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(Gratuitous chicken butt fluff.)
Way back when the show The View first started, one of the co-hosts was Debbie Matenopoulos. She was young and cute and slightly ditzy. For whatever reason, the other women on the show didn’t like Debbie. Rather than fire her right off the bat, they tried to kill her. I mean, okay, not directly.
They created a segment for the show called “Dare Debbie” and they made her do stuff like hang off telephone poles and jump out of airplanes, which all conveniently took place off-set so none of them had to be in the same room with her. And which all conveniently made poor Debbie very uncomfortable. Don’t make Barbara Walters mad, I’m tellin’ ya. Debbie was under contract, so she was pretty stuck. She forgot to check the fine print about hanging off telephone poles if they decided they didn’t like you. This all happened about ten years ago. I remember this because I felt so sorry for Debbie.
This post almost has nothing to do with Debbie except that I was thinking about her for some reason. (I still feel sorry for her. It’s not really necessary, though. She went on to work with TV Guide Channel, E! and VH1 so things didn’t turn out so terribly for her.)
Where is this going, Suzanne? You are not an entertainment reporter.
I have a list as long as my arm of things I want to learn how to do. Things that intrigue me, things that slightly freak me out, things I think I can’t do but want to try. I love to learn new things, to explore and experiment. The world of old-fashioned country living is limitless, filled with possibilities as large as your imagination. Once you step away from the packaged convenience products and soft securities of urbanization, there is so much adventure to be had! A couple of upcoming things on tap for me are making hard cheese with my new cheese press and making tallow (and eventually lard). I’ve learned to ford a river on a daily basis and milk a goat. I know the difference between straw and hay. (THAT IS A BIG DEAL, PEOPLE.) I can herd ducks and make goats wear jewelry. But there has to be more! There’s always more.
And the more exciting, the better.
I want to put more heads together than just mine. I want you to “Dare Debbie” me. Okay, PLEASE DO NOT TRY TO KILL ME. And try to stick with the general country living/old-fashioned theme.
What would you like to learn–and like to learn along with me–in my posts? Or what would you just like to see me learn simply for your entertainment, even if you don’t want to do it yourself? Send me on adventures. I dare you.
Give me your suggestions on this post, and I’ll see what I can arrange!
Posted by Suzanne McMinn on November 9, 2009
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I’m not sure how your place is laid out. Do you have any walking paths or just walk along the road?
I want to clear a walking path around our place. Not clear the land, just a walking path. Leave the brambles and weeds for the wild critters, but have a cleared path along the creek and around the perimeter. I make a little headway most years, then nature reclaims it all. We have 8 acres in a triangle shape. I need to walk more and would like to do it around my own place, not the busy road with no shoulder for walking.
Our creek is a gully creek, so I want to build a walking bridge to get to the other side. Found plans online that look doable and it has a sitting bench in the middle. Would love to sit over the creek and watch the minnows in the creek, the birds in the cottonwoods.
But I’ll be happy if I manage to use my yard whip and big loppers to clear a good path before deep snows hit. And avoid yet another case of poison ivy. ;;sigh;;
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Have you considered raising rabbits? Either for meat or for the fur? My mother in law raises angora rabbits and spins their fur. The rabbits just sit in her lap while she pulls off the loose fur and spins it directly onto the spindle. It’s always a hit with the kids at craft fairs. The rabbits come in the most gorgeous colors. Even a blue and a lilac.
You gonna build an outhouse in case your water freezes again? I’d love to see that. haha.
Can’t think of much else right now. If something comes to me, I’ll post again!
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I ‘m like you, there are all kinds of ideas and projects.
You go Girl!
I’m sure we’ll enjoy anything you tackle
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All I know for sure is that whatever you do in the future will be sure to inspire me. It always does.
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http://www.vegan-food.net/recipe/1398/Homemade-Honey/
http://www.vegan-food.net/recipe/78/Dandelion-Honey/
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Teaching those donkey’s will definitely teach you something about yourelf.
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I would also like to know if a dehydrator can be used for cranberries.
And, bravo on the hay/straw thing. That is a VERY big deal!
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Thanks for all you have already showed us and for letting us share your life.
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In your farm life, you could find so many ideas to design your own pattern or find one that speaks to you from the endless patterns that have come down the long years of time. Quilt, Suzanne!!! QUILT!!!! That is my challenge to you.
Beautiful day to you and all of Suzanne’s friends!
Carol
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How about a true Applachian craft…APPLE HEAD DOLLS !!
I haven’t made one in years..but fun, fun..takes a while drying the apple head…just peel, shape general features with a knife, set in the window to dry naturally, and watch the wrinkles and face form. After it is dried set the eyes with tiny black, blue or green beads, glue on a stick neck, make the arms and legs, I used sticks, wire and or pipe cleaners. Design and sew the clothes of the character you want…(Ornery angel comes to mind,LOL).. Even animal characters could be designed..I don’t know that I would honor Mean Rooster…aka “sweet cheeks” with a apple sculpture, unless he straightens up…
With your “pics” we could even watch the drying process as they progress to their little wrinkled character faces…I am sure there’s a Google out there with complete directions somewhere!
Would love to see your creations and ideas!! No, sorry! Pears don’t work as well!! Was a good thought though..LOL
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Have you ever thought about making beautiful handmade paper, maybe incorporating some of the natural elements of your area like petals, bits of leaves, maybe feathers or feather imprints? Seems like a natural for a farmer storywriter. Love your blog.
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I agree…just imagine all of her sweet named little farm animals faces appliqued in blocks on a quilt…or the beautiful colors of her farm in squares, rectangles etc…fun, fun..or how about one of those simple canning jar quilts with all the fruits (fabric) she has put by or maybe a blue jean quilt since she has all those big boy jeans available…I vote for the Carol idea, a great winter project…Quilt..
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Good morning–I know you have done a post on candles, but can you show us how to make candles using holiday spices from our pantry and oils for holiday candles?
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Also,those ideas about sleeping standing up–sounds like you might need to try that, too.
Julia
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Speaking for myself I don’t want to read the how to or see killing animals for food. I saw enough of that on the farm and it’s just not something I want to see again.
Again, that’s just me, a city kid who moved to a farm at age 13.
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Soap making is great! I’m hooked. You’ll love making your own soap out of your own rendered fat.
I want to make my own lye too from a barrel of hardwood ashes and leaves.
I also want to learn to spin, I know you already know how. A fibre farm is something I want in the future with angora rabbits and cashmere goats. There’s a cashmere goat farm near here. They have sheep too.
I am like you. I want to learn to do everything! There are so many adventures out there in the country do-it-yourself world! Its all so interesting and fun! Being self sufficient is so rewarding!
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I’m going to give this some thought….I’ll be back later with some ideas.
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I also want to make lye from wood ash (which I actually think I may have done by accident – I haven’t been out to check it yet, but I dumped a big load of fireplace ashes in a large pot and set it outside, where it filled up with rainwater. I’m not quite sure what I may have cooking in there now!
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beekeeping
fermentation (sauerkraut, pickles, etc…)
Tap a tree for maple syrup (don’t know if you have the right kind of trees where you live?)
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I know that you like to live off the land.
You have raised a garden and canned a lot of veggies and fruit. I think it would be cool to find things around your farm that one can live off of like the early pioneers did. Wild herbs, nuts and berries. Also would be fun to learn how to use these herbs and things for cures and relief of colds and flus and such. This would be something to think about for the Spring and Summer. 
I do have a pamplet from WVU Extention Agency about the Edible things in the woods that you can eat to live off the land.
Angela
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She also had a way with wild roots, barks and pine sap for some ailments. So many secrets gone because we were too busy with life to learn sob, sob.
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You know that Cousin Bob made homemade wine down here on the farm. The wine-making apparati is still in the cellar, I believe. Georgia can tell you about the basic process.
Mark and Georgia also know how to raise bees and harvest the honey. Our neighbor, Mike, currently has some bees.
If Morgan comes to 4-H Camp this next summer, we always have a basket-making class and also a class where they use a natural-fiber string to weave a foot stool. I know! You can teach soap and candle-making during our first camp craft time and then you can take the basket-weaving and stool weaving classes for the next 2 class periods yourself. (Maybe??? I definitely want to recruit you to do the soap and candle making class – - the kids would love it.)
I love the idea of you doing some deer hunting! Of course, you could do turkey hunting, too. And don’t forget – -squirrels and rabbits.
We have a cane mill and a cider press here at the farm. Next year in September, you will need to go over to the Molasses Festival in Arnoldsburg to watch the molasses being made from sugar cane. We made some molasses here on the farm back in 1985 and 1986. Again, it was Bob’s idea and Georgia, Mark and and I had to do the work. But, it was fun and we had neighbors come and help. Our friend, Johnathan from Cicerone, was the “Master Molasses Maker.” He brought his “molasses pan” which we built a fire under to cook down the molasses. We had a good time doing it and we ate some good food because everyone brought a covered dish.
Making apple cider is easy. You just smash the apple juices out through the cider mill. Mark and Georgia also know the particulars of this.
You have seen us grind the corn meal with Mark’s circa 1946 stone burr mill. You can grind your own grain using a blender and then sifting the meal.
Have you done a post where your readeers can see our loom? Several folks have mentioned weaving and Georgia can give you pointers on that. (she is such a talented woman, that Georgia!)
By the way, Georgia is now walking on her cane after her hip surgery and the therapist let her walk to the mailbox and back last week. She is going to be running all over the farm again, soon. She is doing well.
See you later!
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http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2009/10/06/trip-to-a-hay-meadow/
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http://chickensintheroad.com/newsletter-archives/july-2009-chickens-in-the-road-newsletter/
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I don’t have any better ideas than the ones I’ve already read in the comments above – so I’ll just ‘vote’ for a few of the ones I saw!
- I’d LOVE to see you keep bees! I know this isn’t really a ‘winter’ activity, but I’d love to have raw honey at some point, so it would be wonderful to see you teach us how to keep bees and harvest honey. That would be SOO cool!!
- I am really looking forward to your posts about making hard cheese! I buy local raw milk and I’ve made cream cheese before, but I’d love to make cheddar for our sandwiches (on Grandmother Bread!!)
- Soap! I’d love to learn how to make soap with Lye and tallow or lard (or some other oils). I think it would make wonderful Christmas gifts.
Yay!
Also, last night hubby and I were craving some beef franks, so we went to store and got some and he went to grab buns and I yelled ‘OH! I can make buns with Grandmother Bread!’ – right there in the store I yelled that. So, when we got home I prepped the dough and just in time for dinner we had fresh buns and some homemade fermented Sauerkraut I made last week! YUM YUM YUM!
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Then I’d want to watch the barrel racing chickens at the rodeo.
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I’m interested in all the suggestions above! Soap-making, knitting, sewing, weaving, butter, beekeeping, wine-making, etc! And I love the idea of foraging. Mushrooms intrigue me, but I’m too scared of the poisonous ones. And then there are truffles! I would think WV would be a great place to look for truffles!
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1. Grow and mill your own flour.
2. Hog’s head cheese.
Good luck!
Smiles,
Lisa
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My suggestion was to be chair caning, which I see already got a comment. A related idea I’d like to try but have no hope of actually doing so, therefore seeing you do it would be great: at the Metropolitan Museum in New York’s Egypt exhibit, I saw a chair seat that had been woven with rope through evenly spaced holes in the wood frame of the perimeter of the seat. I thought it looked much nicer than cane. I like the idea of making cane-seated chairs but I don’t actually love the way they look… So the rope was a great alternative–it was a pretty pattern and looked sturdy.
How about a zip line for the kids? You have lots of trees! My grandparents used to have one but I only got to ride it a couple of times. Fun, fun, fun! I also like the perimeter of-your-property-path idea and the riding-cart idea.
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2. Learn tatting, it’s so beautiful and fast becoming a lost art. It’s one of the hardest handworks to master!
3. Gain a working knowledge of planting/canning by the signs.
4. Learn to make oak split or honeysuckle vine baskets.
5. Learn to candlewick, see I gave you an easy one!
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It’s easy!
Willow or twig furniture?
Come up with a great use for blackberry vines??? Ok, just wishful thinking on that one.
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http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2009/10/28/homemade-yogurt-in-a-crock-pot-and-yogurt-cheese/
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http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2009/05/25/planting-by-the-moon/
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Just found this blog about a week ago and I’m really enjoying it. I live in WV too. Debbie it sure sounds like you have a lot of potential projects here to fill in your spare time! Just a small suggestion from someone who has been there and done that; IF you decide to train your donks to harness you might want to think about getting a bigger donkey or pony. The minis are adorable and a blast to drive in a cart but they wouldn’t really be able to do much real work. Where as a bigger animal trained to pull and plow can be a great asset to the small farmstead.
Leslie from Rock Cave
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Let it melt the fat slowly so as not to burn. It doesn’t take very long to all turn to liquid. You will have bits and pieces of meat and skin in the liquid fat. Put about a tsp of baking soda in it, and all the bits and pieces will come to the top and can be removed. I use a small strainer and dip it out. This is what we call ‘cracklins’ and they are wonderful in cornbread.
Then pour the liquid fat into containers. I allowed mine to cool a bit and put it in quart jars and put them in the freezer. It makes the most beautiful white lard you’ve ever used.
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Wow…..I can’t wait for you to share more stories of your travails!!! Anywho….I recently bought goat’s milk soap in several fragrances and thought you should be making some. I would love to see you…and the kids??? sled or snow tube down some of theose hills!! Sounds like fun? Good luck.
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tree house?
learn an instrument.. eg: guitar, banjo
make your own shampoo
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Beekeeping. I know there’s trouble with beehives lately, all the more reason to try to keep some healthy hives! I’m thinking of trying this myself, not sure I’m in a good spot though.
Weaving. You have some family with knowledge. Take advantage of it!!! Preserving that knowledge is IMPORTANT! And adding to it with some of what your friends acquaintances can add to it is golden. It’s something to preserve.
Add a specific chicken or other poultry breed you think worth preserving. There are “Heritage Breeds” that deserve our attention. There are lists of rare or ucomon breeds out there, things like Chantecler, Buckeyes, Sussex, or Dorking… numerous others too, but all worth our attention. Much the same as preserving “Heirloom” garden seeds that have become difficult to find. There are Ducks and Geese as well that fall into the same categories.
I also agree with getting a dog or pony cart for either Coco or your Donkey, or even getting a pony that already knows how to drive. You can drive a pony up the road and have a great asset on the farm. Learning to drive can be challenging, but our ancestors drove horses and ponies and you can do it too. I’ve driven horses, both singles and teams. It’s rather scary, you are depending on that animals good behaviour, but it’s also very rewarding.
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1. Homemade sausage – I made some once with a lady who knew what she was doing, but we were in a rush and she bought ground low fat meats and she added a bunch of stuff and mixed it up and we stuffed it in the casings with a teaspoon.
It was the best sausage! I’m sure you could come up with a wonderful recipe and photos. And a better method than the spoon for filling the casing.
2. I second the quilt, path and outhouse ideas. Just be sure you like the fabrics you chose. You will be looking at them for awhile and if you come to dislike them it will make it hard to finish the quilt. Been there. Paths are fun! I love making walking paths on our property. We had an outhouse when I was a kid for use by folks who were working outside. Handy. You could put together a super cute outhouse. In fact I’d like to build one too. I don’t think we are allowed outhouses here, but I could use it to store garden tools or as a chicken coop for chicks or?
3. Build a spring house or well house or maybe there is one around the countryside somewhere you can show us. Maybe you or Georgia could show/talk about how people kept their food cool. Root cellars? Did folks around you used to cut ice blocks in the winter and store them for summer use? I remember the ice trucks and using iceboxes. Do you want to try cutting ice blocks this winter, storing it and testing out an icebox come spring? No. Don’t do that. But you could post about it.
4. How about you make a homemade hot tub so you have a comfy place to relax after all this work! Solar heat or wood stove so you can use it in the winter?
5. I really do hope you can find a homemade hand and face cream/ointment/lotion/something. I’ve been looking and haven’t found one that doesn’t use a lot of ingredients I would have to travel too far to get.
6. Getting a cow and making butter is a great idea, but a lot more work. How about if you got some fresh milk from a neighbor who has a cow and made then you made butter? OK. Dare: You milk the cow. But who will take the photos?
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(I’ve noticed another “Yvonne” posting now,so I’ll be “Yvonne M.”)
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http://easylivingthehardway.blogspot.com/2009/10/creamy-goat-butter.html
2) Book of the Month Club, farm-related books. First of the month list the book, and at the end of the month on a particular day we all leave comments about it.
3) beekeeping. Have you read: A Country Year: Living the Questions by Sue Hubbell, also a good book for the Club to read.
4) various Goat Cheeses In general, continue emphasizing the efficiency of goats over cows. In general, seems like the hardcore homesteaders have goats not cows.
5) apple-cider vinegar, so many health benefits from it
6) canning – meal-in-a-jar. Jackie Clay cans a lot of meat. She doesn’t get in to too much butchering though, which I appreciate.
7) I always enjoy your recipes along with the photo’s so continue cooking!
9) concocting elixirs and remedies
10)making homemade wine
11)cultivating the best blueberries and grapevines
12)building a bat house
13) compost piles. What goes into the compost pile and what goes to the chickens.
14) being prepared for emergencies
15) the joys of being frugal
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Making dandelion wine?
There are so many fun suggestions already!
How about publishing your own book? There are a lot of agents out there and publishing companies, but I am interested in the step by step of publishing one’s own book…you would be a great person to do it and show the rest of us your steps in doing so!!!!
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We are trying to get to garden year round and are building a greenhouse. Have you thought of that?
I sure enjoy your blog!
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Yes, any kind of grain can be ground in a common house-hold blender. This is what is called a “hammer-mill.” Just grind the grain to the consistency you want and then sift it. The grain will need to be sifted to remove the bran (the outer hull of the grain) which is less digestible. You can add bran back in per your taste for the fiber benefits.
Remember that the grain has to be thoroughly dried for grinding purposes.
We use field corn for grinding. This can be purchased at a feed/farm supply store. You may have to look on the Internet or check with your local Extension Service to find sources of organically-grown grain. Or you can grow your own.
We keep corn meal all year round for ourselves and for local customers. Give us a call. Just remember – our corn meal is produced from commercially grown grain.
Thanks for the inquiry. Please give us a call if you have more questions.
(Note added from Suzanne: email me and I’ll get you in touch with them if you are local and want to buy some of my cousin’s cornmeal.)
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Go deer hunting and process the deer yourself. You can get so much use out of a deer. The leather makes the softest gloves and the meat is delicious when processed right. Ok – this would be an advanced “dare”. But on the other hand there would not be any butchering of an animal you knew personally.
Soap making – from lard/shortening and lye. Fun and useful. The end product is really nice too because all the glycerol hasn’t been removed.
Can dry beans or meat. Very useful if the electricity goes out for an extended period of time. Also useful as a time saver. Requires a pressure canner though.
Make sauerkraut or pickles. I’ve always wanted to try this but so far my “experiments” haven’t worked out. But I don’t have proper equipment for this either.
Make a cold frame for hardening off veggie plants in the spring.
I also really liked the ideas for making maple syrup or maple candy (yum!!) or to build a mud/clay oven (its supposed to make the bestest pizza).
Whatever you decide, I will love reading about it.
Have fun!
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Lead me on to being daring, Suzanne, but keep me from making miserable desert animals.
Failing that, I’d love for you to have some mules.
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The past two years when they’ve swarmed, we found beekeepers to come collect the swarms, but no one around here takes hives out of houses anymore. We couldn’t afford it right now anyway.
They’ve been here 4 years, all the beekeepers or repair people that have to do something out front go–”Those are HUGE hives!” Yes, I know. Take them home with you. No takers.
I have pics of the last swarm. Completely covered both sides of a board on our picket fence, filled an entire hive box the beekeepers brought.
Really, they’re VERY healthy. Which is not very convenient for us. (g) I’d like to keep bees, but a little farther away from our front door, thanks.
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Now as to the question at hand: As she asked for “dares”, I dare her to go into the big city and get a complete makeover. That includes a shorty haircut and style. I might even arrange this if she has the courage.
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A good book for you to check out is:
Gene Logsdon’s Practical Skills
A Revival of forgotten Crafts, Techniques, and Traditions.
It has alot of the suggestions in it. Might be a nice guide.
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How about making goat milk soap? I bought some at a farmers market a few years ago for Christmas presents and everyone loved it and wanted more. But I can’t find it around here anymore.
How about teaching the goats/goat to shake hands? My daughter had a friend who taught her goat to shake hands for unsalted ( I repeat *unsalted*) peanuts in the shell. If you use the salted kind, they can get sick. They have no off switch when it comes to salted peanuts. Like some people have no off switch for potato chips. Goats are pretty smart when it comes to food, so they catch on quick when you teach them to shake. Usually.
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My mother-in-law made a plum liquor she called “punch”. It was the most amazing stuff ever. It’s the only thing I really wnat to know how to do. Beside, the making of liquors is medicinal.
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All earlier dares/suggestions are great and natural dying, spinning and weaving get my vote. You could weave some wonderful saddle blankets for Coco, Poky, Clover et al.
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Gayle
San Diego
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I LOVE your blog. Can you make some homemade Kalhua? I’ve always wanted to do that for Christmastime.
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http://chickensintheroad.com/blog/2008/02/28/make-kahlua-at-home/
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I double dog dare you:
-knitting, I don’t know how (allergic to wool, but would love to learn)
-a bridge over the creek? Would that make your life a lot easier?
-The woven rug sounds awesome
I hope you’re not overwhelmed. You bring so much joy to my life with your website. It makes me feel peaceful reading your posts.
Thank you so much.
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If you want an extra challenge, get a black powder rifle…preferably a flintlock. There’s nothing more surprising, satisfying or fun than having gunpowder burn up inches in front of your face before the BANG!
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That would be so cool!
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Also, gather your posse and host a barn raising. (You could be the photographer.)
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Fishing. You fishing would be awesome, especially if you have recipes for the fish you catch.
Gardening tips. I’ve got my raised garden bed this year and my results were less than stellar. Must be something about my heirloom tomatoes taking over the entire box and crowding out everything else. You want the rest of those seeds? They don’t do good out here in Texas, too hot!
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I love your blog and anything you decide to do I’ll be along for the ride.
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robbing bee ‘trees’ in the woods, picking wild greens in the spring & making sour piccalli in the fall. She loved it all & I wish she was still with us because I know she could come up with the best DARE ever! She loved to share her knowledge of making do-do without-use it up & wear it out!
I think a good winter, by the fire, snowed in activity would be mountain made & inspired greeting cards. Maybe home made paper with gathered seeds, leaves & such (or just use some natural looking store stuff) pictures of your animals & local scenery with your wonderful whimsical anecdotes. I bet Clover & Poky have a lot to say!
What ever DARE you choose, I’ll be here to cheer you on & maybe join in………….
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My biggest challenge, if ever I get my city people to move to the backcountry where Mom belongs, will be wood chopping. I don’t know if I’d ever be able to split wood, let alone fell a tree, without doing bodily harm. That would probably be the first skill I would try to master. Wear a hardhat and take people along with you.
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I dare you. … to take on a border, just for a week,
the last week of next March.
One Mom, one ten year old city girl, and one sheep/goat herding Border Collie.
(I’ll leave the cat at home) 
It will, at the very least, put some money in the coffer and give you something more to write about. That, and get this city weary woman out of South Florida and back to nature, and maybe my daughter will have a little fun too. What do you say?! Have your goats ever seen a border collie?
This could be fun!
11:36
am
Ruthie
9:06
pm
10:14
pm
1:18
am
4:25
am
1:24
am
How about an outdoor mud oven for a dare?
11:04
am
4:59
pm