I Promise this Won't Become a Habit

First and foremost, my heart goes out to the victims and their families.  This horrible event has changed more lives than anyone will ever know. It is yet another situation when questions should be asked to help prevent this happening again in the future.

This post, and posts like these will not be habit. I do not believe in shoving my political views in people's faces, but this has weighed on my heart for awhile, and then listening to the news at 3:30 am broke my heart.

There is a good question that needs to be asked today. Is a handgun or vehicle more dangerous? If I do not have my pistol on me and really have the urge to kill someone, I would just run them over. If in doubt, backup and run them over again. The people killed yearly by vehicular man slaughter far outnumber the people killed by handguns.

Be prepared. Today we will be pelted with more politicians and such with more gun restriction purposals. They will spew at how the guns are at fault, but keep this straight, a psycho man killed those poor people, not a gun. Gun laws are at their strictest, but yet crime is at its highest.  It looks like this would make people open their eyes and realize we are going about this all wrong.  Instead of a state deciding who can and cannot own a gun, why not let EVERY citizen own a gun? We let EVERY citizen get a license to drive a vehicle.  I think there needs to be a serious reevaluation of the laws. Why not require anyone of a certain age who wants to carry a weapon to take a class? There should be a training course, written test, and actual skills test. Then be issued a gun license exactly like their driver’s license.  Then if there are offenses their license would be revoked, again, like a driver’s license. The class should be as extensive as  driving tests are meant to be.  Classes on general care, cleaning, handling, gun ethics, caliber, quick response, and accuracy should be taught, and then required to pass. There are a hundred different things that I have not mentioned, but I think you get the gist of what I am trying to put across. Not to mention, the economical boost. It would be an industry that would expand tremendously and create jobs. That is something this economy needs more than anything right now.

If there had been one, just one, responsible armed person in that theatre, there would only be two people in the hospital right now, the victim of the first shot fired, and the gunman. He would have fired that first shot and then the situation would have been handled. Gun laws do not stop criminals from carrying. They only make it harder for upstanding citizens to be armed. It took over two years for me to legally own a handgun in New York. Then, I was still not allowed to carry it. I am not trying to say this would be the perfect fix, but it would definitely be a better option that what is being placed right now.  I hate to sound like a close-minded old man, but carrying a gun is our Constitutional Right, but in law making, that really does not seem to have any bearing anymore.

Ok, I have said my piece. Thanks for reading. 

The House is Like Sex...

After having the perfect house sold out from under us, we finally found a home and are just waiting for it to be ready. We hopefully only have a few more days of hotel living and we will finally be home.

This home is definitely a compromise, but it will do. We will only be here for about two years and that gives me time to perfect, thoroughly research, and test methods of doing the things I want to do. So this home is like sex, some are just practicing, some are in it-to-win-it, and others are just doing it for old-time’s sake. (I know you’re smiling and wondering) We are practicing for our final home so that when the time comes to really settle in and plant roots, I will be ready.

My goal for the next two years is to become extremely organized. Not just once, but to live a productive and organized lifestyle. I want everything we do and every dime we spend to be productive, not just blown and wasted.  I want to HAVE what I NEED, and I to WANT what I HAVE.  I would like to say that the food we eat is grown by us, and things that we have are made by us.  Not only to teach my children to appreciate the small things but also for a physically healthier life.

Gardening:

The big challenge is the yard is relatively small. I will be learning how to grow my vegetables in containers and hanging down fencing and walls.  The goal will be to have the largest yield versus smallest growing area.

Cooking:

I would like to go almost completely organic. I am not fond of the thought that we intake more chemicals and processed goods than actual organic.  This even goes for meat.

Crafting:

Well, this is always the fun part of life. We own the tools to fill a work shop, everything sewing machine possible, and tons of crafting supplies. I want to dabble in, not just crafts, but actual clothing, furniture, and daily needs.

Family:

This is the most important one. My main focus is to do all this as a family. I want my children to grow up and remember working together to get things done. I want them to smile when they look back on life. I do not want them to think they have to buy everything under the sun to be happy.

Financial:

Our money goals are normally very private, but my cards are on the table. Our goal is to buy a home, not just a house, but a place with land and that offers the things we want to do when the Husband retires.  We not only want to purchase this home, but to pay for it in cash.

And then, to top it off….Get ready to laugh…We will be learning how to stockpile and build a supply to sustain us for long periods of time without having any kind of outside contact. Because you never know when the Zombies will attack! Hahaha! I know it may sound funny, and No, we do not believe there will be a Zombie Apocalypse, but you never know when there will be natural disaster, economic failures, or any number of things that would require you to be prepared. Plus, it gives me a legitimate reason to Coupon.

So in closing, here goes to Texas city living.

Relocating Beginnings

Ladies and gentlemen I am now blogging from Texas. That's right, Texas.  It has been awhile since I posted because we had a lifestyle glitch. In February we found out that we would be relocating to Fort Hood, Texas.  Needless to say, it was a big surprise and extremely scary.

Many things have happened. First off, we sold the flock. It was a hard thing, but they went to a nice farm and I have full confidence that they are happy and healthy.  We then sold the barn.  I was amazed at how something that took my husband and other young robust men a month to build was tore down in one day by two older gentlemen. Hahaha! I definitely made them aware of this fact....Over and over....A girl has to have her fun.

Then it was time to begin planning the actual move.  We were at a stand still because I have put a lot of work and time in the looks of my home for the past several years.  In the past year I have had a nagging feeling that we were beginning to be more focused on the looks and appearance of our lives than actually enjoying it.  With this heavy on my heart, we had a serious family meeting and decided to sell everything. Well...Almost everything. We kept the things that make our lifestyle possible, but not restricting. We sold all the furniture and knick-knacks.  It was very liberating.  We bought a car hauler for my Mercury and every square inch became prime real estate.  It is amazing how when you think of packed space as real estate you really find out what is more important to you.  So now you get to laugh.  The important things: important kid toys were kept, the cooking equipment, DVD's (yes we're nerds), tools, the sentimental baby items, Chris's work gear, and the few clothes that fit. We have shed a lot of pounds in the past few months.

On April 20th we cleared our home and began our journey.  After 2 days in the truck with 3 littles we were finally in Tennessee at Grandma & Grandpa's house! We dropped the littles and headed on to Mississippi to the other set of grandparents to prepare for one of the most important events ever.  One of the most dear people in my life finally married.  That's another story entirely...And yes I'll tell it later.

Now, with the all the fun over, it was time to get back to the plan.

We headed for Texas. Oh man, it's hot here! We found a home, and are hoping that we get it.  It is absolutely perfect! Usually when we move, I have to redo it to make it fit our lives, but this is perfect! I almost cried when walking through.  It has an amazing kitchen to can and cook in, raised garden beds to start our gardening, a huge shop for my redneck work ;-), the bedrooms are perfectly placed, and I honestly could go on all day about how perfect this house is. The only downfall is it will not  be ready till August.  I thought this was going to be a major issue, but hanging out at the pool all day while the kids play is growing on me.  We are going to be the prettiest shade of Southern in no time.

I have dreaded this move more than you can imagine.  I was devastated that we were having to leave everything behind.  After looking at this new house, my spirits are renewed! The owner's mother was there and informed me I can garden year round! Last night I spent hours researching seasonal gardening in Central Texas and now I am ready.  I am afraid to get too excited but I might become a true Texan ;-) So be prepared. On August first you  will be bombarded with new gardening and chicken blogs! so please be patient because there are great things coming!

Canning Out of Season

Yes, I am aware it is not canning season, but recently we found out we are being relocated. Now we will be embarking on a new adventure to central Texas. The flock had to be sold along with my barn, and all the Spring plans are pushed back till June. We have lived in upstate NY for the past six years, and absolutely love it here, but the next climate will bring some nice advantages.  I can not help but feel a little overwhelmed by the thought of this upcoming move. So naturally, I have been cooking like crazy trying to cope with the stress and anxiety. It's not that I do not want to go, but this has become home and I love it so much here. Sorry to wander, back to the subject, Canning Out of Season.


The canning began on Tuesday. I did not realize it would end up being a two day project filled with explosions and many hours of sweat. It made my entire house hot as blue-blazes, but also with the wonderful aroma of home comfort food.  My staples needed to be restocked, and I wanted to try some new things.  If you ever want to make someone smile, take them home-canned goods. It works every time, I promise. Thankfully, Allison (best canning partner ever) was willing to come keep me company and help.

Strawberry preserves were first in order.  They are a staple in my home and almost everyone else's that I know.   Being a true Southern girl at heart, there is nothing more homey and filling as a hot biscuit with homemade strawberry preserves. These never last long so be sure to make tons! 

Strawberry Preserves

4 cups white sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

1 tbsp Pectin

3 lbs Strawberries (averages 6-8 cups when diced)

• Dice Strawberries * I do half with the larger cube and half with the smaller 
• Mix all ingredients in a heavy thick bottom pot.
• Heat on Medium Low till sugar has completely melted to a nice clear liquid. Don't rush it, make sure it's not gritty.
• Then bring to rolling boil for about 3 minutes. *220 degrees Fahrenheit
• Ladle into hot sterilized jars
• Then process for 15 minutes in water bath
• Makes about 3 pints

This will be your best friend when canning!

Allison (a great friend) has an aunt the makes the most amazing squash relish. I have not been able to find a recipe that even begins to compare.  So we started with squash and added this-n-that till we produced wonderful results! This makes the absolute best hotdog in the world.

Squash Relish

12 cups Shredded Yellow Squash

5 tbsp Pickling Salt

2 1/2 cups onion

• Shred Squash as fine as possible
• Mix well in large non-metal bowl
• Cover and let set in refrigerator over night

1 Green Bell Pepper

1 Red Bell Pepper

6 cups white sugar

2 1/2 cups white vinegar

1 tbsp cornstarch

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

3/4 tsp ground turmeric

1 1/2 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp ground black pepper

• Dice Peppers on smallest grate in chopper
• Mix ingredients in a large boiling pot
• Drain squash and rinse good with cold water
• Make sure to squeeze it really well
• Add to pepper mixture
• Bring to a rolling boil and then simmer on Medium Low for 30 minutes
• Ladle into sterilized jars and process for 25 minutes in water bath
• Let cool for 24 hours
• Makes about 4 quarts

These are two staples in my pantry now. I hope you enjoy them! We tried several other recipes, but two were not tasty at all, and a few have to rest for a couple weeks before they can be tried.

Have fun canning!

The History so Far

This is a long lived dream come true. I have wanted to live on a farm, have livestock, and grow my own crops for as long as I could remember.  We are a military family and have lived 'on post' for several years. We finally got tired of the hussle and bussle of living so cramped.  This past summer we made the plunge and moved 'off post' to the county.  We now have no neighbors and live in an area that allows us to farm and have our animals. We started in July with our first group of Ladies: Buella, Opal, Bettye, and Pearl. They are Sussex hens.

  As time passes, and people find out that you have accommodations for animals you'll find people offering you animals. I find this extremely exciting and fun because you never know what you are going to get. For example, I got two super cute miniature roosters. They were about 8 inches tall at full size! Poor little guys had no idea that they are small.

Then I acquired a peachick! It took us some time to figure out what it was!

In October we decided to purchase more hens.  I really enjoyed the birds and the fresh eggs are amazing. We did what most do and started looking locally and hit the jack-pot with Craigslist.  I found a man who could no longer care for his birds due to health issues and had a huge flock that I could choose from.   We got 8 more ladies: 2 leghorns, 1 Rhode Island Red, 1 polka dotted bird (I still have no idea what she is), 1 Wyandotte hen (who was my pride), 3 Rhode Island Whites. They were a little older than I wanted, but still dependable layers.

After all the excitement of new birds, we had tragedy, we were raided by bears.  There was a momma and 2 babies. They got Pete (our peachick) and Mac (white miniature rooster).

After much debate we decided that we wanted to go all out and start a chicken farm, not a big commercial production, but a nice small natural farm.  I want to have an establishment with healthy, friendly, and loving birds.   I want people to be able to meet the hens that their eggs are coming from.  I also want to have a regular rotation of birds for people to purchase and for meat.  With all this said now the decision to make was to figure out which breed was best suited for all this and whether to purchase or build a barn.  We live in upstate New York so the weather is a HUGE factor. After much research we chose the Wyandottes. They are beautiful, friendly, winter hearty, reasonable layers, and good meat.  They are also a Recovering Breed. They are hard to find, but are worth it.

In November I found a lady who bred Wyandottes and was wanting to weed out a few roosters. She would not sell me bird, she wanted to trade hens for the rooster. So we drove to Mexico and traded Pearl and Opal. I was devastated to lose 2 of my original ladies, but when I saw him I realized he was completely worth it.

You are smiling, aren't you! I know I am! I love this rooster and smile every time I see him.

Then came the issue of a barn.  We looked at several options, and could not find anything that suited our needs so we built one that gave us the options we were wanting.  I needed one stall for my chickens that had storage above for hay and my travel cages, one stall with open rafters for peacocks for perching, and a storage area and shelving for chick boxes and incubators. After much work and pain it is finally up! 

It may not look like much right now, but it will when we are finished.  It still needs more paint and cosmetic work, but that will have to wait till the snow melts in the Spring. It took longer to build than we planned, but I guess that's how everything goes. It is 12 feet by 22 feet and 12 feet tall. 

 The orange chicken pictured is the Buff Orpington rooster.

I am so excited about this barn!

After we finally moved the chickens from the small coop to the barn, I found a lady who was needed to re-home a Buff Orpington rooster so I got him to put with my odd ball lot of hens.  Now they had a rooster, and I had a rooster in the other stall for my future Wyandotte flock.

I started looking to build my Wyandotte flock when I learned you can order day old chicks online and have them delivered. The only problem was that it is so cold here, the shipping was going to be an issue. A few weeks ago Husband and I were standing in Tractor Supply looking at chicken stuff and picking up feed when a little man randomly walked up and asked if we were in the market for buying more chickens. He said he had over fifty and they were all still laying even though it's winter.  We agreed to follow him to him to his home and see what he had, because he had no idea what breed they were, but we can always use layers no matter what breed. When he opened his coop door I thought I was to going to dance with joy. He had a coop full of  WYANDOTTES! I was so stoked! There were 16 total, but one of the Wyandottes was a real 'spirited' rooster so we bought all 15 hens.  My opinion is the only good 'spirited' rooster is a dead rooster. There is no sense in being rude, especially because I feed, love, and take care of you. Some of the hens are a little beat up and need some extra love, but they are so beautiful. 

After a few days of being in their new home they started laying, and I put the new eggs in my new incubator. I have never hatched eggs before and am hoping for the best. I will definitely keep you updated.

So now you are up to speed with my chicken history.  I'm hoping that this new year will bring lots of chicken fun and love.

Happy New Year!