Chicken Happenings of Late

So here’s the deal. We’ve been awful quiet about recent Wallingford Hen House happenings. And to be quite frank, there wasn’t a lot of good news to report… for about two months. Anywho, it’s time to step out of the darkness and give you an update on what’s been going on in the backyard of late.

If you followed the saga of Delilah, you might know that we took great strides to nurse her back to health after our satanic flesh-eating chicken (a round of applause for Athena) attacked her. MANY hours were devoted to chicken care as we tried oh-so-hard to make sure our cute little silver-laced Wyandotte survived. I even took the bird home for Christmas. In a guinea pig cage. That’s not normal.

Just another lovely day on the homestead.

About 6 weeks after the attack, we were happy to report that finally, Delilah had made a comeback. Her wound completely healed and you couldn’t tell she once had a gaping hole in her side. Naturally, we figured it was time to reintroduce her back into the flock… Not so fast. You might remember we faced some difficulties when we moved her from our basement to the coop outside. Unfortunately chickens are really dumb and have trouble remembering things… so of course Athena and Manola had no idea who Delilah was… and thought she was the perfect candidate for a mid-day attack. That led to us re-establishing the pecking order… which meant Athena lived in the basement for a while… LONG story short, Delilah is still perceived as the lowest on the pecking order and she continues to get picked on by the others. For the last two months, she’s been living in a temporary coop we rigged up. We really hope that one day she can go back to the regular coop and join her comrades.

It’s safe to say that we’re ready for spring. We’ve been giving the ladies wormer and mite treatments in hopes of warding off other bad chicken juju that we might have coming our way. On the egg front, I’m happy to report that the ladies have been rockin’ it. Gotta love that added sunlight each day .

Going Local: Week Three

For week three of my going local experiment, I found myself back in my homeland (Seattle).  I was so excited to hit up another farmers market that I couldn’t wait for the Sunday Ballard Market, and I spent some time exploring the University District Farmers Market, another year round treat for Seattleites.  Cowboy Casanova accompanied me, and good thing, because I walked out with some hefty goodies.   I actually only spent $16.40 at this market, and then I reserved my four dollars for the Ballard Farmers Market.

Here is what I scored for $20:

1.  Just under four pounds of butternut squash for… get ready… NINETY CENTS!  I got this from Tonnemaker Hill Farm.  They had a bin of squash that had been bruised and was being sold for twenty-five cents a pound.  The person working the stand told me if I cut off the bruised part, it should be good to keep in the fridge as I take my time to eat it.  I thinking about making a squash soup, but I’m not sure yet.

2.  A nice sized baggie full of dried cherry bomb peppers from Tonnemaker Hill Farm for $5.50.  Getting locally grown peppers this time of year felt like an extra special treat.  There may have also been a very sweet older gentlemen who spent some time with me chatting about peppers.  Without a limit of $20, I’m afraid I could have left with a chunk of my rent money in peppers.  The dried peppers can be rehydrated and used, or they can be cut up dried and used in dishes.  This sounds a whole lot better to met than the slimy peppers I am used to popping in my dishes that have been sitting in a can for who knows how long!

3. This next purchase was pretty awesome.  I have been squirming to make some beef bone broth for quite some time.  Beef bones often sell for two to three dollars a pound.  The healing powers of real bone broth are literally impossible to get in anything you would buy in the store, including organic broths.   I ended up with seven pounds of pasture raised organic beef bones for ten dollars from Skagit River Ranch.    The woman who owns the farm talked with me for awhile about making broth, and definitely gave me a really good deal when I told her what I was planning to do with the bones.  She even handed me over her own recipe, and gave me an extra tip to add some vinegar to the simmering bones so the marrow would be extracted (what makes the broth good for healing). I felt like a little kid in a candy store! Stay tuned for a how-to for homemade beef bone broth.

4. Twelve pounds of apples for five dollars that were called “second” apples from a booth that I don’t remember the name of  at the Ballard Farmers Market.  Second apples (or other produce) are apples that are bruised or knicked that farmers don’t think are high quality enough to sell for full price. They’re usually sold at a much cheaper price, and are great for saucing or making pies.  I ended up saucing all the apples then canning it using my pressure cooker during an apple extravaganza that took place in our kitchen.

I’m not sure how much longer I’m going to be able to limit my spending to $20.  Oh the possibilities.

Going Local: Week Two

Week two of going local left me in a bit of a predicament.  I was spending the weekend in Bellingham, and surprisingly there is not a year-round farmers market in Bellingham, or the surrounding areas (at least according to my search).  I decided I was going to have to hit up some retail to get my local fix.  I got resourceful, and with a few phone calls, I successfully spent $20 on local food.

Here is what I got for $20:

`1. Two and a quarter pounds of crab caught in Westport.  I got this at Vis Seafoods.  I called around to a few grocery stores as well, and this small family owned business had the best price for freshly caught crab.   At 5.99 a pound, I felt pretty good about this purchase!   Served hot with butter equals perfection.

2. Five pounds of red potatoes from  Hopwell Farms in Everson, Washington for four dollars.  I got these and my next item (butter) at the Community Food Co-op in Bellingham.  This is like a grocery store that focuses on providing local, sustainable, and organic options for shoppers.   So far I have roasted them a few times in the oven with olive oil, salt and rosemary from the garden.  I liked the store and the prices were reasonable.  I have to admit I wrote off stores like this not too long ago as way too expensive,  and to be honest, reserved for a certain type of person that I did not classify myself as.  Trader Joe’s was about as far as I made it from Safeway.  Getting a small taste of local food is becoming a quick addiction for me.  My dad, Chicken Coop Man, asked me if I was becoming some kind of hippie.  He let me know  becoming a hippie isn’t such a big deal, as long as I don’t become a tree hugger.  I let him know I would do my best to maintain an appropriate level of hippieness.

3.  Eight ounces of sweet cream butter from Breckenridge Farm  in Everson, Washington for $2.50.  Definitely tasted pretty awesome with the crab.

That wraps up week two.  I will be back in Seattle for week three, so I am excited to see what it brings!

The Failed Attempt at Making Sauerkraut

Sometimes things don’t go as planned.  I would like to think it’s because of some uncontrollable probability that happens to everyone.  Unfortunately, I think it is because I sometimes opt out of following directions, and I start to think that I have some kind of sense that just tells me what is “right” when it comes to following recipes.   My sense of right is clearly not as accurate as I thought it was.

It looked so hopeful once upon a time.

After Britt and I started a beautiful batch of sauerkraut made from Full Circle Farms Cabbage, I was already picturing summer brats and sauerkraut.  Instead we ended up with some cyrstallized cabbage in a bucket.  When it came time to add the salt to the cabbage, I must have forgotten I was salting something edible, and not an icy road.   Oh well, maybe next time I’ll follow the directions and not oversalt the ‘kraut.  Lesson learned.

Going Local: Week One

I have a bad habit of starting new things during the busiest times in my life.  Well, some call it a bad habit, but others (me) like to think of it as positive thinking.  What it’s really about in the end, is that once I have an idea to try  something, it’s pretty much impossible for me to wait to start it.  Lately, I have become sort of obssessed with the idea of eating local and seasonal food.  Unfortunately money has not been dropping out of the sky and onto the porch (although I haven’t given up hope), so I have been experimenting with how I can eat locally on a very small budget.

  I have decided that it is time to begin another “journey,” if you will.  It begins with  $20.  It ends with a bag full of local super food. Ok, so maybe some of my foods aren’t really “super” foods, but they still deserve a shout out for their local (raised or grown in Washington)  awesomeness!  The best part about this? It’s going to happen every week (at least according to my grand plan)! 

Yes, once again, I find it necessary to add something new to the mix.  I’m going to be seeing how much local food I can get for just $20 a week.  Last week (week one) began  at the Ballard Farmers Market on a lovely and slightly rainy Sunday Seattle afternoon.  This market is open year round unlike most farmers markets in the greater Seattle area.  Kudos to you, Ballard!

I have to say, I was pleasantly surprised about how well week one went.  Farmers markets somewhat intimidate me because I feel some kind of expectation to bargain with people.  This is probably one of my least used (and worst) skills.  I have been known to actually end up paying more than the sticker price when bargaining is on the table.  Well thankfully the folks at the market are quite awesome, and my bargaining skills were kept far far away, where they belong. 

Here is what I scored for just $20:

1. Eight pounds of red and green cabbage from Full Circle Farms for about $9.  We’re making sauerkraut tomorrow with this.  Stay tuned for a nice how-to on homemade sauerkraut.

Some of our cabbage on the chopping block.

2. Two  pounds of purple potatoes from Nash’s Organic Produce.  I used these to make a delicious mushroom, carrot, and red wine beef stew in the crock pot. You can see that recipe here.

3. Eight ounces of winter spreadable from Golden Glen Creamery.  The cheeseman himself told me that this cheese was supposed to be turned into feta, but it became too cold, and was re-used and sold at a very reasonable price of $2.50 for the whole eight ounce package. 

4.  Ok, this is the best one.  I got around two pounds (I don’t have a food scale)  of wild coho salmon steaks caught less than two days before, for six dollars!!! I had six dollars left, and I walked up to the fish man at Wilson Fish Company.  I told him I had six dollars left, and that I would like to buy a small piece of fish, so I asked him if he had any smaller cuts.  He asked my how many people I was feeding.  I said about three.  He then handed over a beautiful package of four wild coho salmon steaks that were selling for nine bucks a pound.  True to my bargaining technique, I felt guilty and asked him if he was sure – then I tried to hand it back to him.  He told me to enjoy my dinner.  I walked about ten feet away and did a little happy dance with Britt right there outside his booth.  I’m planning on baking the salmon with some lemon, brown sugar, and rosemary, and serving it with a dill sour cream sauce.  Stay tuned for the recipe! 

So that wraps up week one.  Who knows what week two will bring!  Sorry for the lack of pictures… my camera is MIA and after one week, I am about ready to call off the search and whip out my hidden credit card to go buy a new one… drastic times call for drastic measures!

Seasonal Produce Update and the Recipe for Seasonal Beef Stew

Well… it’s back! After a few weeks of  not providing seasonal produce updates we got a few requests to keep ‘em coming.  Well here it is.  Remember that it is very cold out so try not to feel discouraged by the bleak outlook this may give you. Here are the items that are in season in Washington State:

Apples

Carrots

Collard Greens

Garlic

Mushroom

Onions

Pears

Potatoes

Rhubarb

Winter Squash

If you would like a seasonal produce update for a  different state, follow the link here.

Using Washington State’s seasonal fare, I made an awesome beef stew last week that took about 3o minutes of prep work, cooked overnight in the crock pot, and then – done!  Read on if you want to see the recipe for some seasonal beef stew!  This recipe actually used five out of the ten seasonal ingredients you can get right now in Washington State.

January Seasonal Beef Stew

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil

cooking spray

1 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme.  Mine from the garden is still hanging in there!

1/3 cup all purpose flour

1 1/2 cup red wine

2 14 ounce cans of beef broth

one medium onion roughly chopped

3 garlic cloves finely minced

1 – 1 1/2 beef stew pieces

16 oz. button mushrooms

2 pounds fingerling potatoes chopped into 1/2 inch cubes.  I chose some purple potatoes from Full Circle Farm.

1 1/2 cups carrots chopped into 1 inch pieces

Directions

1. Spray the crock pot with some cooking spray, and get all your veggies ready to add.  Put the potatoes, carrots, onion, mushrooms, and garlic all in the crock pot.  Sprinkle the thyme and salt on top, and then give the ingredients a good stir.   Pour the beef broth, and one cup of the wine over the veggies and seasonings.

2. Take your stew pieces and coat them in flour by putting the flour in a shallow baking dish and tossing the meat in it until all sides are lightly coated with flour.   Pour the olive oil in a good sized pan on the stove, let it heat up for about 2 minutes, and add your floured meat to the pan, leaving the excess flour behind in the shallow baking dish.

3. Move the beef pieces around in the pan until all sides are browned.  Pour the last half cup of the wine in the pan, and use a spatula to get all the yummy brown pieces up.  Add the wine and beef to the crock pot. Just hold the pan over and dump it in.

4.  Put the lid on and turn the crock pot on low for 8-10 hours.  I usually do this overnight, and the smell of the kitchen makes getting out of bed a whole lot easier!

This soup was delicious! It was great to bring to work for lunch, and  one time I even had it as a late breakfast with a toasted pieace of french bread brushed with olive oil and toasted under the broiler. Yum!

Sadie loves when beef stew is being served for dinner. I'd be lying if I said Sadie hasn't had a few stewed carrots this week.

Delilah Resurrected

Ahem, I need to clear something up. Due to the first paragraph of our “The Results are In” blog post, many of you think that Delilah is dead. Contrary to popular belief, this is not the case. After we received heated opposition from Chicken Coop Man to nix the little bird, Laura and I reconsidered. Yep. Delilah is alive and well.

See? Proof she lives on

She’s living in the hen house away from the other ladies, and while she doesn’t enjoy it, all members of the Wallingford Hen House agree it’s better than having an injured chicken living in a cage in the basement.

Time to get brewing!

Now that the craziness of the holidays has settled down, it’s time to get brewing again! The results are in from our poll and I’m pleased to announce our next beer will be a brown ale. Woohoo! I can hardly wait. Three Hens Brewing Co. is back in business!

Brown ale here we come!

The Singing Chicken

I don’t prefer to mix my personal and work life.  They are usually pretty distinct things.  Lately, I would say that my home life (a.k.a. chickens) has been affecting my work life… yep… definitely.  This week, the chickens are healthy  and doing well.  Delilah is enjoying her hen house digs where she is protected from Athena’s wrath behind a highly secured screen.   Life is good in the hen house.   It’s the human house that is struggling.  Athena has decided to pursue a career in singing.  This means that  hours of sleep are quickly being reduced, while Athena practices for American Idol. She’s always been our Aretha Franklin of the flock – but now, she’s taken it to a new level. Singing practice usually begins at  6:00 AM  and lasts until noon. Her song sounds like, “Bawww bawww bawww BAAAWWWWKKKKK.”  The chorus just repeats itself, over and over again.  

Athena trying to get up close to the camera. She has always been addicted to the spotlight.

The neighbors are not happy, and we are quite sleepy at work.  I have tromped out to the chicken coop at awful hours of the morning to put distractions out like cracked corn, veggies, and food scraps. Our old tricks aren’t doing the trick.  Nothing can hold back this vocalist. We spent some time researching today… and apparently black australorps (Athena’s breed of chicken) are notorious for this kind of behavior.  What to do… what to do???

The Results Are In

After much debate and frustration, Britt and I did what we thought was “manning up” and made a tough decision.  Delilah had to go.  We have two healthy chickens and one sick chicken.  Why would we get rid of a healthy chicken to keep a sick one? In other words, this meant we would need to end the short life of little Delilah.  This is not what pet owners do, it’s what urban farmers do, which is what we are actually trying to be.  The three of them could not get along, and a quick, humane death for Delilah would be better than keeping her in the basement or letting her get pecked to death by Athena and Manola.  Delilah would have the same results in almost any group of hens, so this really seemed like the right thing to do.

So the next step was to figure out a way to kill Delilah. Google was helpful, as usual, but we still felt that since we don’t really know what how to kill a chicken, we could cause Delilah a lot of suffering. There would also be  a lot of blood and flapping… yuck.   My next thought was getting a vet to do it for like $20.00 or something.  Britt and I both agreed that it would be twenty dollars well spent.  To my surprise I found an Exotic Animal and Bird Clinic  in Seattle.  I made a call, and this is how that conversation went.

“Exotic Animal and Bird Clinic, how can I help you?”

“Hi. So I have a sick chicken.  She can’t be in our flock anymore, and we really just need to euthanize her.  Do you do this for chickens?”

“Yes we do.”

“How much is it?”

“Forty-six dollars for the examination and fifty dollars for the euthanasia.”

“It costs that much? What if I know I want to euthanize her and I don’t need an examination? I can’t spend one hundred dollars to kill a  chicken.”  (You can imagine my shock.  It would cost five times as much to kill Delilah as it did to buy her).

“Can I put you on hold for a minute?”

“Sure.”

One minute goes by.

“OK, so no, we cannot euthanize the chicken without the examination because it would be unethical to euthanize a chicken if there was any way to keep it alive.”

“OK.  Well thank you.” (At this point I am slightly annoyed, and clearly I have made a mistake calling this number).

“Can I put you on hold one more minute?”

“Yeah.”

One minute goes by.

“So I just want you to know that there is no humane way to kill a chicken at home.  The euthanasia  is the only way without causing extreme suffering.”

“OK. Thank you very much. Bye.”

Thanks for that salt in the wound Exotic Animal and Bird Clinic.  Next I made a few phone calls to family and  friends who are 1) not crazy, 2) understand the economics of chickens, and 3) could help us do the job at home.  I found a few people who were willing to help, and we were on the road to having a flock of two.  This is when another obsessed animal person decided to have an intervention with me.    Do you know who that person was? My dad, Chicken Coop Man.   This is how the conversation went.

“Hey Dad. So we’re going to kill Delilah.  This whole thing isn’t working at all.”

“What are  you going to do?”

“Kill Delilah.”

“NO! No no no no.  Do not kill your chicken.”

“Dad this is ridiculous, it’s the right thing to do.  I don’t think we have another choice at this point.”

“DO NOT KILL YOUR CHICKEN!  I can’t talk, I have a plan though.  DO NOT KILL DELILAH!”

“Bye Dad.”

So what happened with Delilah? Delilah is out in the hen house, separated from the others in the coop behind a wire screen.  She lives on.  She will live there until she looks like a normal chicken again. Hopefully the other ladies will be used to seeing  her all the time, and they won’ t try and eat her again in about five weeks when she is reintroduced… again. If it doesn’t work, the animal obsessed people won’t have a say. We will kill Delilah.

I have one more thought to add.  This whole chicken mess that we got ourselves into is not fun.  We aren’t thinking about omlettes and fresh eggs.  We’re thinking about wounds and cutting off chicken heads.  So you take the good with the bad, and that’s that.  But, we’d like to make an announcement. We’re coming back to the good… in a big way.  We began this venture to get closer to the food we eat.  To learn about farming, food, and to explore how far our tiny little budgets can take us into the world of urban farming and good eating.  We have a plan.  I hope you’re ready, because we definitely are.

A sleepy and purple Delilah showcasing her new temporary digs.