Farm, Uncategorized

Quail chicks!!!!

Reagen Mueller

About 3 weeks ago we started incubating some quail eggs for my aunt and uncle. well three of them have hatched!!! They are really small and adorable. They were supposed to all hatch yesterday but one hatched on Tuesday but the other two hatched Wednesday. none others have hatched yet and we honestly don’t know if their going to. These chicks are my aunt and uncles we were just incubating for them but I think we should get some in the future. They are so little we have to give them there food in plastic lid from water bottles.

I don’t have much to say about the other animals but Clover (the bunny) Is doing well so are all the goats. We had to fix some things on there shed before winter. We also built a duck house for the ducks but they wont go in it. Sadly one of the baby Muscovy ducks died or at least that is what we are assuming because we can’t find it. I guess that’s all for this week.

Uncategorized

pH level

Reagen Mueller

What is pH level?

pH stands for potential of hydrogen and is a way of measuring levels of alkaline (sweetness) and acidity (sourness). If your soil has the most acidity it can it will be 0.0 if your soil has the most alkaline it can it will be 14.0 and halfway through the scale is 7.0. So if your soil is 0.0-6.9 it is alkaline and if it is 7.1-14.0 it is acid. If it is 7.0 it is neutral everything has a perfect balance. Pure water is 7.0 and soapy water is 12.0.

Why does pH level matter?

The pH level of your soil matters because it impacts several elements that influence plant growth. Plants tend to grow best in pH levels of 5.5-6.5. However some plant prefer different pH levels, you can look up what pH levels different types of plants like to grow in for example, weeping willows like 5.0-6.0 and lilacs prefer pH levels of 6.0-7.5.

How do I fix my soil’s pH level?

Now that you read this article you may be thinking “okay so how do I fix the pH levels of my soil?” or “can you fix the pH levels?”. The answer is yes you can. To fix acidic soil and bring the pH level up you can add limestone, which is the most popular way, to your soil. You can also add wood ash which is a more organic alternative. To bring the soil’s pH levels down you can do several things. Adding sulfur is the easiest way there is but you can also use aluminum sulfate, iron sulfate, sphagnum peat, or compost.

That’s all I have for today I hope this was very helpful.

 

Farm

New Animals

Reagen Mueller

Last week on Saturday me and my family went to an auction where we live, there were a lot of animals and although we didn’t plan on buying anything we ended up with twelve new ducks and one bunny. First the ducks, we got one family of Muscovy ducks, (five babies and there mom) and when we were buying them my dad was like whats six more so we bought another group of ducks. The first group of duck were yellowish and had brown markings on them and the second group are mainly dark brown. 

Now for the bunny it was recently my birthday and I had been wanting a bunny for awhile. I went to that auction with my parents and definitely did not expect to come back with a bunny, but when I saw this bunny I needed to have it. It was even my favorite kind, a Holland lop. A few years ago we had a Mini Rex so we still had a hutch. I decided to name it Clover, the bunny is four months old and we still don’t know if it’s a boy or a girl. That’s all for this post.

Farm, Update

We’re back

Reagen Mueller

Hi so it’s been a long time but we are back, this is Reagen, Rick’s daughter, and I’m updating you guys now. A lot happened while we were gone so I’m going to start where we left off goats!!! My dad (Rick) built a shelter for them, the shed is made of plywood (or something like that) and has a metal roof. We never really did milk the goats, I think we did once or twice then stopped. Then that winter Cookie (one of our goats) got sick and died, Thor (another one of our goats) got sick too but we gave him medicine and he survived. Before that Morgana (another goat) had her kids, unfortunately, one of them was born dead but the other one is really healthy. We decided to name him Jellybean. Now let’s move onto chickens. Nothing much happened to them, we got several more groups of chickens but now we only have two. The same thing happened to the ducks, we got more groups of ducks and now we have two. One girl and one boy. The girl’s name is Puddles and the boy’s name is Mingo (don’t ask why i’m not sure). Puddles is young and just started laying eggs. When the eggs get bigger we are going to incubate them. That’s all I have to say for now I will be back with another post sometime.

Farm, Update

It just goat serious.

Rick

Despite all of the advice not to get them.  Despite all the hard work it took to get ready for them.  Despite some second thoughts, we have brought some additions to the farm.  Last Thursday, we welcomed Morgana, Cookie, and her two kids.  The fun won’t stop there as Morgana is expecting and will be kidding at any time.

After just a day of being a little scared of us, they now come over to the gate anytime they see us coming out to see them.  It didn’t hurt to have handfuls of treats will us each time we went to the goat pen.  The girls can’t get enough of them and as long as they have treats the goats can’t get enough of them.  McKinely is even excited to feed the new “puppies”.

Morgana is a Nigerian Dwarf and she is very pregnant.  We are expecting her to kid in a few weeks.  The girls are very excited for new kids.  After visiting the goats one day, they disappeared.  Turns out they went in the house and were watching Youtube videos about “know when your goat is kidding”. What would we do without the internet?  Morgana is also very much the herd queen.  She is the boss and isn’t shy about getting things her way.

Cookie is a cross between Alpine and Nubian.  She has two kids at her side, one doeling, and one buckling.  We have since named them Muffin and Thor respectively.  Cookie is a sweet goat and was the first one to become comfortable with us.  Thor is still a little unsure about us but will eat out of our hands.  Muffin still likes to keep her distance, but she is slowing becoming more comfortable.

My ultimate goal is to start milking the does. We are excited about the milk, the cheese, and soap that will we get to try from our goats.  I am sure this will be an experience and I will share all of the ups and downs with you here.

We are less than a week in but it already been a lot of fun. I am sure there will be lots of work and some ups and downs, but for now, we are just enjoying the new experience.  I am so glad we took the plunge.  Here is to that continuing.

Farm, Update

Spring Has Sprung

Rick

It really did feel like it would never come. Just 3 weeks after we were digging out of 18 inches of snow, we are enjoying 80-degree weather.  Finally allowing us to make some progress outside.  It is a great feeling to finally be moving our plans forward.

Thanks to some help from my dad and mom, we were able to get the fence up on the pen for goats.  I am putting a few coats of paint on the gates and will get those hung this week.  The next step will be to build a shelter for them. Then we will be already to bring our first few goats on the farm.

We will be putting up 12 raised beds this spring for the garden.  We are taking the approach of putting them up slowly as needed.  We have three up, filled and planted.  We have our onions for Dixon Dale Farms, salad mix, and radishes planted into those beds.  We will be working on building and filling three more beds this week.  There are tomatoes, peppers, broccoli and cauliflowers started under grow lights that will be ready to be translated in a few weeks.  There are a few different berry plants that are potted up in gallon pots that we are babying a little right now.  Just bring them outside slowly to get them used to the climate.

We had to wait a little longer than we wanted, but we are finally outdoors.  We are happy to able to get out and get some stuff done while enjoying the weather.  What are your plans for the spring?  Please let us know in the comments.

Recipes

Salami Roll-ups

Rick

This is a family favorite to pack in their lunches.  I was quite surprised with the rave reviews this got the first time I put it in their lunches.  I would have never guessed that they would have liked the salami as much as they did.   Salami is not the type of food they would usually go for.  I guess sometimes you just never know.

This is a pretty simple recipe with only 4 ingredients and only one technique that is a little different.  You will need cream cheese, sour cream, salami slices and a bell pepper (color of your choice).  Also get out some plastic wrap and have a cutting board handy.  There is actually one more ingredient, that is time.  We will need to leave these in the frig for a few hours.  I usually make these the night before and let them set overnight.

Soften the cream cheese in the microwave.  While that softens, prep your pepper by cutting in into thin strips.  Once the cream cheese is softened add the sour cream and mix until is smooth.

Lay the plastic wrap out.  Arrange the salami slices out on the plastic wrap.  They should be slightly overlapping.  Now carefully spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on the salami.  Place the pepper strips down the middle of the salami.

This is where the magic happens.  Take one side of plastic wrap that is closed to you and fold half of the salami over itself.  Now take the edge away from you and fold the other direction.  Taking the same edge and pull it towards yourself.  Place the edge of ta cutting board on top of the plastic wrap right at the edge of the salami roll.  While putting slight pressure downwards on the cutting board while pulling the plastic wrap towards you.  This will tighten up the salami wrap.

Finish up by wrapping the plastic wrap tightly around the roll and stash in the frig for a couple hours or overnight.  After it is chilled fetch it from your frig and cut into 1-inch rounds.  I will serve them will rice crackers.

 

Print

Salami Roll-ups

The is a great little recipe that is a hit packed in school lunches or served as finger food at a party.

Ingredients

  • 4 oz cream cheese softened
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1 bell pepper cut into strips
  • 16 slices salami

Instructions

  1. Mix the cream cheese and sour cream until smooth

  2. Lay a piece of plastic wrap out and arrange the salami slices in an overlaying pattern on the plastic wrap.

  3. Spread the cream cheese mixture evenly on the salami.

  4. Lay the pepper slices down the middle of the salami.

  5. Take the plastic wrap closest to you and folder half of the salami over itself.  Then take the other side the lay the other half over.

  6. Using the plastic wrap and a cutting board tighten up the salami rolls 

  7. Wrap tightly in the plastic wrap and chill in the frig for a couple hours or overnight.

  8. Take out of the frig and cut into one-inch rounds.

Farm, Farm Tip

Willow Water

Rick

Willows are naturally high in rooting hormones.  They are one of the easiest plants to grow from cuttings.  Just take a cutting of some of the new growth and put it right in the ground or in a little water.  You will be amazed at how fast they will put down roots.

You won’t want to throw out that water.  You can use it to promote root growth on transplants as well.  It will help those plants get a good start going.

If you don’t want to root any willow cuttings you can just make willow water.  Take come cuttings of a willow or pick up a few dropped branches and cut them into pieces of a couple inches long.  Soak the pieces in water for 24 or 48 hours.  Then strain them out of the water.  Apply that water right to the transplants with your next watering.

EO-Tip, Essential Oil

Love the Sun

Rick

The return of warm weather means spending more time outside.  If you are anything like me early in the spring you don’t give much thought to being out in the sun all day.  I will get going on a project or two and the next thing I know I have spent all day outside.  The sun can pack a lot of punch even in early April and May.

If you do the same thing you make want something to support the health of your skin.  That is when I reach for the Lavender essential oil.  Just take a couple drops and apply directly to any area of concern you have.  You will be amazed by the results.