Cheaper Coffee Trick???

So... I love coffee, but HATE feeling like I am throwing money away on super expensive grounds. For years, I have been mixing Folgers original and Peet's Coffee. When McDonald's started selling their coffee in the grocery store, I started adding this to my mix. The blend of the three make THE PERFECT cup of joe! 

If you're trying to cut back on caffeine, you could substitute one of the coffee's for a decaf... 

Kudzu Krispies???

Okay... So... If you live in the southeast, you just MAY have a Kudzu problem... 

What to do with the invasive vine???

Deep fry it!

YES... I said "deep fry it."

The kuzdu leaves sprinkled with a little salt and fried make a delicious crispy snack:). 

Spring Time Worming...

Wormed the pigs, sheep, and goats using Ivermectin yesterday... Used Neemex for the pups... Spring is THE time for parasites. I always feel so accomplished when I do a massive worming:). Injected donuts with wormer for the pigs (they LOVED it). 

What's Next???

From mandatory health insurance to mandatory voting??? WHAT'S next... Mandating the number of children we can have??? WHERE does it stop??? 

http://twitchy.com/2015/03/19/guessing-hell-issue-this-by-executive-order-obama-says-maybe-its-time-for-mandatory-voting/

While giving a speech on the economy in Cleveland, Ohio yesterday, President Obama floated the idea of mandatory voting in the U.S. to both increase voter turnout (duh! mandating something does that), but also for what he says would reduce the influence of big money in politics.

From CNN:

“Other countries have mandatory voting,” Obama said Wednesday in Cleveland, where he spoke about the importance of middle class economics.

“It would be transformative if everybody voted — that would counteract money more than anything.”

How? Why would there be fewer ads just because everybody has to vote? President Obama went on to claim that it’s voter suppression that’s keeping people from voting:

“The people who tend not to vote are young, they’re lower income, they’re skewed more heavily toward immigrant groups and minorities,” Obama said. “There’s a reason why some folks try to keep them away from the polls.”

Nonsense. People aren’t voting because they can’t. People don’t vote because they don’t care. From Pew in 2006:

The survey also finds large differences between Americans who are not registered to vote or vote only rarely, and intermittent or regular voters. The two groups at the bottom of the voting participation scale are much less likely than regular or intermittent voters to believe that voting will make much of a difference. They also are less likely to agree with the statement: “I feel guilty when I don’t get a chance to vote.”

Animal Sanctuary Build

gofundme.com/pt5wtc

Our Lives Would Never be the Same
Our lives would never be the same.......... We began our journey from the southern coast of Oregon to the southeastern US. ALL of our animals made the trip with us. I looked into animal transport companies, but NONE of the companies GUARANTEED all animals would be delivered alive. I knew my animals and their needs and personalities best, so my husband and I invested in a custom built stock/horse trailer so ALL of our animals (horses, pigs, goats, sheep, dogs, barn cat) could make the cross country trip as safely and comfortably as possible. ALL of our animals have names; they are all pets and are dear family members, actually. When an animal crosses onto our property, it gets a collar, a name, and a safe place to live out the rest of it's life.

We weren't sure we would be able to afford to bring everyone. We actually contemplated NOT making the move because we didn't want to leave anyone behind. I promise each of my animals I will take care of it (he/she) to the best of my ability for the rest of its life. My burly looking, but tender hearted husband actually shares the same sentiment:). We spent an exorbitant amout of money getting health certificates for ALL of our animals so we could cross the US legally. Wooooooooooooh! That final bill from the vet almost sent us into a tail-spin. Uggggg..... The vets spent a day and a half chasing and capturing my 2 rescue pigs so they could be vaccinated, ear tagged, and get their blood work done. Half of the many thousand dollar vet bill was spent on 2 pigs I basically rescued....... I knew if I left them, noone else would care to spend the time and money dealing with them, and they would likely end up in someone's freezer. NOT HAPPENING to any of MY babies!!!

We started our trip leaving Oregon in late September, 2013. I love the Pacific North West, I LOVE THE PEOPLE and we have great friends there...... I just couldn't hack the "over" 120 inches of rain we were getting each year. The ground never seemed to dry out and I was dealing with mud-on-top-of-mud with all of the animals we have. The weather was wearing on my soul, and I longed for change and a better environment for my animals where we could get out of the mud. The trip out with the animals took almost 2 weeks. We had to find "horse hotels" and/or fairgrounds where the horses, goats, and sheep could stretch out and rest each night. The poor pigs were confined to my tack room for the entire trip because if I unloaded them, there was no way I would be able to "re-load" them again (they aren't small). My tackroom was TRASHED, to put it nicely:).

I loaded all of the animals up with electrolites each day because I knew they would not consume the amount of water to keep them properly hydrated and I didn't want any serious illnesses or deaths. THANKFULLY, everyone made it and we didn't experience any sickness or lameness issues. To put it mildly, the trip across country was HELL, and I would never want to do anything like it again, but I am glad I did. We travelled with 4 horses (all atleast 1/2 draft horse, and 1 full draft who doesn't tie), 10 goats, 2 sheep, 2 pigs, 1 barn cat, and 7 dogs. OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG

So..... That's where our journey begins on our small homestead. We decided to cut expenses, and buy a "tiny" home. We realize what is important to US is our "family," which includes all of our animals. All of the excess "stuff," can be nice, but it comes and goes. "Family" is always there:). Our "family" even includes one expensive dairy goat I will never "rebreed" because her last kidding session almost killed her. Another includes a show quality sheep I will never breed because her last birthing almost killed her....... I reiterate that our animals are pets. We DO use some goats for milk and cheese, but only to the extent that they seem comfortable and healthy:). Is our hobby expensive? HECK YES! But, Hey....... What hobby isn't? It makes us happy, so that's how we focus our lives!!!

We named our little farm Wedderburn Acres. Many of our animals are rescue animals. Our goal is to open a state of the art animal sanctuary where residents can live the rest of their natural lives. That may sound easy, but providing GREAT care involves more than just throwing an animal out to pasture or providing shelter. 

New animals should be quarantined to protect everyone/everything involved. Quarantine areas should be located far enough away from existing living areas to prevent the spread of disease. 

We would like to start with farm and domestic animals and eventually incorporate to wild animals (I would be certified to rehabilitate wild animals). 

Helping us realize our dream to provide loving and enriching forever homes for animals will prevent needless euthanasia, abuse, and neglect of so many deserving animals! 

Thank you!!!

Pan Baked French Toast

Pan baking french toast using texas toast is THE way to go. Of course, using farm fresh eggs and goat milk helps:). Yummo!!! 

How to Hunt for Ginseng

There is a cool video at the end of the article on the actual link:). 

How to Hunt for Wild Ginseng

The root of the slow-growing ginseng plant has been used in Korean and Chinese herbal medicine for thousands of years, and today the therapeutic qualities of ginseng are prized the world over. American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) is an understory plant found in the eastern deciduous forest of the United States and in southern Québec and Ontario in Canada.1 The plant and root were used by various Native North American tribes.2 American ginseng has been harvested and exported to Asia for over 300 years, ever since a Jesuit priest named Joseph Francis Lafitau found ginseng plants growing near Montreal, Canada in 1716. Today, wild ginseng roots are still exported to Asia, where the best quality roots can sell for hundreds of dollars per pound.

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Steps

1. 
   1
   Learn the laws regulating ginseng production and harvesting in your country. Obtain any necessary permits or licenses. Ginseng has declined considerably since European settlement in North America primarily due to over-harvest of wild roots and loss of habitat.

   • Because of the threat of over-harvest of natural populations, American ginseng is listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which is an international treaty designed to control and regulate international trade in listed species.^[1] To export ginseng roots in the US, please refer to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service web site to learn how to export ginseng roots.^[2]
   • In Canada, it is illegal to harvest wild ginseng, and it is classified as endangered both nationally and in Ontario and Québec. The export of wild roots in Canada is prohibited.
   • Before setting out to harvest wild ginseng, you should learn the regulations in your state and contact your state natural resource or agriculture department for more details on how to legally and responsibly harvest ginseng. The harvest of wild ginseng is regulated in 19 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin), and is restricted or prohibited in all other states where it occurs. All of the 19 states have a designated harvest season, which is from September 1 to November 30, and require diggers to harvest plants with red berries and to plant the seeds in the vicinity of the harvested plants.
   • Eighteen states require wild ginseng plants to have 3 prongs (3 leaves with 3-5 leaflets each) and plants must be at least 5-years of age. In Illinois, plants must be 10-years of age and have 4 prongs (4 leaves with 3-5 leaflets each).
   • Also, some states require harvesters to have a state-issued harvest permit, as well as written permission by the land-owner to harvest wild ginseng. Most states prohibit harvest on state lands. The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) has compiled all the ginseng laws and regulations for the 19 states at its web site.^[3] A one-page brochure for each of the 19 states, titled “Good Stewardship Harvesting of Wild American Ginseng,” can be downloaded for free, which includes information on how to legally and responsibly dig wild ginseng and the relevant state laws and regulations.
   • Some U.S. Forest Service National Forests issue harvest permits for wild ginseng while other National Forests prohibit the harvest of ginseng. Check with the National Forest in your area to know whether ginseng harvest is allowed. The harvest of wild ginseng on U.S. National Parks is strictly prohibited.
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2. 
   2
   Learn to identify the ginseng plant. Ginseng is a perennial herb that emerges early in the spring with a single stem that terminates with a whorl of 1-4 palmately compound leaves, each leaf is comprised of 3 to 5 leaflets. The leaves die in the fall as temperatures and light decrease. After germination, a tiny plant emerges from the seed and produces a single thin stem 2–5 inches (5.1–12.7 cm) high with one leave comprised of three leaflets.

   • In the second year, a new stem is produced which usually grows to 5 or more inches (12.7 centimeters) (high, and plants generally have two distinct leaves or prongs, each leaf with 3-5 leaflets. In the third year, plants can produce a single umbel with 6–20 small yellow-greenish flowers and plants generally have 2-3 leaves or prongs. Wild plants can take many years to flower and set fruit. The flowers produce berries which turn from green to red when ripe in the fall.
   • Over successive years (ginseng plants can live 30 to 50 years), additional leaves or prongs grow, each with 3-5 (usually 5, but occasionally more or fewer) leaflets and a mature plant may have a stem up to 20 inches (50.8 cm) tall with 3-4 rarely 5 or more prongs. As plants mature, they can vary the number of leaves produced, such as 3 prongs one year and 2 prongs the following year.
3. 
   3
   Go where the ginseng grows. Ginseng is native to eastern hardwood forests of North America, from southern Canada (Ontario and Quebec), west to South Dakota and Oklahoma, and south to Georgia. 1 Ginseng is also commercially grown outside its natural distribution in Oregon and Washington. Only 19 states allow the harvest of wild ginseng in the United States.

   • Ginseng is not heat-tolerant, so in southeastern states it is usually found only in mountainous areas. It usually grows in well-shaded areas (especially north- or east-facing slopes) of moist hardwood forests, especially where tulip poplar, maple, beech, hickory, walnut, and, sometimes, oak trees, particularly in the Appalachia and Ozark regions. The more mature the forest (with large hardwood trees and a full canopy that shades out most shrubs, briars, etc.), the better for ginseng, as a thick understory of smaller plants will overshade or outcompete ginseng plants.
   • The plant is highly sought, and known populations are kept secret, so you will generally have to venture deep into the forest to have any chance of finding it.
4. 
   4
   Look for companion plants. One indicator that you may be in an area where ginseng grows is the presence of "companion plants" plants which favor the same habitat conditions as ginseng and which are sometimes found growing among ginseng.

   • These include trillium (Trillium spp.), bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides -blue, Actaea racemosa-black), jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum ), wild yam (Dioscorea villosa), goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), and Solomon’s seal (Polygonatum biflorum). Of course finding these plants by no way guarantees that you’ll also find ginseng.
5. 
   5
   Harvest only mature plants with red berries. If harvesting wild ginseng is allowed in your state (again, only 19 states allow harvest) harvest only mature plants with 3 or more prongs (leaves). If there are many mature plants in the patch, leave a few plants so that they can continue to reproduce, as well as any immature plants. You can protect these plants from other harvesters who might be tempted to dig the roots by removing the leaves of the plants.

   • Leave all plants with green berries so that they can ripen. Mature plants are usually 5-7 years old or older. Even if you succeed in finding 3 prong ginseng plants, they may be not be 5 years of age. Many wild plants never have more than 3 prongs.
   • The only way to tell the age of a root is to examine the neck (technically called a “rhizome”) which is between the upright stem and the root of the plant. The neck or “rhizome” has stem scars from previous years’ growth and next year's bud. To age the root, follow the stem down in the ground until you reach the “rhizome.” Usually a root neck one inch long or longer indicates a mature plant, and will have at least 5-7 or more stem scars on it. If possible, count the number of stem scars on the root neck. A 5 year old plant will have 4 stem scars on the rhizome. If there are fewer than 4 stem scars, carefully cover the neck and root with soil to so that it continues to grow.
   • Growing conditions are continually changing in our forests, and some plants which produce only 2 prongs in any particular year of its life may in fact be up to fifty years old or more. Harvest of plants with fewer than 3 prongs is illegal in the 19 states that allow the harvest of wild ginseng. In Canada any harvesting of wild ginseng is illegal.
   • Be sure to harvest your roots sustainably.^[4]
6. 
   6
   Dig carefully. When you find a mature plant with 3 prongs (or 4 prongs in Illinois), carefully dig the root out so as not to damage it and the neck. Use a pitchfork or needle-nose spade to dig under the plant, and leave plenty of space (about 6 inches/15 cm) between the plant and where you push the pitchfork or spade into the ground.

   • That said be respectful of nearby plants and try not to disturb them. If the plant is close to immature ginseng plants, use a smaller tool such as a stout flat blade screwdriver about 8 or 10 inches (20.3 or 25.4 cm) long, and work with extra care. If there is any risk of damaging the roots of adjacent immature ginseng plants, do not attempt to harvest the plant.
   • After you have dug the root out, squeeze the red fruits into the palm of your hand and plant the seeds about 1 inch (2.5 cm) in the soil near the harvested plant. Never remove ginseng seeds or immature plants from the woods.
7. 7
   Wash and dry the root(s). When you get back home, briefly soak the roots in a bucket of cool water to remove excess soil. Do not wash them under a sink faucet or with a hose. Do not scrub them or wash them vigorously as some soil is desirable by the buyer and the surface of the root can easily be damaged. Then place the roots in a single layer on a screen tray to dry. Make sure the roots are not touching and let them dry on a wooden rack in a well-ventilated room between 70–100 °F (21–38 °C).

http://www.wikihow.com/Hunt-for-Wild-Ginseng