Cooking on a Woodstove

I recently visited a friend of mine in Louisiana.  She is a true homesteader and a GREAT friend!  I asked her about her woodstove that appeared to be well used.  She laughed and assured me that it worked well.  Then, since it was a nice cold, January day, she showed me how to work it!

The first thing that you will notice is that it is up high.  She said she got tired of always leaning over so she had her husband put it up on blocks.  What a GREAT idea!

Notice that it has been elevated so one does not have to bend over to use.

 The first thing she did was get some wood split to put in the stove.  She had lots of wood handy as that is how they heat their lovely home.

Splitting wood

 Then add the wood to the stove with a little newspaper.

Remove the burners and add the wood from the top.

 Next you need to put the burners back in place.

Place the burners back where they belong

 Light the fire...this is really easy guys!

Light the fire.

 Now you have to wait for the stove to get hot.  Really, it did not take that long at all. 

The biscuits were cooked on the gas stove.  We are waiting for the fire to get hot.

 

Eggs cooked on cast iron with a wood stove:  YUM!

 And there you have it!  A wonderful breakfast cooked in a very little amount of time using cast iron cookware and a well loved woodstove.  Yes, everything tastes better cooked on a woodstove!

Upgrade To the Birthing Kit

Ok...the basic birth kit is for when everything goes as it normally does! Sometimes, however, things go wrong. I have already written about my favorite book for newbies to read if they plan on getting livestock, and that book is 'All Creatures Great and Small' by James Herriot. I learned a lot from the book about general birthing problems that I still remember and apply today!
So...the first additions to the birthing kit are latex rubber gloves and a tube of lubricant, such as K-Y jelly. These are for if a baby gets stuck inside during the birth process and you need to go in after it. Make sure your hands and arm as clean as possible first! The gloves are not sterile, and are mostly for protecting the inside of the animal from your fingernails. This is especially important if you have long, rough nails or dirt under your nails.
Now...if you just stay in the vaginal canal, you don't have to treat the goat with antibiotics. If you enter the uterus, it is a very good idea to administer penicillin in case you accidentally introduced any harmful bacteria.
Therefore, the next part of your birthing kit includes 20 gauge needles, 6 ml syringes, and a bottle of penicillin. The penicillin will need to stay in your refrigerator, but is still a part of your kit!

The Very Basic Essentials for a Lambing/Kidding Kit

Its that time of year...lambs and kids are arriving! Be ready, NOW. Do NOT be rushing around trying to assemble what you need when your doe or ewe has begun to push.
The very most basic kit is very simple. Though there are many thing you should...and ought to include, these are the bare necessities.
#1 Towels- These are for helping to clean up and dry off the new baby, starting with the head. The stimulation of being vigorously rubbed is good for the babies! The towels also give you something help grip slippery feet and legs if you need to assist with the birth. Fold a towel like a pot holder over the legs, and pull. The towels are also good for setting the new baby on to keep them off the dirt for a bit, or cover up a cold baby, or for the midwife to sit on!

#2 Nasal Aspirator/bulb syringe. Not to be gross, but we call these 'snot suckers'...its what they do! They are used to help clear the mucus and birth fluids from a newborn's nose and throat. I use the ones I got from the hospital when my human children were born. They have a much longer tip that can reach where it needs to! Most of the ones sold in the baby section of stores are quite inadequate. Instead, go the the pharmacy section and look for an ear syringe. MUCH better!

#3 Iodine in a medicine bottle, and sharp scissors. This is for trimming the umbilical cord to 2 or 3 inches, then dipping the cord in iodine as a preventative for infection.

This is the most basic of basic kits, and should ALWAYS be ready before kidding/lambing season starts. Do not raid this bag of its scissors or towels because they are needed elsewhere and 'you will put them right back'...once is it ready to go, consider the bag in another dimension and DON'T TOUCH IT until a doe or ewe is in labor! I said so and I mean it!! :)