Friday, November 9, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Friday, September 21, 2012
Easy Sausage and Tortellini Soup
Ingredients:
5 Italian sausage links
1 can (10.5 ounce) Condensed French Onion soup
1 can( 14.5 ounce) diced tomatoes with basil, garlic and oregano
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup cabbage
1 8 ounce pkg. fresh three cheese tortellini (or 1- 1/ 2 cups frozen)
Fresh grated parmesan cheese, for garnish(optional)
Directions:
Remove casings from sausage. Cut up meat, then brown in a 4 qt. Dutch oven. Drain fat. Add all remaining ingredients, except cheese. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into bowls and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
This soup is wonderful with fresh salad and garlic bread. makes 4 to 6 servings.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Beef and Cheese Foldover.
This is basic recipe. You can add whatever ingredients you like, such as mushrooms, black beans, peppers or diced tomatoes.
To make it even easier, instead of using baking mix you can substitute it with premade pie crust.
This recipe is a good way to get the kids to eat veggies!
Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef( or turkey)
1 chopped onion
1 cup frozen corn
1 / 4 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. A. 1. original steak sauce
1 / 2 cup hot water
2 cups all purpose baking mix
1 cup Kraft Mexican style finely shredded four cheese
1 / 2 tsp. parsley flakes(optional)
Directions:
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
Brown meat with onions in a large skillet; drain. Stir in corn, ketchup, and steak sauce; set aside.
Add water to baking mix; stir until mixture forms dough. Shape in a ball.Place on a lightly floured surface; knead 5 times or until smooth and no longer sticky. Roll into a 12 inch circle; transfer to baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray.
Spoon meat mixture onto center of dough; spread within 2 inches of edge. Fold edge of dough over meat mixture, leaving center uncovered.
Bake 20 minutes. Top filling with chees; bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with parsley(optional)
Serving suggestions: You could also top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes and sour cream.
The good thing about this recipe is that you can make it your own.
Hope you enjoy.
Monday, September 17, 2012
Serenity Acres Fall Recipes
Fall is the most beautiful time of year here at Serenity Acres farm and it is the time of year when soups and chowders warm you up on the chilly autumn eves. I will be listing some of my favorites. These recipes are very simple to make. Hope you will enjoy them as much as my family does.
Autumn Chowder
2 bacon strips, diced
1 / 4 cup chopped onion
1 med. red potato, diced
1 small carrot, halved and thinly sliced
1 / 2 cup water
3 / 4 tsp. chicken bouillon granules
1 cup milk
2 / 3 cup frozen corn
1 / 8 tsp. pepper
2 1/ 2 tsp. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. cold water
1 / 4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
In the drippings, saute onion until tender. Add the potato, carrot, water, and bouillon. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the vegetables are almost tender.
Stir in milk, corn, and pepper. Cook 5 minutes longer.
Combine flour and cold water until smooth; gradually whisk into soup. Bring to boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat; stir in cheese until melted. Sprinkle with bacon. Yields 2 servings. If you want larger servings; adjust recipe to do so.
Turkey Barley Vegetable Soup
2 lbs. ground turkey
1 / 2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
7 cups water
28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 / 2 cup med.- sized barley
1 / 2 cup celery, sliced
1 / 2 cup carrots, chopped
2 beef bouillon cubes
1 / 2 tsp. dried basil
1 bay leaf
9 oz. package frozen mixed vegetables
Salt and pepper to taste
1. Brown the turkey, then add onion, and garlic, cooking until tender.
2. Stir in all the remaining ingredients, except for the frozen vegetables. Cover and bring to boil.
3. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/ 2 hours.
4. Add frozen vegetables and cook an additional 15 minutes. Add more water if needed.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Chicken Taco Casserole
Makes 6 servings. Prep time; 25 Minutes Bake 30 minutes at 350 stand 5 minutes
Ingredients:
Non Stick Cooking Spray
12 ounces chicken breasts strips for stir frying
2 cloves minced garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 teaspoons canola oil
1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced
3/4 cup chopped red or green sweet pepper
1 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 1/2 cups salsa
4 6 inch corn tortillas, coarsely torn
3 ounces reduced fat Monteray Jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered, or chopped(optional)
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Coat an unheated large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Preheat skillet over med./high heat. In a medium bowl toss together chicken, garlic, and chili powder. Add to hot skillet. Cook for 4 to 6 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink, stirring frequently. Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
2. Add canola oil to skillet. Add onion, and sweet pepper. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in spinach
3. Coat 2 quart square baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 1/2 cup of salsa in baking dish. Top with half of tortilla pieces, half the chicken mixture. Pour half of the remaining salsa over vegtables and top with half the cheese. Repeat layer once, except do not top with remaining cheese.
4. bake, covered for 30 to 35 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Optional: Garnish with cherry tomatoes, chopped avocados, and or corn chips
Sunday, September 9, 2012
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Monday, September 3, 2012
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Friday, March 30, 2012
Deviled Eggs
Here at Serenity Acres one of my family's favorite things I prepare for Easter is deviled eggs.Here is a recipe for deviled eggs which calls for sweet relish. When I make them, I don't use the relish, I use sweet pickle juice, just enough to make them creamy and smooth. I just add alittle at a time until it gets the consistency I want.
Ingredients:
12 eggs
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
2 teaspoons sweet relish, or sweet pickle juice(add small amount at a time, just until it is creamy and smooth)
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Paprika for dusting
Directions:
Place eggs in a large wide saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring eggs to boil for 12 minutes. Remove eggs and cool in a refrigerator. Remove shell from eggs and slice lengthwise. Separate egg yolks and place in a bowl. Place egg whites on a separate plate. Add mayo, mustard, sweet relish or sweet pickle juice,(alittle at a time) salt and pepper to taste into the egg yolks. Mash together with a spoon until smooth and creamy. I spoon mixture into egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. Refrigerate and serve cool.
Recipe For Pineapple Glazed Ham
With Easter about 2 weeks away, most of us will have ham. Here is a recipe for a pineapple glazed ham.
You can use any type ham, but I prefer a whole cured ham. You can use a boneless or spiral ham.
This glaze will work for any type of ham.
Ingredients:
1(15.25oz.) can sliced pineapple,drained with reserved juice.
1(40z) jar maraschino cherries, drained
1 cup brown sugar
Whole cloves(optional)
Directions:
1. Before baking ham, place pineapple slices on ham, secure with toothpicks. Place cherries in the center of pineapple(you might have to secure them with a toothpick.) You can also insert whole cloves in pineapple(optional)
2. In a medium microwave safe bowl combine brown sugar and reserved pineapple juice. Mix together and microwave about 5 minutes, until mixture is thick. Pour some of the glaze over the ham about every 15 minutes in the last hour of baking until all is used.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Apple-Raisin Bars
Makes 12 bars Prep time 15 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1- 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 eggs
1/2 cup(1 stick) butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups diced Golden Delicious apples
3/4 cup raisins
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Liberally coat a 13x9x2 inch baking pan with cooking spray
2. In a medium size bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl, with electric mixer on medium speed, blend together sugar, eggs, butter and vanilla for 3 minutes or until smooth.
4. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture; mix for 2 minutes or until just incorporated. Stir in diced apples and raisins and spread into prepared pan.
5. bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before cutting into bars and serving.
Separation Anxiety In Dogs
A dog suffering from separation anxiety can be very destructive when left alone. That is one of the worst signs that a dog could have. Below I have listed more.
Signs:
Whining, barking, acting nervous when you leave the house.
Neighbors complaining about barking and howling after you leave.
Destructive chewing, tearing things apart or scratching up the walls and doors.
Repeated escapes from crate, house or yard when left alone.
Frantic greeting every time you return home.
House trained dog urinating or defecating indoors when alone for even a short period of time.
Causes:
Abandonment:
A dog suffering from separation anxiety feels that when you leave that you have abandoned them. Shelter dogs, rescue dogs, and re homed dogs are a large percentage of dogs that develop separation anxiety.
Moving:
The owners obvious stress along with packing and preparing to move can upset even a stable dog, causing separation anxiety at currant home or more likely the new unfamiliar house.
Routine Change:
Major changes in dog's normal routine, such as owner who worked at home taking a full time job elsewhere or kids starting back to school can trigger separation anxiety.
New Family Member:
Bringing home a new baby, partner moving in or any addition to the household can cause insecurity in the dog and can lead to separation anxiety.
Sudden Isolation:
Sometimes when a dog is suddenly moved to an isolated part of house or garage due to someone else moving in often leads to separation anxiety.
Corrective Actions:
If a dog shows signs of separation anxiety due to any of the changes that I mentioned. Here are some suggestions to correct.
If behavior is serious enough that the dog destroys household furnishings or cause possible harm to the dog, you should consult a professional trainer who can pinpoint and address the cause.
Whatever changes that occur in your household also affects your dog, since his life resolves around you. Help him adapt by adhering, as much as possible to his normal routine, such as feeding, walking, and play time.
Never isolate your dog suddenly away from the family, but if you know for some reason he has to sleep in a different area, place another bed in that location and regularly offer him a favorite chew toy there before change occurs.
Don't indulge in sad goodbyes, because your dog will pick up on the tone of your voice, instead keep a casual attitude as you leave and return home to set a calm example.
Give him a treat-stuffed rubber toy before you walk out the door to change his focus from worrying about you leaving to something pleasant.
Work on positive obedience training to build up dog's confidence. Don't respond to a dog's whining, barking or other anxious and demanding behavior when home. Reward calm behavior.
If a dog looses a dog or cat companion, or they just seem lonely, they might respond well to a new friend, but have a backup plan just in case they don't get along. A companion just might be what they need to keep them company while you are away.
I have never had a dog with separation anxiety, but I can imagine how frustrating it could be. My female golden, Abbey who passed away last year did have a terrible fear of storms and would go crazy at the first signs of a storm approaching. She even chewed her way out of her crate. We would have to stay with her until it passed if we were home, but if we weren't home she would have a fit trying to get away. We kept her and our other golden in the basement when we left and she had already went through the paneling and spilled paint and tracked it all over the floor. Bless her heart. She was a good little dog other than that.
Hope this is helpful if you have a dog that suffers from separation anxiety. GOOD LUCK!
Monday, March 26, 2012
Beer-Braised & Mesquite-Smoked Short Ribs
Grilling season is here and this is a recipe that I think you will enjoy. I think you could substitute the short ribs with any type of ribs that you prefer.This recipe serves 4. Prep time-45 minutes, plus 1to 1-1/2 hrs. to braise ribs, 1 to 1-1/2 hrs.for sauce. Chilling time-2hrs. Grilling time-30minutes.
Braising Liquid:
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
6 garlic cloves
1 jalapeno chili pepper, roughly chopped with seeds.
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. cumin seed
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
3 bottles(each 12 0zs) lager beer.
1 bay leaf
5lbs. meaty beef short ribs
Sauce:
1 cup ketchup
2 tbsp. molasses
1 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
Hot pepper sauce(optional)
2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 large handfuls mesquite wood chips, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes.
Directions:
1. In a large stockpot over med. heat, heat oil. Add onion, garlic, and jalapeno and cook until onion is tender, stirring occasionally. Add oregano, cumin seed, salt and pepper and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Pour in the lager and add the bay leaf. Place ribs in the braising liquid, meaty side down and add enough water to cover them. Bring to boil over high heat and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer until ribs are barely tender when pierced with the tip of a knife, about 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Transfer the ribs to a sheet pan to cool. Remove and discard any bones that may have fallen off in the liquid. Cover and cool in refrigerator until chilled, about 2 hours.
2. Strain the braising liquid through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl and let stand 10 minutes. Skim the fat from the surface of the liquid. Rinse the stockpot, pour the liquid back into the stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower the heat and simmer the liquid until reduced to 3/4 cup, 1 to 1-1/2 hours. Transfer to a medium saucepan. Stir in ketchup, molasses, balsamic vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer until the sauce is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and season with hot pepper sauce(optional). Set aside at room temperature.
3. Prepare a two- zone fire for medium heat(350- 450 degrees)
4. Brush the ribs with the oil and season evenly with salt and pepper. Brush the cooking grate clean. Drain and add 1 handful of the wood chips to the charcoal and put the lid on the grill. When the wood begins to smoke, cook the ribs( with lid closed) until meat begins to crisp around the edges and the ribs are heated through, about 25 minutes.
5. Brush the ribs generously with the sauce. Drain and add remaining wood chips to the charcoal. Move the ribs over(direct medium heat), close lid and continue to cook until meat is glazed, about 15 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove and serve with remaining sauce.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Update On Our Mare With Cushings
This is a picture of our mare Vision, before body clipping. She has Cushings Disease.
This is Vision after a total body clipping. Hard to believe it is the same horse. In one of my older posts I talked about Equine Cushings Disease. You might want to check it out. It explains all about the disease.
In this post I just want to give you an update on how to deal with one of the main symptoms of the disease, which is long, curly hair that doesn't shed out like it should.
About 8 years ago our beautiful Polish Arabian mare, Vision was diagnosed with Cushings. At this time, there is no known cure for Cushings, but there is medication that is given on a daily basis that helps with the symptoms of the disease. Like I mentioned one of the main symptoms is that the horse developes long, curly hair. It is quite unattractive and very uncomfortable for the horse. When the weather gets warmer, it is like the poor animal has a fur coat on.
Vision seems to be doing fairly well on the medication, but we could tell she was truly miserable with that long hair, so we decided to do something about it. We went out and bought a body clipper and decided to clip her.
My son came over Sunday to ride his horse and we mentioned that we wanted to clip Vision and he said, let's get it done, so he proceeded clipping. It was amazing how long her hair had gotten. It was about 5 inches on her belly and legs. It was no wonder the poor thing was so miserable. He couldn't get her totally clipped that day, because the blade wouldn't cut anymore, so the next day we bought another blade and he finished her up.
As you can see, she looks like a totally different horse and she acts almost like her old spirited self again. You can see her beautiful Arabian shaped head again, instead of looking like a woolly mammoth.
I wanted to share these pictures with you, just in case you have a horse with Cushings. There may not be a cure yet for the disease, but you can make their lives much more comfortable while they are still with us, just by clipping off that long, curly hair.
If you don't feel like you are qualified to body clip a horse on your own, check with vet or a groomer. There are people out there that will do it, but it really wasn't hard, just time consuming. The end results are worth it!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Irish Soda Bread Recipe
Prep time-15 min. Bake-30 min. Yields 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter
2 eggs
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup raisins
Directions:
In a large bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in butter until crumbly. In a small bowl, whisk 1 egg and buttermilk. Stir into flour mixture, just until moistened. Fold in raisins.
Knead on a floured surface for 1 min. Shape into a round loaf; place on greased baking sheet. Cut a 1/4 deep cross in top of loaf. Beat remaining egg; brush over loaf.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 min. or until golden brown.
Irish Potatoes(Colcannon) Recipe
Make this potato dish part of your St. Patrick's Day dinner.
Prep time-10 min. Cook-35 min. Servings-12-16
Ingredients:
2lbs. cabbage, shredded
2 cups water
4lbs. potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 cups milk
1 cup chopped green onions
Salt and coarsely ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup butter, melted
Crumbled cooked bacon and freshly minced parsley
Directions:
In a large saucepan, bring shredded cabbage and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 to 12 min. or until tender. Drain, reserving cooking liquid. Keep cabbage warm.
Place cooking liquid and potatoes in a large saucepan, adding additional water to cover potatoes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook 15 to 17 min. or until tender. Drain and keep warm.
In a small saucepan, bring milk and onions to a boil; remove from heat. In a large bowl, mash potatoes. Add milk mixture; beat until blended. Beat in cabbage, salt and pepper. Drizzle with melted butter, bacon and parsley.
Naughty Leprechaun
This is a delicious adult beverage to serve on St. Patrick's Day!Prep time-5 min. Total time -10 min. Serving-1
Ingredients:
2 cups vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup bailey's Irish Cream
1/4 cup Creme De Menthe
1/2 cup milk
Garnish
Mint sprigs
Red or green maraschino cherries
Place all shaker ingredients in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy.
Alternate sprigs of mint and cherries on a toothpick and place on the edge of the glass for garnish.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Goat's Feeding Practices-Part 1
In my last post about "Goats As Ruminants" I explained about the four stomach chambers and how you know if the Rumen is functioning properly.
In this post I will give an outline on their feeding practices.
Roughage:
Fiber comes from roughage such as hay, browse, pasture, and crop residues. Goats are browsers by nature and prefer to forage brush lands or pasture containing a variety of plants, but limited land, rainfall, and winter weather prevents them from obtaining natural forage, so it is necessary to feed them hay. Legume hay such as alfalfa or cover is the best of the common forages. They are higher in total digestibility, rate of digestion, and is richest in protein, vitamins, and most minerals. Mixed legume-grass hay, if cut early, is also fairly good, but is generally the poorest quality.
The type of hay you need depends on the goats you are feeding. Milkers require good legume hay for better milk production.
Feed hay free choice, a little at a time, because goats tend to scatter and waste it. Just feed less and more often. This ensures that it all gets eaten. On an average, a goat will consume 2.5 to 3% of it's body weight each day.
Alternate Forms of Roughage:
If you don't have access to good hay, you will have to make up for it with other fibrous feedstuffs. An option might be large pelleted hay. Not the small type fed to rabbits, to ensure adequate fiber length. Pelleted hay is expensive, but goats don't waste it by picking through it and it, and the higher nutritive value offsets the grater cost by allowing you to reduce supplemental feeding.
Other fibrous feedstuffs include cottensilk hulls, citrus pulp, and beet pulp. You can also store silage during the summer from grass clippings, or shredded cornstalks. Sunflower seeds are another excellent source of roughage, with being high in protein, vitamins, minerals, and energy.
Of all types of roughage, though, goats like to browse.
Browse:
Goats were foraging for themselves way before we put them into fancy barns and hand carried their rations. You will save money and time if you take advantage of their ability to eat coarse weeds and woodsy growth for atleast part of their roughage intake. The milkers also like to browse, but some types of vegetation,especially wild onions and garlic, cause off-flavors in milk.
Also keep a herd from seeking out poisonous vegetation. Avoid letting them come in contact with plants that have been sprayed with pesticides. Ornamental shrub prunings are another source of poisoning. Some plants are poisonous only at certain times of year, others always are. Wild cherry and oak included- toxic substances become concentrated in the wilted leaves, to which goats are unfortunately attracted, so in some areas it is necessary to prevent browsing in the autumn when theses withered leaves pile up on the ground. The toxic evergreen mountain laurel, for instance, becomes attractive to goats in winter when most other vegetation has died off.
I don't mean to alarm you, I just want make you aware of some of the poisonous plants. The good news is that goats are less subject to plant poisoning than other types of livestock. The older goats become familiar with poisonous plants and avoid them. It is the younger ones that sometimes get into trouble unless led by an experienced animal.
Symptoms of poisoning are vomiting, frothing, staggering, cries for help, rapid or labored breathing, altered pause, trembling, convulsions, and sudden death.
Pasture:
As I mentioned before, goats are basically browsers like deer, but they will make use of pasture, if available. Providing quality pasture is a good way to keep up milk production and keeping down food cost. If you have steep, rocky, droughty land that is otherwise usable, seeding it to pasture will provide grazing for your goats.
I guess that pretty much covers the roughage part of feeding practices. Will get into other feeding practices in a later post. As usual, I hope this has been informative.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Monday, March 12, 2012
1st Cookout at Serenity Acres
Fred and Tristan getting Azia ready to ride.
Fred building goat stand.
Dan walking Azia before he rode her.
Popcorn
Goats watching Azia get saddled up.
Zoey with Peanut.
Woo with his new cool hat on backwards!
Dan on his Tennesee Walker, Mouse.
Azia kissing Alex Azia, Pablo anVision.
Yesterday was a beautiful day here in Southeastern Indiana, so we had our 1st cookout of the year.
It was a fun day! My son brought his 22 rifle and we did some target shooting. I have to say us girls did very well. I think we suprised the guys. After that, we brought out the horses and ponies. My son got on Azia for the first time and she didn't do as well as I had hoped, but of course it had been awhile since she was rode and never here on this farm. My son had back surgery about a year ago and I made him get off her. Then he got out his Tennesee Walker, Mouse and he hasn't been rode for about 2 years. I thought for sure he would act up, but he did great! We even put the kids on him. He is an awesome horse. I think Azia will be fine, she just needs alittle work and there was alot of activity going on around her.
Then it was time to get the pony and the little miniture horse out for the kids, Popcorn and Peanut. My grandaughters rode Popcorn and my 2 year old grandson rode Peanut. What a great time that was.
Fred built a new goat stand, so we had to try it out. It worked out real good for trimming hooves, because the goats were pretty much confined. It made a horrible job, less horrible.
It is always a great day, when I get to spend it with my family.
I would like to share some pictures. Hope you enjoy them.
Irish Cream Cake
St. Patrick's Day is Saturday, March 17th and if you are planning a party, this cake will surely be a big hit.
Prep time- 30 min. Total time- 3 hrs.
Ingredients:
Cake
1 Box Betty Crocker Super Moist cake mix
1 Box(4 serving size) chocolate instant pudding and pie filling
4 eggs
1/3 Cup veg. oil
1 Cup Irish Cream liqueur
1 Cup sour cream
Irish Cream Frosting:
1 Cup butter or margarine, softened
4 Ozs. cream cheese (half of 8oz. pkg.)
3 Cups powdered sugar
1/4 Cup Irish Cream liqueur
1 Tsp. vanilla
Chocolate Glaze:
4 Ozs. bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped
1/2 Cup whipping cream
1/4 Cup light corn syrup
2 Tsp. vanilla
1/3 Cup sliced, toasted almonds
Directions:
Step 1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.(325 for dark or non-stick pans.) Spray 2- 9 inch round pans with cooking spray.
Step 2.In a lg. bowl, beat all cake mix ingredients with electric mixer on high speed for 5 min., scraping bowl occasionally, until well blended. Pour batter into pans, bake 35 to 45 min. or until toothpick inserted in the middle of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 min., remove from pans to cooling rack. Cool completely.
Step 3. In a lg. bowl, beat butter or margarine and cream cheese with electric mixer on med. speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low. Add powdered sugar(1 cup at a time) beating until blended. Add 1/4 cup Irish Cream liqueur and 1 tsp. vanilla; beat until frosting is smooth and spreadable.
Step. 4 Place 1 cake layer on serving plate, spread with 1/3 of frosting. Top with second layer. Frost top and sides of cake with a thin layer of frosting to seal in crumbs. Refrig. 30 min. Frost cake with remaining frosting.
Step. 5 Place chopped chocolate in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, heat whipping cream over med. heat until bubbles form around edge. Pour warm cream over chocolate; let stand 1 min. Stir with whisk until chocolate is melted. Add corn syrup and 2 tsp. vanilla. Stir until smooth. Let stand 10 min. or until thickened.
Step 6. Pour glaze on top of cake, letting some glaze drip down the sides. Sprinkle almonds around edge of cake.
Saturday, March 10, 2012
Recipe For Frosted Irish Cream Brownies
If you are planning your St. Patrick's Day party, this is a perfect desert to make. I am sure your guest will enjoy it.
Prep time- 15 minutes Total time- 2 hours Servings-48
Ingredients:
Brownies
1(1lb 3.8oz) pkg. brownie mix
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Irish cream liqueur
2 eggs
Frosting
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp. Irish cream liqueur
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 to 3 tsp. milk
Glaze
1 oz. semisweet chocolate(chopped)
1 tsp. butter or margarine
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease bottom of a 13x9 inch pan. In a large bowl, combine all brownie ingredients, beat 50 strokes with spoon. Spread in greased pan.
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 25/30 minutes or until brownies are set and begin to pull away from sides. Cool 45 minutes or until completely cooled.
3. Beat 1/2 butter in a small bowl until light and fluffy. Beat all remaining frosting ingredients, adding enough milk for desired spread consistency. Spread over brownies.
4. Place glaze ingredients in small microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high 30 seconds. Stir until melted and smooth. Drizzle over frosted brownies. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until firm. Cut into bars.
Missing Pets After Tornado
We were blessed not to have went through the tornado , although it struck about 20 miles from our farm. I can only imagine what those people are going through who suffered the devastation of the disaster. Some of them not only lost their homes, but also lost their beloved pets.
If you, or someone you know is missing a pet from the tornado, check your local animal shelter. Remember your pet may not show up right away at the shelter, so it is important to keep checking. They may be wondering around, in confusion, so it may be weeks or months before they turn up. I understand facebook has listed missing pets, so check that out. I posted a video on that.
If you see a dog or cat wondering around in your neighborhood, contact a local shelter to see if someone is looking for them.
I think we all need to have a plan for what we can do in case we have to go through a tornado. I know we have fire drills, but we also need to have tornado drills, as well.
Some ways that might be helpful to protect are pets that are in the house is to put them in a cage, in the basement, away from windows.(if you have one) if there is a threat of a storm and you are not home.
If you are home and have a basement, get your family and pets to the far corner of the basement, away from windows. Have blankets, rugs or anything that you can cover up with on hand to protect from debris.
If you don't have a basement, go to family or friends who do or get into a closet or bath tub and cover up.
Sometimes we have no warning when tornado's arise and then we are just at God's mercy, but if we know in advance, take precautions.
My biggest fear is the animals on our farm that can't come in the basement, our horses, ponies and little goats. They are really at risk.
Well, I just hope we never have to face another disaster like this again. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the people who have and if you have and are looking for a pet, check out the suggestions I have posted.
Good Luck! God bless you all!
If you, or someone you know is missing a pet from the tornado, check your local animal shelter. Remember your pet may not show up right away at the shelter, so it is important to keep checking. They may be wondering around, in confusion, so it may be weeks or months before they turn up. I understand facebook has listed missing pets, so check that out. I posted a video on that.
If you see a dog or cat wondering around in your neighborhood, contact a local shelter to see if someone is looking for them.
I think we all need to have a plan for what we can do in case we have to go through a tornado. I know we have fire drills, but we also need to have tornado drills, as well.
Some ways that might be helpful to protect are pets that are in the house is to put them in a cage, in the basement, away from windows.(if you have one) if there is a threat of a storm and you are not home.
If you are home and have a basement, get your family and pets to the far corner of the basement, away from windows. Have blankets, rugs or anything that you can cover up with on hand to protect from debris.
If you don't have a basement, go to family or friends who do or get into a closet or bath tub and cover up.
Sometimes we have no warning when tornado's arise and then we are just at God's mercy, but if we know in advance, take precautions.
My biggest fear is the animals on our farm that can't come in the basement, our horses, ponies and little goats. They are really at risk.
Well, I just hope we never have to face another disaster like this again. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the people who have and if you have and are looking for a pet, check out the suggestions I have posted.
Good Luck! God bless you all!
St. Patrick's Day Green Beer
A St. Patrick's Day party isn't complete without green beer! Here is a recipe for how to make it without the beer getting flat.
Start with a light colored beer. The light the beer, the brighter the color. Dark beer needs more green to get the same color. To much food coloring will turn your teeth green and you don't want that!(not very attractive)
The Secret To Avoid Flat Beer:
Start with a large frosty beer mug. Squeeze 3 to 4 drops of green food coloring into mug.(from a small squeeze bottle of food coloring) Slowly pour beer from a 12oz. can or 16 oz. bottle into glass. Watch color mix as beer goes in. Want more color, add another drop or 2 of food coloring.
It is very important to put food coloring in first, as you don't want to stir the beer, because that is what makes it go flat. I know this is true, I've made that mistake in the past.
Simple Recipe For Potato Pancakes
In my last post I had a recipe for slow cooker Reuben sandwiches for your St Patrick's day party. Potato pancakes go great with those Delicious sandwiches.
This is a simple recipe, make with frozen has brown potatoes.
Prep time- total 20 minutes. Makes 8 pancakes.
Ingredients:
4 Cups frozen shredded hash browns
1/2 Cup finely chopped onions
1/4 Cup finely chopped parsley(optional)
2 Tbsp. milk
2 eggs(beaten)
1/4 Cup All purpose flour
1 Tsp. salt
Vegetable oil
Directions:
Thaw out the shredded hash browns. In a large bowl, add hash browns, onions, parsley, milk, beaten eggs, flour, and salt; mix well. In a skillet, over medium heat, heat 1/4 inch of vegetable oil. Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls into hot oil. Fry until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
Yields 4 servings- 8 pancakes. Each serving is 199 calories.
Slow Cooker Rueben Sandwich
Planning on having a St Patrick's day party? This is a simple recipe for a delicious Reuben sandwich, that is made in a slow cooker. You are sure to be a hit serving it.
Prep time- 15 minutes Total time- 11 hours, 15 minutes Serves 8
Ingredients:
1 Package(2lbs.) refrig. sauerkraut
1 Corned beef brisket
1 Cup Thousand Island dressing
16 Slices pumpernickel rye bread, toasted
8 Slices Swiss cheese
Step 1. Place sauerkraut in a 3 to 4 qt. slow cooker. Place beef brisket on sauerkraut.(if brisket has spice packet, sprinkle over brisket.)
Step 2. Cover and cook on low heat setting 9 to 11 hours.
Step 3. Remove brisket from cooker, place on cutting board. Cut into slices.
To serve, spread 1 tbsp. dressing on each side of toasted side of bread. Using slotted spoon to remove sauerkraut from cooker, top 8 slices of bread with 1/2 cup sauerkraut each. Top sauerkraut with beef slices and cheese slice. Top with remaining toast.
Serving suggestions:
Serve with a big slice of Kosher dill and a potato pancake. I will give a recipe in my next post for a simple recipe for potato pancakes.
Friday, March 9, 2012
Saint Patrick's Day Corned Beef and Cabbage
This is a recipe for an old time favorite meal for Saint Patrick's Day.
Prep time- 15 minutes Total time- 10 hrs. 50 minutes Serves 8
Slow Cooker Corned Beef and Cabbage
Ingredients:
4 Med. red potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 Med. carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 Med. onion, cut into 6 wedges
1 Corned beef brisket with seasoning packet(2 to 2-1/2 lbs.)
1 Can(120z.) beer or non alcoholic beer
Water
8 Thin wedges cabbage
Step1. Spray 5 to 6 qt. slow cooker with cooking spray. In cooker, place potatoes, carrots, and onion . Top with corned beef, sprinkle with seasoning packet.
Add beer and enough water to cover corned beef.
Step 2. Cover and cook 10 to 12 hours on low heat setting.
Step 3. Remove corned beef from cooker, place on platter and keep warm. Add cabbage wedges to vegetables and broth in cooker. Increase heat setting to high. Cover, cook 30 to 35 minutes longer or until cabbage is crisp- tender.
Step 4. To serve, cut corned beef across grain into thin slices. With slotted spoon, remove vegetables from cooker. if desired, skim fat from juices in cooker. Serve vegetables with juices and corned beef.
Serve with Sauce(optional)
1/4 cup applesauce
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
Mix ingredients in a small bowl
Other Serving Suggestions:
Serve with a side of applesauce, biscuits, or cornbread.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Goats As Ruminates
Goats, like sheep, cows,, and deer are classified as ruminates, which means that their digestive systems consist of four chambers. Digestive problems in goats are often caused by results from improper feeding, because of their owners not understanding how this system works.
When a ruminate eats, food mixes with saliva and is sent down to the first and largest compartment of the stomach, which is called the rumen. A well developed rumen can hold four or five gallons of liquid and fermenting matter. To help fiber break down, soft masses of cud are sent back up by the rumen to the mouth for re chewing.
In both the rumen and the second chamber, called the reticulum, fatty acids and vitamins produced during fermentation, are absorbed into the goat's bloodstream. In the third and fourth chambers, the omasum, and abomasum, food is further liquefied and broken down so that more of the nutrients can be absorbed.
Here, I have listed the four chambers and their functions:
Rumen- Sometimes called the fermentation vat. The largest chamber, representing about 80% of the stomach. Contains micro-organisms(bacteria,protozoa, and fungi) that supply enzymes to break down fiber and convert cellulose into volatile fatty acids, which provide up to 75% of the goat's energy needs. Microbes also produce protein from simple nitrogen compounds in the feed, as well as manufacture amino acids and vitamin K and B-vitamins a goat needs.
Reticulum- Called the honeycomb because that's what it looks like. The second chamber(actually part of the rumen and separated only by a partial wall) functions as as fluid pump. Hardware and other odd objects consumed by a goat remain here and, if sharp or pointed, work their way through the reticulum wall, doing serious damage.
Omasum- Also called many ply because it consists of folds of tissue (like leaves of a cabbage for increased surface area and better absorption.
Abomasum- The second largest chamber and true stomach, where actual digestion occurs. Contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin enzymes that break down protein into easily digested simple compounds.
Development of Kids:
When a kid is born, the only developed chamber is the abomasum, the true stomach where actual digestion takes place, therefor function is a single-stomached animal. it is only when they start eating solid food when their rumen begins to develop.
A ruminate requires the proper proportion of roughage to grain in order to maintain good rumen action. Too much grain in relation to roughage is not unnecessarily costly, but also works against rumen muscle tone. Adults with not an adequate amount of fiber lose rumen capacity, and their digestive systems begin to function like a single-stomached animal. When too much fiber is fed without the necessary amounts of energy to aid in digestion, rumen impaction may result, so i feel it necessary to balance out the amount of grain an d roughage to maintain a healthy digestive function.
Rumen Function:
You can tell when a goat's rumen is functioning normally, because you can see rhythmic waves of upward movement along the animal's left side, accompanied by belching and contented cud chewing.
A doe needs good rumen capacity to produce large amounts of milk. But she also needs high quality legume hay, along with a source of energy, to replace nutrients lost in her milk. The result of this low-fiber diet is designed for high milk production is that, as lactation progresses, a doe's rumen becomes less active and begins to shrink. Before she starts a new lactation cycle, it is necessary to help her restore rumen function and capacity by feeding her extra amounts of long-fiber, less digestible hay or forage.
In a future post, I will talk about feeding practices. I hope this gave you insight of the function of a goats four stomach chambers and how they work. I got my resources from a book called" Raising Dairy Goats Successfully." I have learned alot by reading this book.
When a ruminate eats, food mixes with saliva and is sent down to the first and largest compartment of the stomach, which is called the rumen. A well developed rumen can hold four or five gallons of liquid and fermenting matter. To help fiber break down, soft masses of cud are sent back up by the rumen to the mouth for re chewing.
In both the rumen and the second chamber, called the reticulum, fatty acids and vitamins produced during fermentation, are absorbed into the goat's bloodstream. In the third and fourth chambers, the omasum, and abomasum, food is further liquefied and broken down so that more of the nutrients can be absorbed.
Here, I have listed the four chambers and their functions:
Rumen- Sometimes called the fermentation vat. The largest chamber, representing about 80% of the stomach. Contains micro-organisms(bacteria,protozoa, and fungi) that supply enzymes to break down fiber and convert cellulose into volatile fatty acids, which provide up to 75% of the goat's energy needs. Microbes also produce protein from simple nitrogen compounds in the feed, as well as manufacture amino acids and vitamin K and B-vitamins a goat needs.
Reticulum- Called the honeycomb because that's what it looks like. The second chamber(actually part of the rumen and separated only by a partial wall) functions as as fluid pump. Hardware and other odd objects consumed by a goat remain here and, if sharp or pointed, work their way through the reticulum wall, doing serious damage.
Omasum- Also called many ply because it consists of folds of tissue (like leaves of a cabbage for increased surface area and better absorption.
Abomasum- The second largest chamber and true stomach, where actual digestion occurs. Contains hydrochloric acid and pepsin enzymes that break down protein into easily digested simple compounds.
Development of Kids:
When a kid is born, the only developed chamber is the abomasum, the true stomach where actual digestion takes place, therefor function is a single-stomached animal. it is only when they start eating solid food when their rumen begins to develop.
A ruminate requires the proper proportion of roughage to grain in order to maintain good rumen action. Too much grain in relation to roughage is not unnecessarily costly, but also works against rumen muscle tone. Adults with not an adequate amount of fiber lose rumen capacity, and their digestive systems begin to function like a single-stomached animal. When too much fiber is fed without the necessary amounts of energy to aid in digestion, rumen impaction may result, so i feel it necessary to balance out the amount of grain an d roughage to maintain a healthy digestive function.
Rumen Function:
You can tell when a goat's rumen is functioning normally, because you can see rhythmic waves of upward movement along the animal's left side, accompanied by belching and contented cud chewing.
A doe needs good rumen capacity to produce large amounts of milk. But she also needs high quality legume hay, along with a source of energy, to replace nutrients lost in her milk. The result of this low-fiber diet is designed for high milk production is that, as lactation progresses, a doe's rumen becomes less active and begins to shrink. Before she starts a new lactation cycle, it is necessary to help her restore rumen function and capacity by feeding her extra amounts of long-fiber, less digestible hay or forage.
In a future post, I will talk about feeding practices. I hope this gave you insight of the function of a goats four stomach chambers and how they work. I got my resources from a book called" Raising Dairy Goats Successfully." I have learned alot by reading this book.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Monday, March 5, 2012
6 Herbs to Repel Insects.
Nothing can ruin the enjoyment of your summer garden or get together like mosquitoes. Mosquitoes don't like a few familiar herbs that you can use to stay bite-free this season. Keep the crushed leaves of these herbs in a small container on your patio to repel them. Except for the marigold and wormweed, which can cause contact dermatitis, you can rub the crushed leaves on your skin for added protection.
Here are the 6 herbs:
1. Catnip- A perennial for some gardeners and an annual for others, catnip has been found to be 10 times more effective than DEET at keeping mosquitoes away. Cat will crush this plant if it is in a garden, so you might want to grow a couple of plants in a hanging basket.
2. Marigold- This sun-loving annual also repels aphids and is an excellent plant for your vegetable garden. Do not rub on your skin.
3. Rosemary- The oil of this shrub is heavenly to most humans, but disgusting to mosquitoes. It is an attractive plant for container or herb gardens. it requires little water and it is delicious when cooking meat, soup, and egg dishes.
4. Lemongrass- This plant has a lemony scent that mosquitoes hate. With a little patience, it can be grown from stalks sold at the market. It prefers full sun and good drainage. This is a tropical plant and won't tolerate freezing temperatures.
5. Mint- Many mint oils are unpleasant to mosquitoes, so keep a pot or two of these hardy and aromic plants around. It is best to keep mint in containers, since they spread easily.
6. Wormwood- This perennial has a silvery foliage and can be grown in full sun. Makes a good border plant and has a pungent odor that keeps mosquitoes away. Do not rub this on your skin.
Here are the 6 herbs:
1. Catnip- A perennial for some gardeners and an annual for others, catnip has been found to be 10 times more effective than DEET at keeping mosquitoes away. Cat will crush this plant if it is in a garden, so you might want to grow a couple of plants in a hanging basket.
2. Marigold- This sun-loving annual also repels aphids and is an excellent plant for your vegetable garden. Do not rub on your skin.
3. Rosemary- The oil of this shrub is heavenly to most humans, but disgusting to mosquitoes. It is an attractive plant for container or herb gardens. it requires little water and it is delicious when cooking meat, soup, and egg dishes.
4. Lemongrass- This plant has a lemony scent that mosquitoes hate. With a little patience, it can be grown from stalks sold at the market. It prefers full sun and good drainage. This is a tropical plant and won't tolerate freezing temperatures.
5. Mint- Many mint oils are unpleasant to mosquitoes, so keep a pot or two of these hardy and aromic plants around. It is best to keep mint in containers, since they spread easily.
6. Wormwood- This perennial has a silvery foliage and can be grown in full sun. Makes a good border plant and has a pungent odor that keeps mosquitoes away. Do not rub this on your skin.
Friday, March 2, 2012
We Were Blessed Today!
I feel very blessed that we escaped the tornado that swept through Southeastern Indiana. It did touch down about 20 miles from our farm. It was devastating. Two people were confirmed dead in a small town nearby. My thoughts and prayers go out to all the people who lost love ones and their homes.
This is just March and I hope this is not a sample of what is in store for us. I am very fearful of tornados. Years ago a tornado touched down about a mile from our home and our neighbors lost 2 horses. They found them in a tree. There is no way to protect the animals in the barn. We can go to the basement, but they are just in the hand's of the Lord.
I am just watching the news and in Indiana alone 13 people lost there lives and many more in Kentucky and Ohio. Whole towns were totally wiped out.I can only imagine what these people are going through. To make matters worse the temperature has dropped and the wind is very strong, which will make cleanup much harder. Alot of them have no place to go. My heart goes out to them.
If anyone is interested in helping the Red Cross is taking money donations. I believe you go to redcross.org for donations. I am also asking for everyone to pray for these poor people. I am sure their lives will never be the same after going through this horrible tragedy.
This is just March and I hope this is not a sample of what is in store for us. I am very fearful of tornados. Years ago a tornado touched down about a mile from our home and our neighbors lost 2 horses. They found them in a tree. There is no way to protect the animals in the barn. We can go to the basement, but they are just in the hand's of the Lord.
I am just watching the news and in Indiana alone 13 people lost there lives and many more in Kentucky and Ohio. Whole towns were totally wiped out.I can only imagine what these people are going through. To make matters worse the temperature has dropped and the wind is very strong, which will make cleanup much harder. Alot of them have no place to go. My heart goes out to them.
If anyone is interested in helping the Red Cross is taking money donations. I believe you go to redcross.org for donations. I am also asking for everyone to pray for these poor people. I am sure their lives will never be the same after going through this horrible tragedy.
117 Calorie Double Chocolate Chip Muffin
With this recipe you can have your cake and eat it to! There are just 117 calories in each muffin.
Ingredients:
2 cups unsweetened applesauce-135 calories
1/4 cup egg beaters-30 calories
1 cup Splenda- no calories
3 tsp. brown sugar-144 calories
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. Almond extract
1-1/2 cups Oat flour-727 calories
2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder- 8 calories
4 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Baking soda
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
5 tbsp. Hershey's semisweet mini chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. bake for 15 minutes.
1. Put all wet ingredients in a bowl.
2. Add dry ingredients in a bowl on top of wet.(except mini chocolate chips)
3. Use a spatula to gently mix ingredients together. Once blended, stir in chocolate chips.
4. Place 12 liners into a muffin pan.
5. Evenly distribute batter into the 12 liners.
6. Bake and eat.
Can substitute 1 cup canned pumpkin for the applesauce and make it even less in calories.
streamclifffarm: Getting Started
streamclifffarm: Getting Started: Welcome to our family’s farm! I’m Elizabeth Manning my brother, Greg, and I are the fifth generation to live and work at Stream Cliff Farm...
Recipe for Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore
Here is a simple recipe for Chicken Cacciatore that can be put in the slow cooker the night before, or before you go to work in the morning. Prep time is 15 min. It is also very economical, since it is made with chicken thighs.
Ingredients:
2-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs(about 12)
1 jar or can sliced mushrooms/drained(4.5ozs.)
2 cans(6ozs.each) Italian style tomato paste
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine(optional)
1-1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 dried bay leaf
12 0zs. uncooked linguine
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Shredded Parmesan cheese(if desired)
Directions:
1. Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in cooker. Add mushrooms, tomato paste, broth, wine, basil, salt, and bay leaf. Gently stir to mix.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.
3. About 15 min. before serving, cook linguine as directed on package. Remove the chicken from slow cooker.Cover to keep warm.. Stir thyme into sauce in cooker. Increase heat setting to high. In a small bowl, mix 1/4 cup sauce from slow cooker, add cornstarch, stir until smooth. Stir into remaining sauce in slow cooker. Add chicken to sauce. Serve over linguine.
Ingredients:
2-1/2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs(about 12)
1 jar or can sliced mushrooms/drained(4.5ozs.)
2 cans(6ozs.each) Italian style tomato paste
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup white wine(optional)
1-1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves
1/2 tsp. salt
1 dried bay leaf
12 0zs. uncooked linguine
1/4 tsp. dried thyme
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Shredded Parmesan cheese(if desired)
Directions:
1. Spray 3 to 4 quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Place chicken in cooker. Add mushrooms, tomato paste, broth, wine, basil, salt, and bay leaf. Gently stir to mix.
2. Cover and cook on low setting for 8 to 10 hours.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Housing for Goats
Goats do not require an elaborate and expensive housing. Their needs are easily met by a simple shelter that is dry, well ventilated, draft-free and easy to clean. Goats are most comfortable at temperatures between 50 degrees and 70 degrees. They do fine down to 0, but at 80 degrees and above they begin to suffer. In southern and western areas, housing is especially needed to keep goats cool in the summer, while in the North, a shelter must keep them warm in winters. No matter what area you live in , they need shelter. Goats hate rain. My goats want to go inside when a drop of rain comes down.
The simplest and healthiest shelter is a 3 sided one, facing south. I strongly suggest putting sliding doors on the open side to keep out predators and shut out bad weather. Should also have windows to let in sunlight and good ventilation to prevent moisture build up. The herd will produce its own heat, so auxiliary heat it not necessary and unhealthy. It can also be dangerous. Provide doors that make it possible for the goats to wander in and out to adjoining yard.
For whatever type of shelter you design, the floors may be packed with dirt, sand, or concrete. We add a layer of straw on the floor. In the winter we put down a thicker layer of straw for warmth.
Slatted wood platforms may be added to keep goats off damp, dirty bedding.. Design the roof to keep climbers off, and add eave gutters to channel away rain water.
The shelter can have an open central area or a series of stalls, to avoid over feeding and quarreling for better milk production. In any case, you will need some stalls for kidding does, newborn kids, injured animals, and timid ones, which have trouble competing with bullies.
You will need to have a trough for feed. We have an individual feeder for each goat, but you can have a large trough or feeder if you prefer. Might be best if you have a larger herd. It is important to have plenty water of clean water available at all times. We us the 5 gallon buckets, but if you have a larger herd, you can buy a bigger container that holds more water.You can buy them in a hard rubber or a galvanized. You will need to have a place to put he hay, such as a hay manger. You can buy them at a farm store or make one yourself. Just serve the Internet for how to make one. It doesn't have to be fancy. An important thing is not to put there food, water or hay feeders too close to the floor because they will put their hooves up on anything that they can get a foothold, damaging flimsy equipment as well as dropping manure and bits of dirty bedding into the feed and water. We learned that the hard way!
I am just giving the basics, you can put as much as you like into housing your goats. Their are alot of products you can purchase, such as automatic watering devices, but those type of products can be bought as your goat business grows.
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