Pretty Little Layers

Pretty Little Layers

No, its not the title for my new chicken series (although that would rock). It’s just the mood of the coop right now. The chickens feel pampered and spoiled. I can tell they have been loving the time we have been putting into sprucing up their abode. How can I tell? I am not a crazy chicken lady I promise. They have just been giving eggs hand over fist, clucking their little hearts out and the flock is looking fantastic: nice shiny feathers, healthy combs, and fluffy butts. Of course they can now check themselves out in the new mirror I put in their coop. C’mon every girl needs to check out her butt in the mirror.

But there is more method than madness to a good coop makeover : it eliminates parasites and can prevent disease when you clean , sanitize and paint. Curtains for the nesting boxes discourage egg eating behavior (chickens cannot see well in the dark so they just do their egg business and leave the box). It also makes it way more enjoyable to spend time with your flock when the coop looks nice and clean and fresh. And your flock will feel the difference.

At least that’s what they told me;)

Garden Update

Well it is almost time to start putting the spring garden in the ground. I have started some onions, leeks, chives, lettuce inside so those will start being hardened off shortly so they can be direct sowed in the garden around mid April. (APRIL-seriously, I just blinked and it was Christmas).

What else can be direct sowed as soon as the ground can be worked? A lot actually. I need to bring the PH of our soil up so I am adding some lime to the garden as I give it a good till. I led the garden project with 4H the other year and it was great to have my soil tested by the Department of Agriculture.

Direct Sowed Mid -Late April: Lettuce, Peas, Beets, Onions, Leeks, Chives (this will give me successive harvests), potatoes, garlic, asparagus, Spinach.

This is just my list. There are a few more things like radishes but we don’t like them. I just never could enjoy the flavor of them therefore because I mostly tend the garden I get to decide they don’t make the cut. and that’s that.

Aunt Mary’s Quiche

Aunt Mary is my dad’s younger sister (he was one of six kids) but she is the oldest of the only two girls. I love my aunts and Aunt Mary is the tie that binds. She makes sure we still all get together on a regular basis and never forgets to pick you up a little something for your birthday….just to let you know she thought of you. She always gives credit where it is due and I need to give her credit for this fantastic quiche. Aunt Mary worked in alot of fine restaurants so I am not sure where she picked this up but I am glad she did.

Aunt Mary’s Quiche
1 pastry crust cooked and cooled
3 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh chives
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 cup old cheddar cheese
salt and pepper
Preheat oven to 300 degrees,
Mix ingredients together except old cheddar and pour into
cooked and cooled pie crust. Sprinkle old cheddar on top.
Bake for 25 min till set.



Fresh Air and Epsom Salts

All the spring weather has me doing a lot of things I haven’t done all winter. And that calls for Epsom salts in a nice hot bath, my friends. But, hey, if that’s all it takes to rejuvinate these tired bones, I will take it!

Enjoy the sunshine and the rain….It means you are alive.

Love, Jenn xx