Recycling bacon grease

As a bed and breakfast, you can imagine all of the bacon and sausage grease that is generated from cooking big meals. I have been collecting it in jars for sometime now and pondering what to do with it. I wondered if it could be used in lieu of lard to make soap and I considered adding some to the dogs food to help them shed their winter coats but had made no serious effort to do anything with it until this morning.

The bird feeders are empty yet again after only a couple of days. I have a huge following in the bird world and attract almost all of the normal residents of Arkansas as well as the transients. I am documenting the species I see with photographs and dates so that I can publish a list for guests who would like come and bird watch. I need to expand my feeding stations but the quality seed is hard to come by in my rural area and, with fuel at $3.99/gal. for the farm truck, I don't make many local trips much less to Ft. Smith or Russellville, both about 40 miles away.

Over the years, I have purchased suet cakes for my winter residents to provide some extra energy with the fat. I recently stumbled across my suet feeder that was hiding since my move to Arkansas and set it aside to await my next trip to town and the purchase of a new cake. In cleaning the griddle this morning, it occurred to me that I could make my own suet using the grease and the birdseed.

I have lots of random sizes of plastic containers so I selected a square one that is slightly larger than the suet basket. I heated some additional grease from my stash and poured in just enough to cover the bottom of the container. Next, I poured in seed to the approximate depth that would fit in the suet holder and filled in the voids with more grease.

Once it hardened, I cut it to fit the holder and, voila, I had made my own suet cake for pennies worth of seed and about 5 minutes of my time. I do wonder how well these will hold up in warmer weather and if adding a small amount of wax would be reasonable the way we do when making candy. If anyone has any ideas, please email and I will include in a future post.

Plans

Since moving here in June of last year, most of my time was spent getting the house ready to open as a B&B which I did in September. Once that was accomplished, I turned to getting a barn up for the horses and to house guest horses as well. The bulk of it was up by Christmas and it is about 85 % complete now. It is certainly useable but I need to get the concrete poured for the tack room and wash rack. It would be great to get the tack room in and organized. It is so difficult to have to search for everything you need as we all do after any move. I hate disorganization and the shed where my harnesses and other horse related stuff is closer to chaos. To add to the pressure, I have a wonderful weekend planned to introduce guests to carriage driving in late April. I will talk more about this later but for now I am under that deadline to complete the barn.

I also have plans to add divisions to all of my pastures. The farm was only divided into two large fields and two small paddocks. I have enclosed a large flat area for my riding and driving which also serves as turnout for my stallions. It is challenging to plan out a way to enclose an area and yet keep the farm open enough for people to hike/walk/ride/ carriage drive without having to open gates at every turn. It is important to get the most production from the pastures as well as provide the most open arrangement for guests to be able to wander the farm.

I have cut some trails through the woods that are suitable for walking, riding, or an ATV. The goal is to have several nice loops open enough for a carriage to pass. The layout of the trails is nearly complete with one more loop to go. Next will be the more tedious clearing of little stumps, roots, and debris to make the path clear and safe. Eventually I want to add a foot bridge as well. There are several crossings of a stream that is dry in the summer but active the other three seasons. The complication will be to make it high enough to survive storm runoff. I think the benchmark was set last week with the flooding following our 6 inches of rain and will give me a good idea of what to do.

Easter Holidays & Spring Break

It was a full week with Spring Break falling the week before Easter. The house was filled most of the week with a wide range of guests. Combined they sampled much of what both my B&B and the Paris area have to offer.

I had guests who were content to be here and enjoy the farm animals. I had guests who delighted in the wonderful rural roads for morning jogs and walks. I had photographers who captured hundreds of shots of nature and the baby animals. I had people who spent time hiking and biking the wonderful trails of Mt. Magazine State Park.

Everyone seemed to enjoy meeting the other guests and all promised to return soon. It was a busy weekend and I had little time to dedicate to the meaning of Easter but I am every thankful to God for blessing me with this beautiful home and farm, the joy of working for myself, the friendships made with each new guest, and the joy of life. I live in a true heaven and am blessed.

Timing

They say timing is everything in business. I think it has something to do with agriculture as well. I think God may use timing to provide a bit of humor, certainly for him but also for us if we take the time to appreciate how many facets are involved in timing.

Yesterday (Tuesday) I had a nice family with two daughters here who were excited to see the animals and farm. They arrived on Monday and we made a brief tour to introduce them to my staff, i.e. sheep, goat kids, hens, and horses. Tremendous rain storms were in the forecast and nature did not disappoint us. Tuesday dawned to pouring rain and about 2 inches had fallen during the night. After a big breakfast, we headed out with umbrellas to do the chores.

First stop was the hen house where the ladies had out done themselves to be sure both girls had their own handful of eggs. I have three hens from last year and 5 young hens that I bought as chicks in the fall. They are just coming online for production so you never know what you will get. I average is two very large eggs from the three older hens and maybe one or two from the adolescents. The production of six was a record for my girls but very welcome with the B&B being well booked during this spring break/Easter week.

We moved from the hen house to the dairy goats. I have two ladies who are fresh. One had a kid in December so her production is waning but valuable especially now. My little Nan had kids four weeks ago today and it was triples for the second time. She is a small Netherland Dwarf and does not produce enough for her three kids. In fact, last time, she had no milk and they were raised with milk replacer. This year, I kept Bell fresh by milking after her kid was sold. I intended to make some cheese (feta is my favorite) but just haven't had the time so my dogs were enjoying the bounty. When Nan freshened with triples again, I scooped them up and bottle raised these as well. However, instead of milk replacer. she was in full production so I combined her milk with that of Bell to make a sufficient quantity to raise the kids. Having bottle fed kids is really wonderful for my guests who, no matter what their age, giggle when holding a kid and bottle feeding it.

Well back to my story. We were out milking Bell and Nan as I tried to help the girls learn to first clamp the teat before squeezing. With some practice, they were starting to get the hang of it. I had milked the bulk of the milk out so that the bag was more friendly for teaching hand milking. I was watching the girls practice and compare skills when I happen go glance across the field to see that my older ewe had a lamb at side. Now remember we are standing in the rain with umbrellas milking because the milk stand is outside next to the Nanny Nest until a milking area is built.

Being the shepherd that I am, I apologized for what I was about to do but I abandoned my guests to finish milking while I headed to the barn to get a cart to go get the lamb. Fortunately this ewe is quite tame and we have a relationship where she enjoys me scratching her as much of the time I can afford to such comforts. By the time I reached her, she had two lambs and was trying to clean them in the downpour. I scooped them up and we headed to the old barn. It most likely has seen over a hundred years of sheltering new calves and other livestock so I added lambs to its list. I got them in safely and quickly bedded it with some hay. After a moment to catch my breath I examined the lambs to find that I have two boys. I really wanted ewes to build my flock but boys add to the bottom line so that is fine too.

At that point, I rejoined my guests who had followed me to the old barn and were peering in through a window to see the new lambs. We took the bottle of milk to the goat kids and they had a great time feeding them. As the bottle was nearly empty, I could see that there looked like a lump instead of liquid. I popped off the top to find a fist size mass of fresh goat cheese. Apparently they had done some shaking of the bottle along the way from mom to kid. No matter, the dogs enjoyed and the kids still had more than enough to fill their little bellies.

What a morning it was for my guests. I am sure it will be something they talk about and remember for a long time to come.

A focus on green

Happy St. Patrick's Day to you all.

Green is not only my favorite color (along with a bit of purple and blue if I have my wish), it is also the color that dominates my world this season as well as somewhat all year.

Today is obviously the day to wear your green in support of whatever aspect of St. Patrick's Day that strikes your fancy. For some, it is a trip to a pub after work. For others, it is a time to reflect on heritage. For most, it is a day to pretend to be Irish or, at least, the stereotypical version of Irish.

Aside from today's green emphasis, green is the color of the season as we transition from the browns, taupes, and greys of Winter into the glorious colors of Spring. It began with the daffodils emerging from the ground along with the crocus the last week of February but more so in first week of March. Now, in mid March, the tulips are promising a show in the near future while the daffodils have no rivals for brilliant yellows against the greening of the grass.

Green is such a beautiful and fills the spirit with the joy of life. It has as many shades as there are types of plants and each leaf shape and texture is a work of art as well as an engineering feat to meet the needs of the plants. Some leaves gather the water for the plant by funneling it toward the stem and center. Others meet the high energy demands through production of sugars during photosynthesis. They are structural and chemical marvels for those who take the time to observe and learn.

Green is a significant portion of our focus here at The Farmstead. We are an environmentally conscious inn and try to be good stewards of our farm as well as globally. We use energy efficient compact florescent bulbs as much as possible throughout the inn. We utilize the "solar dryer" when weather permits but even the electric dryer is as energy efficient as possible. When guests are not here, we keep the thermostat adjusted to decrease energy consumption. Of course, guest comfort is paramount and we certainly adjust to their preferences.

We compost everything possible and as well as recycle. Our garden is as organic as possible. We even use natural predators for fly control in the stable.

I would love to find a way to add solar panels or arrays to produce our electric and I am also looking at wind generated power. We have quite strong seasonal winds that could be quite efficient. This is where I would like to go with respect to being a green inn.

Green is definitely a major part of our lives and no just because of my Irish heritage.

Fickle Spring

What a difference one week makes. Last week we had 5 inches of rain on Monday morning followed by 4 inches of snow Tuesday morning. It melted that afternoon so I was able to get out on Wednesday to do some errands but the weatherman was joking around again. He was saying we would get a major snowfall on Thursday but what the heck does he know. It was warm and sunny. Thursday morning dawned cloudy and you could feel rain in the air but it was still in the forties. Right. My noon that changed to mid thirties with mixed precipitation. By 5 pm it was starting to cover the ground. The power was out by 9pm and I awoke on Friday to nearly 12 inches of snow. I got to practice my survival skills as I stoked up the woodburning stove in the den, got out oil lamps to light up the darker rooms, and started to think of food. Fortunately, I have a gas stove in the kitchen that isn't so modern that it won't let the gas come through when there is no power. I couldn't use the oven but the range top was fine.

The silence of it all was incredible. I took a long walk that morning with my camera in hand. I have some wonderful shots that I plan to use on my websites. The livestock seemed to be taking it in stride. The goats, queens at not getting wet, were huddled in their house. The horses were chasing each other around to get their blood pumping but having fun nonetheless. The dogs were out for adventures along the edge of the woods. They managed to flush a rabbit but it quickly escaped back into the brush. It was a glorious time and more magical because of the isolation. No noices were heard above the gentle falling snow and the occassional crack as the weigh of snow broke a limb. This had to be a sample of some portion of Heaven.

Back to reality. The power came back Saturday. The snow disappeared over the following two days and by Monday, it was warming up again. I was anxious for my garden and wondered how my recently planted lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower would fare. All perked back up as if never weighed down by snow. It was as if they had taken a nap under a gentle blanket but were now back awake and chipper.

This week was warm and sunny; just the type of days you want to be outside doing things but the ground was literally standing in water even on the slopes. It was oozing out and running off everywhere. I was finally able to get a bit of planting done on Friday as well as clean flowerbeds to uncover the tulips that are already about 3 inches tall. I can't wait for their blooms to join the daffodils.

We are now expecting several more inches of rain Monday and Tuesday so I have no idea when I can get the rest of my cool season veggies planted. I guess I will start them in containers for transplant rather than wait any longer. I just have to get my hands in the dirt. It is time and I long for it.

Happy gardening.

New to blogging

As I learn about the world of blogging, I am trying to organize my thoughts as to how to catch up the blog with my new life at The Farmstead. Simultaneously I am easily distracted by the demands of spring on the farm and guest reservations.

For those of you who are pondering or dreaming of following your heart into some venture and abandoning the JOB format of life, I have many tips and suggestions.

For those of you who are contemplating or fantsizing what it would be like to run your own B&B, I will give you the honest scoop.

But for today, let's just say that the pressure is on. With guests once again crossing my threshold, I need to get the place geared back up as well as perked up. It is early yet for most of the perinnials that I planted last fall and the trees have not greened up yet. In short, it is basically still brown but with lots of promising hints of green grass, budding trees, and bulbs emerging through the flower beds.

To add some color, I dashed to the local nursery yesterday and got some blooming pansies and a few others that can manage any future cold snap that my occur. The whites, pinks, and reds will be eye catching among the green foliage of the bulbs that have yet to bloom. These have to be planted this morning. Rains of last night will continue to keep me out of the garden where I so long to plant my cool season veggies. With last week's 5 inches of rain on Monday, 4 inches of snow on Tuesday and another 8-12 inches of snow, depending on where you put the yard stick, on Thursday-Friday, the ground is more than wet. Even the gentle slopes are covered with surface water. Last night we got more storms so the drying that had occurred is lost. Maybe next week?

Welcome Home

This is the initial blog for me. I have so much to say that I really don't know where to begin. Perhaps it is best to outline who may find my blog to be both entertaining and informative.

If you are interested in opening a bed & breakfast, you may find my candid writings about my new B&B helpful.

If you are interested in making a huge change in your life, particularly if you are a single woman, you definitely may find something useful here.

If you are in agriculture and toying with the idea of agritourism, I definitely can share experiences and help you get started.

If you are thinking it is time quit your job, take a chance, and go it on your own, I can share my experiences.

If you want a good laugh, stay tuned.