The Filly Janet, Moving On

Morning on the farm.

Miss Janet, our pinto filly, is ready to move on. She has a new home lined up and a new owner; we're just trying to coordinate her move. Right now the horse trailer is stuck in the mud at the base of the hill. Although I got the truck down there, too, the ground has been too soft to get the trailer hooked up and out of there. By this afternoon I ought to have both truck and trailer back uphill, parked on dry ground.

Then all we will need to do is coordinate the move with her new owner, Jerry, and get the filly loaded. That may be more easily said than done. She's never stepped foot into a trailer. Sure, I've been leaving flakes of hay and nibbles of grain inside it from time to time, but she'd never so hungry that she'll climb right in. No, she just settles for what she can reach.

I will miss her. Since she's been the only equine on the place for months now, she has become quite attached to us. She calls greetings when we step onto the porch or pull into the drive. She trots up to the fence for attention or treats. And now that the cold weather is here, she's a joy to watch as she bucks and races around the hillside.

But, we don't have the time or talent for her at this point. Thirty years ago I would have trained her without a qualm, but now I have greater respect for the potential risks involved and no desire to injure those older bones. Plus, I'm too big for her young frame. True, some train and ride two year old horses, but their bones are still growing. Now that Janet's going on four, she's ready for some smaller human, who is gentle and quick on their feet, who can train her and ride with her into a lifetime of adventures.

We will miss you, Janet, but it is time for you to move on.

Chicken Soup Weather

Raw apple cider vinegar for the chickens' water.

With the chill of late fall upon us, I'm itching to pull out the crock pot and have warm stock ready at any time of day. Heeding the advice of the Bragg family, I added some of their raw apple cider vinegar (ACV) to the water of those few chickens we keep in the kennel. According to the Braggs, some ACV in the water for five days before slaughter will made a tough, older free-range bird into one for which diners will ask for repeat helpings. I was willing to give this remedy to tough poultry a try.

With a few tablespoons of ACV added to the birds' fresh water each day, we figured that they would be table ready within a week, but then did not get around to slaughtering a hen for nearly two weeks. When the time came to sample the meat, I was pleasantly surprised at the moist and tender nature of it. Of course, we usually slaughter roosters, who are said to be tougher, so it may not be a fair comparison. But, this hen produced some tasty meat for chicken salad.

Chicken Salad

chopped chicken

chopped celery

chopped grapes

onion, chopped fine

plain yogurt

tumeric

fresh ground pepper