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Farm Livestock / Re: Falconry
« Last post by The15thMember on Today at 02:40:11 pm »
We could probably trap plenty of our own if it comes to that! I guess handling the pets is just easier than handling wild mice.
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We could probably trap plenty of our own if it comes to that! I guess handling the pets is just easier than handling wild mice. 2
Farm Livestock / Re: Falconry
« Last post by Bakersdozen on Today at 10:51:52 am »The weather is going to start cooling down soon. Could she trap wild mice? I have no shortage of mice that try to enter the house. I would be happy to ship some to Charlotte. 
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Farm Livestock / Re: Falconry
« Last post by The15thMember on August 29, 2025, 01:08:37 pm »Well the pet store didn't have any colored mice, only white ones, but Charlotte's sponsor said they'll do fine in a pinch. Charlotte wanted to have some on hand in case she saw a trappable bird around here. The only problem is that they are all males, and we learned the hard way that male mice are territorial and don't like each other. For the first evening they were doing nothing but fighting in the critter keeper. So now Charlotte has 3 of them in a big bin, where they have staked out territories and seem to be able to get along well enough, and the most aggressive one is in the critter keeper by himself.
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Recipes Using Honey / Chocolate Chip Cookies
« Last post by Bakersdozen on August 26, 2025, 03:46:25 pm »I found this recipe of the internet and have had great success with it several times. Nothing fancy and a straight forward recipe. The cookies turn out with a cake like texture.
Honey Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup butter room temperature
1 cup (12 ounces) raw honey
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (18 ounces) chocolate chips (I used a mixture of semi-sweet and bittersweet)
1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Cream butter and honey. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Don't overmix.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
I refrigerate the dough for about 30-60 minutes before scooping.
Preheat oven 375 F.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown and the tops are set. Remove from oven. Don't overbake and leave the cookies on the pan to finish baking.
I use parchment paper and cookie sheet pans that have a layer of air in between two layers of aluminum. Similar to this: https://www.nordicware.com/products/naturals-insulated-baking-sheet/?srsltid=AfmBOop5jmps-IET5X7C4du2_VlGsFtU9MgBF0SpczjbmjEbKh4aRinH
Honey Sweetened Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 cup butter room temperature
1 cup (12 ounces) raw honey
2 eggs
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
3 cups (15 ounces) all-purpose white flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 cups (18 ounces) chocolate chips (I used a mixture of semi-sweet and bittersweet)
1 cup (4 ounces) coarsely chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Cream butter and honey. Add vanilla and eggs. Mix well.
Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Don't overmix.
Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.
I refrigerate the dough for about 30-60 minutes before scooping.
Preheat oven 375 F.
Bake 12-14 minutes or until the edges are just starting to brown and the tops are set. Remove from oven. Don't overbake and leave the cookies on the pan to finish baking.
I use parchment paper and cookie sheet pans that have a layer of air in between two layers of aluminum. Similar to this: https://www.nordicware.com/products/naturals-insulated-baking-sheet/?srsltid=AfmBOop5jmps-IET5X7C4du2_VlGsFtU9MgBF0SpczjbmjEbKh4aRinH
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Farm Livestock / Re: Falconry
« Last post by The15thMember on August 25, 2025, 06:37:12 pm »There is only one other falconer in our area of the state; Charlotte met him at a falconry experience that he puts on for tourists about a year ago. He actually isn't really a falconer anymore, in the sense that he isn't keeping birds for the purpose of hunting, he is more of an educator. Since Charlotte's sponsor doesn't have a lot of experience trapping in our landscape, this local guy called on the phone and gave Charlotte some trapping tips. He said that around here, with the poor distance visibility given our terrain, she should expect to do a lot of driving around, and not to be surprised if she doesn't have much luck until the leaves are off the trees. He also offered to give Charlotte an old trap that he isn't using anymore. It needed a new plywood bottom, but that's easy enough to replace.
Charlotte and Dad went and picked up the trap last week. Charlotte made a new bottom and spray painted it camo and it fits great! The falconer who gave her the trap has a new gyrfalcon/saker falcon cross named Shaw, and he let Charlotte hold him and feed him, since he needs to learn to be comfortable around other people.
Also, Charlotte's sponsor has a falconer friend who lives in SC, and her sponsor asked him to keep an eye out for juvenile red-tails on his property that Charlotte could trap. Well, he has been seeing a couple, so we're trying to schedule a date when Charlotte and her sponsor could go down there and give the new trap a try.
Charlotte and Dad went and picked up the trap last week. Charlotte made a new bottom and spray painted it camo and it fits great! The falconer who gave her the trap has a new gyrfalcon/saker falcon cross named Shaw, and he let Charlotte hold him and feed him, since he needs to learn to be comfortable around other people.
Also, Charlotte's sponsor has a falconer friend who lives in SC, and her sponsor asked him to keep an eye out for juvenile red-tails on his property that Charlotte could trap. Well, he has been seeing a couple, so we're trying to schedule a date when Charlotte and her sponsor could go down there and give the new trap a try.
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Farm Livestock / Re: Baby Goats Anyone?
« Last post by The15thMember on August 11, 2025, 10:37:26 am »We always feel lucky that we don't have horribly harsh cold where we live when it's kidding season. Of course the does try to pick the worst night , but it can only be so bad here. It's rarely in the teens, and we don't get a lot of snow.
He is 6 months old. He was acting pretty shy for most of yesterday, but after my sister gave him some leaves and he rapidly warmed up. He'll spend a few days behind a fence so he can adjust to everything, and then we're going to actually move the main herd up to another pasture, and then move the buck herd into the main barn to meet him. That way there will be lots of room for everyone to get to know each other, and as the new guy, he'll kind of have a leg up with the territory being his, as opposed to moving him into the rest of the boys' space. We don't anticipate any problems with integrating him, as we have several bucks and wethers around his age, and Duncan, our adult buck, is very good with little guys, but this seemed like the best way to minimize Dillon's stress.
, but it can only be so bad here. It's rarely in the teens, and we don't get a lot of snow. He is 6 months old. He was acting pretty shy for most of yesterday, but after my sister gave him some leaves and he rapidly warmed up. He'll spend a few days behind a fence so he can adjust to everything, and then we're going to actually move the main herd up to another pasture, and then move the buck herd into the main barn to meet him. That way there will be lots of room for everyone to get to know each other, and as the new guy, he'll kind of have a leg up with the territory being his, as opposed to moving him into the rest of the boys' space. We don't anticipate any problems with integrating him, as we have several bucks and wethers around his age, and Duncan, our adult buck, is very good with little guys, but this seemed like the best way to minimize Dillon's stress.
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Farm Livestock / Re: Baby Goats Anyone?
« Last post by Bakersdozen on August 11, 2025, 09:17:00 am »How old is Matt Dillon? I think he's going to have lots of personality.
One of the most memorable calves from my childhood was one that was born in the worst weather. She was frozen to the ground. Dad got her up and brought her into the kitchen. We fussed over her and bottle fed her for a day or so. She was nipped a little bit too but she turned out to be a great mother to her calves.
One of the most memorable calves from my childhood was one that was born in the worst weather. She was frozen to the ground. Dad got her up and brought her into the kitchen. We fussed over her and bottle fed her for a day or so. She was nipped a little bit too but she turned out to be a great mother to her calves.
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Farm Livestock / Re: Baby Goats Anyone?
« Last post by The15thMember on August 10, 2025, 06:29:17 pm »Simon went home to his new owners yesterday, and we got a new buckling delivered to our farm this morning! His name is Mr. Dillon (as in, Matt Dillon from Gunsmoke), and he is from Kinder Korner, one of the top breeders in the country. We were able to get him delivered because the breeder was visiting family in our area, so the whole situation couldn't have worked out better.
He had to spend the night alone last night, as all his traveling companions had been delivered already, so he is pretty nervous and stressed. But he is eating and drinking and wanting to talk to the rest of our herd through the fence, so he should get settled soon enough. He keeps running out into his little paddock to see everyone, then getting nervous and running back into the barn, then building up his courage and running out to see everyone again.
In case anyone is wondering about his ears, he was born on an extremely cold night when the breeder wasn't home, so he lost his ear tips to frostbite. She kept apologizing for it, but we think it just makes him look even cuter!
He had to spend the night alone last night, as all his traveling companions had been delivered already, so he is pretty nervous and stressed. But he is eating and drinking and wanting to talk to the rest of our herd through the fence, so he should get settled soon enough. He keeps running out into his little paddock to see everyone, then getting nervous and running back into the barn, then building up his courage and running out to see everyone again.
In case anyone is wondering about his ears, he was born on an extremely cold night when the breeder wasn't home, so he lost his ear tips to frostbite. She kept apologizing for it, but we think it just makes him look even cuter!
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Any and Every Thing / Re: Mosquito Massacre Bucket Challenge
« Last post by The15thMember on August 08, 2025, 06:23:26 pm »I have been reading through the journals of Lewis and Clark, and today in 1804, Clark remarked that the mosquitoes were so bad that he was having trouble keeping them out of his eyes. 
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Any and Every Thing / Re: Mosquito Massacre Bucket Challenge
« Last post by Bakersdozen on August 08, 2025, 12:59:00 pm »I keep a close eye on the bucket of water, especially after a rain. The dunks don't last a month like the package states. When I wigglers in the water I dump it and start fresh. The mosquitos this year are the worst I have ever experienced. We have so much rain and the soil was saturated. There was standing water in the backyard long enough for them to reproduce.