I was thinking... seeing all those dumped nice Christmas trees along the roads... how good a goat treat would those make?
I asked Michael my goat guru and he remembered seeing an article on the web about a town collecting all it's trees after new years and donating them to a goat farm, so it's not that unusual of an idea! He did also mention feeding white pine on the other hand (not a xmas tree type pine) can cause miscarriage - very good to know, as we have a large white pine which always looses branches I was intending to feed to my (pregnant) girls!
I brought home a nice looking tree (no spray on glitter etc) and the girls are steadily munching on it - not too much at once, bu munching away none the less :)
See blog article "Christmas Trees recycled by Goats" and article "Rescued Goats eat Discarded Christmas Trees like Candy"
Friday, January 21, 2011
Monday, January 17, 2011
Cinnamon Bread
6.5 - 7 cups white & whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons sugar
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 pkg / 2.5 teaspoons yeast
1 cup milk
3/4 (1/2 if proofing) cup water
1/3 cup margarine
3 room temperature eggs
filling:
softened butter to spread
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2-1 cup raisins (optional)
Proof dry yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Mix 2 cups of flour with sugar & salt.
Put milk, water & margarine in glass bowl and microwave for 2 min.
Gradually add to dry ingredients in KitchenAid and mix.
Add proofed yeast and eggs.
Gradually add the rest of the flour to make a stiff dough which pulls off the sides of the bowl.
Cover with warm damp cloth for 30-60 minutes in a warm spot.
Remove dough from bowl and divide in two.
Punch each half down to about a 14x9 triangle.
Spread softened butter all over, sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon.
Roll as you would a jelly roll, begin at short side.
Tuck in ends to prevent leaking and place in metal bread pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes.
To see if it's done, turn over and knock to hear if it's hollow.
Place cookie sheet under bread pans as the goodies can leak out.
Great to bring to potlucks, the bread looks wonderful and tastes even better!
From Countryside, Nov/Dec 2010 page 71
6 tablespoons sugar
1.5 teaspoon salt
1 pkg / 2.5 teaspoons yeast
1 cup milk
3/4 (1/2 if proofing) cup water
1/3 cup margarine
3 room temperature eggs
filling:
softened butter to spread
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2-1 cup raisins (optional)
Proof dry yeast with 1/4 cup warm water and 1 teaspoon sugar.
Mix 2 cups of flour with sugar & salt.
Put milk, water & margarine in glass bowl and microwave for 2 min.
Gradually add to dry ingredients in KitchenAid and mix.
Add proofed yeast and eggs.
Gradually add the rest of the flour to make a stiff dough which pulls off the sides of the bowl.
Cover with warm damp cloth for 30-60 minutes in a warm spot.
Remove dough from bowl and divide in two.
Punch each half down to about a 14x9 triangle.
Spread softened butter all over, sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon.
Roll as you would a jelly roll, begin at short side.
Tuck in ends to prevent leaking and place in metal bread pan.
Bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes.
To see if it's done, turn over and knock to hear if it's hollow.
Place cookie sheet under bread pans as the goodies can leak out.
Great to bring to potlucks, the bread looks wonderful and tastes even better!
From Countryside, Nov/Dec 2010 page 71
Monday, January 10, 2011
Oliebollen
New Years' Eve fried dough "Dutch style"
1 cup raisins (optional)
4.5 cups all purpose flour
2 cups lukewarm milk
1 tbs salt
1 egg
24 grams yeast
rinse the raisins, black and/or yellow, and drain well
dilute / proof the yeast in a little lukewarm milk
combine flour and salt in stand mixer, add milk, egg, yeast mixture and raisins - mix well
the mixture should fall in flakes, not sheath
let rise covered in warm environment for at least an hour
when it has risen and is full of bubbles it is ready
use a deep fryer on the french fries setting (remove the colander)
use two spoons to scoop batter from bowl, constantly rotating to make 1,5-2 inch balls, and drop them into the frying oil - leaving room to move about
After about 3 minutes turn around, if they have not already done so, and bake for an additional 2 minutes (the larger the diameter of the ball, the longer the baking time). They should be golden brown (like french fries) and crispy, without a doughy center.
"Oliebollen" are the predecessors of Doughnuts - believe it or not since they do taste completely different. The batter changed over the years, especially with the addition of sugar. One invention to prevent a doughy center (an issue with frying large volume) was to remove the center completely, resulting in the recognizable doughnut "O" shape :)
1 cup raisins (optional)
4.5 cups all purpose flour
2 cups lukewarm milk
1 tbs salt
1 egg
24 grams yeast
rinse the raisins, black and/or yellow, and drain well
dilute / proof the yeast in a little lukewarm milk
combine flour and salt in stand mixer, add milk, egg, yeast mixture and raisins - mix well
the mixture should fall in flakes, not sheath
let rise covered in warm environment for at least an hour
when it has risen and is full of bubbles it is ready
use a deep fryer on the french fries setting (remove the colander)
use two spoons to scoop batter from bowl, constantly rotating to make 1,5-2 inch balls, and drop them into the frying oil - leaving room to move about
After about 3 minutes turn around, if they have not already done so, and bake for an additional 2 minutes (the larger the diameter of the ball, the longer the baking time). They should be golden brown (like french fries) and crispy, without a doughy center.
"Oliebollen" are the predecessors of Doughnuts - believe it or not since they do taste completely different. The batter changed over the years, especially with the addition of sugar. One invention to prevent a doughy center (an issue with frying large volume) was to remove the center completely, resulting in the recognizable doughnut "O" shape :)
Friday, December 24, 2010
Icelandic Horse books & video
The Icelandic Horse Farm in Vernon, BC. has several breed specific books for sale. Both Joy and More Jof of Icelandics are very well recommended thru the IceHorsesWorldwide forum and I ordered both for the coming winter evenings to prepare for when my horsey partner announces itself :-)
Below a listing of any and all books Icy I've come across:
A Good Horse Has No Color, Searching Iceland for the perfect horse - By Nancy Brown CND
Joy of Icelandics - By Christine Schwartz CND
More Joy of Icelandics - By Christine Schwartz and Rikke Schultz, DVM CND
Sleipnir’s Story - By Sleipnir and Christine Schwartz CND
Understand Your Icelandic Horse - By Rikke Schultz CDN
New Age Vikings, The Icelandic Horse Volume I - by Elizabeth A. Haug
New Age Vikings, Horse Gathering in Iceland Volume 2 - by Elizabeth A. Haug
New Age Vikings: There is Something About The Icelandic Horse Volume 3 - by Elisabeth Haug
In the Hoofprints of the Vikings, Horse Trekking in Iceland - by Elizabeth A. Haug
The Icelandic Horse in the Home Country - by Johanna Sigihorsdottir (Author), Gary Gunning (Translator)
Living Your Dream, The Icelandic Horse Gletta - by Elisabeth Haug, Lars Perner
The Colors of the Icelandic Horse (English Language) - by Friðþjófur Þorkelsson
The Icelandic Horse (English Language)
The Icelandic Horse in the Home Country (English Language)
The Natural Colors of the Icelandic Horse (English Language) - by Sigurður A. Magnússon (Author), Friðþjófur Þorkelsson (Photographer)
Understand your Icelandic Horse - by Rikke Mark Schultz ISBN 87-989189-0-7
Riding the Wild Side of Denali: Adventures with Horses and Huskies - by Miki & Julie Collins
Easy-Gaited Horses: Gentle, humane methods for training and riding gaited pleasure horses - by Lee Ziegler
The Horse's Choice - by Staci Layne Wilson
For the kids:
My Horse Of The North (was titled Icelandic Pony) - by Bruce Mcmillan (Kindergarten-Grade 3)
Ariel's Journey (The Ice Horse Adventures, Book 1) - by Doug Kane, Christy Wood (Ages 9-12)
Horse Diaries #1: Elska - by Catherine Hapka (Author), Ruth Sanderson (Illustrator) (Ages 9-12)
Video:
The Icelandic Horse DVD - by director Sveinn M. Sveinsson $39.95
The Lure of the Highlands DVD - by director Sveinn M. Sveinsson $39.95
9.5-10 For Riding Abilities- The Ultimate Breeding Goal of the Icelandic Horse DVD - by director Sveinn M. Sveinsson
Riding the Icelandic Horse DVD - director Curt Worden $35
Around the World on Horseback / Iceland's Viking Horses DVD - by Bob Seemann 2005 $9.95
Im Bann der Pferde (TV series 2009) - English Translated by director Lisa Eder
2006 NEIHC Breeding Evaluations at Mill Farm, NY (video on demand) - directed by Steven T. Barber
Tolt with "Diddi" DVD - by Sigurbjorn Bardarson "Diddi" (Actor), Bjarni Thor Sigurdsson (Director)
Eyjolfur Isolfsonn Master Trainer: ON HORSEBACK, a Few Basics VCR - director Sveinn M. Sveinsson
Benni Lindal Icelandic Master Trainer: Training VCR by KVIK hf.
Below a listing of any and all books Icy I've come across:
A Good Horse Has No Color, Searching Iceland for the perfect horse - By Nancy Brown CND
Joy of Icelandics - By Christine Schwartz CND
More Joy of Icelandics - By Christine Schwartz and Rikke Schultz, DVM CND
Sleipnir’s Story - By Sleipnir and Christine Schwartz CND
Understand Your Icelandic Horse - By Rikke Schultz CDN
New Age Vikings, The Icelandic Horse Volume I - by Elizabeth A. Haug
New Age Vikings, Horse Gathering in Iceland Volume 2 - by Elizabeth A. Haug
New Age Vikings: There is Something About The Icelandic Horse Volume 3 - by Elisabeth Haug
In the Hoofprints of the Vikings, Horse Trekking in Iceland - by Elizabeth A. Haug
The Icelandic Horse in the Home Country - by Johanna Sigihorsdottir (Author), Gary Gunning (Translator)
Living Your Dream, The Icelandic Horse Gletta - by Elisabeth Haug, Lars Perner
The Colors of the Icelandic Horse (English Language) - by Friðþjófur Þorkelsson
The Icelandic Horse (English Language)
The Icelandic Horse in the Home Country (English Language)
The Natural Colors of the Icelandic Horse (English Language) - by Sigurður A. Magnússon (Author), Friðþjófur Þorkelsson (Photographer)
Understand your Icelandic Horse - by Rikke Mark Schultz ISBN 87-989189-0-7
Riding the Wild Side of Denali: Adventures with Horses and Huskies - by Miki & Julie Collins
Easy-Gaited Horses: Gentle, humane methods for training and riding gaited pleasure horses - by Lee Ziegler
The Horse's Choice - by Staci Layne Wilson
For the kids:
My Horse Of The North (was titled Icelandic Pony) - by Bruce Mcmillan (Kindergarten-Grade 3)
Ariel's Journey (The Ice Horse Adventures, Book 1) - by Doug Kane, Christy Wood (Ages 9-12)
Horse Diaries #1: Elska - by Catherine Hapka (Author), Ruth Sanderson (Illustrator) (Ages 9-12)
Video:
The Icelandic Horse DVD - by director Sveinn M. Sveinsson $39.95
The Lure of the Highlands DVD - by director Sveinn M. Sveinsson $39.95
9.5-10 For Riding Abilities- The Ultimate Breeding Goal of the Icelandic Horse DVD - by director Sveinn M. Sveinsson
Riding the Icelandic Horse DVD - director Curt Worden $35
Around the World on Horseback / Iceland's Viking Horses DVD - by Bob Seemann 2005 $9.95
Im Bann der Pferde (TV series 2009) - English Translated by director Lisa Eder
2006 NEIHC Breeding Evaluations at Mill Farm, NY (video on demand) - directed by Steven T. Barber
Tolt with "Diddi" DVD - by Sigurbjorn Bardarson "Diddi" (Actor), Bjarni Thor Sigurdsson (Director)
Eyjolfur Isolfsonn Master Trainer: ON HORSEBACK, a Few Basics VCR - director Sveinn M. Sveinsson
Benni Lindal Icelandic Master Trainer: Training VCR by KVIK hf.
Icelandic Horse YouTube video's
A very nice german language documentary "Im Bann Der Islandpferde"or "Under the Spell of Horses - Iceland" by director Lisa Eder and filmed by Richard Ladkani. Three part posting, each 15 minutes.
Im Bann der Islandpferde 1/3 - 15:04 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqZpMJI1gy8&feature=related
Im Bann der Islandpferde 2/3 - 13:51 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idXtcAi_I50&feature=related
Im Bann der Islandpferde 3/3 - 12:30 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZran0SxcE0&feature=related
"This film covers the story of an Icelandic family and their love for horses. They live in the northern part of Iceland breeding horses for a living. During the summer they embark on a journey across the vast highlands in order to find new feeding grounds between Iceland's biggest glaciers. To cover the trip across uncharted territory they take eighty powerful horses for the ride. It is a dangerous journey, due to the unpredictable and extreme weather conditions that can change within minutes."
RFD-TV's The Horse Show with Rick Lamb "Knights of Icelandic" episode 316
http://www.thehorseshow.com/rfd_schedule.aspx
Real Men Ride Icelandic Horses - TheThorgud 2:40 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVoU_n97k8&feature=related
Icelandic Horses - Paul Taggart 3:17 min.
http://vimeo.com/18327413
a girl's fun video in the snow with her Icelandic 4:04 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dH8yoBdGnaI
Im Bann der Islandpferde 1/3 - 15:04 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rqZpMJI1gy8&feature=related
Im Bann der Islandpferde 2/3 - 13:51 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idXtcAi_I50&feature=related
Im Bann der Islandpferde 3/3 - 12:30 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZran0SxcE0&feature=related
"This film covers the story of an Icelandic family and their love for horses. They live in the northern part of Iceland breeding horses for a living. During the summer they embark on a journey across the vast highlands in order to find new feeding grounds between Iceland's biggest glaciers. To cover the trip across uncharted territory they take eighty powerful horses for the ride. It is a dangerous journey, due to the unpredictable and extreme weather conditions that can change within minutes."
RFD-TV's The Horse Show with Rick Lamb "Knights of Icelandic" episode 316
http://www.thehorseshow.com/rfd_schedule.aspx
Real Men Ride Icelandic Horses - TheThorgud 2:40 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kfVoU_n97k8&feature=related
Icelandic Horses - Paul Taggart 3:17 min.
http://vimeo.com/18327413
a girl's fun video in the snow with her Icelandic 4:04 min.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
DIY cheese press
Easy to make Cheese Press from threaded pipes, dumbbells and a coffee can...
Dimensions don't really matter much, width depends either on the diameter of the cheese mold (coffee can) or the diameter of the largest dumbbells, whichever is largest.
You'll need:
one 2x6x24ish piece of hardwood (larger than width of sink)
one 1x4x24ish piece of hardwood for pressing board
two 1/2 inch by 18" pieces of threaded galvanized pipe (lowe's)
one 1/2 inch 8" piece of pipe for pressing plate
four pipe end plates; two for bottom board, two for pressing board
50lbs in weight; need to be able to make 10, 20 or 50lbs at a time
Drill two 3/4 inch holes in the pressing board to allow the pipes to stick thru.
Attach one end plate to middle of underside of pressing board
screw the short 8 inch pipe in, attach another end plate to end
this creates a nice pressing plate to divide force
Use new coffee can, 6-8 inch diameter, and remove both top lip and the bottom with can opener.
You can make an aluminum pie pan into a drip pan if you cut a small triangle out of one side and bend it down.
Funny enough; with all the expensive and elaborate cheese presses available, this one is actually easy to make, relatively cheap and works like a charm!
I got the hardware from Lowe's, each piece is about $5, and the dumbbells from the Salvation Army, at 25c a pound weight.
Now all I need is a decent Cheddar recipe...
weird tips from around the homestead...
From the Backyard Chickens Forum - Pesky Black Kitchen Ants!
"I read in Countryside Magazine about using a small pile of cornmeal where the ants can get it. The cornmeal is very corrosive to their digestive tracts and they die. They carry it back to their nest and store it for the others and they die also. Well, I tried it this year and.....it works!!! I was having black ants all over my cabinets and getting into my sugar! Within a week, no more ants. Haven't seen one since. I used fine yellow cornmeal. Left it on the counter for a couple of days only. Hope this works!"
From Countryside Magazine Volume 95 page 20
Minor Cuts
"Apply ground black pepper to stop bleeding. No, it's won't sting."
Minor Burns
"Immediately apply ice wrapped in damp cloth until the pain stops. It may take hours, but there will be no scar (tried it myself, the cold hurts, but then it fades away, and no blister!)."
Potato Growth Inhibitor
"Commercial potatoes are sprayed with a poisonous sprouting inhibitor. Peel potatoes before cooking. Cooking with peels on forces the poison into potato's flesh."
Advice from a German friend - Bee or Wasp Sting
"Immediately cut an onion in half with as much cells damaged to release as much onion juice as possible; rub vigorously onto sting site until pain goes away. Might need to re-cut onion to release more juice if necessary (also tried and it worked like a charm, hardly any swelling where I normally swell up like a balloon)."
Advice from my sister with night time hungry's
"Drink a little fruit juice or water with a big squirt of lemon juice with your evening meal. The acid of the lemon juice will trigger the stomach to release (more) digestive fluids, resulting in a better digested meal, less/no food left undigested in stomach and thus less/no 'hungry' feeling at night."
- collection in progress
"I read in Countryside Magazine about using a small pile of cornmeal where the ants can get it. The cornmeal is very corrosive to their digestive tracts and they die. They carry it back to their nest and store it for the others and they die also. Well, I tried it this year and.....it works!!! I was having black ants all over my cabinets and getting into my sugar! Within a week, no more ants. Haven't seen one since. I used fine yellow cornmeal. Left it on the counter for a couple of days only. Hope this works!"
From Countryside Magazine Volume 95 page 20
Minor Cuts
"Apply ground black pepper to stop bleeding. No, it's won't sting."
Minor Burns
"Immediately apply ice wrapped in damp cloth until the pain stops. It may take hours, but there will be no scar (tried it myself, the cold hurts, but then it fades away, and no blister!)."
Potato Growth Inhibitor
"Commercial potatoes are sprayed with a poisonous sprouting inhibitor. Peel potatoes before cooking. Cooking with peels on forces the poison into potato's flesh."
Advice from a German friend - Bee or Wasp Sting
"Immediately cut an onion in half with as much cells damaged to release as much onion juice as possible; rub vigorously onto sting site until pain goes away. Might need to re-cut onion to release more juice if necessary (also tried and it worked like a charm, hardly any swelling where I normally swell up like a balloon)."
Advice from my sister with night time hungry's
"Drink a little fruit juice or water with a big squirt of lemon juice with your evening meal. The acid of the lemon juice will trigger the stomach to release (more) digestive fluids, resulting in a better digested meal, less/no food left undigested in stomach and thus less/no 'hungry' feeling at night."
- collection in progress
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