New Pigs on the Block and other Pics

 

Apparently, pigs have a similar sleep schedule to teenage boys.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The chicken saw me and assumed I was bringing milk.  Sorry.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Wilbur decided to see what the hubbub was about.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sooty wasn't leaving the nest.

Drought Recovery

Before and after...2 strands of 12.5 gauge electric make all the difference.

Close up of already grazed paddock

This past summer was the worst drought I have ever experienced.  Everything was crisp come August with no end in sight.  The yet to be grazed grass was simply taller and brown vs. short and crunchy.  Learning from my experiences from a previous (yet mild in comparison) drought, we secured an extra load of hay and pulled the animals off pasture.

We also felled small diameter trees for supplementation, winter's heat and to open up too crowded canopies.  Crooked trees aren't pretty, are useless for lumber, and are more likely to land on my fence in a wind storm. They burn just fine and are just as tasty as straight ones to the goats and cows.

Thank you Lord for the rain!  We've been able to slowly bring sections back into the grazing plan.

The pictures above are from today...2 weeks after the animals were pulled off from this particular section.  You can see the difference in length in the 2 sections....and the density.  I was shocked actually.  I have been checking this paddock's progress almost daily...but from the side.  I have never seen such a weak stand....on my land.  The grass has grown back to 6-7 inches, but it's so thin.  I was reminded that a pasture walk is essential for good grass management and that means actually walking IN the pasture, not just looking at it.

Bottom land soil

This is a picture of a different section.  This is the difference in upland soil vs bottom land soil and previous grass management. This is todays food on the left and yesterday's food on the right.  The already grazed section is still significantly denser than the other paddock.  We have been subdividing and RESTING this paddock for a few years now.  Each year we are able to graze  more "cow days" off of it than previous seasons.  The other paddock is newly created in comparison and used to more of a continuous grazing pattern.  This paddock is a little over 2 acres and used to do about 3 days at a time, 2 to 3 times per year.  We just got 2 weeks off of it after 2 previous rotations this season, drought included.  If the weather cooperates, I might get one more...or early grazing come next year.

By the way, the bottom land paddock USED to look like the upland paddock close up years ago, but not as much grass and a lot more weeds. I didn't plant anything, just changed it's management.

Barn Hop 
Simple Lives Thursday

Bringing in the New Year with Goat Babies!

Sera and her kids resting after a fueling.  The buck is cream color and the doeling is black, white and tan.

Close up of  the sleeping doeling...flashy!

Sera in "search and destroy" mode...
A newly freshened animal can be 
quite vicious.  
Cats, dogs and chickens beware!

Simple Lives Thursday

Kidding Season has ARRIVED!

Born Monday December 12th, 2011

Opal is licking her lips after slurping up a bucket of hot molasses water with salt and ACV added.  Her daughter was looking for the spigot, but got distracted by a chicken.

Queen of the Pallet!  This doeling knows she's "ALL THAT"  and is stomping her foot at the chicken.


Simple Lives Thursday
Barn Hop

Cranberry Coconut Stew with Beef

Cranberry Coconut Stew with Beef  (8+ servings)
(fits a 4 quart slow cooker)

2 lbs Homegrown, grass fed beef, cubed 
1 package OG frozen Cranberries 
1 can Pineapple with juice
1 can Golden Star Coconut milk (no stabilizers or fillers)
8-10 TBS Beef Gelatin
8-10 TBS Cane sugar with Cream of tartar
Salt to taste 
1-2 TBS Green Thai Curry paste (optional)
1 Onion, sliced (optional)

I had asked for some GOAT stew meat to be brought up from the freezer...I guess the lighting was poor or something.  I prefer to use organic cranberries because the non organic I can get locally have all had an unpleasant bitterness I don't care for.  The price isn't much different because I buy them AFTER season and hoard.

I layered the beef on the bottom of the slow cooker, with the cranberries filling in around the still frozen blocks.  I mixed the dry ingredients together first, then sprinkled over the top.  The canned items were added next, with the curry paste and onion being an after thought.  I like the balance of sweet and tart and found that the salt counter balanced the sour as well.

There's enough acid in the broth that the gelatin stays fairly liquid even in the fridge.  Leftovers pour out of the jar instead of having to be carved out.

Food and Health Carnival 
Alimentary Tuesdays Carnival

Goat and Coconut Peach Stew

Layer in a crock pot: (recipe fits a 4 quart size)

Goat "stew" meat (approx 1 lb, mine was still frozen)
A can of sliced peaches (use commercial or home canned, avoid HFCS)
2 cans coconut milk (Golden Star has NO stabilizers or added gums.)
4-6 TBS unflavored gelatin
A few TBS Cane Sugar and Cream of tartar mix
A few TBS of vinegar ( I used rice)
Salt to taste
A dash of cinnamon
A dash of red pepper flakes
Sweet Potatoes (Cubed, optional) ****

Set crock pot to low and cook for hours on end....about 12 hours.

I set if before going to bed and enjoyed a nice, hot and hearty meal for breakfast.  I would have had a pot of rice already made too, but I couldn't find the rice cooker.




****I found a bag of frozen sweet potatoes in the bottom of the freezer drawer. I don't really recommend them, they are a bit of a disappointment compared to ones you cook yourself.  They almost totally dissolved in the broth, making for a nice color, but I don't think I would even know they were in there if I hadn't put them in myself.

Friday Potluck

Blog Background Design Update

I added one of my own pictures as the background.  It's Bunny's first day (as in Energizer Bunny)...she's a few hours old in that photo, I think.
What do you think of it as the background?  Is the writing legible still?  More so? Less?

Here she is again, in case you can't see the background......

 Just for added cuteness.....

Slow Roasted Goat Ribs with Black Raspberry BBQ Sauce

Forage Fed Goat Ribs and Home made Cottage Fries

1.  Bring a rack of ribs up to room temperature.
2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
3. Slice a fresh clove of garlic and wipe cut side all over ribs.  You may cook the garlic slices in slits in the fat if desired.
4. Place ribs on rack in a broiler pan or other open pan.
5. Immediately turn down oven temp to around 150-175 degrees F and cook for 30 minutes per pound.

While the ribs are cooking, prepare the sauce.




Black Raspberry BBQ Sauce
10 oz black raspberry preserves
10 oz vinegar (Apple Cider, Wine, etc.)
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup unflavored beef gelatin
1/2 cup cane sugar/cream of tartar mix
1-2 TBS unrefined sea salt
1 TBS lemon thyme (optional)
1-2 TBS red pepper flakes (optional)

Mix the ingredients together and heat low and slow, stirring occasionally.  When the ribs are done, slice between the ribs into appropriate serving sizes and drizzle with sauce.

We had to hose ourselves down after our meal...but it was worth it!

Update: Ketchup Boy has been using the leftover sauce to pour over his fries on a regular basis now...it MUST be good. ;)

Monday Mania 
Hearth and Soul Hop 
Tuesday Twister 
Real Food Wednesday
Gluten Free Wednesday
Simple Lives Thursday 
Pennywise Platter Thursday 
Full Plate Thursday
Star Recipe Collection