Goat kids expected this spring



Lun-1-N-Udder BJ Joy Charlie- owned by Yellow Goat Farm


 Our girl on the left Munchin' Hill Prodigy out of Munchin' Hill Peek a boo has many champions and grand champions in her blood line and  is now bred to this wonderful buck with many champions and grand champions is his blood line as well!  So excited to see these babies :)  Many Thanks to Yellow Goat Farm in Ohio for the use of this wonderful buck.  Both our herds have recently been tested negative for CAE, CL, and Johnes.

Check back with us in May for pics of the new babies :)

Homemade Bread...yum

Yum..Nothing taste better than homemade bread fresh out of the oven....but try taking it up a notch by grinding your own wheat...now thats a little slice of heaven :)  My local Walmart actually sells whole wheat in 25 lb bags very reasonably...but if you prefer white bread I have found one of the best recipes here at chickens in the road. http://chickensintheroad.com/farm-bell-recipes/grandmother-bread-2/ .it is so versatile and bakes up big and tall and with great texture.

 

 

 

whole wheat sandwich bread

by Old VicDonalds Farm on Tuesday, June 14, 2011 at 10:21pm

 1 pack dry yeast or 2 1/2 tsp
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups hot water
1/2 cup brown sugar ( can use honey or molasses 1:1 )
3 tsp salt
1/4 cup shortening ( can use butter or oil 1:1 )
3 cups ( 374g) whole wheat flour
5 cups (663g) all purpose flour
soften active dry yeast in 1/4 cup warm water (110 degrees)  combine hot water , sugar, salt and shortening , cool to lukewarm- stri in whole wheat flour, and 1 cup white flour, beat well, stir in yeast- add enoughof remaining flour to make a moderatley stiff dough. do 3 stretch and folds and 1 -45minute rest ( stretch and fold demonstrated in videos at following link http://www.sourdoughhome.com/stretchandfold.html     shape into  loaf and place in bread pan - let double in size and bake at 375 for 45 minutes- cover with foil the last 20 minutes.

If your new to bread baking...I recommend doing what I did and weigh ingredients instead of just adding cups...and also check out this stretch and fold technique found here http://www.sourdoughhome.com/stretchandfold.html  I used this technique till I could feel the proper way the dough should develop ...I still use it in combination with kneading sometimes especially with my wheat bread recipe.

I'm a bread lover and eat lots of it...this is just one way I've chosen to get away from commercially prepared products with no more nutrition than a card board box.

harvesting walnuts

  I love black walnuts...especially in home made chocolate fudge..the kind my grandma makes with cocoa and sugar...yum ...but they are just so darned expensive and sometimes hard to find.  So since we several black walnut trees, I've decided to harvest my own. 

 First I had to gather them all up from all over the yard, then I drove over them with my vehicle to remove the husks ( the easiest and quickest way in my opinion) ....then I filled my bucket with water to clean them and cause the "bad" ones that are hollow or have worm holes to float to the top.  I'm now letting them dry out...they should dry for at least a couple weeks or longer before use... then they should be stored in a cool dry area, away from squirrels (or else they will take them all) ....I chose to store mine inside our smoker grill for now. 

 Thats it...except for cracking open the shells when its time to use them...I can't wait :)  my mouth is watering now thinking about all the goodies I'm gonna make this coming holiday season....if your interested you may also want to check out all the amazing health benefits of walnuts here at : http://walnutsweb.com/walnuts/Health+Benefits+of+Walnuts

Oh and one other thing...don't make the same mistake I did...please wear gloves! LOL

Homesteading

  According to wikipidia Homesteading broadly defined is a term meaning a lifestyle of simple self - sufficiency, and may apply to anyone who follows the " back-to-the-land " movement.

  My desire to become more and more self sufficient is very strong. I would love to some day be able to go "off-grid"  and not rely on public utilities at all...before you start thinking I am some radical terrorist plotting to take over the government.  Let me just say that anyone who trusts this system to take care of them in an emergency or in a collapse of the economy is living in a fantasy.  Our current system is very fragile.  Most grocery stores only stock a 2-3 day supply of food.

  So here I am ...attempting to Homestead.  Their has been a  HUGE learning curve for me...  In the last 5 years since moving onto this farm, I have learned.. animal husbandry, home canning,  how to hand milk a cow and a goat, how to make butter and cheese, how to grind wheat and make whole wheat bread by hand, ( Wal Mart sells Whole Wheat in 25 lb bags) , and how to make homemade pasta....just to name a few.

  I am also of the belief that there are way too many toxins, in the form of preservatives and other chemicals in most prepared food....so I am attempting to prepare as many meals from scratch as possible...believe me it is hard and I havent gotten away totally from using prepared foods, and ugh...admittedly it seems so easy on busy days just to eat out...so I am a work in progress.

   It is much harder to go out and milk a dairy animal every day than go to the grocery store and pick up a gallon of milk once a week....but it doesn't even begin to compare to the health benefits and the taste of fresh raw milk... (but thats a whole seperate discussion).  I will just say that most people would agree that Fresh RAW fruits and veggies excel in nutritional value and taste over their heat processed and canned counterparts...and so it is with milk. 

  To say this life takes strong commitment is an under statement....but God has been showing himself to me in ways he has never done before...he has shown me what it means for him to be called "The Good Shephard" and has brought new understanding to passages in his Holy word...May God richly bless you and lead you and make you to lie down in green pastures and lead you beside the STILL waters....and just breathe.....deep breath in ....and relax ....awwww.



Psa 23:1 A Psalm of David. The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. Psa 23:2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. Psa 23:3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psa 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Psa 23:5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Psa 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.