Author: Carrie

New Rabbit Tractors

~ Carrie

RT4-5_05Can you believe that the rabbit kits are nearly 8 weeks old now?  It was looking crowded in the kindling cages – there were 20 babies, after all – so we built two additional tractors this weekend. These are tractors number 4 and 5, and we made minor modifications to improve on the original design; specifically, reducing the width slightly to allow for a larger roof overhang (we get good storms out here). It’s all about continuous improvement!

RT4-5_PatchConstruction never seems to go quite as planned. We encountered the typical twisted lumber issues; even better, we discovered a roll of cage wire had a major defect (a gap where it was missing wire) that wasn’t visible until we had wrapped more than half the tractor and secured it with screws. Rather than undo it all to take the wire back, we patched it and continued on. It was a bad surprise, though, meriting choice expletives. Continue reading “New Rabbit Tractors” →

Duck Egg Incubation – Take 2

~ Carrie

Our first attempt at incubating duck eggs was a disappointing bust, but the girls have started laying confirmed fertile eggs, so we’re ready to try again. No sense letting that fancy incubator sit idle.

This time, we set a total of 11 eggs. Some were old, possibly as old as two weeks. One was added the day after the original group was set, since Piper laid a cute olive egg – we had to set it. Two days after the initial set, we added two more freshly-laid eggs. When we candled them tonight, all looked good except for two: one was a clear (infertile) and one looked like it had started development and stopped (blood ring). That leaves nine still in the incubator, including Piper’s small egg.

Speaking of Piper, the naughty girl has apparently decided she doesn’t like us taking her eggs from the coop and has stopped laying there. Continue reading “Duck Egg Incubation – Take 2” →

Indoor Animals Roughhousing…And Eggs

~ Carrie

Earlier, we learned that regardless of how convenient it may be, putting eggs in a coat pocket instead of the egg basket is inviting trouble (and a mess). Well, it’s time for another cautionary tale: don’t leave freshly-collected eggs around dogs. It’s not because they eat them. Here’s what happened…

We have an older dog and a young dog. They both like to play, and they can get pretty rambunctious. We collected an early egg laid by our Rhode Island Red hen and two duck eggs, and set them on a bench just inside the door of the house. We had a couple of other tasks to complete in the garage, where the brooder is, so we left for a few minutes. Continue reading “Indoor Animals Roughhousing…And Eggs” →

Walk On The Gastronomic Wild Side With Kimchi

~ Carrie ~ 1 Comment

KimchiAre you afraid to try pungent food? Do you avoid garlic, afraid that its fragrance will cling to you like an unwelcome perfume? If so, stop reading this post. If you say “bring it on!” to smelly food and you embrace tastebud adventure, stay with us.

We think good things sometimes come in funky packages, like a really stinky but delicious cheese or pungent fish sauce. Kimchi, a Korean side dish, is this type of funky package: unmistakably redolent of garlic and the sharp sourness of fermentation, spicy and crunchy. It can be made from different vegetables, but is most commonly based on cabbage (baechu) or radish (kkakdugi). It’s crunchy, salty, and spicy. Continue reading “Walk On The Gastronomic Wild Side With Kimchi” →

Jun Tea – Second Time’s The Charm

~ Carrie

Glass Of Jun TeaLike many things, making Jun tea improves with practice. In an earlier post, our first attempts, with malodorous results, were described. We’re now on batch #6, and the output of the hard-working scobies has been gratifyingly good.

Maybe it’s the honey that made the difference – in our initial attempts last year, we used raw wildflower honey purchased from a large “natural” foods chain store, and the Jun smelled like cat pee. Yuck. Regardless of the type of green tea used, it still came out smelling bad. We wondered if Jun just wasn’t something we’d enjoy, and we shelved the scoby. Continue reading “Jun Tea – Second Time’s The Charm” →

Smoked Bologna Reuben, Oh My!

~ Carrie

Today, we took a trip out to Marksbury Farm’s Pasture Burgers and BBQ, a cafe/butcher shop/grocery store. It’s roughly an hour and a half drive from our place. Why? Because this processor has strict requirements for the meat it will process – in short, they don’t accept or serve cruelty meat.

Because we don’t eat cruelty meat, we are typically unable to eat at restaurants or at potlucks. While we try to explain the values and beliefs underpinning how we eat to others, most either look at us like we’re loony, or they seem to not hear us (not everyone, though…like our friend CH, who not only listened, but got it). People usually conclude that we’re vegetarians, which is inaccurate. As you can imagine, when we find a restaurant that sources locally, from suppliers who embrace humane animal husbandry practices, we get really excited. Add the possibility of BBQ, and we’re beside ourselves. Continue reading “Smoked Bologna Reuben, Oh My!” →