Tag: Health

Eating Local And Being Well

~ Carrie

Local BreakfastIt gladdens the heart and makes the stomach happy to have a delicious, hearty breakfast made from local ingredients. One breakfast we had this week was comprised of our own chicken eggs, Bluegrass Beef breakfast sausage, Daily Bread asiago cheese and garlic bread, and Happy Jack Pumpkin and Produce potatoes fried in lard we rendered from local pork fat. Sublime!

We also picked up some delicious plums at the farmer’s market and made a plum crisp with them. The Asian pears we bought from the same vendor, Ayres Family Orchard, made a tasty, very fizzy water kefir, too; it has a slightly different flavor profile than water kefir made with Bartlett pears – sweet, delicate, almost floral. Continue reading “Eating Local And Being Well” →

Cherishing Borrowed Time

~ Carrie

XenaIt can be challenging to remember the things for which we are grateful, but if we take a few minutes, we can ground ourselves and get some perspective. A recent visit to our local vet reminded us of something we knew in the back of our minds, but didn’t consciously think of each day: how lucky we are to still enjoy the company of our dog, Xena.

Xena is a lab/shar pei mix. She’s going to be 13 next month. She’s lived in three different states, with two different dogs and six different cats during her lifetime. She almost died of a severe coccidia infection right after we adopted her from a shelter, and she’s had 2 TPLO surgeries. Otherwise, she’s been a generally healthy dog, usually “bright eyed and bushy tailed”, and just a little crabby with cats.

We noticed a lump on her neck last year that seemed to be growing. Lumps in older dogs can signify many things, including benign cysts. Strangely, she was also coughing like something was tickling her throat, so we took her to the vet to get it checked out. Tests revealed that she had thyroid cancer. Continue reading “Cherishing Borrowed Time” →

The Importance of Eating Local

~ Carrie ~ 1 Comment

Farmers_Market_BountyThis morning, we went to our local farmer’s market. We were there primarily to see “our” beef vendor – we enjoy the warm welcome and conversation, not to mention the delicious grass-fed beef! Even though it’s a small market, it’s heartening to see local eggs, chicken, lamb, produce, jams, soap…almost everything on your grocery list.

Speaking of local, the market’s lamb vendor lives just a few houses down from us. We see her sheep from our own property, and we can hear the “baa”ing. With the green rolling hills studded by white sheep, it looks like it could be a scene in Ireland. Who wouldn’t want to eat lamb that has frolicked in the grass, enjoying the sunshine and companionship of the flock? Knowing how those lambs are raised and seeing the farmer’s pride in her product makes it taste even better. Continue reading “The Importance of Eating Local” →

Backyard Berry Bounty

~ Carrie

Blackberry KombuchaThe brambles on our property are wicked. They reach out when you walk past, grab an arm or leg, and take a bite. The thorns are sharp and strong, and they’re difficult to disentangle from your clothing. Nonetheless, it’s worth risking scratches (and ants running up your arms and legs) to harvest blackberries growing wild along the fencelines.

We picked a bowlful of ripe berries this weekend and used them to flavor water kefir and kombucha. The dark juice lent a nice color to the beverages, and the water kefir is delicious – refreshing with a definite berry flavor, not too sweet. Continue reading “Backyard Berry Bounty” →

Mystery Berry Water Kefir

~ Carrie

Mulberry TreeWe’ve been watching our chickens jump up and pull berries off a tree near the coop. The berries look like blackberries, but, again, are growing from a tree. Some berries even grow right off branches. What could this mystery berry be?

Mulberry, of course.
We figured the berries were edible since the chickens were still alive and kicking, and clamoring to get more. After we identified the berry and confirmed that it was edible, we tasted one: it had hints of blackberry and even cherry. Yum! Continue reading “Mystery Berry Water Kefir” →

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” →