Chicken tractor - two parts to move around and fit between the raised veggie beds.
Hanging watering system - with poultry water nipples:
Wednesday, July 06, 2011
Backyard Chickens
Everything is done, just waiting for the eggs now!
Chicken tractor - two parts to move around and fit between the raised veggie beds.
Hanging watering system - with poultry water nipples:
Chicken tractor - two parts to move around and fit between the raised veggie beds.
Hanging watering system - with poultry water nipples:
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Upgrades and Add-ons
The chickens are still getting the extra-special treatment around here. They are so spoiled, I sure hope they appreciate it!
First of all, we upgraded their watering system. While I love the way the old-fashioned galvanized farm ones look, they are awful. Always dirty and a pain to clean and fill. Plus, they take up valuable floor space. SO, we fixed that:
Some PVC pipe, caps, poultry water nipples... which can be found here: Push in water nipples - you can also get screw in ones.
All done!
We made a smaller one for inside the coop too:
And! We began the chicken tractor. Half of it is done. It's a two part modular model. One part transportation unit, one part dockable foraging station. The foraging part fits in between my raised beds - and this is the part that is done:
The other half needs a roof and a handle, it's almost done. Pictures soon.
Oh, and one more - a cool vintage find I scored on Etsy:
Ok, so I'm a little spoiled too, how did I get so obsessed with chickens? Did you know you can even get chicken decals to put on the back of your car windows... you know, like the kind for your family and all your pets? Yeah, I know, that's probably taking things a little too far... even for me.
First of all, we upgraded their watering system. While I love the way the old-fashioned galvanized farm ones look, they are awful. Always dirty and a pain to clean and fill. Plus, they take up valuable floor space. SO, we fixed that:
Some PVC pipe, caps, poultry water nipples... which can be found here: Push in water nipples - you can also get screw in ones.
All done!
We made a smaller one for inside the coop too:
And! We began the chicken tractor. Half of it is done. It's a two part modular model. One part transportation unit, one part dockable foraging station. The foraging part fits in between my raised beds - and this is the part that is done:
The other half needs a roof and a handle, it's almost done. Pictures soon.
Oh, and one more - a cool vintage find I scored on Etsy:
Ok, so I'm a little spoiled too, how did I get so obsessed with chickens? Did you know you can even get chicken decals to put on the back of your car windows... you know, like the kind for your family and all your pets? Yeah, I know, that's probably taking things a little too far... even for me.
Friday, July 01, 2011
Happy National Ice Cream Month!
Is there really such a thing? I don't know, but I saw it on Facebook, so it must be true. At anyrate, I thought I'd start the month off right by making some. Gluten-free, dairy-free, all chocolate yum.
It couldn't be easier.
Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream
In your blender, mix together:
2 cans of coconut milk - you want the full fat kind, not the "lite".
2/3 cups cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
*optional 2 teaspoons Erythritol (I like Organic Zero)
*The erythritol is supposed to keep the finished product from freezing into a block of ice that is impossible to scoop. Corn syrup does the same thing, but I don't do corn. Mess around with your own favorite sweeteners, I'm sure you can make anything work here that will make your sweet-tooth happy.
Then, pour the blended mixture into your ice cream maker and mix according to your machine's instructions. I used my KitchenAid ice cream attachment, which works pretty well:
Here is mine, mixing and mixing for half an hour. (I would have liked to dump in some chocolate chips, shredded coconut and almonds at this point, but then no one else in my family would have eaten it. Oh, wait, why didn't I do that?! Next time. Muwahahahahaha!)
It thickened up and expanded, but never got really frozen, so I just poured it into a tub to stick in the freezer.
And then... we ate it. I may never buy store-bought ice cream again. Really.
It couldn't be easier.
Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream
In your blender, mix together:
2 cans of coconut milk - you want the full fat kind, not the "lite".
2/3 cups cocoa powder
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
*optional 2 teaspoons Erythritol (I like Organic Zero)
*The erythritol is supposed to keep the finished product from freezing into a block of ice that is impossible to scoop. Corn syrup does the same thing, but I don't do corn. Mess around with your own favorite sweeteners, I'm sure you can make anything work here that will make your sweet-tooth happy.
Then, pour the blended mixture into your ice cream maker and mix according to your machine's instructions. I used my KitchenAid ice cream attachment, which works pretty well:
Here is mine, mixing and mixing for half an hour. (I would have liked to dump in some chocolate chips, shredded coconut and almonds at this point, but then no one else in my family would have eaten it. Oh, wait, why didn't I do that?! Next time. Muwahahahahaha!)
It thickened up and expanded, but never got really frozen, so I just poured it into a tub to stick in the freezer.
And then... we ate it. I may never buy store-bought ice cream again. Really.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
Another Favorite
Gingersnaps.
Everyone in the family loves these, and they won't last long. Another keeper from "Gluten-Free Baking Classics" by Annalise Roberts. This book is quickly becoming my favorite gluten-free baking book - though I admit I don't follow the recipes exactly - I like real butter, not shortening, and I mix up the sugars with whatever I'm in the mood for, and I don't add in the icky xanthan gum. But the basics are solid and so far my results have been rave-worthy. Luke says these gingersnaps are the kind of cookie he could eat all day. I guess I'll have to double the batch next time!
Gingersnaps
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 3/4 cup brown rice flour mix (I used GF Classical Blend sold by Authentic Foods)
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375. Cream together butter and sugar, add in egg and molasses. Combine dry ingredients and add to the wet - mix well. Drop by spoonfuls on baking sheet, sprinkle some sugar on top, bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Super simple! Enjoy!
Everyone in the family loves these, and they won't last long. Another keeper from "Gluten-Free Baking Classics" by Annalise Roberts. This book is quickly becoming my favorite gluten-free baking book - though I admit I don't follow the recipes exactly - I like real butter, not shortening, and I mix up the sugars with whatever I'm in the mood for, and I don't add in the icky xanthan gum. But the basics are solid and so far my results have been rave-worthy. Luke says these gingersnaps are the kind of cookie he could eat all day. I guess I'll have to double the batch next time!
Gingersnaps
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar, loosely packed
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
1 3/4 cup brown rice flour mix (I used GF Classical Blend sold by Authentic Foods)
1/4 cup sweet rice flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 375. Cream together butter and sugar, add in egg and molasses. Combine dry ingredients and add to the wet - mix well. Drop by spoonfuls on baking sheet, sprinkle some sugar on top, bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
Super simple! Enjoy!
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Friday, June 17, 2011
The Short List
Finally, something to add to my standby list - the good stuff, the stuff everyone craves and begs me to cook. These, right here, are as good as my old Oatmeal Cookies. You know, the ones on the lid of the Quaker oats tub. These of course, are gluten free. You'd never know, though.
Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from "Gluten Free Baking Classics" by Annalise G. Roberts
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon gf vanilla extract
2 cups of your favorite gluten free flour blend (I used Authentic Foods Classical Gluten Free Flour Blend)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups gluten free oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix the butter and sugars til creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, and cream together. Add in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then add in the oats, and then add in the chunky stuff that you like.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.
Enjoy!
Oatmeal Cookies
Adapted from "Gluten Free Baking Classics" by Annalise G. Roberts
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon gf vanilla extract
2 cups of your favorite gluten free flour blend (I used Authentic Foods Classical Gluten Free Flour Blend)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2 cups gluten free oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1 cup dried cranberries (or raisins)
1 cup walnut pieces
1 cup chocolate chips
Mix the butter and sugars til creamy. Add eggs and vanilla, and cream together. Add in flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon, then add in the oats, and then add in the chunky stuff that you like.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.
Enjoy!
How Does Your Garden Grow?
Slowly, if you live in my neck of the woods. But still, there's tiny fruits to be seen. Little promises of summer goodness. Plus, we are finally eating lettuce from the garden. Love garden fresh lettuce, pretty much spoils you to what's in the grocery stores the rest of the year.
Tomatoes:
Peppers:
Strawberries:
And of course a future egg-layer:
Tomatoes:
Peppers:
Strawberries:
And of course a future egg-layer:
Thursday, June 09, 2011
Gardens and Chickens
I'm tired. We've done a lot this spring, and things are looking pretty good, mostly... and we are not done yet. But I think it's caught up to me and now I need a break from it all. I need to melt some glass soon or I'm going to go crazy. You too? Sick of chickens and gardens? Oh well, that's all I have right now. Glass soon. I have date with it next Tuesday afternoon for sure... but first my knuckle has to heal up from what I did to it on the edge of the compost bin this morning... that wasn't pretty - always wear your gardening gloves, you never know when you'll wish you had!
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Garden Time!
Well, that was fun. The chicken coop, I mean. I'm so glad so many of you enjoyed watching along - though I'm sorry it took so long! But it's done now... and things are quite... quiet out there. The chickies are really too easy now, I just open the door in the morning and let them out, put out some food and fresh water and walk away. Later on in the day I pull up some grass and weeds and toss them in the run for them to play with and eat. Later on I freshen up their bedding in the coop (takes less than 2 minutes) and make sure they have enough food and water in there... and then around 7 or 8 they just put themselves to bed and I go shut the door... and freshen up their run, which takes 5 to 10 minutes and is not so fun, I'll admit. I need to figure out how to make that part better.... a long handled kitty litter scoop? Maybe. But really, all in all too easy and not very exciting. Though I love having chickens in my back yard! Perhaps I need to get started on that chicken tractor so I can chase the chickens around the yard and try to tell them where they are supposed to be? Hmn... that sounds exciting! Maybe in a few weeks. I've got gardening to do first.
It's my favorite time in my yard, just about everything is in bloom right now, and I've been weeding like crazy. I'll never get it all done, I know, but I think I'm the closest I've been any spring so far. Luke is even learning to mow! Garden bed borders are getting moved around, some plants I haven't been loving are being removed, new things planted... flowers and shrubs, yes, but also lettuce, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, strawberries all growing. My spinach keeps failing me and I'm not sure about this burying the potato stems thing yet... I don't think there is enough dirt in the world to keep up with how fast those guys are growing. I'm thinking about a fence around my garden and a blueberry hedge. And I need to cover the strawberries so the birds don't get them before I do this year. So much to do!
It's my favorite time in my yard, just about everything is in bloom right now, and I've been weeding like crazy. I'll never get it all done, I know, but I think I'm the closest I've been any spring so far. Luke is even learning to mow! Garden bed borders are getting moved around, some plants I haven't been loving are being removed, new things planted... flowers and shrubs, yes, but also lettuce, green beans, potatoes, tomatoes, zucchini, strawberries all growing. My spinach keeps failing me and I'm not sure about this burying the potato stems thing yet... I don't think there is enough dirt in the world to keep up with how fast those guys are growing. I'm thinking about a fence around my garden and a blueberry hedge. And I need to cover the strawberries so the birds don't get them before I do this year. So much to do!
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