Among the many wonderful reasons we love “life out here” are the sounds: happy chickens and goats, birds singing, bees buzzing, and the sound of a pick-up truck driving down a big, beautiful gravel driveway. And it’s reassuring to know that gravel driveways are so cheap that you don’t have to worry about maintaining them. Wait…what?
Nope, gravel driveways aren’t cheap, and maintenance is crucial. Heavy vehicles and weather can leave canyon-deep ruts in your gravel, and weeds will destroy it. Tractors are a must, and we can’t control the weather. But we can control the weeds. Pulling them by hand lets you feel the satisfaction lets you hear that “pop.” But if you don’t get the entire root, you just make it angry. Instead of making them angry, make them dead with Barrier® Year-Long Vegetation Control Concentrate.
Barrier features 5 active ingredients to deliver unbeatable non-selective control that lasts up to a year. It controls listed grasses, vines, brush, and trees down to the roots, and Barrier kills broadleaf weeds fast. It’s ideal for driveways, patios, sidewalks – almost any location where you don’t want any vegetation to grow.
A good beef jerky recipe makes a convenient snack to grab on the go. It makes an ideal food to take along fishing, hunting or when going out on a hike. It’s packed with protein and flavor and is lightweight to carry along. One pound of meat dries to just four ounces after dehydration. Because jerky is packed with protein, it’s a great option to fuel the body and is a wonderful treat to bring along when camping.
You can make jerky out of many different types of meat, including fish, chicken, buffalo, and venison. But my favorite jerky is beef jerky.
The process of making beef jerky is fairly simple. It requires thinly sliced beef to marinate for a period of time (this flavors and tenderizes the meat) and then dried either using a food dehydrator or an oven.
It’s important to use a lean cut of beef, ideally top-round or bottom-round beef.
How to Make Beef Jerky
Yield: 1/4 pound of dehydrated beef jerky
Ingredients:
1-pound lean beef, such as top round or bottom round
Beef Jerky Marinade:
1/2 cup Braggs Amino Acids
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. ground garlic powder
½ tsp. onion powder
¼ tsp. ground black pepper
Before Drying:
Optional: Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes and garlic powder over marinated meat before dehydrating.
A Pile of Hot and Spicy Beef Jerky with Red Pepper Flakes. Photo by pamela_d_mcadams.
Beef Jerky – A Two-Part Recipe
Part 1: Slice and Marinate Beef
In a medium-sized bowl, mix all the marinade ingredients.
Slice meat across the grain, into long, ¼-inch thick strips. Trim away any fat from it, as fat can cause the jerky to spoil faster and also may cause an off taste.
Place the meat into a large gallon-sized resealable bag and pour the marinade ingredients over the meat until it’s completely submerged. Tightly seal up the bag and place it into a bowl to collect any marinade droppings that may leak from the bag.
Allow the meat to marinate 12-24 hours.
Part 2: Heat and Dry Beef Jerky
The USDA recommends beef jerky be heated to 160°F to ensure its safety. Heating to the noted temperature before drying will guarantee that any bacteria present will be destroyed. If your food dehydrator does reach 160°F, you can skip the next step and dehydrate the beef at 160°F.
If you do not have a food dehydrator that reaches 160°F, pour the meat and marinade into a medium-sized saucepan and warm until the meat reaches an internal temperature of 160°F.
Heat oven or food dehydrator to 130 -140°F (or 160°F if you skipped the previous step).
Remove the meat strips from the marinade and allow the excess marinade to drip away.
Place the beef strips on a dehydrator rack or baking sheet. Space them so that none of the pieces are touching. Dab away any marinade droplets with a paper towel. Sprinkle the meat with more garlic powder and/or crushed red pepper flakes, if you so desire.
Cook for a minimum of 6 hours. The jerky is done when you can bend in half and it cracks, not breaks. You don’t want to dry it until it snaps, if it snaps, it is overly dried and will be hard to chew. If it is very rubbery, it’s not completely dried yet – allow it to dry another 30 minutes and check again. The smaller pieces will dry faster and can be removed from the dehydrator/oven while the rest continue to cook.
Store in an airtight container and keep what you aren’t eating refrigerated for longer storage. Enjoy within one month. Or freeze jerky in an airtight container. If frozen properly, ideally vacuum sealed, jerky will last years.
Additional Notes for Making Beef Jerky:
Foodborne illnesses are completely avoidable. Always wash your hands, prep space and cooking utensils before beginning to preserve food.
Do not reuse the marinade.
If you don’t want to slice the meat yourself, ask the butcher at the meat counter to do it for you.
Older ewes can suffer wool loss, especially when carrying twins. Their body diverts nutrients from wool production into supporting the lamb they are carrying.
When raising sheep, wool loss can be a warning sign for shepherds. Also called wool slip or wool break, this usually presents as a thinning of the fiber, resulting in wool falling out, breaking easily and becoming patchy. In most cases, it not only reduces the value of the fleece but also suggests illness in the flock or problems with the animals’ caretaking. However, in a few, select breeds, this is a natural function of the sheep’s physiology.
Reasons for Wool Break
When raising sheep suffering from wool break, the first thing to check is body weight. Sheep can lose weight due to illness, insufficient feed, or parasites. More indirect causes may include discomfort due to illness, injuries or pregnancy. In underweight sheep, wool growth is reduced to maintain the sheep’s own health. Returning the sheep to a healthy weight will usually cause growth to resume, though how quickly will depend on how long the sheep has been underweight.
Malnutrition is another common cause of wool slip, and while sometimes related to the animals being underweight, this is not always the case. Younger animals may develop so quickly that their bodies use up the nutrients needed for fleece development. Areas where the forage is nutritionally poor may result in malnourished sheep – especially those low on the “pecking order.” Poor forage or fodder quality can also result in animals having enough to eat, but developing wool break due to a nutrient imbalance. When raising sheep – or other grazing animals – it is good practice to have the nutrient contents of hay and pasture tested regularly to make sure they are of high value to the animals.
Soay sheep are one of the oldest sheep breeds in the world and naturally shed their fiber each spring
Sheep Can Have Mental Health Issues Too
Stress is a major issue for sheep that is often overlooked. Animals under stress – especially pregnant ewes – are prone to losing wool. Shearing in cold temperatures, predator attacks, and other stressful events increase the likelihood of wool break. As with underweight sheep, high stress will result in animals conserving energy by reducing wool production.
Wool loss can also be behavioral, though this is often related to one of the aforementioned categories. Sheep under high stress will sometimes pull the wool off each other as an act of aggression. Parasites or other skin issues will cause sheep to rub themselves against rough surfaces in an attempt to reduce discomfort.
All Natural
While these are a few, common examples of preventable wool slip, it is important to remember that wool loss can also be natural. Older ewes will produce less wool during pregnancy, especially if having multiple lambs. As with many of the previous examples, her body needs to put its resources into the young, rather than fiber production. Older sheep are likely to produce less wool in general, which is why many large fiber producers cull older animals.
Some breeds of sheep also shed their wool naturally in the spring. These include some of the oldest heritage breeds, wild sheep or hair sheep – none of which require human intervention to remove their fiber.
Conclusion
Raising sheep on small farms should involve regular health checks, but wool loss can also be an easily observable sign that extra attention needs to be paid to the flock. It can also mean a loss of productivity for farmers, so by no means should preventative care and examinations be ignored.
If introduced young, colony-raised does usually get along just fine
Raising rabbits in colonies is an alternative to cage-breeding that is rising in popularity, especially for those farming rabbits for meat. However, for some breeds and breeders, colony-raising can cause more complications than it solves. Taking a look at the advantages and disadvantages of raising rabbits in this way is important to determine whether it will fit your individual situation.
Shelter
Rabbits are naturally outdoor animals. Access to sunshine lets them form vitamin D, which helps with the healthy absorption of calcium. They have instincts to dig and to run, which colony living can provide.
In addition, a large run allows waste to remain separate from other activities. Their urine is full of ammonia, and being outside helps to dispel vapors that can otherwise make rabbits sick.
However, in areas with heavy predator loads, losses can be high without significant protection. Kits and small breed rabbits are at especially high risk. Other animals may also be attracted to water and feed left in the pen, which can lead to disease exposure. Wild rabbits have also been known to be attracted to domestic rabbit pens.
Rabbits love to play in the dirt!
Socialization
Rabbits are social animals. Allowing young rabbits to form relationships in a colony environment can improve their well-being and quality of life. Colony-raised rabbits can help each other reduce stress through grooming and physical contact.
Breeding rabbits in colonies also allows does to share parenting duties. Does will often birth close together, and this means fostering between mothers is easier in case of emergency. A good buck will play with his kits, keep them warm, and sometimes can even be observed assisting with bathing.
However, those breeding show rabbits, these animals do have disagreements. There are rarely serious injuries in these scuffles, but rabbits will pull fur, and bloody noses and cause minor injuries. This can interfere with the quality of the rabbits.
Caretaking
During most seasons, care of colony rabbits is simple. They often deposit manure in one area of the run, and it breaks down quickly, requiring less cleaning.
They can be free-fed since the increased exercise and other options for stimulation means they eat only what they need. The added physical activity can result in a higher calorie need, however. Exercise also works muscles, so keeping meat rabbits in colonies can result in less tender rabbit meat.
Mother and baby finding some shade on a hot day
Weather
Winter is usually the biggest concern for those considering colonies. However, thick fur and warmth in the winter make rabbits successful in cold weather climates. Heat and rain will actually create more difficulties for the animals.
Rabbits do not sweat, instead regulating their body temperature primarily through their ears. They will stretch out in shallow trenches on hot days but require a source of shade and plenty of water.
Torrential rains can cause flooding, driving rabbits from their burrows and exposing them to predators and cold. In extreme conditions, litters can drown if burrows are not secured. In winter, rain and cold temperatures can cause rabbits to freeze, whereas snow will not.
This is especially true for fiber-producing rabbit breeds. These animals have been selectively bred to have finer fur than most rabbits. It does not repel water, or maintain warmth, and is prone to matting. Fiber rabbits are not recommended for colonies.
Conclusion
When considering colonies, it is important to find a balance that works for you, between meeting realistic production goals and the animals’ quality of life. The type of colony you plan to have, how it will stand up to weather and predator loads, and what breed of rabbits you plan to have, are major factors to consider.
Brown egg-laying chickens are the most common egg layers in backyard flocks. From Buff Orpingtons to Golden Comets and every breed in between, this article will count down the top 12 best brown egg layers in egg production.
#12 Buff Orpington
Buff Orpingtons are sweet, talkative, and will do just about anything for attention. These hens are both cold and heat-hardy, making them ideal for most weather climates. Buff Orpingtons lay an average of 3 – 5 light brown eggs per week (120 – 150 eggs annually) and will lay for three years.
What Orpingtons lack in egg quantity, they make up for with their affectionate, people-loving personalities.
Color Varieties: Black, Blue, Buff, Jubilee, Lavender, and White.
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#11 Welsummer
With their lovely mahogany brown eggs, Welsummers’ eggs are among the most pleasing. Averaging 3 – 5 eggs weekly (120 -150 eggs annually), Welsummers will consistently lay eggs for the first three to five years of their lives and are one of the longest-producing brown egg-laying chickens.
Welsummer hens are docile and friendly, although they are known for feather picking if bored. This breed is intelligent and should have mental stimulation to avoid developing destructive behaviors.
Color Variety: Partridge
#10 Swedish Flower Hens
The rarest of the brown egg-laying chickens featured in this countdown, these delightful chickens have a lot to offer backyard flock owners. Swedish Flower Hens are a landrace breed, meaning they were not carefully selected for their breed characteristics. Therefore, hens of this breed come in a variety of colors.
Swedish Flower Hens are confident and friendly birds, often seeking out their owners for attention.
Hens are excellent layers, averaging 4 – 6 large tan or tinted eggs per week (200 – 220 eggs annually).
Color Varieties: Various colors, none of which breed true.
#9 Dominique
Dominiques may be best known for their calm, sweet, gentle, people-loving nature, but they are also excellent egg producers. Hens average 4 – 6 large brown eggs weekly. (200 – 220 eggs annually) Dominique hens lay well for two years before production starts to decline. Even so, Domiques are still known for their longevity of production.
Color Variety: Barred.
#8 Wyandotte
Wyandottes are among the most popular brown egg laying chickens, known for their hardy and robust characteristics. They are respectable egg layers, averaging 4 – 6 medium/ large light brown eggs per week. (200 – 220 eggs annually) Wyandottes have a short production life of about three years
Wyandotte hens are an ideal beginner breed due to their friendly disposition, with the Gold Laced variety being the friendliest.
Color Varieties: Black, Blue, Buff, Black Laced Red, Columbian, Gold Laced, Partridge, Silver Laced, Silver Penciled, and White.
New Hampshire Red
#7 New Hampshire Red
Excellent egg layers, New Hampshire Red hens average 4 -6 extra large brown eggs per week (200 – 220 eggs annually), laying an average of three to four years before production ceases. New Hampshire hens are known for being good broodies and excellent mothers. These traits, however, can affect the number of eggs each hen produces.
This breed is generally known for being friendly, although they can be food-aggressive and bully other hens away from the feeders.
Color Variety: Red
Speckled Sussex
#6 Speckled Sussex
Highly intelligent and energetic, the Speckled Sussex is a well-loved breed. The hens’ calm, cheerful, and curious natures make this breed one of the most popular brown egg-laying chickens. Sussex hens love interacting with people and often carry on animated conversations with their favorite humans.
Speckled Sussex hens lay an average of 4-5 medium light brown eggs weekly (150 eggs annually). While they may not put out the same number of eggs per year as other breeds, the number rarely decreases for the first four years of their lives.
Color Varieties: Speckled is the only common variety in the United States.
#5 Delaware
Delaware hens are a fun addition to the flock with their quirky, mischievous dispositions. They are known for being good layers, averaging five large/extra large brown eggs per week (200+ eggs annually). Deleware hens produce eggs for the first three years before production ceases.
Color Variety: White with barred neck feathers and black wing and tail feathers. White feathers turn “brassy” when allowed in the sunshine.
#4 Australorp
Usually described as “shy but sweet,” Australorps are energetic, friendly, and known for their vibrant personalities. Their sweet natures make them the perfect choice for families desiring an egg layer who will quickly become part of the family.
Australorps are egg-laying rockstars, averaging 5 – 6 light brown eggs per week (about 220 – 240 eggs per year), and lay an average of 4 years.
Color Varieties: Black is the primary color available in the U.S.
#3 Rhode Island Red
Possibly the most popular brown egg-laying chickens, Rhode Island Reds are well known for their egg-laying abilities. Averaging 5 – 6 extra large brown eggs weekly (200 – 220 eggs annually), Rhode Island Reds are known for frequently laying double-yolked eggs. Hens of this breed lay consistently for about three years before production begins to slow down.
Rhode Island Red hens are calm and friendly and quickly become part of the family.
Color Variety: Red
Plymouth Rock
#2 Plymouth Rock
One of the most popular brown egg laying chickens in America, the Plymouth Rock has many fans. They are excellent layers, and their calm nature makes them a good choice for a pet.
Plymouth Rocks are reliable layers, averaging 4 – 6 medium/large brown eggs weekly (200 – 220 eggs per year). Plymouth Rock hens’ most productive years start to decline by the age of three, but some hens have been reported to lay a respected ten years, although egg production will decrease to just a couple of eggs.
Color Varieties: Barred, Blue, Buff, Columbian, Partridge, Silver Penciled, and White.
#1 Golden Comet
An ideal chicken for novices and veteran chicken keepers alike, this breed tops the charts for egg production. Hens are friendly, people-loving birds who sometimes prefer their human companions over the company of other chickens.
Comets are excellent egg layers and will easily outlay all other breeds. They average 5+ extra large brown eggs per week ( about 280 – 300 eggs annually). Golden Comets lay exceptionally well for the first two to three years of their lives. After age three, egg production will significantly drop.
Color Variety: Golden Red with white.
Brown egg-laying chickens have dominated the henhouse for centuries. With so many delightful breeds, it’s easy to see why many chicken keepers today choose brown egg-layers for their backyard flocks.
The Golden Comet chicken has many pros, but some poultry enthusiasts consider this breed to have cons uncommon to many heritage chicken breeds. Before we discuss the pros and cons of owning these egg layers, let’s discover what makes a Comet.
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What Makes a Comet
The Golden Comet chicken is a cross between a New Hampshire Red or Rhode Island Red rooster and a White Plymouth Rock, White Leghorn, or Delaware hen. Upon hatching, these chicks can be sexed by color instead of the traditional vent sexing. Male chicks are yellow at hatching, and females hatch a reddish brown.
Golden Comets are part of the sex link group of chickens. Sex Link chickens get their name because they can be sexed by color upon hatching. Golden Comets are not the only name these chickens go by: Golden Buff, Golden Sex Link, Red Sex Link, Red Star, and Cinnamon Queen are also common names.
Golden Comet Chicken Pros
Sexing Guarantee
With their sex link characteristics, Golden Comets have a one hundred percent sexing accuracy. Not worrying about unwanted roosters has saved many chicken keepers from headaches and heartaches.
Extremely Hardy
Golden Comets are both heat and cold-hardy. Unlike many heritage breeds, these lively hens tolerate summer heat and winter chills without ill effects and will even lay through the hottest summer months.
Fewer Health Concerns
Golden Comets do not breed true (more on that later). Since they are consistently bred from new parent birds, they are not at a high risk of developing breed-related illnesses. These healthy hens may also be less likely to develop certain other diseases, including Marek’s disease.
A Family Pet
The Golden Comet chicken is a delightful pet. Comets have a calm and relaxing personality and make ideal family companions. While they are known for their quiet nature and affectionate temperaments, Comets have an attitude that sets them apart from other flock members. Hens of this breed love interacting with their owners and will sit on your lap for hours.
When not bonding with their favorite person, Comets can usually be found at the backdoor begging for a treat. These hens are food-motivated and will do anything for a tasty snack.
Peaceful Harmony
Golden Comets are peaceful chickens who dwell with other flock members without a hitch. These hens prefer to stay out of flock squabbles and will move to the opposite side of the run to avoid conflicts.
Their calm and peaceful nature may make them vulnerable to bullying when housed with more aggressive breeds.
Egg Laying Champions
If there is one thing everyone agrees on about the Golden Comet chicken, it is that you can’t beat its egg production. Golden Comets are egg-laying champions and will easily outperform all your other brown egg layers.
Golden Comets were bred to lay, with each hen laying as many as three hundred extra-large eggs annually. Eggs come in various browns, ranging from tan to deep reddish brown. Some eggs even have speckles similar to those of a Welsummer’s egg.
Quiet Disposition
Comets are naturally quiet chickens, which gives them an advantage for backyard flocks with close neighbors. While they do sing the egg song and make other noises, they don’t feel the need to make a fuss all day long.
Good Feed-to-Egg Ratio
The Golden Comet chicken is the brown egg-layer answer to the Leghorn. These hens were bred to produce eggs without costing the farmer too much money. With their small bodies, Golden Comets do not need to consume as much feed to lay an egg as heritage breeds. This attribute has made Comets the most popular brown egg layer in backyard flocks and factory farms worldwide.
Golden Comet Chicken Cons
Doesn’t Breed True
Did you know? The Golden Comet chicken is not considered to be a breed. If you breed a Golden Comet Rooster to a Golden Comet hen, they will not produce offspring that can be sexed by color. Therefore, all sex-link chickens are not recognized as a breed because they do not breed true.
High Risk of Cancer
Due to the large number of eggs they produce, Golden Comets are at a higher risk of developing oviduct/ovarian cancer than other breeds. While this is a disadvantage for pet chicken owners, there are ways to help reduce the chances of ovarian cancer in your flock, including diet and avoiding artificial lighting in the coop.
Shorter Lifespans
Golden Comets may have a shorter lifespan than heritage breeds or bantams. These hens live an average of four to five years, although some individuals can live up to eight years.
Strong Fliers
Anyone who has owned a Comet can attest to them being strong fliers. These hens can clear six-foot fences to access a growing garden, visit the neighbors, or whenever they want to escape the run. While this isn’t a huge con, owners must ensure runs are covered so no Comets can escape.
The Golden Comet chicken may not be for everyone, but these delightful hens make an excellent addition to the backyard flock for those looking for a friendly pet or an excellent brown egg producer.
Cooked egg mayonnaise can be a safer and longer-lasting option than a traditional mayonnaise recipe and is perfect when you’re raising chickens for eggs and you’ve got some extras. I’m sure you’ve seen recipes for making homemade mayo using fresh eggs and lemon juice with a hand blender. Despite being a completely safe way of making mayo, people often shy away from the process due to the method of using raw eggs.
While paging through an old edition of the cookbook, Julia and Jacques Cookingat Home, by Julia Child and Jacques Pépin, I came across a recipe for a cooked egg mayonnaise recipe. I had never heard of a cooked egg mayo recipe and had to give it a try. It turned out so delicious that I wanted to share my adapted version of the recipe here for those who would also enjoy a cooked egg mayonnaise alternative.
Cooked Egg Mayonnaise Recipe
Julia Child notes in her recipe that using cooked egg mayonnaise is a safer option when serving food in hot weather and it also has a longer refrigerator storage life than when using raw eggs.
Yield: About 2 cups
Ingredients
2 tbsp. flour
½ cup water
1 large egg
2 hard-boiled egg yolks
1 tbsp. Dijon prepared mustard
½ tsp. salt
2 ½ tsp. wine vinegar
2 ½ tsp fresh lemon juice
1 cup olive oil
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Optional: additional seasonings – salt, vinegar, lemon juice
Make the Cooked Egg Mayonnaise Base
In a medium-sized saucepan, make a slurry by mixing flour and water and whisking together until it’s free of lumps.
Turn heat and bring the slurry to a boil for about thirty seconds, add more water if needed, and continue to whisk. You want a thick, not stiff, slurry.
Remove the slurry from the heat and add in one egg and rapidly whisk it. Return the egg and slurry mixture to the heat and bring it to a boil for just 15 seconds while whisking slowly.
Use a spatula to transfer the egg mayo base into a small food processor or blender.
Adobe Stock Photo by zoryanchik
Finish the Cooked Egg Mayonnaise
Add the cooked egg yolks to the base, as well as the Dijon mustard, salt, vinegar and lemon juice. Process until all ingredients are well blended and the mayo begins to thicken, about 15-20 seconds.
With the processor running, slowly add in the olive oil, beginning with droplets to start, until the mayo begins to emulsify, then increase to a small stream of oil until blended.
Taste test and determine if you’d like to stir in additional salt, pepper, vinegar, lemon juice or other seasonings.
Store the cooked egg mayonnaise in a covered container and refrigerate for up to one week.
Notes:
If you’d like to use less than one cup of oil, you can. Once the oil in the mayonnaise has emulsified and the mayo blend is thick and glossy, you can stop adding in oil.
To jazz up your mayo even more, consider adding chopped garlic, parsley, chives, or even dill.
Ideas for using cooked egg mayonnaise: Make homemade salad dressings, aioli or level up that lunchtime sandwich. Make potato or egg salad, or deviled eggs!
How to Hard Boil Eggs
Place the eggs in a single layer in a saucepan. Add enough water to cover the eggs by at least one inch.
Bring eggs to a boil and turn off heat. Cover the pot and remove from the burner. Allow the eggs to stand in the hot water for 15 minutes. 12 minutes for medium eggs.
Drain the hot water from the eggs and run cold water over eggs. Soak in an ice bath for 15 minutes, or until the eggs are completely cooled.
Peel eggs by cracking the shell and peeling from the large end. Hold egg under running cold water or dip in a bowl of water to ease off shell.
This cooked egg mayonnaise recipe was written for Hobby Farms magazine online. Click here to subscribe.
PREMIER SPONSOR: Home Fresh® Poultry Feeds (Kent Nutrition Group)
Hear about how Florentina started her Flora Seeds, all thanks to seeing the need for a community seed library in her village of Yellow Springs, Ohio. Her interest in seed education and in helping people save, share and grow seeds grew from there. As more people started becoming more aware of the vulnerabilities of our global food system, they also started paying attention to where their food comes from, which invariably leads back to seeds, seed keeping and seed sovereignty. Florentina explores the multiple pathways that bring people into having an interest in seeds, ranging from food security to political resistance and cultural interests.
Learn how the Yellow Springs Community Seed Library works and how people can “check out” and donate seeds. Florentina explains how she checks in with seed library users to be sure they are getting along with their seeds and to improve the system for everyone. She tells us, too, about some of her favorite seeds that have been contributed to the seed library. (Have you ever heard of elephant dill?)
With sights set on having an even larger impact than what a seed library offers, Florentina is also working with seed commons—communal resources of seed collections, seed keepers and seed protectors on a regional level. She talks about farmers, gardeners and community people who are building these networks to exchange seeds, share skills and continue specific seeds’ stories. Florentina also discusses how university and government interests are impacting the spirit behind seed commons and why it’s important to have both regionally based community seed commons and university/government programs but not necessarily the two combined. She also makes the case for when and why you might want to work with folks in your region to start your own seed commons.
Listen to the end to hear about Eden’s Harvest urban farm in Dayton, Ohio, which is a certified native wildlife habitat and center for growing food and educating neighbors and local students about food and farming.
Smoked trout is a delicious way to celebrate your lake catches from a fun day of fishing or fish farming yields. Here’s how…
Ingredients & Supplies
2 lake trout fillets
2 cups kosher salt, more as needed
2 tablespoons garlic powder
9-by-13 glass tray
plastic wrap
plate to fit fillets
Smoked Trout Preparation
Freeze trout for a minimum of seven days to kill off parasites.
Thaw the fish fillets. Rinse them off, and pat them dry.
Layer a large glass container with salt. Lay the fillets skin down. Season the fillets with garlic powder and other seasonings if you desire. (I only seasoned them with garlic powder because I don’t like to overpower the flavor.) Liberally cover the fish with the remaining salt until completely covered. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for six hours.
After six hours, remove the fillets from the salt and rinse thoroughly. Pat the fillets dry and place them on a glass plate, uncovered, overnight. This process creates a dry layer over the surface of the fish’s flesh. It’s a protective barrier for the meat and enhances the flavor and color of the smoked trout.
Ideally, you want to smoke the fish at the lowest temperature for your smoker — about 140°F or so. (Unfortunately, my aunt’s smoker wouldn’t get below 160 degrees. The good news is that it doesn’t really need to. It will cook a little quicker, but it’ll still smoke up a nice fish.)
Stephanie Thurow
Smoke for two hours at the closest temperature you can get to 140 degrees and increase the heat by about 20 degrees every hour. We ended up around 200 degrees for the last two hours, because the smoker was running a bit hot.
It took me a total of six hours to get the fish to an internal temperature of 160°F and this temperature needs to be held for at least 30 minutes to be considered safe for consumption.
You can enjoy the fish warm off the smoker or you can refrigerate it and serve it cold. The choice is yours. Eat within five days or freeze for up to six months.
For more information on how to properly smoke fish at home, please check out Smoking Fish at Home – Safely by the Pacific Northwest Extension Publication.
Drake ducks are an essential part of every duck flock. From factory farms to small backyard flocks with bantam ducks, duck owners everywhere are adding a few drakes to their flock for their vital role in a healthy, well-balanced flock. So, without further adieu, let’s begin the countdown to why every flock needs a drake duck.
#10 Fertile Eggs
It might go without saying, but fertile duck eggs are why many duck owners keep a drake. Hatching and raising ducklings from your backyard flock has many perks, as there is no need to worry about spreading infection or disease from newly acquired ducks to an existing flock.
Preserving a rare breed is another benefit to keeping a drake. Whether you are selling fertile eggs for a side business or raising ducklings from your backyard flock, Drake Ducks will help make your dreams a reality.
How Many Ducks Per Drake?
How many ducks should you have per drake? The answer depends on the breed of drake and ducks you are raising and their weight category. Before choosing a drake for your flock, consider the breed(s) of hens in your flock. This is a crucial decision, as housing a heavyweight drake with lightweight females may result in accidental injuries or the death of the hens. At the same time, a vigorous lightweight drake may exhaust placid heavyweight hens.
Two Drake Ducks
Drake Ducks Per Hens Guidelines
Heavyweight- 3-4 hens per drake
Mediumweight- 3-5 hens per drake
Lightweight- 4-6 hens per drake
Bantam-1-2 hens per drake
#9 Increased Egg Production
Housing a drake with your flock may help to increase egg production. While no one knows why, female ducks tend to lay more eggs when a drake duck is present in the flock.
When housing drakes with ducks to increase egg production, follow the ducks to drake guidelines (above) to ensure a well-balanced flock, as too many drakes per hen ratio will decrease egg production.
#8 Guard Ducks
Male ducks are excellent at spotting danger. Our Welsh Harlequin drake is the first one to notice a bird of prey and will sound the alarm to warn our duck and chicken flocks of the danger.
Drakes are always on the lookout while the females feed, looking for potential danger. From cats, hawks, neighborhood dogs, or trash blowing across the yard, drakes will sound the alarm to warn the flock of any threat.
While drakes are excellent at spotting predators, they can not defend themselves or their flock from an attack. Instead of free-ranging ducks, house them in a safe predator-proof pen and lock them in a secure coop at night.
White Drake Ducks
#7 Noise Levels
Unlike roosters, drake ducks are very quiet. While their soft noises carry surprisingly far distances, their noise levels are minimal. This trait puts them at an advantage for individuals who like ducks but do not enjoy the loud quacking of the females.
#6 Drake Ducks: A Show-Stopping Display
Anyone who has stopped to watch a drake perform courtship displays can testify to how amazing these shows can be. Drake ducks twist their bodies in various movements, make a whistle, and spray water with their bills to impress their hens.
Some drakes display throughout the year, but most occur during fall and winter when duck courtship takes place.
#5 Garden Helpers
All ducks make excellent gardening companions, but drakes are less destructive than females. While females go through the garden ripping up plants and looking for grubs and other larvae, drakes are content to chase flying insects or snack on beetles hiding among the garden plants.
Drake ducks are usually less destructive on lawns, too. Although some male ducks will rip up large clumps of grass looking for grubs, most are content to let the females do the ripping.
#4 Natural Lifestyle
As backyard flock owners, we want to provide our ducks with as much natural life as possible. Adding a drake to your flock of females will allow everyone to experience a more natural way of life.
Although courting and breeding may seem insignificant to the flock owner, ducks instinctively engage in these behaviors. While some flock owners believe female ducks will be happier without males, most females enjoy hanging out with a drake.
A White Drake Duck
#3 Making a Difference for Drake Ducks
Did you know? Many backyard duck flock keepers do not keep their drakes. Because they don’t lay eggs, many drake ducks find themselves homeless. Whether sitting in a cage in an animal shelter or trying to survive alone on a public pond, many drakes need a home. Adding even one drake to your flock helps reduce the number of homeless and abandoned drakes.
#2 Peaceful Pecking Order
One of the best ways to ensure harmony among ducks is to keep a drake in the flock. Drakes help to solve disputes among female flock members and prevent fighting. This behavior helps to avoid injuries from other flock members.
Bear in mind that while drakes help to prevent fighting among female flock members, they can be very aggressive towards each other. In most situations, it is best to house each drake separately with his flock of hens.
#1 Friendly Pets
Drake ducks make delightful, friendly pets, especially when imprinted on humans. They love interacting with people. Male ducks bond differently with humans than female ducks and are described as being more affectionate.
Unlike roosters, drakes have gentle personalities and pose no threat to small children. Their tame disposition makes them excellent pets for families with children.
With their soft quack, beautiful plumage, and curly tail feather, what isn’t there to like about a drake? Drake ducks improve the overall quality of the duck flock and complete our backyard flock. So, if you are considering adding ducks to your backyard flock, consider adding a drake, too.
