, Author at Summers Acres

Smoke Detector Maintenance at Daylight Savings Time

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As we spring our clocks forward this weekend for Daylight Savings Time, take a few minutes to check your home smoke detectors to ensure that they are working properly. Using Daylight Savings Time is a great way to remember to perform your routine smoke detector maintenance.

In the US, 2450 deaths and 13,900 injuries resulted from residential building fires in 2011.

US Residential Building Fire Statistics (2007-2011) – US Fire Administration

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Easter Egger and Production Red 2 Weeks Old Chicks

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Here it is the first week in March and I am listening to the sleet as it hits the windows…sigh. I refuse to dwell on winter things any longer. So, we will think on happy thoughts….like baby chicks! The chicks are two weeks old now and their feathers are starting to fill in.

Flappy – 2 Week Old Production Red Pullet

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How to Hem Pants By Hand

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About the only sewing I do these days is mending, but I actually do know how to sew. I made several of my maternity clothes with my first child and many a Halloween costume when they were little. However, it is more expensive to sew your own clothing these days most of the time. The price of patterns and material is outrageous. I have a pair of dress pants that I recently bought that the hem came out of. It seems that nothing is made very well any more. I needed to repair the hem and thought I’d do a little tutorial.

Hemming slacks is something that I do by hand rather than on the sewing machine. Hems on a sewing machine will be very visible as the stitching will show up as a continuous line. Typically the hem of dress pants are not very visible. Thus, the need to sew by hand.

Because this is a mending job, you can clearly see by the creases where the hem should be turned up to. If you are hemming a brand new garment or the crease is not obvious be sure to measure for the proper length by trying them on, turn up, and tack with a pin.

Visible Crease of Hem

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One Day Old Easter Egger And Production Red Baby Chicks

Easter Egger and Production Red Day Old Chicks

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We have caught chick fever!

Actually, we had planned to get some more chicks this year from Tractor Supply. Our rooster to hen ratio is off and we definitely need about 5 or 6 more hens to correct that. And of course now that we got our first chickens last year we really just wanted more. I’m sure you understand, right? Jon had been wanting to get some Buff Orpington chicks this year because they are supposed go broody easily. I really like Barred Rocks, but we had no plan of getting them. The plan was to check Tractor Supply each week of their Chick Days and hopefully get the Buff Orpinton’s.

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Seeds of the Month Club

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Are you as tired of winter as we are? Jon and I are both so ready for spring. We are as tired of the snow and ice as the chickens are. Although I understand the importance of winter and that every season has it’s place, I am just not a fan. We have done our winter chores, planned our garden, and ordered our seeds. And still we wait during another snow and wintry mix. Sigh.

Last year, I thought long and hard about joining The Seeds of the Month Club, but did not. I just do not join things on a whim. The more I pondered it the more, I wanted to join. When you look at the price per seed packet for these Non-GMO heirloom seeds it really is a great deal.

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Snowpocalypse

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It has been snowing for about 24 hours now with only a few brief breaks. It started yesterday around noon as snow. It took me 2 hours and 40 mins to get home yesterday from work. The highway was impassible and a complete parking lot. As soon as I could I took some side roads, some of which were blocked from wrecks and such. Why do people in 2 wheel rear drive cars think they can drive in this stuff? Every vehicle that I saw in a ditch or stranded was one of these or a van.

NC Highway 68

I believe we got about 7 or 8 inches before it switched over to ice and a wintry mix. It iced for several hours through the night and early morning.

Our Road is Out There Somewhere

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Bulldozing a Patch of the Land

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Since the purchase of our land in February 2013, we have accomplished a few small tasks. However, we have mostly been in a stalled holding pattern until we could get some of the land cleared. Our first priority is to clear off a tear drop shaped patch of land that is about 2+ acres. There is already a logging road cut that goes all the way around this tear drop. Our goal is to build a permanent deer fence around the tear drop and plant our fruit tree orchard leaving a space for our future garden.

Luckily, our oldest son is a diesel mechanic for caterpillar and is able to rent equipment at a discount. We had planned on clearing this section months ago, but it fell through. Since we are depending on the employee discount we are at the mercy of when the equipment is not in use by other “real” customers. Finally, this weekend he was able to rent a D4K Caterpillar bulldozer.

He started pushing at the “tip” of the tear drop. It was about 20 degrees Saturday morning and there was still some residual snow on the ground.

Bulldozing the Tear Drop Starting at the Tip

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Orange Glaze Cocktail Weenies Recipe

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Perfect Appetizer Snack for Parties and Social Gatherings

Crock Pot Orange Glaze Cocktail Weenies Appetizer Snacks

Who doesn’t enjoy a tasty cocktail weenie? (Vegetarians I guess) I have always been a fan, but it seems that most are prepared in some form of BBQ sauce. I love a good BBQ sauce, but still it is nice to mix things up a bit. These have a little sweet and sour taste that have been a crowd pleaser with my family for years.

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Proper Rooster to Hen Ratio and Chicken Saddles

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Our rooster to hen ratio is really off. The ideal ratio is 1 rooster for 10-12 hens. This advised ratio is to protect your hens from too much “rooster love”. Currently, we have 1 rooster and 5 hens. There is just too much of our roo a.k.a The Hoff to go around and our poor gals are receiving a lot of attention. Roosters dig their nails and spurs into the hen’s back and their beaks hold the hen’s head for stabilization while mating. 3 of the hens have complete bare spots with no feathers on their back. Luckily, none of them show signs of blood, raw, or broken skin.

We ordered hen saddles to cover the bare area for protection to allow the feathers to grow back.

Flame Pattern Hen Saddle for Protection

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Making Crab Apple Juice for Pectin

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There are several varieties of crab apples. Most people do not use the ornamental crab apples because they are so small and tedious to use, but since we had them we thought we would not let them go to waste. Last year we tried making a batch of crab apple juice. I thought it was tasty, but everyone else thought it was just way too tart. Since it was not going to be a preferred beverage in our house, we decided to try making it unsweetened this year and store it to be used for its pectin for later use in making other jams and jellies where pectin needs to be added.
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