better than take-out

Never would have thought the best sweet and sour chicken would be baked in the oven. The chicken pieces get extra tender, while the sauce slightly carmelizes on each piece in the oven before being tossed with the veggies. Yum!

it's time

It has been sinking in a little more every day that kidding time is near. Only six weeks left until my goats start having kids. It is very exciting! With a goats ability to have more than one kid at a time, it is very easy to double the size of my herd in a months time. I am anxious to see how many kids each doe is going to have, how many girls I'll get, what colors they will each be.

There is always room for improvement in a herd and in its management. There are a few things I would like to try this year. About four weeks prior to kidding, each doe should get a CD&T vaccination to help immunity transfer to the kids. Also the kids need their CD&T around four weeks of age, then boostered in six weeks.

Knowing I have does that are positive for CAE makes kidding time a little more difficult. I do not want it to be transferred to the kids, so that adds extra work. Knowing which does are negative and which are positive is a big help. Hopefully we will get the girls tested before they kid.

Can't wait for baby goaties!

un-see-able

The best cookies in the world are baked in my kitchen. They only consist of three ingredients. My butter being one of them. My husband made them. And I am going to eat them. Fair trade. I make him yogurt and granola bars, he makes me shortbread cookies. I think I get the better end of the deal.

end of a day

It is almost the end of a day. The livestock are milked and fed. The kids are fed and finishing their milk. Our pizza is baking in the oven. Muffins and granola bars are ready for tomorrow. I am ready for the couch!

fickle light

cooking dinner by iPhone light

I remembered today!

I remembered how to make butter! Not that hard. First butter of the year. Very good! I do not eat butter by itself. I ate this butter by itself.

My favorite way to get all the buttermilk out is to kneed the butter by hand under cold running water. The cold water keeps the temp of my hands low enough the butter doesn't melt, and it also rinses away the buttermilk that is brought out by my kneading.