First Snow: Sledding

 

Christmas Tree Science Experiment

We found this science kit at the thrift store, but the liquid part looked like it probably would not work. So we used this recipe: 

3 Tbs. water

1 1/2 Tbs. Ammonia

3 Tbs. Bluing

3 Tbs. Salt

 We are also doing another experiment with sugar crystals - rock candy (jar in the background).

 

 

Hunting and Butchering: Venison

This was my view last Sunday night. (For some reason people keep bringing me them on Sunday! I would rather not spend my sabbath day butchering, but the hunter is not a member and it's free, so I can't complain.) I am getting quicker now. My first time doing the butchering solo took about 6 hours (8pm-2am).  This time it only took about 4 hours (8pm-12am). 

 I have a gambrel for hanging it by the back hamstrings and a folding table with cutting board and a bunch of bowls for putting meat and scraps in. I know that some people use saran wrap and butcher paper, but I find that freezer ziplock bags work well enough for me. I do the shoulders first and then work my way up through tenderloins, backstraps, and finally hind legs (roasts). By the end there is nothing left hanging up and it is all either in a freezer bag or in my big trash can.

Here is the great book that I have been using to keep me organized and help me make my cuts so that I get the stew meat, roasts, and steaks all in good pieces:

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

  We went to a new Christmas tree farm, closer to the new house, for this year's fraser fir. They had these fun carts for hauling the tree.

 Since we have plenty of room in our new house we chose a BIG one this year, 7-8ft tall the tag said.

Holiday Crafting

'Tis the season to be crafting.  The kiddos are always happiest when making things... I wonder where they get that from?

 These two are hilarious - A's has a doughnut that says "I love cooking!" and M's doughnut says "I love eating". What a pair!

Big sister A is making Christmas sugar cookies by herself... well, with all her apprentices.

 

 

 The kids brought in a bunch of greenery from outside to make a Christmas tree for their pets/stuffed animals.  I snagged all the left over bits to make a wreath.

 Here we are waiting in line to visit with Santa:

 Miss L did not want to go up there.

 More christmas crafting:

 A's wild friend, also with an A-name.

Farm Fresh: Silver Fox Kits 6 Weeks Old

Alice's litter continues to thrive and we have 7 healthy happy kits. Three are the traditional black and 4 are chocolate (the color is "certified under development" by the ARBA since it is still so rare).  We are lucky to have so many chocolates.

The breed as a whole is a rare heritage breed which is known for bunnies with sweet temperaments. Here is an excerpt from the Livestock Conservancy's website:
The Silver Fox is a beautiful rabbit, which stands apart from other breeds. It was the first large breed produced that dressed out at 65% of its live weight. Does have large litters, produce plenty of milk, are excellent mothers, and make wonderful foster mothers. Silver Fox are known for their docile and gentle nature. The young are born either solid black or blue and begin to show silvering of their fur at about 4 weeks. The silvering process takes 4 months to complete. The fur is one of the most attractive and unusual features of the breed. It is extremely dense and 1 1/2 to 2 inches in length. When the fur is stroked from tail to head, it will stand straight up until stroked in the opposite direction. This trait is found in no other breed and greatly resembles the pelt of the silver fox of the Arctic.

We went to the Mid-Atlantic Rabbit and Cavy Show in Harrisburg, PA this weekend to see how showing rabbits works.  Big sis A thinks that she would like to show rabbits for 4H and everyone has told us that it is a great experience for kids. We walked around and looked at all the rabbit breeds represented.  When we found the Silver Fox rabbits all the owners were sitting together.  They said that even though they are competing against each other they are all good friends.  We learned a lot from talking to them and also from watching the judging and listening to his comments about each one. Chocolates are still COD so we can enter them to hear the judge's feedback and should continue to breed them to build up the strain, but they will not be awarded prizes. 

I bought a young buck at the show.  He is the nephew of a National Champion. I am hoping that we will be ready to show him and some of our rabbits in a year or so. 

These babies will be weaned in about a week. Then I will start selling some of them. It's hard to decide which ones to keep for breeding. We are not very experienced at the show aspect of rabbit breeding yet. My friends in the Silver Fox Club recommend only selling the best of each litter and culling the rest for meat.  It is a rare breed, but they said that it is important to keep the gene pool strong. 

Thanksgiving: Photo Shoot

 Just a sample of the wonderful pictures my dad took during Thanksgiving holiday.

 I love how much personality is captured in each one.

 Miss Energy:

 Love:

 This is brother S's latest thing.  He uses words sparingly.

 Mr. Giggle Box could hardly contain himself enough to get his picture taken.

 And here we are - wild and crazy crew making funny faces.