Coop Du Jour...

My boy, his bride and their sprout recently moved to a new house. I think one of the biggest selling points of this new house was the awesome backyard. By awesome I mean there was room for some chicken rearing!
My boy is a really great cook and it's important to him to feed his family quality vittles. He has been enjoying our urban farm fresh eggs for the last few years and now it's time for him to produce some of his own!
Living in the middle of the city he will only be able to raise 3 or 4 chickens. He was hunting for the perfect chicken coop, something affordable, handsome and functional.
Hubs, the boys dad, is always on the lookout for a bargain. Well, not just a bargain, but for something sort of cool that can be up cycled into something really cool.
Chicken coops are becoming so popular that there are many ways to obtain one. Some are really awesome and clever. I love the ingenuity of people! Some aren't so awesome, but still functional and better than nothing! I say whatever works if it gets you raising some chickens! Many chicken coops are now available that are imported and in my opinion they aren't that great. They are affordable and cute and do the job, but they aren't the most sturdy and really only accommodate a chicken or two. They are a bit flimsy for our winters and for keeping out those pesky predators.
Hubs was perusing the local classifieds and happened upon one such coop. This person was selling his coop after a neighbor dog knocked it over and ate all his chickens! Now,  me personally? I would have gotten myself some new chickens! As I said, I don't particularly care for these coops for this very reason. But, Hubs got a screaming deal on this one owner coop and decided a little up cycling was in order.

First, he decided to sturdy it all up and add on a new "wing" ;) This is the beginning...

He followed the original roof line when he added the addition.

He added a back door to the new side so that you can set up the feeder and watering system and have access to clean out the coop.

The new green metal roof. Not only attractive but will keep the snow off this winter.

See! It's twice the size of the original, completely reinforced and pretty sweet looking to boot!

The rivets look hip and sleek! You know, it's very important that a chicken coop is hip and sleek!

It retained its cutesy factor from the original coop as well.

Lots of room for 3 or 4 hens now...

Hubs always likes to add some natural branches. The chickens love roosting on these.

The new roofing material on the egg box as well.

I know I went crazy with all these pictures, but, can you blame me?

This coop should have a new home by this weekend in my boys' backyard. The new feathered occupants won't be far behind!

A Perfect World...

My epiphany continued through the summer of 2009...yeah, I think it was meant to be! Coinciding with my reading and research on clean food and healthy eating we were packing our bags for a trip to the back roads of Europe!
We were headed to a wedding celebration for my son and his new bride. We were invited by my new daughter-in-laws' family to spend some time in her "motherland". It was going to be quite a wonderful and unexpected adventure.
At first, I thought the outrageously good food was just because we were on vacation and the excitement just made everything taste better. But, day after day and meal after meal I realized that wasn't completely true. The food tasted better because it WAS better! It was REAL food! It was fresh and seasonal and picked or sourced the day we were eating it. There were no GMO crops and no HFCS allowed in the countries we visited. Food is important to the European countries and they take it seriously! They demand better and understand the importance of real food. Not just for the sake of good health, but they understand the pleasure aspect as well. Fast food is a weird concept. (Yes, I know there is a KFC or McDonald's in almost every place on the planet)...but, it isn't just about getting crappy food and eating it quickly. Europeans know how to enjoy a long, leisurely meal. It was a completely 'foreign" concept to us! We were used to a quickly picked up or prepared meal consumed in record breaking time! No so in Europe! We had to switch gears big time! It was a learning curve...a lovely, leisurely learning curve. Coffee breaks that lasted an hour or so, lunches that went on and on and dinners that lasted well into bedtime!
One day we just wandered down to the open air market and picked up freshly baked bread, berries and currents right from the bushel basket, real cheeses with lovely bacteria and enzymes and a light and fruity bottle of wine. We wandered to a park whose history was much older than me or any of my dearly departed relatives and plopped down on the grass. We broke into that crusty, aromatic bread and ate berries and cheeses with just our fingers. We drank wine from paper cups. We visited and chatted and laughed and shared stories. Ahhh....lovely!
Every meal we had on our journey was amazing. Yes, EVERY meal was exceptional. From the early morning freshly baked croissants filled with hazelnut and chocolate to the lunch on a river eating freshly cooked frogs from said river...everything was at the peak of freshness. ( I felt a little bit like Anthony Bourdain ;))
One meal was especially memorable and life changing for me...we were invited to lunch in the backyard of a lovely family in a small distant town. We walked down a dusty path with chickens and goats roaming the tiny neighborhood. The backdrop was stunning. A huge mountain range bordered the small town and cooled the hot summer temperatures.
We walked through a gated yard and entered the most idyllic yard I've ever seen. It was lush and green and full of fruit bearing trees and vines. It had a garden that was buzzing with bees and other insects. A long table was set up on the grass and protected by umbrellas. There was an unbelievable outdoor kitchen fully equipped and covered above with a roof top garden. Our hosts were busy preparing our meal when we arrived. Plates and plates of food kept arriving at the table. Each dish as enticing and beautiful as the next.

The entrance to the outdoor kitchen...I'm pretty sure that huge red barrel was filled with red wine...no lie!

 This hearty cornbreadish dish was served at almost every meal. It was a little bit different everywhere it was served but always delicious.

Seriously...when was the last time your lunch looked like this?

Notice the pitchers of red wine? I don't believe I ever saw a wine bottle...remember the big red drum???

I think this guy was roaming the neighborhood the day before! Any guesses? (I am confessing...I had no idea until I was told, I don't see this in the local supermarket!)...it's a GOAT...we were treated like royalty at this lunch!

Almost every meal looked like this on our adventure! Bonus...each meal lasted about 3 hours...how can you NOT relax and enjoy yourself. It's not just the quality of this food but it's also the relaxation factor.
The epitome of healing in my humble opinion!
And, it just got more and more amazing...Our gracious hostess just walked into her fragrant, ripe garden and kept bringing us more decadent treats...

They don't grow like this in my world!

 Um...fresh ripe pears?!? Yes, please...

and...drum roll...

Hazelnuts!!! Are you kidding me??? We ate them right off the tree!!!
Yup...my world was forever changed...I was changed! I wanted this quality of food going forward. I don't know that I will ever be able to completely replicate this, but I'm sure going to do my best!

Epiphany...

It was the summer of 2009. For a few months I had been reading and researching our food system. I guess maybe I started in hopes of losing a few pounds...(again!) Or maybe it was just one of those random journeys life has a way of taking you on.
It was around that time I was reading more and more on the Internet about the adverse effects of our food system. The epidemic of Type II Diabetes, obesity and heart disease were in the news daily. I wondered what was broken and why this was becoming so rampant.
Sure, people are way too stressed and they don't exercise enough, but there had to be more to this ever growing and widening story. (pun intended :))
I started to research the ridiculous low fat 80's! Yeah, I bought into it! I also bought my fair share of Snackwell's during that decade. I drank my diet coke and ate my Hamburger Helper. I can't say I'm proud of that era. I can say that I didn't know any better! Do I think the Western food system is a big ole conspiracy??? Yep, pretty much.
Hormones and antibiotics in our meat and dairy? Check...GMO's and high fructose corn syrup in  everything we consume? Check...Sad, sick animals living miserable lives and emitting stress hormones like crazy? Check...Boxes and boxes and bags and bags of fake food filling the grocery shelves? Check...Feeding our future generation "pink slime"? Check... I didn't know in the 80's and 90's or even the early 2000's. Now I know! And, now we can ALL know! Facts at our fingertips people!!!
There is so much information available now that I don't feel the need to list a bunch of links. It's easy to find and read and digest. Yup, I saw Food, Inc., I saw the movie, "Fresh", I've read most of Michael Pollan's books. Do I believe all that stuff??? Yes siree! I do...
Was it easy for me to switch gears and map out a new way of eating and living? Well...surprisingly it WAS! That doesn't mean there isn't a huge learning curve, it doesn't mean it's always easy to re-work your personal food system...what it means to me is that I don't want to eat fake, crappy food anymore! And, that's what makes it easy for me. That is the motivation for me and my family. We deserve better! You deserve better! (Well, the poor feedlot animals deserve better, too...)
What have I found along the way? FUN!!! Yup...you read that correctly! It has been fun. It's been exciting, never boring healthy fresh fun. My brain is stimulated and always searching for more answers, my creative thinking is in overload, my ideas never stop coming. And, you know what?  BONUS...I did lose a few pounds and I got stronger and healthier and happier.
That summer four years ago, I picked up a book by my favorite contemporary author, Barbara Kingsolver. I'm always on the hunt for her latest books. What I didn't know was how life changing her latest read would be for me.

No, I'm serious! It really did change my life! If you haven't read this book, run, don't walk, to your nearest library or bookstore! (I kind of want to be Barbara Kingsolver when I grow up)...
I am also going to go ahead and post one link, the link to her website about this book. I still really love looking at the slide shows and re-visiting her stories! Also...she has some awesome recipes on this website...

http://animalvegetablemiracle.com/

Some Like It Hot!

I don't know about you, but it's been real hot in my neck of the woods! I mean seriously, oppressively, miserably hot. We are in our 8th week of temperatures hovering around the 100 degree Fahrenheit mark. Now, don't get me wrong...I'm actually a big fan of the heat. I love summer passionately...but, even I have my limits! It's just too darn hot! It's the kind of hot that doesn't cool down at night. It's the kind of hot that doesn't allow for sweet smelling summer breezes. It's the kind of hot that keeps the sweat dripping down the back of my neck. Yeah...that kind of hot!
My beverage of choice is water. Cold, cold water. I especially like "sparkling" water, you know, fizzy water. Not much refreshes me like an iced glass of fizzy water with a squeeze of fresh lime. But this brutal heat wave calls for some back ups. Something exotic to take the edge off.
A few years ago I happened to end up in tropical Mexico. Not a bad place to end up! When Hubs and I arrived at our destination we were welcomed with a lovely cold elixir. Iced hibiscus tea. It was tart and tangy and light. It was the most vivid shade of pinky red and made it loud and clear we were going to have a relaxing and refreshing vacation.
A few weeks ago my favorite little quirky cafe concocted a hibiscus tea limeade. Yup, you read that right! I enjoyed a tall glass with my lunch that day and was determined to whip up a batch for myself. I'm not exactly sure how they made their drink special but I'm very happy with what I came up with and it's very similar.
I started with a purchase of loose leaf quality hibiscus tea. I'm happy to make homemade lemonade from time to time, but limeade is a different animal. It takes a whole lotta limes to make limeade. So, I picked up a bottle of organic limeade and thought I'd give it a shot.

It's an interesting looking herbal tea. Large pieces of the dried flower and of course it has no caffeine. I used 4 tablespoons of loose leaf for my pot of tea. I have one of those handy little "Bodum" glass teapots. You know, the kind you load the middle up with loose leaf teas and then fill the pot up with just off the boil water. I let the hibiscus tea steep for about 8 minutes. Longer than I would for most other blends.

Steeping on the window seal. A really great shade of red! After the 8 minutes I poured it into a glass pitcher. It filled my pitcher 1/2 way and then I just filled the rest of the pitcher with the limeade. I liked the ratio of 1/2 and 1/2. It wasn't too sweet and the hibiscus was the dominant and delightful flavor. Of course you could experiment to your own preference.

I garnished with a bit of mint leaf and added a few fresh raspberries.

Isn't that gorgeous! Seriously...it completely lived up to my expectations. It is tart, tangy, crisp and delicious. Lovely to look at to boot! We have been drinking this stuff like crazy in this heat and enjoying every swig.

I was happy to learn of the heart healthy benefits of hibiscus tea as well. It just gets better and better! I think there will be a permanent spot on my shelf for a bag of healthy and healing hibiscus tea!

http://www.webmd.com/heart/news/20081110/hibiscus-tea-may-cut-blood-pressure

Locals only!

I rarely eat out at restaurants anymore. Researching and reading about our broken food system makes it easy for me NOT to eat in chain or fast food restaurants. I don't miss it at all anymore.

It's exciting that there are several locally sourced, mostly organic restaurants opening up in our city. Many are partnering with local farmers and organic farmers for shares of their all natural meats and produce. The quality and freshness of the menus are excellent and often change seasonally. 

Although Hubs and I do most of our eating at home these days, it's nice to have a few "go to" food establishments we can feel good about.

There is a quaint and quirky little cafe I frequent a couple times a month. Their menu consists of a light lunch fare only. They also have an amazing and extensive supply of exotic loose leaf tea blends as well as an enticing coffee menu. They experiment with different combinations and concoctions of these teas and coffees.

A year or so ago their drink special was called the "purple haze". It turned out to be a violet mocha! I was intrigued and ordered this special. Oh my! It was amazing! I order it now on a regular basis and I don't know of any place else in town that makes this delicious combination. I honestly wasn't sure what to expect and thought maybe it would be weird or perfumey tasting. Nope...it was more like a chocolate covered berry. Yum...

Everything on their menu is delicious and I chalk it up to being fresh and clean. I know several local organic farmers supply the greens and veggies used in this cafe. They also have an eclectic menu of daily baked goods. Lavender shortbread, raw chocolate mixed with seeds and nuts and berries, coconut candies, chai tea or matcha muffins. I have never tasted anything in this cafe that wasn't amazing, slightly unusual and totally satisfying. 

I can also tell by eating this food that the owner is passionate about preparing and serving something she is proud of and feels good about!

These are the kinds of places I can comfortably visit on occasion and enjoy my meal out.

A fresh seasonal veggie wrap with homemade hummus and salsa for the chips. It sounds simple, but there is nothing simple about the way it tastes!

A whole grain grilled cheese sandwich with organic and seasonal salad. Served with a homemade cilantro dressing. Nothing ordinary about this at all!

Funky and fabulous beverage! Chocolate mint iced tea. Peppermint tea with a splash of chocolate syrup. Only slightly sweet and tall, cold and surprisingly refreshing.

This menu inspires me and gives me ideas for my own kitchen. Simple, fresh and seasonal, you just can't go wrong!

Got Goat Milk?

Several years ago as I was wandering the large and eclectic downtown farmer's market I was lucky enough to stumble across a tent selling goat milk soap. I had seen other hand crafted soap booths along the way but was drawn to the large size of these soap bars. I wanted to take a closer look.
Inside the booth was a friendly local family that raises a herd of goats. They were down to earth and knowledgeable about their soap and explained how they make it. They also talked about the benefits of using this lovely pure soap and what ingredients they use. There were too many varieties and fragrances to count and each smelled equally delicious!
The family makes this high butter fat goat milk from their Nigerian Dwarf and Sweet Oberhasli breeds.
Each year I pick up several bars when I shop the farmer's market. I end up having to order more during the winter and until the next summer when the market opens again. The fragrances are divine. I recently restocked my apothecary jar with lime sugar, blueberry oatmeal, green tea, coconut cream, etc. I really don't have a favorite as they are all amazing.
I have now been using this soap exclusively for about 4 years on body and face. Before I had dry, sensitive, itchy skin and struggled finding soaps that would work for me. I love the look and feel of these chunky bars and they are quite long lasting. The nice lady that makes them also has some adorable molds. I once ordered a herd of little lambie soaps and gave them as favors at a baby shower. They also sell unscented bars for children.

These are the lovely, chunky bars. No weird or artificial stuff inside these guys!

I keep them in a glass jar in my bathroom.

The soap maker usually adds some fun shaped samples when sending your package of soaps. This gnome's scent is "dragon's blood"...not sure what that is exactly, but he sure smelled nice!

Just because I love this soap so much I am giving you the website!

www.creamerycreek.com

It's the Berries...

Once again our Friday CSA box was full of magic! Apricots, green onions, corn, squashes and RASPBERRIES! I am having a love affair with raspberries this summer. I really want to have enough jam this year to last for a few months. The last raspberries I used were local and I purchased them right off the "fruit" highway, but they weren't organic. Sometimes you have to make concessions.
Well...bonus! The raspberries this week were fresh, local and organic. Woot Woot! They really were lovely and clean and smelled like warm summery perfume. I didn't get enough in the CSA to make a whole batch of jam so I contacted the farmer. I asked him if I could get more of those luscious berries. People...get to know your local farmers!  Make friends with them. Not only do I learn all kinds of helpful stuff from this guy...he hooked me up with more of the berry bounty. Now, I've also learned that the farmer likes good, clean, healthy food, too. Occasionally I will offer him a dozen of our beautiful brown eggs and in turn he will usually throw in a few extra egg plants or a bag of cherries. I like this system and I like sharing what we have to offer with someone that will appreciate and enjoy it the way we do. Friday I took him a bottle of the dandelion flavored vodka I made last fall. I always appreciate his feedback and interest in my offerings. He said he'd never tasted anything like it and wondered if I'd added vanilla. Nope...I didn't. Dandelions just have an amazing flavor unlike anything else. It's hard to describe. It's like sunshine and nectar and it's light and airy. No wonder the bees like them!
Anyway, I went on my way with my box of raspberries and headed home to make jam at the peak of ripeness and freshness.

Really, aren't they amazing?

I wish I could share how they smelled in my kitchen. Intoxicating!

I have decided I like just using berries and sugar for my jam. I seem to have better luck without the pectin. (That's just me, it's perfectly fine to use pectin).

My standard recipe is for most any kind of berry. You know, raspberry, blackberry, strawberry, etc.

6 cups of sugar to 9 cups of berries...how easy is that? No, you can't reduce the amount of sugar. Yes, you need to use cane sugar!

I actually got 8-1/2 pints from this batch and a little bit leftover to top some ice cream. Delish...

When measuring out my 9 cups of berries I ended up with a few extra containers of raspberries. I think my farmer friend threw in a couple extra because he liked the dandelion vodka. See, this was a win win for both of us. I was eyeing my kitchen for ideas for the rest of the berries. I did keep one of the little containers to snack on, but still had a couple more. Hmmmm...I happened to spot that leftover brandy I used for the cherries...the brandy was sitting next to a partial bottle of vodka!

Don't be afraid to experiment! I mean, how can you go wrong with raspberry flavored brandy and raspberry flavored vodka? I muddled the berries with a potato masher gently and divided them between a jar of vodka and a jar of brandy. I did add 1/4 cup of sugar and then stirred it all together. It will now sit in a cool, dark corner for a month or so. I will shake it whenever I think about it. After a month I will taste it and decide if it needs more sugar and if I think it should sit a bit longer. At that point it's just about personal preference. I will strain the mixture using a fine sieve and coffee filters because of the pesky raspberry seeds and bottle it in some pretty little bottles. This kind of stuff makes very popular gifts in case you were wondering!

I have a random assortment of these bale jars. Never know when they'll come in handy!

Our First Home...

I was actually speaking for the chickens here...

I won't lie. I was NOT excited about getting chickens. I'm a city girl. I was raised in the city, I like the city, I think chickens are weird. In all honesty, I'd never been close to a chicken, but I was pretty sure they jump on you and peck you. Hubs really, really wanted chickens. So, we had a problem!
Well, I guess it was actually me that had the problem, as you see he got his chickens!
He pretty much conspired with a mutual friend to get these chickens. She snuck off to the chicken store and purchased (3) New Hampshire Red chickens and raised them for us while Hubs continued to try and talk me into the idea! Sneaky, right???
I guess I kind of knew where this was going when this little red coop showed up in our backyard! Subtle...
These chickens sitting atop their first coop are our first chickens. We have had them now for going on four years and they still lay for us. They've slowed down a bit, but they are healthy hearty girls and actually very pleasant! I knew absolutely NOTHING about raising chickens when these ladies showed up. Hubs had been doing his research and had a good idea about how to get started. Well...here we are a few years later and now actually have (9) chickens. We've lost a few and gained a few but right now we are holding steady with the 9 count. Not surprising I guess, but I'm a chicken raising convert! Yeah, I still think they are weird...but, they don't jump on me and they don't peck me. Well...sometimes if I have freshly, brightly painted toe nails they maybe try to take a peck at my toes. But, all in all, they are really well behaved!
I can't say enough about the joys of raising chickens! I had no idea how nicely they would groom and maintain my yard and lawn. They also fertilize our lawn and it has never looked better. They seem to know exactly how much fertilizer it requires! They eat all the pesky critters in our yard...No, they are NOT vegetarian. They eat spiders, wasps, moths, bugs, snails, slugs and baby mice! (ughhh...it grosses me out, too!) But, they also surprise us each day with lovely, fresh, healthy eggs. Really, you have no idea how beautiful these eggs are unless you have chickens as well!
Added bonus...they provide endless hours of entertainment. We love sitting in our backyard and watching the girls do their "thing". Completely relaxing and stress relieving.
I have learned a lot about chickens in the last few years. I have done my research now and read and studied about chicken raising and it has been helpful. Really though, it doesn't compare to the first-hand experience when raising your own.
A couple of quick tips I have learned and am willing to pass on:

Don't ever believe any chicken seller when they tell you they know for sure a little chick is a HEN.
A rooster is not sweet and fun like a HEN.
If you want chickens for eggs, don't get some foofy breed. Get some docile sturdy layers. i.e. New Hampshire Reds, Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock, etc.

As our brood multiplied they outgrew their first digs. By this time we were ready to "build" our own coop and had in mind what we wanted for the bigger flock. The little red coop needed a new home and we found the perfect fit!
A friend had been wanting ( I mean really wanting!) to add chickens to her "work in progress" urban farmstead. A match made in heaven and the timing was just right!

The little red coop arriving at it's new home and waiting for a good old-fashioned "coop raising". We spent a lovely afternoon with friends old and new getting this little house ready for it's new occupants.

Seriously! How cool is this! The little red coop providing shelter for a sweet new little flock, an ecstatic newbie chicken owner enjoying the many pleasures her little hens have to offer and me and Hubs thrilled that our first coop went to a good home! Isn't this a great life?!?

The Orange Bounty...

It's time to make spicy pickled carrots! My daughter and her sprout showed up at my place today with another freshly picked bag of carrots. Yay! I made several bottles of these last year and they were warmly welcomed by everyone lucky enough to get some. I was excited to get these and get started. This is the first thing I have pickled this year. I have to admit, I had forgotten how a huge pile of carrots ends up making a fairly small batch. And, it's kind of, well...labor intense. I was telling Hubs that I didn't remember it taking so long to peel all those rascally carrots last year. He reminded me that he was the official "peeler" last time around...I think he's telling the truth because I thought I just breezed through it before.
First, I rinsed the carrots in my awesome outdoor sink. Glad I did as they had a few creepy crawlers hanging on to a few of them. I also removed all the frilly lacy tops and added them to the compost pile. (For some reason the chickens turn their beaks up at carrot tops...odd) Then I took them into the house to peel...I would have stayed outside but I think it was 102 degrees in my backyard today. (No, I'm not making that up)
Inside, I trimmed and peeled the fresh and crunchy carrots. I'm pretty sure the chickens were salivating outside the window as they heard the whirr whirr of the carrot peeler. Unlike the tops, they LOVE the actual product. I carefully peel the carrots into a bowl and once again think how happy I am they no longer go down the disposal or into the garbage can. I really do think this stuff. It brings me endless pleasure that there is so little waste coming from my home.

Before I cut and prepare for pickling I give the chickens their treat...

A picture speaks a thousand words...right???

A couple of tips about pickling the carrots and my novice canning experiments in general. I seem to either prepare too many bottles or not enough bottles. I always do what the recipe calls for, but never end up with exactly the right amount. Today I had visions of 6 filled bottles and ended up with 2 quarts and a pint. Ah well...I'm not deterred!
We like spicy around our house and I like this base recipe because you can make them pretty much as spicy as you like. Or, not. Cut back on the red pepper flakes and jalapenos if that's your preference. Just remember you have to do the pickling solution according to the recipe. You know...that pesky botulism thing. When picking carrots out of a garden, I don't have a way to weigh them. Most recipes call for carrots by the poundage...I give it my best guestimate. Which probably explains my troubles with having the right amount of bottles.

Hot Pickled Carrots

4-6 pounds of fresh carrots washed, peeled and cut
Enough jalapeno peppers halved and with seeds to put in each jar (scrape the seeds out for less heat)
Whole cloves
Crushed red pepper flakes
Garlic cloves peeled and lightly crushed (at least one per jar)
5 cups of distilled white vinegar (5% acidity)
2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 2/3 cups of granulated white cane sugar
5 TBSP. pickling salt

I recommend sterilizing at least 3 quart jars and 2 pint jars to be safe. Including lids and rings.
After cutting all the carrots you will have a better idea of how many bottles you will be using.
In each jar put 1/2 a jalapeno pepper, 2 to 4 whole cloves, 1/2 tsp. to 1 tsp. of crushed red pepper and 1 or 2 cloves of lightly crushed garlic.
Tightly pack the carrots in the jars with the above ingredients leaving 1" head space.
In a large pot add the vinegars, sugar and salt. Heat to boiling, stirring until sugar and salt are dissolved.
Carefully pour the hot pickling solution into the jars over the packed carrots and leave 1/2" of headspace.
Add lids and rings and process for 20 minutes. Please adjust time for high altitudes. (Refer to the Ball Blue Book of Canning for processing information) If any of the lids fail to seal you can store these in the refrigerator for 2 months. I have never had a problem with this recipe not processing correctly.

PSA...I was going to buy a big gallon jug of apple cider vinegar at the grocery store. I was reading different labels and realized that on the Heinz brand it actually said apple cider "flavored" vinegar! Say what? I read the ingredients and it's fake apple cider vinegar. No apples were involved. I picked up a smaller glass bottle that said apple cider vinegar and reading the ingredients it has the real deal! I was kind of disgruntled as the labels are almost identical and the word "flavored" was just kind of snuck in on the gallon jug label. So, beware and get the real stuff...! I'm sure many unsuspecting shoppers are not getting what they think they are! And please...only cane sugar people! If it doesn't say "cane sugar" it's probably GMO sugar! Blech...

Kinda proud...

Organically speaking...or not!

or·gan·ic  (ôr-gnk) adj. 1. Of, relating to, or derived from living organisms: organic matter. 2. Of, relating to, or affecting a bodily organ: an organic disease. 3. a. Of, marked by, or involving the use of fertilizers or pesticides that are strictly of animal or vegetable origin: organic vegetables; an organic farm. b. Raised or conducted without the use of drugs, hormones, or synthetic chemicals: organic chicken; organic cattle farming. c. Serving organic food: an organic restaurant. d. Simple, healthful, and close to nature: an organic lifestyle. 4. a. Having properties associated with living organisms. b. Resembling a living organism in organization or development; interconnected: society as an organic whole. 5. Constituting an integral part of a whole; fundamental. 6. Law Denoting or relating to the fundamental or constitutional laws and precepts of a government or an organization. 7. Chemistry Of or designating carbon compounds. n. 1. A substance, especially a fertilizer or pesticide, of animal or vegetable origin. 2. Chemistry An organic compound. from: www.thefreedictionary.com A couple of days ago I just happened to be home when my doorbell rang. No biggy...except no one ever rings my doorbell except for someone selling something completely lame, the UPS guy or someone trying to convert me to a religion they think maybe I've actually never heard of. In this case it was the first...Now, I don't really mind this...hey, everybody needs to make a buck and he didn't look completely sketchy, so I decided to have a listen.  Now first, for any door to door salespeople that may happen to read this...you don't need to read off to me the names of my neighbors that signed up for your service. I am completely underwhelmed that the Joneses and the Smith family want you to kill their spiders. Also...I am not really interested in "keeping up" with said families. At least not over spider killings!  When I politely explained to the nice young man that I don't want to kill the spiders or any of the other insects in my yard he gave me his "perplexed look I learned in sales training" expression. I continued on to tell him my chickens love the spiders and pests roaming my yard. Young man then explained that he could also kill slugs and snails if I wasn't interested in spiders. Ahhhh...but, the slugs and snails are a true delicacy for my chickens...At this point, I could see that his light globe switched on! Oh, she's one of THOSE people, so I need to throw out the "O" word! "Hey lady...it's organic"!!! Oh, so it's okay to kill my entire ecosystem if it's organic? And, please...can you explain how it is "organic"? On this day, I let him go, I let him off easy, I let him wander off like I let the spiders wander off. Somedays it is just overwhelming to try and explain my feelings about why he may not kill my chicken food and the beautiful bees that come and go in my dandelions. It's always my dilemma? Should I ignore or should I try and educate? (Rhetorical question)... After young man left though, I started wondering what "organic" meant to the company he was representing. I am frustrated that "organic" and "green" are becoming overused buzz words that mean nothing! So...I went to the website of his company to read up on "organic" pest control. Here is what "organic" means to this company. Organic Nature of Our Products The Chrysanthemum flower has a natural insecticidal property found in the Oleoresin extract. Moxie Pest Control uses pyrethroids, a synthetically reproduced version of that organic botanical ketoalcholic ester. Pyrethroids serve the same purpose as the natural insecticide but provide a LONGER RESIDUAL EFFECT and are 50 TIMES LESS TOXIC. Pyrethroids can be found in topical head lice treatments, many pest treatments for household pets and are less toxic than ordinary table salt.  Environmentally Conscious Moxie is proud to use products that have no odor or visible residue. Our products are effective enough to use in warehouses and manufacturing plants but safe enough to treat schools, day care centers, nursing facilities, veterinary clinics as well as your home.  Safe and Effective Your continued safety in conjunction with successful treatment for household pests is Moxie’s number one priority. We use the state-of the-art pyrethroids that control over 50 different pests. These organic products prevent communication to a key neurotransmitter, specific only to insects—posing virtually no harm when used in residential areas. When The Pests Come Back We Do Too Both the inside and outside of your home are always under warranty. Moxie’s Pest Protection Program guarantees your satisfaction between regular scheduled maintenance with unlimited free re-services. If at any time you find yourself in need of an additional treatment between regular scheduled services, call us and we will return to re-treat your home absolutely free! www.moxienc.com http://www.epa.gov/oppsrrd1/reevaluation/pyrethroids-pyrethrins.html Huh? How can pyrethroids fit the definition of "organic"? And, even if they could, is this what organic means to me or you? Please feel free to read the fascinating definitions of the difference between pyrethroids and pyrethrins from the above link! Okay...it's not that fascinating but it is informative and validates my concerns about what is actually organic and what isn't! This all brings back memories of the last guy that rang my doorbell...he had a truck full of "organic, grass-fed beef"...uh huh... Random...after this blog post I felt the need to put a photo of a beautiful, true "organic" garden! Ahhh...that feels much better...