Connecticut Country Store

NEW INVENTORY!

2011-12-17T15:06:00.001-05:00

The best place for the most origional cool hats for the season!

We have tons of new spice mixes. This chili is awesome just for the fun story on the packaging! Award winning Caldwell County Chili can keep you warm this winter!

I LOVE these spices packaged in the shape of a carrot! Lots of flavors to add to our mix! Marc's Salsa, Boursen cheese blend, Onion Dill dip, Dill & friends, Herb Garden, Mulling spice and also a sweet pumpkin dip!

Quick and easy dinners in handsome packaging :) Beans and rice how nice!

These spice packs are shaped as Christmas tree ornaments! Mulling spices and a variety of dips and salsas! YUM!

The Hungry Yankee Moose mixes are back! Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, Double Chocolate Brownie mix, Chocolate Chip Pancake mix, Chocolate Crinkle Cookie mix, Wheat Beer Bread mix, and Blond Brownie mix!

Lots of new hot sauces and jams and chutneys! Howlin' Hollar Hot Sauce with Pumpkin, Papa Jack's Buffalo Hot Sauce, Hot Sauce Creepin' Quag, Spittin Fire Hot Sause regular and XXX! Jams include Jalepano Raspberry (my favorite to make at home) and Blueberry Rhubarb! We also have all the regulars including Sweet Pepper Relish, Triple Berry, Strawberry Rhubarb, and Apple Cider Jam!

New soaps for your dog including Repellant, Moisturizing, and Deodorizing! New Soaps for your kids made of organic honey, natural yellow clay, and baby powder!

New fun earings!

Great baskets for the dog lover!

Individually wrapped dog treats in Peanut Butter and Parmeson! YUM!

We have restocked on the Peppermint Bark from Peppermint Bark Company of Bolton, CT - Delicious!

We've restocked on our alpaca survival socks from Valpaca! These are THE BEST and I wear mine all winter!

Holiday scented goat soaps and candles including tea lights! We've restocked on felted soaps in holiday scents! These make great stocking stuffers or additions to gift baskets!

We have tons of origional, affordable, fun, perfect stocking stuffers for everyone in the family!

Lovely Mondays!

2011-12-12T22:56:00.000-05:00

Mondays used to be hard to take, but now it is our day 'off' and its wonderful. We get all the cleaning, errands, shopping, catchingup stuff done on Mondays. Tonight I went to a cookie exchange which is the greatest idea! How else can you get a variety of cookies for your parties without cooking a variety? You save time and money and you get the greatest new treats and recipes!

Also, in the happy new category - My niece Kaylah brought a flashlight over so we could 'candle' the incubated eggs and we have LIFE! Our first chick is due on the 23rd and I'm sure much will go wrong, but we are getting very excited! Of course, people don't usually hatch chicks in winter in New England so we will have to keep them indoors and under heat lamps, but it will be an exciting project to have fun with while we have time to deal with new chicks and we have a super set up in the basement.

My sister came over yesterday and helped me make more lotion bars - we made Lavender X which is a stronger lavender for women and natural honey with no scent for men. I LOVE these bars. I have the type of skin that suffers in the dry winter and I use the bars regularly all day. I keep one large bar in my purse and I have a backup tin at work. And I love the smell of lavender, so soothing.

John has fallen asleep with a book in front of the fire and I should put this crochet project away for the night and get some sleep myself. Be well!

PS - Gift of the day is Lunastix. Get the kids off the video games and into life!

Cookstove!

2011-12-11T21:55:00.000-05:00

This is my first bread with the cookstove and it is perfect! I made the white bread recipe (you can see it on my channel on youtube - look up 'Connecticut Country Store' or goto our website http://www.connecticutcountrystore.com/ or goto the bottom of this blog) using King Arthur flour with about 4 tbsp of dried rosemary. So far we've made fried eggs, chicken, corn muffins, pancakes, pasta, and now bread on the cookstove AND the house is around 70 degrees all the time! I love this thing!

Cookstove adventures

2011-12-10T10:48:00.000-05:00

John and I kept the house at 60 degrees in the winter to save money on oil for our first few years in the house. Last year we got a woodstove for the basement which helped us save money and keep it at 62-65 degrees. This year we put a cookstove in the living room. The house was 76 degrees last night, we had to open a window to cool it back down! It was like a summer night! We definately have to get used to this new heating tool, it is too efficient! We also have cooked dinner, fried eggs, heated water, and last night John made cornbread muffins in the oven while we watched a redbox movie! Tomorrow I'm going to attempt a white bread (you can get the recipe on youtube, search "Connecticut Country Store" or you can find links on this blog or the website http://www.connecticutcountrystore.com/!)

Holiday shopping!

2011-12-10T10:33:00.000-05:00

We've been posting daily shopping ideas on our facebook account and I've been neglecting our blog! Sorry about that! Here are a few of the pictures! We have awesome stocking stuffers, warm alpaca hats and mittens and socks and shoe liners! We've got pottery and toys and foods and books and jewelry and felted purses and wine lights and soaps and candles - We've got everything you need to shop for even the most unique person!

The new building is here!!!!

2011-12-05T18:18:00.000-05:00

Craft night making wreaths :)

2011-12-01T22:11:00.000-05:00

We all had a great time making wreaths and we had so many people we had to work in shifts! We also had Pam's delicious lemon cake and I made one of our new hungry moose double chocolate brownie mixes - it tastes homemade, but is soooo easy! If you want to join our group, check out our schedule on our websites 'upcoming events' page (http://www.connecticutcountrystore.com/). It is fun you don't want to miss! Next week is open craft night and the week after is ornament making night!

A busy day at the store!

2011-11-30T21:05:00.000-05:00

We are cleaning up and moving around items to prepare for the new building, John will be preparing the outside tomorrow! This is really exciting and we've gotten some great new products to share!

We also got an egg incubator today to start attempting to hatch Harriet's eggs :) I haven't been able to master the temp and humidity yet but I'm hoping to have it down by Friday when she gives me another egg. Usually at 9:30am on the dot!

The goats were still in a fuss this morning but settled down by this evening. This is VERY good because they were making all the birds go wild with their yelling and beating the fence! We are thinking maybe Cricket will wait another year to be a momma, she just isn't interested at all. We do have a good mate for her if she changes her mind. We will have to wait and see.

Stay warm and be well!

Babies due April 28th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-11-29T18:08:00.000-05:00

These 2 angels were hooting and holloring this morning for some goat love (I guess Lamancha did not get pregnant the first trip!) so we packed them in and headed to the farm. Lamancha (Buttercup) was bread with a black and white Lamancha and the sannen/alpine (Cupcake) was bread with a colorful alpine buck yearling. The due date give or take a week is April 28th. We are very excited for our grand'kids'. I'm thinking a baby shower around April Fools would be perfect!

Yeah! We have our cookstove set up!

2011-11-28T20:18:00.000-05:00

John and I waited a year to save up the money to buy this and change the chimney to accept a woodstove! We are so thrilled! Now we just have to wait for it to get cold again.....

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2011-11-23T23:13:00.000-05:00

We are thankful for all of our friends and family, we are truly blessed! Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! Be well!

The week before Thanksgiving

2011-11-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

We had a very busy day today cleaning up the yard, moving the turkey pen, tucking in the garden for a long winters nap.... Cleaning up the turkey pen and moving the flight cage was the hardest. I really enjoyed raising those boys, they were a pleasure. I've had more than a few people comment about what we do here, raising and slaughtering our own meats. Many people don't understand that we do this to ensure that we are raising the animals kindly, with care and respect. We slaughter them quickly and as efficiently as we can. Tad even played soothing classical music during the day. We care about these animals and we thank them for feeding us, for fertilizing our lawns, for composting our left-overs. I cried the morning of the slaughter because even though I know we are doing the best thing we can, it is hard and it will always be a sad day. We make the decision to raise our own meats or buy from small farms to ensure we are supporting what we feel is right. That was me on a soap box. Be well.

We have been decorating wreaths for 2 days now!

2011-11-21T23:35:00.000-05:00

Here are just a few we decorated tonight while watching Star Wars from Kaylah's collection!

New and old chicks!

2011-11-21T09:59:00.000-05:00

The guineas are starting to get their distinctive looks with the blue/white/red faces that look like a clowns and the beautiful feathering. We have 2white, 2lavender, and 2pearl. The whites and the one pearl are females and I think the others are males. The only way to really tell for sure is the sound they make so its hard. They are moving into the turkey flight cage today to live for the winter. We will set them free in the spring and we hope they will do ALOT of bug eating, particularly our large tick and mosquito populations!

These are my 4 new fancy chicken additions! 2 white silkies, 1 black cochin, and 1 blue cochin. I hope to get better pictures with my dad's camera. The whites may have colored fertilized eggs, which would mean I would trade them out when the coloreds get old enough - or trade out ozzy if I get a male. Ozzy is even crazier with all these hens!

Turkey day

2011-11-20T18:49:00.000-05:00

This morning was the last for the turkeys. I cared for them as best I could and tried to give them what they needed with comfort and plenty of food. I cried while setting up for the day and then left before the processing started. I feel bad about this but I just wasn't ready to help, I loved those turkeys. Luckily, I have a lot of great friends and family who processed 10 turkeys - the smallest weighing 34 pounds fully dressed. I honestly don't know how we are going to fit the big ones in the oven (the biggest was 43 pounds).

Their size alone demonstrates my need to learn more about what I am doing in raising these birds. I obviously fed them too much. They seemed happy, though, and that was my main objective - to raise happy healthy birds. I guess I just raised them a little too happy on the food!

This afternoon I went to another farm to spruce up my decorative flock for the spring. I got 2 white silkies and 2 cochins - 1 black, 1 blue. The silkies might be carrying fertilized eggs of colored silkies and that is what I am hoping for, too. The cochins are only 3 months old. The silkies are 6 months old. Right now everyone is happy about the additions except Harriet who is feeling a little cramped in her very large and nice housing. My mother always said, "you can't please everyone all of the time!"

I am hoping to post nice pictures of the additions tomorrow. Be well!

Some fun pictures from our last kids day this fall!

2011-11-19T15:22:00.000-05:00

EVERYTHING FROM THE KILN $5

2011-11-19T10:25:00.001-05:00

(unless otherwise specified :))

Another fun craft night!

2011-11-17T21:43:00.000-05:00

We had a great time at craft night - another open night for us! We are probably going to start doing 1 specified activity a month and the rest open craft because everyone loves that so much! Tonight we had chocolate fudge (thank you, Pam) and gingerbread - YUM! This picture is of a mitten my sister Pam made for me with yarn I spun from llama, alpaca, camel, and angora! She started working on mitten 2 tonight! It is SO warm and soft - I LOVE IT! I will spin my angora into all my fibers now that I know how wonderful it feels!

Meanwhile, back at the farm the goats are enjoying fallen leaves, the guinea's pen was moved to better grass, Harriet the funky chicken continues to lay eggs, the rabbits were forced inside by the rain, and the Turkeys are just getting bigger and bigger. Sunday is their last day with us and they will be missed. I have really enjoyed raising them and tried my hardest to give them the best life on a farm I could. This part of farming is the hardest.

Tonight I am running a glaze fire in the kiln and hope to have nice pieces to show tomorrow. My glazes are about 2 years old so I'm not sure how things will go for us. I will post pictures, good or bad. I'm also working on a video to show people how to made homemade ravioli's and another one to show you how to make cheap and easy granola (recipe already posted here - use the search box on the left of this page)

Thanks for reading our blog! Be well!

Lamancha Success!

2011-11-16T17:49:00.000-05:00

I think things went well for Lamancha (Buttercup) and this spring (in 5 months) we will be proud goat grandparents! I'm hoping for girls so I can keep them :) Cricket and Cupcake were not as enthusiastic, so we will have to bring them back to the farm when they are feeling a little more frisky.

Today was a wet and nasty day but we got things done and now I'm going to head out to take one of my nieces and one of my nephews to west african drumming in Willimantic, CT. It is so much fun, I can't say enough about it!

This weekend I will be going to a local farm to look into adopting some laying hens to keep the store in stock with eggs (we just got eggs in if anyone is looking). At the end of the weekend I will head to another farm in eastern Connecticut to check out some silkies and frizzles (these are hens) for my fancy collection!

It's a good life!

Be well!

Easy delicious pizza dough recipe

2011-11-16T12:24:00.000-05:00

I have no idea where I picked up this recipe, so excuse me if I'm copying!

This makes dough for 4 personal sized pizzas. We love to make these with the nieces and nephews. It is SO easy and FUN!

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 pkg dry yeast (2.25 tsp)
2 Tblsp veg oil
1 tsp salt
1 cup of warm water
a handful of cornmeal is optional

Mix it all together putting in the oil and water last.

Split the dough into 4 parts and hand them out. everyone can flatten any way they choose, we hold it on one end and spin it around but that can be messy for young folks. I have silpat non stick cookie mats I use and they are GREAT. If you don't have these spread cornmeal under your pizza dough so it doesn't stick.

Cover with whatever ingredients you like - anywhere from cheese and sauce to cinnamon and sugar!

bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until browned

We are closing early today!

2011-11-16T12:14:00.000-05:00

We are closing our doors at 3:30pm today in order to bring our 'girls' to a larger farm to meet the fathers of what we hope will be precious kids this spring! We are very excited and nervous! I will let you know how it goes! Be well!

Mid-November

2011-11-14T21:05:00.000-05:00

Monday is our catchup day. We run around like fools trying to patch, wash, dry, mend, clip, clean, and muck! This morning little Harriet the hen went from one nesting box to another testing them out. She was like Goldilocks sitting in each spot and feeling around and then deciding on another. Once she chose spot # 1 she promptly layed an egg! I marked it with a 1 in case she wants to hatch them but by this evening I'm not so sure that is her intention. I think maybe after a day of being broody she changed her mind!

Meanwhile, my goats have had no thoughts of kids on their minds and its been driving me nuts! I'm supposed to check for signs of heat then count every 21 days to see if they are in a cycle, then bring them to the farm to get....action.... So this morning I am out back talking to our new wood delivery guy complaining about my goats and he says to me, "You have to stimulate them". Now I'm thinking...hmmm....I'm not sure I want goat milk THAT bad....Once he realized my confusion he laughed and said - you need a male goat or the scent of a male goat! oh...ooops!

So, I called my sister-in-law who happened to be going to pick up a stud and took a ride with her. We picked the mini goat up and he had a very large goat smell. My sister-in-law was kind enough to take the goat to my house first so the girls could get a sniff and I could get a buck rag. Well, Buttercup got so rallied up whe nearly knocked Laura to the ground! YES! Maybe this is going to work out afterall!

After this adventure, John and I had to go to Oak Leaf Dairy and get hay for the girls and another fully stinking buck rag. We got there and those goats could curl your nosehairs. I rubbed them with the cloth and realized THEY ARE HUGE! They've got to be twice the size of my girls. So now I'm worried about hooking them up when the girls are ready. Sometimes, some parts, some moments in farm life are just not for me.

All in all it was a good day. The turkeys are finishing up their time on the farm, the hens are happy and using their nests, the guineas are getting ready for a much bigger flight cage, the goats are, I pray, going into heat, and the rabbits spent the whole day getting filthy digging tunnels. OH, I almost forgot, I ran my kiln today - its been 2 years and I'm back at the wheel! I wonder what the rest of the week will bring!

Be well!

Easy Homemade Bread

2011-11-13T15:33:00.000-05:00

Easy homemade FREE nesting beds for your Bantams!

2011-11-12T14:42:00.000-05:00

This is our Bantam chicken house with my new FREE nesting boxes made from scraps in the basement. Let me tell you how they are made:

First you have to search your basement or garage for a board, 9 screws and washers, a thin piece of wood like some left over trim, and 5 large plant containers - we used some from trees we planted. If you are local to us, I would be happy to give you some of our left-overs.

This is the set up of how it works. screw planters to board using washers. screw thin trim to the front with washers. This is to hold in the shavings and/or straw when the bird exits the box.

This is a picture of how I screwed the planter to the wood using an old washer. I brought the planter right up to the board's edge.

Here you can see what it looks like. I had the board on a stand but that is unneccessary for sucess, its just an add on.

Here is a front view. You can see the middle container has holes. This should have no effect. I like this design because I can powerwash the beds when they get dirty - and THEY WILL!

I hope this is helpful to you! Be well!

I promise, I am not speaking from a podium, I am trying to explain to people why we've chosen this path :)

2011-11-12T13:29:00.002-05:00

Last night John closed the store while I went to pick up my niece and
nephew for an evening of West African drumming. It is so much fun
even though I am terrible at it. The kids are great at it and
sometimes I just stop and watch them. My parents have always been the
adventurous type. Always learning something new. Right now it is
difficult to visit my dad because he is taking 3 college classes at
the local community college. My mother was the same way. I love that
about them and try to challenge myself regularly. We have great
nieces and nephews that are willing to try these challenges with us,
even if its something like trying squirrel stew!

Last night John had our new 1900's cookstove outside burning off the
protective oil wisely administered by its last owners. After the oil
was gone, the stove burned hot with wood John collected and we could
tell it was going to be a great investment. John smiled toward me and
said, "now that's sustainable living"! I had to laugh in response as
I was watching him from the jacuzi with a mass produced brew in my
hand. I guess we aren't totally sustainable.

Along with learning through new adventures, my parents also instilled
in me a desire to learn through reading. I have read a lot of books
on sustainable living, living off grid, farming, etc. A lot of the
accounts are the all or nothing type which makes for better reading
but definately not what I would consider better living. The truth is
all or nothing is not an easy way to go about life. My mother has
always told us 'everything in moderation'. I can't say I've always
followed that advice well, but I try. I will not be the sustainable
living guru that gnaws bark and bathes in cold water or lives on root
cellar scraps during the winter. I want a life worth living, not one
of deprivation. The choices we make will be to sustain our lives as
best we can while still enjoying them.

When John and I first met we talked about what is most important to
us. We agreed it was our families and friends and the time to enjoy
them and eachother. Time, that precious gift that we cannot get more
of and that we can not stop from slipping away. Our goal is to
maximize the quality of the time we have and to do that we must care
for the land that sustains us, care for the people that color our
days, care for the animals that feed us, care for the moments we have
and embrace them. Some friends cannot concieve of giving up the
vacations and TV and Dunkin Donuts and all the comforts we get used
to, but what are all those things if we don't have time to enjoy them?

November 2011 on the farm

2011-11-09T11:54:00.000-05:00

Time is flying by over here in our little quiet corner of Connecticut. Our farm is growing, our store is growing, our lives are growing. It amazes me as I write this how much our lives have changed the past few years. Noone who has known me over the years would expect that I'd spend this morning feeding farm animals, mucking stalls, collecting eggs, and opening the doors of our own store - especially me. And it is all done with a smile on my face because those are the moments, the times when I am so comfortable with where I am and what I am doing. I am so blessed to have a partner that wants to share this crazy adventure with me. A partner willing to work hard, embrace the conservative living, skip the Dunkin Donuts (most days), and live a life the is so full we could never be considered 'poor'. This is the life. Be well.

Making your own granola - cheap and delish!

2011-11-04T09:52:00.000-04:00

Along with making my own yogurt I like to make the granola that goes along with it! This is very easy and SO much cheaper than the healthy granola you buy in the store. I modified this recipe from 'Natural Meals in Minutes' written by Rita Bingham. The book is great if you like healthy meals but don't want to spend hours slaving over them! Great lunch box snacks!

What you need:
7 cups of rolled oats
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup apple juice concentrate
1 tsp of vanilla
1 tsp coconut extract
1/4 cup of water
nuts or seeds to your liking (I'm not a fan in my granola but many are)
1 cup coconut

Mix it all together and spread out on a baking sheet (I use cheesecake springforms because I am clumsy and will spill when mixxing it up between drying times). Put in oven at 150 degrees or as low as it will go (mine does not run at less than 170). Bake for 2 hours. I mix it up every half hour or so until its done.

Warning: When it is done it will feel soft - DO NOT continue to bake, this is correct and it will harden as it cools. I once made granola that could break teeth! If you accidently do that, use it in yogurt or with warm milk or you can try to put it in a bag with a slice of apple to moisten it up. Or maybe raisins - yum! If its too soft after it cools - throw it in for another 15-20 minutes. Put in a sealed container - I use large masson jars. It makes about a gallon depending on the nuts/seeds you add.

Making healthy and delicious yogurt is easy!

2011-10-24T20:49:00.000-04:00

Ingredients:

1) 4 cups of local milk – 2% is best but any kind will do. I say local because you do not want to use ultra-homogenized milk, it doesn’t work as well. This goes for cheeses, too.

2) A healthy small container of yogurt. Plain or vanilla works best if you plan to add flavors.

3) ¼ cup of dried milk (optional – adds to yogurt thickness)

4) Any flavors you want to add (optional). I sometimes cook with vanilla bean or coconut and add a dab of extract.

Heat milk on medium until it reaches 180-190 degrees. If you don’t have a thermometer, this is when the milk just starts to bubble or froth at the sides. Stir regularly and do not scald because that tastes nasty!

During the heating add dry milk and any flavors you have chosen.

When you have reached temperature, take off heat and cool to 110-120 degrees. This is when you can put your finger in and hold it without risking a burn. You can let this happen slowly or you can put pan into cold water in the sink and chill it faster. This is what I usually do.

When it is down to 110-120 degrees, add ½ cup of that healthy yogurt. Stir until it dissolves.

Put yogurt into a container or containers – I use ½ pint canning jars because they fit perfect into my yogurt maker (makes 5 of these jars). I then let the yogurt sit in the maker over night. If you do not have a yogurt maker don’t worry, you don’t really need one. I just happen to get one free on freecycle’s local exchange (if you don’t use freecycle, you need to find out more about it!) See below for ideas on how to incubate your yogurt without a maker!

After your yogurt jars have incubated the 6-8 hours, put in the fridge. Make sure you save ½ cup of yogurt for your next batch!

Incubating your yogurt without a yogurt maker (the key is to keep it about 100 degrees for 6-8 hours):

Set the stove dial half way between OFF and 200° on your electric oven, or at approximately 100°. The light which signifies the oven is on, pops on for a moment, and then pops off when the temperature is reached. Set your jar of yogurt in the oven and leave it for between 6 and 8 hours (take out the yogurt when it is thick)

You can pour the warm milk combined with the starter, into a large thermos and let it sit overnight.

You can also use a medium sized picnic cooler by placing the jars inside the cooler and then add two jars filled with hot tap water, to keep the temperature warm enough. After 4 hours, check the yogurt to see if it is thick enough. If it isn't then refill the water jars with more hot water, return them to the cooler, and let the yogurt sit another 4 hours.

You can set the yogurt on top of a warm radiator, or close to a wood stove. In this instance you might put the jars in a bowl of warm water to keep the temperature even.

If the yogurt does not turn out as thick as you like you can use these for smooothies! My nieces and nephews love them!

FUN FUN!

2011-10-21T08:59:00.000-04:00

We had a super time last night eating brownies and pumpkin bread (the real stuff) and drinking coffees with a twist and talking and laughing and relaxing...oh, yeah, and making pumpkins!

SUPER NEWS

2011-10-19T15:26:00.000-04:00

We have gotten approval by the town to add a second building to the property! We have been working hard to get it all done so we can have the building set up next month and its happening! Get ready for a whole bunch of new products for the holidays!

Ozzy is very very loud!

2011-10-16T10:51:00.000-04:00

OK, first I was told Ozzy can't fly, then I was told Ozzy is not as loud as a 'real' rooster. WRONG! The rooster nearly gave me a heart attack this morning! We have them in the basement while we finish thier housing - WHICH WILL BE TODAY - and you would not believe the volume of this rooster that can't weigh more than a pound. They are at the store today if you want to check them out.
Be well!

Introducing Ozzy & Harriet!

2011-10-14T20:24:00.000-04:00

First off, I was told these birds can't fly. What I should have been told is they can't fly FAR and the run ver VERY FAST! Ozzy had me running around the stores parking lot and in the woods in the pouring rain this afternoon after I tried to move him to a dry pen! I wish I had video and I'm also glad I didn't. People driving by must have thought I was nuts! They are very funny birds, I hope to get video tomorrow if its nice out.

Harriet has the pompom head and Ozzy has the mullet!

Good and bad news

2011-10-14T14:45:00.000-04:00

Well, my mentor in bird raising came over to check on the sick turkey and agreed that he was dying. He put the turkey out of its misery and than we examined him. The good news is that we do not think it was disease or parasite (the other birds are safe), it appears that the birds right wing was infected. This probably was due to pecking or a bug bite. When we lifted the wing you could see that it was black under the skin and inflamed.

Because this took most of the morning, I did not get to join John in his trip to Woodstock to check out the showgirl chicks. If he sends me good pictures via txt message I will post them here. In the meantime, I am watching the store and spinning some wool. The sun is coming out every once in a while to say hello, the weatherpeople are saying its going to hang out Saturday and Sunday this week. That would be nice, give us some time to dry out a little :)

Be well!

Lots of work on a rainy day!

2011-10-14T11:01:00.000-04:00

When it rains for more than one day in a row, there is a lot of extra work to do. The rabbits don't get thier normal exercise outside, the turkeys get wet and muddy, the goats won't leave the pen, and the dogs don't go out. This morning was a lot of mucking out the turkey area and providing new straw (We stopped moving the turkey flight cage 2 weeks ago and gave the turkeys access to a 40x40 garden we have fenced in. This cut down on the fighting and pecking dramatically.) I then cleaned out the goat pen completely and filled that will cedar chips and gave them extra hay for the long day of chewing cud while looking out at the rain.

Unfortunately, I noticed this morning that one of the turkeys I've been watching for signs of trouble is struggling today and refusing food or water. He was well enough to come in out of the rain and lay in some fresh straw but that was it. I fear he won't make it through the day. I've sent out messages to friends who know more than me about raising turkeys, but I now know from sad experiences that there really isn't anything to do but keep him comfortable. This always makes me so sad, even though I know that by next month they will no longer be with us, I feel as if I've failed him in some way.

I will post later about my new additions to the farm and let you know how it went. They are called naked neck silkies or showgirls. The 2 I am getting are heterogeneous showgirls so they have a naked nack with a bow tie. Even the boys are called showgirls and I will be getting a boy and a girl, both white, both heterogeneous. Next spring they will live in a chicken tractor in the gardens helping me with bugs, this winter I will have to establish a home for them in a more protected environment. For now they will have a tractor I am borrowing and a small living space out of the elements - particularly this never-ending rain. Better than a drought, but I am kind of getting weary of it.

I will check in later! Be Well!

Guess what I'm getting tomorrow?!

2011-10-13T20:06:00.000-04:00

This bird is proof that God has a sense of humor. Showgirl silkies! This is a bow tie showgirl. John and I love them AND can't stop laughing out loud. I am driving to Woodstock tomorrow to meet a couple looking for a home. They are a year and a half old and both are white. I will definately blog pics! I hope you will get to meet them at our party on October 22 along with the petting zoo crew!

CRAFT NIGHTS/FUN NIGHTS ARE HERE!

2011-10-12T19:36:00.000-04:00

Well, I have FINALLY gotten my act together and have put together a few groups to meet on Thursday nights 7-9 at the store (89 Flanders Rd, Coventry, CT)! The main purpose of these groups is to get to know eachother and your neighbors and just relax and have fun, don't get caught up on any skill level fear or phobia because it just doesn't matter, we will have fun!

October 20th from 7-9pm will be our first night together. We are going to make Halloween Pumpkins. The cost of materials is $5. We will have some free dessert and there are Keurig cups for just $1 or you can bring your own! The pumpkins are easy to make and fun. I made one to show you the final results;

October 27th from 7-9 we will 'spark' up the fun learning how to make olive oil lamps like you see in lehman's catalogs! Again, cost of materials is $5 ($7 if you want your lamp made with a handle). No pre-skills neccessary! Bring your jewelry making wire bending tools if you have any, we will supply what we can. Here is the finished product;

November 3rd from 7-9 is open mic! Well, not really, its an open craft night for people to just come and socialize and eat and be merry. I will bring fiber arts but all arts are welcome. This is a free night, no materials cost - BYOMaterials :)

Please let me know which nights you are interested in by emailing John@ConnecticutCountryStore.com!

Harvesting Honey!

2011-10-12T19:14:00.000-04:00

My friend Jeff was kind enough to not only help me with the honey, but also stopping to pose for these pictures! We had one heck of a time. Definately not a good idea to pick a nice sunny warm day to harvest. The bees went with us everywhere and we had quite an adventure. I ended up processing 53 pounds of honey! All loved ones, be ready to get honey for EVERY holiday this year AND next!

UPCOMING EVENT!

2011-10-12T19:06:00.000-04:00

First off, our BIG day is October 22! Lots of fun things going on, come on down and bring the kids! I'm so excited about all the new products we will have for you!

Fun Turkey Film

2011-09-26T18:01:00.000-04:00

Enjoy!
Turkeys destroying treats!

New Body Balm Bars and Tins!

2011-09-23T11:26:00.000-04:00

I am so excited to be able to offer these body balms in the store! We had a farm we bought different scents from last year but they stopped providing them. I was so sad because I loved them and they were so good for my hands and feet and they smelled so good! This year with more time to think and plan I decided to make my own with the beeswax from out hard working hives - and it is better than I imagined. The natural scent from the beeswax is so nice and with a touch of lavender it is heavenly! The small tins are a great way to keep your skin protected on the go, not to mention a nice way to relax with a nice scent in the middle of a stress filled day. The body bars come in the shape of a flower, a 'joy' stone, a 'smile' stone, and a 'love' stone. I hope you enjoy these as much as I do! Be Well!

Turkey/Chicken Treats

2011-09-23T11:15:00.000-04:00

Although I did not blog right away about the treats, I did make and test them :) The Turkeys devoured them, the hens couldn't care less about them, the chickens have not been tested. Here I will show pictures now, I am working on producing a fun video of the turkeys enjoying the treats. I got this recipe out of one of my many magazines, this one might have been from 'backyard poultry' which is a funny magazine with some good information if you want to raise birds. The ingredients are 1/2 cup hot water with 1 package of gelatin (4 packages come in a box which will cost about $1-$1.70 depending on the store), add this to a bowl of about 3 cups of scratch grains (a 50# bag is about $14), then pack it into containers with or without string to hang. I put my on string with a metal piece to hold it on, but hens would have probably prefered it on the ground. Here are some pics;

it was pretty fast and easy to do with some recycled small containers I found in my pantry.

The shape kept well and they hung sturdy in the hen pen where they weren't eaten. The turkeys tore it to pieces in minutes!

At first the turkeys didn't know what to do, but once they found out the treats didn't last much longer than a few minutes. Which was NOT what I wanted. I was hoping to entertain them so they'd stop fighting so much. I had read to clip their beaks slightly when they are young but that seemed cruel so I didn't. MISTAKE! They do far more damage to eachother than a little clip would have done them. Lesson learned. In the meantime, I got them 'Pecker Wrecker' which is the same type of idea as this but had abrassive additives to dull their beaks. They are eating the Pecker Wrecker but I don' tknow if its effecting their pecking yet. Too early to tell!

Saturday afternoon

2011-09-17T13:52:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I had to buy a flashlight for my head! Waking up at 5am to feed the animals before heading to work is very...dark. I've tried several things including carrying an oil lamp during the hurricane! I've decided that a head lamp was the only way to go and so far so good although it takes a bit of getting used to and the dogs definately don't like it.

The past few months my life has changed dramatically. Some bad, some good. Let us focus on the good. I left a full time job that was incredibly draining. I adopted some guinea hens to add to my group. I FINALLY began to spin the angora wool I've been harvesting for 2 years! And I've started to have time for the things I love, the crafts I've learned, and the wonderful people in my life.

This week I started working in the store regularly for the first time in over a year. I'm working on developing new products, reaching out to new artists, and with luck bringing in another building to provide the space we need to grow. I'm also improving our online presense with an online store, adding my own products to other online venues, and promising once again that I will blog blog blog the adventures.

Today's blog (in addition to this one) I will be demonstrating a recipe for my hens and turkeys. It uses gelatin and scratch grain to form hanging 'popcorn ball' type treat to keep the birds busy and out of trouble. I'm hoping my sister-in-law will also try this with her chickens and report back! Over the next week I will be writing to you from my pottery studio and my kitchen with new fun things to make.

I'm also starting plans for a 'Cleaver Night'. When I was a kid my mother would have her girlfriends over to make crafts and talk about life and enjoy eachother's company while the husbands watched sports. I know, very stereotyped, but true. My mother would make up all sorts of easy fun crafts to do that would result in a nice end product within 2 hours. My goal is to start this tradition here at the store. I'll document the crafts we made with materials for those who can't be with us. My plan right now is 1-2 sessions per month with alternating weeks for a free-for-all where people can just bring what they want to work on.

I'll let you know how this all goes as we move on to these new adventures!

Be well!

Fall Apples are here!

2011-09-08T13:02:00.000-04:00

We've got apples! Jonamac, gala, and ginger gold (my favorite)!

New Fun Fall Decorations! The Great Pumpkin is here!

2011-09-07T14:52:00.000-04:00

Fun additions to any garden!

The greatest door decoration!

Mini pumpkin for your mum planters!

Carding wool at the Connecticut Country Store!

2011-09-07T14:38:00.002-04:00

I decided to combine alpaca wool with my rabbits' angora for my next project - very warm!

First I carded the 2 kinds of wool together. This alpaca was already processed in to roving which made things much easier for me!

I didn't want to card too much because I want the striped yarn with variations of brown and white.

After I filled this bucket I started to spin.

This is how the yarn is looking. This is 1 ply. I will make 2 spools of 1 ply and let them stretch, then I will ply them together to make a nice warm yarn. I am hoping I can then talk one of my talented sisters into making me mittens with it!

Pictures from the storm!

2011-09-07T09:00:00.000-04:00

Well, we all survived the storm! It was very windy for a very long time and the river did get wider, but never crossed the tracks. John boxed all the birds in with trailors and we filled the inside of the cages with hay to keep them dry. I've learned since that the guineas should not get wet and should still be on a heatlamp, but we can't bring them inside and we lost electricity for almost a week. They survived anyway so we were lucky! They are getting big and losing the feathers on their necks now, they are starting to get the guinea look I love! Here are some pics of the storm and the bird set up and us trying to coax the goats outside when it was safe. Be well!

The turkey flight cage and the guinea tractor were wedged together between a few trailors and the party boat. The plan worked well and all were safe. I stood in the flight cage during the worst parts of the storm and barely felt any wind. Luckily the guineas were not scared of the turkeys and actually tried to stay near them cage to cage. We are seperating them slowly every 2 days now so they don't get too upset.

You can't see the river yet, only the puddles forming around the gardens. The river got very wide but not enough to be threatening.

Turkeys will stand right in the rain. Here they are hoping I brought them cucumber slices - which I did.

The guineas on their inside pirch during the hieght of the storm. Interestingly, most of them were outside laying in the hay watching the rain and wind tear through the yard!

Buttercup and Cupcake watching Cricket run around outside and getting first dibs on all the leaves that fell.

Buttercup wasn't really interested in coming outside, but eventually she did.

I cannot get this picture to go upright, but I love it, so here it is anyway - tilt your head to the left :)

August 2011, the storm is headed our way!

2011-08-26T17:57:00.001-04:00

Well, the good news is we live in the safest place in the united states from natural disasters. The bad news is we happen to live on a river in the safest place which makes it a little less safe with a big ol storm coming our way! John and I talked and planned and talked some more and then somehow got our BFFs/nieghbors/cousins to come over tonight to relax (help - haha). I will have to post pics of our management plan once we get it into motion. We've decided that the birds must stay outside. The goats' house is pretty well protected and on higher ground (our yard has gone 6 feet under before). The bees are on thier own and we will say a prayer for them. They are on higher ground but that ground was under in the last big flood.

John's parents have a generator so we did not go out and buy tons of water nor food. I figure if the electricity goes out we'll have too much to eat anyway. Kathy said she is at her 3rd gas station so we might just deal with what we have. The store is walking distance (though it might be under water) and I don't work outside the farm again until Tuesday so I think that'll be fine. Honestly, this morning I wasn't really worried at all and then I turned on the radio.....yikes!

Well, that's all until I have pictures. Stay safe and be well!

Early mornings

2011-08-25T06:42:00.000-04:00

On off farm work days I get up at 5am. I turned on the lights and my dog looked at me like, "Already?! five more minutes....."

Raspberries

2011-08-24T20:12:00.000-04:00

The raspberries are in from my everbearing bushes (get some if you love raspberries, they are wonderful) and I ate as I picked and once again ended up with an empty basket! When my nieces move in next door I will have to be more reserved and save some.... Beautiful day, lots of work outside, turkeys went bananas for cukes but it was too dark to take a good video. I whipped up pasta with chicken in pesto sauce in 5 minutes for dinner tonight. Our own chicken, handmade pasta, and a pesto I made last year from basil and garlic and walnuts - delish! Farmers cow ice cream for dessert! I hope you all had a moment or two to enjoy this beautiful day. Be well!

August already?!

2011-08-24T15:45:00.000-04:00

This morning I started my day with a chai latte (my new favorite drink - thank you Emma!) and a fried duck egg sandwich. I also had a fried duck egg sandwich last night for dinner. These are from 'chicka-zee-farm - check them out on facebook. The egg sandwich was FANTASTIC! I use duck eggs for baking, especially breads because it makes them so moist (the exchange is 2 hen eggs for one duck but in banana breads I use a whole duck egg). Last night I wanted a fried egg sandwich but when I went for the hen eggs there were none in the house (they sell very fast at the store because they are delicious). So, since I was in the mood, I decided I'd try a duck egg. I will always do duck egg sandwiches from NOW ON! As a matter of fact, I'm thinking of adopting a few pekings just for eggs (and a little weeding). I will let you know how that goes.

This has been a very busy and strenuous summer for us and it has gone by like lightening! The turkeys are plumping up, the guinea hens are getting big (3.5 wks old now), the goats are getting a little on the heavy side - they are on a diet, and the bees are very very busy making honey for our lip balms and lotion bars. As a matter of fact, this summer has been so busy that I decided to leave my FT job and am now working a PT job as an analyst for a state school and PT for the farm and PT for the store :). I am thrilled to be able to do this and am looking very forward to being more involved in the store again and with the farm producing more of what we need at home and raising strong healthy happy animals!

Today is my day off from analyst work and a beautiful day for enjoying the outdoors. All the windows are open, the clothes are hanging in the sun, the rabbits are enjoying themselves in thier outdoor space and I am getting ready to get some weed wacking done! It has been a very busy day 'off' with caring for the house and the animals. The turkeys are so big they need feeding and watering twice a day and are even happier if I throw in some cucumbers and squash! I will have to video tape them tonight when John brings home some cukes - hysterical! I've brought water to the goats a few times and rewarded them for good behavior with horse treats - carrot and apple flavor! The rabbits get to go outside to dig wholes if its nice so they've been having a blast getting filthy all morning. Luckily they are good at cleaning up!

More great news - my sister and nieces are moving next door to us this month! They are city girls and have decided to move out here with us! We are thrilled! I am hoping to encourage the girls to write you a few stories about thier adventures and impressions once they arrive. I'm also hoping to encourage them to help me with the animals! We will see.....

I'm so glad to be back on line with all of you and hope to resume blogging! Be well!

reclaiming clay!

2011-07-21T11:49:00.000-04:00

This pile is made from years of recycled clay Crissie had not yet reclaimed. The best time to do that is in the summer, so when she has 10 minutes to spare, she'll run down to the studio, throw her shoes off, and get to work!

Lots of work to do!

Clean feet before the mess making!

Needs more water!

What a mess! I'm glad she has a studio to do this in!

This is the red clay after 2 days soaking in the water.

It is actually very refreshing in the hot summer weather!

yuck!

Washing off the mess.

Again, I'm glad she has an art studio for the mess!

This clay will need a few more stompings, but it is looking better!

Back at the farm....

2011-07-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

We have been busy increasing the size of the goat pen, building a movable flight cage for the growing turkeys, shaving the rabbits, and creating more space for the bees to produce! Here are a few pictures of our happy farm:

The new movable flight cage made out of a half broken cover-it cost let than $80!

I think this one is getting sick of getting his picture taken!

Always curious Cricket!

Cricket pretending she's behaving when she never is.

I love this picture of Buttercup with her freckled lips and her long beard!

New Summer Hours!

2011-06-25T15:16:00.000-04:00

Summer hours:

Closed Mondays

Tue-F 10-6pm

Sat 9-4pm

Sun 10-2pm

Super weekend of FUN!

2011-06-21T14:55:00.000-04:00

This weekend we celebrated our anniversary with a dinner at our favorite restaurant in Willimantic: Opus Wine and Steakhouse on Main Street! They have an awesome atmosphere and great food! If you are looking for a nice night out, give them a try. Look up 'OPUS steakhouse' on facebook or go to http://opussteakhouse.com/

We also had the chance to visit Fort Hill Farms in Thompson, CT. We had vanilla ice cream made with the cream and milk of thier cows topped with lavendar syrup which was heavenly! Right now you can get organically grown lavendar from thier farm at our store - it smells wonderful! Check them out on facebook! AND visit them in person! You can also go to http://www.forthillfarms.com/

Happy Father's Day ~ Get great gifts here!

2011-06-18T13:53:00.000-04:00

Turkey Tractor

2011-06-18T13:52:00.000-04:00

John converted old shelving into a Turkey tractor for the 'boys' to enjoy the great outdoors and still be protected from the coyotes!

Baldwin Brook Farm

2011-05-30T12:13:00.000-04:00

We are now working with Baldwin Brook Farm to provide you with organic, grass fed pork and beef! We have in stock bacon, smoked ham, beef rib eye steak w/ bone, beef sirloin strip steak, liverwurst, pork sweet Italian sausage, Beef boneless NY sirloin steak, beef short ribs, and ground beef!

Memorial Day Weekend 2011!

2011-05-28T13:35:00.000-04:00

We have new artists and our plants are blooming and beautiful. This is the best planting time of the year in New England, so take advantage of this nice weather and get out your garden shovel!

-Be Well!

The bees are back!!!!!!

2011-05-16T20:49:00.000-04:00

I installed 2 new bee colonies tonight (thanks, Stuart!). Everything went well although on my own I didn't get any video or pics. They were pretty tame after the 45 minute ride home and didn't get too fussy. The weather helped because it is cold and wet and they prefered to stay in their new homes rather than hang out to sting me.

The turkeys are doing well and growing feathers fast. They are the funniest animals to watch. Last night we took half of thier space back because we caught them huddling in the wrong corner - they will die without the heat lamp. Tonight they were happy and full of fight as I changed their newspaper and checked thier food and water.

John picked some new goat soap up at Oak Leaf Dairy after closing the store - it makes the house smell like a slice of heaven. What a way to start your morning; with awesome smelling soaps that love your skin as much as you do!

Be well!

May 15, 2011

2011-05-15T13:18:00.000-04:00

Its been a long time since I posted here and I'm sorry about that! We've been very busy with the store and the hobby farm and, well, keeping up with life. Our latest additions to the farm are the 'dirty dozen' - 12 new Turkeys hatched this week. With all of our animals - the goats, the bunnies, the bees, the dogs and cat I still didn't feel like we were running a 'farm' and then came the boys - 12 large white breasted turkeys! Now when I kick off my boots are 9pm just finishing my chores for the evening, I truly feel like a hobby farmer :) Check out our new turkeys by clicking here!

The stores been really busy with everyone cleaning up their yards, starting new gardens, hanging out their flowers :) We have another greenhouse we are working with and several new artists on board. We are talking about adding space to hold more wonderful locally produced items and expanding our year further into the winter. There is so much we can do, not enough hours in the day!

Yesterday I asked my parents to bring me binoculars so I could watch the cows grazing in the neighbor's field in the morning with my coffee. They thought it was very funny that I was going to watch cows while others might watch the news or read the paper. That is DEFINITELY not for me, I prefer to watch the cows saunter around the field, snacking on the grass, visiting each other. My parents came to the house and we all went to the deck to watch. I think they can see why I'd rather watch the cows now.

Be well!

April 15, 2011, A beautiful day in Connecticut!

2011-04-16T09:42:00.000-04:00

It's a beautiful day in Connecticut with a bright sun, cool weather, and birds chirping! The plants spend the day outside soaking up the sun and growing like wild in the night. We had our nephew help us to clean the yard and spread mulch and clean the goat pen last weekend. I love the spring, that is the time of the new year, when the asparagus starts to poke its head up from the dormant soil, the strawberries start to stretch their leaves out, the bulbs start to hatch their beautiful flowers. I love opening the windows to the fresh air and hanging the clothes in the sun and walking with the dogs in the woods again. So happy new year to all of you!

Be well!

GRAND RE-OPENING!

2011-04-01T22:03:00.000-04:00

Today, April 2, 2011, is the GRAND RE-OPENING! We will have taste testing and a kids activity and a free petting zoo! We can't wait to see you all again this year and we can't wait to show off our new offerings! Be here or be square!

New artists have joined us!

2011-03-20T14:02:00.000-04:00

We are really excited about all the new unique and wonderful pieces we have to offer at the Connecticut Country Store! And LOTS more plants and varieties! We are working our tails off and looking forward to showing off on April 2! Come and join us and see the Circle K Farm animals free petting zoo!

Check out this awesome Easter Beach Bag!

Your kids can customize these tote bags with some crayons and imagination! Machine washable!

These summer dresses are the cutest - all hand made! Custom orders available!

What is more awesome than mother/daughter aprons!?

Spring has sprung on our little hobby farm!

2011-03-10T14:41:00.000-05:00

By the time we got home from the store tonight the sun was long gone and the chilled air made my fingers ache. I walked down the road on the farm towards the goat barn and the ground pulled at my boots. You could smell the wet earth in the air and it made me smile. Spring is finally coming after a hard and long winter.

By the time I got to the pen the goats are yelling up a storm and climbing up the fence, they know I am late with dinner and they will not let that pass! I quickly throw the grain in the trough once I get through their greetings. As they quietly munch on their grain I unhook their door, fill their hay bin, and clean and fill their water. Once their bellies are full they are pleasant and nudge my hand for petting; stretching their heads high in the air for me. They are how I get through rough days in the office or sad events in my life. They try to follow me back out of their barn as I leave and I say goodnight.

Back at the house I visit the bunnies in the basement and change their litter and fill their food and give them treats and fresh water. They are a little out of sorts since all the plants moved in – around 18,000 plugs to start and more on the way in a few weeks. People are planting all day down there and they miss out on their normal sleep time. That and I forgot to dry apples last night for them. They throw apple sticks and toys at me in frustration. I pet them and they settle down, but I better not forget again.

Upstairs in the kitchen John is making pasta salad and veggie burgers with feta for dinner – a nice summery meal in celebration of the warm weather to come. The dogs and cat have been fed and it is quiet except for my fingers on the keyboard and the cutting of the celery.

This has been a good day. Be well.

GRAND OPENING APRIL 2, 2011!

2011-03-08T17:58:00.002-05:00

Wow! OK, we are moving out of hibernation and running with the warm weather! 18,000 plugs and rooted cuttings to replant, the store to refill, the momentum has begun! John has done some awesome work to pretty up the greenhouse and the store, mom and I have been making fun stuff to display, our artists are hard at work and the farmers are shaking off the long winter. We will be re-opening April 2nd!!!! We can't wait to see everyone again and show off our wonderful plants, each hand dipped in Quantum growth and gently replanted into inviting soil. You don't need a green thumb, you need Connecticut Country Store plants - the key to success!

It is cold in New England, but we are already getting ready for the heat!

2011-01-23T19:56:00.000-05:00

This morning John swore he saw the goats shivering! He warmed up chopping wood with a friend and I stayed warm baking bread inside. Spring is in the air, though, the plant plugs and seeds are on their way, just another week before we are buried in soil and pots and plants :) Right now we are looking forward to it, in a few weeks we might be feeling differently.....

Meanwhile, I am taking this quiet winter time to read up on farming and sustainable practices and making this life we are building work. The newest book I started reading tonight is "The road to my Farm" and I already see this paralell of wanting to do it all. This is a mistake I think I am making. Doing too much can lead to mediocre work. I think what I would like to try to do this year is really focus on what I can do now with what I have and the knowledge base I have started. I'm not sure my personallity will let me do this, but I'm going to try. I'll let you know how it goes.....

Be well!

My Interview is now on the internet :)

2011-01-23T19:31:00.003-05:00

In December I did an interview on Charter Public Television to discuss my pottery. If you go to this link and select 'Watch' at the lower left hand corner you will come to a page where you can select Artists Authors from a drop down menu. I'm the first one. It was a lot of fun and a great group to work with. Hopefully it will inspire me to get more work done in the studio so I have more pieces in the store!

The Blizzard of January 12, 2011!

2011-01-12T12:39:00.000-05:00

We are buried over 2 feet under and more is coming every minute! I'm worried about my flight to AZ tomorrow, but we are still enjoying the snow! Check out the dogs having fun!

I will post more pictures later - blogspot is not cooperating with the uploads!

Bee Hive Supplies

2011-01-10T18:31:00.000-05:00

If you are thinking of supporting the local bee population and your looking for hives, buy local AND save on shipping! Contact Anthony in Coventry, CT at oldschoohouse@gmail.com !

Masks

2011-01-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

A case of insomnia got me up and going early this morning! The 6 monkey masks are ready to paint and the main mask is almost done - needs a little gold glitter....

Mask making

2011-01-08T16:39:00.000-05:00

I'm working hard on getting those masks done! This one is not done yet but I wanted to post an update. It will be embellished with gold tomorrow. Check it out so far! Mask video

January 8, 2011

2011-01-08T09:14:00.000-05:00

What a beautiful day to wake up to! Even Lamancha (Buttercup), who refused to go out the last snow storm, dashed out in it today like a kid with a snow day! I am disappointed to be missing my Yankee Fiber Friends group which is in the eastern part of our state, but I love the beauty of snow on trees and how quiet a snow filled day is.

Once my father-in-law plows the road through our yard I will have to get busy checking on the bees, but in the meantime, I'm going to make myself a delicious breakfast and relax. I will work on some fiber projects in honor of my missed meeting, but my biggest goal is to finish most of the masks I've started for the recital in Worcester.

I would also like to start putting together KitchenAid home cooking recipes for the blog. I made cultured butter all in my KitchenAid and I now I can make all my favorite breads using the KitchenAid for every step! A few years ago I was in an accident that ruined my lower back and I had to stop making homemade bread because of the pain and limitations. That year John got me a KitchenAid so I could try again because my sister said you can do all the kneading in there - and you can! I love that machine.

If you are in Connecticut - enjoy the view!

Be well!

Making Aprons

2011-01-07T07:20:00.000-05:00

I took a 'homemaker' type class in Jr. High but its been a long time since I've had success on a sewing project. I asked my mom if she would help me learn again with a simple apron pattern and now I have a nice new apron. :) THANKS, MOM!

Craft Night!

2011-01-05T21:11:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow night I go to my parents’ house for our Cleaver night (Mrs. Cleaver that is); our craft night. The craft of the week (and probably the month!) is making aprons. I haven’t sewn in a LONG time so it should be interesting…. When I get back from Arizona my dad and I will have to have our own version of craft night as we start the process of learning how to make cheese. Our first adventure together is Colby. Dad was a pharmacist, so he’s got the chemistry down, I’m hoping that helps us on our adventure!

Making Masks

2011-01-05T21:10:00.000-05:00

Tonight I am creating masks for a Cambodian dance recital in Massachusetts. I am to make one master mask and 6 monkey masks. It is an exciting task and also an unfamiliar one. I will post pictures this weekend. My fingers are crossed while plastering and painting. You have to use quite a bit of imagination with these pictures.

Sad bee news today

2011-01-05T21:06:00.001-05:00

Sadly, this past weekend I found that my stronger colony of bees had passed. I don’t yet know how, but my new friend Stuart Woronecki has given me some good information and advice. I will give out more details this weekend when I clean out the hive. If you need a new colony or are thinking of starting beekeeping, send Stuart an email at sworonecki@gmail.com. Now is the time to get your order in for the spring!

January 4, 2011

2011-01-04T21:51:00.000-05:00

John is outside giving the goats their last treats before the lights go out with our dog Roxi by his side. She is a working dog and will protect the rabbits, excite the goats, clear any hiking trail of mice or snakes, and do just about anything for approval. Yes, she is a lab mix. We have 2 Catahoula leopard dogs, Roxi is more lab than anything else and Dori is more greyhound. Dori sleeps 23.5 hours per day and cares nothing about pleasing her caretakers. She’s like a 75 pound cat. Tonight after eating dinner and before meeting with the Mansfield Agriculture Committee, we snuggled and cut toenails and checked hotspots. We tried to get Dori off her bed while simultaneously trying to get Roxi to calm down and show kitty for the 14^th time that she does, in fact, have food in her bowl (she’s starting to get a little confused in her advanced age). They are a funny mix, these two dogs and their dominant 19 year old cat. Goodnight and be well!

January 4, 2011 its a good day!

2011-01-04T16:51:00.000-05:00

My day started out in the usual way until late morning when my father and mother and little sister took a trip to Yale Smiloh Cancer Hospital to meet with Dr's to talk about my mom's fight. The people there were wonderful and kind. They gave us treatment options and good news and Hope. Love and Hope are what carries you when you have that terrible diagnosis. Thanks to my mom's Dr's here in Manchester and those in Boston and now in New Haven, mom can be mom and nana and sister and wife and friend. We are so grateful.
-Be well!

January 3, 2011

2011-01-04T16:44:00.002-05:00

This morning was bitterly cold and it was hard to get out of bed to do my chores. My first objective is to start the coffee, then I feed the dogs, then the cat, then I get to sit and relax with my first cup. Then its off to the basement to say ‘hi’ to the rabbits and get the food and hot water for the goats. I love my routine even though it means I have to get up early. It is nice to take the time to talk to the animals and relax before a day of constant brain strain.

-Be well!

January 2, 2011

2011-01-04T16:41:00.002-05:00

Yesterday was our first day without TV or internet. It was nice to sit down to dinner without the distraction. After dinner John took out his old Atari and we played everything from frogger to digdug to space invaders, we had the greatest time! I have a lot of friends that think we are crazy and ask why we are depriving ourselves. I don’t think of it that way. Besides the idea of saving as much money as we can, there is this desire to get ‘Back to the Basics’. So instead of no TV and no internet being a negative, it is a positive, it gives us a chance to learn new fun things, fill the space with more meaningful activity, more thoughtful activity. I believe that a lot of us (definitely including me) get caught up in this rush to do it all and we’ve got the ipads and the ipods and the clever phones and the instant internet and hundreds of channels of entertainment and meanwhile we are missing out on everything around us. There was a poem quoted in an old Mary Janes Farm Magazine that I read today:

“’Tis a gift to be simple,

‘tis a gift to be free,

‘Tis the gift to come down

where we ought to be,

And when we find ourselves

in the place just right,

‘Twill be in the valley

of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gain’d

To bow and to bend

We shant be asham’d

To turn, turn will be out delight,

Till by turning, turning

We come out right.”

-Be Well!

New Years Eve

2010-12-31T14:28:00.000-05:00

I once read that goats do not wag thier tails in happiness like dogs - to whomever wrote that you are totally wrong! They wag thier tails when pet, when given treats, when they see John or I walking down the drive - they are wagging fools!

Well tonight is the end of 2010. It has been an eventful and wild year and John and I are so grateful for the support of our loved ones and strangers now friends. We made a lot of mistakes and I hope we have learned from them. Every year will get better (and hopefully a little easier :)).

For the year 2011 we have set new goals for ourselves for the store and for our lives. At the store we want to make changes for the better especially working more on outreach to the community. At our home we are making a goal to try to live on as little as possible. This is our last night of things like home TV, home internet, netflix.... We aren't dedicated enough to give up heat or electricity, but we will try to keep the heat down, the A/C down, the lights off when we aren't in the room. We do these things now, but could do better. We are also going to try hard not to buy anything new this year. We can buy used, borrow, or barter, but nothing new (except things like food and TP - haha). We are also going to try a 1 night a month out on the town, having more little gatherings at home. This will be a focus of my blogging the next few months as well as projects to improve our hobby farm and our preparations for the new years plants.

Happy New Year to all of you, be well!

December 30, 2010

2010-12-30T07:02:00.000-05:00

My back went out yesterday so I can't say I accomplished much of anything. If you look up 'train wreck' in the dictionary you might see my picture - haha! John, on the other hand, cleaned the entire house, did dishes, did the laundry, and made dinner. That makes him a keeper. Last night after work my little sister picked me up at my office to drive me to my car, LOVE MY SISTERS! She also showed me a lipbalm holder she's been working on for my lipbalm on the go and she gave me our treasured collection of a million beads we have had for years so I can add them while spinning yarn - my new adventure. I am hoping to feel well enough today to work on a project. Be well!

Happy Birthday, Mom!

2010-12-29T07:48:00.000-05:00

Today is mom's birthday and its a beautiful day in Connecticut which suits her perfectly. There is snow all on the ground, little wind, and higher temperatures - finally - we've been freezing here! The goats are getting used to the snow and the dogs are playing in it like puppies. It is so quiet in the early morning hours all I here are the calls of the animals around us and its wonderful. I am hoping to start blogging again now that we have a little wiggle room in our lives again! You can start off the fun with me by checking out the goats's first blizzard at The goats' first blizzard!

Make your own cultured butter!

2010-12-28T18:48:00.000-05:00

Last night and this morning I made cultured butter from Mountain Dairy heavy cream and a bit of organic yogurt - DELISH! Tonight I'm going to turn it into maple butter. Wonderful on my pumpernickel bread. If you want to give it a try go to this link! cook like your grandmother

CLOSED FOR THE WINTER!

2010-12-28T18:45:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all of our wonderful supporters! Thank you to all of our artists and farmers for a wonderful year! Today is our last day for last minute shoppers, so get in between 12 and 4pm :) We will continue to post and blog through the winter and will open again in the spring! It has been a lot of hard work, but also a lot of fun - THANK YOU ALL!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

2010-11-27T15:38:00.000-05:00

My photo upload isn't working today so please visit our website or visit us on facebook to see the wonderful holiday items available!

Our wreaths and decorations are beautiful and affordable! Support your local farmers and artists here at the Connecticut Country Store! 12 inch decorated wreaths only $18! Or decorate your own starting at $7! Decorated logs for only $17!

New Winter Hours!

2010-11-14T18:04:00.002-05:00

Winter Store Hours:

Closed Mondays & Tuesdays

W-F 12pm-6pm

Sat 10am-4pm

Sun 10am-2pm

Get your holiday shopping done at the Connecticut Country Store

2010-11-14T10:48:00.000-05:00

Our artists have come up with some beautiful, origional, fun gift ideas for you and your family! Come on down and check them out! Support your local artists!

Fun at Ekonk Turkey Farm, Pine Hill Alpaca Farm, and Cato Cheese Farm!

2010-11-14T10:43:00.000-05:00

November 7, 2010 - lots of family, friends, and fun!

2010-11-07T21:25:00.000-05:00

Had the best time today visiting local farms! Ekonk Turkey Farm has the best Thanksgiving sandwiches and ice cream EVER! Pine Hill Alpaca Farm was full of fun friendly alpaca and thier store is awesome! Cato Farm has the yummiest cow cheese, really I shouldn't have bought all that.....but I'll totally diet next week.......for sure.... More pictures tomorrow of our great day and info about upcoming events!

Pictures from Artist & Farm Appreciation Day! (thanks, Kim!)

2010-10-05T20:38:00.002-04:00

Check out these great pictures of the store all set up for this wonderful day, the animals enjoying attention, and some of our artists demonstrating thier work! Thank you for everyone who came and enjoyed the day with us!

Farm and Artist appreciation day!

2010-10-03T20:19:00.001-04:00

We had a super day! I will post pictures tomorrow! Our photo contest winner was Michele Colletti and our drawing winner was Tracy Anderson! Check out the awesome entries:

Tracy was our drawing winner!

WINNER! Congratulations, Michele!

FARM AND ARTIST APPRECIATION DAY THIS SUNDAY!

2010-10-01T22:55:00.000-04:00

If you are working on your weekend calendar-add us in! Sunday from 10-3 we will be having our Farm and Artist Appreciation Day! Check out the photo contest, eat free food, decorate pumpkins, watch demonstrations of wool spinning, crocheting, felting, the knitting loom, pottery wheel, handbuilding, beading and glass bead making! Say 'hi' to the goats and angora rabbits and see how much they've grown! Join the fun!

Bread and cheese making!

2010-10-01T22:53:00.000-04:00

Tonight I made bread and my first cheeses! Mozzarella and Riccota - and they were a success! I got the recipes for the cheeses in the 'Home Cheese Making' by Ricki Carroll. The bread is a recipe through my old Betty Crocker book. They all came out great and I can't believe it - check out the stretch in my mozzarella!

What's for dinner!

2010-09-29T22:14:00.000-04:00

Tonight we had apple pie for dinner! I got a new peeler, corer, slicer and had to try it out. This is what adults eat for dinner when there are no kids around :)

September 25, 2010

2010-09-25T16:22:00.000-04:00

John spent the day at the Woodstock Agriculture Fair while I watched the store. I had time between customers to spin some of the camel wool I got from Janet of Circle K Farm. I used a Navaho 3 ply method to finish off the yarn which I learned from my friend Susan. Here is a pick;

September 24, 2010

2010-09-24T21:20:00.000-04:00

A few years ago 'Animal, Vegetable, Miracle' inspired me to eat more thoughtfully. To eat the foods here that are fresh and delicious and made by our nieghbors and friends. Tonight I had chicken that was raised across the street with raspberry/jalepano jelly from my garden and rice with butter from a local farm and my own banana bread for dessert and a homebrew nut brown ale and it was awesome. And for those who know me all too well - yes I did fry my banana bread in butter - there is no other way :)

I've read lots and lots of books and magazines and articles (my dad is very good about stocking my shelves) about sustainable living and the foods we eat. When we began this adventure into sustainable living and making better choices it seem insurmountable. What I have learned these past few years is that you take it one step at a time, one day at a time, even one moment at a time. I have also learned that there a lot of things words on paper cannot describe or teach you, and for those things you can rely on friends and family to show you the way.

One of our main objectives in this adventure was to teach others sustainable living practices. Although we have done a little, we have so much more to do! In 2011 I will make one of my main objectives in the store to reach out to others and encourage the small changes that can make a difference.

Collecting and harvesting honey!

2010-09-20T23:29:00.000-04:00

I posted a youtube video of collecting and harvesting honey but I'm afraid it is more than a little limited. One of our video cameras didn't work and the quality is fuzzy. you get a good idea of what we did, though. The honey is almost all filtered now. Tomorrow I will set the bees up with sugar water, protien patties, and a mouse blocker. I was also advised to insulate the hive for the winter. Click here for video!

Harvesting!!!!!!!!!!

2010-09-19T21:41:00.000-04:00

We spent the day harvesting wool from the bunnies and honey from the bees (not at the same time, that would bee messy)! We had a very busy and productive day. John got the largest pumpkins I have ever seen from a farm in Woodstock, CT. There are plenty of beautiful mums bursting with blossoms. I love the fall, and I hope to love it even more when this honey my bees made in my own backyard TACKLES my allergies!

LOCAL WOODWORKER MAKING BEEKEEPING WOODENWARE!!!!!

2010-08-10T21:07:00.002-04:00

Last week I made a great new friend - Anthony Trani who builds woodenware for beekeeping right here in Coventry!!!! If you are a beekeeper support your local artists. You can contact Anthony by email at oldschoohouse@gmail.com