DIY Holiday Spice Ornaments

You hear it said over and over again that nothing beats the smell of Christmas. I agree! That's why making these holiday spice ornaments has become a tradition in my house.

Nothing beats the smell of Christmas. That's why making these holiday spice ornaments has become a tradition in my house.

Sage - The Thanksgiving Herb

Thanksgiving and sage. The two go together like birds of a feather. Haha! Seriously, though, sage is the classic Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing seasoning. Its reach, though, extends beyond the holidays into a year-round classic for other culinary delights and in herbal teas.

Sage is the classic Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing seasoning.

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.


DIY Kitty Litter Bucket Storage - A Purrfect Solution!

This exclusive is brought to you by the publishers of The New Pioneer magazine. You can subscribe to the quarterly magazine by visiting OutdoorGroupStore.com.

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.


Make Your Own Herb Vinegar

If your garden's been prolific, you’ve got lots of herbs that you don’t want to go to waste. So, why not make some herb vinegar? This is a great way to preserve tender herbs, such as basil and lemon balm. It provides a tasty addition to your menus. And, if you make an extra batch or two, you can use it for homemade holiday gifts.


A Guide to Common Owl Species

No matter where you live, even the suburbs, you've most likely got some resident owls around your house and backyard. This field guide shows identifying features and behaviors to common owl species so you know who’s who and how to attract owls by making your homestead owl-friendly. If you've got chickens, you can protect your birds from owls in much the way you know how to protect chickens from hawks.


Brahma Chicken - Breed Spotlight

One of the largest chicken breeds, the Brahma is often referred to as the "King of All Poultry" and along with the Cochin, Brahmas helped to fuel the British and American obsession with poultry "Hen Fever" of the 1850s.

Brahmas are beautiful chickens with feathered feet and legs and a gentle personality that fits the needs of a family flock.
A young Light Brahma hen.

An Overview of What to Feed Chickens

Whether you're a new or a veteran backyard chicken keeper, it’s natural to wonder just what to feed chickens. When you get your first chickens, you grab a bag of starter feed, but what happens next? And exactly what starter feed should you grab?


All About Double Yolk Chicken Eggs

What is a double yolk egg? It's simply a single-shelled egg with two yolks inside and it's not as uncommon as you might think.


Growing and Making Fresh Herbal Tea

As summer heats up, the herb garden is in full swing and many of the herbs have grown so big that it’s time for them to have some trimming done to encourage fullness and regrowth. What do you do with all those trimmings? Make a fresh herbal tea, of course! If you’ve never had fresh herb tea, it’s definitely something you should try. It’s easy and delicious!
Lemon Balm is a member of the mint family and grows rapidly.
I usually cut mine back once or twice a season to keep it under control.

What is Coltsfoot?

Are you seeing dandelions in the spring? You may want to double check. Those yellow flowers you're seeing could be coltsfoot.

While its flowers are pretty, this plant is actually named after its leaves which resemble a horseshoe in cross section. Coltsfoot flowers pop up in early spring and are often found in poor, disturbed soils. (Which is why it grows next to my driveway!) The leaves don't appear until after the flowers have died back and the plant has gone to seed, so in the spring, the flowers show up with no apparent leaves. 

what is coltsfoot
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)


The Backstory on Hornet Nests

Bald-Faced Hornet nests have a story to tell. Through most of the year, hornet nests are barely visible tucked in trees with leaves surrounding them. But in winter, hornet nests are easily found and fascinating structures that can be safely explored without fear of repercussion. Around my neck of the woods, bald-faced hornets make beautiful, teardrop-shaped nests that provide a home base for the colony from spring to late fall.

In winter, hornet nests are easily found and fascinating structures that can be safely explored without fear of repercussion. Find out more about these fascinating creatures.

New Hampshire Chicken - Breed Spotlight

The New Hampshire Red chicken is a great family-friendly bird that's named for the state where it was developed. Many confuse this breed with the Rhode Island Red which makes sense because it was originally developed from Rhode Island Red stock. This is a good dual-purpose bird that matures early and consistently lays brown eggs.

Class: American
Origin: United States
Comb Type: Single
Color: Red
Standard Size: 6.5 Pounds (Hen) 8.5 Pounds (Rooster)
Egg Color: Brown
Egg Size: Large
Production: 4 to 5 Eggs Per Week
Hardiness: Cold and Heat Tolerant
Disposition: Calm, Friendly

The New Hampshire chicken is a great family-friendly bird that's named for the state where it was developed. This is a good dual-purpose bird that matures early and consistently lays brown eggs.
Big Red and our Buff Orpington (behind) are two of our most friendly chickens.
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