A New Year

I spent all weekend working in my garden and cooking. It was wonderful. So much has happened since summer. The sustainable project has expanded to egg laying hens and meat rabbits. Getting those projects started was no easy task, nor an easy chore. They consume a lot of time, start up costs and care, but is it worth it? I say, "Heck yes!"

Chickens have just as much personality as a dog or a cat. They don't like to be petted or play fetch but my girls all love me as much as I love them. (Or its the trail of bread crumbs I leave for them whenever they are out.) I currently have a black cuckoo maran, buff orphington, a brown and gray easter egger, and five assorted bantam cochins. Unfortunately only the maran and buff are laying at the moment.

The first batch of fryers are about 6 weeks at this point. The buck is a California with an extremely high libido. The breeding doe is a New Zealand and the other doe is her daughter with a New Zealand sire (whom we ate). The hybrids from the California and New Zealand seem to grow bigger and faster. They are pretty cute, but they'll all end up in a pot.

The winter garden of 2010 is booming after the week straight of showers we've had the warm weather that followed.




I also cooked a lunch for the Jew who came back from birth right. Marinated Pork chops on top of fresh sautee greens with a black cherry sauce, accompanied by brown rice and chantrelle mushrooms.