Fresh From Home

Lazy Layers-Is it OK to butcher older hens?

2015-02-07T14:37:00.003-07:00

Some of our laying hens will be 3 years old this spring. And they have gotten VERY lazy! What I am referring to is their natural slow-down in egg production. Actually, this is one of the major things that prospective chicken owners MUST (and usually don't) consider when making decisions about purchasing chickens.

Hens will produce a great supply of eggs for you for the first 2 years or so, then they have a significant decline each year thereafter. Each breed will have different productivity levels, so do your homework before choosing a breed. I chose the type of chickens that we have for very specific purposes; most of the breeds that I have were chosen because they are considered "dual purpose." This means that they can be used as layers and/or as meat birds. I wanted a bird that would give us good egg production and then provide food for our table when they slowed down.

Please understand that this is a VERY personal choice; I recognize that there are MANY that choose to love their low production hens until ripe old chicken ages. I think that's wonderful too. In fact, we have a couple in our flock that are NOT dual purpose hens that will retire with us as they age. For our initial dual purpose flock, we chose Plymouth Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds and Golden Star (or Golden sex-link).

Here are some common Dual-Purpose chicken breeds and some of their characteristics:

Breed	Avg. Weight (Hen)	Egg Production	Egg Size/Color
Australorp	6.5lbs	Excellent (250+/yr) lays through winter and in heat of summer	LG/Brown
Barred Rock (Plymouth, Buff, Partridge)	7.5lbs	Good-Very Good (180-240 eggs/yr est.)	Med/ Brown
Brahma (buff, Light)	9.5lbs	Good (3-4/wk or 150+/yr, good winter production)	Med/ Lt. Brown
Buff Orpington	8lbs	Good-Very Good (200-280/yr est.)	LG/ Brown
Delaware	6.5lbs	Very Good (200-280 est.?)	LG/ Brown
Jersey Giant	10lbs	Good (180-260/yr estimate), long laying season	LG-XL/ Brown
New Hampshire Red	6.5lbs	Very Good (200-280 est.)	LG/ Brown
Rhode Island Red	6.5lbs	Excellent (200-280 est.)	LG/ Brown
Salmon Faverolle	6.5lbs	Good	LG/ Cream to Lt. Brown
Sussex (Speckled, White-lays better)	7lbs	Very Good-Excellent, Good Cold weather layer	LG/ Lt. Brown
Turken (or 'Naked Neck")	6.5lbs	Good	Med-LG/ Lt. Brown
Wyandotte	6.5lbs	Very Good (180-260 eggs/yr est., good cold weather layer)	Med/ Brown

Breed	Hardiness	Broody	Personality
Australorp	Cold and Heat	Y	docile, quiet, tame
Barred Rock (Plymouth, Buff, Partridge)	Very Cold	Infrequent	docile, friendly
Brahma (buff, Light)	Heat and Cold	Occasional	calm, docile, makes good pet, feathered feet
Buff Orpington	Very Cold	Frequently	docile, quiet, affectionate, good with kids
Delaware	Very Heat and Cold	Y	superior meat characteristics,' calm, rapid growth, white feathers (less visible on skin after plucking/processing)
Jersey Giant	Somewhat-Very Cold	Y	calm, easy going, long laying season
New Hampshire Red	Heat and Cold	Y	usually calm, quick to 'put meat on'
Rhode Island Red	Heat and Cold	Infrequent	docile (males can be aggressive)
Salmon Faverolle			excellent disposition/great with kids, feathered shanks and 5 toes,
Sussex (Speckled, White-lays better)	Very Cold	Y	calm, curious, good foragers
Turken (or 'Naked Neck")	Cold and Heat	Occasional	reduced number of feathers on body and none on neck,
Wyandotte	Very Cold	Often	docile, quick to 'put meat on'

Now, there are MANY more dual purpose chicken breeds out there and this chart is certainly not exhaustive. I chose to represent these breeds as they were the most common as well as the most interesting to me. I live in a suburban area and am limited to a handful of chickens, so things that I look for in a backyard chicken might be different than those with more space. For example, I will not choose a breed that is NOISY. While I am authorized by law to have chickens in my backyard, I also want to be a good steward of this concept and not irritate the crud out of my neighbors by having extremely talkative chickens. Trust me, I LOVE sitting and listening to chicken noises, but I also know that not EVERYONE does (*sigh*). Also, we do choose to use the hens for meat when they slow down in egg production, at about 2-3 years old. SO, I want a bird that is 'heavier' and will provide a good family meal after she has blessed us with a couple years of delicious eggs. Now some may completely disagree with this, but if you are a meat eater it is worth you while to come to terms with the fact that your food was once a living-breathing creature with a personality. And please hear me when I say that I LOVE my chickens and processing is THE HARDEST thing to do as a homesteader (in my opinion). HOWEVER, if you take only one thing from this post, please hear this: I choose to do this because I can KNOW how our food was treated and KNOW that it was completely loved and spoiled while living a very good life in our backyard; AND I can KNOW without question that it was dispatched humanely when the time came. If you do even a simple search on typical meat production in the US, you will (should) be VERY appalled, disgusted, and hopefully motivated to make different choices on your next trip to the store (buy from local farmers or Co-Ops)! EVERYONE has the responsibility to make the choice of what they will eat....not many take the initiative to understand how it came to be their food and whether it was ethically and humanely raised and treated.

Also to make note of is that as chickens age, their meat can tend to get a little tougher. There are some great ways to cook this meat, such as Coq'A'Vin and Crock pots, to make the meat tender and flavorful. Also, by planning ahead to cook the meat this way, you can skip the long process of plucking when processing and just completely skin the chicken, feathers and all. The skin will not need to be retained since it will not be needed to retain moisture in the meat for a roasting process if using the aforementioned cooking process. (There are many great resources available if you need instructions on how to process a chicken-that will not be covered in this post).

I hope that this helps if you are considering adding chickens to your backyard this year. Deciding whether you will be using your birds as dual purpose is just ONE of the many considerations you must make when taking that leap. And don't worry, a dual purpose bird will still make a great pet if you lose your gumption later on.

Happy Homesteading!

Helpful Links:
http://www.nal.usda.gov/afsic/pubs/csa/csa.shtml
http://www.eatwellguide.org/search/advanced
http://www.hobbyfarms.com/farm-breeds/poultry_chickens_all_landing.aspx

Freshy Fresh Winter Skincare Routine

2014-12-07T09:28:00.001-07:00

Just remember. I'm NOT crunchy. I'm sticking to that. I have, however, experienced enough of a difference in making my own skin-body-hair care products that I can't go back to the synthetic/chemical-laden-plastic-bottled stuff in the store.

WHY GO AU-NATURAL?

Ummm, chemicals. That's why. And you're putting them on your face! Anywhere you have pores (i.e. anywhere you have skin), you will absorb what you put on it. If the average person uses 10 different products on their skin daily, you're absorbing well over 100 different chemicals through your spongy body (yes, I just called you spongy. I'm not saying you wear square pants and live in a pineapple under the sea. Our skin is more like a sponge than a barrier with this stuff). Take a gander at these digits (which are all EW!):

4 Pounds: The average amount of lipstick a woman ingests over her lifetime
11: The percentage of the 10,500 ingredients used in the personal-care products that the US
1,110+: The number of ingredients banned in cosmetics in Europe
10: The number of ingredients banned in cosmetics in the US
20: The percentage of personal care products that contain at least one chemical linked to cancer.
22: The percentage of cosmetics contaminated with possible cancer causing impurity 1, 4-dioxane

Source: The Environmental Working Group

Ready to ditch those pretty looking plastic store bought bottles yet?

I live in Colorado, where we enjoy beautiful weather year round. But we also live in a cold dessert atmosphere. That=DRYNESS. We have a whole-house humidifier as well as individual room humidifiers to combat the dry air that causes dry skin, hair and static. As soon as winter rolls around, the hair that begins to cling to my face and invite itself to explode as though I've recently befriended a light socket with my tongue, that's my cue to add a bit more moisture to my products and routine. SO, since you already know I'm NOT crunchy but do enjoy natural alternatives and making my own, how's about I share my winter skincare routine with ya?

The below concoctions work well for me in our cold/dry environment. My skin type is normal to combination and also, MAYBE, aging (*sigh-it happens to the best of us). You may have to experiment to find the combination of ingredients and routine that work best for you. I abide by the basic mantra of Face Wash-Toner-Moisturizer-Sunscreen-2x per Week Scrub or Mask routine. To make that trial and error process easier for you, I'll break down some basic natural ingredients that are good for ALL skin types:

Face Wash

I found the best overall base for this to be Castile Soap. This is a mild soap that gives sudsing action and is completely plant derived. It doesn't dry the skin, cleans well and doesn't leave a residue. (I also use this in hair and body wash as bases too). I also have Vegetable Glycerin as a large part of the base recipe. This emollient stuff retains moisture and pulls oxygen into the skin. I've added honey and varying essential oils to boost this cleanser as needed throughout the year.

Winter Freshy Fresh Face Wash:

2-3 Tbsps Mild Castile Soap (depending on how sudsy you want it to get)

1/2 Cup Vegetable Glycerin

3 Tbsps Honey (buy local!)-moisturizing, humectant, antibacterial

2-4 drops Essential Oil (To see which trusted brand I use, click here)

Lemon for detox/purifying
Lavender for calming sensitive skin
Melaleuca (tea tree) for acne,
Wild Orange-cuz it's got a sweet and yummy fragrance, is energizing and uplifting
Frankincense for anti-aging properties and age spot reduction as well as moisturizing (love this super-amazing all purpose oil for the skin!!)

Toner

The base for this is witch hazel (no broom required). This is a perfect natural astringent and can even be used on sensitive skin. This stuff is gentle enough to be used alone or you can combine it with other stuff to make it doubly-special for your skin. Just make sure you are buying good quality stuff that doesn't contain alcohol-cuz that will dry out your skin, and that's what we're trying to avoid. Mountain Rose Herbs has a really good one.

Winter Freshy Fresh Toner:

1/2 cup Witch Hazel

1/3 cup Green Tea (cooled)-antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, improves tightness of skin and overall appearance, and the polyphenols in the tea may slow down the aging skin process. BOOM

1/2 Organic Cucumber-if not organic, peel first. Process in blender or food processor.
Cuc's are a mild astringent, has high water content for moisturizing and reducing puffiness, high Vitamin C and caffeic acid content (soothes inflamed/irritated skin), AND the peel has stuff in it (silica) that helps firm up sagging skin!

**Combine all ingredients and store in air tight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks.

2-4 drops Essential Oils: See above to customize

Moisturizer

The point here is to seal in moisture and add ingredients that will enhance your skin properties

NOT My Winter Freshy Fresh Moisturizer:

Rather than reinvent the wheel-I found this FABULOUS moisturizer that I use day and night, year round. I wasn't sure about the Bentonite Clay at first, but after using it consistently, it keeps impurities at bay, so it stays. It can get grainy at times after it soaks in, but I just dab with a clean towel or paper towel. You can adjust the ingredients throughout the year for more/less moisture or change up the EO's you use to address different needs of your skin.

Click HERE for this skin moisture awesomeness recipe!

Additional Essential Oils to consider adding to this recipe:

Bergamot, Myrrh, Geranium-all have calming effects on the skin
Sandalwood-smooths skin (BONUS-has positive effects on mood too!)
Frankincense!! This is the workhorse of skincare. Especially for those of us who MAY be entering the 'aging' skincare needs. Ahem.

SO-there you have it folks. Invest in yourself and do what it takes to take care of your beautiful and/or manly spongy skin in healthier ways than that plastic junk in a bottle on the shelf. And if you need help with that explosive hair, here's my natural haircare link. Hey-this is Natural Living so easy even I can do it!

Farm Dreams

2014-02-14T17:55:00.000-07:00

Tell me HONESTLY; You ever had a dream that occupies most of your thoughts, most of the time? Have you ever wanted something so badly that you feel like devouring every single bit of information available in order to prepare for making it happen? Then you have probably also experienced the push and pull moments where you start to feel a little scared when considering all of the details. You start to wonder if you could really do it. My Farm Dreams are just that: a concoction of endless details, excitement, fear and wonderment. It is driven by a God-given love for animals and caring for them; as well as a newly acquired passion for raising food and food animals without detriment to the earth OR our bodies.

I can't be alone in this, right? I know I'm not the only wanna-be farmer girl living in the city trying to learn and do what she can in the urban setting, but ever longing for wide open spaces. And cows. There's a lot of details involved with big dreams. But what if it fails? It's a scary thought when you are at the edge of the precipice looking at what it might take to make that leap across to the other side. Sometimes you start to look over your shoulder at what you will be leaving behind, forgetting about the passion that drove you to the precipice to begin with. If you truly want to make your Farm Dreams happen, I would like to share with you what our family is doing to work towards accomplishing those very things. It's important to remember that there is no one prescription to making your farm life dreams happen. First and foremost,you have to have a vision and goals to make this happen!

"As your vision becomes your passion, dreams will give place to reality."-Joel Salatin

1.) What do you want? Have you thought about what scale you want to manage?

-Hobby Farm: A little of this and a little of that. Are you, like me, an animal lover and want to have a little of everything? Look into all of the details required for the amount and variety of animals you want to have. Can you afford this? Do you have the time to commit to caring for them every day (even when you are sick, tired and just don't wanna!?)

-Production Farm: Do you want to raise animals for profit? On what scale? Do you have experience? If not, plan to start on a more conservative level and see #3!

-Somewhere in-between: and what does that mean to YOU?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Featured_picture_candidates/Baby_goats

**Regardless of which model you choose, do your homework! Research breeds, looking at both the positives and negatives. What are the housing requirements and costs of upkeep? Ultimately, you want the most bang for your buck, right? So choose animals that will give you high production for low cost. Don't spend money on things that won't make you money-especially at the start. For example: I really want goats....but I want them because they are CUTE! I actually want to devote my time and energy into chickens to start out then adding in cows as we go. While goats can also produce many things, I don't want to overextend myself, especially during the start up stages. We have already started developing a business model that doesn't include them at the onset.

2.) Are you willing, and able, to WORK?

Let's face it: even though we have a deep love for animals, it is still work. There are always things that aren't pleasant with farm life that someone (aka: YOU) still needs to take care of---every day. If you don't want to work hard, face the fact that this may not be the best choice for you. If you are not as physically capable, find someone to partner with that matches your goals and that can provide the physical labor.

"Really, accomplishing your dream is not so much about mechanics and opportunity as it is about character qualities: self-denial, perseverance, commitment, focus."-Joel Salatin in "You Can Farm"

3.) Look Around and DO IT!

While you have visions of farm dreams and chicken fairies dancing in your head, what could you be doing right where you are? Could you turn your back (and front) yard into a vegetable garden and mini orchard? What about adding a few chickens? There really is a lot that you can do from where you are to start learning and growing, even if it's starting with an herb garden indoors, or vegetable pots on your apartment balcony. It's better for you to start learning BEFORE you get your land anyway. The land itself is not a necessary element to becoming a successful homesteader. Learn how to become more self sufficient and to 'farm' what you can from where you are right now. Could you grow some extra produce and take your eggs to a local farmers market on a small scale business level? Come up with a marketing plan BEFORE you plant the seeds or buy those cute peeping chicks. If you can get started doing this right now, from where you are, you will gain invaluable experience and learn a lot along the way about how you want to manage things. Think about how far that will take you when you finally DO acquire some land and you can do this on a larger scale!

4.) Finances

We are using Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace in order to get completely out of debt so we aren't starting out in a hole. It's all about setting yourself up for success in every way possible. This means that we will grow our farm business slowly, but I'm OK with that because it means that we won't be overextending ourselves before we have money coming in to support the initial operation costs (plus, we will no doubt still be working 'regular' jobs).

As mentioned in #3 above, there are a LOT of things you can do to start 'farming' that don't require much space OR much capital. You can easily raise broiler chickens in your backyard with a portable chicken tractor, or even on some rented land (or borrowed yards) nearby. Or raise several great laying hens in your backyard and you can sell eggs to neighbors, coworkers or at the farmers market. It doesn't HAVE to be complicated....but we can sure make it that way without trying very hard, can't we! If you have a Farm Dream that starts at the base of your soul and works it's way out into every other sentence you speak, God has given you something called a CLUE! And you don't have to wait until you can buy that chunk of land, etc, etc. You can start acting on your dream on whatever scale you can in whatever environment you are in now. Don't listen to the naysayers or give in to the fear of success or failure; if God has given you this desire, listen to where He is guiding you and GO FOR IT!

Now, get out there and get some dirt under your nails and chicken poop on your shoes!

Here's some great books to get you started and keep you motivated:

YOU CAN FARM, by Joel Salatin
PASTURED POULTRY PROFITS, by Joel Salatin
FOLKS, THIS AIN'T NORMAL, by Joel Salatin
VERTICAL VEGETABLE GARDENING, by Chris McLaughlin
BACKYARD FARMING ON AN ACRE (MORE OR LESS), by Angela England
BACKYARD MARKET GARDENING, by Andy Lee
FRESH EGGS DAILY, by Lisa Steele
THE PERMACULTURE HANDBOOK, by Peter Bane
PERMACULTURE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE, by Bill Mollison

Winter Molting? WTH!

2013-12-27T12:35:00.001-07:00

WTH (What the HEN)?! This expletive resounded when I made my daily visit to the girls and found that the scrawniest of them all had decided to molt during the throws of winter. This is the first year the girls were due to molt and only one of them accomplished this during the Fall like they were supposed to. Molting is typically triggered by the shorter days/light as the season changes from summer to Fall. However, major temperature swings can also trigger molting. Here in Colorado, we have definitely seen some bi-polar weather this year; going seemingly straight from summer to fall with flooding involved (??); then a strange winter cycle with snow, then temps back to the 50's for weeks before winter showed up again. When it finally did rear it's frosty head, we had the coldest sustained temperatures in a long time, breaking records that were made in the 70's with 15 and 20 below! Two weeks later (or so), we had temperatures reach 64 degrees. No wonder these poultry pals are confused.

Needless to say, I kept a close eye on the smallest of our hens for a few days to make sure that this was nothing to worry about, since she didn't molt when she was SUPPOSED to! Shortly after, the other 2 hens began to molt and the run certainly looked like a couple of chickens spontaneously imploded leaving only downy evidence behind. Feathers abounded in the run, coop and nest box.

It's amazing how their behavior changes during this time as well. I give them regular free range time in the yard, and they have only been spending a short time out, then they will hunker down and hide underneath the coop. The smallest hen retires to the coop for good portions of time, no doubt due to the fact that it's insulated and much warmer than outdoors when you are nearly naked in the winter! "They" say that the better layer the hen is, the quicker her molt will be. I am seeing that in my flock as well; the Rhode Island Red is molting very quick, as well as the Barred Rocks. Then there's the Andalusian....she's taking her time and definitely looks it!

Seriously though, molting causes extra stress on a hen and there are some things you can do to help them out in their time of need. Here are a few things I am doing to help them through the molt:

-Extra Protein: Making fresh new fluffy feathers takes energy and requires protein to develop. Great sources of protein for them are leftovers of your scrambled/boiled eggs, meal worms, black oil sunflower seeds, sardines (they love 'em!), leftover meat scraps (as long as it's not heavily seasoned). I also give them regular free range time in the yard so they can continue normal chicken behaviors such as hunting and scratching for bugs.

-Make Molt Muffins as a supplement (find the recipe in this necessary natural chicken keeping book Fresh Eggs Daily by Lisa Steele). This provides extra nutrition and protein as well as something for them to do and peck at besides each other.

-Supplemental Heat: This will be a personal choice for you based on your geographical location and weather, as well as your 'position' on the matter. We do NOT add supplemental light for our chickens in the fall/winter so as to give them the natural break for their bodies. However, we set up a very small, crude, heating 'device' inside the coop to provide a small amount of radiating heat. We have a light bulb inside a clay pot set up inside the coop for this purpose. We use this during only the coldest nights/days in the winter. Truthfully, we probably wouldn't have it at all if we didn't own a Mediterranean breed (Blue Andalusian) that does not do well in colder temperatures. There are some great, safely designed heating devices to have inside your coop such as this Heat Lamp I found available from Premier1 supply.

Important things to consider if adding supplemental heat:

1.) You are conditioning them to 'need' the heat so they will, in turn, not be as hardy with the colder temperatures. If you choose to do this, you must be consistent with when and how much you supplement.

2.) What about power failures? Do you have a back up generator or other plan to keep the heater running? As said previously, the chickens won't be as tolerant of the colder temperatures if you are giving them added heat, so if the power fails you may be facing illness or even death in your flock without it.

3). Fire Hazard. Supplemental heat sources can be a fire hazard. Make sure you triple-quadruple check and plan out the safety part of this. We lock our chickens in the coop at night and there is no way I would want a fire to develop inside with no escape route for them. Tough to think about, but you must think through these things if you want to be a responsible chicken keeper.

Would my chickens survive without the small amount of added heat? Absolutely. This is not something that chicken keepers have to do (think of the people that have chickens in Alaska!), but it is something we chose to do to keep them a bit more comfortable.

Nice single tail feather Tina!

The 2 hens on the right are molting

And last, but certainly not least, give them plenty of alone time since they seem sincerely embarrassed at their pitiful condition! They don't seem to want you to see them in less than tip-top shape! They are a bit more sensitive to touch during their molt, so on behalf of the hens, don't force any snuggling. I might have to take up knitting chicken sweaters if they decide to molt during winter next year (Kidding...I think)!

P.S. Odice the Bunny doesn't mind the molt. 'Course he doesn't mind much of anything, really.

Bandit running from the camera

Setbacks in reality: Sappy post alert!

2013-11-22T11:34:00.000-07:00

As many of you may have noticed, it's been a little quiet on the blog for a while. Life. Sometimes life begins to fly by so fast that we occasionally need to slow down and take a reality check. I am one of those 'straight forward' communicators that doesn't like to beat around the bush. In short-I like to call-it-like-it-is. So here's the deal: I began to lose priorities in my life. This past year, my work stresses began to consume me both professionally and personally. Not good. I had all kinds of goals and excitement for my writing and where I wanted to take the blog-but even that began to feel like a burden. My garden was planned beautifully-with succession plantings and lots of food that would be canned to store and have to feed the family throughout the winter.

I can tell you I have nothing in my pantry from the garden except a bag of frozen shredded zucchini and some cherry tomatoes. There was a lot of waste in my garden this year. You know there needs to be a reality check when the things that bring you joy are only another stressor.

THE POINT-I am here to remind you that there are a lot of things that we plan and would like to accomplish at certain times in life, but God will always remind you of where your focus should lie; and I can tell you its not on stuff-and-things, or even work. I still have a lot of the same goals-but they are no longer self-centered. They involve my family and, perhaps more importantly, helping others. God has a way of humbling us right when we need it; and for that I am thankful. I am grateful for hardships and suffering that bring about perspective and humility. We pick ourselves back up and begin again-with a fresh mindset.

So-onward we go. I am refreshed and renewed and excited to continue sharing our path of learning about homesteading with you! I have no doubt that many of you have experienced frustration, set backs or motivation struggles while learning to homestead where you are. I'm here to tell you that it's normal-and that you aren't the only one who goes there; I guess I'm just willing to tell it all-the hilarious, the growth and even the ugly. This stuff isn't glamorous folks-we get down and dirty in this game of life! Come on now-what has been the biggest obstacle for YOU in homesteading and how have you overcome it? Let's inspire each other to keep-on-keepin' on! What are you working on right now?

Until next time,

Shanyn

BOOK GIVEAWAY: Fresh Eggs Daily

2013-10-23T00:00:00.000-06:00

When I don't know the answer to something my kids ask me (or for their homework), I GOOGLE it. When I have a question about chicken keeping, I FRESH EGGS DAILY it! I'm serious: since the beginning days of raising my chickens, I turned to the web page for Fresh Eggs Daily and searched the files there for advice, feed recipes (Breakfast of Champion Layers...'nuff said) and natural remedies. You can imagine my excitement, then, when I heard that Lisa Steele was writing a book on natural chicken keeping. I am thrilled to announce that I have an autographed copy to give away to one lucky winner! If you can't wait for the giveaway, or just want to buy one for everyone in your family, the link to purchase this beautiful AND informative book is HERE.

QUICKIE BOOK REVIEW:

At first glance, I was very impressed with this new book by Lisa Steele of Fresh Eggs Daily. I like the smaller 'coffee table' size of this book. It is bound beautifully and in full color throughout. Everything about this book is pretty and chock full of information in ' easily digestible' chapters. By that I mean that this has got to be the best resource book I have found available on the market right now natural chicken keeping strategies. I have read every chicken keeping book on the local library shelves and I have not found one that contained advice on raising chickens, specifically, using all natural resources.

While I recognize some of this information from the tried and true website founded by Lisa Steele, don't think you are getting a 'cut and paste' version of her website; this book contains a lot of new information and, again, I love that it is sectioned out to make finding the information you need a breeze. I can genuinely say that I will highly recommended this book to all current and prospective chicken owners.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Visit all the other stops along the Fresh Eggs Daily Blog Tour to read some more great reviews and to enter to win a copy!

Week One

October 14th
Louise's Country Closet & Natural Chicken Keeping

October 15th
Farmhouse38

October 16th
The Nerdy Farmwife & Lessons Learned from the Flock

October 17th
Colored Egg Homestead & Our Neck Of the Woods

October 18th
Let This Mind Be in You & Sunny Simple Life

Week Two

October 21st

1840 Farm

October 22nd

Timber Creek Farm & The Land of the Sweets

October 23rd

Happy Days Farm & Fresh From Home

October 24th

The (Mis)Adventures of a Born Again Farm Girl

October 25th

The Anderson Family Farm Project

From The Farm Blog Hop

2013-08-30T01:00:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone! I am more-than-excited to be the guest host this week for the From The Farm Blog Hop! I just love to see what people are up to and what you are doing around your 'farm;' whether that's your house in the city, or your farm in the boonies! Thanks again for joining us! I can't WAIT to hear from all of you, so let's get this party started!

Here are the features from last week's party:

Congratulations! Please feel free to grab our button and display it proudly on your blog!

Photo provided by Chicken Scratch Poultry http://chickenscratchpoultry.com/

<a title="From the Farm Blog Hop" href="http://sunnysimplelife.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>

Now, on to this week's party:
1. Link up to three of your best gardening or homesteading tips, farm-themed posts, recipes, homemaking and simple/frugal living tips, decorating ideas, DIY projects, craft ideas, thrifty makeovers or repurposed items, healthy and sustainable living tips.
2. Link back to my blog, or put the link party button anywhere on your blog or post to share the love.
3. Make sure to check out some of the other links before leaving.

Photo provided by Chicken Scratch Poultry http://chickenscratchpoultry.com/

<a title="From the Farm Blog Hop" href="http://sunnysimplelife.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"></a>

We can't wait to see what you share with us!

Note: Linking up to this party will automatically sign you up for an invite to next week's party via email. To unsubscribe, please reply to any email you receive and you will be removed. Linking up also allows us permission to publish one of your photos on our blogs, Facebook, and/or Pinterest pages.

SERIES: Natural Living So Easy...DIY LAUNDRY SOAP powder

2013-08-21T16:59:00.001-06:00

Yup. So Easy Even I Can Do It. Seriously. This is super easy. Everything I have tried during this journey of mine toward more frugal and natural living has surprised me....in a good way! I always saw stuff like this and thought, "that crunchy-natural-hippy-type stuff sounds good and beneficial, but 'aint nobody got time for all THAT!" I am here to encourage you to try something that you can make yourself that is so simple (you guessed it), that even I can do this in no time flat! In fact, my kids usually get in on this recipe and ASK to help! Here's a ridiculously easy, quick and effective DIY LAUNDRY SOAP (powder):

What you need:

2 Bars of Fels-Naptha (Laundry bar soap/ You can usually find this, or an equivalent, on an end of the laundry soap isle)
1 Cup Washing Soda (also in the laundry isle)
1 Cup Borax

OPTIONAL: Several drops of your favorite Essential Oil

STEP ONE: Grate your soap bars (we do this directly into a large, empty industrial sized laundry soap tub, but any medium sized bucket/container/tupperware will do). I like to grate them finely so I don't get large soap chunks in my mixture. This is the part my kids have actually ARGUED over taking turns doing. I make sure they know how they are helping the family by doing this AND saving us TONS of money!

STEP TWO: Add the Washing Soda and Borax.

STEP TWO-ish: OPTIONAL: You can add 5 or more drops of your favorite essential oil into the mixture at this point. We typically choose lavender or lemon and it really makes our clothes smell fresh!

STEP THREE: Mix together and store in an airtight container.

USE: 2 Tablespoons for an "average" to "large" size load. Use more for larger or heavily soiled loads.

That's it! Told 'ya-----super simple! We have had great results with it too. My husband gets greasy at work and this stuff has NO problem getting it all out and making the clothes smell fresh when using 2 Tablespoons per extra large load.

Is it worth it? You decide

Here's the cost comparison:

Homemade Laundry Powder= $6.16/ 48 oz= $0.31/oz

General commercially made powder (not generic but not name brand)=$0.20/oz

>>>So that's not a "per ounce savings" at first glance. Here's the catch: You only need to use 2 Tablespoons for a Large load of laundry with homemade soap. Commercial soaps have you dumping in around 1/4-1/2 cup of their chemical-laden laundry soap. SO, if I have to use less than HALF of the amount of detergent per wash, then my savings can more than double!

Our Laundry soap savings just bought us a large box of ice cream cones to pass around tonight; which MIGHT result in more laundry to do, and more laundry soap to make. Such is the circle of laundry-life! Enjoy it to the fullest!

NEW SERIES: Natural Living So Easy Even I Can Do This! DIY Natural Shampoo and Creamy Conditioner

2013-05-18T13:22:00.001-06:00

I am not "crunchy." At least I didn't think I was, or would be for that matter. I am referring to a term used by many to describe a person that has gone "all natural" or has changed/ altered their lifestyle for environmental reasons. Ever since I started this journey to living a more sustainable lifestyle by trying just one new thing each month, I have realized that I may have created a monster (in a good way). I have been blown away at how easy and CHEAP it is to make your own stuff; everything from bread and tortillas to household cleaners to garden markers and personal care products. I have found that my homemade products work better than the store bought items; but the best part is that they are FREE of chemical-laden ingredients that are not good for my families health and well-being. I have been really busy testing a LOT of recipes for a LOT of different things, and I am so very excited to start this series titled: "Natural Living So Easy Even I Can Do This."

Today I would like to share how you can DUMP your store bought go-to bottle of chemical-plastic shampoo and conditioner! I have fine hair that is long and Blond. I previously dyed my hair and live in Colorado where it is pretty dry most of the year. Translation: my hair sucks up conditioner like no tomorrow and can be a bit difficult at times. Since I have started using the below natural recipes, my hair has balanced out it's natural moisture, is brighter and shinier, and is growing like crazy!

A couple things to note when making 'the switch:'

*Your store bought shampoos have that super creamy/slimy consistency because of the chemicals/preservatives that are added so that it can sit on the shelf for a couple of years before going 'bad.' The below recipe does not include any of those chemicals and will have a different consistency; more like liquid soap.

*Your store bought products actually contain a type of plastic that coats your hair to make it 'feel' soft and conditioned (when it really is not). The below recipe does not contain said chemicals/plastics. Your hair may go through a detox period when getting rid of these things from your hair and scalp (the chemicals added change the pH and natural oil balance of your scalp-in a not-so-good way). DON'T WORRY-your hair will be softer and healthier than ever if you just stick with it. Anytime you make healthy changes to your body, it needs to move out the 'bad' in order to make room for adding the 'good.' This is the easiest way I know to simply explain the detoxification process.

*You may need to try a few different recipes and/or combinations of the recipes to customize it to your specific needs (Dry, Oily, Frizzy, Damaged). Give each change at least a week or two so that your body has time to adjust. This way you can make accurate assessments about how/if it is helping your hair and what you may need to adjust. Yet another wonderful thing about making it yourself-the ultimate in customization!

OK-On to the recipes! As I mentioned, I have tried a TON of recipes on myself (and co-workers, family members and friends) and I have found the below Shampoo and Conditioner recipes to be the simplest and most effective. It took me a couple of batches to get the conditioner the way I liked it (creamy with enough conditioning/moisturizing agents for my hair), but it is my favorite/easiest recipe thus far.

BASIC SHAMPOO RECIPE (see below for a Basic Herbal Shampoo):

1/4 C water
1/4 C Liquid Soap (Castile)
*1/2 tsp Carrier Oil (see below)
**OPTIONAL: Essential Oils for your hair type (see below)

*CARRIER OILS DEFINED by hair type:

SWEET ALMOND OIL: All hair types to Dry/Damaged: aides in hair loss prevention, heals split ends, adds shine, moisturizes dry/flaky/sensitive scalps

JOJOBA OIL: All types: Light sunscreen agent, Softens, Strengthens, Detangles, Balances Oil production (is said to be the closest to our natural skin oils)

GRAPESEED OIL: Regular to Oily: absorbs easily-is one of the lightest oils, thickens hair shaft

OLIVE OIL(Extra Virgin): Best for thick/coarse, dry/damaged: Ultra-Hydrating, strengthens, adds elasticity, adds shine, smoothes hair cuticle (coats hair shaft)

COCONUT OIL: Best for Regular to Dry Hair: Moisturizes scalp/dandruff control, adds shine, aides growth, softens, detangles

AVOCADO OIL: Best for Dry/Damaged: heals dry/damaged/mature hair, softens, aides hair growth *Goes rancid quickly. Mix with Jojoba Oil and store in refrigerator to prolong 'shelf life.'

SESAME OIL: Sunscreen (blocks 30% UV rays) *Goes rancid quickly. Mix with Jojoba for longer 'shelf life.'

**ESSENTIAL OILS (EO's) FOR HAIR (use 20 drops per 4-8 oz shampoo):

ROSEMARY: Dry scalp/Flaky scalp, promotes growth, darkens color
BASIL: Controls Oil production from scalp, promotes growth
LEMON: Controls oil/dandruff, natural blond highlights
LAVENDER: good for normal hair, treats dandruff and lice
PEPPERMINT: moisture aide, promotes growth
YLANG YLANG: (smells like jasmine): promotes growth, good for all hair types
*Visit here and here for some great EO blends by hair color and problem types. Great websites to visit for more info!

To make the above into an HERBAL SHAMPOO:

1/2 C water
2 Tbsp dried or 1/3 C Fresh Chamomile, Lavender or Rosemary herbs
1/2 C "Basic Shampoo Recipe" (above)
2T Glycerin

*Bring water to a soft boil. Add Herbs and remove from heat. Cover and steep for 20-30 minutes. Then strain out herbs/flowers to reserve the liquid only.
*Add shampoo and glycerin to the reserved liquid and stir well.
*Put in bottle and let sit overnight.

USE: Lightly mix bottle before each use. Shampoo and rinse for 2 minutes with cool water.

CONDITIONER:

The Easy Aromatherapies website linked above also contains the best creamy Conditioner recipe I have tried thus far. Click HERE for that recipe.
*The only thing I want to mention about the recipe is that you really DO need to make sure the temperatures of the water/herbal mixture and the oil mixture are as close as you can get them. My first batch had the contents separate, but as long as I mixed it before using it still worked great. Also, use the EO blends as suggested for your hair type/condition. This gives you added benefit and it really worked wonders for my thin/dry hair/blond hair.

*There are also many recipes and suggestions for Hair Rinses for use in place of a conditioner. I have tried many of these and have not found one yet that works well for my hair.

That's it for now. HELP ME EXPERIMENT and try different recipes, then let me know what you have found! If you try these recipes, I would love to hear your comments. Just don't forget to give it a week or so before making your final judgment. I am still experimenting and preparing to make some Shampoo Bars (that condition all in one) as well as a pH balancing recipe for Shampoo that does not contain Castile Soap. I will certainly share my experience when I test those out too!

I hope you have as much fun on the road to "crunchiness" as I am! Well, lets just call it "sustainable living." I'm Cool with that too.

SOURCES:
http://www.easy-aromatherapy-recipes.com/natural-hair-conditioner.html
http://themodernherbal.com/2011/02/how-to-make-natural-shampoo-recipes-customized-to-your-hair-type/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/151115-types-of-hair-oil/#ixzz2TewXlxmJ
http://www.beautylish.com/a/vcrzq/oil-treatments-for-your-hair-type
http://www.dailyglow.com/hair-care-products/hair-growth-oil.html
http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/articles.php?f=tip927.htm

Easy DIY candle: 99.9% Orange, 100% Natural!

2013-04-15T20:01:00.000-06:00

Want a quick, easy and natural citrus candle that you can make in about 5 minutes or less? With only TWO ingredients? Well, it's a good thing you stopped by 'cuz I have the perfect recipe for such a thing!

I made this with my daughter (OK, she mostly helped by eating the orange) and it literally only took a few minutes from start to finish. Here's what you will need: Navel Orange, Vegetable/Canola or Olive Oil (any vegetable based oil would work fine). That's it!

I bought my Oranges from the sale bin at the grocery store for items nearing expiration or that are 'slightly blemished.' You will be using the section of the orange that has the stem/'button' for the candle base, so be sure to select an orange for this project that doesn't have extra umph in this area.

Take a knife and cut all the way around the orange, 1/2-3/4 of the way up to make your 'base.'

Now take your fingers and separate the peel from the fruit. Do this on both sections and be sure to keep the stem in the bottom section attached since this will be you wick (which is so super-cool)! I accomplished this by simply peeling that part away from the fruit slowly.

Next, pour in your oil to just below the top of your wick (approximately 1cm). I used two different types of oil for this experiment. It seemed to me that the vegetable oil lit a lot easier and burned better. You will can see the difference in this photo:

Light your candle! This actually took me a few tries and I found that the oil really needs to be within 1 cm to light effectively AND it helps to dip the 'wick' in the oil lightly. I still had to hold the flame to the 'wick' for a bit before it would stay lit on it's own, but once it did they worked fabulously!

I also cut designs into to the tops to create a glow effect. NOTE: the swirly design started to burn and make my house smell less like citrus-Orange and more like house-fire. SO, I suggest sticking to simple cut out designs if you go this route.

P.S.: Don't throw out your Orange Peels! Orange peels are good slug repellents for gardens. The peel can be also be pressed, which produces sweet orange oil and is used to flavor drinks, food and can be used in perfumes and oils for aromatherapy; should you feel so inclined. OR, put them in your compost bin. As if this project could get any better, right?!

ENJOY!

This post was featured on the following sites:

Announcement and BuyGreen.com Earth Day Giveaway!

2013-04-08T21:33:00.001-06:00

I am very proud to announce that I am now a part of the wonderful group at Homestead Bloggers Network! What better way to celebrate this wonderful news than joining with them to celebrate upcoming Earth Day and an amazing giveaway!

In celebration of Earth Day 2013, members of the Homestead Bloggers Network have partnered with BuyGreen.com to make going green even easier! With a generous gift card for $250, BuyGreen.com makes going (or staying) green even easier! So what can I find at BuyGree n.com? Maybe the question should be, "what can't I find at BuyGreen.com?" From clothing to composting, they've got you covered! BuyGreen.com believes that the power to make a change rests with consumers. Take a stand and demand healthier, greener products as a BuyGreen.com customer and let's make a change together. a Rafflecopter giveaway Additional prizes are offered by participating blogs:

Unpaper Towels from Montana Solar Creations
Gardening Books from Chris McLaughlin
Two Magazine Subscriptions from Lille Punkin

Disclosure: I was not financially compensated for this post. The Homestead Bloggers Network and participating blogs are not responsible for prize fulfillment. Giveaway is open to US & Canadian Residents ages 18 and over only. Entries close on April 22 and winners will be drawn by April 26. This giveaway is part of the Homestead Bloggers Network and sponsored by BuyGreen.com.

Participating Blogs

Heather Harris - The Homesteading Hippy
Mary Hitchings - Raising Dick & Jane
Dani Meyer - The Adventure Bite
Chris Dalziel - Joybillee Farm
Annie Bernauer - Montana Solar Creations
Jen Fowler - Frugal Upstate
Teri Gelseth - Sustainability is a Journey
Chris McLaughlin - A Suburban Farmer
Kristi Stone - Let This Mind Be In You
Lindsey Knerl - Lille Punkin'
Krystyna Thomas - Spring Mountain Living
Shanyn Cascia - Fresh From Home
Wendy Hammond - The Local Cook
Angela England - Untrained Housewife
Amanda Jones - Adventures of Mommyhood
Colleen Anderson- Five Little Homesteaders

Book Review: Vertical Vegetable Gardening

2013-04-04T06:30:00.000-06:00

Have you ever read a book that changes the way you garden? A book that is so rich with information and ideas that you can't wait to apply them and get started? That's what happened when I read Vertical Vegetable Gardening by Chris McLaughlin. My book reading during the cold winter months this year got me so excited about gardening that I started making plans right away for my 2013 garden. Basic enough for beginners yet full of detailed steps throughout the broad spectrum of subject matter make this a book for all levels of gardeners.

I really liked the structure of this book; it is broken down into four parts for ease of reading and reference. Part one discusses "The Beauty and Bounty of Vertical Gardening." The author begins by explaining the benefits behind growing vertically and how "Less Really Is More!" This section shows you how much space you can save, how growing vertically can save you time and work as well as money. There is also information on how this method reduces weeds, pests and disease. Perhaps best of all, you will increase your vegetable production by learning how to grow vertically! The remainder of Part 1 discusses different structures and containers with how-to tips along the way. There is information within this section about DIY structures as well as how to Re purpose items for your vertical gardening. I have to say that since I have read this book, I am using more re purposed items and think more about reusing rather than just purchasing something new (and perhaps wasting money).

Part Two is titled; "The Basics: Soil and Seed." This section contains all the information you need to learn about why soil is so important in your garden, what type of soil you have and how to improve it, as well as how to start seeds. There was a great section here about the many different types of seeds and even how to go from starting your own to transplanting them. Very condensed but well organized and summarized information.

The last two sections discuss the nitty-gritty of gardening with your vertical vegetables. There is so much information here! From Organic pest control to a fact-filled section on all of the vegetables that like to grow vertically, I can tell that these sections will be ones that I reference often (there's already dirt and coffee stains all over it and the gardening season hasn't officially begun)!

Overall, this has got to be my favorite gardening book to-date (and I have read a TON). The wealth of information that is categorized and summarized in an easy-to-read format makes this book highly valuable to me. I can turn to this book for just about everything related to my garden. There is also a list of resources for seeds/plants, online help and books in the back that I am still referring to often.

I am literally growing 90% of my food vertically this year thanks to the inspiration from this book; saving time, money and growing more food as a result. Fantastic find and must have if you want to grow more food in less space (and not be confused or frustrated while doing it)!

Welcome Spring Signs

2013-04-01T12:43:00.000-06:00

It is beginning to look a lot like Spring around here! My crocus have been blooming for weeks, Daffodils are going to bloom any day, Multiple Vegetable starts are thriving under indoor lights. I just planting my first round of cold-season vegetables in one of the raised beds this week (Broccoli, Kohlrabi, Lettuce and Spinach, Tatsoi and Macha/Corn Salad). Odice, the 10-month old Flemish-giant rabbit, says to go ahead and fire the ground-hog; He's so excited to say that Spring is on the horizon that he left some eggstra special surprises in the collection basket today!

Generations of Swedish Potato Bread

2013-03-26T06:51:00.000-06:00

Traditions and Family. Laughter and Learning. These are irreplaceable things and are what create timeless memories. I had the opportunity to not only learn a family recipe from my mother, but to learn it in my kitchen alongside my daughter. This bread is an absolute must for our family thanksgiving get-together each year. The following is the story and recipe behind our family Swedish Potato Bread recipe.

Photo Credit: Encyclopedia of Immigration

My Great-Grandmother came to the US straight from Sweden via Ellis Island when she was only 9 months old. Her family then moved to a Swedish community in Boise, Idaho. She met and married my Great Grandfather, Mr. Jones of Wales, and they lived out the rest of their days in Colorado. I was very fortunate to have their influence in my life as a young child; such as the incredible musical talent of Great Grandpa Jones that inspired my mother and myself, and is still living on in with my children. My great Grandfather was also a great gardener! Isn't it wonderful to look at your own life and see the generations of influence that have been (willingly or not) instilled inside of you?

Hjelm Farm in Swedish Community-Idaho. Photo Credit Historical Findings

This recipe was written down by Great Grandma Jones and was influenced by my mother. There was a time when my mom learned this recipe directly from Great Grandma Jones in her kitchen. However, Grandma Jones NEVER measured anything and would just say "use about THIS much salt" (after all, that's how she learned it from HER mother). My mom went through this recipe with her and translated, or measured, as they went and then wrote it all down. Thank goodness for that, as there was BOUND to be a relative down the line that is a rule-follower and for whom a recipe is a must-have (a-hem)!

With the laminated recipe in my Great Grandmother's handwriting and my mother as the teacher; to my daughter helping in the kitchen (who has an apron from HER great grandmother and is wearing Great-Great Grandmothers belt around her waist), this baking event spanned 5 generations. Now THAT is something truly priceless! Without further ado, I give you the treasured Mrs. Jones Swedish Potato Bread original recipe.

NOTE: The below recipe is translated as written on the original recipe. Since this has been passed down throughout the years, Mom's variation to the recipe has been noted in italics within the recipe. I love seeing the improvements of the recipe over time!

Here's what's cookin': Swedish Potato Bread
Serves: 12
Recipe from the kitchen of: Sigrid Jones

1 Cake yeast or 1 Pkg dry yeast
1 Medium potato
1 Cup Milk
1/2 Cup shortening
1Tbsp Salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 Eggs beaten
Flour

Peel potato, cut fine and boil with approximately 1 1/2-2 cups water. Reserve the potato water after boiling. (Reserving the potato water allows you to keep the vitamins/minerals and flavor that escape while boiling, for putting back into your recipe).

Meanwhile, scald the milk (Mom says you can scald it in the microwave. Watch the milk and stop cooking just before boiling. Mom says you will know it's scalded when it gets 'excited' and starts to foam).

Pour milk into large bowl and add Sugar and Salt.

Mash potato.

Add shortening, potato and reserved potato water (should be about 1 cup-add water if not).

Dissolve the yeast with a little warm water. Add to the milk mixture, be sure it is luke-warm and not too hot (it will kill the yeast cultures if too hot).

Then add the eggs with the flour: just enough flour to handle (slowly alternate adding flour and eggs. You will know when the dough is ready when it doesn't stick to your finger when you poke it! It should be anywhere from 3-6 cups flour)

P.S. This dough will keep in ice box for two weeks!

Shape into large ball and place into large greased bowl. Let rise in warm room until double in size

Punch dough down and shape into rolls or loaves and place in greased pans. Let rise again until double in size

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until golden brown

ENJOY!! We eat ours with turkey dinner and buttered with Lingon berry Jam for delicious breakfast (and lunch, and dinner) sides. I hope you make some lasting memories today!

Bella the lab wants to know if you will share this recipe? She's hoping that someone....ANYONE will at least share with HER! She knows as well as the rest of us that everything DOES taste better when it's Fresh From Home!

Caption Contest!

2013-03-18T17:51:00.005-06:00

Let's have a little fun and see who the funny and creative ones are amongst you! Help me out here, what should this caption be for this hilarious photo taken during a lovely backyard evening at Fresh From Home?

Sprouting GIVEAWAY!

2013-02-24T05:16:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote about sprouting as a way to quench your gardening itch during the winter months. I am excited to announce that Handy Pantry (by Living Whole Foods, Inc) has very generously donated several items just for YOU to enjoy!  I was hesitant to try sprouting having heard others talk about having to "rinse them constantly" and that it "was a pain." The winter garden itch won over, however, and I found the wonderful sprouting kit from Handy Pantry at my local garden center. It was SO EASY to do the sprouting using these trays that I now keep them continuously in service! The seeds can be rinsed 3 times a day but 2 quick rinses per day work just fine as well (this is what I do and they always turn out fantastic). In a lot of circles, sprouts are considered super foods that are also touted as "fountains of youth." The reason they say this is that they are powerhouses packed with nutrients, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants and more! For example, broccoli sprouts have been found to have 50 times the antioxidant property (sulfurophane) of mature broccoli! Not to mention that all of these sprouts tasted MUCH better than store bought. All of their seeds are certified Organic AND non-GMO. Well, as we have come to know around here-everything tastes better when it is Fresh From Home!

1 GRAND PRIZE WINNER: The SPROUT GARDEN-Complete Starter Kit ($30 value): Makes up to 4 lbs of sprouts in 3 days! Includes 2 oz. packet of Organic, Non GMO Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds

3 WONDERFUL WINNERS: Several different Sprouting Seed Packets (all Organic and Non-GMO) from 4oz to 8oz including: Alfalfa Sprouting Seed, Mung Bean Sprouting Seed, Green Pea Sprouting Seed, 3-Part Salad Sprouting Mix and 5-part Salad Sprouting Mix.

Winners will be randomly selected. I hope to see lots of you enter to win these great products-just use the Raffle-Copter gadget below to enter. Please show this company that you appreciate this giveaway opportunity by visiting all of their websites and browsing their different product lines. If you get the chance, tell them Fresh From Home sent you! www.handypantry.com www.wheatgrasskits.com www.herbkits.com (They have an Indoor Culinary Herb Garden and Garden Stacker pots that I have my eye on)!! www.genericseeds.com  www.growingmicrogreens.com

                                   So much gardening (and healthy living) possibilities, so little time!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

For the LOVE of seeds; DIY 'dirt' mix and Seed Starting

2013-02-14T18:33:00.001-07:00

I LOVE this time of year in Colorado when we are usually in the coldest and snowiest part of our winter because I get to plant seeds! Yes-starting seeds is something I have come to look forward to each and every year. I love to dream up my garden for the next year, love the planning process and LOVE starting seeds (did I mention that already?)! Plants have different requirements throughout their lifetime, from seed starting to transplanting, to the mature and fruiting.

THE DIRT ON SEED STARTING DIRT:

First of all-it's not really dirt. These mixes are soil-less but provide the best growing environment for your seeds. For the best germination rates, you will need a good quality seed starting mix, and you don't really want to compromise on this step. While I can attest that seeds will sprout in just about any kind of dirt (remember that I've learned a lot by doing things the wrong way first), they will not give you the best germination rates, will not be as vigorous or sturdy starting out, and there is a strong potential of introducing disease to your seed by using other 'dirt' as your growing medium. You can buy these seed starting mixes at garden centers everywhere, but they can get pretty expensive.

Seed starting mix is important because it allows for the proper amount of moisture retention. When you use one of these mixes, your seeds don't get water-logged and moldy (reducing seed waste). Also, the proper soil will promote good air circulation to allow for good seed germination. If you use soil from outside, you could be introducing pathogens and/or microorganisms that will likely be harmful to the seed and/or might kill it. Much like everything else I am trying to learn, I want to know how to grow things Fresh From Home so that I can be SURE of what is in my food and to feel good about how it came to be my family's dinner.

Here is a simple seed-starting mixture that I have excerpted from Mel Batholomew's book "All New Square Foot Gardening:"

1/3 Peat Moss (purchase from any garden center)
1/3 Vermiculite (suggested to buy: coarse grade in 4-cubic foot bags)
1/3 Blended Compost (If you need to buy this, make sure to purchase different types from your garden center; it needs to be blended-not all of the same type)

*Peat moss gives it the desired density and air circulation
*Vermiculite increases water retention
*Compost gives nutrients

One of my Farm Chick friends pointed me to the website http://sproutrobot.com. This site plans out your garden based on your zip code. You can keep your gardening journal there, post photos and it will send you email reminders of when things should be started indoors, when they should be sprouting planted outside, harvested, etc. How neat is that?! The only thing that I have not liked thus far is that you cannot add your own plant types to your garden list. However, this site is fairly new and they are taking suggestions for improvements (*wink, wink*).
You can also buy seeds directly from this site. All seeds are from Botanical Interests, which is a FANTASTIC seed company that is not owned by a giant-monopolized company, all seeds are non-GMO (non-Genetically Modified), they have a large selection of Certified Organic seeds, and it is a Colorado based company. Their seed packets are loaded with information on everything that your plant will require and they are just plain gorgeous too! Needless to say, this is now my go-to seed company. http://www.botanicalinterests.com/

For more articles on the basics of seed starting, here are some more great links from some of my Farm Chick friends. Happy seed starting everyone!

http://farmchickchitchat.blogspot.com/2013/02/how-to-affordable-grow-light-station.html

http://blackfoxhomestead.com/in-the-garden/what-you-need-to-start-your-own-transplants/

http://growingdays.blogspot.com/2012_02_01_archive.html

http://everythinghomewithcarol.com/starting-seeds/
http://everythinghomewithcarol.com/starting-seeds-2/

http://asuburbanfarmer.com/blog/2013/02/14/seed-starting-article-round-up/

http://www.greencirclegrove.com/front/2013/02/do-you-know-your-zone/

Garden Planner Winners

2013-02-01T11:29:00.001-07:00

CONGRATULATIONS to the 50 winners of the Garden Planners! Check your emails to receive the spreadsheet. Please remember to change the Last Spring Frost (LSF) and First Fall Frost (FFF) dates to the ones that are appropriate for your area (find your local cooperative extension office online or message me if you need help). Lastly, this is not a 'finished' product, but I wanted to share so you could get started with your garden planning! Please feel free to let me know what you think and I am looking forward to chatting with you soon!

Planning Your Garden...Nerd style!

2013-01-25T13:13:00.001-07:00

I AM A NERD. Phew, I am so glad that I got that out in the open! I say that because I love spreadsheets and written plans. There's a special surprise for my fellow nerds and non-nerds alike at the end of this story, so read on about how to plan your 2013 garden!

Image from http://sarahallgire.com/

So you want to grow some vegetables, but you're not sure where to start. Well, obviously, we are going to start with...........

THE PLAN

If you want your garden to be successful and provide you with the maximum amount of production, you need to start with a solid plan. Start by making a detailed drawing of your yard. Grab some graph paper and draw it all out (take measurements). Make sure to include any existing structures, shrubs, trees, etc. that make up the components of your yard. Make sure to also include your neighbor's large Oak tree in your drawing if it casts shadows across your entire yard most of the day too (yes, it's POSSIBLE that I am speaking from experience).

Next, take a day and make some observations in order to plant your garden in the best possible spot. How much sun do certain areas receive throughout the day? You can make notes on your graph paper of what you observe during the day and which areas are receiving the most sun at what times. As Chris McLaughlin suggests in her new book (that I LOVE) called Vertical Vegetable Gardening, you can make what she calls a Caveman Sun Blueprint. Take your yard diagram and make sun observations at 8 AM, 12 PM and 4 PM. Draw a circle on your diagram at each time slot of the entire area that is covered in sun. When you are done, you will have 3 overlapping circles-with the middle showing you the perfect area in your yard that gets the most sun! I used the Black and Decker Plant Smart tool that I received as a gift when I showed an interest in gardening (my husband KNEW I needed all the PROFESSIONAL help I could get)! I placed this fun thing in the area I had pre-selected for my first vegetable garden. It can measure all kinds of things, including giving you a readout of the average daily temps and sun exposure length.

SO MANY CHOICES!

NOW for the fun part! What do you want to grow? I wanted to grow edibles, starting with lettuce and vegetables. Since I couldn't seem to keep any plants alive prior to my bright idea of starting a food garden, I decided that I needed to find the EASIEST vegetables to grow for beginners. Here is a list of those common veggies: Radishes, Beet, Carrots, Green Beans, Peas, Tomato, Zucchini, Onions, Kale, Peppers, Lettuce and Spinach. If you are just getting started, set yourself up for SUCCESS and choose things that are easier to grow; that way you won't get discouraged right away if you can't get some exotic-something to grow! Make sure you also choose plants appropriate for your zone (find your USDA Hardiness Zone here).

GET NERDED UP!

After you have decided what you want to grow this year, it's time to plan it all out! Now, before we go any further, did I mention that I am a Nerd (Yes,with a capital "N")! I love plans, graphs and Excel spreadsheets! You will need your list of desired plants and the dates they can be planted outside, or started inside, for your specific area (Hardiness Zone). You will also need to know the First and Last Frost Dates for your area. Visit your local Cooperative Extension office for your state or region for help finding these dates (ours is through the Colorado State University at this website).

Spread out those seed packets! This is where you can finalize your planting plan and know what seeds to start indoors when, and which seeds can be planted straight in the garden! Take a look at the back of your seed packet. You should see planting instructions such as "When to sow outside" and "When to start inside." Depending on the length of your growing season, you may do just fine starting everything outside. Or if you are like me, you may have a shorter growing season and/or you just want to start plants indoors early so that you can have larger harvest sooner!

Here's how to do it: From the Last Frost Date for your area count backwards, or forwards, until you reach the number of weeks your seed packet says to plant before that average last frost date. Let's use this beautiful seed packet of Lemon Cucumber from Botanical Interests as an example.

It recommends sowing these directly outside 1-2 weeks AFTER the average last frost. If my Average Last Frost is April 15th, then I would plant these babies in my garden anywhere from April 22nd-April 29th. Now, if I am starting some seeds indoors so that I can transplant them in the Spring, I will just need to count backwards to accomplish this. For example, using the same last frost date as in the previous example, these Heirloom Brandywine Tomato seeds from Peaceful Valley need to be started indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost.

That means that I need to start these seeds anywhere from February 18th-March 4th. Do this for all of your planned plantings and keep a list, spreadsheet and/or write them on your calender. It will be make it much easier for you to have a well planted garden if you don't skip this step.

KEEPING TRACK

Organize a folder on your computer, keep a journal, or fill a binder with everything you have done. Make sure to leave room for all that you will do in the future too! My first year I kept everything from my yard drawing to my planting lists in one journal and it was nice to have it all in one place. This year, I am trying the binder approach with sheet protectors to hold seed packets and protect my garden drawings from moisture since it is always outside with me when I am planting! Write down what dates you plant what where, any adverse weather conditions that occur, harvest dates and any vermin or bugs you see in your garden. This will not only help you to keep track of what you are doing in the garden, it will identify areas or seed varieties that you can improve upon to make next year's harvest the best one yet!

EXCITED TO SHARE!

I have been compiling information and working on a spreadsheet for the past year. I am SO EXCITED to share this work-in-progress with you all! This is just the beginnings of what I hope turns into a massive collection of information as I garden throughout the years. It includes a starter list of many vegetable varieties with "How to use and Info" sections, then moves into planting dates.
**Please note, this is designed for the Colorado region, so you will need to adjust the dates if you live elsewhere. We have a shorter growing season (average 157 days) and I have used the Average Last Spring Frost (LSF) of May 15th and First Fall Frost (FFF) of September 15th for the spreadsheet.

I am GIVING THIS AWAY to 50 lucky followers! Simply follow the instructions for the giveaway below. Good Luck and Happy Growing!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Snow Perches

2013-01-18T09:58:00.000-07:00

Do you have places where your flock can get up off the ground? My handy-husband built the beautiful perch in this picture using some leftover wood posts from building the run and a large stick(with any pokey parts removed). Before winter approached, I also took several spent garden pots and simply up-ended them in the run. They love to hop on top of them to perch, especially when there is snow on the ground!

We have been looking for a nice log stump to use as well, but have not had much luck here in suburbia (and we don't want to pay a fortune for one in a store)! The rabbit LOVES to hop on top of his "box " (a large wooden shipping crate-not pictured) and lounge as well. Rabbits love to have a place to rest that is up off the ground a bit and gives them a "lookout" spot. What have you used for 'snow perches?'

How to and Health Benefits of Sprouting

2013-01-09T18:44:00.001-07:00

Yeah, so it's official. I have it and I've got it BAD! The gardening fever has affected me and it just keeps getting worse! Winter hasn't even gotten into full swing here in suburbia Colorado, but I want to plant stuff NOW!! I have my garden all planned and organized (maybe too much planning--just so I can spend time doing gardening related stuff), have seeds ordered and organized in a box according to when they will be seeded, and a spreadsheet that is alphabetized and ordered per plant according to planting times (another post will be following this on how to have an organized garden plan). All that being said, I just ~~want~~ need to grow some stuff, so I ventured into another arena that I've been wanting to try-growing sprouts! I went to my local gardening center and voila! I have a sprouting system!

You can sprout seeds using just a mason jar and lid with holes punched through the top as well. I liked this 'package' deal because it came with three basket tiers that gave me the option to grow a little, or up to 4 lbs of sprouts at the same time! This came with the grocery store popular Alfalfa sprouts and I bought an extra package of 5-part salad mix. I also liked this because if it's not simple and manageable, I won't do it; this was SO EASY to do! I couldn't wait until the next morning, so I started my sprouts immediately. The first step is to soak your seeds in water for a specified amount of time. My Sprout Garden came with a handy-dandy growing chart with all of the popular sprouts on it and accompanying directions. After the soaking, the sprouts need to just be quickly rinsed a minimum of 2x/day for a few days. The last step is to set them in the sun for about a day so they can develop some chlorophyll (it's what makes 'em turn green), and that's it!

I started sprouting because I needed to grow something during the winter inside, but I actually DO like sprouts too! Did you know that they can help to improve your immune system? Not a bad idea for this flu season time of year. According to some sources, daily consumption of these have helped some women control hot flashes and supported hormone function. They are also excellent sources of protein, are rich in essential nutrients (Vitamins A/C/B1/B6/K) and minerals (iron, calcium, easy to digest (high fiber, low calorie), a great source of enzymes AND contain Omega 3 fatty acids (the good-for-you kind)! Just like everything else I have found so far, these taste MUCH better than the ones from the store. You can taste that it's fresher, but it also seems that you can tell that it's packed with more nutrition since it hasn't been processed and sitting for who knows how long.

I was amazed at how simple this was; I truly was apprehensive of getting myself into something that was a total pain. I got two gallon baggies full of sprouts with minimal effort on my part in 4 days (using only 2 baskets); AND it is satisfying that gardening/need-to-grow-something itch.....for now.

Funny Free Ranging

2013-01-05T13:16:00.001-07:00

The girls are enjoying some free range time and what are they doing??? Planning to take over our household it seems....

Several Simple Steps to Satisfy Your Chilly Flock

2012-12-29T11:32:00.001-07:00

We are having some more chilly temperatures with lows in the single digits (below zero with the wind chill) and highs in the 20's. Obviously, not everyone is excited about that........

On these cold days, I make sure that the girls have some fresh hay to scratch around in (no straw since the bunny lives with them and it can poke his sweet little eyeballs) with some high protein snack mix hidden in it for some added entertainment. The hay also gives them something to stand on besides the cold snow. Chickens love to scratch and they make short work of a flake of hay inside the run!

Here is an example of what is in their winter snack mix (that the bunny also loves to eat too). This varies in quantities every time I mix it. A little of this, a little of that:

Cracked corn
Rolled Oats (not the instant kind)
Mealworms
Flaxseed meal (for added Omega 3=more nutritious eggs for us)!
Black Oil Sunflower seeds
Variety Nut mix-peanuts, sunflowers, pistachios,etc (I found this at Wal-Mart in the bird seed section for $9 for a 5lb bag!)
*HINT: Check with your local farm and/or bird/pet supply stores and ask what they do with their damaged bags of the above items. You just might score a sweet deal!

Of course our critters always have their regular feed, oyster shell, grit and fresh water available at all times as well. I try to feed them the treats in the late afternoon/evening before they go to bed, as this raises their body temperature a bit while they digest the high protein content and helps to keep everyone warmer as they snuggle up on the roost at night. They will also get the occasional bowl of cooked, warm oatmeal as a nice treat on a frigid day, much like today. Even Odice partakes in this belly (or crop)-warming delight! Keep your Critters warm and Carry On!

It's a White Christmas!

2012-12-25T11:44:00.001-07:00

Merry Christmas everyone! What a wonderful site it was leaving a lovely candlelight Christmas Eve church service last night to find that there was beautiful sparkling snow falling down! The snow continued through the night as the children scrambled to get things ready for Santa; yes, including sprinkling some reindeer food outside (oatmeal and crushed candy canes). We woke up to a chilly but beautiful site this morning with about 2" of glittery, beautiful snow! We did not have much moisture this last year (like everyone else) and have not had hardly any snow yet this winter, so I welcome the sight!

The girls always softly hum to me from their coop when they hear me walk out to the let the dogs into the dog run in the morning, and this morning was no exception. They don't get up and come out to greet me-just politely say hello in their own way! It's funny how much laughter and sweetness just four chickens and a large bunny have brought to our lives!

The gate was opened this morning and the girls were allowed to roam if they wanted; only two took us up on the offer (George and Red). Oh, and Odice-of course!

My husband opened the back door and George hopped right inside! These chickens just know what they want, I guess. Maybe they are just admiring my Christmas present of new Garden Wellies with chickens all over them!

I hope you enjoy the day today-whether it is with family or otherwise. Bask in the HOPE that the meaning of Christmas brings with the birth of Jesus Christ!

Wishing you a very wonderful Christmas!

2012-12-22T12:30:00.000-07:00