Happy New Year!

Hey...a new year is upon us, and for those of us that still write the occasional check, here is a simple trick to make sure your checks are written out with the correct year on them! Tomorrow, get out your checkbook and write in the correct year on every check. Easy!

Be safe and Happy New Year!

Today...Glasses

I think I am beginning to know the age that the warranty on the body begins to run out, and it seems to be the age I have attained!
Today...I went for an eye exam, and not only do I need glasses, I need bifocals. Ouch! But, not really a surprise. The distance and up close vision has been fading, but I sure hated it when they asked if I could read any of the letters on the line, and I said..."Those are black dots, not letters." Sigh.
My husband said I will be amazed by the things I will be able to see. I imagine he expects me to start dusting again? Just kidding. There have been things that I know I have not been seeing, like ants. And the eyes of needles. It will be nice to get those things back, and reading fine print will be much easier!

Beginning the Serum Allergy Shots

Ok…got my first shots this afternoon. Yes, plural…one in each arm. Not too bad, slight allergic reaction of a few itchy bumps on my belly. Will have to mention that to them, as that is how I react to penicillin…though with that its everywhere and extremely itchy. All in all, not too bad. The shots were given shallowly in the fleshy parts of my upper arms. The first one I hardly felt, the second one pinched and burned a little. I wore a t-shirt under my sweatshirt so I could pull off the outer shirt and they could get to my upper arms much easier.

I will have to go every week to get the serum shots for quite a while, and they will slowly increase the amount of serum in the shots. Only time will tell if they will work to desensitize me to the various airborne allergens which affect me!

Shopping for ...Urine??

So, I was going shopping today, and asked each of the children if there was anything in particular that they would like me to purchase.
One child said "Gluten-free cake mix".
Another said "Peanut butter".
Third child said 'Doe deer urine. The in estrus kind."

Grocery shopping, mind you! I was going grocery shopping! But, when I was done I walked over to the store that might carry doe urine. Did they ever! So many choices. Did I want the aerosol? The little glass bottle? Or plastic urine-infused wafer looking things to hang in the trees in clever strategic locations? Perhaps I would want the wads of felt made for the bottom of boots, which can be soaked with urine to make a trail when one walks? Or did I want the little cloth that gets dragged behind the hunter as they walk?

Heaven help me, after staring at all the products for 20 minutes, I chose a little $10 bottle of doe in estrus urine. I was NOT asking for help from the guys behind the counter, thank-you-very-much! When I got home, I handed it to the third child and told him to stay out of the buck pen if he decided to put it on!

Plant the Fruit Trees NOW

One of the biggest regrets for many homesteaders is their procrastination on getting fruit trees planted. While they are something we want, many times we just keep putting off taking the time to plant them.
Don't.
It takes several years or longer for most fruit trees and nut trees to begin producing, and they will be some of the most productive things you have on your homestead once they get going. The investment of time and money is worth it.
Now...its just as important that the opposite doesn't happen, where excitement leads to impetuous decisions...the right tree in the wrong place, or the wrong tree altogether.
Don't.
The only thing worse than procrastination in this department is thoughtless planting. Local plant nurseries are a good place to start gathering information, as well as talking to folks who have been homesteading for a long time. They will know which varieties to plant, and where. The internet and catalogs are not the way to go when it comes to gathering information and making decisions about what to plant in your local area.

How to make a Poached Egg

I can remember eating poached eggs growing up and loving them.  I can also remember my mom 'fussing' over how hard it was to make them.  I recently had a 'hankering' for one and decided to see how hard it really was to make them.  First, I put in about four inches of water in my pot.  Then I added vinegar to help the egg whites stay together.  Next I added a bit of salt and when I had a 'rolling' boil, I put the egg in the pot.  Much to my surprise, the egg white whet EVERYWHERE and my poached egg looked very sad!

I made a second egg the same way and then pretended that I liked the end results as I ate my breakfast. 

After a bit, I called my mom and went down memory lane with her about how she would stress over making poached eggs and how it 'seemed' like it would be so easy but the reality:  it was not!  Mom and dad talked and did not know what I was talking about.  Finally after a bit of conversation, we all realized that mom was stressed over making 'soft boiled' eggs, not poached eggs!  Then mom explained to me 'how' to make poached eggs, CORRECTLY.  :)

So here is how I now make my poached eggs:  put about 3/4 of an inch of water in a sauce pan.  Get it to boiling and add salt.  If you want to add vinegar, go ahead, but lately I have not been doing so and I am pleased with the results; next add your egg and cover.  Turn your stove down to a medium heat...so it will still boil, but not boil over and cook until your yoke is they way you like it. 

I personally like my yoke firm with a little soft spot.  By poaching my eggs, I can cook three at a time very quickly and not add unwanted oil to my eggs.  Of course, if you cook your eggs in virgin coconut oil, you are now adding a GREAT flavor and a HEALTHY oil to your eggs.  I just happen to be out right now so poaching is perfect for me...right now!

The Stable

It's Christmas Eve.
Manger scenes abound.
I am a Christian, and do believe that Jesus was and is the king of this world, and that He was born in a stable.
A humble place. But I don't believe it was a terrible place. I am a homesteader, and I like the animal sheds we have. I like the animals, and the hay. Well, except for the allergy part.
I had a friend who is a pastor give his explanation of why Jesus was born in a stable, instead of a palace, where kings are normally born.
It is because...your average person is not allowed to enter a palace. We do not qualify.
But, anyone can enter a stable, if they aren't too proud and think themselves too good for it. It was yet another way God demonstrated that Jesus is available to all.

Warning for a New Wood Stove

Here is one little thing you should do if you ever purchase a new wood stove. They are covered in chemicals and new paint which give off some nasty fumes the first time the stove has a decent fire inside of it. So that you don't fumigate your home, I highly suggest you start a fire in your new wood stove outside before you permanently install it in your house.
When we bought our wood stove years ago, we had read about this, and so my husband did start a small fire in it as it was sitting on the side walk. Apparently, the fire was not hot enough to burn off the residue. Later after the stove was in the house and the temperature outside was dropping, my husband started a real fire in it...and when the metal got hot, it smoked like crazy! I was not home at the time, and came home to a very fumey house with all the windows open! My husband said that by the time I got there, the situation was much improved. So...now you have been warned! Build a real fire in any new wood stove BEFORE you bring it inside!

Corn Starch Fun

Have you ever played with corn starch and water? I am not talking gravies and sauces, here. I am talking strictly fun and fascination!

Take some corn starch and put in a bowl. Slowly add water and mix with your fingers until it is the consistency of a watery putty. If you don't know what I am talking about, that is ok, because when you hit the right consistency, you will know it! This stuff is so much fun! If you stir slowly, it is a liquid. But, if you try to stir quickly, it becomes a solid! You can roll it into a ball between your hands, but then when you stop rolling, it turns back into a liquid. Fun to play with!

Words of caution...when you are done with it, don't pour it down the sink as it will clog the pipes. And...if you keep it around for a couple days, it will begin to have a less than fresh aroma...

Have fun!

Pindo Palms

I want a couple Pindo palms. I guess years ago these palms were kept on many southeastern homesteads, but not so much anymore. They make yellow fruit, taking about three years to do so after transplanting. And...these fruit can be made into a jelly without the use of pectin or sugar! A man I know who has tried some says it has a 'tropical' flavor.
These palms are somewhat cold-hardy, living as far north as southern Virginia, and aren't affected by many pests.
So, seeing as how I just found out about them, its too late to ask Santa for a couple Pindo palms. But, my birthday is just around the corner!

Caseous Lymphadenitis

Caseous Lymphdenitis, usually called CL for obvious reasons, is a highly contagious disease which mostly affects goats and sheep. It causes pus filled abscesses in the lymph nodes externally and internally...I have seen affected animals on other farms that looked like they had grapefruits growing out of their skin. There is no cure, and when an abscess ruptures, the pus is quite infective...and remains so for months.

It is best to ensure that CL never gets into your flocks through testing and buying from a reputable breeder. If you visit a farm with CL, sanitize your shoes thoroughly when you get home!

CL sometimes will infect humans. Never drink raw milk from an infected animal, or you run the risk of contracting the disease.

Ammonium Chloride

One problem that can arise with goat bucks and wethers ( and I suppose rams) is urinary calculi blockage. This happens when crystals form and get lodged in the urethra, making it impossible for the animal to urinate...and they will die if the blockage is not removed. If you observe straining but no urination, stretching, kicking at the belly...suspect a blockage, and call your vet or experienced goat breeder. Who will still probably tell you to call the vet.

However...its better to prevent the situation from happening in the first place. To do this, there are two things that you need to do. First is...calcium/phosphorus ratio in their food must be appropriate....2:1, and plenty of roughage. Too much grain, or too rich of grain, is not a good thing. Second is the addition of ammonium chloride to their water, or some feed rations have it already mixed in. Hoeggers Goat Supply sells small bags of ammonium chloride, and I feed it every Monday morning to our bucks, mixed in their water. So far, so good!

Sometimes Its just the Joy of it

Homesteading is:

Practical

Useful

Resourceful

Responsible ( everyone can homestead in someway, anywhere!)

Productive

It is all these things and so much more!

But sometimes...some of the things are done just for the joy of it. No other purpose. And that is just fine!

Saanen vs Nubian

We have had two breeds of goats, Saanens and Nubians. I like them both, and there are things about each that I also don't like!

For milk production, all our Saanens have always produced more milk than our Nubians, and have the longest lactations, by far. This has been our experience here on the farm, and I know of some lines of Nubians can have longer lactations. However, our Nubians average an 8 month lactation, and we have had Saanens who milked for 4 years and only stopped because we dried them off!

Now...both Saanen and Nubian milk tastes good, but the Nubian is preferred over the Saanen for its richness. It just makes it taste a little better!

As far as temperament, Saanens can have more attitude than the Nubians, especially when it comes to how they relate to other goats. My Saanens love to bite ears when they get upset!

Nubians are LOUDMOUTHS, especially compared to the quiet Saanens. There is no contest there!

Feeding Milk Back

When a goat is lactating, she is putting a lot of the calories and nutrients that she eats into her milk. They go through her, but don't benefit her. Sometimes, does have a hard time to keep from losing weight, especially the first few months after they kid. One thing some folks do to help reverse this weight loss is to feed some of the does' milk back to her, if she will drink it. I don't recommend feeding another goat's milk to her, as this could sabotage safe herd disease management. However, feeding some of her own milk back provides calories and nutrients, and can help to improve overall condition.

How do you convince a goat to drink a bucket of her own milk? Well...we just suggest it by putting it near her face. Either she drinks or she doesn't. Some of our does won't drink warm milk, but we have one doe who will bury her face almost up to her eyes in a warm bucket of milk, and drink it all as fast as she can. We have to watch her now, because if she gets the opportunity she will dive head-first into any unattended milk bucket. She is quite proficient at getting the lid off!

Now...we have never had a self-sucker on the farm, and I don't believe feeding the milk back will encourage it. All the goats I have known about who will drain their own udders dry were lacking in minerals. When they were put on a quality goat mineral, they stopped the self-sucking.

A Bit on Goat Backs

Every animal is built differently from another. Horses are built in such a way that they can be ridden. Goats are not. While goats can be wonderful as pack animals if the load is packed on correctly, they still should never be sat on, no matter how small the child or how large the goat. It isn't just uncomfortable for them...it could paralyze them! Their backs simply are not built to bear weight.

I am not in anyway saying that goats are all-around fragile, but they are like plate glass. My brother works at a business that installs automatic plate glass doors...like the kind at grocery stores. When he was hired, the manager of the business gave him a lesson in plate glass. He handed my brother a hammer, and told him to shatter an extra piece of plate glass they had. My brother, who is no wimp, pounded on it with all his strength but could not break it. Then, the manger carried the piece of glass over to the dumpster, and laid it on top. The he took the hammer, and just lightly tapped the outer edge. The glass immediately shattered into the dumpster!

Plate glass has its strength, but also a prominent weakness. Similarly, goats can seem pretty indestructible, but too much weight on their back can paralyze them. How much weight is too much? Its just best not to ever put it to the test.

First Freshening Goats

Ahh, milking. That peaceful time of the day when you can unwind as you listen to the rhythmic swish-swish-swish made by white streams of milk greeting the white froth already in the bucket.

Unless.

It is a skittish first time freshener who wants NOTHING to do with you, your bucket, or peaceful moments! She won’t let you touch her udder without levitating 3 feet into the air, kicking violently, and dumping whatever milk you did manage to get in the bucket. This is a good time to remember that milk is good for the skin! Should she not have dumped the milk, but rather stomped a back foot solidly in the pail…while it may tempt you…you can’t keep the milk, no matter how much work you put into getting it in the bucket. There is no 5 second rule for a goat hoof in the bucket…the milk should be dumped, or given to the dog or chickens, sorry.

So… if this happens to you, its time to take a deep breath, and regroup. First of all, it is best, on so many levels, not to hit the goat, or yell. This animal needs to trust you, and yelling or hitting is very counter productive. Remember…you taking her milk is not normal for her, and her udder may be uncomfortable from being engorged with milk. You also need to make sure there is nothing wrong with her udder…mastitis, stings, cuts, etc.

Make sure your hands are not cold, you are not pulling hairs on the udder, and that you are milking correctly…milking requires technique, not brute force.

It is best to get a goat used to the milk stand BEFORE she ever freshens. Make sure she gets lots of tasty grain on the stand while allowing you to pat her…and touch her udder, feet, etc.

We always milk a first freshener into a canning jar until she calms down. This definitely takes longer as we hold the jar with one hand while milking with the other hand, but the chances are much better of not losing the milk to a goat hissy fit. When the jar gets full, transfer it to a bucket nearby.

On rare occasions, there are goats that just will not cooperate. You have tried every patient thing you can think of, and they are still just as aggressively fighting you as the first time you tried to milk, and now they are aiming kicks at you. You still shouldn’t hit them! But…they can be restrained, gently but firmly, with either a hobble or tying their back legs to the milk stand. This is a last resort, and hopefully a temporary one.

Every doe I have known learned pretty quickly and easily to just accept milking as a part of their routine. A peaceful one, with the rhythmic sound of swish-swish-swish…

Lease a horse...don't buy...

Deciding which horse to buy is a difficult decision.  Often, you think you have found the perfect horse only to find out it had some hidden problem or that it just does not get along with the other animals.  When that occurs, you now are faced with a difficult decision of how do you sell the horse.

This problem can be avoided by simply leasing the horse with a purchase option.  If you lease for six months or a year, you will know if this is the right horse for you.  You will know if it blends in well with the rest of the herd and if it has separation issues.  You will know if it cribs or is a wind sucker.  You will know how he really handles on the trail and in an arena.  And the best part is if he is not what you want, you can just return him to the seller!  It really is best for the horse, seller and buyer...lease your horse, don't buy!

Buck Goat Update

Well...we had our Saanen buck's semen collected and analyzed, and the verdict is...he is infertile. Argh.

Well, its better to know because now we can figure out the next few steps.

First, we will have to contact the breeder we purchased him from and see what they will offer.

Next, we have a rather large animal with no purpose that we are probably going to have to transport to an auction, to sell for meat. Some cultures enjoy the flavor of buck meat, so there is some value there.

And...we still have the problem of how to get our Saanen does bred. We could breed them to the Nubian buck we have here, but that would mean cross breeds, which are not as valuable for resale. We could artificially inseminate. We can also see about getting another buck. My son brought our buck to be evaluated at a buck collection in another state, and there will be quite a few breeders there so he may have some leads on a new buck when he comes home tomorrow.

We'll just wait and see until then. The first step in solving any problem is to know there is a problem, and we have done that part!

Borax

Always have a box of Borax on hand, because it comes in handy for a lot of different uses on a homestead. I do use it occasionally for laundry, and I will also use it for flea control. However, I usually use it to preserve snake skins, rattlesnake rattles, and bird wings. Borax is a wonderful dessicant and preservative. If we will kill a snake with a nice skin, we will skin it out and then tack it to a board with the inside facing the outside. Then we sprinkle it liberally with Borax and rub it into the skin, let it sit for several weeks, shake off the Borax, and then take it off the board. The skin will be totally dry and have no odor whatsoever. Also, to preserve a rattlesnake rattle, I will get off all the flesh that I can, sprinkle it with Borax, and then put the rattle in a paper lunch bag to finish drying.

For a bird wing, like from a chicken or pheasant that you would like to preserve for fly tying or what have you, you will need a board. Make cuts down the inside of the wing and remove all the flesh you can from around the bones. It is ok if you can't get it all. Next, tack the wing in flexed position to the board with the inside of the wing facing up from the board. Then work Borax thoroughly into all the cuts. Don't be stingy with the Borax! Store the board and wing in an out of the way spot for a couple of weeks. At the end of that time, the wing will be preserved.

Our Buck Goat

We bought a registered Saanen buck, as a kid, a year and a half ago. Last fall we tried to use him to breed to our Saanen does, but he seemed a little small and we were not quite sure if he could breed the taller does. Well...long story short, we had no Saanen kids born this year. Now, he is bigger and has bred the does, but they keep cycling and coming back into heat. So, this weekend we are going to have his semen collected and evaluated by an experienced...umm...I have no idea what his title would be. Anyway, he knows what he is doing, looking for, etc. We need to know if the buck is fertile. They say a buck is half of your herd, and I believe that is a true statement. And, a scary one if your buck is not fertile! I will have an update on this in the near future.

Fifth Allergy Appointment

Allergy update! Ok...the antibiotics and prednisone didn't touch my sinus issue, so its on to a new plan. At first the allergist was thinking about trying more antibiotics, but then I told her I went on Levaquin last year and it didn't touch the problem. So now, we are looking at seeing if I am dealing with a fungal issue, and I have to get my blood drawn to see if I have antibodies to candida. If so, then I will go on an antifungal medicine. We shall see. So...either I have a resistant strain of bacteria, or fungus, or a mechanical issue going on that makes my sinus and one tooth really hurt at times, but are always sensitive. The tooth has a filling, but the dentist can't find a problem with the tooth. If the fungal route doesn't pan out, then its off to an ENT...ear, nose, throat specialist.

And...my husband has started the allergy shots...one a week with today being his fourth dose. It is going well, but they do make him stuffy. When he told that to the person in charge of giving him his shots, they backed off on the dose and that seemed to help. And next week, I think I will be starting my allergy shots as well.

Come, Boss!

It was almost a song, a very short repeated one.

Come, Boss!

It was not an order, or a request. It was a call.

Come, Boss!

I am remembering walking on a Vermont hillside as a child with my cousin Judy. She is actually my mother's cousin, and they are the same age. I am 'helping her' go get the cows from the pasture for the evening milking. It is late afternoon, and their udders are full. They are ready to go to the barn, and at her clear, ringing call, most begin to walk toward the gate. The majority are polled. They are different colors and sizes...Holsteins, Jerseys, Brown Swiss, Ayrshires. This part of the memory is an amalgam formed over the years, because the colors of the cattle changed with the price of butterfat. If the price was high, then the general color of the herd was Jersey reddish-brown. When butterfat prices were lower, then the black and white of the Holsteins dominated.

Come, Boss!

I seem to remember that some of the cows were hanging back that day, and that was because the herd queen, a brown and white cow with horns, was in heat and in no particular hurry to go to the barn. We walk behind them...the others decide they should go to the gate, but he queen is hesitant and a little skittish acting, and my cousin is unsure if the cow will do what is desired. We step towards her, pushing her with our presence. Then...she suddenly decides to walk toward the gate to join the others. They are milling about, a fairly tight clump of large bodies. My cousin opens the gate and they go to the barn. Each knows their place and goes to it, and patiently get their collar snapped to a chain to keep them from wandering away should they finish their meal before milking is done.

Come, Boss! There are different reasons given as to why a cow would be given the nickname of 'Boss'. I think the most plausible is that the Latin genus of cattle is 'bos', and the name just trickled down through the centuries along with the milking of cattle.

Many, many memories on that Vermont dairy farm. It is still in operation today, and they will be doing evening chores and milking right now as I am typing this. My cousin's son and his wife have taken over, and they went organic several years ago. Some things have changed, some things remain the same.

Cheese Making...Don't Be Afraid!

Cheese making...and eating...is a time honored tradition and privilege. If you have been reading my posts for any length of time, by now you have figured out that I prefer to keep things pretty simple. My cheese making skills and experience definitely fall into that category! I have made ricotta, cottage cheese, and mozzarella cheeses with no problems. I more or less follow the recipes and instructions...never exactly to a 'T', but close enough to where I get my desired results.

I have only made cheese from our goat milk, and my recipe book is a wonderful book by Mary Jane Toth. The book is entitled 'Goats Produce Too! The Udder Real Thing, Volume 2' and it goes over the simplest of cheese recipes to those that are quite involved. It also has other goat milk recipes like fudge, sauces, ice cream, and how to can goat milk, and some not for eating, but for using...it even has a recipe for goat milk paint!

If you have wanted to try cheese making but have been hesitant, I suggest you get this book and get moving! I found that projects that are on a back burner tend to stay there much too long, while the business of life just keeps on marching anyway. Cheese making is fun and rewarding, and a great way to use up the extra milk!

Respect your Veterinarian's Time!

I have never worked for a veterinarian nor am I related to one; however, I do have good friends that have worked for one and I have read books written by veterinarians.  One thing that is VERY important to any vet is 'time'.  They kind of remind me of OB doctors.  They need you to run on time and yet, when they are late, they need your "understanding".  My OB doctor over the years was very punctual.  Yes, he had a military back ground.  Out of 12 years of seeing him through 6 pregnancies, he was only late to ONE of my appointments!  That is amazing!  And that one time, he was VERY late.  No, I was not upset in the least because I knew that when my babies came, he would be there for me too!

So back to the vet...and farm calls.  Farm calls are when the vet comes to YOU instead of you going to the vet.  When I first had the vet come out to my home 16 years ago, I did not bother having my horse caught and 'ready' to go.   I knew my horse and she was an easy catch.  But the reality is even though she was easy, it still took 'time'.  Maybe only 5 minutes, but it was a waste of the vet's time. 

This came very clear the last time the vet came out to the farm about five years ago.  We had sheep, cows and horses that were being seen.  Lots of blood work was being drawn to verify that the animals were all disease free.  I will blog on that topic on another date.  We had several Angus cows and steers that needed checking before we blended them with our herd.  They were VERY difficult to deal with even though we had a head catch.  The visit was taking 'time'.  To the point that the vet was taking care of the horse and sheep while we switched cows around.  That night was a late night and I was embarrassed by the difficulties that presented. 

This past Thursday we needed blood work drawn on our Jerseys, a lump checked on a horse and a goat with a bad ear.  We 'thought' about this a good deal and decided to deal with the most difficult animals first:  The Jerseys.  We were ready to go and when we saw the vet pull through the gate we brought in Laurie Belle.  We tied her up, put up the butt bar and grabbed the feed to keep her happy.  The vet came over and gave the TB test and then pulled blood.  We put Laurie Belle back and next came Jasmine.  We put her in the shoot, she had her TB test and then the blood was drawn.  Next was Max with a quick neck exam and then the goat.  Even though the appointment took about an hour, there was no time 'wasted'.  There was an animal ready for the vet as soon as one animal was finished.  It made me feel good to understand the importance of really being ready for your vet and for us to be prepared.  I'm glad that I read, "I Make Horse Calls" by Dr. Thibeault DVM so that I could learn the importance of respecting your veterinarian's time!  Maybe 'my' vet is too!

Homestead Essential-Food Sources

It is a major understatement to say that food is important. Stores are wonderful places to get food, but I highly recommend not being in a position where if the stores run out of food, then so do you. Clearly, that is not a good position to be in!

And...it could abruptly become a reality on any day, brought on by a natural disaster-storm, flood, earthquake, disease, crop failure. It could be a man-made disaster-terrorist attack, financial collapse. Many times, these occurrences do not come with significant warnings, so being prepared is the wise and responsible thing to do.

So...you can store food, and a freezer is probably last on my list of a place to store food, unless you have a way to run that freezer for an extended period of time if the power goes out.

Canned food is better, but it takes up space and the expiration dates have to be watched.

Dry food is very good...whole grains, pasta, beans, white rice, dehydrated foods. They keep indefinitely under the right conditions.

Knowing how to hunt and fish are helpful.

Knowing how to kill and dress homestead animals is also helpful.

The garden is a good source of food, of course!

Knowing how to collect wild plants for food is also good.

If you don't already have a 'just in case' plan for food storage/availability in the event of an emergency, I suggest you start thinking about it now! Ever been to Walmart right before a hurricane? Its as bad as shopping there on Christmas Eve or Black Friday, and those shelves go bare of the things you need mighty fast. Unless you like capers and tobasco sauce! And then what happens if its two weeks before they open their doors? Or longer? Got a plan?

Homestead Essential-Water Source

If at all possible on your homestead, it is best to have independent access to some kind of a water source. A pristine spring bubbling out of the ground is out of the reach for most of us, but many people can and have come up with some reliable way to have a water source. We have expanded a tiny pond that was on the property when we moved here, and I dug a shallow well. The water table is fairly high on our property, so at 17 feet down I have a reliable well, complete with hand pump. We don't drink the water, but we could if we treated it. I have to prime the pump each time I use it, and occasionally I have pumped out a very surprised looking frog!

Water is so essential, and while I appreciate the water we get from our county well, I don't want to have to rely entirely on it as the sole source for this life necessity. And I don't want a well that I can't get my water from if the power goes out. If you are thinking about buying a piece of property, please think seriously about buying one with an independent source of water. If you currently have a homestead but no independent water source, please consider finding a way to have one.

Homestead Essential-Wood Stove

If you live in the country or a place where it ever gets cold enough to turn on a heater, I highly suggest you have a wood stove in working condition, installed and ready to go.

A wood stove is an effective way to heat the home. I like the heat generated by a wood stove much better than central heating. Its nice to sit down beside the stove when I am a little chilly, read a book, and warm up. Our little wood stove generates enough heat to warm our entire house. Actually...it does better than that, because the bedrooms are far enough away from the wood stove so they are left a little cooler and sleeping is more comfortable!

Most, even the smaller models, have a top surface area large enough to put a pot for cooking. Ours is small, like I said, but we reheat leftovers on it and could cook on it in a pinch.

It bothers me if someone could have a wood stove...but they choose not to have one, for whatever reason. "Its messy." "It costs too much." "Too much work to cut and haul the wood."

I suppose these reasons do have some merit, but in the event of an emergency when power goes out and it is cold outside...our little wood stove just keeps on working without batting a proverbial eyelash!

Did I mention you can toast marshmallows inside your house all winter long???

Gluten in the House

I had a thought this morning about wheat gluten. I am allergic to hay and grasses, but I don't eat them. So I got to thinking...I probably should avoid inhaling wheat as well! That means...if wheat is to be ground into flour on our homestead, the mill has to be brought outside for the process! And, the mill has to stay outside when it is cleaned with the brush as well. I think that will help to keep it out of my system even better.

I have been following the gluten-free diet faithfully, and while I haven't noticed a difference in my sinuses or allergic reactions, my energy seems to have picked up and I seem to be thinking more clearly. I have also started a very low dose of thyroid medicine for hypothyroidism, so my improvement may be due to that as I started it the same time I dropped the wheat gluten.

My husband gets his allergy blood test results next Monday. I am expecting him to have a gluten sensitivity if not an out and out allergy, but time will tell. However, our children have been put on notice that if dad also needs to go gluten free, then we are going to become a gluten free household! Most of them are not thrilled at the prospect, but oh, well. Genetically speaking, I am thinking that if both my husband and I have problems with gluten, then they are all ripe candidates for for the same!

So, I am going to start experimenting with millet and amaranth, and I still eat rice. I enjoy vegetables, so I really haven't been suffering with this change of diet and reduction in grains. HOWEVER...gluten-free blueberry pancakes and pizza crust will have to be figured out!

Nasturtiums

Well, it seems that each year, every business wants to get the jump on the other, and so sends out their catalogs earlier and earlier. Seed catalogs never used to come before Christmas, and it makes me a little unhappy to see them before the new year. After the whirlwind of Christmas, when the cold sets in for what may be quite a while, the arrival of brightly colored, hopeful catalogs is a refreshing breath of spring fresh air. How can we not be hopeful, when we see those beautiful pictures of juicy tomatoes, yellow corn ears, bright peppers, and lettuce with dew droplets shining in the sunlight?

We forget the slugs and snails, aphids and voracious caterpillars, scale and squash bugs. Hey...gardening is a battle this side of Eden!

But. Flip through your catalog to the flower section. To the 'N's.

There they are!

Nasturtiums!

I think these flowers may have been named by aphids...Nasty-urtiums!

Because, aphids DETEST Nasturtiums, and so these lovely flowers belong in every spring garden. One year as an experiment, I planted Nasturtiums on one side of a row of broccoli, but not on the other side. The side with the Nasturtiums had no aphids, but the side without Nasturtiums had a noticeable population of the buggers. They didn't come within 5 feet of the flowers, though!

Another neat thing about Nasturtiums is that the leaves and blooms are edible, and can be put into salads raw. I like to eat the blossoms the most...they have a peppery/radishy flavor, but the middle of the flower is surprisingly sweet. Yummy!

Oh...and did I mention the flowers are beautiful?

Super Easy Ricotta Cheese Recipe

I LOVE this recipe for ricotta cheese! Its so easy!

Sometimes with our goats, we end up having way more milk than we know what to do with. One thing we make when this happens is ricotta cheese. Its such a versatile cheese and can be used as an herbed dip, sweetened for a dessert, or used in many different Italian main dishes, such as stuffed shells, manicotti, and lasagna.

To make ricotta, you will need a gallon of milk, 2/3 cup white vinegar, a large colander, some cheese cloth, and a large non-reactive pan. Bring milk to almost boiling...it gets quite steamy when its ready. Then stir in the vinegar. Turn off the heat and let the milk sit for a minute...the curds and whey will separate quickly. Line your colander with a single thickness of real cheese cloth...don't buy that gauzy stuff...its not really cheese cloth and if you try to use it, you can kiss your curds goodbye as they will go right through the mesh. Carefully pour the hot curds and whey into the colander. It will take a little while to drain, and you may want to scrape the curds off the cheese cloth as they collect to facilitate drainage.

Notes:

- You can put a large bowl under the colander to catch the whey and use it for soup or baking or what have you. Its good stuff!

- You can use apple cider vinegar or lemon juice in place of the white vinegar, but they leave a pronounced flavor in the cheese that I don't care for. The white vinegar leaves a neutral flavor.

-Old, worn pillow cases and sheets can be use for cheese cloth.

Is it Stuffing or Dressing?

Since we have just celebrated another WONDERFUL Thanksgiving, I thought I would explain the difference between "dressing" and "stuffing". 

I grew up eating "stuffing" every year while my husband grew up eating "dressing" every year.  In fact, I had never eaten dressing until my first Thanksgiving with my husband and up until then, I always thought they were one and the same. 

Stuffing is made with bread "cubes", onions, celery, eggs, butter and sage as the main spice.  Now you don't need to buy bread crumbs or the cubes labeled for stuffing, just tear your bread into chunks and be done with it.  You will save money and be healthier by using your homemade bread.  Mix the bread, eggs, butter, celery and onion together.  Add a little salt and lots of sage and mix well.  Now you "stuff" this into the bird that is not cooked.  Once the bird is stuffed, you roast the bird on 325 until it is done.  Check your Betty Crocker cookbook for cooking times.

Dressing is normally made with cornbread.  You will make your cornbread just like you always do unless you are cooking for a large number of people in which case you might want to double the recipe.  After the cornbread is cooked and cooled, crumb the corn bread.  Add turkey broth that you collect from your roasting pan as well as celery and onions.  Place this back into the cookware that you used to make the cornbread and bake for another 30 minutes on 350.  Now you have "dressing". 

Ingredients for stuffing and dressing may vary, but what defines each item is "how" it is cooked.  If it is cooked in a bird, it is stuffing; if it is cooked in a pan, it is dressing.

Our family enjoys both for Thanksgiving because it would not be Thanksgiving for "me" if we did not have stuffing; and it would not be Thanksgiving for "my husband" if we did not have dressing.  And my children would not know a Thanksgiving without both!

Black Swallowtail Butterfly Larvae

Sometimes in my garden I will find Black Swallowtail butterfly larvae happily munching on things I would really rather they leave alone. I have found them on carrot tops, parsley, and rue. I don't kill them, but rather put them in a jar and give them to a teacher or a homeschool mom, so she can share the fascinating larvae-to-butterfly process with her students.

I like butterflies. Sometimes in the past I have had to wait a day or two before delivering the larvae, and I noticed that the numbers of caterpillars would slowly dwindle. At first I was puzzled, but I think I found out what was happening. Wasps would come and carry them away to feed their nest. While I like the butterflies, there are other caterpillars that I don't appreciate, and I like the thought that all day long, there are hunters looking to carry away the unwanted larvae. For this reason, when I see a wasp nest that isn't in a place where people are likely to run into it, I let them be. Free, all natural pest control for the garden!

Painting the Horse Trailer

Several years ago we bought a used horse trailer. It was red, sort of, with white splotches and rust from where the former owners had gotten it ready to paint. It was UGLY, but it hauled the animals around nicely.

But. I got sick of looking at it the way it was, and decided to paint it. Now, I didn't have many of the things one should have when properly painting a metal horse trailer. But, I did have oomph and aggravation. And a wire brush. And some masking tape. And a couple cans of oil-based paint suitable for painting metal. And...I had a couple smooth finish paint rollers. So, I got busy prepping, scrubbing off any loose paint and rusty areas. And then I starting painting with my rollers. The end result...a hunter green horse trailer with a white top and trim! It looks GREAT!

Do you have a livestock trailer that looks terrible but can't afford what it takes to get it done right? I spent about $50 and a couple afternoons, and I am so glad I did it. The paint job may not last forever, but it looks SO MUCH better than it did! I also know that the paint will help protect our trailer from further rust damage. I need to take a picture and get it on here so you can see it for yourself!

Sweet Potato Observations

Today is Thanksgiving for those of us in the United States, and we truly have many thing to be thankful for...the most precious is knowing to Whom we are giving our thanks! Thank you, Lord, for Your many blessing!

I helped my daughter make a sweet potato pie from scratch yesterday to help celebrate today's holiday. We grew the sweet potatoes here at the farm, and had our best year ever for production. I am still learning though, and next year I will be tweaking how I plant my sweet potato plot!

This year, I loosened the ground in rows, added organic material and cottonseed meal, planted tubers with little plants on them, and then just let the vines go everywhere. When they tried to cross paths and invade other places in the garden, I steered the vines back into the vine mass.

We dug them over the past couple weeks, and the biggest sweet potatoes were in the loosened, enriched soil...but there were MANY little ones in between, as the vines will put down roots to make sweet potatoes wherever the vines touch the ground. These little potatoes were mostly nuisances, and I know I did not get them all, and I fear next year they will be coming back with a vengeance, popping up vines all over the place. So...next year I think I am going to trellis the vines in my rows somewhat to keep a better handle on where the tubers end up!

I do plan to put at least some of the little sweet potatoes to good use, by keeping them for planting next year. Some I will store in the house, and some I am going to bury in the garden to see how they keep buried in the cold soil. I want to see where the best place is to keep them.

Super Easy Chicken and Rice

I enjoy this recipe for its simplicity and because my entire family loves it AND because it is still a great, nutritious meal!

Items Needed-

Chicken leg quarters

Rice

Water

Salt

Seasonings to suit you...I like granulated garlic.

Select a glass baking pan large enough to hold how ever many servings you are making.

Preheat oven to 350 f

For the rice, decide how much and what kind you are making. Add the appropriate amount of hot tap water to the pan, add salt, and then stir in the rice.

You can leave the leg quarters whole or divide them into thighs and drumsticks. White rice cooks faster than brown rice, so maybe for white rice divide the chicken pieces, but for brown rice, leave the leg quarters intact. Simply place the raw chicken pieces one layer deep and not touching each other into the rice water mixture. Sprinkle with salt and garlic granules or whatever spices you like on your rice. Put pan in oven. The juices of the cooking chicken soak into the rice, which is why we like using the dark meat instead of white meat. Cook until the chicken is done and the rice has absorbed the liquid. With a 5 serving portion, it usually takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes or so. Check at an hour so you can start watching it.

It takes about two minutes of prep to make this dish...the rest is just waiting for it to cook. You can bake a squash in another pan and it will cook in about the same amount of time, so there is your veggie!

Tweak the recipe to make it your own, and enjoy!

The Benefits of Trimming Goat Tails

Goat tails have a nice fringe of hair all along the edge and end of the tail. This nicely keep flies and other insect pests away from the goat's bottom area.

However, in a pregnant doe, it is best that the tail gets trimmed. This is for several reasons. The first is that you will probably be checking her vulva for signs of mucus discharge which indicates that birth is imminent, and the hair can hide this tell-tale sign. She will NOT appreciate your attempts to look at her bottom, so anything you can do to help make your checking as quick as possible will be appreciated by all involved parties.

The second reason is that after the kid(s) are born, the doe will have a discharge for a few days. The long tail hair will collect the discharge, making it get all sticky and stiff. Having the hair trimmed will help keep her backside tidier.

To trim the tail, all you really need is a pair of sharp scissors. Traditionally, the fringe along the sides of the tail is cut off, and the hair at the end of the tail is trimmed to be an inch to two inches long so the hair on the tip has a straight edge and the goat still has a little flyswatter.

Bottle Raised Kittens

We have a cat named Babycat. We are not into the whole goo-goo name thing, not by any means. Her name is what we called her as a kitten because we WERE NOT going to keep her. She was just...the baby cat. Babycat will be 13 years old in a couple months, and has lived with us her whole life!

Someone dropped Babycat and her brother Tubby off for me to care for as bottle babies. So, I took care of them. I bottle fed them. I rubbed their little bums to get them to pee and poop. I helped them as they learned to eat solid foods. I adopted Tubby out. I kept Babycat. And as the years went on, I learned something about bottle raised cats.

They are mean, cantankerous, and unpredictable. I'm talking about with the family, and ten times worse with strangers! When I would go on vacation, Babycat had my housesitters on edge. Just plain old mean to them. She was mostly ok with us, though she still would scratch us when we would do something that offended her. Don't ask me what we did to set her off...she never said!

I learned that this was typical behavior for a bottle-raised cat. And...now I know what the problem is! I know a lady who works at a vet office and raises orphaned kittens on a regular basis. However...her kittens always turn out well-behaved. The difference? She is their momma, and treats them accordingly. This means lots of love, AND...a decent amount of hissing and popping them on the head the way their mother would have done. It makes all the difference!

The Goat Network

I attended a goat clinic yesterday, and realized something about new goat owners. They need to know the importance of networking.

Basically, unless you live in the middle of nowhere, you don't need to buy every medicine, tool, and piece of equipment that pertains to goats just because someday you might need it.

If you own two does...you probably don't have to buy castrating equipment, a tattoo outfit, a microscope, and a disbudding iron. At least...not right away, because that will be expensive. And...if you way stock up on meds, chances are a lot of it is going to go to waste because it will expire before you need it!

The solution? Make friends with other goat owners. They are generally a pretty good bunch, and want to promote the animal, and encourage new owners!

Networking works as long as you follow a few simple rules. First of all...listen when an experienced goat owner tells you something. Take care of your animals, and learn about them. Use common sense! When an experienced goat owner sees that you are sincere about learning what it takes to care for your animals, they will probably bend over backwards to help you! This means the sharing of knowledge, tools, meds, etc. As you build up your arsenal of knowledge, experience, and tools, you find yourself becoming...an experienced goat owner. And then guess what? Sooner or later, a new goat owner will look you up. And then you get the privilege of passing on that torch that was passed to you.

Goat Guts and Baking Soda

A goat's gut is a finely tuned cellulose breakdown factory. This is why they and other ruminants thrive on grass and browse, where if we tried to survive on it, we would starve to death! They...or rather the microbes in their gut...can break down plant chemical structures into more basic components, enabling the animal to absorb the energy and nutrients.

Now...sometimes things can occur that interfere with the happy beneficial bacterial colony. It could be an illness or a stress to the animal, or something the animal ate that throws a monkey wrench into the system. This can be dangerous, and sometimes things can spiral out of control quickly until the animal's life is in danger. It is called acidosis, and it is what it sounds like...a dangerous ph imbalance.

One simple thing that can be done to help prevent this condition is to feed the goats free-choice baking soda. It will neutralize the acid. The goats will only eat as much as they need, and when they need it.

Remember my post on acorns a little while ago? It is a good idea to have free-choice baking soda if your goats are eating falling acorns, to neutralize the tannic acid found in the acorns.

Baking soda is cheap and readily available, and an easy preventative to have on hand. I wish all goat solutions were so easy!

Fiskars Loppers and a Sawzall for Butchering

Through the years of butchering animals, I have discovered two really useful tools that help make the process go a little quicker.

The first is my ever-handy Fiskars 17 inch power gear loppers. These work very well for quickly cutting through leg bones and vertebra. I suppose other loppers will work, but I am rather attached to my orange-handled friend!

The other tool for cutting through bone quickly is a Sawzall. I have cut through beef femurs with these things, and they do a great job. I make sure I have human helpers when using a Sawzall to process an animal, to keep things more stable when cutting.

It is best to make sure the tools are very sharp before starting. And, of course...make sure you start with washed tools as well!

Of Field Fencing and Cattle Panels

So, I built this great wattle fence, but before too long the wood became weak and was no longer suitable to hold our goats securely. Our next fencing endeavor was to install field fencing. This fencing was fairly sturdy, and to stretch the wire as we put it up we used our tractor. It worked well! After a couple years, the goats ate most of the browse in the pasture, and started leaning on the fence to reach what was on the other side. After many lean-ons from ambitious goats, the fence stretched drastically and bowed and sagged! We added posts here and there, but we finally started on what I hope will be the final solution.

Cattle panels. The 16 foot sections of wire are VERY sturdy, though considerably more pricey than field fencing. However, I believe they make up for that downfall in two ways. First of all, they will outlive a field fence by many years. Second, the sections are kind of like lego blocks, in that if you decide to take down the fence, you can put it up somewhere else, or even sell the sections if you want. This is not an option with field fencing! Now...we do use t-posts with the cattle panels, and they are clipped together with the wire clips that are included with the purchase of the t-posts. I highly recommend using these over using wooden posts and staples.

If you find yourself needing to replace your field fencing, please consider using cattle panels. Even if you can only afford to do it one piece at a time, it is a semi-permanent investment that will save you time and effort now...and time, effort, and money in the future.

If you don't have access to a trailer to haul the cattle panels, you can do what my friend did to get hers home. She has a Ford Mustang, and she strapped hers over the top of her car, bumper to bumper. No kidding! Made her car kind of look like a Volkswagon Beetle...

Wattle Fencing

Through the years, we have used three different kinds of primary fences. The first one was way back before I even had goats, but was gearing up to get them. I had lots of small trees and saplings that needed to be removed from the area where we planned to put the pasture. That, and the fact that I was younger, had lots of energy, enthusiasm, and maybe am a little insane gave me the oomph to build a wattle fence. A wattle fence, for those that don’t know, is built by weaving small trees and saplings to make a wall.

I built the wattle fence almost exclusively by myself, using a bow saw and a pair of Fiscar limb loppers. The walls were about 3 1/2 feet high, and I left trees intermittently standing in a large circle for the upright posts...those were my warp. I had to use a couple real fence posts, but mostly my ‘posts’ were living trees. For the weft, I used saplings that I cut down at ground level. It was a learn-as-you-go process. At first, it seemed that I should weave the whole circle from the ground up, putting one layer at ground level the whole length of the fence, then one on top of that, alternating which side of the upright trees I went on for the weaving effect, and so on. Due to the ground being uneven in places, the varying lengths and thicknesses of saplings, and the varying length between upright trees, I had to amend that idea pretty quickly and make it work as I went. I ended up building in it sections, so as I cut the saplings I could match the appropriate lengths and thicknesses to what I needed for certain sections. In the weaving of the saplings, I did alternate which sides of the trees/posts they went on, but not every layer. It depended on the thickness of the saplings. I would cut a sapling, and strip off all the small branches, leaving the sapling as long as I could. Sometimes if a couple of the branches were mostly parallel with the trunk, I would leave them and weave them in. I admit, toward the end of the project, my hands and elbows were incredibly sore, and when my husband offered to cut a bunch of saplings for me using his chainsaw, this purist was grateful! I left an opening in the fence for a gate, which we built from fence wire and boards

It took a lot of work, but the wattle fence worked pretty well and kept the goats in and other animals out…plus it looked really neat. It was quite strong, but the wood was not treated and only lasted a year or two. Then…we went on to field fencing and beyond, but that is a post for tomorrow!

Butter and Cream and Eggs...How is My Cholesterol??

My lipid panel results were also included in yesterday's allergy report, but I thought this warranted its own blog post because it was so cool!

I will preface this by saying I eat as much cream, butter, and eggs as I want...and I want them quite a bit. Many of my meals will have any or all of these ingredients. I eat minimal amounts of partially hydrogenated anything, and margarine IS NOT ALLOWED IN MY HOUSE. It doesn't cook well, and tastes nasty....more to follow about that in a little bit!

So...my lipid panel? My levels are great, thanks! All my 'bad cholesterols' were at great levels, but I do need to bring up my LDL a little, which I will with fish oil capsules. I had to get the no-burp ones...the other ones and I don't get along!

Butter, cream, eggs...these are good, God intended fats...not the enemies to be avoided! My grandmother's cholesterol levels were HORRIBLE several years ago, but she was also in the habit of eating...lots of margarine. She needed the arteries in her neck roto-rooted, and was a walking cholesterol mess even after they tried to manage her diet by avoiding oils. Any time a person is eating something that is so far away from its naturally occurring state that they wouldn't guess where it came from...its probably something to be avoided!

Fourth Allergy Appointment

Well...I had my follow-up appointment today to go over the results of my skin tests, blood tests, and CT scan.

First off, the CT showed what I already suspected, which is a sinus infection in my left sinus, plus a few air pockets beside it that were also inflamed. Seeing as how it has been very sensitive/painful for YEARS, I was not surprised. I have had two courses of antibiotics in the past prescribed by my family doctor. The first one seemed to help, but the second course did not. This sinus rests is directly above one of my molars that has also been very sensitive and painful. I originally talked to my dentist about it, who offered to do a root canal though they could not find anything wrong with my tooth, though it does have a large filling. I knew it was more of a sinus problem than a tooth problem, because every time I would try to go off Allegra, I would end up with a painful tooth for days that would be partially relieved by decongestants and going back on the Allegra. I do use Sensodine toothpaste, and that helps some as well.

For my skin tests, I am quite allergic to oak pollen, black willows, molds, rag weed, various grass pollen, roaches, and dust mites. No surprises there.

The surprise came with my blood tests, that showed I have a sensitivity to gluten. Huh??? The doctor said "I don't make this recommendation to many patients, but for you, I think you should not eat gluten anymore." Apparently, when I eat gluten, my body sees it as an intruder and I have a decent amount of antibodies to it. Not enough for it to declare all-out war...more that it makes my body 'grouchy'. Hmm. Gluten-free means some major changes in my diet, and I am still trying to process this information. Wow.

I will begin serum shots in about two weeks to see if they will help reduce my allergies that showed up with the skin tests. My husband began his serum shots today, and got one in each upper arm. The allergy office made him wait 30 minutes before he was allowed to leave to make sure he did not have an adverse reaction to the serum. He said that tonight, his arms are a little sore in the deep muscle, but to look at his arms there is no visible evidence that he he got any injections.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

Here is a great way to serve potatoes that is different from standard potato dishes.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter, no substitutes
1/4 cup flour
3 cups milk
1 block (about 10 - 12 ounce) Cheddar Cheese, we like the extra sharp
1/8 cup of dried onions...you may use fresh if you would like
1/4 grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4 pounds potatoes, thinly sliced

On Stove top:
Melt 1/4 cup butter in a large saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk in flour and cook while whisking continuously for 1 - 2 minutes or until flour is lightly browned.  Whisk milk into butter mixture; bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 5 to 6 minutes or until thickened.  Stir in Cheddar and Parmesan cheese, onions, salt and pepper and remove from heat.  Stir until the cheese is melted.

Spread 1/4 cup cheese sauce evenly in a lightly buttered 9 x 13 baking dish.  If you are using seasoned stoneware, you don't need to butter the dish.  Layer half of the potatoes over sauce; top with half of remaining cheese sauce.  Repeat ending with cheese sauce on top. 

Bake uncovered at 325 for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. 

If you don't have that much time and you can slice your potatoes very thin (like using a Mandoline or Simple Slicer) and cook for 45 to 60 minutes at 375.  The Simple Slicer has the thinnest setting that I have ever seen and is so thin you can almost read through the potatoes!

Let me know when you try this recipe and how it turns out. 

Last night we enjoyed this dish with our favorite purple potatoes.  Love them!

Milk Goiter in Kids

Milk goiter is a condition that can develop in goat kids that drink A LOT of goat milk. Affected kids have a swelling on their throat right where their head meets their neck. This condition, as far as I have ever seen, is harmless, though it makes the kids look a little weird. I have only personally seen it on dam-raised goat kids whose mothers are heavy milkers...either Saanens or Saanen crosses. When the kids decrease nursing or are weaned, the swelling goes away. I am not sure exactly what the mechanics are behind the condition, chemically speaking...only that we have had it here at the farm numerous times, and have never had any ill effects from it.

Some people will see the swelling and think it is bottle jaw, a dangerous condition brought on by heavy worm parasite overload. However, these two conditions differ in where the swelling occurs. Bottle jaw causes the entire underside of the jaw to become quite squishy with pooled fluids. Milk goiter is found at the back of the jaw, where the neck meets the head. Also, milk goiter is present all the time, while bottle jaw generally recedes during the night so the animal's jaw will look almost normal in the morning, then the fluid comes back to the jaw as the day progresses due to the animal keeping its head down while it grazes.

Milk goiter is no big deal. Bottle jaw is an emergency. If jaw swelling happens to one of your goat kids and you aren't sure which condition is causing the swelling, a fecal can tell you if there is a parasite overload. You can also check eye membranes for color. Bright pink is great, dull pink is so-so, and gray means dangerously anemic.

Turkeys...Something to Think About.

You have a homestead. Got the chickens, the bees, maybe some goats and a nice garden. And now, you are thinking about getting some turkeys, maybe a heritage breed.

Here are some things to consider...the negative parts.

#1 Turkeys can be mean, especially the males. If you have children who will be taking care of the birds, make sure your turkeys are not aggressive toward people. When I was a child, I had to feed the turkeys, and went into the pen carrying a pole to keep the male turkey from attacking me. And, several years ago, the last set of turkeys we had here at our homestead included a tom that had a thing for viciously attacking blue feed bags. Not such a great situation if you happened to be holding one of the 'blue enemies'!

#2 Turkeys eat A LOT of food! A lotta lot. They can forage if you choose to free range, and that will help. They also poop a lot, and that can make a mess.

#3 If you get one turkey and keep it with the chickens, it won't know it is a turkey, and a male may claim the chickens for his own. This can be a problem during breeding season, as a turkey is A LOT bigger than the chicken hens. Some friends of ours lost their favorite chicken hen when their tom turkey bred her to death. And...he was a heritage breed, a Bourbon Red. I have also heard that turkeys kept with chickens are more prone to disease, though I have not seen this first hand.

#4 Turkey eggs can be difficult to hatch. The heritage breeds seem to be ok at it, but watch that momma turkey! She can get crabby, possessive, and mean about her nest and poults! In an incubator, hatch rates weren't so great for me.

These are some things to consider before deciding to keep turkeys. They are beautiful birds, and taste wonderful. But, they do require significantly more room and more feed, and are a little more difficult to keep than chickens. The sight of a turkey taking a dust bath is pretty amazing! Just make sure before you bring them home, you really are ready and know what to expect.

And...I will also add. You can't cook a heritage breed turkey the same as a store bought one. Heritage breeds require a lower temp, and a slow, long roasting process. Then...it will be one of the best turkeys you have ever eaten!

What Honeybees and Yellow Jackets Eat

Here is a simplified article on what honeybees and yellow jackets eat, and why.

When they are young, they eat protein, and when they are mature, they eat sweet stuff. The end. Just kidding! I mean...they really do, but I will give a few more details as to why.

When larvae of either honeybees or yellow jackets are developing, they are fed a diet rich in protein. This is so they can grow properly. Other things are mixed in what they are fed, but their diet is definitely protein-heavy during the larval stage and young adult stage. For honeybee larvae and young honey bees, the protein source is pollen. Pollen is very protein rich! The worker bees collect it and bring it to the hive. For yellow jacket larvae and young yellow jackets, their protein sources are insects and scavenged meat that the adult yellow jackets bring back to the nest. So...if you have ever been trying to clean a fish or had meat outside for some reason and found that it attracted yellow jackets by the droves, now you know why. They had a nest nearby and were feeding baby yellow jackets.

Mature yellow jackets and honeybees primarily eat sweet stuff. Mature honeybees eat mostly honey and nectar. Yellow jackets, on the other hand...it depends on the time of year where they get their sugar fix! When the yellow jacket hive has larvae and young yellow jackets, the mature wasps bring the young ones protein. But, the mature yellow jackets do not forage for the sugars they need to survive, because they have a source right there in the nest. The immature yellow jackets produce a sweet substance that the adults eat. So, when the nest has a decent larvae and young yellow jacket population, the adults generally only scavenge for protein. However, later in the year when the queen stops laying eggs, the mature yellow jackets suddenly lose their source of food. Then, they turn to scavenging sugar sources in order to survive. They will go after anything sweet...soda, juice, ripe fruit, etc. They can become a real nuisance in the fall when they want their sugar fix, kind of like someone who abruptly stops their Atkin's diet!

Fall-time is also the time of year when honeybee keepers must keep a close watch on weak hives, as they could get overrun by aggressive yellow jackets raiding the honey. Not a good situation, but may be helped by adding a hive entrance reducer so the honeybees don't have to protect such a large entry area.

Is it Real Honey?

Twice in less than a week, people have brought up to me that some of what is being sold in stores that looks like honey...isn't honey! Or, it isn't pure honey.

A friend of mine was telling me how she was in a store not too long ago, and saw a young mother buying a little plastic honey bear filled with what appeared to be honey. My friend thought the price was really low, and when she read the ingredients, it was mostly high fructose corn syrup, and the last ingredient was honey. No wonder the price was low! She asked the young mother if she thought that she was buying honey, and the lady said "Yes." My friend told her to read the ingredients.

I am surprised that some unscrupulous people would sell counterfeit honey, but I guess I shouldn't be surprised. Very tricky to put it in a bottle that has always indicated the contents are pure honey! Either they don't realize there is a huge difference between the sweet syrups...or they don't care. Anything to make money. At least they are labeling it accurately, I suppose.

The best honey you can buy will come from a local farm that harvests the honey from their own hives, filters it, and then sells it raw. Or, just sells it in the comb. Hard to counterfeit that! The price is worth it.

Recycling Fishing Line

I debated writing this blog. Still not sure I will post it, but if you are reading this, I guess I decided to go through with it.

Like many homesteaders, I really enjoy fishing, but there is a responsibility that must be addressed...what to do with old fishing line. Throwing it on the ground is unthinkable, but I have seen wads of the stuff on the ground and thrown in bushes. If I am in a position to do so, I grab the line and stick it in my pocket so it can't entangle an animal...and because whenever I go somewhere, I try to pick up a piece of trash to leave the place a little better than when I got there.

Throwing old line in the trash could also cause problems for critters later on, unless you shred it. There is one other better option, though. You can find a place to recycle it! There are places that sell fishing equipment that also have monofilament recycling stations. Our local Extension Office also has a monofilament fishing line recycling box, and when it gets full, they send to a place that melts it down into plastic planks that fit together to make fish safety habitats.

The Extension office also built nifty recycling bins out of PVC pipes to install at various popular fishing places, so people would have a readily accessible place to put their used fishing line. The bins are clearly labelled and put it obvious locations in parks, on docks, etc. My family volunteered to monitor and empty one recycling bin that is located not too far from out house. We enjoy doing it! The first reason is because it helps keep fishing places free from fishing line litter.

Ok...so are you wondering what the big deal is yet about why I debated writing this post? Well...its because of the other reason why we enjoy emptying the fishing line bin. Its because...people throw lures, sinkers, bobbers and hooks in along with their fishing line! Its great! We put this stuff right in our tackle boxes...free fishing gear! How cool is that? Sometimes there is other trash in there, too, and we just sort it out into piles of usables, recyclables, and trash. Don't tell, ok? Its a secret. But you can see about setting up a fishing line recycling bin at your neighborhood fishing hot spot, and fish for free fishing gear!

Acorn Meanderings

I know these posts are supposed to be on things I have done, experienced, or have knowledge on, but today is something I only have observed, am thinking about, and need to research further. And I invite you to do the same.

Acorns. I live in an area of the United States blessed with many, many oak trees, and right now, acorns are EVERYWHERE. I hear them falling on my house, I step on them on my driveway, I run over them on the road and in parking lots. Even at church, there are acorns all over the playground! I pull tiny oak trees out of my garden year round. At my husband's place of employment, there are thousands laying on the ground.

To the native Americans, these little oak nuts were used as the 'staff of life'. Did Europeans use them throughout the centuries as a source of food? I don't know. I do know acorn flour can be found in some Oriental food markets...mostly Korean, I think. Not sure about that.

I have never been in a place where acorns were not plentiful in the fall. All different sizes and various shapes. Ten years ago I walked in the park beside the Saint Louis Arch, and found the biggest acorns I have ever seen in my life. Some were almost the size of golf balls...they were amazing! And a couple weeks ago I held a small new acorn in my hand from my church's playground. It was smooth and beautiful, bright green seamlessly merging into lily-white, and so round it looked like a little marble. I carried it in my pocket most of the day, to touch and look at it, like a little jewel.

Acorns. They are everywhere, but mostly ignored. I know they are very high in fat and protein. I love they way they smell, but the tannic acid gives them a bitter taste. I know it can be leached out, but never could find a practical way to do it. Now I am wondering if I could mix it in with whole wheat flour and maybe it would taste ok. They are definitely nutritious! Maybe God put the tannic acid in them to make most people ignore them when times were ok. Acorns aren't commercially important, and because of that...as far as I know, anyway... they are untainted by 'modern technology', and non-GMO. They are readily available to many people to eat, being easy to gather and pretty easy to crack and eat. In times of true need, they will be there for those who recognize their value. I wonder if they were eaten during the Great Depression? I don't know.

As far as livestock is concerned, in the back of my mind it seems that there are cautions given regarding letting the animals eat too many of them. I can't say I even remember for certain what the caution was regarding, though it may have been due to either the high tannic acid causing problems, or maybe so much fat and protein that caused bloat or some other chemical imbalance. I don't know. I do know that two of my friends have oak trees and their goats eat the acorns that fall in the pasture every year with no ill effects other than the goats gain weight. I am thinking that should hard times ever arise, I would definitely supplement my goats, sheep, and hogs (when I have them) with acorns. Deer, squirrels, and wild hogs know all about acorns being a great, nutritious food source!

Many acorns seem to have a small worm inside them, so I don't know about long term storage. Maybe roasting or freezing them? Another thing I just don't know!

So...acorns will be on my mind all day, and I plan to research them further. If I find out something or do something interesting with them, I will let you know. And, if this blog post has piqued your interest...I hope that you do some research for yourself about these valuable yet neglected treasures.

Meatballs and Homemade Spaghetti For Dinner

So I have this new piece of stoneware that I'm not sure how to use. I thought about this a good bit yesterday and decided to use it for meatballs since my mom gave us some ground beef. All day long, I kept thinking about homemade meatballs and spaghetti for dinner. Finally, around 4:00 pm I started to make my meatballs.

I put in one fresh farm egg; fresh rolled organic oats; pizza seasoning and then the ground beef. I mixed well with my hands and then rolled out meatballs about one inch in diameter. I placed 12 of them in my small ridged baker and baked for 30 minutes at 375. Now I know that I could have put them in the microwave and they would have been done in 12 minutes, but that is not my style of cooking. At 4:45, I loaded my second set into the oven and decided to think about noodles.

I asked JAB if we still had two packages of spaghetti noodles in the pantry. To my disappointment, he replied no.

Oh boy! What am I going to do for dinner? I have 24 meatballs almost done and another six ready to go into the oven and I have no noodles! Not good since we live 30 minutes from a store.

I have my manual pasta maker, but I really did not want to go to that much trouble. As I pondered this problem, I realized that my DLX has a pasta attachment that I have never used. I located all of the parts which also included a recipe that was just a little different than the one for my manual pasta maker. This recipe was 500 grams (by weight) of durum flour, 5 eggs and 3 teaspoons oil. I used extra light olive oil. All I had to do was put these ingredients in my bowl and turn the DLX on high for about three to five minutes. I had a dough ball formed. I then removed the bowl from the base and attached the pasta attachment. Next, I put the dough into the machine one small ball at a time. Each ball was egg shaped and about 3/4 inch by 1.5 inch. With one recipe, we ended up with enough spaghetti to feed my family of seven and we had just a little left over for the dogs.

To cook the noodles, I cut them to the length that I wanted and put them in a pot of boiling water with just a touch of EVOO. I boiled them uncovered for 15 minutes. Once they were strained, I served them with the appropriate number of meatballs for each person and sauce and everyone had a great tasting and nutritious dinner. And yes, each member of my family really liked the noodles!

If you have questions about how to make your own pasta, just ask!

Happy Cooking!

Spinning Demo Today!

Today I did a demo at a local museum festival with my spinning wheel from 9 am until about 4 pm. A long but good day. I have learned a few things over the years to help things go more smoothly.

Most important, be ready for the children with less than optimal impulse control and their slow reacting parents. I have a traditional Ashford spinning wheel, and to little ones, my spinning wheel looks like a ship's steering wheel and car gas pedal rolled into one. Some children would LOVE to get their hands and feet involved in every way they can. Unfortunately, they can...and sometimes do...break something in a short amount of time, usually the connecting leather between the foot pedal and rod that makes the wheel spin. I always carry a screw driver to festivals so I can make the repair needed to keep on spinning.

However...prevention is the best method. To head these children off at the pass, I always set up a nice little display of if projects I have knitted, felted, and woven from wool...and I put these items right in front of the wheel, on a nice piece of red plaid. This makes an effective barrier that few few children will walk over to touch my wheel.

Most children are fine, however. They are fascinated by the spinning process. Women enjoy watching me spin and looking at the things I have made. Men are most interested in understanding the mechanics behind the spinning wheel.

I spin in demos so people can see a spinning wheel in action. I am not sure how many people...even elderly folks...have come up to me and said "I have never seen anyone use a spinning wheel before!" Hearing that makes me happy, but a little sad too, and it gives me reason to continue spinning.

I get some great questions. My favorite came from a little girl who was looking intently at the wool in my bag. I had told her it had come from a sheep, and she quietly looked for a little while before finally asking me "But where is the sheep's head?"

Inexpensive Web Cam

Web cams are expensive, but there is one easy way to find out who comes calling to your farm at night. Simply clear a small area of plants, rake it smooth, and check it daily for tracks. You can include a little bait if needed. If the dirt gets too dry to hold a print, sprinkle it with some water. You can see what type of animal is roaming around, and the size of it. We have seen possum, raccoon, fox, squirrel, bobcat, wild hog, and deer tracks. And bird tracks...mostly dove. Its neat to know some of that world that we rarely see, but knows all about us!

My Chickweed is Back!

I can't say the thought of colder weather enthralls me, but I AM very happy to see that my chickweed is up and doing well! This is the 'weed' that last spring I was ripping out of my garden, handful after lush handful. What a waste, but I didn't know! This year, things are different. I know it is healthy and nutritious. I know it can be eaten raw or cooked. And, I know that it is DELICIOUS!

Typing 'chickweed' into a search engine brings up all kinds of chickweed pills and seeds and health food stuff. It also brings up numerous pages for killing it in the lawn and garden. Clearly, there are two camps when it comes to chickweed.

It is very important to positively identify anything before trying to eat it. It takes practice, but with time you learn what identifying characteristics to look for, and what sets a particular plant apart from another. The internet is a great source for this info, and there are some really good wild plant identification books out there, such as the Audubon series, and the Peterson Field guides.

I will tell you that chickweed, raw, tastes just like corn silk! I confess I haven't tried it cooked, yet. It has just now started growing nicely and there hasn't been enough to gather for that. I have heard it tastes similar to spinach in flavor, and when I try it, I will let you know how it is. I like cooked spinach, I like raw chickweed...so I suspect I will also really enjoy the cooked chickweed!

Canned Salmon

I have started to be on a bit of a canned salmon kick! I live nowhere near where any salmon run, so I have been buying canned salmon...14.75 oz wild Alaska pink salmon.

Its good stuff. I used to not like it, because it has the skin and bones in it. Finally, I took someone else's advice and just mixed it all up together, and I agree with them...I can't even tell the bones and skin are there. Well...I do remove the vertebra bones. Those just don't mix up well enough to 'disappear'. But, the rest of the bones just finish disintegrating as I mix.

I make the expected salmon patties, but I have included it in Alfredo, and last weekend my son made up a great salmon salad with mayo and homemade sweet relish.

Ingredients are pink salmon, salt. That's it. For a canned product, it appears to be quite nutritious! 80 calories per 1/4 cup, 25% rda of protein, 6% potassium, 10% calcium, 2% iron, and 1 gram of omega-3 per serving.

I have been paying around $2 a can for the pink salmon, 14.75 oz size. The label says '7 servings per container'...but I make about 4 good sized patties from one can.

Ok...another reason why the canned salmon has me a little excited...the expiration dates! This stuff stays in the can for 5 years and it is still ok! The can I have right here beside me expires July 2016. I totally plan to stock up, and rotate out the cans to keep them fresh. In the event of an emergency...bad storm, natural disaster, or who knows what, this is something I definitely want plenty of in the pantry!

Egyptian Walking Onions

These little onions are among the best in garden additions to a homestead! Hardy, prolific, and great tasting...what's not to love?

They are hardy from New England to the Gulf of Mexico...I imagine most places, actually. In my book, 'hardy' means forgiving, but still thriving. It means that the tomatoes and peppers get watered, but I don't even think of watering the onions. And they don't seem to mind!

By prolific, I mean they like to reproduce. They do this in two ways. First off, in either fall or spring, I take the bulb clusters and break them up. Each little bulb will be a whole new cluster of onions by next fall, and should produce anywhere from six to twelve little bulbs, sometimes more. Egyptian Walking Onions also reproduce by flowering and then producing tiny bulbets where the flower was. As the bulbets get bigger, they pull down the stem and plant themselves in the ground...hence the name, 'Walking Onion'.

The green tops or bulbs can be eaten any time. They are great for salads, sandwiches, sushi, omelets, or what have you. Some folks store the onion bulbs inside the house for future use, but I haven't done it. Our winters are mild here, so the onions keep just fine in the garden until I need them.

These onions lend themselves so well to the homesteading lifestyle! If you don't have some already, try to find some and get them in your ground...or even a pot...when possible. If you know me personally and want some of these onions, ask me and I will try to get some to you!

Tick Bite

My father has been outside a lot lately, and it is fall-time...typical tick weather where he lives!! Well, last week he ended up getting bitten by a tick. It was on his forearm, and when my mother went to pull it off, its head remained embedded in his skin. I don't know if they noticed it then or if it was a few days later, but the tell-tale red bull's eye mark of Lyme disease showed up in a circle around the tick bite. My father was at a doctor's office the next morning, where the doctor was able to remove the rest of the tick and gave a my father a hefty dose of antibiotics. Because they caught it early, the doctor was quite confident that the disease was stopped in its tracks and my father would be fine. I am very grateful that my parents did not decide to 'wait it out and see what happens'. Lyme disease is an awful illness, and can cause so many problems...some irreversible... if allowed to run its course.

Please...watch out for ticks, try to prevent the bites, and be on the look out for that bull's eye rash!

Homestead Surprises

There are pros and cons on almost every subject with homesteading and farming.  It almost compares with...you can find anything on the internet. 

Well, today we are talking breeding:  Pros and Cons

There are several ways to manage breedings on your homestead.  You can AI your animals which means you KNOW exactly when the animal is bred.  But then there are concerns with the side effects that can cause on the mother and the off spring.  You can hand breed your animals.  Again, you KNOW the due date IF conception takes place.  The biggest challenge with this method is being sure that your timing is correct.  And then you have the "let the boys live with the girls" option.  This means that nature will take its course and as long as the animals are not sterile, you will one day have a healthy baby born.  And that is the con:  one day.  When the boy lives with the girls, you NEVER know the due date.  You have watch your girls to figure out they are bred and hope you are ready when the baby comes. 

On our homestead, we let the boys run with the girls.  This means we manage three flock of sheep with three rams.  We manage two herds of goats with two bucks.  And we manage one herd of bovine with one bull. 

We don't always keep our bucks with the does.  We do put the boys in with the does around September and they will stay together until December.  This works well and we have a good idea of when the does will freshen.

One of our rams does really well with no girls.  So with Dodge, we put the ewes in when we want them bred.  We normally have them with him for 8 weeks.  We have another ram, Blue, who goes nuts without at least three ewes.  So we keep three ewes with him year around.  And yes, they have to be the same three ewes.  We never know when these ewes are going to lamb although I do keep a close eye on them.  When their udders start to develop and they are getting 'fat', we know they are close, but it is still a surprise when the lambs are born.

Cows are a completely different story.  We have a bull that is half Jersey, a quarter Dexter and a quarter Belted Galloway.  He is a 'cute' little guy.  And he is young.  We have him with our two Jersey Heifers that are large for their breed.   

This past Tuesday, while we were at the vet, we were discussing breeding options for our Jersey cows.  My son kept saying that the cows were going to freshen any day.  But to be perfectly honest, he has been saying that for about five weeks.  I had lost hope and told the vet that point blank.  Yes, I felt sure the cows were not bred and most certainly, they were not due 'any day'.  On Thursday I went to tea with a friend.  While I was at the tea house, the cell phone rang.  It was home.  Since the boys know not to call unless it is important, I answered the phone.  "Any day" arrived!  Yep, our older Jersey cow freshened (gave birth) to a BEAUTIFUL heifer! 

I could not help but laugh.  My smart, homeschooled son, was right on target!  He knew.  And yes, I called the vet and left her a message. 

Since I was not home for this big event, I let my son name the calf.  Her name is Lilly.  Here is her picture.  It is a perfect name for a perfect little heifer!  She gets her color from her daddy!

Were we ready for Lilly?  Not 100%.  That is the bad part of homestead surprises.  I needed calcium for Laurie Belle, but not just any calcium.  Since we had lost one of our lovely Jerseys two years ago to milk fever, I did give the vet a call right away.  The vet had what we needed even though the feed store did not.  I'm blessed with an excellent vet!  Other than the calcium, we were ready.  We picked up the correct feed for Laurie Belle and Jasmine (our other Jersey that is due any day).  We had perennial peanut hay at the farm.  We had Calf Manna here too.  The boys gave Laurie Belle molasses water as an energy treat after giving birth to Lilly.  And we have now wormed Laurie Belle with Eprinox.  Yes, we do fecals and in fact, Laurie Belle's was negative, but the stress of birth and nursing normally brings worms on and since we can't drink her milk for several days due to the colostrum, it is a good time to worm her. 

We have an appointment for the vet to test both cows for diseases that can be passed on to people through the milk and we are done.  Everything has been done that needs to be done and we are well on our way of having fresh milk on the farm again for the next year.  Fresh milk from our naturally fed Jerseys.  Life is GOOD!

Mushroom Hunting With Wisdom

Mushrooms fascinate me. Their amazing array of colors, shapes and textures entice me to stop me in my tracks so I can check out the abrupt yet welcome change to the landscape .When I was younger, I used to go hunting for edible mushrooms, and ate some of them. There was a bolete that grew in Maine that was sort of ok, but had a weird funky taste/smell to it, and I have also eaten puffballs, but they never quite agreed with me. Once I had children, I stopped eating wild mushrooms because I was a little nervous and figured that if I really screwed up and ate the wrong one, my children would suffer the most. I had the books, and want to, but I was lacking one thing that I wanted and needed most of all to continue mushroom hunting. I needed someone with experience to show me what was ok to eat, and just as important, to show me which mushrooms definitely were NOT ok to eat! I was never interested in any mushrooms that alter mental perceptions...the way I look at it, reality is weird enough and hard enough to understand without throwing in intoxicated hallucinations!

My children are older now, and if I could find someone to teach me about local mushrooms, I would probably begin eating them again. I would need to brush up on my basic knowledge first however. If you are interested in learning about mushrooms, I suggest you start educating yourself first about their structures/part names, such as gill types, veils, cups, and eggs. It is also good to know which season particular mushrooms tend to appear. It is helpful to learn where different mushrooms grow. Some prefer growing in rotting wood, some like forest floors, some open lawn...and quite a few enjoy my manure pile!

I don't think mushrooms need to be feared, unless that fear is synonymous with respect. Very few mushrooms are toxic enough to kill, but they definitely are out there. I have some death caps that grow fifty feet from my house, and I would die if I ate them, no question about it! Its all about education. I have wood stain in my garage and soy sauce in my refrigerator...and though they look very similar, I have been taught since I was a child which one was poisonous, and which one goes well on rice. I know the difference from their smell, location, and containers. Learning about mushrooms is much the same process. I will leave you with a saying that was passed onto me by another person who also was wanting to learn about eating wild mushrooms-

There are old mushroom hunters,

there are bold mushroom hunters,

But there are no old, bold mushroom hunters!

Free Antivirus Software for the Homesteader, or Whoever

Ok! Did you know that there are OVER one million viruses that can infect Microsoft Windows if a computer is left unprotected? Computer viruses can enter a computer in many different ways...while a person is visiting web sites, downloading games (and photos, ebooks, word documents, powerpoints, plugins, and updates) or ringtones or smiley faces or what-have-you, or in unsolicited email (spam) or in an e-mail from your favorite aunt who happens to have an infected computer! Viruses can damage a computer right away, or sit quietly for a while and activate later. They can also simply sit and record key strokes as you type, sending personal information and passwords to the writer of the virus. Viruses can also tell you that your computer is infected and you have to download a certain program to fix it! And the download is actually...a doozy of a virus. The list goes on and on, and prevention is the best key!

I have consulted with with my panel of computer experts (ok...it was only my teenage son) and these are the top three free online antivirus programs that he recommends. He asked me how many he could recommend before it was too many, and coming from him, that statement scared me. It was probably a big number, and that would be A LOT of typing! So...I decided to limit him to three.

#1 Avast This is the one he has loaded on my computer, and I haven't gotten any viruses, so...it works!

#2 Comodo Antivirus 5

#3 Malwarebytes' Anti-Malware

Ok...just click on the blue highlighted word and it will bring you to that antivirus website where you can download the software. ( You do realize it was my son who managed to do the spiffy blue word hot link thing...I would have just cut and pasted the URL) With all of these sites, there are downloadable anti-virus software that you can pay for, but if you want the free version, click on that instead. The one that costs money is better, but the free version will give you pretty good protection. Now...things can change as time marches on, and I am saying that this info is current as of today, October 28, 2011.