Sep 28, 2010

Angora Rabbits-Post 2

I guess when you make up your mind to do something-Just do it-is a good phrase.  Upon deciding to get rabbits, we went and got them.  Two Angoras, brother and sister.  These are French/Satin Angoras.  Bred especially for their fiber.
This is Cordelia, the girl.  My daughter was busy brushing her out this morning.
And this is Edwards.  He got a good brushing too.
Now we're going to get them set up in the barn, in a temporay cage, until we get the hutch from my grandparents house.
These guys are so soft.  I can't wait to spin this fiber.

Sep 27, 2010

On a Personal Note

Things aren't always glorious on Glory Farm.  We tend to have trials and sorrow from time to time.  Now is one of those times.  Please pray for us as a family.  The enemy has used his lies to send heartbreak and rebellion into our home.
Thank you so much.

Angora Rabbits

I like to try new things.  So here we go...we've agreed to let our daughter get Angora rabbits.  We've been reading up on them and the lady we're getting them from is knowledgable.  We have Angora goats and Icelandic sheep for fiber, so we're adding a new fiber to the mix.  I hope this works.  It sounds like a lot of grooming, but my daughter wants to give it a try.
There are a lot of sites that have information on Angoras.  This one seems to have good information on all types of fibers and spinning.  So----anyone have some good advice?  Or just come along and learn with  us.

Sep 24, 2010

Yulia

Reading this blog about Yulia brought tears to my eyes.  Please read, pray, and if you can help, please do.

Sep 23, 2010

Pumpkins!!!!

Yep, we got 'em.  Been blessed with an abundant crop of squash and pumpkins this year.
Most of these are pie pumpkins, with a couple of Dill's thrown in.  There are a few Turbin squash, too.  What to do with this bounty.....

I harden them out in the yard for about a week, maybe more, before hauling them to the cellar.  It stays about 65 degrees and dry in our cellar and they seem to keep well down there. 
I can-
feed them to the goats and sheep during the winter (high in vitamins and the seeds are a natural dewormer).
Dehydrate them and make pumpkin flour to add to baked goods.  Makes them moister and higher in vitamins.
Bake pumpkin breads, cookies, bars, pies, dump cake...you get the idea.
Can the pumpkin.
Roast the seeds.
Make pumpkin chips.
I haven't tried pumpkin chips before, but here's the recipe and I hope to try these soon-
Pumpkin Chips
Peel a pie pumpkin and scoop out the seeds.  Cut into wedges and then cut the wedges into very thin slices.  You may want to use a food processor for this.  Heat oil to deep fry to 375 degrees.  Make sure it's hot enough or your chips will be greasy.  Fry in the oil and drain well.  Sprinkle with salt.  I'm thinking you could make different flavors.  How about some sugar and cinnamon, or a ranch flavor sprinkle? (Maybe not the ranch.)
So what do you do with your pumpkins?  There are so many ideas out there.  Pumpkin is very versatile.
Be blessed!

Sep 14, 2010

Horseradish Sauce

Time to make horseradish sauce, again.  Thought I'd show you how I do it, and the recipe I use.

Warning-this stuff is hot so wear safety glasses-no joke.


I dug up the horseradish yesterday and ended up with some nice straight roots this year-

Next peel these, either with a knife or a peeler.  I like a knife better-


Now chop these into smaller pieces.  You can process them in a blender or in a food processor.  I used my food processor because it goes faster and chops finer.


I added a teaspoon of vinegar for each batch that I chopped.  If you're using a blender, you may need more.  This is the horseradish all chopped-


I ended up with about four cups of ground horseradish. If  you're using a blender, you can just keep the ground horseradish in there as  you add the rest of the ingredients.  Next, I ground up a bulb of garlic and added it along with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/3 cup honey.  If you'd like your sauce to be more saucey, add more vinegar.


I don't can horseradish.  Just stick it in the fridge and it'll keep for months.  It does lose it's bite the longer you keep it. 

I use horseradish on all types of meat and on some sandwiches.  My dad loves it and I usually give him at least half of my harvest.

Enjoy!

Horseradish Sauce Tutorial

This is a post from a couple of years ago, but I thought I'd run it again, as this is what I'll be doing today.


It's one of those days when the list is longer than the amount of hours.  I HAVE to get to shearing today and no matter how nice it is out, we have to have school.  No more playing hookie.  Carrots need to be pulled and homes found for a few cabbages. 


I was up early and made some horseradish sauce, so you guys get another tutorial!  How blessed are you?


Warning-this stuff is hot so wear safety glasses-no joke.


I dug up the horseradish yesterday and ended up with some nice straight roots this year-


Next peel these, either with a knife or a peeler.  I like a knife better-



Now chop these into smaller pieces.  You can process them in a blender or in a food processor.  I used my food processor because it goes faster and chops finer.



I added a teaspoon of vinegar for each batch that I chopped.  If you're using a blender, you may need more.  This is the horseradish all chopped-



I ended up with about four cups of ground horseradish. If  you're using a blender, you can just keep the ground horseradish in there as  you add the rest of the ingredients.  Next, I ground up a bulb of garlic and added it along with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/3 cup honey.  If you'd like your sauce to be more saucey, add more vinegar.



I don't can horseradish.  Just stick it in the fridge and it'll keep for months.  It does lose it's bite the longer you keep it. 


I use horseradish on all types of meat and on some sandwiches.  My dad loves it and I usually give him at least half of my harvest.


Enjoy!

Sep 10, 2010

Harvest Time

Apples, squash, horseradish, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, beets, rutabagas, plums......Don't you love harvest time?  I keep quoting "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few"  to my children. ;0)  So many jars to fill, so much time spent in the pantry just loving the look.
Today I'm going to put up some pineapple zuchinni.  Just preserving zuchinni in pineapple juice is supposed to make it taste like pineapple when you use it.  I also like to put up a few pints of horseradish sauce.  My dad loves it. (So do I.)  I like to put up V-8 juice for him too.

The birds are starting to get to the apples, so I think that we need to pick today.  That will be a fun job for the kids.



Not a good shot of the appletree outside the frontporch window.  It is loaded with apples this year.

May your day be blessed.

Sep 7, 2010

Beekeeping info needed

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  Cool, breezy, sunny-just perfect.  A great day for harvesting honey.
We have two hives that we've been caring for all summer.  This is only our second year trying bees, and last year our harvest was a bit disappointing because of the "drought".  Digging into the first hive looked promising, but the bees were a bit peeved at me and so I let them rest while I started on the second hive.  Surprise!  Hardly any bees were in the second hive.  I think that they swarmed about two weeks ago.  My son saw a swarm way up in a tree, I checked the bees, they looked fine and  healthy and like they were all there. (Couldn't see a queen.)   Didn't think anything of it until yesterday.  Live and learn?  The second hive had no capped comb on it at all.  All of the brood left in it was just emerging and very sluggish.  No new brood.  No sign of any disease.  So was this caused by a swarm?  I'm thinking the bee "thing" might not be for me.
Any bee keepers out there who could shed some insight?  Advice?
Thanks.

Sep 2, 2010

Happy Birthday Mel!


Next year she'll be leaving for college already.  So old, so fast.  Her birthday dinners have gone from chicken to Greek cuisine, which is what we had last night. 

I wish you would slow down, Mel.  Let me catch up.

Love you so.

I've decided to start another blog.  I won't be closing this one, but I'm just changing some things in my life.  I like this community  and don't want to lose touch with many here, but I needed something new.  I've been here for four years!! (or more)


So join me at www.glory-farm.blogspot.com for the continuing saga of a family renovating, rebuilding and restocking the farm.  (Dramatic music here)

Sep 1, 2010

That Other Season

It's Food Preservation season.  That season between summer and fall.  Very short and busy.
Yesterday I used up the last of the crab apples.  I didn't want anymore apple butter and we have plenty of apple jelly left from last year, so I made up some vinegar.  What I learned?  Crab apples  are drier than regular apples and it takes more of them to make juice.
I also dried a bunch of kale.  What I learned?  Kale dries very fast as compared to other vegetables.  I was able to dry it and package it within three hours.
We have a wonderfully cool morning-50 degrees.  The lawn has grown overnight.  I saw it last night and it looked fine, looked out this morning and it looks like pasture again.
Dear donkey Sadie had something spotted in the field at 5:30 this morning.  She bellers like a truck horn.  I'm sure the new neighbors have already developed a fondness for her. ;)
Dear Sadie
Have a blessed day.

Sep 28, 2010

Angora Rabbits-Post 2

I guess when you make up your mind to do something-Just do it-is a good phrase.  Upon deciding to get rabbits, we went and got them.  Two Angoras, brother and sister.  These are French/Satin Angoras.  Bred especially for their fiber.
This is Cordelia, the girl.  My daughter was busy brushing her out this morning.
And this is Edwards.  He got a good brushing too.
Now we're going to get them set up in the barn, in a temporay cage, until we get the hutch from my grandparents house.
These guys are so soft.  I can't wait to spin this fiber.

Sep 27, 2010

On a Personal Note

Things aren't always glorious on Glory Farm.  We tend to have trials and sorrow from time to time.  Now is one of those times.  Please pray for us as a family.  The enemy has used his lies to send heartbreak and rebellion into our home.
Thank you so much.

Angora Rabbits

I like to try new things.  So here we go...we've agreed to let our daughter get Angora rabbits.  We've been reading up on them and the lady we're getting them from is knowledgable.  We have Angora goats and Icelandic sheep for fiber, so we're adding a new fiber to the mix.  I hope this works.  It sounds like a lot of grooming, but my daughter wants to give it a try.
There are a lot of sites that have information on Angoras.  This one seems to have good information on all types of fibers and spinning.  So----anyone have some good advice?  Or just come along and learn with  us.

Sep 24, 2010

Yulia

Reading this blog about Yulia brought tears to my eyes.  Please read, pray, and if you can help, please do.

Sep 23, 2010

Pumpkins!!!!

Yep, we got 'em.  Been blessed with an abundant crop of squash and pumpkins this year.
Most of these are pie pumpkins, with a couple of Dill's thrown in.  There are a few Turbin squash, too.  What to do with this bounty.....

I harden them out in the yard for about a week, maybe more, before hauling them to the cellar.  It stays about 65 degrees and dry in our cellar and they seem to keep well down there. 
I can-
feed them to the goats and sheep during the winter (high in vitamins and the seeds are a natural dewormer).
Dehydrate them and make pumpkin flour to add to baked goods.  Makes them moister and higher in vitamins.
Bake pumpkin breads, cookies, bars, pies, dump cake...you get the idea.
Can the pumpkin.
Roast the seeds.
Make pumpkin chips.
I haven't tried pumpkin chips before, but here's the recipe and I hope to try these soon-
Pumpkin Chips
Peel a pie pumpkin and scoop out the seeds.  Cut into wedges and then cut the wedges into very thin slices.  You may want to use a food processor for this.  Heat oil to deep fry to 375 degrees.  Make sure it's hot enough or your chips will be greasy.  Fry in the oil and drain well.  Sprinkle with salt.  I'm thinking you could make different flavors.  How about some sugar and cinnamon, or a ranch flavor sprinkle? (Maybe not the ranch.)
So what do you do with your pumpkins?  There are so many ideas out there.  Pumpkin is very versatile.
Be blessed!

Sep 14, 2010

Horseradish Sauce

Time to make horseradish sauce, again.  Thought I'd show you how I do it, and the recipe I use.

Warning-this stuff is hot so wear safety glasses-no joke.


I dug up the horseradish yesterday and ended up with some nice straight roots this year-

Next peel these, either with a knife or a peeler.  I like a knife better-


Now chop these into smaller pieces.  You can process them in a blender or in a food processor.  I used my food processor because it goes faster and chops finer.


I added a teaspoon of vinegar for each batch that I chopped.  If you're using a blender, you may need more.  This is the horseradish all chopped-


I ended up with about four cups of ground horseradish. If  you're using a blender, you can just keep the ground horseradish in there as  you add the rest of the ingredients.  Next, I ground up a bulb of garlic and added it along with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/3 cup honey.  If you'd like your sauce to be more saucey, add more vinegar.


I don't can horseradish.  Just stick it in the fridge and it'll keep for months.  It does lose it's bite the longer you keep it. 

I use horseradish on all types of meat and on some sandwiches.  My dad loves it and I usually give him at least half of my harvest.

Enjoy!

Horseradish Sauce Tutorial

This is a post from a couple of years ago, but I thought I'd run it again, as this is what I'll be doing today.


It's one of those days when the list is longer than the amount of hours.  I HAVE to get to shearing today and no matter how nice it is out, we have to have school.  No more playing hookie.  Carrots need to be pulled and homes found for a few cabbages. 


I was up early and made some horseradish sauce, so you guys get another tutorial!  How blessed are you?


Warning-this stuff is hot so wear safety glasses-no joke.


I dug up the horseradish yesterday and ended up with some nice straight roots this year-


Next peel these, either with a knife or a peeler.  I like a knife better-



Now chop these into smaller pieces.  You can process them in a blender or in a food processor.  I used my food processor because it goes faster and chops finer.



I added a teaspoon of vinegar for each batch that I chopped.  If you're using a blender, you may need more.  This is the horseradish all chopped-



I ended up with about four cups of ground horseradish. If  you're using a blender, you can just keep the ground horseradish in there as  you add the rest of the ingredients.  Next, I ground up a bulb of garlic and added it along with about 1/2 cup of olive oil, 1 cup of cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/3 cup honey.  If you'd like your sauce to be more saucey, add more vinegar.



I don't can horseradish.  Just stick it in the fridge and it'll keep for months.  It does lose it's bite the longer you keep it. 


I use horseradish on all types of meat and on some sandwiches.  My dad loves it and I usually give him at least half of my harvest.


Enjoy!

Sep 10, 2010

Harvest Time

Apples, squash, horseradish, tomatoes, potatoes, carrots, beets, rutabagas, plums......Don't you love harvest time?  I keep quoting "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few"  to my children. ;0)  So many jars to fill, so much time spent in the pantry just loving the look.
Today I'm going to put up some pineapple zuchinni.  Just preserving zuchinni in pineapple juice is supposed to make it taste like pineapple when you use it.  I also like to put up a few pints of horseradish sauce.  My dad loves it. (So do I.)  I like to put up V-8 juice for him too.

The birds are starting to get to the apples, so I think that we need to pick today.  That will be a fun job for the kids.



Not a good shot of the appletree outside the frontporch window.  It is loaded with apples this year.

May your day be blessed.

Sep 7, 2010

Beekeeping info needed

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  Cool, breezy, sunny-just perfect.  A great day for harvesting honey.
We have two hives that we've been caring for all summer.  This is only our second year trying bees, and last year our harvest was a bit disappointing because of the "drought".  Digging into the first hive looked promising, but the bees were a bit peeved at me and so I let them rest while I started on the second hive.  Surprise!  Hardly any bees were in the second hive.  I think that they swarmed about two weeks ago.  My son saw a swarm way up in a tree, I checked the bees, they looked fine and  healthy and like they were all there. (Couldn't see a queen.)   Didn't think anything of it until yesterday.  Live and learn?  The second hive had no capped comb on it at all.  All of the brood left in it was just emerging and very sluggish.  No new brood.  No sign of any disease.  So was this caused by a swarm?  I'm thinking the bee "thing" might not be for me.
Any bee keepers out there who could shed some insight?  Advice?
Thanks.

Sep 2, 2010

Happy Birthday Mel!


Next year she'll be leaving for college already.  So old, so fast.  Her birthday dinners have gone from chicken to Greek cuisine, which is what we had last night. 

I wish you would slow down, Mel.  Let me catch up.

Love you so.

I've decided to start another blog.  I won't be closing this one, but I'm just changing some things in my life.  I like this community  and don't want to lose touch with many here, but I needed something new.  I've been here for four years!! (or more)


So join me at www.glory-farm.blogspot.com for the continuing saga of a family renovating, rebuilding and restocking the farm.  (Dramatic music here)

Sep 1, 2010

That Other Season

It's Food Preservation season.  That season between summer and fall.  Very short and busy.
Yesterday I used up the last of the crab apples.  I didn't want anymore apple butter and we have plenty of apple jelly left from last year, so I made up some vinegar.  What I learned?  Crab apples  are drier than regular apples and it takes more of them to make juice.
I also dried a bunch of kale.  What I learned?  Kale dries very fast as compared to other vegetables.  I was able to dry it and package it within three hours.
We have a wonderfully cool morning-50 degrees.  The lawn has grown overnight.  I saw it last night and it looked fine, looked out this morning and it looks like pasture again.
Dear donkey Sadie had something spotted in the field at 5:30 this morning.  She bellers like a truck horn.  I'm sure the new neighbors have already developed a fondness for her. ;)
Dear Sadie
Have a blessed day.