Irish Soda Bread

Makes 1 - 9x5 inch loaf

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/3 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine flour, baking powder, sugar, salt and baking soda. Blend egg and buttermilk together, and add all at once to the flour mixture. Mix just until moistened. Stir in butter. Pour into prepared pan.

Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow time for the baking powder and baking soda to do what they are intended to do. This will create an airier loaf.

Bake for 65 to 70 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in the bread comes out clean. Cook on a wire rack. Wrap in foil for several hours or overnight, for best flavor.


This bread goes great with Corned Beef and Cabbage.




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Winter Piggies

Got a call last Thursday about buying some pigs, something we weren't planning on doing. I just haven't been keen on having more animals to feed during the colder months; actually I'm trying to get rid of some extra animals. But, we don't have any extra pork in the freezer. So we ended up talking the in laws into buying a piglet also and splitting the feed cost.

This is only the second time we have had pigs. Earlier this year we got piglets for my sons FFA project. Which he showed and sold at the county fair and he did very well. Guess we are going to get practice for next years fair.

Our little guy has a brother with him so he won't be lonely. Wilbur is smaller than the in laws piglet but is more aggressive. I love watching them argue over the chow. They are so funny. I'm hoping they will fill out fast and nicely so I don't have to worry about feeding into the new year. 

Wilbur on the left, not sure what the in laws have named theirs yet.

These are a york mixed piglets. They have light black markings on their skin. Can't really see it for all their white hair. They are so cute I hope they turn out well. 

I need to get to reading about raising hogs, so that we can raise good quality pigs. 

Happy homesteading 

~ Farm Girl

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Finally Garden Time

Since the cold spell seems to have been broken and the rain has held off for the most part, I have been making the most of every dry spell to get in the garden the last few days. So here's a few pictures of the past few days.

DH discing the garden one more time.

Just so happens when I was in town getting groceries I found a new garden plant and flower store set up. So I purchased 5 flats. I sure hope they do good. They looked amazing compared to what I found at other stores that I normally got plants from.

Funds were super tight and I forgot to stop at the feed store so I bought some packaged Burpee seeds at Wal-Mart. Not my favorite place but they will do in a pinch. 

You can barley see in this picture but there is 10 rows of established plants planted. Thanks to my friend's and my children that helped.

To show my appreciation I made dinner for everyone. Least I could do. Our friends live in town and live in an old swamp area and the only gardening they can do is container. So I told her if she would come and help and help purchase some plants that I would tend the garden. Should be enough for both of us, at least I hope so. 

Cabbage and 5 rows of green beans. I still need to plant my peas and lima beans and more corn. But, we are getting there. I'm just glad to get this much done. Now to water and pray for a good garden this year.

I'm wondering how everyone else is doing with their gardening this season.

~ Farm Girl

  

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Early evening visitors

Sitting on the porch this evening waiting for the daughter to get home and out of the corner of my eye I see something moving over in the trees. Low and behold it was two squirrels feasting on the expired blooms of the wild cherry tree.  Here are a few pictures of the critters visiting my yard.

The bird landed on the feeder stand not 15 feet from me. It was so nice to see all the critters out and enjoy the day just as much as I was.

Hope everyone had a lovely evening

~ Farm Girl

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Operation Duck and Chicken Run

A few days ago I bartered a few jars of jelly for two ducks. I'm staring to get a hang of this bartering as I have done it a few times here lately to get things I needed or wanted for the farm and such. We got the ducks but didn't have any place to keep them. I couldn't turn them loose because my neighbors dogs would have them for an appetizer and I'm sure my two cats would chase them around and may even harm them. So we had them cooped up in travel kennel till we could get them something more fitting. 

It's been raining here for  a few days. The husband and I got up early and used the early morning hours to build a makeshift run for them from items we had already here on the farm. I found a few ideas on pintrest that would work great! I'm loving that site.

So we took the old swing set I got for FREE a few years ago. Borrowed the timbers from my blueberry bed. Purchased the netting and used some leftover rabbit wire for their door. Hubby also borrowed a tarp that wasn't being used from his parents to make them a shaded and dry area for when it starts to rain hard again. I think we have a total of $12 in the whole thing so far. I want to paint the swing set just to help protect it from more rust. 

Over all we are very pleased with how it came out and I know the ducks; Quackers and Cheese are very thankful for a large area to roam in.

Quackers and Cheese in the dog kennel

Enjoying some fresh water.

I'll take more pictures as I get the finishing touches on the run in the next few weeks.

Have a wonderful day!!

~ Farm Girl

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Lemon Chicken

I love, love, love lemon chicken and there are so many ways to make it. But, for me I find that every time that I have a craving for lemon chicken, I either don't have any chicken thawed out or I'm running on borrowed time. This recipe here will solve everyone's dinner woo's. You'll love the moist lemony chicken dish great severed with buttered noodles or even a baked potato.

1 medium onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
4 bone-in or boneless chicken brest halves, skin removed (I prefer boneless chicken)
1 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup minced fresh parsley (2 tablespoons of dried parsley is fine also)
1/2 cup chopped celery with leaves
1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt, optional
1/4 teaspoon pepper
4-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water

In a pressure cooker, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender; remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Brown the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in the cooker. Return onion mixture and all chicken to pan. Add broth, water, lemon juice, parsley, celery, Italian seasoning, salt if desired and pepper. Close cover securely; place pressure regulator on vent pipe. (if you have a weighted gauge with lbs select 10 lbs.)

Bring cooker to full pressure over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook for 8 minutes. (Pressure regulator should maintain a slow steady rocking motion; adjust heat if needed.) Immediately cool according to manufacturer's directions until pressure is completely reduced. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Measure pan juice; return 1 1/2 cups to pan. Combine cornstarch and cold water until smooth; stir into pan juices. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Serve over chicken.

Yeild: 4 Servings.

** Note: You can use half thawed or even frozen chicken in this recipe. You can skip the browning of the chicken. Just put all ingredients in pressure pot. Add a few extra tablespoons of lemon juice and 1/4 cup extra water and pressure cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

I hope you enjoy this Lemon Chicken just as much as my family does.

Happy Cooking!!

~ Farm Girl

* Orginal recipe from Quick Cooking July/August 2000 magazine. 

You will need to use one of these for this recipe: Pressure Cooker

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Operation Pig Pen

The past two days have been extremely busy here on the farm. We finally located a few pigs for my son's FFA fair project. We didn't think that we were going to be able to get his project underway but with the help of a few friends and unsuspecting souls it got underway and completed in just two days.

The prime location for the hog pen would of been up in the tree line but that wasn't possible as it stays to wet there and we couldn't have them to far from a water source. The only choice we really had was to remove part of the falling down barn and locate them there. Okay this is probably a blessing in disguise.

Day One:

BEFORE picture. At least 120 year old barn crumbling. 

After picture. 

We couldn't clean up the whole building as behind it is pasture and is holding in one bull that will be going to the butcher shop soon. The building is acting as a fence. Sometime next week we will have to build new fence so that we can remove the rest for more expansion. 

We had to move all the debris from the barn across the creek and to our burn pile. It don't seem like much but, really it was. I know I had a good chunk of it all cleaned up before my son and husband made it back from Farmer Bob's. 

This will be burned. Hopefully very soon.

After having a cleared lot to work with they drilled holes for the posts which was a fallen down yellow locust tree, thanks to storm Drencho last end of June early July. 

Drilling post holes

Measuring for the next hole

All posts set 

It seemed like it took forever to get to this stage of the build. There was a lot of father and son bonding going on too. I hope that our son learned a lot from this build. And now we are ready to start putting up the side boards. The lumber used for the sides is lumber that was timbered off the farm back in 1991 and 1992. It had been piled up in the old shed since then. 

Saw mill lumber from the farm. At least 24 years old.

Add the side boards.

And like any other off the cuff builder some of the plans changed and the bedding area of the pen was moved to a different location. It was suppose to be off to the right but it got put on the back. 

Added bedding area

Thankfully my sons friend showed up after school to help them. It made my work a little easier as I was pulled away to go and work my sons mowing job. I do this from time to time when he has track meets, football practice or camp. Building the pig pen was really important so I tackled the mowing. 

Getting the roof done

They wanted to get the roof done before the extra help was gone. I don't blame them. There was no way I was getting up there to tack the roofing on. 

This scared the ba jibbies out of me. But, boys will be boys.
I think they were having a good time, anyhow.

Last thing few nails before we called it a night.
Not much more light to work in.

This was the finish of day one! We were so thankful to have the Son's buddy to help. My son helped him build his pig pen so it was payback time for him. 

Day Two:

Moved along pretty fast as much of the work was done. We only had to finish putting up the walls and make the door. On this day it was only our Daughter, Myself and Daddy working. Our son has a job at the local stock market with his buddy and they had to go to work. 

We spent the first part of the morning going to the stock market to pick up the piggies. This was our meeting place of choice, plus we had some paper work to do. 

Piggies in the stock trailer. Ready to go to their new home.

So we made it home around lunch time and got straight to work. It was rather warm yesterday and we didn't want them to stay in the trailer too long. We finished up the hut and put the door together and on the cage then turned the piggies loose in the pen while we were finishing up the sides. 

Now that's a door!

Completed hut!

Sissy helping out too!

Completed Pig Pen

Now that we have arrived at the completed Pig Pen. The only thing we have left to do is finish the watering system. Which will probably be completed early this week. We only need an elbow to install the self water. 

This whole pen cost us roughly around 25 dollars. When pulling the old barn down we found some door hinges from the old barn. Our only expense was the gas to run the chainsaw, diesel to run the tractor to drill holes and retrieve the fallen locust tree, and the two partial boxes of nails. Everything else came off the farm. 

This pig pen was probably an over kill but we shouldn't have to replace it anytime soon.

We took a page right out of Eustace Conway book. If you don't know who I'm talking about he is a naturalist. Living on Turtle Island Preserve in North Carolina. He's fighting hard to keep his land and to build and live as natural as possible. I first heard about him on television on a show called Mountain Men on the History Channel. Very, very interesting  man. 

But, back to what my real story is about. 

Meet Forest on the left and Bubba on the right.

One last photo of the happy piggies.

I learned a lot during my time out there with my husband and children. WE all worked together to complete a project that will give us many years of use.

Have a great rest of the weekend my friends.

~ Farm Girl

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Dill Pickle Meatloaf

I've been making this meatloaf for a long while now. Every time that I make it there is nothing left in the pan and sometimes a fight will break out for the last little bits in the pan. I need to start doubling this recipe so this behavior stops! Ah but then again its quite a funny sight!! Hope that some of you all try this. Everyone that I have shared this recipe with has totally enjoyed it.

Family favorite! This will get the kids to clean their plates. 

1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup soft breadcrumbs
1/2 cup pickle juice
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup dill pickles, chopped
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly mix meat with onions, bread crumbs, pickles, egg salt, and  pepper until well blended.

Shape into a loaf and place in a shallow pan.

Combine pickle juice, ketchup, water, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. (I usually leave out the water and just put in extra pickle juice. We like the pickle flavoring.)

Pour over meatloaf and place in 350 degree oven basting twice with sauce in pan for 40 minutes.

Continue baking without basting for an additional 30-35 minutes, or until meatloaf is really glazed and done.

Garnish with a pickle fan, if desired.

Enjoy

~Farm Girl

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Thrifty Shopping

Yesterday while out and about I took a detour and stopped at one of the local Thrift shops. I normally don't go to this one alone as its not in such a good area. Just freaks me out a bit. I stopped and I am so glad that I did.

My total stop cost me $10.58. I got 31 jars and 1 unopened box of lids and rings. I will be sure to stop in more often if they are going to sell the jars for so cheap. Even if I just pick up one or two they will add up for sure.

This was one of my best scores in a long time when it comes to jars. Tonight I'm sure all the jelly size jars will be filled up. As I have a few orders for jelly that I need to fill. 

Happy thrift shopping and canning everyone!!

~ Farm Girl

 

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The Wide World of Canning

I belong to several canning groups on Facebook and other places. Lately, I have seen items being canned that just blow my mind. Like meatloaf, meatballs, sweet and sour chicken, ham and so on. Now I'm all for convenience and quick meals. I'm finding myself drawn to these things as easy meals for not only my family but things for my husband to take to work in his lunch pail that will take very little effort.

Thankfully, the art canning allows us the opportunity to know exactly what is in our foods. Unlike the quick meals in the stores. I know they are labeled at the stores but really what is some of that stuff we can't pronounce?

So anyhow, I grew up knowing the canning world as my mother and grandmothers have always done it for as long as I can remember. Now that I have been canning for 7 years on my own, many of the things I can is much different from the stuff that they canned. I remember many, many days cleaning potatoes, tomatoes and green beans for the both of them.

I'm so thankful for the Internet and the canning groups that have opened my eyes to the many different recipes and wealth of knowledge that has been provided for me to make such wonderful things. Just so you know I have yet to try the meatloaf, meatballs, and sweet and sour chicken and many other things. But, I'm slowly getting up the nerve to try them.

I now have over 2000 jars so I'm ready to spread my wings and try something new.

What are some of the things you have tried lately that you have thought long and hard about if it was worth the risk?

~ Farm Girl

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Rabbitry News

Well its been very busy in the rabbitry here lately. Starting on April 8th we began having baby buns again. For three days it was a wait and see kind of thing. We ended up with a total of 31 new babies and have lost a few along the way. We had a momma not feeling so well due to an infection that I thought was cleared up but wasn't so she lost her whole litter. A few of our new moms lost at least one baby each. So we have a total of 25 new babies.

I'm already getting calls and requests for babies. This makes me very happy. Here's a few photos of our little ones. They are now a week and a half old. Wow time flies bye too quickly here lately.

Flora's

Ginny's

Pheobe's

This is Baps she's not understanding me talking to her...
 Totally a usual occurrence from her. 

We are about to breed our other rabbits for all our fair babies. It's already getting that time of the year. I enjoy our bunnies. We got into the rabbit business last February and it didn't take long to get attached to them.

I'm sure I will be posting news often.

~Farm Girl


 

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Homemade Egg Noodles

I watched and helped my grandma and mother make noodles for years. But, they never used a recipe and never talked about what they put in them. I was the basic gopher and noodle tray holder. On several occasions I got to cut some of the noodles.

When it came time for me to make noodles on my own I was scared to death. First few times they weren't to bad but they could of been better. Some twelve years ago I found an awesome little cookbook and it has some great recipes in it. One of which is the egg noodles I'm about to share. Thank you Better Homes and Gardens for putting out great cookbooks such as the paperback I own.

Homemade Egg Noodles

1 3/4 cups all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten ( normally use farm fresh eggs brown eggs are best)

1/3 cup water

1 teaspoon cooking oil or olive oil

In a large mixing bowl stir together flour and the salt. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a bowl combine eggs, water and oil. Add to flour mixture; mix well.

Sprinkle kneading surface with 1/4 cup of flour. Turn dough out onto floured surface. Knead till dough is smooth and elastic (8 to 10 minutes total). Cover and let rest 10 minutes. 

Divide dough into fourths. On a lightly floured surface roll each fourth into a 12x12 inch square (about 1/16th inch thick). Cut with a pizza cutter as desired.

Note- I prefer my noodles thicker so I say roll out to desired thickness. 

I do believe my Grandma Covey would probably tell me I did it all wrong with the thickness but to each their own. I'm glad I have the memories of going to her house and making noodles with her. 

~ Farmgirl

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Opening day of deer season

Around here deer season is a holiday. My husband takes all of his vacation during this time and we hunt as a family. This year is the first year we have let both of our kids go on the first day. I've always been afraid of too many hunters in the woods and someone getting hurt. But, this year I allowed our 14 year old daughter go and sit by me.

Happy tears!

As we were walking to our spot she counted every gun shot that we heard. Sixteen was her final count by the time we sat down. I don't think she thought there were any deer left in the woods if everyone of those shots connected with its target. We weren't in our spot 10 minutes and her daddy came across the radio and said he got one. Now, she's really starting to look sad. She's not a very patient person. Five minutes go by and we hear another shot closer to us and Cousin Re-Re as we call him, gets on the radio and says he's got one down too. Oh the look on her face.

Not twenty minutes later, Jordan and I see our first deer of the day. She says she saw two but I never saw another one. I shot and missed as I had to pull all the way across my body which was near impossible for me to do. The deer came closer and closer to us. So I'm whispering to her Shoot!... ShOoT!...SHOOT!  and finally she did. What a perfect shot she gave considering her gun gave us no pattern when we were trying to sight it in the day before. When she realized what she did the tears came a flowing by the buckets. She then called for her daddy on the radio to tell him. Everyone that was listening told her congratulations and daddy broke the news to her that she had to drag it out to the point as he couldn't reach us by four wheeler to help her. She wasn't like that but she did it. Way to go Jordan!

Jordan and her first deer ever. Shot using a .410

Here are other pictures from the first day.

Daddy doing the dirty work. 

5 point

Cousin Re-Re's spike

I didn't get a picture but my father in law got a 3 point also.

~ Farm Girl

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New Life

We were on baby watch all day yesterday. It didn't happen. But, when we got up this morning we found momma and baby bull were doing fine. Amazing how they can do it all alone and everything turns out perfect.

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Hamburger Stroganoff

One of the things that makes me super happy is finding base recipes that I can play around with. So this is the second recipe using the SOS mix. You can find the original recipe in the booklet Soup or Sauce SOS Mix put out by the Utah State University extension office which is located here.

Knowing my families tastes there is no way I could of put this on the table without tweaking it. My goal was for a creamier sauce with a little more flavor. I thought it was great without the extras added in the sauce but I'm just one of those people that has a hard time not tweaking. 

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
3 cups water
1/3 cup SOS Mix
2-4 shakes Worcestershire sauce
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 small onion, diced
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced
12 oz bag wheat egg noodles (or any you prefer)
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
8 oz low-fat cream cheese, softened (optional)

Directions:
In a skillet, brown meat, when nearly done add onion, mushrooms and minced garlic. Continue cooking til onions are translucent.

In the meantime, boil egg noodles according to package directions. Drain and have ready.

In a small sauce pan, whisk together SOS mix and 3 cups of water. Cook until desired thickness. You may need to adjust SOS mix to achieve desired thickness. Whisk in paprika, Worcestershire sauce, softened cream cheese (optional) and sour cream.

Mix meat mixture, cooked noodles and SOS mixture together. Spread into 9x13x2 in baking dish. Cover with foil and cook in preheated 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Yeilds: 6 servings

~ Farm Girl

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