A Day In The Life of Country Living

Sunday is the day our chickens have free range.  While the hen house is getting cleaned out, the chickens get out in the yard to run and scratch around.  They enjoy eating the hay grass that grows on our property.  It’s the good life for Henry and the hens.  During other days, the birds have an enclosed pen and run.  In this way, they are only semi-cooped up.  On clean out day, my daughter plays chicken herder to oversee that our birds stay in our yard.  Our next door neighbor doesn’t take too kindly to our chickens venturing over as uninvited guests. 

  Jade does an excellent job watching over the  flock.  She is mama hen and they follow her around looking for delectable morsels of fresh bread crumbs and cracked corn.

My daughter Jade, has a special relationship with Henry, our rooster.  He is a country gentlemen: 

My backyard birds inspire creativity from all directions.  Fine art photos are used to design products in my Zazzle store.  

Apron, Eggs in Hands as Nest by sunfluer
Many more aprons available at zazzle.com

 

The Wyandotte breed lays brown eggs: 

I’ve been experimenting with baking recipes using spelt flour.  Spelt is an ancient whole grain flour and can be used in place of whole wheat.  Using my farm fresh eggs and spelt flour, I baked kid and husband approved cranberry/orange scones this morning.  It was the first time I made scones and couldn’t be happier with the finished product.    Spelt has a nutty flavor making it the perfect compliment to the orange and cranberry.  What I like in particular about spelt is the blood glucose (blood sugar) does not rise as high after eating foods made with it compared to white refined flour.  It’s an especially good grain for people with diabetes.  (Please do not take this as professional advice.)  Although I don’t have diabetes, I have sensitivity in regulating my blood sugar levels meaning I feel the highs and lows. 

I haven’t been able to find a recipe book dedicated to baking exclusively with spelt flour.  Spelt is closely related to whole wheat, however.  What I’ve recently learned is many recipes with whole wheat flour can be replaced with spelt.  If you would like to try the recipe, you can find it on the King Arthur Flour website.  The recipe lists allspice as an option but I didn’t have any on hand.  I choose instead to use 1/4 teaspoon of ground clover and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg.  Absolutely agreeable and delicious.