Our First Livestock: Chickens!

We really are beginning farmers. This is a milestone for us. We ordered chickens and the ones we ordered will arrive next week sometime, but what came yesterday was a rash, happy decision. GreenRanchingMom emailed me on facebook to call her right away and.... she soon after brought me ten Ameraucana chicks. Blue egg layers! 

My aunt raised Ameraucanas when I was growing up and they were mean chickens, but beautiful and elegant. Oh, how I loved those chickens. 

I love these chickens. I love that we are beginning farming. 

Baby chickens in my kitchen:

Chicken pot pie!

Funny story. As I was downloading these pictures the sequence with the chicks flashed by and was followed by pictures of the pot pies. Coincidence, but still. 

These pot pies were actually not that hard. I can do pie crust. The food processor takes all of the hard work out of it. I can stir ingredients in a pot. Basically the trick to the crust is using lard instead of shortening. 

That's right. Lard. As in pig fat. 

You know what bugs me sometimes? People who are hesitant to use so much butter so they use vegetable shortening, the kind of food product that has an indefinite shelf life and is actually rancid BEFORE you buy it but is so processed you'd never know it. They use THAT instead of butter, which is just beaten cream, plain old dairy cream. And those people freak out about using lard. Again, just natural animal fat. The recipe I was using said they tested lard, butter, and shortening and while the lard tasted and performed better they opted to recommend shortening and butter mixed because of lard's artery clogging reputation. I think that is stupid, so I used lard in this crust and I use it in any recipe that calls for shortening. I won't even buy shortening. Blech. 

Anyway, the inside of the pie was pretty easy too. Just fresh vegetables sauteed, chicken stock mixed with milk and flour, and cut up chicken. Pour that mix while its still bubbling into the pie crust and bake until golden. 

I'll look up the exact recipe in a bit.

Pumpkins

Oh my do I love pumpkins. They were the first vegetable I eve planted that grew, the first that I ever processed for storage, and the first I ever used for fresh (not boxed) baking projects.  So, this year I have a HUGE space just for pumpkins and melons and I am going a little but nuts. I know I will have excess produce (given there is not an insect or disease plague) and I plan on having a great big pumpkin party in the fall. I think this may be what I end up selling at market this year too. 

I can't wait!

That said, if you have a packet of strange squash and want to throw down some seed...... just talk to me!

To Do:

Here is the latest draft of our 'To Do' list.

The list of stuff to get done this spring/summer/fall -

Grain bin turned Chicken house - get ready for summer, install false ceiling, electricity, and heater before november
rebuild front porch
remove bees from front porch column
new roof on both porches
repair main roof
repair/replace gutters
paint house
weatherize addition and basement
cut enough firewood to last through next winter
line chimney
fix enough fence for us to get a bred milk cow next spring
clean out haunted chicken house and make sure it's in good enough shape to use as shelter for the cow when necessary
rock driveway (and the casbah)
clean up trash and get a big brush burn done - (last on list since ground can be frozen when we do this)


tentative list for next year (spring/summer/fall 2010) -

Get Bees
replace main roof
change the opening for the old basement garage into wall with exterior bulkhead door and storm shelter
prepare fence and housing for bred sow to be purchased spring of 2011
fence and shelter for sheep in spring of 2011?
expand cow facilities?
prepare for brooding hens to hatch spring of 2011
finish junk cleanup

Bread

I love the 5 minute artisan bread thing. I love that I no longer feel like an idiot who can't make bread. 

I used to have a friend who was a whiz in the kitchen and often mocked me for my fumbling incompetence. Bread, I thought, is only something master bakers can do. There is something magical about the yeast, salt, flour, water combo turning into bread, rising, and then singing. 

And yet, the peasants of France could make it daily. It has been a staple in the diets of humans from the ancient times. Why can't I get this mass of goo to be more than playdough, I often lamented.

Well, now I can make bread. Simple bread. I love this book. I love these recipes. I love that I can share it with others. 

The picture above is the calzone I made last week with the boule. I tried to use the recipe in teh book but it had some problems: my ricotta was spoiled and the recipe used no meat. So I improvised. The stuffing for the calzone is as follows:

1 block of feta cheese

3/4 lb of ground pork, browned and seasoned with black pepper

spinach leaves

2 eggs

Mix eggs and cheese

Roll out floured boule to a large flat circle, layer ingredients on one half, fold over, cut three slits, and bake at 450 until browned.

Today I experimented with size because the complaint at dinner was that it would be easier to eat if made in individual pockets. It is not working in smaller pockets. Today's filling I am using chicken meat and red peppers with the cheese and using pumpernickle bread instead of white boule. Mmmmmmm. I don't care if the cheese busted out of the side. Yum.

* edited to add. Lunch turned out more like a quiche. I am not sure why, but it is still tasty.