wyodreamer - we're not in Wyo any more

[wyoDreamer]

Let's see - on Nov 8th, I said I was going to butcher my roo's. DH convinced me to wait until he had time to help the next weekend. Well, on Jan 3rd I finally butchered my roosters. At 7 months old, they weighed 4.3, 4.5, 5.2 and 5.5 pounds. Not too shabby - that is butchered weight. I will drop one off for my parents next week. Dad is looking forward to Chicken and Dumplings.

We finally had out first snow of the winter last week, looks like another stormy period coming the end of this week. I don't mind so much except that I work 5am and driving in the dark is rough for me, I have horrible night vision.

 

[Britesea]

At 7 months old, I would consider them stewing roo's. Chicken and Dumplings should work.

 

[wyoDreamer]

Yeah, that's my plan for them. Mom was happy to get one, she can't find stewing hens in the store this year. The butchering wasn't so bad, took me 2 hours to do all the set-up, butchering, and clean-up; so it looks like Dh will be willing to raise some Cornish Cross this summer.

 

[CrealCritter]

This little piece natural heartland prairie grass is behind our summer garden. Its nothing like the pretty flower pictures in the thread. But I haven't mowed or bush hogged it the last 3 years. I never sowed any seed in there and it looks like it's just about reclaimed it'self to what it supposed to naturally be...

Some may say weeds but I say it's pretty cool...

I also have it extended back into a shady area and includes several wild olive bushes that one day I hope will produce olives.

So far I've identifed 3 plants growing in there with herbal remedy qualities...

Black eyed Susan
https://herbpathy.com/Uses-and-Benef...-Susan-Cid2780

Queen Anne Lace
https://herbpathy.com/Uses-and-Benef...S-Lace-Cid2403

Milk Weed
https://herbpathy.com/Uses-and-Benef...k-Weed-Cid9321

In addition there is also red clover (low growing red colored flowers) which is great for bees and attacks them to the garden to help pollinated my veggies

I think now that it's pretty well established, I'll start harvesting some of the plants that have herbal qualities and make my own herbal medicines next year.

I've grown and made horehound cough drops before. They really worked well for dry hacking coughs in the winter when the air is so dry... I don't see why these wouldn't also work.

 

[Beekissed]

If your "wild olives" is what is called autumn olive here, you won't be eating any olives any time soon...well...you could eat those berries and they are supposedly good for you, but are quite sour. This is an invasive species here in the states, is on the federal invasive species list, and is quickly taking over pasture land. Smells pretty in the spring but it will take over your land if you let it.

It does put out a small fruit of a sort and the birds eat it and drop seed all over the land to spread the scourge.

 

[Britesea]

be absolutely positive on the Queen Anne's Lace if you are going to forage... wild parsnip is almost identical, and toxic.

 

[CrealCritter]

be absolutely positive on the Queen Anne's Lace if you are going to forage... wild parsnip is almost identical, and toxic.

Thank you for that

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I love the flowers and also the wild area. I want to let an area like that grow here. The neighbors next to us keep killing the drainage ditch weeds with poison and it is dead and brown. Sooo ugly! We want bugs
Those day lilies are really beautiful! My neighbor said she'd give me some of her amaryllis, trumpet flowers, 4 o' clocks, and canna lilies once they're done blooming. I'm looking forward to more flowering plants every year.

@crealbilly, it's great that you have milkweed. It's one of the only thing that monarch butterflies eat and is getting hard to find.

 

[milkmansdaughter]

I just read your whole thread. Very cool! I'm very familiar with those big barns in NE Wisconsin. I'll be back up there in just a few weeks

 

[wyoDreamer]

We have tons of milkweed in our fields. I saw 2 monarch butterflies the entire summer. It is so sad.