Update

The new walls are up!

Renovations for the Studio at Sassafras Farm are well underway. Thank you so much for your support! For those of you who are studio contributors--please keep an eye out for emails from me regarding rewards. I will be handling each reward one at a time, so also please don't worry if it's a few weeks before you hear from me. Each reward must be ordered and shipped individually, and I don't want to make any mistakes.

Yesterday, I got a letter in the mail from the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department saying, "The document you submitted is complete and thorough." Yay! The letter states that my Food Establishment Plan has been approved. That is the first step toward getting a permit. The Food Establishment Plan is a thick pile of paperwork I had to fill out, specifying in detail how I would be operating my kitchen in accordance with code. The next step is to apply for the actual permit, which will be followed by an inspection upon the studio's completion. I'm getting there. I'm excited!

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: Fence Me In

I'm all about fencing!

I'm fortunate to have many fields at Sassafras Farm, but I've been limited to the fields directly around the barn because of repairs needed in the other fields. With grass growing, I'm fencing left and right, with a slew of handy helpers. Fencing went up quickly this week, but there is much more to be done. I can't wait to see animals spread across green, green pastures. Follow my progress on the blog as Sassafras Farm meets its first spring! It's gonna be a busy one!

*Recent Highlights: White Pickets, New Lands, Agritourism, and More

Barn: Beulah Petunia and Glory Bee are Away on Studcation! Morgan and I went to see A Rescue Horse, and back at the farm, I'm Discovering New Lands. Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: Bread in a fancy mold--you have to see this one: Another Day, Another Bread Idea. I've also been a little bit, slightly, obsessed with Julia Child lately--check out Suzanne and Julia. Also, watch for my posts showcasing some great BBB alternatives with all-new giveaways. Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: Come with me on my Day with Agritourism as I prepare to open the studio. If you've ever been in a difficult relationship, see my very personal story in Snap, and please celebrate with me when Finally! I Can Tell! about my new book deal! See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: I made my Pre-Spring Assessment, which was followed by 30 bags of mulch and White Pickets. I'm also collecting your suggestions for Giving On--so please stop in there to add your favorite charity to the pot. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: Patriot Is Coming!

We are excited.

Patriot is tentatively scheduled to be delivered to Sassafras Farm on Monday. Don't miss it! I'm also happy to report that Patriot's adoption makes way for Heart of Phoenix to rescue this poor little mare. Adopting a horse means you don't just save one, you also save the second one you make room for them to rescue. (In this case, three, because this mare is pregnant.) Once rehabbed, this mare, and her foal, will be up for adoption. Visit the Heart of Phoenix Equine Rescue here.

*Farm Bell Recipes: Freezing Cake Batter

Who would think of that? Community member CindyP, of course! Always have cupcakes on hand. Or save last-minute preparation time in advance of big events. Freeze the batter instead of the cake for better results! See the post on Farm Bell Recipes here: Freezing Cake Batter, and while you're at it, try out CindyP's Moist Carrot Cake.

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The prize for the April contributor giveaway will be another Sunbeam Donut Maker.

The March contributor giveaway winner for a copy of the 50th anniversary edition of Volume 1 of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking was mom2girls.

March 2012 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

anab â Freezer Labels University
CindyP â Our Life Simplified
copgrrl
JerseyMom
Mary J â Smashing Dishes
mom2girls
murphala â FlourWaterYeast&Salt
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
tsmith

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Feeding Baby Birds

A few years ago, Morgan took a stroll down to the river and came back with four wild baby birds.

Read my adventure with caring for them until I could get them to a wildlife rehabber. See the whole story, with video: Feeding Baby Birds.

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away books on preserving so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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February 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2012-02-29T09:19:50Z

February 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: My Favorite Books

*Kitchen Extra: Freezer Biscuits

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: This Dog

*Recent Highlights: A Miracle, Cinnamon Bun Cookies, Two Pipes to Nowhere, and More

*Sneak Peek: The Studio at Sassafras Farm

*Farm Bell Recipes: Not Pie! Apple Slices!

*Blast from the Past: Winter Cancellation

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Check our unique online primitive shop/greenhouses and watch for the monthly "Treasures and Tips"!!

*Newsletter Stats: 8132 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Feature: My Favorite Books

I recently wrote a column for the Charleston Daily Mail including some of my favorite farm and country life memoirs, and I want to write an expanded version here to list more of my favorite along with some of your favorites you've shared with me.

I love âfarm memoirsâ and apparently so do a lot of other people because they are of perennial popularity on bookstore shelves. These are sometimes âfish out of waterâ or âcity girl goes countryâ stories, or other times more focused on personal adventure and discovery through rural or self-sustainable living. Recently, I worked on a book of my own, which I hope to see in print soon, but in the meantime, I want to share some of my favorite back-to-the-land stories you can read today. (If youâre a Kindle lover like me, you can find many of these also available in e-book format.)

Coop: A Family, A Farm, and the Pursuit of One Good Egg, by Michael Perry. The author grew up on a ramshackle dairy farm with parents who took in over 100 foster children. Returning to the land as an adult with a pregnant wife, Perry reminisces about his unorthodox childhood as he faces 37 acres of fallen fences and overgrown fields of his own. The wild stories about his childhood foster siblings are almost the best part of the book, but it's all surprisingly riveting. I loved this book.

The Dirty Life: A Memoir of Farming, Food, and Love, by Kristin Kimball. A Manhattan journalist walks away from life in the city to start a cooperative farm in upstate New York with a farmer she interviewed for a story. Poignant and gritty, it focuses on the personal reality of adjusting to farm life. This one was incredibly dark in some places, but true to farm life, and I came to love it for its bare honesty and the beautiful writing.

The Egg and I, by Betty MacDonald. When Betty MacDonald marries and moves to the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State to start a chicken farm, she is unprepared for the challenges of her new country life. The Egg and I is a both cozy and hilarious adventure that is a classic in the genre, first published in 1945. You might have to search around a bit to find a copy of this one, but itâs worth it.

Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl, by Susan McCorkindale. This is the story of a suburban mom and New York career woman who agrees to give up her six-figure job for her husbandâs dream of a 500-acre cattle farm. I first attempted to read this book a few years ago and was put off by the writerâs seeming disdain for country lifeâ-and country people. I think I just wasnât ready at the time to âgetâ her sense of humor. I came back to the book recently and tried again, and this time I enjoyed it. In the meantime, she released a sequel called 500 Acres and No Place to Hide. Both books are fun reads if youâre willing to accept her high heels in the barnyard. Just remember she doesnât mean half of what she says.

Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life, by Barbara Kingsolver. The bestselling author and her family take a journey away from the industrial-food pipeline to a rural life in which they vow to buy only food raised in their own neighborhood, grow it themselves, or learn to live without it. This is the opposite of the McCorkindale book. Itâs so earnest at its task, itâs almost overwrought, but itâs a bestseller for a reason. Itâs very well-researched, and spiked with humor when you least expect it. I had to read it in short sittings, though, because it's a little heavy going at times.

All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot. No book list of memoirs about rural living would be complete without this classic multi-million copy bestseller about the challenges of veterinary practice in the English countryside. His compassion for people and love for animals makes for a funny and dramatic story that is timeless. First published in the 1970s and followed by several sequels, it will be in print forever and no one will ever do it better. If you haven't thought of this one in a while, it's a good one to re-read, too.

Hit By A Farm: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Barn, by Catherine Friend. This is another more recent memoir that has become a favorite of mine. Friend dives into a crash course in living off the land when she agrees to her partnerâs dream of owning a sheep farm. They take a very organized approach to their preparations, yet find over the course of their adventures what everyone who buys a farm finds out: You can't prepare for a farm! The sequel, Sheepish, is just as much fun.

A Country Year: Living the Questions, by Sue Hubbell When her thirty-year marriage breaks up, Sue Hubbell finds herself alone and broke on a small Ozarks farm. She challenges herself to tell the absolute truth about her life on the land and finding her way as a woman. This one, I haven't read yet, but it's been highly recommended by a number of you, so it's on my list!

The Book of Stillmeadow, by Gladys Taber. Another classic in this genre that continues to be popular today. Taber tells of the day to day living at her country home, Stillmeadow--the animals, the visitors, the conversations, the simple life that strikes an eternal chord with readers. There is a whole series of Stillmeadow books that all sound upbeat and downright delicious. Published in the 1980s, they aren't easy to find, but you might strike gold at a yard sale so keep them in mind.

And, of course, I can't possibly leave out The Legend of Mammy Jane. (Subtitle: An uneducated girl becomes the lady of the manor in Appalachia.) The book was written by Sibyl Jarvis Pischke about her grandmother, Jane Jarvis, and is set in the pre-Civil War and Civil War period in what would eventually become West Virginia. It's not actually a memoir, but rather a heavily fictionalized biography, and it's not even a very well-written book from a technical standpoint--yet it is amazingly captivating just the same, so bears mentioning on this list along the same general theme. I have an extensive review of the book here. It's a bit hard to find, but surprisingly worth the trouble.

Itâs not quite spring yet, so if youâve still got time to curl up in a chair in front of the fire, you canât go wrong with any of these. Have some favorites of your own? Let me know. Iâm always looking for a good farm memoir!

*Kitchen Extra: Freezer Biscuits

Short-order breakfast!

Morgan gets on the bus early, and on weekdays, often eats her breakfast at school. That leaves me home alone to cook for myself if I want a hot breakfast. Mornings are busy here between feeding and watering the animals and writing. I like to write in the mornings. Afternoon is when I'm in the mood for playtime in the kitchen. But I'm hungry in the morning! I found myself grabbing too many unplanned and less than healthy breakfasts lately. I do like my homemade cereal, but not every day. Lately, I've been making up big batches of biscuits. I prepare the biscuit dough, cut them out, then freeze them on pans. After they're frozen, I can handle them easily. I tuck two biscuits per sandwich-sized baggie, then place multiple baggies inside a large freezer baggie. I can take out one baggie of two biscuits in the morning, place the frozen biscuits on a small greased cookie sheet to thaw for an hour, then all I have to do is bake the biscuits and fry up an egg. Hot breakfast--and fast!

You can find my biscuit recipe using my Quick Mix here. (You can also do this with any of the biscuit variations you find on that page.)

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: This Dog

Need I say more?

I miss her as we wait for her to be healed enough to come home, but at least we know where she is!

*Recent Highlights: A Miracle, Cinnamon Bun Cookies, Two Pipes to Nowhere, and More

Barn: This was a dramatic month with Coco's accident and disappearance in A Crushing Event followed by the overwhelming joy of her return in A Miracle. While she's still recuperating at the animal hospital, she will be fine, and I've got a surprise waiting for her at home with A Companion for Coco.â Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: How about Cinnamon Bun Cookies or Caramelized Banana Crumble? I'm also back at it with BBB alternatives showcasing some of the other great canning and preserving literature that is available with all-new giveaways. Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: I had a Problem, with Ramble and uncovered a surprising mystery (and solution) in Two Pipes to Nowhere. Living on An Old Place, there are discoveries to be made all the time! See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: I Launched my studio project and in three amazing weeks, it was Funded! THANK YOU!!!!! Meanwhile, I've been making discoveries inside the house in The Short and Incomplete History of the Stairs. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: The Studio at Sassafras Farm

I can't wait to get started!

So many of you commented or emailed me about Kickstarter that I launched my own Studio at Sassafras Farm project in early February to renovate the studio building here into a health department-approved kitchen for cooking/cheesemaking and other workshops as well as to serve meals for agritourism and other farm activities and events. I can't ever thank you enough for all of your support for this project. You are an awesome force! Work will start the third week of March, after the project funding is released, and I can't wait to show you all the details of the transformation as the studio goes from zero to health department-approved kitchen in just a few weeks! It's going to be exciting! Come with me!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Not Pie! Apple Slices!

This community member contribution really caught my eye this month--a different sort of apple recipe, by community member murphala. As she says, "They masquerade as pie, but pie is good right out of the oven. So are these, but where pie gets all soggy the next day, these improve with age." She hunted down a remembered childhood recipe through other members of the Chickens in the Road Forum, and found the one she was looking for. See the post with the whole story on Farm Bell Recipes here: Not Pie! Apple Slices!. Get the printable recipe here: Apple Slices.

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The prize for the March contributor giveaway will be a copy of the 50th anniversary edition of Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

The February contributor giveaway winner for a Sunbeam Donut Maker was Robin from Rurification.

February 2012 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

Billie â No Crack Cream
Butterbean â Adventures In Country Living
Canner Joann â The Skinny on Like with Bypass, Band or Sleeve
Jayme Payne â Dreaming of Poultry
Kathi N â Granddad's Corner
Miss HomeEcs Daughter
murphala â FlourWaterYeast&Salt
pirate96 â Wokokon
Rachel â The Henway
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
tsmith

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Winter Cancellation

I've been trying to cancel Winter for years.

With our mostly mild weather this season still in swing, I think I finally did it! "According to an industry insider, Winterâs North American tour has been cancelled due to slow ticket sales. With shows only selling at 40 to 60 percent capacity, Winter needs a real hit to reboost her fan base." Let's hope she doesn't get it. See the whole report: In My Dreams.

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away Ball Blue Book Guides to Preserving so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

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January 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2012-01-31T09:51:25Z

January 2012 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: The To-Do List

*Kitchen Extra: Treats to be Sweet

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: A Bottle for Clover

*Recent Highlights: Pastures Tours, The Kitchen and I, Coloring Mason Jars, and More

*Sneak Peek: Retreat 2012 Registration NOW OPEN!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Foraging

*Blast from the Past: The Whos Down in Whoville

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Check our unique online primitive shop/greenhouses and watch for the monthly "Treasures and Tips"!!

*Newsletter Stats: 7891 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Feature: The To-Do List

Several years ago when I still lived at the slanted little house, there was a woman in the area who used to stop by and chat every so often if she saw me out on the porch. She told me a story one day that has always stuck with me. It's a sweet story, and unexpectedly romantic--so with Valentine's Day coming up, I want to share it with you.

Her husband was driving her crazy. He was grumpy most of the time, and when he wasn't grumpy, he was mean. He never made anything easier for her--down to throwing his dirty clothes on the floor for her to pick up. Eventually, she told him she'd had enough and she was thinking about divorcing him. She told him, "You're not a very nice person."

He stopped being mean, though often he was still pretty grumpy, and he never did get very good at picking his own clothes up off the floor. One day, she picked up his pants to take them to the wash. She checked his pockets first to make sure nothing had been left in them, and found a folded-up piece of paper. It wasn't anywhere near to a new piece of folded paper. No, it looked like it had been folded and refolded many times, as if he'd been carrying it around for awhile--only this time, he'd forgotten and left it in his pants.

She opened the paper and inside it said, "Be a nicer person."

She decided right then that she was not going to divorce him, and years later, they are still married.

Gestures of love, whether to a spouse, a child, or a friend, don't have to be big--and sometimes it's something that costs nothing that is the best gift of all.

*Kitchen Extra: Treats to be Sweet

Planning some treats for the sweet ones in your life this Valentine's Day? Here's a roundup of a few of my favorite recipes to get you thinking...and drooling...and wondering if you can share!

Pretty in Pink Cookies
Surprise Cookies
Cherry Chocolate Kisses
Easy Truffles
Chocolate Lava Cakes

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: A Bottle for Clover

A little milk bottle from the Clover Dew Dairy.

Reader Judith picked up a half-pint bottle from the "Clover Dew Dairy" in Bluefield, West Virginia. She told me it reminded her of me and Chickens in the Road, and offered to send it to me. I was delighted to have it and I put it on my kitchen windowsill to await flowers in the spring. (Thank you, Judith!)

*Recent Highlights: Pasture Tours, The Kitchen and I, Coloring Mason Jars, and More

Barn: Did you miss any of the pasture tours? We went to the Lower Fields, the Upper Fields, and the Other Fields. And I have a tractor! Hunh. I just haven't figured out what to do with it yet.â Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: The Kitchen and I, we're still working on coming to terms, but I did manage to whip up A Very Big Cookie. Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: Check out this year's farm goals in Farming from Scratch, Year Five. I finally feel like a farmer, but at the hardware store, I'm still in a foreign land. (I'm working on it!) And I've written a book! You can, too! Find out more about my book, and how you can write your own in How to Write a Memoir. See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: I was busy solving plumbing emergencies most of the past month, but I did manage to pull off an experiment in Coloring Mason Jars. I'm also set to dive into the big project in the studio--find out more in The Studio Fund. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: Retreat 2012 Registration NOW OPEN!

Bigger and better than ever.

CITR Retreat 2012 is set for September 13-17, with the Party on the Farm (at Sassafras Farm!) on September 16. (Check-in at Camp Sheppard will be September 13, with check-out September 17.) Registration opened the first week of January--and we are already nearly two-thirds filled. Registration is limited, and you don't want to miss out!

Retreat workshops at Camp Sheppard in 2012 will include cheesemaking, preserving, soapmaking, breadbaking, candlemaking, natural skin care, apron making, spinning, felting and fulling, container gardening, painting, goat milking and husbandry (with goats on site!), mushroom log inoculating, and more!

Evenings will be "freestyle" with craft-sharing time and some very special entertainment. West Virginia dulcimer player and maker Jim Good will entertain us with his music on Friday evening (September 14) and Granny Sue, a real live old-fashioned folk storyteller will regale us with her tales on Saturday night (September 15). See you there! For more info and to sign up, check out the Retreat 2012 page.

*Farm Bell Recipes: Foraging

One of my favorite community member contributions this month came from Sheryl-Runningtrails with her adventures in harvesting from the wild. Check out her post about Foraging and have an adventure of your own!

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The January contributor giveaway winner was katieiacobellis.

January 2012 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

Amanda â Becker Style
Bonita
brookdale
CindyP â Our Life Simplified
grouchymama â Blue Silo Farm
katieiacobellis
LisaAJB â You Probably Shouldn't Read this
murphala â FlourWaterYeast&Salt
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
Shelley â the Intermittent Farm Report
Sheryl - Runningtrails â Providence Acres Farm
Susan

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: The Whos Down in Whoville

A mild winter leads me to reminisce!

We've only had a few light snows this year, which got me thinking about the year at Stringtown Rising when we were inundated with snow after snow--and power outage after power outage. Check out The Whos Down in Whoville for all my baking experiments with no electricity. Whew, it makes me grateful for a light winter!

The CITR 2012 Calendar is still available!

Keep a goat in cookies! Buy a calendar here!

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away Ball Blue Book Guides to Preserving so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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January 2012 Special Edition Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2012-01-03T07:28:54Z

January 2012 Special Edition Chickens in the Road Newsletter

*Newsletter Alert: CITR Retreat 2012 Open for Registration!

A Hands-On Experience in the West Virginia Mountains -- September 13th-15th at Camp Sheppard, located in Roane County, West Virginia. The 2012 Party on the Farm follows on September 16th at Sassafras Farm.

Are you ready for the CITR retreat? Join us for an exciting adventure in the scenic hills of West Virginia!

Learn old-time skills and fresh, new methods in a hands-on way with in-person mentorship from fellow CITR friends. Workshops will include cheesemaking, preserving, soapmaking, breadbaking, candlemaking, natural skin care, spinning, felting and fulling, quilting, container gardening, mushroom log inoculating, apron making, dulcimer playing, painting, goat milking/husbandry, and power tools. Take home fun and functional know-how for self-sufficient living and old-fashioned craftingâand take home what you make, too.

* * *

Preserving Workshops

The art of preserving is neither dying nor lost! Learn how to preserve using boiling water bath and steam canning, pressure canning, dehydrating, steam juicing, and more! Learn the principles of safe home canning, proper processing and storing methods, how to use basic canning equipment along with the âmagicâ of specialty equipment. (Steam juicing will be âon the menuâ in both canning workshops.) Something for everyone â attendees will be polled as to what skill level they desire to learn, from first-timers to advanced, and workshops will be planned accordingly.

In the boiling water bath workshops, learn what can be safely preserved by this method and the most current tips and tricks including low temp pasteurization for pickling. Weâll prep food, prepare recipes, and process. And taste!

Pressure canning workshops will take you to the almost endless possibilities in the world of preserving â meats, soups, stews and more! Learn to preserve low acid foods safely and economically, including meals in jars that are the best âfast foodâ ever! Move beyond the fear of using a pressure canner and into the confidence of DIY.

Dehydrating is one of the oldest forms of food preservation. This workshop will delve into what can be dried, and how to prepare, store, and use what you preserve. Weâll make jerky and other foods, and use dehydrated foods in recipes. Weâll use and discuss different styles of dehydrators and even learn what else they can be used for besides food preservation!

Cheesemaking Workshops

Dive into the joy of home cheesemaking! In soft cheese workshops, experience making your own mozzarella from start to tasting. Workshops will also include demonstration and sampling of other soft cheeses such as creme fraiche, fromage blanc, and mascarpone. Learn the fundamental techniques to prepare you to make any kind of soft cheese at home.

Hard cheese workshops will prepare you with the basic how and why of milk, cultures, rennet, cheese presses (homemade and spring-weighted), as well as the basic supplies and equipment to set up a home cheesemaking kitchen. In each workshop, we will make a hard cheese from pot to press, and you will learn how to set up a cheese cave at home for aging to perfection. You will leave this workshop with hard cheese demystified, ready to go home and make your own.

Soapmaking Workshops

Take the plunge into soapmakingâstep by step!

Take the first step by learning how to make a good old-fashioned bar of lye soap how your grandmothers didâby hot-processing, but with a modern twist. Weâll measure, mix and cook oils and lye together as you watch firsthand the magic as lye, oil, and water is turned into a beautiful, safe bar of soap within just a couple hours. Youâll learn the tricks and techniques of pouring, slicing and drying. Youâll go home with a few special bars made by you!

For those who have already worked with lye and hot processing, learn how to use a different type of lye, create a different type of trace and magically make an all-natural, fast and easy liquid soap. Take it home to use it in your own home as hand soap, shower gel, or even shampooâanother product you can take those unpronounceable ingredients out of. Youâll also learn the tricks to diluting and thickening your homemade liquid soaps.

Want to learn the hows and whys of different oils and additives in your homemade soap? Is the soap calculator giving you fits? In soap chemistry, weâll take the mystery out of soap recipes by learning the soap calculator and the make-up of different oils working togetherâso your family and friends can have soap that works with their skin.

Breadbaking Workshops

There are few things more satisfying in life than taking a warm loaf of bread made from your own hands out of the oven. Using simple ingredients, you will learn the steps of mixing, kneading, and shaping to create your own fresh-baked rolls, loaves, pizzas, coffeecakes, and more using the Grandmother Bread recipe. With hands-on experience and individual guidance, you will leave this workshop with the knowledge and skill to make homemade bread a part of your daily life. Say goodbye to store-bought bread!

Cake Candle Workshops

Love those primitive country-style artisan candles? Make your own using a few specialty wax whipping and frosting techniques! Learn how to make a basic cake candle then how to apply the techniques to create cinnamon bun candles, pie candles, loaf candles, and more. This is a hands-on workshop and you will take home your creations. No previous candlemaking experience required.

Natural Skin Care Workshops

Hands-on natural skin care workshops will prepare you with the basic how and why of preparing your own products both for babies and for grown-up skin that needs to be babied. Learn which common ingredients nourish fragile/sensitive skin and which can irritate it. Youâll take home your own green healing salve and baby-safe lotion plus detailed tip sheets on therapeutic herbs, oils, skin nourishing formulas, sensitizers, and common ingredients to avoid.

Spinning Workshops

Learn to spin yarn with a drop spindle. This hands-on workshop includes an overview of fiber preparation and lots of practice with drop spindles, hand carding, and wool combing tools, plus tips and demos on using a spinning wheel, dyeing wool, and choosing fiber for your own spinning projects. Come ready to have fun!

Power Tool Workshops

Donât know the difference between a drill and a jig saw? This workshop will introduce you to basic power and hand tools, and take the mystery (and fear!) out of using them. The care, maintenance, and selection of the right tool for the job will be covered, and youâll get hands-on experience with a skilled instructor at your side as you practice using various tools then craft a small project to take home. Gain the knowledge and confidence to take not only craft construction but minor household jobs into your own hands. Specifically geared to women with little or no experience with tools, but men are welcome!

Felting & Fulling Workshops

Dive into an ancient craft! This workshop will introduce you to the history and techniques of felting and an understanding of the art of fulling--and what is the difference. Learn the basics of matting, condensing, and pressing fiber then practice your new skills making soap sweaters to take home with you along with the inspiration and experience to create even more projects on your own.

Quilting Workshops

Take a fun dip into introductory quilt making by machine sewing a small project. Learn the basic cutting, pressing, piecing, and sewing techniques that form the foundation of this creative art. You will leave this workshop with your first quilting creation and a new addictive craft to pursue at home! Some sewing experience will be helpful, but is not required. While fabrics, batting, and other supplies and equipment will be provided, if you have a favorite sewing kit, embellishment, or fabric, feel free to bring it with you.

Container Gardening Workshops

This workshop will focus on the key differences between gardening in containers versus in the ground. Learn about soil dynamics, water movement and retention, proper fertilization, and common mistakes (or âopportunities for learningâ) when planting in pots. Learn how to make your own growing mix, how to find the best literature available to the container gardener, how to select fruits and vegetables for container growing, and grab some great ideas for creative containers. Build your own self-watering container, based on the global bucket system, in the workshop and take it home! Leave with the knowledge and ability to grow fruits, vegetables, and herbs no matter where you live or how much room you have to grow.

Mushroom Log Inoculating Workshops

Youâll never find mushrooms this fresh at the store! Learn the different ways to produce, harvest and store shiitake mushrooms with demonstrations and hands-on practice inoculating hardwood (oak) logs with sawdust spawn. Take home a new and rewarding hobby along with your log, ready for your very own harvest!

Apron Making Workshops

Make a very special souvenir to bring home from your retreat that will be both as practical and as decorative as you like. Learn to construct the apron, decorate it, and make it as cost effective as possible using remnants, items you wouldnât usually associate with sewing, and pure creativity. Whether you are an expert sewer or have never put the pedal to the floor, you will walk away from this workshop with a one-of-a-kind apron! No sewing experience required.

Dulcimer Playing Workshops

This is a workshop for anyone interested in the only musical instrument that originated in the United States, right here in Appalachia. Whether or not you can read music, you can learn to play the dulcimer in a short time. All the basics will be coveredâcare, tuning, different playing styles and techniques, and learning some simple songs. (Dulcimers for use in the workshop will be provided to students. If you want to take one home, hand-crafted dulcimers from West Virginia artisan Jim Good will be available for purchase.)

Painting Workshops

Think you canât paint? Let Kelly Walker guide you step by step as you create your very own masterpieces. No experience required! Everything you need will be providedâaprons, paint, brushes, and all other supplies.

In the small canvas workshop, youâll follow along with an experienced and enthusiastic artist who will give you stroke-by-stroke instructions as you create your painting. Develop your artistic ability and learn about composition, color theory, color mixing, and basic painting techniques. If youâve ever wanted to learn to paint, this is your chance. Go home with your personal masterpiece and a new-found talent to explore.

The gourd birdhouse workshop is for the birds! Learn to both craft and decorate your own gourd birdhouse starting with a well-cured gourd and using tools and paints to create a one-of-a-kind work of functional art. With a shortage of cavities available to wild birds, your gourd birdhouse will be filled in no time! Youâll choose what size hole to cut based on the type of bird you want to attract, clean the inside of the gourd, and paint the outside with the guidance of a skilled artist.

Goat Milking/Husbandry Workshop

This workshop will focus on the home dairy goat. We will have goats on-site for hands-on practice in conformation assessment, trimming, and milking (not to mention petting!). Topics include: 1) Why goats? 2) How to choose a goat to suit your needs (size, health issues, purpose). 3) Physical traits (conformation) and why it is important. 4) Management requirements (housing, feeding, and health care). 5) Practical instruction on trimming feet, giving shots and oral medications. 6) Milking by hand and machine. Handouts will be provided and by the end of the workshop you will know the basics for keeping dairy goats at home.

* * *

Like last year, we're offering the retreat as a complete package--all workshops, supplies, meals, accommodations, and activities included. If you are local, I encourage you to attend and stay in the cabins for the whole experience. Registration is open to adults only (18 or older). The CITR retreat is a full-on blast where grown-ups are the kids.

This is your time and we are committed to giving you the time of your life.

Ready to sign up? Your adventure starts here!

* * *

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

I'm giving away a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving regularly, so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

The CITR 2012 Calendar is available!

Keep a goat in cookies! Buy a calendar here!

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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December 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2011-12-31T13:46:58Z

December 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: Last Chicken Standing

*Kitchen Extra: Jam Thumbprint Pastries

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: A Very Frilly Apron

*Recent Highlights: House Tour, A Memoir of the Renoir, Morning at Sassafras Farm, and More

*Sneak Peek: Retreat 2012 Registration Opens Soon

*Farm Bell Recipes: Cranberry with a Kick

*Blast from the Past: Death in the Garden

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Check our unique online primitive shop/greenhouses and watch for the monthly "Treasures and Tips"!!

*Newsletter Stats: 7565 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Feature: Last Chicken Standing

When I moved to Sassafras Farm, along with all the other animals I had to move, I had to move several dozen chickens. I'm hoping that moving chickens is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, because I don't really want to repeat it. Most of my chickens at Stringtown Rising Farm were free-range chickens, so it wasn't as easy as cornering them in the chicken yard. And believe me, they didn't want to go in the chicken yard or house and nothing could entice them in there. Perhaps it was because we had just recently butchered several dozen meat roos, but for whatever reason, the chickens weren't in a trusting frame of mind.

Moving the chickens meant catching them, and once caught, placing them in large and small animal carriers. I could get 10 or 12 in an oversize carrier, and maybe 4 or 5 in a cat carrier. I chased them left, right, and in all kinds of circles, lunging for a feather to hold on to in order to capture them. I ran through the easy ones first, the ones that would run up to me when I had a can of feed in my hand. After that, I had to work harder to get the wily ones.

And then there were the ones that didn't want to be caught at all.

Within the first few days at Sassafras Farm, I had all the chickens except for six holdouts. Four escaped meat roos and two hens. Originally, I had believed that only two meat roos escaped butchering day. They must have had a deal to only show themselves in twos. Eventually I realized that there were actually four of them. Plus the two hens.

After some time of returning to Stringtown Rising Farm over and over with a cat carrier in the back of my car, trying to capture the six renegade chickens, I spoke with the Ornery Angel. By this time, one of the hens had actually moved to her house, and I asked her if she wanted to gather up her kids and capture the renegade meat roos and the other hen. I was ready to give up and I couldn't keep up the chase and take care of Sassafras Farm at the same time. She had some success, and by the time I went back this past week, there was just one chicken standing at Stringtown Rising Farm. One wily hen who had been eluding me, and everyone else, for over a month.

She came running up to my car, clucking, but as soon as I got out, she ran away. I told her that I didn't care. I hadn't even brought a cat carrier with me. She could just move herself over to the Ornery Angel's house whenever she was ready. She clucked and clucked. I still have some things to move, so I went about my business. "I'm done with that hen!" I told myself. And every time I went back and forth to the car, there she was, lurking here, lurking there, clucking and sounding lonesome and looking a bit bedraggled.

"You could be living at Sassafras Farm," I told her. "But don't you worry about that! You just live here. BY YOURSELF."

I got ready to leave, and there she was, lurking here, lurking there, clucking and sounding lonesome and looking bedraggled.

And still running away from me.

And I didn't have a cat carrier anyway because I'd given up on her.

But I looked around and found a tiny bit of cracked corn in the bottom of an old can. I brought it out and knelt down in front of the car. I shook it. Like she was going to come to me for corn. She was too wily for that.

Oh, she was so wary. She darted for the corn, dancing back, darting forward again. I made my move and managed to grasp her by one big bedraggled tail feather and she was mine. I took her and the corn to the car. I put her in the back with the can of corn. I didn't have a cat carrier! She was going to flop all over the car, sit on my head, and poop on my lap!

But she just set herself down in the back with the corn and snacked all the way to Sassafras Farm. As much as she hadn't wanted to go with me, I'm sure she thought she was having her last supper and was headed for the guillotine. And she didn't care anymore.

At Sassafras Farm, she wasn't sure she wanted to get out.

She had to think about it for awhile.

She finally made the leap--and came home.

And found her peeps.

She'll be fine now. She's just a little.....

.....bedraggled.

*Kitchen Extra: Jam Thumbprint Pastries

Fun with pastries! Try out my new Grandmother Bread for Pastries recipe with this simple pleasure.

Start by making the pastry dough. (Get the handy printable for the pastry recipe at Farm Bell Recipes here.) When the dough is ready to use, divide dough into two dozen balls. Place balls on greased baking sheets. Press with your thumb to make a well in the center of each piece. Add a teaspoon of jam, jelly, or marmalade to each. Cover and let rise about an hour. Brush edges with melted butter and sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake at 350-degrees for 15-20 minutes until browned. Keep this pastry dough in the fridge or freezer for an easy treat anytime!

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: A Very Frilly Apron

A gift from community member Blyss.

I was surprised and delighted to receive a package containing this gorgeous handmade apron. I'm in love with it! THANK YOU, Blyss! By the way, Blyss will be teaching an apron making class at CITR Retreat 2012--come and let her teach you to make your own!

*Recent Highlights: House Tour, A Memoir of the Renoir, Morning at Sassafras Farm, and More

Barn: I'm ready for winter! I've been Gettin' Hay--and more hay (see Round Bales). Despite it all, I'm feeling lazy with my new chore routine. Morning at Sassafras Farm is nothing like I'm used to! But we still have our annual holiday tradition--don't miss Clover as the Christmas Angel.â Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: See the new dinner schedule in Mexican Mondays and Other Things then check out the Hidden Treasures in my kitchen. And be sure to make some Bear Claws! (Your family will thank you.) Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: Come with me as I dig into a childhood gift and finally find an appreciation for it in A Memoir of the Renoir. I had a new homeowner of an old home experience with The Big Dig. And was The 2011 Woolly Worm Report true? We're not seeing much winter weather yet! You? If you missed anything, get the annual recap here: The Farmhouse Year in Review 2011. See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: Take a tour of Sassafras Farm! See downstairs and upstairs, the cellar and the studio. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: Retreat 2012 Registration Opens Soon

Bigger and better than ever.

CITR Retreat 2012 is set for September 13-17, with the Party on the Farm (at Sassafras Farm!) on September 16. (Check-in at Camp Sheppard will be September 13, with check-out September 17.) Registration opens in January--keep a close eye on the blog for the announcement very soon. Registration is limited, and you don't want to miss out!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Cranberry with a Kick

One of my favorite community member ideas this month came from CindyP with her homemade cranberry-infused vodka. It makes a great gift during the holidays--or any time! Try Cranberry with a Kick. (Don't plan on driving afterward.)

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The December contributor giveaway winner was CindyP.

December 2011 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

Astrid â Apple Tree Acres
Blyss
Brookdale
CindyP â Our Life Simplified
Grouchy Mama â Blue Silo Farm
Kathi N â Granddad's Corner
Katieiacobellis
Kerrie â CIty Girl Farming
Maker of Stuff
Mom2Girls
Pirate96 â Wokokon
Prvrbs31 Gal â Homesteading on the Homefront
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
Ross
Shelley â Twiggity Nigerian Dwarf goats
Smallpeace â Smallpeace

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Death in the Garden

A creepy winter post.

Yet so much fun!! Check out Death in the Garden.

The CITR 2012 Calendar is available!

Keep a goat in cookies! Buy a calendar here!

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube
CITR on Pinterest

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away Ball Blue Book Guides to Preserving so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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November 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2011-11-30T15:30:28Z

November 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Special Edition: The Big Move

*Farm Bell Recipes: Monthly Contributor Giveaway

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Unique primitive shop & greenhouses located right on the farm. Find the perfect gift for shipping to everyone including the 'hard-to-buy-for'! WV Gift Baskets and More! Available Now!

*Newsletter Stats: 7366 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Special Edition: The Big Move

Goodbye, Stringtown Rising Farm, and hello-- Well, if you missed it, you'd better go see! Read Landing on My Feet. Thank you all so much for your support and your patience. Things will be back to normal in CITR-land as soon as possible (and I'll have a regular full newsletter for you next month). Stay tuned for more house, cellar, studio, barn, and pasture tours coming up on the blog!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Monthly Contributor Giveaway

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The November contributor giveaway winner was Faith.

November 2011 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

backyardandbeyond â Backyard & Beyond
bonita
Carrie J-WA
Cassie
CindyP â Our Life Simplified
Faith
Jayme Payne â Dreaming of Poultry
Kathi N â Granddad's Corner
katieiacobellis
leavesofthefall
lisabetholson
marymac
pirate96 â Wokokon
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
Shelley â Twiggity Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats
twotravel

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

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October 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2011-10-31T12:10:39Z

October 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: Bite Me

*Kitchen Extra: Getting My Candy Groove On

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: The CITR 2012 Calendar

*Recent Highlights: Power School Graduation, Silence of the Calves, Stealing Autumn, and More

*Sneak Peek: CITR Retreat 2012

*Farm Bell Recipes: Planning Ahead for the Holidays

*Blast from the Past: Maple Rum-Raisin Cookies

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Unique primitive shop & greenhouses located right on the farm. Find the perfect gift for shipping to everyone including the 'hard-to-buy-for'! WV Gift Baskets and More! Starting 11/15/2011!

*Newsletter Stats: 7150 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Feature: Bite Me

Spice the cat and Casper the dog are involved. Spice: "Hello, lover."

"You know what I want."

"Right there."

"There."

"There!"

"YES!"

"I'm so embarrassed."

Casper: "What does embarrassed mean?"

*Kitchen Extra: Getting My Candy Groove On

I always feel as if I'm getting robbed this time of year. I don't have children young enough to go trick-or-treating anymore, and I don't live in a neighborhood where I can expect trick-or-treaters at the door. Therefore, I don't get to "go through the goody bags for safety's sake" and steal candy from my children, nor do I have any excuse to stock up on candy to supposedly give away to other children. In short, I have no candy and no excuses.

After giving this troubling issue some thought, I realized I just needed a new excuse! I do like to come up with recipes and share recipes. Why am I not working on recipes that involve CANDY? Boy, sometimes I'm really slow.

Snickers Cheesecake:

Crust
2 cups crushed Oreo cookies
1/4 cup butter, melted

Filling
2 large Snickers bars
3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 eggs

Topping
chocolate or caramel syrup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease sides of a 9-inch springform pan. Place cookie crumbs in the bottom of the pan. Drizzle melted butter over crumbs; toss with fork until well combined. Firmly press mixture in bottom and up sides of pan to form crust. Cut each candy bar in half lengthwise; cut each half into 8 pieces. Set aside. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and eggs until smooth, scraping down sides of bowl once. Stir in candy pieces. Pour mixture into crust-lined pan. Bake 1 hour 15 minutes or until knife inserted slightly off center comes out clean (center will be slightly jiggly). Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour. Carefully remove sides of pan. Refrigerate until chilled before serving, at least 2 hours. Drizzle slices with chocolate syrup.

Optional: You could use a third Snickers bar to chop up and decorate on top. Or just eat the third Snickers bar. Up to you!

Get the printable recipe at Farm Bell Recipes here.

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: The CITR 2012 Calendar

Take CITR with you all year!

The animals have been bad, wild, and bad this year, so in honor of their bad-to-the-bone-ness, I present the Party Animals Edition! Get the scoop and how to order here.

*Recent Highlights: Power School Graduation, Silence of the Calves, Stealing Autumn, and More

Barn: It's still all about cows here in my battle with the Bad Baby. See me win in Silence of the Calves then it's Glory Bee's turn in How to Entertain Yourself If You're a Heifer. It's not over yet! ‎ Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: So many ways to use one easy-to-make soft cheese. Check out The Joy of Lactic Cheese then come along on my experiment with Pizza Crust Yeast. Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: What am I up to? I have a list of Six Things. I also took a trip to South Carolina in October for a Navy Nuclear Power School Graduation--Ross is on to prototype now! See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: See my wet, wet fall and my attempt to overcome in Stealing Autumn. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: CITR Retreat 2012

Bigger and better than ever.

We have a date! CITR Retreat 2012 is set for September 13-17, with the Party on the Farm on September 16. (Check-in at Camp Sheppard will be September 13, with check-out September 17.) Registration opens in January.

Retreat workshops at Camp Sheppard in 2012 will include cheesemaking, preserving, soapmaking, breadbaking, candlemaking, homemade beauty/skincare products (including sensitive skin and baby), apron-making, spinning, felting, container gardening, photography, painting, quilting, goat milking and husbandry (with goats on site!), shiitake mushroom log inoculating, and dulcimer and psaltery playing.

*Farm Bell Recipes: Planning Ahead for the Holidays

Community member CindyP is getting ready for the holidays already--and we should be, too! See Cookie Dough--Bake One, Freeze One and be inspired!

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The October contributor giveaway winner was Robin from Rurification.

October 2011 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

Amanda — Becker Style
Astrid
Cassie
CindyP — Our Life Simplified
Jayme Payne — Dreaming of Poultry
Jim in Colorado — Granddad's Corner
Joy
Kathi N — Granddad's Corner
katieiacobellis
kellyb
Kenya Cook
Kerrie — City Girl Farming
LisaAJB — You Probably Shouldn't Read This
Mary — Buck 'N Run Ranch
MrsFuzz
OliviaN — Storkie
Pat
prvrbs31gal — Homesteading on the Homefront
Robin from Rurification — Rurification
Shelley — Twiggity Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Maple Rum-Raisin Cookies

One of my favorite recipes for this time of year.

Raisins soaked in rum and pecans--these cookies taste like autumn in a bite! Get the recipe.

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving about once a week so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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September 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2011-09-30T14:58:53Z

September 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: What Made You Decide

*Kitchen Extra: Spiced Winter Squash Butter

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: My New Excal

*Recent Highlights: Stumpers, Groundwork, Side & Seasoning Mixes, and More

*Sneak Peek: Carolina-Bound

*Farm Bell Recipes: The Good, the Bad, the Preserved

*Blast from the Past: An Unfortunate Affair

*Newsletter Sponsor:

Still Meadows: Unique primitive shop & greenhouses located right on the farm. Sign up for our newsletter. Check out our monthly specials!

*Newsletter Stats: 6951 subscribers as of this mailing.

*Feature: What Made You Decide

Self-sufficiency, according to one of its several definitions, is being capable of providing for oneâs own needs. When I started a farm, my goal wasnât to the extreme of living off the grid, though I wanted to know how to live off the grid if and when I should need to do so, at least for temporary periods. Soon enough, I experienced enough extended power outages to test my abilities, but in the beginning I was focused on one baby step at a time and couldnât even imagine all the leaps and bounds ahead of me.

Both of my parents grew up on farms (my mother in Oklahoma, my father a stone's throw from my new farm), and they both escaped the hard labor of life on a farm as soon as they could. Like many of their generation who left rural areas for the cities and suburbs of a new America after World War II, they were only too eager to embrace the miracles of modern suburban living.

Life on a farm still includes hard work today, but it's tempered by modern conveniences that allow you to pick and choose at least some of those labors. You don't have to milk a cow, scrub clothes on a washboard, churn butter, clean every last dish by hand, sew all your dresses, and hoe the garden all in the same day. (No wonder people ran away from farms.)

You donât, in fact, even have to live on a farm to enjoy the satisfaction of providing for yourself. Wherever you live, you can preserve food, make cheese, spin wool, and bake your own bread. Self-sufficiency doesnât have to be an all or nothing proposition, and itâs not entirely dependent on place.

Iâve been exploring this subject recently for a project Iâm working on, and I opened a topic on the CITR forum to ask what made people decide to pursue a more self-sufficient life. The answers have been fascinating and inspiring, and I want to share a few snippets with you here.

Pete: âFor us it is a necessity in the winter when the electricity stays off for days or even weeks at a time. We must have ready to eat stuff around, and lots of choices about how to do things. We also remain homebound due to weather conditions a lot all year around. Neither of us is young any more, and we simply don't drive the roads any more than is absolutely necessary even on good days. Plus we like wholesome foods. Our "self-sufficiency" is sort of limited, but we have wonderful neighbors who do things for us that we no longer can do, and we furnish them with eggs, canned goods and other things while they work full time.â

lizzie: âI have always had a dream to live like my Granny did on a farm. In 1999 we moved to Grass Valley and were able to purchase this house with almost two acres. I really wanted my kids to experience a small town and it was a dream come true! We have wild blackberries, an apple tree, a peach tree, and chickens. We have dreams of planting more fruit trees and more raised garden beds. The freedom to buy milk from a farm, make butter, like my granny did! I always loved her childhood stories about the farm and now I feel a bit closer to it. Itâs amazing what you can do with a little tiny bit of land, even if you don't have a lot of money.â

mamajoseph: âThere is real satisfaction in being able to say, "I made that myself." I started to say it was out of necessity as we live in a place where lots of things aren't available. But that isn't it because you could surely live your life without cheese or homemade bread, etc. Not that any of us would want to! The necessity part, for me, is that I want to eat healthy, teach my son about healthy, "real" living and I need something to satisfy my creative spirit. Next, I'll start canning, maybe dehydrating. We're learning how to garden. I grew up in the suburbs with lots of people/things around to entertain me. I now live in remote, darkest Africa. Learning about and practicing sustainable living keeps me engaged, stimulated and interested. It's a mental, physical and emotional exercise that keeps me challenged. I never dreamed I would enjoy it so much.â

kellyb: âAs a child all the family would gather at my grandparents' house and "do" whatever happened to be in season at the time. They had several acres at their place with a huge garden, berries, fruit trees etc. They also lived in the middle of orchard country so drops were always available. The men and children would harvest and prep the food. The woman would preserve it. Everyone was expected to help. Even though we were working hard it was a lot of fun. I have wonderful memories of spending time shelling lima beans while swinging on the porch swing at my Grammy's house. Sneaking into the kitchen and grabbing a hot ear of corn to eat before one of the aunts would tell us to scat. Five years ago I remarried to someone eager and willing to learn and help preserve what was growing in our garden. He expanded the garden and I expanded my skills. I started pressure canning and that opened a huge new world of sustainability. I am now teaching my step-daughters h ow to can and dehydrate. I'm passing on the tradition to a new generation.â

justdeborah2002: âI live in an apartment in the Nation's Capitol. Self-sustainability is my goal, and it came from the increasing politicalization of food and food policies of government and big commercial agriculture. I am a professional chef, and it still brings me joy to cook and create at home. I have begun growing my own food in containers on balconies. Sourcing organic farm eggs through church ladies. Sourcing raw milk through dairy farmer friends. Seeking out organic grains for flour at one of our local Farmer's Markets. I'm known far and wide as the woman who scrounges. Give me your wild grapes from your backyard and I will return grape jelly to you. Share with me your basil plant and pesto comes back at you. If you have honey, I will trade bread for a jar. My co-workers laugh at me, but they also bring me produce from their parents' gardens.â

Blyss: âSince both my parents were only children, and the Grands lived across the country, there wasn't a lot of family or traditions or "excitement" unless it was a 4-H club meeting, and I was learning "FLYSS" will make bread (Flour, Liquid, Yeast, Sugar and Salt.) or how to garden, sew, water bath can, knit, run a meeting according to Robert's Rules of Order, cook, care for animals, etc. When I was newly married, money was TIGHT. I was able to apply some of my learning to keeping good food on the table, or sewing a new outfit, or how to do simple veterinary care on a sick animal. People often commented on how they were impressed I could "make something wonderful out of nothing" and it almost became a challenge to make do, reuse, create homemade, and overall still keep it above store quality, but at a much cheaper cost. With all the modern conveniences, most of all the internet, I was able to learn more and branch out. I discovered rendering lard, making soap, mak ing magical mozzarella, and ways to improve on the skills I already had. Now I do it because it has been a part of my life for so many years that I can't imagine doing it any other way and store-bought isn't the quality I want to pay money for when I could do it better and/or cheaper myself.â

Laur: âI want to make what goes into my family meaningful. I want the history behind the food. And I want a relationship with the work that goes into our daily lives. The memory of that 100 degree day and canning 40 quarts of tomatoes. NOW I understand why they had summer OUTDOOR kitchens! I still see the water just running down those walls and I had a sachet tied around my nose with a bandanna because I was just a little pregnant with number 3 and queasy from any tomato anything. Or the juice running down your arms while you are peeling the peaches after they've been dipped. The magic of unwrapping the leaves around that big cauliflower head I got to before the bugs did, or the fragrance of our growing basil and mint when you just brushed it in passing. The heavenly sprays of lavender hanging in my pantry. I just want to know the secrets of living closer to what we can grow, and forming the connections with other people who think like I do. It's a matter of p ushing through the barriers of meaningless white noise and making your lifeâs work mean something. I wake up in the morning with great ideas for my time, and that is a great blessing. There are never enough hours in a day.â

Sonia: âThis way of life has become a passion of the heart for me. It is more than necessity or tradition, it is both and more, combined with the satisfaction of learning to rely on what I am able to provide for myself, family and friends. As more and more unhealthy products are introduced into our foods, the more I feel that it is necessary to go back to the way things used to be done, such as canning and preserving nature's bountiful harvest, to take the best of our modern world and then combine it with the best from our past.â

This newsletter isn't big enough for me to include all the quotes I wish I could include. You can read all the inspiring stories in the forum topic here: What Made You Decide and I encourage you to reply to the topic and post your own story!

*Kitchen Extra: Spiced Winter Squash Butter

There is already a chill in the air in the mornings. Fog swamps the hills. I long for some pumpkin butter on warm, buttered toast, but I don't want to cut my pumpkins yet. I make delicious pies with other winter squash, so why not "pumpkin" butter, too? (See my cushaw squash pie recipe.) I used a mix of butternut squash and some others that I couldn't even identify other than winter squash of some kind. Here is my new recipe!

How to make Spiced Winter Squash Butter:

2 cups fresh mashed winter squash
1/3 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Combine ingredients in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, simmer for 30 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Let cool. Spoon into jars and keep refrigerated, or freeze in freezer containers. Makes approximately 3 half-pints.

Like pumpkin butter! Only better! Use as you would any butter (such as apple butter or pear butter).

NOTE: Home canning pumpkin butter or any mashed winter squash is not recommended. But that doesnât mean you canât make it! You can refrigerate it to use within a week or two, or freeze it for longer storage.

Get the printable recipe on Farm Bell Recipes here.

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: My New Excal

Dehydrating cucumber slices to grind for dips and dressings:

There's always something going on in the What Are You Dehydrating Today topic on the CITR forum, and the thread is chockfull of delicious and surprising tips and tricks in dehydrating. I'm also pretty sure it's entirely behind my driving need to buy an Excalibur, the prized king of dehydrators. And I'm not the least bit sorry! If you're thinking of purchasing a dehydrator, the benefits of the Excal include the separate door that allows you to remove shelves to dry items that aren't necessarily flat (such as corn husks) and also use the dehydrator for a myriad of other uses from drying out a wet cell phone to proofing bread and setting yogurt. Also, the shelves are square, with no center hole, which makes laying out sheets of parchment paper for delicate items that might stick (like tomatoes) easier. I'm a convert!

*Recent Highlights: Stumpers, Groundwork, Side & Seasoning Mixes, and More

Barn: It's been all about cows lately with The Bad Baby Has a Birthday and Is She or Isn't She and Other Stumpers--but what can I say, they do make Material for the Blog! â Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: Read the recap of my Biggest Cheese Challenge of All, teaching cheesemaking classes, and check out my method for Making Homemade Side & Seasonings Mixes. Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: It was a busy month at Stringtown Rising Farm! Browse all the photos in The Party on the Farm 2011 Report and The CITR Retreat 2011 Report. See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: See the detailed photos of The Downstairs Art and the end of the garden in Groundwork. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: Carolina-Bound

I'm heading back to Charleston (the other Charleston) in October.

Over a year ago, I went to Great Lakes, Illinois, for Ross's Navy boot camp graduation. This past spring, we visited him in South Carolina where he went to A School and was about to start Power School. Now I'm going back for his Power School graduation. Prototype will follow (in South Carolina) and the next step after that will be assignment to a submarine!

*Farm Bell Recipes: The Good, the Bad, the Preserved

Community member Mrs. Fuzz wrote about her up and down experiences using her new preserving skills in dehydrating and pressure canning. She had a great result canning beans, which had been one of the items taught at the CITR retreat, but not so great an experience dehydrating watermelon.

I've had trouble canning beans, so that must mean I would have a great experience dehydrating watermelon! I'm trying that next. There's lots to learn from sharing experiences, and we'd love to see a post from you with yours! See Mrs. Fuzz's post here: A Failure and a Triumph.

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The September contributor giveaway winner was Kathi N.

September 2011 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

Bonita
CindyP â Our Life Simplified
Dede ~ wvhomecanner â Yahoo's Canning2
Kathi N â Granddad's Corner
Kellyb â Yahoo's Canning2
Kerrie â City Girl Farming
LauraP â The Land of Moo
MrsFuzz
Rachel â The Henway
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
Sheri Blanchard
Sheryl - Runningtrails â Providence Acres Farm

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: An Unfortunate Affair

Little dog, big dream.

"Rat Dog" is no longer with us, but when he was, he made for one of my favorite stories as he attempted to pursue his love for Coco (before she was spayed). See An Unfortunate Affair.

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving about once a week so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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August 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

2011-08-31T07:37:05Z

August 2011 Chickens in the Road Newsletter

IN THIS ISSUE:

*Feature: Bambi in the Headlights

*Kitchen Extra: Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: Minnie-Maxie

*Recent Highlights: The Ball Pops, Re-Purposing Baby Food Jars, Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil, and More

*Sneak Peek: CITR Retreat 2011

*Farm Bell Recipes: Homemade Honey

*Blast from the Past: Make a Corn Husk Wreath

*Newsletter Sponsor:

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*Feature: Bambi in the Headlights

I was driving down a country road not far from our farm when I came across this.

Actually, there was more than this. There were three more. They looked to be adults, and they had all gotten the memo. They leaped quickly across the road, up the bank, and into the thick woods.

Except for this one. This one hadn't gotten the memo and was untrained.

And it just stood there and stood there until I realized it was okay to get out my camera, I wasn't going to be instantly disappointed as it darted into the woods. It was going to stand there. Looking at me, in some kind of magical, symbiotic moment in which we were the only two creatures on the planet and I was his only contact with life.

And I wanted to ask, was it very hard to be Bambi? Did the kids at school make fun, call him Dumbo? Or was it okay? Did they all have ears like that? How long did it take to grow into the ears? Then I wanted to apologize for mentioning the ears at all.

Mostly I wanted to know if he would possibly consider coming home with me as a pet. But then the magic broke, and he remembered the others.

WHERE WERE THEY?

And I said, no, to the right, to the right!

And he leaped right, up the bank, and he was gone, and I'll never see him again.

But I saw him once, and he saw me.

*Kitchen Extra: Stuffed Patty Pan Squash

I was gifted with a bag of patty pan squash recently. Patty pan squash is an alien spaceship-shaped summer squash that you don't hear about too often, but it is delicious and cooks up very tender. I didn't want to just chop up this special squash as if it were just any squash, so I created this easy stuffed patty pan squash recipe from what I had in my fridge to give it its rightful glory on the dinner table. Try it! You'll like it! If you prefer, you could substitute rice for the bread crumbs in the filling.

How to make Stuffed Patty Pan Squash:

5 to 6 patty pan squash
1/2 cup cooked ground sausage
1/2 cup diced onion and/or peppers
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon herbs of choice (basil, rosemary, parsley, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red peppers, optional
salt and pepper to taste

Roast squash at 400 degrees in a covered pan until fork tender. Remove stem and blossom end. Scoop out a hole in the center of each squash, reserving squash pieces. Chop squash pieces. In a bowl, combine squash bits, ground sausage, diced onion/peppers, bread crumbs, and cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stuff center of each squash with the filling. You may need more or less filling, depending on the size of your squash. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes, until filling is heated through. Can be made ahead and refrigerated until baking time!

See this recipe at Farm Bell Recipes for the handy print page: Stuffed Patty Pan Squash.

*My Favorite Thing Right Now: Minnie-Maxie

I named her Minnie Belle.

But she should have been Maxie Belle! Annabelle's pup just grows and grows and GROWS! Watch the blog for the latest pics of the giant lamb-pup.

*Recent Highlights: The Ball Pops, Re-Purposing Baby Food Jars, Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil, and More

Barn: Things have been busy with the goats! I decided to streamline into The Fainting Farm. Then there was an explosion as The Ball Pops and Nutmeg gave birth to twin Fainter crosses. More babies are on the way! Cookie Doe is here and pregnant and known for her quads! Find all my farm animal stories here.

Cooking: Try some Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Oil (and Bread), or grill up some Texas Toast. For a romantic evening, make some beautiful and delicious Coeur a la Creme! Don't miss a thing in my kitchen! Get all my recipes.

Country Living: Check out my review of Catherine Friend's Hit By A Farm and go with me on my Trip to Morgantown to deposit Weston at West Virginia University. See all my country living stories.

House & Garden: Want to feel better about the state of your own garden? See How My Herb Garden Grows, and if you get hold of some of these, be sure to make do some freebie stylin' -- see Re-Purposing Baby Food Jars. Browse all my posts in house & garden.

*Sneak Peak: CITR Retreat 2011

Guess what we're doing this weekend?

Nearly 60 CITR readers are traveling from far and wide to attend CITR Retreat 2011. We'll be giving classes in breadbaking, cheesemaking, preserving, soapmaking, candlemaking, and homemade beauty products. We're gonna have a blast, and I'll have lots of photos and stories for you when we get back! Don't miss it!

*Farm Bell Recipes: Homemade Honey

Community member angela p wrote about her very frugal take on beekeeping and how she makes her homemade honey this month. I was fascinated! It's a fantastic and inspiring post that nearly had me racing outside to build a top bar hive.

There are bees involved, though, which is kind of holding me back, but if you're interested in beekeeping and thought it might be too pricey, check out angela p's post! See it here: Homemade Honey.

To submit a blog post and enter to win the latest contributor giveaway, go here. The August contributor giveaway winner was Liz Pike.

August 2011 Farm Bell Recipes blog contributors:

angela p
CindyP â Our Life Simplified
Dede ~ wvhomecanner
Faith
GrannyTrace â Granny Trace Scraps & Squares
Jayme Payne â Dreaming of Poultry
Kerrie â City Girl Chickens
Kerrie â City Girl Farming
Liz Pike â Horseshoe Gardens
Rachel â The Henway
Robin from Rurification â Rurification
Sheryl - Runningtrails â Providence Acres Farm

THANK YOU! Please give them a visit!

*Blast from the Past: Make a Corn Husk Wreath

Don't throw those corn husks away!

Dry them and make a simple, easy wreath! Find the full tutorial with pictures here.

***

And, always, feel free to forward this newsletter!

Love,
Suzanne

*More Handy Links:
CITR on Twitter
CITR on Facebook
CITR on Google+
CITR on YouTube

What are you fixing for supper tonight? Browse the goodness at Farm Bell Recipes -- your cooking community!

*I'm giving away a Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving about once a week so don't forget to watch the blog for The Ball Blue Book Project days.

Go to Chickens in the Road now.

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