It is all over the news and yet the general public appears unbothered: a huge meat processing plant in California abuses cattle (the acts of violence are simply too horrible to go into but a few of them include waterboarding and ramming them with forklift blades) & the USDA is conducting an investigation and a massive recall of beef is issued.  Josh and I wandered into the grocery store today and noticed plenty of folks grabbing up packages of beef without even glancing at the labels.  We also noticed that various fast food establishments (all known to purchase their meat from such places) were just as busy as usual.  This is no spinach scare: this is the largest meat recall in U.S. history.

Some of you may remember a post a few weeks ago in which I talked about The Ominvore's Delimma in which Michael Pollan, a professor of environmental journalism at the University of California-Berkeley, says a very simple but amazing thing: "Eat food.  Not too much.  Mostly plants." Our $30 billion dollar diet industry would like you to think that there is some magic formula to health and the truth is that our society consumes mass quantities of meats & dairy containing steroids (promoting weight gain), hormones(8 year old girls are now getting their periods), and antibiotics (Americans are now resistant to many antibiotics).  All of these factors make for an overweight, hormonally imbalanced, and ill society. 

Be sure you check out the Meatrix 2 1/2 which shows the truth about meat processing factories. 

"If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple things of nature have a message that you understand, rejoice, for your soul is alive."       ~Eleonora Duse

    Josh found this little guy in the front yard the other day.  In trying to decide just what kind of woodpecker has graced our land and posed so nicely for us, I discovered some very interesting facts about them.  Did you know that woodpeckers have really long tongues (the likes of which Gene Simmons of KISS could only imagine)?  Apparently, their tongues are usually as long as their bodies.

      While conducting my research, I also discovered a service in Atlanta, Ga. which offers woodpecker removal and even calls their tapping a potential annoyance.  Their slogan: "Don't let urban wildlife ruin your life.." really bothered me.  I admit that I don't want certain animals wild or domesticated on our property so Josh and I take care to remove things that would attract unwanted guests.  We also plan to fence our entire property and have a gated entrance -- but more to keep our animals in than to keep anything out.  As more and more housing takes over the natural habitats of these animals, it is little wonder that they adapt by tapping on gazebos and whatnot.  Woodpeckers also use dead and decaying trees to nest in and since humans remove such trees from their neighborhoods, woodpeckers are forced to find other places to nest.   While we live in a society that wants results right away, there are a few ways to discourage creatures that could be considered "annoying" without the use of harmful chemicals or a service to remove them from the home (which, by the way, was theirs long before it became ours).  Here's what I found:

• offer nesting boxes and suet in your yard -- away from the area in question
• hang small cosmetic mirrors near the damage with the enlarging lens facing outward (these can be purchased at dollar stores)
• wooden or plastic hawk mobiles (wingspan of at least 22 inches) can be hung above the eaves
• sturdy pinwheels (preferrably painted black) can be placed in problem spots
• the quick repair of damage can also discourage woodpeckers
• attach hardware cloth or plastic netting under the eaves of the house
• use of construction materials that discourages insects also discourages woodpeckers

Living in harmony with nature is not always as easy as hanging a few mirrors.  In May of 2007, a young viper came into the backyard and attracted the attention of Grace, Logan, and Dustin who promptly surrounded the unsuspecting snake.  The dogs, no doubt, attempted to get the snake out of their yard (we saw them do this to a hog-nosed snake once before).  The viper (feeling threatened) struck each dog.  We were home but working in the house and heard some strange sounds from the backyard.  We went out to find that our goldens looked more like shar peis due to massive swelling on their faces.  I called the vet while Josh searched the yard for the snake that bit them.  He found the snake and put it in a five gallon bucket with a lid in case the vet needed to know what sort of snake bite he/she was attempting to treat.  Here it is:

Are there any other ideas?  Do let us know.

Also, check out The Meatrix:

Last night, I created a little sketch of our future business for you to see.  When we were in Washington, Josh and I visited Jim's U-Fish and fell madly inlove with the idea of starting something similar -- only with an organic twist.  Instead of just a petting zoo... why not let our guests learn how to milk a goat, churn butter, taste homemade cheese, collect eggs, and enjoy some organic fruits and vegetables? 

 We can't wait to dig our pond and stock it with fish for people to catch.  I am excited to have ducks and mark my words: the very moment that we have water in that pond there will be ducks!  As we did our taxes this year, we realized how close we are to making our dream a reality.  Even before moving here, we were working from our little home computer gathering information about zoning, pond stocking, and insurance.  We made many trips to the various U-fish farms in the Tacoma/Orting/Spanaway area before leaving for Georgia (I am at the U-Fish in Orting, WA in the picture above).

Our planning and hours of labor are finally coming to fruition.  Of course, we fully intend to see all of you who rated "expert" on that little test here at Razor Family Farm someday! 

"To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter... to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or a wildflower in spring - these are some of the rewards of the simple life."  ~John Burroughs

 Above are the Bantams enjoying the great weather of late.  Our little hen laid an egg in the front yard yesterday!  Here it is (with a marker for you to see that it is so tiny):

We've been catching up on the site lately... trying to get to all the pages that have the little "sorry this page is under construction" at the bottom.  This is quite a task!  Today I'll photograph my homemade boiling water canner and I will make some jam with the berries in the freezer.     

We have so many plans and ideas for this year.  Josh will upgrade the saltwater tank, fence the front yard, and dig out the pond in the back. I've been promised a new stove to replace the one that has all but completely failed.  All of these things require money (that dreadful but necessary evil).  So, the boat had to be posted to Craigslist.  This is very sad.  When I look at that boat, I think about how thrilled Josh was when we purchased it.  We had this summer planned: hard work paid for in full by even a few hours on the lake in our very own boat.  In truth, the boat is a fair trade for another step toward making our farming dreams a reality.  Here's one of my favorite pictures of my wonderful husband:

Thank you for helping to name our two new Auracaunas!  We went with the majority (pictures soon). 

Try this quiz and test your knowledge: How well do you know Razor Farms? 

Tell us how you did!

We are just now back from the Lea County Flea Market where we found the man who sold us the hens-that-weren't and told him the whole story.  Turns out that he thought they were hens, too.  He said he'd gladly let us exchange them for hens.  I hope he remembers who sold him those roosters so he can give them a piece of his mind!  Anyway, Josh and I were faced with a decision: either get more Rhode Island Reds or try another breed.  Nothing against Rhode Island Reds... but we decided to get Auracaunas instead.  Auracaunas sell for $15 each instead of $10 each (like the Rhode Island Reds) so we traded the Gabor Sisters for two new gals.  Auracaunas lay green and blue eggs which are said to be low in cholesterol.  In keeping with my sixties television star inspired naming, I've decided to name our new girls after the lead roles in the Patty Duke Show: Patty Lane and Cathy Lane (for those of you who have never seen the show, Patty Duke played both characters).  Here they are:

So now I am putting it to you, my wonderful blogging friends: which hen shall be Cathy Lane and which shall be Patty Lane?  To better illustrate the different characters, I've included the introduction to the Patty Duke Show:

As some of you already know, our Gabor sisters were less like hens and more like a Vegas show.  All three, we learned, are roosters.  It turns out that some people pluck the tail feathers of a rooster and yank out the spurs from its feet to sell it as a hen (hens are in demand).  We don't know if the man at the flea market was aware that he was selling roosters as hens or not.  We will find out this weekend.  The very idea of pulling out a chicken's spur is upsetting.  How horrible!  I can only imagine that kind of pain! 

This afternoon, we told our story to the owners of One Stop Pet Shop and they told us to go to the Geneva Feed & Seed just outside of Box Springs, Georgia.  What a delightful feed store!  There we found baby Black Sex-Links chickens $4 each.  We purchased ten.  Check out the pictures in the Flickr box below:

What do you think?  We know that nine of them are females -- not sure about the gold one (I couldn't resist). 

Just to keep things interesting, I thought I would post my spin on Toscano Soup:

• 1 Lb. HOT Italian turkey sausage
• 1 peeled & diced yellow squash
• 2 cups chicken stock or chicken broth
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 jar of alfredo sauce
• 1 Tbsp Italian seasoning
• black pepper to taste
• crushed red pepper to taste

Brown the sausage in a kettle and then chop into bit-size pieces.  Add squash and cook until just tender.  Pour chicken broth over the meat & squash, stir, and bring to a slow boil.  Remove from heat and add milk & alfredo sauce.  Stir.  Add Italian seasoning, black pepper, and red pepper.  Serve with salad and breadsticks. 

Okay, I confess that it is not a very healthy dish... but it is easy and delicious.  Promise.  Enjoy!

With all due respect to our special roosters:

    
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Well, we did it.  We actually did it!  On Sunday, it was time to let the chickens out of the coop for the very first time.  Here are pictures from the day:

Of course, the Gabor sisters were out the door and down the ramp first.  Dustin watched from the backyard as the chickens hopped around digging and scratching the yard.  Menina and Casanova (the Bantams) were next.  Around six o' clock, all the birds marched themselves back in the coop for the night and some much-deserved chowtime.  Josh took quite a few pictures of the yard & chickens and when I scrolled through the day's photos... well, this one was absolutely stunning:

Isn't he just the best?  I am so blessed to have a husband who shares my love for nature and animals.  He is passionate about providing and selflessly working to give the very best to the people, plants, and animals in his care.  When I think about the traits that one should always look for in a spouse or friend -- perhaps that is one of the most important.   

We are not ready for spring.   Very simply put: this is crunch time.  We have seeds to order, potting soil to mix, bird netting to find, row covers to locate, and kitchen windows to clear for a landing.  Of course, the prep work for the garden is great fun!  A seemingly simple question like, "What sort of tomatoes do we want to plant?" sparks a passionate discussion about the mistakes we made in the garden last year, articles in Grit, Victory Gardens, salsa ingredients, and the joys of yellow tomatoes.  By the time we tire of talking, we may not have even made a decision.  Ahh... but it is fun to think about.  Don't worry, we'll figure it out soon and then flood this blog with pictures of seedlings.  Until then, here is some money-saving advice on starting seeds that needs no debate:

1. Pick varieties of plants/seeds that will actually succeed in your area.
2. Find a sunny spot (or use artificial light) where your new babies will not be disturbed and where the temperature stays between 65 and 70 degrees.
3. You can start seeds in all sorts of containers (yogurt cups, etc).  Simply disinfect them, poke a few little holes in the bottom, and fill them with potting soil.
4. Make your own potting soil by mixing one part perlite, four parts vermiculite, and four parts peat moss.

While I'm chatting away about excitement... you just haven't seen excitement until you've greeted chickens with a plate of homemade suet.  Our Gabor sisters crowd the doorway to the coop (they are still cooped up because we only just got them and we want them to know that the coop is where they bed down at night once we let them free-range).  The girls gracefully walk the edge of the nesting boxes like runway models and then dive for the suet.  Here's how I make my suet:

• 1 cup chunky peanut butter (could use smooth)
• 1/4 cup lard or bacon grease
• 1 cup wild game bird feed or chicken feed
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• a few tablespoons of corn meal

Mix all the ingredients together, scoop the mixture into a container, and then freeze it until I want to give the birds a treat.  I use old store-bought suet containers but you could use muffin tins lined with wax paper.  Serve suet to your birds once it is nice and firm.

  There were a few requests for more pictures of the chickens and I am more than happy to post a recent picture of our little darling, Menina.  Menina, named by Tio Raul, means "little girl" in Portuguese.  This is very fitting and is not to be confused with La Niña or "O Menina" by Beck.  Here she is:

I just couldn't help but post a picture from last night's hockey game which was military appreciation night.  The game was GREAT!  The Cottonmouths won and enjoyed a full stadium of adoring fans.  Everyone wondered why they didn't have military appreciation all the time -- surely they made enough money from concessions to continue it!  The Cottonmouths no doubt loved the cheering and could actually hear it.  Josh was part of the color guard and reported that the crowd was quite loud from the ice.  He felt strongly that the Cottonmouths performed so well because of the support.  Pity the refs, who are normally greeted with "boos" from the audience thanks to a series of rotton calls (don't know where they're getting these refs from but they have been horrible of late).  When the refs skated out before the next period -- the entire stadium booed them.  Anyway, here is a picture of Josh (in ACUs) waiting to go out on the ice:

These photos were taken by Heather when my camera batteries died (the first is of the color guard that Josh was in and the other is a picture of the hockey players & military guys holding a huge American flag):

     Only a few moments before I must rush off to deliver bread to a friend down the road but I couldn't help but post a few vintage commercials (before there were wardrobe malfunctions).  I have apron photos to add but will have to do that later.  Have a blessed day! --- Am back and have added some photos of my progress.  So far, I have one apron made (minus the strings) and four more are cut & pinned.  Four of the five have a striped side with a floral pocket and the reverse on the other side.  I ended up with more floral fabric than striped so I decided to make one apron with a green side and pocket.  The pictures are below the video. Check them out and tell me what you think!

I took the picture before sewing the pockets on or pinning the sides together to be sewn -- thus you could see how it begins.

   Home projects continue with a set of aprons using fabric from Tia Julie and the Gift Angel.  My goal is to have them done in time for National Wear Your Apron Day.  Here is one side of two aprons (they will be reversible):

And the baskets of fabric:

    The days have run together since everyone left.  I did make homemade yogurt using the crock pot with Amanda (who brought me a super storage bin for my bulk flour or sugar).  We had a great time!  I also went to the doctor and have contacts again!  Yippee!  While the hair is still dreadful -- at least I can see where I'm going!

I also wanted to show you a really great idea for a homemade incubator: http://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19496

     Originally we planned to go to the Lee County Flea Market on Saturday but the weather failed to cooperate.  This meant that Nancy and Paul were on the road when Tia Julie, Amber, Heather, Josh, and I left for the market today.  We weren't even sure that anyone would have booths set up since it was so bitterly cold but it was worth a shot.  We arrived to find a handful of booths and a man selling chickens, pot-bellied pigs, rabbits, and game birds.  What luck!  He just happened to have with him three lovely Rhode Island Reds (brown egg layers) which we have named Zsa Zsa, Eva, and Magda (after the Gabor sisters).  The man was very nice.  Tia Julie and I couldn't stop looking at this little pair of bantams.  They were precious!  The man selling them took them out of the cage and held them for us to see.  Both birds snuggled up against the man's coat and were obviously quite used to being handled.  Tia Julie asked Josh if she could buy them so that when Tio Raul came to visit, we would have cuddly & beautiful birds for him to bond with.  Josh happily agreed.  Tio Raul will name the darling bantams (pictured at the top of the page) soon.  We are confident that he will pick names to match their gentle nature as he is quite good with that sort of thing! 

Here are two of our Gabor sisters in the coop:

 A GREAT gift from my Aunt Nancy and Uncle Paul: our very own ice cream maker!  I love its classic design and electric motor!  We made frozen yogurt (using my homemade Yogurt), frozen peaches, and homemade pecan pralines.  Here's a picture of the pralines:

A little while ago, I purchased a 3 Lb bag of whole cranberries and then couldn't decide what to do with them.  Nancy and I decided to can them up in some manner.  We pulled out various canning books but didn't have all the ingredients.  We opted to make our own thing.  Thus: cran-apple jam was born.  Now we certainly aren't claiming to be the first to make the stuff but we did make it without a recipe to follow.  Here it is:

And with the leftover cranberry juice, we made orange cranberry vinegar:

Aunt Nancy brought frozen wineberries and black raspberries along and they are now fully defrosted.  Tomorrow, we'll can them up and put my quilt on the frame.  I've decided on a star pattern for the quilt.  Pictures soon -- promise!

 
Here are the male guinea fowl on their perch.  The  guineas really love their new space and we've noticed that our female has gone broody.  Seeing our happy guinea fowl has us longing for chickens again.  We have the coop and thought that we would wait until spring.  Why wait?  So, this weekend we'll pack up all of our guests (or whoever wants to go) and visit the auction house/flea market in Alabama to see what we can find.  We also thought about picking up some female guinea fowl to add to our family! 

My apologies to the knitting circle.  I got home from grocery shopping, fixed dinner, and then ran out of time.  I missed you though! 

I always wondered if I could bake bread with my eyes closed and today I discovered that I am able to do just that!  These are the breakfast loaves I made this morning before the icing:

And for those of you who follow this blog, you may remember that I made cinnamon almond soap a few weeks ago.  Last evening, I pulled the bars out and shaped them with a peeler.  Here they are:

When I can afford it, I plan on buying some fancy soap moulds but for now I make do with what I have found around the house. 

Good and interesting news: I will be going on a mission trip to Mexico for a week in March with Tia Julie and Tio Raul!  Details soon! 

At the moment, all I can think about is a cool compress for my eyes and some snoozing on the sofa under my favorite soft blanket.  The drops continue.  My doctor called this morning to check on me and schedule a follow-up to check on my ulceration (quick note: I have NEVER heard of such a caring doctor so if you live in the greater Ft. Benning/Columbus area check out 20/20 Eyecare).  The drops continue but they have changed to every three hours!  Progress!

Special thanks to Custom Tacticals for sending the link to Toronto's teeniest house back on the market - Yahoo! News which really does look like our guinea house!  Check out the pricetag!  We have some very lucky guinea fowl!

"'Tis but the work of a moment. There we go.  Almost finished."  Love Actually (2003)    May I take a moment and brag on my amazing husband?  Is that allowed?  Last night he finished the guinea house (minus a quick coat of paint on the wood which frames the wire) after a long day at work! 

Josh working on the roof (picture taken Monday).

Painted and roofing finished (picture taken Tuesday a.m.)!

One coat of paint shy of completion... guinea fowl moved in (picture taken this a.m.).

Notice their awesome perch made from a vine found in the front yard!

Five of our six guinea fowl chillin' on their nesting box this morning.

He also did all of this without any help from yours truly because I am currently about as useful as a meteor shower.  My right eye has a dreadful infection and ulceration.  Yesterday I could scarcely breathe without experiencing excruciating pain.  My doctor gave strict orders about rest, eye drops every hour, etc.  This resulted in the cancellation of my much-anticipated trip to the Atlanta Trade Show.  I am so disappointed!  I would like to add that my wonderful boss could not have been more kind or more understanding.  

Another note about kindness: when the chips are down, you find yourself ill or poor, or perhaps when you are not the most terrific person to be around.... that is when you find your true friends.  True friends help you when you are at the bottom of the pit looking up.  Tuesday, my friends really came through.  First, they lent me clothing for the trade show (thank you, Amanda and Connie) and then took me to the doctor's office (thank you, Connie).  Finally, they called to check on me and managed to hang in there while I complained about pain and discomfort (thank you, Connie, Amanda, Aunt Julie, and Erin).  What would I be without the love and support of such altruistic individuals? 

I am off to rest and add more eye drops but couldn't help but post about the blessings of my husband, friendships, and the Christian company which employs me. 

Amazingly, guinea house construction is still in progress.  This is largely due to my lack of involvement today (I went shopping for clothing to wear to the Atlanta Trade Show).  Josh painted the entire structure with the first coat of paint, finished the door, and built in the door frame.  When I got home, I painted the second coat.  Painting is a must when using recycled and untreated wood.  So, we think it will be finished Tuesday. 

I'm making some bran muffins this evening and will post the recipe on the website soon.  Healthy muffins are often too dry and tasteless to eat but I've discovered a few tricks. 

Thanks to information-overload from the media, we no longer know what not to eat and (perhaps more importantly) what to eat.  The list of foods carrying the label "bad" has changed dramatically over the years.  Eggs are now safe but bread is still naughty and sugar substitutes flood the market again because sugar is blamed for our nation's obesity.  The question begs to be answered: what may we eat?  How could something so simple become so complex?  

Curious?  Check out this book:

This book takes you on a journey through the industrial food chain to your local market.

"Okay, boy. This is where all the hard work, sacrifice, and painful scaldings pays off." -Homer Simpson, The Simpsons "Lard of the Dance" 

Guinea house construction resumed after lunch.  I painted the boards for the foundation while Josh assembled one side of the frame.  He also sprinkled the ditch for the foundation with cinnamon to discourage insects from making a meal out of our untreated lumber (we did paint it).

Cinnamon is naturally an insect repellent.  Natural Insect Pest Control should always be attempted.  It may not always work, but it is certainly worth a try. 

Here is one side of the frame (when finished, there will be five "A" like frames on each side):

Next, we lifted the frame into place and I braced it while Josh attached a few supports.  This is when it is nice to have a buddy!

Here's the almost finished project:

Just a few more hours ahead of us and we'll have some very happy guineas this weekend!

We are big believers in recycling.  We sorted through the recycled wood pile on Post to find the lumber necessary to construct the guinea house.  You would not believe what some people throw away!  Drive by any construction site after hours and you'll see what we're talking about.  Josh spent the better part of the morning pulling out rusty nails and old screws but in the end we've salvaged some great lumber.  We even found two hinges in great shape which we'll use on the door to the guinea house!                                        

After our evening meal, Josh went out to the garage to install a new blade on the table saw (from Connie and Fred) and trimmed all the boards to be used for the "A" frames.  He's saving the scraps to use when he begins bat box construction. 

Guess what!!!  We won! 

Journal of the Week is quite an honor!  This certainly inspires me to continue posting!  I'm thrilled!  Today it is FREEZING outside!!!  Burrrr!!!  Josh is back from hunting this morning and brought home a huge load of wood from the on-Post scrapyard.  He's removing nails now.  I kept him company for a few hours but can't stand the cold any longer especially now that the wind is kicking up.  Josh will begin making the A-frames for the guinea house soon. 

Here's the dishcloth I made and the beginnings of my new project (the dishcloth was curling on the end when I took the picture):

Thank you for all the comments, guys!  I LOVE reading them. 

"Without you, I'm as lonely as an abandoned dog on the side of a highway. I have gift anxiety, even through I don't know when your birthday is. We can spend perfect days shopping and cleaning together." (100 Girls, 2000)  Shopping is only fun when you are there with someone fun.  End of story.  Thank you for shopping with me, Amanda.  It was a perfect day!

After shopping, it was a mad dash to Heather's house where Josh installed a fish tank and then we all enjoyed delicious homemade chili.  Heather is a fabulous cook!  We sat around watching Are You Being Served? and imagining what the tank would look like filled with colorful saltwater fish instead of the cloudy water (it's always cloudy when you first add the water).  Here are a few pictures from the evening:

      Taz and the fish tank                                 Chessie and Taz

Wonderful and useful gifts from sweet Heather:

Yesterday we moved the chicken coop from the backyard to the side yard during the power outage.  This was no small task.  I made a nice beef mushroom soup as soon as the power returned and vowed to bake bread in the morning so I could take it to the local store to sell.  I'm also proudly reporting that in the last 36 hours, I knitted a hat and a dishcloth.  Pictures soon!