Backwoods MamaGardening and Homesteading

Canning Peaches

Canning Peaches

In my perfect preserving world, everything I'd preserve would be organic, locally grown and cheap (or free). Living in the North makes it difficult to get certain fruit locally, never mind organic or even cheap for that matter. I was fortunate enough to can...

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Butchering Chickens

Butchering Chickens

We did it! It's been a long day, but all thirty-five chickens have been killed, plucked and butchered. After the trauma of killing and butchering the first chicken (I won't go into details) we didn't think we'd get them all done today. But, we figured it out and fell...

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A Chicken Update

A Chicken Update

The chicken have a week and a half before B-Day (butchering day). They are stinky and stupid. They don't forage and don't leave the coop even when the run is open. Silly things.Next year, we're going to purchase a heritage breed instead. Something that forages, that...

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Country Chicks

Country Chicks

The chicks are three weeks old. Where did those cute chicks go and who left behind these ugly things? Sometimes I wonder if these chicks are part robot, something like a cyborg. They're so crazy! When I walk in to feed them they get so excited, but they still have...

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Brooding Chicks and Building a Coop

Brooding Chicks and Building a Coop

If you walk into our home you'll be greeted by a strong waft of chicken - and no I'm not cooking. We currently have thirty-five chicks hanging out in the basement. I've never raised chicks, or chickens for that matter. Monkey and I picked up the chicks a week and...

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Vermicomposting

Vermicomposting

There's a booth at our farmers' market where the worm ladies hang out. I have never paid much attention to them in the past. I always thought that people who keep worms were strange. I still have memories of my friend's mom who kept worms in her coffee table. We...

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