DIY Cinnamon Stick Candles

The fall and winter holidays are a time for warmth and home. Few smells define these holidays more than cinnamon. These DIY cinnamon stick candles will make your home smell beautiful and cover the range of holidays from Thanksgiving through Christmas and beyond.

DIY Spooky Halloween Bottles

Yes, Halloween's about costumes and candy, but you've got to dress up more than yourself. Raid your recycling bin and make these adorable, spooky bottles to dress up your house. They're easy to make and they'll last forever. 

I originally got this idea when my mom gave me an article from her Woman’s Day magazine about wine bottle spirits. It was such a cute idea that I jumped at the chance to make this craft. I think these spooky Halloween bottles make unique decorations and provide the perfect excuse to enjoy an adult beverage; not a bonus you get with many crafts. You can actually make them with any bottles you've got on hand. The round pumpkin pictured in the instructions is an old pickle jar. But beware; if you want to make lots of these, you’ll probably have to ask friends and family for their extra bottles.

The Ohio National - A Living Poultry Catalog

The Ohio National billed as America's largest annual poultry show, is held each November in Columbus, Ohio, at the Ohio State Fairgrounds. If you live nearby or you're in the mood for a road trip, this is well worth a visit. The show is a sight to behold!

This year it will be held November 9 - 10 in the Voinovich Building and boasts close to 8400 entries. The poultry sales area will now be held in the O'Neil Building which is bigger and has a cement floor.

The Leghorn Chicken - Breed Spotlight

Who doesn’t know Foghorn Leghorn? This cartoon rooster single-handedly made Leghorn chickens a household name. But aside from cartoon fame, Leghorns are famous among backyard chicken owners for being a reliable and prolific white egg laying chicken breed.

Class: Mediterranean
Origin: Italy
Comb Type: Single
Popular Colors: White, Light Brown, Exchequer
Standard Size: 4.5 Pounds (Hen) 6 Pounds (Rooster)
Egg Color: White
Egg Size: Large
Production: 5+ Eggs Per Week (Varies by Color)
Hardiness: Heat Tolerant
Disposition: Active, Skittish

Brown Leghorn

Does Chicken Egg Color Affect Taste?

Does chicken egg color affect taste? It's a common question. When people see green or blue eggs, they'll ask out loud if they taste different. Some people voice strong opinions by saying they like brown eggs better than white. Even seasoned chicken keepers venture into this question and say some of their chickens lay eggs that taste more creamy and better than others.

Let's face it. People associate egg taste with shell color. But do eggs with different colored shells taste different? No. Eggshell color has nothing to do with taste. Egg tastes only change because of a hen’s diet and the egg’s freshness.

Molting Chickens Explained

Molting is a natural process that chickens go through at different times in their lives. A chicken's first molts take place as it grows from a baby chick to an adult. Because they're babies, we tend to think of this as a process of growing up, and it is, but it's technically molting.

As adult chickens, molting takes place in late summer and fall when birds replace old feathers with new plumage.

DIY Kitty Litter Bucket Storage - A Purrfect Solution!

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Photos, Drawings & Story By Robin J. Miller

Cat litter pails are sturdy containers with hinged lids that can hold a surprising amount of material: from toys to poultry grit to grains to oyster shells to assorted soil remineralization supplies. This rack converts bucket clutter into a useful tool.