This weekend had us eat the first rhubarb pie of the year. For some reason I never developed a taste for American pie recipes, so I always bake German pies. This one has a nice buttery crust, a moist rhubarb filling and is topped with a sweet lemon meringue. It is quite good.
On Friday I made the first sheep's milk cheese of the season. To be correct, I started it. Today it will be ready to enjoy. I made a quick and easy soft cheese with fresh chives. So far I only milk a couple of ewes, so not too much milk jet. And what little I have the kids usually drink up
before I get to it! By the end of this week I will hopefully be milking four or five ewes and have some extra milk to make more cheese and yogurt. I milk only once a day (the other milking the lambs do for me) and usually get between 3/4 to 1 quart per ewe.
This weekend also saw the first baby chicks crack their shells, only to be greeted by a mean momma chicken. Yes this girl sits on the eggs just fine, but when the chicks hatch she is downright nasty to them. So now we have a baby chick nursery in the coop. All it is, is a wire cage with a heat lamp , cardboard for wains coating and carpet remnants for flooring. This provides the little ones with warmth around 90*F, no drafts and non slippery footing. One a day has been hatching since Friday and each is different from the other. We have around six more eggs to go.These little puffballs do not need any food for the first 48 hours since they still have the yolk in their tummies. We offer them rolled oats and fresh water for the first few days. After that, chopped dandelion leaves and stinging nettle ~ even a bird has to have it's greens!
3 comments:
Shepherdess, it must be fantastic to be there now, you've got new lambs. new chicks, new pigs (not piglets, but what the heck they are new anyway). The picture of your little girl with the chick is beautiful.
Me, I've got ridiculous heat and building sites everywhere I look. I know nothing about farming, but right now, I envy you.
I love your blog, long may you continue.
DB
Oh my gosh you have been busy! The chicks are so cute and your daughter looks absolutely adorable in that picture. I think you should have that one framed.
Your cheese looks so yummy!
The girls are doing well. They are so cute. Colleen just came up to me today and surprised me. She was rubbing her head against my leg and I was so surprised it was her. I was expecting one of my other goats. They have become accustomed to treats too although I've cut down on how many I hand out. Your girls were so much fitter than mine and I think I over indulged them.
Take care! I still can't thank you enough for keeping the girls over the winter. Know that I just adore them and they are very happy.
Please post your recipe for the pie. It looks so wonderful and I need to do something different with my rhubarb.
~ a fellow Icelandic farmer and aspiring Icelandic dairier as well.
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