Month: March 2026

Our Food, Our Garden

Cleanup on Row Four

Ryan Kraeger

It's getting that time of year again! Time to plant the garden. We planted a dozen or so rutabaga last week, and this week we are starting the peas. On the crop rotation plan (yes, there is one) they are going to be in row four this year, so the first task was: Cleanup on… Continue reading Cleanup on Row Four

Gardening and Homesteading, Our Soil

New Compost Bin

Ryan Kraeger

We have decided to move our compost bin from it current location at the back of the garden, to a new location in the chicken yard. The current location is convenient to the garden, for moving finished compost, but it is not convenient for building the stack with raw materials, or soaking it, because there… Continue reading New Compost Bin

Our Food, Our Sheep

Steak and Kidney Pie

Ryan Kraeger

Last week during lamb butchering I did something a little different. I harvested both kidneys with their fat caps. Not sure why, other than everything was going so smoothly, it seemed a pity to waste anything. (Don't worry, we still haven't attempted making haggis). But then, as often happens around here, we found ourselves with… Continue reading Steak and Kidney Pie

Our Food, Our Sheep

Lamb slaughter and butchering, take 2

Ryan Kraeger

The last lamb we slaughtered was a difficult and frustrating process. The kill was quick and humane, but a single slip of the knife early in the dressing process resulted in slicing the achilles tendon and dropping the carcass, then a difficult skinning, which in turn delayed evisceration, resulting in the stomach falling and rupturing.… Continue reading Lamb slaughter and butchering, take 2