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The Next Batch

The chicken tractor wasn’t lonely for long! This new batch of meat chicks will be ready to butcher in late October.

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Posted by Suzanne McMinn | Permalink  

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These Two

Wish You Were Here!

Unexpected Addition

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Late Summer in the Shop

Pictured: Apple Fritter Bread. You can find it at my Etsy shop!

It’s still summer, but as the days grow closer to September, while I’m still picking tomatoes and excited about fresh corn, I feel the twinges of readiness for apples and pumpkins and crackling leaves. You? At this time of year, as the season changes and the holidays are around the corner, I rearrange my shop, highlighting things people suddenly get in the mood for in fall months–items with apples and pumpkins, especially. But lately, I’m making plans for a different kind of change. Or, maybe not a change, but an addition.

Any fellow Etsy sellers out there? If you are, you know what I’m talking about when I say Etsy has been making a lot of changes lately, and some that aren’t exactly designed with the handcrafter’s best interests at heart. I’m not interested in moving to any other marketplace platforms. I know there are many. I’ve been very happy with Etsy for several years, but any time you’re working on someone else’s platform, you have no control over changes in direction. It’s their playground, and after experiencing so many (sometimes baffling) changes Etsy has made, I’m not going through that again with another marketplace platform. With that in mind, I’m getting ready to open a shop area right here on my website. I’m planning to continue with my shop on Etsy for the foreseeable future, but I’m going to establish my own shop presence on my own playground. My new shop here won’t be open for business for another month or two, but in the meantime, you can still find me on Etsy. (And can continue to find me on Etsy even after I open my shop here. I still hold out hope Etsy is going to remember that handcrafter’s are what their site is about and turn the ship around before it’s too late.) But, also, I’m really looking forward to making the addition of an independent shop to my website! I’ll update when it’s ready!

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Posted by Suzanne McMinn | Permalink  

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1. 

   August 13, 2019 - Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins

   … Continued…

1. 

   August 12, 2019 - Morning, with Meat Chickens

   Meat chickens, making peace with their fate on their last morning.

   PLEASE NOTE: Chickens were harmed in the making of this post. If you’re not comfortable seeing photos and descriptions of where chicken comes from, please don’t continue. This post is for those who are interested in learning more about the chicken butchering process–whether you’re simply curious or planning to grow your own chicken in … Continued…

1. 

   August 4, 2019 - What To Do with Lots of Basil

   Freezer flavor bombs!

   My basil is overflowing this year! I use fresh basil in daily meals, and I’ve dehydrated a lot of basil to use over the winter, and then there’s pesto. It’s a great way to use up a lot of fresh basil and store it in handy little cups to drop into…..

   Rice
   Potatoes
   Soups and stews
   Dressings
   Sauces
   Meats

   For meats–I mix it in ground beef before making hamburgers. … Continued…

1. 

   July 22, 2019 - Catching Up with the Kids

   Everybody wants to know how the kids are doing! Kids, how are you doing? I know they look at my website because they periodically ask me questions about recipes. But they probably won’t answer here, so–

   They’re all grown up now, of course. Morgan is 23 and about to start her second year pursuing her Ph.D. in history. (The time, where does it go?) Getting them all together at the … Continued…

1. 

   July 21, 2019 - My Top 10 Muffin Hacks

   Muffins are a deceptively simple thing to bake. Child’s play. One of the early recipes kids learn to make, along with cookies and cupcakes. And yet, like many things that appear simple, a truly excellent muffin takes–not more effort–but more know-how to achieve. No matter your favorite recipe, any batch of muffins can be taken to the next level with a little more … Continued…

1. 

   July 19, 2019 - Biscuits with Icing

   Biscuits with icing. Apparently, it’s a thing. I never knew it was a thing. A biscuit thing. Did you?

   I found out it was a thing when customers at my Etsy shop started asking me for icing–to go with their biscuits. This had never occurred to me, but! I offer icing to go with biscuits now and have been surprised by … Continued…

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The Slanted Little House

"It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-—as was the insulation. The floors weren’t even, either. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, “You’ve brought us to this slanted little house to die." Keep reading our story....

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I Love Your Comments

• So glad to see how you do this! We butchered one time many years ago and it was a pain on so many levels. I love seeing the tools you use and your process. Thank you!
  rurification on Morning, with Meat Chickens
• A few people have asked me about that, so I added a paragraph to the post about it. The time to gut is after the plucking and right after removing the feet, before you start cutting up the chicken--if quartering. If keeping whole chicken, you cut then you're done, no further cutting up. So you don't have to go back to find out, here is what I added: If you plan to keep whole chicken, you're going to get up close and personal now with some chicken butts and pull the guts out and remove organs you may want to keep. We decided to just quarter this batch--cutting out thigh/leg pieces and breasts--so we didn't even gut them. (You can quarter, carefully, without gutting.) Next batch, we'll keep a few whole chickens. I like a few to roast whole through the year. When we do that, I like to seal...
  Suzanne McMinn on Late Summer in the Shop
• Good for You! I like spunky people who will not be deterred by someone else's idea of what's best. I am glad to see your posts again! I really enjoyed the chicken slaughter even though I am a city girl and will probably never do that. I was wondering about when in the process you remove the innards and what happens to them. My grandmother raised chickens, and I remember her going out in the morning to kill a chicken for dinner (lunch). Because I was visiting from the city, I was never privy to the process - the farm folks were afraid it would upset me! lol
  carla anne on Late Summer in the Shop
• Thanks! I love to eat chicken and it is good to see how to properly dispatch them after a happy life with out undue trauma or mess.
  mgwolson on Morning, with Meat Chickens
• You made fast work of that. I remember going to my grandmother's and it was a very slow process to scald and pluck just one chicken for our Sunday dinner.
  Louise on Morning, with Meat Chickens
• Thank you for the wonderful update. When I hear West Virginia, I always think of your and your family. I’m glad all the kids are doing so well and seem happy. Best wishes to you all from Eastern NC.
  Pat on Catching Up with the Kids
• Thank you for this post. I love fresh Basil and never know just what to do when I get more than I can use.
  Joell on What To Do with Lots of Basil
• I'm so happy to see that you're posting again. I happened to see your feed on IG and was delighted to see more cows and cooking. Big hugs to you from Indiana! - Robin
  rurification on Catching Up with the Kids
• I happen to know what she did with the ball of dough, or at least I'm fairly confident this is what she did. Like the pioneers and the 49'ers before her, they put the ball of dough into the flour sack. It kept it in stasis and from drying out. That's how the sourdough was carried across the plains to settle the west and to San Francisco with the gold miners. When ready to use, they'd add some water to it to liquefy it then add more flour and made the breadstuffs from it. Used fairly quickly, you could make biscuits, left longer to ferment and you had rolls and breads. And the dough can be either "fresh" or "sour dough" I have a start of "fresh" yeast - aka everlasting yeast. I've had it in stasis for a while. I just smeared some on a plate and let it...
  Darlene in North GA on Pre-Fermented Doughs, and Mark's Question
• Oh Suzanne, I am so sorry about Glory Bee. She may have been a farm animal, but she was one of your babies. My heart goes out to you.
  Marigene on My Cow
• Hmmm haven't heard of icing on biscuits, but that does sound good for a sweet tooth. I love my biscuits slathered in butter and honey.
  beforethedawn on Biscuits with Icing

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