Goats in the Smoky Mountains

My blog needs updated!

I am in the process of updating my blog and I hope to write on a more regular basis.

I hope that all of my dear friends are well and blessed!

FRUGAL FIRE STARTER IDEAS!

Make your own fire starters!

We have been purchasing ours as we heat with a woodstove and do not have a heater in our home. It was 36 degrees this morning......and to think we had our A/C running last week as we were in the 90's! Ugh. So now I'm back to thinking *winter* with my wood stove giving off some much needed warmth this morning after a chilly morning of goatie and chicken chores. 

Those fire starters we have been purchasing are very expensive and we have to drive a long way to get them.......but they work FABULOUS!  So I thought I'd look online to see if I can make these at home.....I was delighted to find out not only how easy they are to make, but that I can use pine shavings and dryer lint too! Cool! Here are some websites if you'd like to make these as well!>

http://guidezone.e-guiding.com/jbfirest.htm

http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/Tips/firestarters.htm

http://www.solareagle.com/PREP/FSTART.HTM

 This next one is great......I like the photo's that accompany the article

http://www.onestopcandle.com/candle/firestarter.php

Fern

www.JoyfulHeartsFarm.com

HERBS: MAKING HERBAL TINCTURES

Good Afternoon,

I plan to share some information on herbs as I can.  I have had many years of informal study and use of herbs, dating back to the 70's. About 4 yrs ago I did some formal study by enrolling in The Science and Art of Herbalism by Rosemary Gladstar.  Today I'd like to share how you can make your own tinctures at home and save a LOT of $ by doing so.

MAKING HERBAL TINCTURES

by Fern Guyer

One of the ways we can use herbs is by making Tinctures.  The benefit of tinctures are many. They take up a lot less room than bulky herbs. They will keep for many years (up to 10 in most instances) while dried herbs (leaves and flowers) will only last for about 1 year.   Roots, barks, seeds, will keep for approximately 2 yrs.  All herbs need to be stored in a cool, dark place, preferably in glass jars with tight fitting lids.

Since we can see that herbs, once dried and stored, have a limited shelf life, you will begin to see the advantages of making herbal tinctures to prolong the use of your herbs.

In order to extract the medicinal properties of herbs, they must be macerated in a solvent.  A Solvent is what's used to extract potent chemical constituents from plant matter.  Four common solvents used are Water, Vinegar, Alcohol and Glycerin.

Today we will address the use of alcohol. Other than water, this is my preferred method for extracting the medicinal properties from herbs.  You can use 40% alcohol for most dried herbs.

Take some dried herbs (fresh can be used as well, and I will touch on that later), and fill a jar about 1/4 full.  Then add alcohol until the herbs are completely covered. I like to then top it off about 1-2" more.  Cover. You can put some saran wrap on top before putting the lid on.  Shake well.  The dried herbs may absorb some of your alcohol so you may need to add more. Be sure to keep the herbs covered by at least 1". Shake daily at least once. After 4-6 weeks, your tincture is ready to use.

Now strain the herbs and squeeze out the excess alcohol from the herbs.  I like to use a mashed potato press lined with cheesecloth.  I then like to use a coffee filter to filter out any fine matter. 

Now your tincture is ready to bottle up. Be sure to label your jar with tincture, solvent used, and date. 

FRESH HERBS

When using fresh herbs, I like to lay them out on either a screen, or on paper towels for a day or two.  This will allow some of the water in the plant to evaporate reducing the chance of mold forming once the fresh herbs are introduced to your solvent.  You can then finely chop the fresh herbs and put into alcohol, making sure they are completely covered.  When using fresh herbs, I like to use Everclear, which is  75% alcohol.    Then continue on as you would for dried herbs, shaking daily. 

Tinctures can be used for your family and for your pets and can be stored for many years. It is a wonderful sense of accomplishment to be able to make your own herbal medicines for your loved ones, both 2 and 4 legged. :o)   Pets do not like the taste of alcohol so you can add some stevia if you'd like to help sweeten it or honey before drenching. 

If you have any questions, let me know!

Fern

www.JoyfulHeartsFarm.com

DAIRY GOATS: Sprouting Grains?

Bird Flu: Cinnamon extract found in the Bible

Ok, I know there is no bird flu in the US but this is great info to file away for the future.  Might be a good idea to start feeding our birds cinnamon when and if bird flu hits our shores.  

Shalom!

Fern

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Bird Flu: Cinnamon extract found in the Bible


Key to cinnamon anti-viral extract found in the Bible, says Israeli
researcher ...
http://www.israel21c.org/bin/en.jsp?enDispWho=Articles%5El1718&enPage=BlankPage&enDisplay=view&enDis

Key To Cinnamon Anti-viral Extract Found In The Bible
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/77703.php

<--- Begin article

Cinnamon helps fight against bird flu

Technology has been created whereby cinnamon extract is used as an air
disinfectant against bird flu in airports, or as a daily supplement
that protects people against the common flu.

Tel Aviv University technology transfer company Ramot has signed an
agreement with Frutarom, a multinational neutraceutical company based
in Israel, for applying a technology of using the a cinnamon extract
in a whole host of applications from disinfecting the air as a spray
against avian flu in airports, to a daily supplement that protects
people against the common flu. The discovery was made by Professor
Michael Ovadia, of Tel Aviv University's Department of Zoology.

Ovadia's initial experiments proved to be true - his savoury cinnamon
extract was able to quickly and efficiently immunise chicken embryos
from the Newcastle disease virus, one which costs the poultry industry
in the US alone millions of dollars a year.

Apparently further studies on avian influenza H9, Sendal virus, and Herpes
Simplex 1 also achieved positive results. "Not only was the extract
able to
neutralise the viruses, it also showed for selected viruses that it
has the potential to immunise against them as well."

What the cinnamon does
Besides human applications, Prof Ovadia sees that cinnamon fills an
important niche in the agricultural industry where chicks need to be
immunised by hand against the deadly Newcastle disease virus. Applying
his research to the global scale could only be done with the help of a
large company, which is where Frutarom comes in. The Israeli-based
flavour and food additive company has grown in the last 10-15 years
from US$10 million ayear to a projected US$350 million by the end of 2007.

The review says that the University is going to take this know-how
from a food supplement to protect people from illness to
neutraceuticals in drugs, also realising that it can be used in
agriculture against bird flu. "This represents a very diversified
product," commented Frutarom's CEO Ori
Yehudai.

Article Source: World Poultry
http://www.worldpoultry.net/news/id2205-26116/cinnamon_helps_fight_against_bird_flu.html

Apple Cider Vinegar

We like to put ACV (applel cider vinegar), raw, in our dairy goats water buckets. They love it, too! We also add it to our chickens water during the summer months.  Here are some interesting links and info on raw ACV.........

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Unpasteurised apple cider vinegar is safe because the acid levels will kill unfavourable bacteria. It contains abundantly more living goodness that ‘dead’ supermarket versions. The thin web-like strands you will find settling in raw apple cider vinegar are the living part, called the ‘mother’. They produce copious quantities of enzymes, malic and tartaric acids, and valuable minerals, including potassium.

BEES EVERYWHERE!

We have a ton of bees slurping up all of our sugar water here in So. California. I have heard others places around the country are experiencing the same problem. While I really do like bees, and understand that honey bees are in danger due to disease, I really wish I could persuade them to leave my feeders alone!! I actually think these might be meat bees though.  

  I normally do not stop feeding the Orioles that migrate here from South America, until late August, but HAD to stop as the bees would drink it all in one day!! It was kind of comical actually. I'd put the feeder out and a couple hours later to check on it and all I'd see are all these bee bottoms sticking out of the Oriole feeder holes. haha I'd chase them off and they'd back themselves out and fly off, angry at me.  But even though I move the feeder, they find it very quickly. Sigh. My poor Orioles. And the Orioles of course could not drink.  It makes me sad to hear them while I am milking my goats, looking for their breakfast. :o(  I have been feeding them for 7 yrs and look forward to their arrival in March until August when they migrate back.

Here are some links to information on Orioles and their migration. We get Baltimore but primarilyScott's Orioles come here to breed and raise their young here in So. Cal

http://www.learner.org/jnorth/spring2002/species/oriole/Update042602.html

http://www.prbo.org/calpif/htmldocs/species/desert/scotts_oriole.htm

How to brighten your yard with Orioles (start planning for next year!)

http://www.nwf.org/nationalwildlife/article.cfm?issueID=73&articleID=1038

Now these bees are all over my hummingbird feeder so had to stop feeding them too!! I feel so bad as it is over 100 degrees out and not much flowering. They must be so thirsty. At least the bees cannot get INTO this feeder!

I just found an interesting Oriole feeder

http://www.rachelsrobin.com/shop/index.php?page=shop-flypage-3959

Will have to get that one for next year!

 Over the weekend we decided to put out a wasp trap but not one wasp or bee has been caught in 3 days. Sigh. 

Shalom!

Fern

www.JoyfulHeartsFarm.com

Combining Pullets of differing ages....help

Remember Mama's Recipes

Thought this was a fun read!

Enjoy,

Fern

www.JoyfulHeartsFarm.com

Remember Mama's Recipes
Compiled by Marlene and Mabel Mertz
in 1973 by the Stirling, Alberta
LDS Woman's Organization

http://waltonfeed.com/old/mama/index.html

Lead in our Garden Hoses!