Self-taught farmers confidently raising chickens, ducks, geese, and pigs. Our focus is on practices that are environmentally harmonious and respectful to our livestock. We appreciate the beauty around us, clean eating, fermenting, and responsibly utilizing the bounty of the land. If you like thinking for yourself, continuous learning, and connecting with the homesteader lifestyle, check us out.
It was a misty morning, with humidity so thick that you could actually see it in the low-hanging fog. The grass was soaking wet with dew – and because of the high humidity, so were we…but there were chores to be done, and many interesting things to be seen!
Continue reading “Around The Farm: Fog, Fledglings, and Flowers”
Sometimes, food that smells really funky tastes incredibly delicious…like the Korean fermented vegetable dish called kimchi. I suppose kimchi may be an acquired taste: it’s fragrant with garlic and fish sauce, odors that some may find offensive – and it’s delightfully spicy. As a ferment, it’s full of probiotics, and the fermentation process lends it a piquant tanginess that teases the palate. In the past, I’ve purchased very fine pre-made kimchi from Korean stores, but why buy when you can make it yourself?
Continue reading “Farm Ferments: Kkakdugi (깍두기) – Korean Radish Kimchi”
I’ve been reusing my own private stash of wine bottles (alas, I recycled many before I thought to save them for my own wines!), but I finally got down to the last few and realized I had quite a bit more wine to bottle. Checking Craigslist, I found a few listings for cases of wine bottles for sale, but – even better – also found a local winery offering cases of empty (used) bottles for free!
Do you have bell peppers – maybe slightly shrivelled now – hidden away in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer? Maybe more peppers than you know what to do with? Do what I do: ferment them!
Continue reading “Farm Ferments: Lacto-Fermented Bell Peppers”
Ah, Tepache…so sultry, so tropical, so refreshing. It’s a wild-fermented beverage made from the “waste” parts of a pineapple – the rind and cores – and astonishingly enjoyable. We’re big Tepache fans, so, naturally, making a Tepache wine seemed the next logical step.
So I found myself with some pineapple that was quickly approaching the “past its prime” stage and banana that had ripened more quickly than expected…seems like the perfect time to make wine!