Celebrating Five Years of back yard poultry keeping!

These are four of the originals.  Sadly they have all been replaced now.

So I have been making my own sauerkraut.  It's very easy and has done wonders for my gut.  No more pain or bloating at all!  These are the simple steps.  You need a clean clip seal jar, half a cabbage and some salt.

Shred the cabbage finely and place it in a large bowl.  Add a tbls of ground rock salt and start to squeeze the cabbage with your hands.  keep squeezing until water is running freely as if you are squeezing a sponge.  But don't let the cabbage become soggy.

Transfer the sauerkraut into the jar making sure to press down to expel air gaps.  Don't press TOO firmly though. Pour in all the saline liquid.  There should be enough to just cover the sauerkraut.  If there is not, make a a little weak saline and top it up.  Use one of the outside cabbage leaves to act as a cover, press it down inside the jar.  As you clip the lid shut, put some thing inside to tamper the cabbage leaf down firmly to prevent it all sliding upwards.  The lid should be in contact with this item.  You can use the core of the cabbage, or half a carrot stick or something clean and non-toxic say, a silicon kitchen tool.  Place jar in a dark spot away from a heat source and cover it with a tea towel.  This can be tricky in very hot summer conditions, so maybe in the bathroom if your kitchen is very hot. Leave for about 10 days or even longer if you want it to have more zing!  You can open the lid to take little tastes along the way till you are satisfied.  The first day or two gases may build up so it is good to release them.  If the jar is too full it may even leak so leave some space at the top.  Good luck!

So, who said you can't slice fresh home made bread?  Baked this little lovely this morning and sliced it this arvo when it had cooled.

I extended the chooks range for about a year with this portable fence. The trouble was, I never moved it around as it was a bit too much effort to do it on my own.  So eventually, the grass all died.  I have now removed it and the girls are back in their yard with occasional outings.  Once the lawn has recovered I will work something else out for them.  Unfortunately they can't "free range" as I lost my fav hen to a dog when they had their freedom. But they are extremely spoilt with a very large and varied diet and I do let them out for short runs late in the day.

Water under the bridge!

Well hello, long time no see.  It has been quite a while and a lot has transpired.  In brief, now divorced, living alone (at least for the moment. One daughter in UK and another MAY be moving in with the two kids in a few months!).
Still gardening, on the third generation of chooks and continuing to bake my own bread.  Also ferment my own sauerkraut!
One of my hens has transitioned into a rooster, so that has made life interesting!
https://www.quora.com/Why-has-my-egg-laying-hen-started-to-crow-like-a-rooster-in-the-mornings

read this link for evidence!  My "Ginger" crows, has a very large comb and wattle and is growing a long straight tail at the moment! She hasn't laid in a couple of weeks. 

Early Harvest

Well, we are starting to pick!  Have had some beautiful strawberries and a small crop of peas.  Think I may have been a bit early planting the peas as they are kicking on again now and I didn't get a lot at the first harvest.  here they sit in their colanders amongst the herbs. It's a happy little spot.

Well I've gone from this...

to this..................

See how the snapdragons are protecting the stalks of the celery?  Hopefully should get some nice succulent stalks, not too woody!  At least that's the theory!!

The jury's still out regarding the hanging baskets though.  They are a good idea if you don't have the space but they get very dry.  I have to water them twice a day at least and the plants are quite some with small yields.  BUT, it is early in the season so I'll wait and see what the warmer weather brings.  Forever hopeful!

The cabbage doesn't seem to mind the cosy place though!!

While the lettuce and spinach over on the other side of the back area seem to be flourishing!  Maybe a bit protected over there?

It's All Happening

Finally the hen house is done!  What started out as a simple improvisation has turned into a labour of love to produce the most amazing "Poultry Palace".  And so it shall be named!

And here come the "girls"!

Not quite pullets but nearly there.   Hope none are roosters!