~*~Chickens~*~ The Mystery has been solved

My guess of Mabon was right. We seen her go into the coop and collect her eggs after the other chickens had buried them in the straw. Then she laid an eighth egg and started laying on them! 21 days will tell us if we are going have babies...! I took this pic. She wasn't very happy about me being in the coop!lol

Taco Burger Roles

I have lived my whole life in WV. And so it will be no surprise that I grew up eating certain WV foods. One of those is peperoni roles. Just bread with peperoni cooked into it. I don't know of another state that makes them but they are a big thing here. I haven't had one in many years. But I have had one made with the Lightlife peperoni. It turned out pretty good. I have also made one with the boca smoked sausages, pepper sauce , and cheese when I used to eat cheese & eggs. But the other day I tried the Simply Organic taco seasoning with Morningstar crumbles.and after it had set in the fridge for a day it kinda reminded me of peperoni for some reason. So I decided to stuff it into a role. They turned out really good. But I didn't let the 2nd raise finish so they turned out a little flat. But they are simple and would be great for a lunch box or travel snack.

Recipe

Makes 7 to 9

1 loaf frozen bread or enough dough to make a loaf
1 packet simply organic taco seasoning
1/2 cup water
1 to 1 & 1/2 packs of morningstar or boca crumbles

Follow instructions on all packets. Then put the burger into the dough and fold around the filling. Grease baking sheet. Follow bread instructions for baking.

Variations:
Light life peperoni
w/ pepper sauce
w/ soy cheese
Burger crumbles
w/ ovean roasted tomatoes
Tofurky sausages
w/ peppers

There are a ton of different things you could try.

County Fairs, FFA, 4-H, & Animal Scince- All disgusting

As a high school student taking agricultural classes it was unheard of to not be in the FFA. I started taking animal science and agricultural classes my 9th grade year because I wanted to be a vet. My class was the first class in WV to start Majoring and Minoring to graduate. So like collage you had to take certain classes to meet the criteria to graduate. This was supposed to carry you into your particular field of study for collage. Kinda like a head start. So anyways. I took Intro to Agriculture my Freshman year. Then animal sciences classes every year after that. The place we took classes is The Marion County Vocational techical center. Our classes for animal science are supposed to be so good that Collage students would come and take them.

My animal science teacher, Dr. Watson, was very much into the FFA. I didn't really see it my freshman year when I told him I had no interest in being in the FFA. But every year after that his attitude got worse and worse with people in his classes that where not in the FFA. I think it was my sophomore year my 5th period class just so happened to fall during the FFA meetings. So I had to sit through them. He also made me be in that years yearbook picture even though I told him that being in the FFA fell way outside my beliefs. I will say even though his attitude wasn't always the best he didn't make me dissect any animals when they would do it. He would give me book work. So that was nice. Even as a freshman when he was playing the videos for proper slaughtering techniques and I did want to finish watching it after the first cow was stunned. He let me do book work. I figure he thought I would grow out of the animal thing since I had to take his classes for the next 4 years. I will say he had us watch a pig dissection in the freezer one day. It was awful. So back to the FFA. 99.9% (thats a guess) of people who went through that class was in the FFA. If you wanted certified on you diploma at graduation for animal science to carry it with you to collage you had to be in the FFA and meet certain criteria. I didn't graduate under a certified FFA program. They made the students feel like if you didn't then you would never get into collage to be a vet. I am sure that is not true though. Anyways.

The FFA.. every year I had to watch and listen to all of the horror stories of the FFA members. From picking the cutest little pig, calves, and chicks.. to how they had them slaughtered or in some cases did it them selves. Two boys in particular were awful. The one brought in the pig for the dssection above. He shot it 3 times and finished it off by beating it to death and making its eye fall out...so.. Dr. Watson told him that it had to be done right next time.. thats all that was said about it... I know getting back to the FFA. I think it is horrible. Most of the people in our classes where in their to go to collage to become veterinarians. Most actually for small animals. But almost all of our classes turned into live stock management, diseases, ect. I do regret not paying more attention during classes. I did do very well. But the teacher was off putting. The people not in the FFA was always doing book work while his FFA pets were always excused from class to do what ever they "needed" to get done... Did I mention the freezer for the FFA was in the back of our class room??? yeah no joke... So it was always something that I had to deal with. I would have taken the classes again though. For the animal info I learned. But I still would not have been in the FFA. So saying that. I am moving now to the county fair.

It has always been a thing we do. Going to the Mannington District Fair. I went every year as a kid and not I take my sister ever year. But I am beginning to re think this. Last year, the first time since I was a child, I walked through the barns. All the FFA & 4-H animal were there. I ended up trying to talk my husband into bringing home a hog! a huge hog that I knew would be turned into bacon & spare ribs in the near future. Probably needless to say, My husband would not let me bring him or her home... We don't have enough room where we live or really enough money to take care of a hog. That hog and those animals that I seen last year gave me a new look at our county fairs. I now dread going to them. I did take my sister this year but I refused to walk through the barns. I did go through a shop right in front of the barns and there was a poor hog that was screaming almost the entire time we was in the shop and I could hear people laughing in the barn. I don't know what was going on. I hope it isn't as horrible as all my thoughts.

So now THE FFA & 4-H have made me dread the fair. I told my husband that I am not sure I will even take my children to see the fair. To have the care free fun that I had when I was little. And that is awful. County fairs should not have anything to do with these programs.

Kids from ages 8 to 20 raise animals that they must have slaughtered at the end. They sale these animals for profit. What is that teaching our children? That slaughtering a living, breathing, feeling being is ok.. as long as you get some cash for it??? That its ok to abuse these animals because they are going to be slaughtered anyway??? How can we teach our children to have so little mercy and compassion for others??? Its very sad. I will put up so more info later when I have my thoughts put together more.


And as for 4-H ...Head, Heart, Hands, Health.... How does raising and saleing livestock have anything to do with that. There website said "Green since 1902".. How is raising livestock green in anyway? How is eating meat healthy? High cholesterol that clogs your arteries and takes out your heart.... How is raising an animal and knowing that it is going to slaughter good for your head, heart, hands, & health??? I just have no understanding of their moto... I have some family in the FFA and the two kids that I am talking about just made 40 dollars each off of their hogs that were sent to slaughter.. Their only worry was what they were going to spend their money on... So what did they learn??? Another things some of the kids in FFA and/or 4-H don't even raise their own animals. I don't get these programs at all. !!!!!

OK again before I just keep gripping I need to rethink my thought and try to put them together better. Sorry for the long rant. I will be back again to maybe make more since out of it...


O yeah.. and before the argument comes to something like it teaches responsibility and give them pride in knowing they have raised a great show animal... There are better ways to learn responsibility and gain pride while actually helping someone... Not growing an animal just for slaughter. Like working in a nursing home, animal shelter, helping with a day care or a soup kitchen... Don't cause more suffering then what already happens in this world!

~*~ CHICKENS~*~ The clutch is gaining strength!

Well as the post title said. Now my chickidee has 6 eggs. 1 a day! Thats alot of eggs! And she hasn't started laying o them yet. She is still trying to get a bigger clutch. I am starting to get a little worried. I know chicks are so sweet. But we really don't have enough room for a whole clutch!!! I am going to have to build a bigger coop if that happens. So I am hoping they are not fertilized! I will still be sad if they are not. But truth be told. That would be for the best. But if they are fertilized they will be welcomed into this world. And we will love them. And no we are not going to get rid of any of them. They will all stay here. So we are just going to play it by ear for now. I guess we will see in 21 or so days... :)

Here are a few up to date pictures of some of the Chickens and I think both of the Roosters. I think the only one not in these photos is Mabon the egg layer. But she was out side not in the coop.Excuse the photos the Rooster has me a lil camera shy. Knowing if I only look down for a second that he could come after me. They were are pretty close to me in the pictures because they wanted some fruit. I always take out organic fruit for them.

Update: I went out to see the chickens and spend some time with them earlier and Isis was digging in the straw in front of their indoor feeder and dug up a seventh egg... Plus she was digging in the nest.. So I am back to not knowing whos eggs they are!

~*~CHICKENS~*~

My Chickidees have grown up. Someone has started laying eggs. I think it is Lil Banti. There was 4 when I checked the coop for cleaning today. I can't believe how fast they have grown. They are around 19 weeks now and that is still crazy. They were not supposed to start laying till they were 20 to 22 weeks so someone is off to an early start! So now we have to separate the Roosters from the hens. I am not looking forward to doing that. They have all grew up together. I have to go purchase some wood so I can build them a coop. I hate to separate them but I can't have tons of chicks running around were I live. So they are going to keep these first eggs to see if they will hatch but after that the Roosters have to be moved some where else on our property. :( I knew this day would come. But I am sad to see it get here. They all seem so happy and content together.. well at least when the Roosters are being nice and not chasing the hens down. But this is a true event to me. I am happy but sad all at the same time. But I still love having my chickens. They are awesome and I can't wait to move in the future so they can have a ton of space to run around and play!



Quick Update 8/11/2009: was visiting with the chickens and found Mabon turning the eggs so they are probably hers. She is a sex link so it might be her breed that lays early.

On another note.. My but head rooster Titan tried to flog me!!! Can you believe that? I turned around to walk away and he came after me! lol.. Don't tell anyone.. but that was scary..lol.. I chased him beck for it. I will see where I stand with him in the morning. lol. I hope he doesn't become one of those roosters who flogs everyone .... :(

Fridge to small or eyes to big for my Frdiges tummy?

Well I have come to the conclusion that I must grocery shop way to much or to often. I don't know. I love to grocery shop and try new stuff and new recipes. But my fridge does not have the same idea. It holds alot just not enough...lol... I need a new fridge. I'm not getting one though. I can't afford it right now. I'm just not sure what to do... and I guess I can't just complain about the fridge. It is the whole tiny kitchen!!! I don't have a good pantry. I mean it is big but not well designed. The people who put it in was not thinking clearly...So it is food storage plus a junk pit from hell,that I have to dig through to find anything I want.

I love having a well stocked pantry so I can cook when ever and what ever I want.

Sigh.... I can't wait to one day have a good sized well designed kitchen! So I can find and use everything. I would cook much more often! So here I will leave you pictures of my poor kitchen storage problems...

Subsidies On animal industries- Seeing Red!!!- A RANT

Can you say subsidies? It totally pisses me off that I pay taxes that go towards stuff like milk, egg, and meat industry subsidies! I don't eat or drink it! Why the hell do I have to pay for it??? Then pay full price for my soy milk? and soy ice cream? etc..etc..! Where the hell is the soy milk subsidies??? and boca subsidies??? and soy cheese subsidies.. for god sake you can get a 24 slice pack of dairy ridden crap for 2 something and for 8 slices of Galaxy's Vegan American Cheese its like 4 or 5 bucks! Come on... We need to really get into the political ballgame an do something about this. I am tired of paying for other people to screw over everything I believe in. I mean think of all the health problems associated with eating dairy, egg, and meat products.. I can't even afford health issuance because it keeps going up do to unhealthy people. Then they take out taxes to make the price of this dairy, egg, and meat crap to be lower in price!!! It just really makes me sick!!! It is sad that our country is pretty much ran by the Dairy, Meat, Egg, oil, & insurance industries!!! Our health has been left up to the people who get the money for our addictions to there products and the people who make money off of us being sick??? Where the hell is our country going? Down hill fast...! and no I am not blaming our president... They ok.... I might update this later because it really infuriates me!

Silk Soy Milk- No longer the Silk we once loved!

I have recently realized that Silk is now longer owned by the same company and has also changed from all organic to "Natural". All the Silk you find in the Milk section of the grocery store is now "Natural" the only organic silk I have found comes in the Tetra pack pantry style boxes. Which are very expensive. Now it would be over $8.00 for one gallon of organic silk and that is at Walmart. If you go to other stores and look at their prices it will be around $12 a gallon. That is outrageous. Have I mentioned who Dean foods is? They are a DAIRY company!!!!!!! Yes.. a DAIRY Company!!!! This has me out raged. I have stopped purchasing their product and have moved to a store brand Organic Label. I will not purchase from their company since they are a dairy company and plus it is no longer organic. So write the company. I did. Let them know how you feel about the "Natural" instead of Organic..and Silk used to use small organic farmers and now they are no longer supporting them. They have moved to bigger producers! So let them know that that is not ok. Click a link Below! Below the link is the generic response I received when I wrote asking why their product was not longer organic. I will be sending them a new letter about the price of there so called "available" organic products.. They are not available when they cost out the A$$..!!!

Dean Foods Website
Silk


"Thank you for your recent e-mail to Silk®. We appreciate your interest in our products. Offering a broader range of products to meet consumer demand. We know some consumers are more interested in the health benefits associated with adding soy in their diet (cholesterol-free, lactose-free, and may reduce the risk of heart disease) than with organic certification. Those interested in organic products, we still offer the plain, vanilla, and unsweetened In an organic option.

Thanks again for contacting the Consumer Affairs Department.

Sincerely,
Alberto Vasquez
Consumer Response Representative"

Tester Recipe Update

A while back I had mentioned that I had been selected as a recipe tester for Colleen Patrick- Goudreau's New cookbook "Color Me Vegan" which will be out next year. I thought I would post a few pictures of just a couple of the many recipes I have been fortunate enough to be able to test. All the recipes have been easy and quick to make. And I have totally enjoyed getting to test recipes some of which I would have never tried when just purchasing the book. It has opened my eyes to new foods & new tastes. Which is always awesome. So now I will have to go back through my cook books to see what I have been missing out on. But hopefully I will remember to take more photos of the next finished products.

1st recipe I got to test was these Beet burger. It is weird to have a red burger in my kitchen... I couldn't help but to think that every time I have made this recipe. John and I loved them. They taste great, freeze great, bake up in the oven nicely and cook on the grill awesomely. We had the last 2 from the first batch for the 4th of July. These taste very clean, very California... I know that sounds funny. But they really do. Try them when you get the book and you will see what I mean.





















This picture is from the last group of recipe I got. These Suger & Spice Almonds are delicious. I don't know what to say about them. This has been my favorite snacks since trying it and will deffinitally be one of those go to snacks and would be awesome to have at a party.

This is Parsnip Soup its also from the last batch of recipes I got. It was smooth and creamy and had an extra bonus carrot topping that worked really great together.























I have also tried Roasted Bell Pepper & Carrot Soup
Roasted Fenel w/ Carrot Puree
Curried Cauliflower Soup
Avocado Pudding- Not big on avocados but this turned out nice!

and had the chance to try :
Quick Curried Chard & Coconut rice but couldn't get all the ingredents in my area but as soon as I can get my hands on them I will be sure to try them.

Now I am waiting on my next round of recipes. Hopefully there is one because I love testing them. I will update again later.


UPDATE

Just received # new test recipes!!!
Chocolate Zucchini Bread
Mushroom Barley Soup
Green Smoothies

Check back for pictures and info!!!!

Do you get organic produce?

Today I stopped by a local vegetable stand. I asked if they ever get in organic produce... and the guy answers me with "All produce has some pesticides on it".. I'm like ok.... While I was thinking .. was that my question.. and I guess he doesn't realize that there is more to organic foods then pesticdies... and he was kinda snarky about it... who needs attuide just for asking a question? Needless to say I didn't get any produce but my mom did.