Chicken Surgeon

Yesterday, I officially did my first chicken surgery. After reading several different articles on Bumblefoot and how to treat it, we decided to try it. We got up early and went to local farm supply store where we purchased betedine and vetwrap. It took three of us to perform the procedure.

First, we wrapped her in old t-shirts (did not have any towels). Then, Chuck held her while we soaked her feet for 15 minutes in Epsom salt water. Next, we carefully laid her on her side and wrapped one foot in t-shirts. I then took a sharp scalpel and cut around black area on bottom of foot. Next, I used tweezers to pull  hard plug of infection out of foot. After that, I gently squeezed foot to get all the puss out. We then betedined her foot well. Finally, we put some antibiotic cream on the outside of the wound. The last thing we did is carefully wrapped her feet in vetwrap to keep them clean and dry so wound would heal. 

She is in her own cage but next to the other chickens so she is not so lonely. She is up walking around and seems to be fairly happy except for the fact that she is not with her flock within their boundaries. We will keep her isolated a few days and then we will check her feet and see how they are healing. Will let you know how it is going.

Bumblefoot

The other day we noticed a growth on one of our Rhode Island Red's feet. We looked it up online and discovered that she probably has bumblefoot. It sounds like she probably injured the foot at some time and it has set up an infection in it. It is a anaerobic staff infection. After doing a lot of research last night, looks like we will be doing some minor surgery tomorrow when there are three of us here to do it since it is our first time. Our approach is going to be soaking it in Epsom salt water solution for 15 minutes. Cutting out the infected part and then cleaning it well with an antibiotic solution. You then wrap it for a few days and it should heal over. I will let you know how it goes. Always an adventure.

The Story of Bottled Water

My friend posted this link today on her facebook page. I am going to let the video speak for itself. It is well done. If you would like to check the facts they are using, you can click below the video for a footnoted script. Here is the link: The Story of Bottled Water . If you still have a bottled water habit, check this video out it may change your mind.

Small Changes for Increased Water Quality

I told you about the All Creation Sunday we had at church this past week and how we worshiped outdoors. One thing I researched for the service is clean water. Clean water is a big topic locally because Lexington was fined by the EPA several years ago. Even if someone does not care about water pollution in Lexington, you should care about how much it has cost tax payers here in the city. 

It is interesting to me how many people who know that water pollution is a problem but do not understand their part in it. In 2004 a local group called Bluegrass PRIDE conducted a survey here in Central Kentucky, it found that 94% of the population here think they only somewhat or do not at all contribute to water pollution. The opposite is true though. Here are some simple suggestions they offered to help improve water quality. 

1) Pick up pet waste. It can wash into waterways and storm sewers. 

2) Use a car wash versus washing car in driveway. In the driveway, all the soap and grime rinse off and flow into the storm drains.

3) Make sure all detergents used in the home are phosphate free. 

There are things that contribute to pollution which are not listed in the article but just starting with the three above goes along way in decreasing your own contribution to local water pollution. Try implementing at least one of them today if you do not already use these as common practices in your home. 

Whole Wheat Bread

The bread I made the other day passed the family taste test last night. They all liked it so I thought I would share the recipe. This recipe can be easily doubled to make as many loaves as you like. 

Real Whole Wheat Bread

3 1/2 cups whole wheat bread flour

1/3 cup milk (brought to room temp)

1/4 cup honey

1 cup warm water

1 1/4 tsps salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1 packet or 2 tsps dry yeast

In a large mixing bowl combine water, yeast and honey. Let sit until yeast starts to activate (yeast bubbles will begin to form. Gently stir in milk, salt and oil to yeast mixture.

Add flour 1 cup at a time and stir in until cannot stir in flour anymore. Put dough out onto floured surface. Knead dough 12-15 minutes until elastic and smooth. This means when you pull it up there are no pit marks in the dough and it is smooth instead.

Put back in bowl, cover with towel and let rise until doubled.

When doubled, punch down and shape into two loaves. Place loaves in lightly greased bread pan. Put towel loosely over pans and let rise until about 1 inch above pan tops. 

Bake 20 minutes at 350 degrees then cover top of bread loosely with foil and back for an additional 20 minutes. Bread should be nicely browned and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom. Take bread out of pans and let cool completely.  .

Celebrating God's Creation

During the month of July, our church has one worship service on Sunday mornings instead of the normal two. Instead of using the same services, we call it Surprise July and do different things. People seem to enjoy this time every year. Today's theme was Celebrating God's Creation. We held the service down in Brin's Garden which is our outdoor worship space. It is a nicely shaded area where people bring their own lawn chairs to sit in during worship. We also have some garden type benches down there for people who forget their chairs. Singing is usually either acapella or guitar led. I always enjoy this worship setting. It was the perfect setting today for this themed worship service. It is a carved spot in the middle of the city. 

This is something that I have wanted to do for a long time during worship. Celebrating God's Creation with looking at our impact we have made on His creation. I think it is important to look at our call as being the steward's of God's creation once in a while in a worship time. It was neat listening to the sounds of nature around us in contrast to the urban car traffic that is prominent also in this setting.  

Zucchini Muffins

Last night, we were trying to find something to make with the last of the 2 large zucchini that Chuck brought home from work this week. We ended up taking the last cup of zucchini and making zucchini muffins for breakfast today. They were really good so I thought I would share the recipe. 

Zucchini Muffins

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 TBLS baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

2 eggs, beaten

3/4 cup milk

3 TBLS oil

3 TBLS applesauce (can also use oil for this)

1 cup grated zucchini

2/3 cup raisins

In large bowl, stir together flours, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. In medium size bowl, stir together eggs, milk, oil, applesauce and zucchini. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Gently stir in raisins. Put in sprayed muffin tins. Bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. Tops should be browned and toothpick inserted in middle should come out clean.

Cheap Electricity

Kentucky has some of the cheapest electrical rates in the country. This is mainly because there is a cheap supply of coal nearby. I was reading an article this morning in the March 2011 Kentucky Living magazine which is put out by the local power company. It made me think about a few things. It was written by the editor of the magazine. He was pointing out how Kentucky's energy is created. He used the example of $1.00 which was broken into 100 pennies. Here are the totals: 

3 pennies-amt electricity generated from by burning petroleum

2 pennies-amt electricity generated from hydroelectric dams

1 penny-amt electricity generated from natural gas

less than 1 penny-amt electricity generated from renewable sources such as wind, solar, wood and methane from landfill gas

93 pennies-amt electricity generated from coal

His point in this that even with a lot more money spent, coal would still be the bigger pile of coins when it came to generating electricity. His suggestion is that the best way to cut back on coal use was to cut back on electrical consumption. 

These numbers to me were very interesting. I do believe we need to maximize the use of renewable sources for energy generation. The more important part of these statistics is that it still comes back to energy conservation. We, as a nation, have become energy glutens. We each need to look at where we can do our part to decrease energy consumption. Little things do add up.

Stuff

It is very hot here this week so I have spent more time inside trying to get the house organized. Once again, I am amazed of how much stuff we have in this place. I am working today on getting books resorted and labeled for another home school curriculum sale. I thought I had sorted through everything for the one at the beginning of June but today I have found a bunch more. I keep working on my goal of downsizing our belongings. I have purged so many things already but there still is more to go. That is what happens though when you have lived in the same house for over 20 years. It is easy to put stuff down in the basement and forget about it instead of dealing with it and getting rid of unnecessary items. Wish me luck in this endeavor. 

Homemade Bread

I have tried my hand at making bread before but have only done it for special occasions. We have been trying to find ways to cut back on expenses. The whole wheat bread that is unprocessed with no preservatives is quite pricey per loaf. I decided that I needed to figure out the bread making process. I have been very successful with white bread as well as white and whole wheat mixed together but never just plain whole wheat. 

I searched the internet and my home cookbooks to find a whole wheat bread which was truly whole wheat (not white bread with whole wheat flour in it). I then looked at several suggestions on how to make whole wheat bread taste good. I found the biggest thing was getting too much flour in while kneading the bread and not kneading long enough. Whole wheat flour takes much longer than processed white flour to break down the protein strands so they can mix well with the yeast.

The loaves are done and out of the oven. They look good. Taste will be the next hurdle. I will let you know how it goes. This time I am determined to make this happen.

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

Yes, the chocolate zucchini bread I made yesterday passed the family taste test. Here is the recipe.

DOUBLE CHOCOLATE ZUCCHINI BREAD


2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (can also use all-purpose flour for this)
½ cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
¾ cup applesauce (or can substitute oil for this amount)
¾ cup oil
3 eggs
1 ½ cups milk
1 ½ cups sugar
2 tsps vanilla
2 cups grated zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet mini-chocolate chips

In a large bowl, combine flours, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Set aside.

In another bowl, combine applesauce, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla and zucchini.

Stir zucchini mixture into flour mixture just until combined. Gently stir in chocolate chips.

Pour into two greased loaf pans (8 x 4). Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cool on rack then remove from pans.

Zucchini Season

Zucchini season has started. My zucchini plant has blooms on it but no zucchini at this time. My husband brought home an oversize one from work on Thursday. I wanted to make Zucchini-Carrot Cake (recipe in older post) so I decided to buy one more at the Farmer's Market this morning to make sure I had enough. I also bought two small ones to put on the grill with the bratwurst I had laid out for supper. 

I ended up with more than enough zucchini for the cake. I ended up on a zucchini baking marathon this afternoon. I ended up making 2 loaves of double chocolate zucchini bead (new recipe if we like it I will share it on the blog), zucchini brownies and a zucchini-carrot cake. We also had plenty left over for the grill this evening. We had the brownies for supper tonight (appreciated and enjoyed by all). The zucchini-carrot cake is for the potluck at church tomorrow. One loaf of bread is on the counter for breakfast tomorrow morning and the other is in the freezer for future use.

I know about people passing on the urban legend about people locking their cars at night so the neighbor does not "share" his excess zucchini with them. I personally welcome the zucchini. They are such versatile vegetables that can be made into so many things. I am excited that zucchini season has arrived! Bring them on!

Chickens

I ran to the store this morning to pick up a few things. When I came back, there were two ladies looking over my fence into my backyard. It was obvious they were looking at my chickens. I have become use to this. I have people stop by frequently while they are on their walks. I went to greet them wondering if they are for or against city chickens. It was very obvious they were on the pro side. (The funny thing is I have never met anyone on the con side yet but I am sure they are out there.)

The ladies are thinking about getting chickens themselves. One lady had taken the other lady on a long purposeful morning walk past our house. She has been trying to convince the other lady to get chickens and share raising them together. They are next door neighbors. I invited them into the yard to show off the chickens as well as the coop that Chuck designed. Neither one had had chickens before and were concerned about taking care of them. I told them that it was fairly easy and the eggs were worth every bit of the work.

We then did a brief tour of our edible landscaping. I showed them "Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens" and recommended they check it out of the library before they decided to get chickens. The one lady is going to bring her husband and sons back later to see if they are interested in doing this in their backyard.

I am always excited when I can show someone the benefits of raising their own backyard flock for eggs. It only takes a little bit of time and it is fun to make new friends. 

Smog Alert

The last couple of days I have traveled through Louisville, KY and to Cincinnati, OH for various reasons. Both cities had a smog alert the days that I drove through them. I decided to do some research into this subject. According to the Hamilton County Environmental Services, smog is used to describe air pollution that results from sunlight mixed with certain polluting chemicals in the environment.

The first main pol;uting chemical is ground level ozone. Ozone occurs naturally in the stratosphere layer of the sky. It helps protect the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. When close to the ground it becomes a powerful pollutant because we breathe it into our lungs. It is especially harmful to the young and elderly as well as those suffering from respiratory diseases.


The second main pollutant is particulate matter which are such things as dust, soot, ash, other solids and aerosols. These particles can come from a variety of sources such as gasoline or diesel engines, factories, wood burning and power plants. They are invisible to the naked eye but can combine together to make clouds or fog-like haze.

Here are some suggestions from the website as well as some I have added which decrease air pollution. 


Ride the bus.

Carpooling
Riding a bike, walking or rollerblading instead of driving.
Avoiding use of gasoline powered lawn equipment.
Keeping your vehicle maintained.
Combining trips or eliminating unnecessary vehicle trips.
Do not top off when refueling.
Avoiding use of oil-based paints and stains.
Saving electricity.
Buying local products to cut down on product transportation pollution.

Even though you may not live in a major area where smog is a problem, everyone adds to the general air pollution problem. We all should follow these guidelines to cut down on general air pollution.

Lutheran Hills

Mary has been going to Lutheran Hills Church Camp since she was 5 years old. The first couple of years were only 2 nights and when she got a little older a whole week. I cannot believe I just made my last trip to take her to church camp. Next year, she will be too old.

Chuck and I were both camp counselors when we were in college. We both felt very committed to the fact that our children should have this experience. We have been able to fulfill this commitment. The only year Mary missed is when she was recovering from a mild head injury. This experience has deepened her faith and been a part of who she has become.

Next year, Mary is hoping to follow our footsteps and become a counselor. She has talked about doing it for years. I hope that it is a goal that she can obtain. I feel she would be an excellent addition to the staff (I admit though I am a little impartial). Time will tell.

Today, once again reinforced how fast time has flown. It is scary as a parent knowing that in a year she will probably be leaving home. It is sometimes hard to let go but I know that it is a necessary and important part of parenting. I know that she will be ready for this next stage in her life when it gets here..She has grown into a fine young lady that I am very proud to call my daughter.

Iowa Waterways.

In the same book I referenced in the last post called Iowa Waterways, it gives a brief overview of the programs that are in place to help protect this precious resource. The 1985 federal Farm Bill was passed to help deal with agricultural activities that affect clean water. Iowa is the number one user of these bills.

The first part was the Swampbuster Provision. It protects waterways by saving wetlands that filter soil and chemical runoff. It makes it difficult for farmers to drain wetlands. The second part is called the Conservation Reserve Program. It pays farmers not to plant erodible areas to row crops, and instead maintain a cover that reduces bare and exposed soil to wind and water erosion. These also help provide a natural filter for field fertilizers to keep from running directly into waterways. In 1984, the Protected Water Areas program was enacted by the Iowa legislature. It helps protect more scenic waterways in Iowa.

This is a brief overview of the programs in place to help keep our water clean of agricultural runoff. Although it is a beginning, there still is a long way to go.

Iowa Waterways

While I was in Iowa last week, we were in my uncle's living room watching deer one evening who were in the waterway. I had seen these grass strips between the fields of corn and beans before but had never given them a second thought. This time I asked what they were. Apparently, Iowa pays farmers to keep a natural grassy area between fields to help keep down soil erosion and fertilizer run-off. They are highly regulated areas. They intrigued me though so I decided to do some research into them. I am going to spend the next couple of posts sharing what I have found out.

In this post, I would like to share some statistics with you. First, I would like to preface them by saying that I am sure you can quote similar statistics for most other states. The impressive thing is Iowa is realizing what a valuable resource their water system is and doing some things to protect them. These statistics come from a booklet I found on the internet. It is from the Iowa Association of Naturalists and is called Iowa Waterways.

1) By 1870, more than 1000 dams impeded the seasonal migration of fish in Iowa waterways. .
2) Iowa has lost more than 95%  of its original wetland habitats.
3) All of Iowa's larger rivers and streams have undergone some channelization or impoundment.
4) By 1930, more than 1000 miles of Iowa streams had been erased through channelization.
5) Siltation has had a major impact on an estimated 92% of Iowa's waterways.
6) Nutrient (fertilizers) pollution has had an impact on almost all of Iowa's waterways.

I will share some of the clean water programs they have in place to change these statistics for the better in next couple of posts.

Apricot Bread

Our apricot tree has been very prolific this year. We made apricot jam but had some apricots left over with bad spots in them but still good. I found this recipe on the internet. We took it to a friend's house last night and everyone liked it. Here is the recipe for Apricot Bread.

Apricot Bread

1 egg
1 cup sugar
2 TBSP melted butter
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1 TBSP baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup orange juice
¼ cup water
1 ½ cups fresh cut up apricots or ½ cup dried, soaked 30 minutes

In small bowl, put together baking powder, baking soda and flours. In separate bowl, beat egg with mixer. Add sugar and butter to egg and mix well. Lightly beat in water and orange juice alternated with flours. Stir in apricots. Pour into loaf pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees.

4th of July Celebration

We had a wonderful 4th of July celebration yesterday. We spent the morning getting caught back up here and with the weeding at church. We then headed downtown for the parade with friends. We found great spots and worried that the rain would not stop. It did though and we were able to see the whole parade.

Next, we walked down to the festival. We listened to a band that the rest of the group had heard on Thursday night. They were great to listen too. Diane and I even made it up towards the front so we could dance. Afterwards, we walked around, checked out the local craft and other vendors. Of course, we got our standard funnel cake to share among the four of us.

We were hot, tired and hungry so as not to break the bank so to say, we headed to a local restaurant for a treat and then home for a rest. Later that evening, we met once again with our friends and headed to our favorite spot to watch the Lexington city fireworks. They are usually very good and we were not disappointed. We then came home and collapsed into bed. What a great day!

Fruit and Vegetable Preserving

Mary and I have spent the day catching up on putting away the harvest of the season. We first made coleslaw for a get together at a friend's house this evening. We were able to get all the ingredients out of our garden. It is always so exciting to make something using things that you have grown yourself.

I, then, cut all the broccoli that was ready. We blanched it then put it in bags. Some for veggie at mealtime and some for quiche. It always tastes so good in the middle of winter. We then tackled the apricots Chuck collected from underneath our tree this week while we were gone. We decided to make apricot jam from the ones that were not in good condition for eating. It smelled so good cooking and tasted so good when it cooled. Can't wait to eat it on some biscuits this week.

There are still some apricots left but now it is time to go to our friend's house. We will have to figure out what to do with them tomorrow.

Home Again

We took our time today coming back from my sister's house. We slept in, ate some breakfast and then transferred all of our belongings back into our car. Afterwards, we made a couple of stops. First to Rural King in Lafayette then Trader Joe's in Indianapolis. We made it home around 7 tonight.

Now comes the fun part (lots of sarcasm here). It is time to unpack and catch up on garden and household chores. The apricot tree is full and has dropped many of its fruits. I may be making some apricot preserves tomorrow. Blackberries are in between batches. Strawberries are gearing up again for another round. Cabbage and broccoli are ready for picking. The weeds seem to have enjoyed the weather we had while we were gone. Looks like we have a big job ahead of us.

We had a wonderful week visiting family and doing some site seeing. It is good to be home though.

Iowa Week

My two daughters, my Dad and I have spent the past week in Iowa staying at my uncle's house. We had a nice time and feel very relaxed. Have not had internet access for the week so have not been able to write on the blog. I have had some fun things and experiences that I will share with you on my blog. Hope you are having a nice fourth of July weekend.