Friday, March 14, 2008

chicken talk

We are getting one egg a day from our chickens and I made a dutch baby using their eggs. They color is so much richer and darker then store bought eggs and the taste and texture of the Dutch Baby was even different. We have been feeding the chickens most of fruit and vegetable scraps as well as the weeds we are pulling up as we prepare our garden and worms and bugs we find. We even fed them beetles I found in one of the gardens last week. They were thrilled. With everything that we are feeding them they are not eating as much chicken food. This makes their egg production more profitable for us. They are also confining most of their poop to the top of the hen house so it is easy for us to clean and we having been adding it straight to the gardens. This means that they do not produce waste. I was looking at the cost for organic eggs at Trader Joes and a dozen runs 3.29 and you do not even get free fertilizer as part of the package. We got our first chickens about a year ago and ended up with roosters. It is nice finally have eggs, a clean low weed yard and very little waste.
Here is a picture of Liam and Allie B. Jr. (Allie B. Sr. was one of the roosters) I used Get Dirty by Sweet Digi Scraps, Fun Metal Words by Anja J. & Felty Critters no. 1 by Becki Kress as wells Oh My Mats by Melissa Bennett and Curvy Text Paths by Shelly Rae Cusbert

The name the blog contest at Satellite Sisters inspired me to do this layout. One of the entries was One Cup of Coffee at a Time. I voted for this name. I used Nicoles Coffee by Green Elephant Designs by Nicola

I took this picture last summer in Hood River and did the layout for Sherri Tierney a month ago. She just released the kit, A Touch of Whimsy today. It is on sale for $1.50 at Elemental Scraps

In case you are wondering what a dutch baby is, here is my recipe:
Heat the oven to 350 and add 1/4 cup butter to a shallow baking or pie dish and put it in the oven to melt butter while you mix other ingredients.
Add 3 eggs to a bowl and whisk well.
Add 1/3 cup milk and whisk it in with the eggs
stir in 1/2 cup flour mix well until flour clumps are no longer visible.

When the butter is melted, pull the rack with the dish out and pour mixture in and bake for 15 minutes.
I usually use a 8 cup liquid measuring cup to make pouring easy. It also works best if you put the rack on the bottom rung in the oven.
Add your favorite jam or topping and eat.

6 comments:

AfriDigiDiva said...

oh I do so miss fresh eggs! Love your post today!

Victoria said...

My husband had a friend with a lot of acreage, horses and chickens. We would provide the empty cartons and he provided the eggs. I do miss that guy when my husband took a different job. I have been buying the cage free, vegetarian fed chicken eggs to make up for the difference.

The layouts are so cool. The tantrum layout is such a slice of life with kids. I can imagine the surprised look on that couples face watching you document the moment for digi posterity. :)

gabs-art said...

very great post thank you!

Jen said...

The Dutch Baby sounds really yummy. I'll definitely have to try it!

All That Chit Chat said...

LOL! That's why you like chickens. Cute lo's. You definitely need that Chookery kit from Faith Sisters. Thanks for stopping by!

Jeanann said...

sound yummy.

love the layout.