DIY Dried Herbs Valentine Projects

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1 DIY Dried Projects Herbs Valentine Have you thought about using some of the herbs from your summer garden to make dried herbs valentine projects? Of course, we grow the fresh herbs for eating, and then dry a good bit for winter cooking and medicinal concoctions. But if your herb garden is anything like mine, you still have plenty of herbs left to use in creative ways. As we are inching closer to the time of growing more herbs, I feel that I can spare some of the bounty for dried herbs valentine projects. As I was thinking about what to do with the herbs that would look nice and neat, I kept envisioning a wooden wreath shape, used as a form, and the different herbs glued to the wood. Not only would it look pretty, but it would also release the aromatherapy components as I worked with the herbs! Bonus gift on the dreary winter days we have had.

2 Grab Supplies for Making Herbs Valentine Projects Dried I love to use scraps and craft items that I always have around the house but in this case, valentine craft materials were not something I had on hand. Herbs and dried flowers were plentiful in my herb stash. I needed something to glue the herbs to, and make them into a dried herbs valentine projects. Time to head to the craft supply store. I purchased some basic wooden shapes and small bottles of red and pink craft paint, and a bottle of glue. That should be plenty of materials to play around with. If you don t want to spend even a penny, you can still make these crafts using cardboard as a background. Trace your shapes onto the cardboard and cut out the shapes or letters. Once the dried herbs valentine projects are done, no one will ever know.

3 Ideas Wooden Letters for Bunting Heart Wreath Wall Hanging Sachets and tag (printable tags click here) These tags are a free printable for you to use for your own Valentine crafts. Click the link or click the tags to open a printable PDF version to print.

4 As I was creating, other ideas would come to mind. That s how it is when you give yourself permission to be creative and get messy! It opens up a whole new area of the brain. These are simple enough to be family activities, too. And for more ideas on celebrating Valentine s Day as a family, read this article.

5 Dried Herbs Valentine Projects Cover the work space with newspaper or other protective layer. When I have ideas, I often work in stages. For example, in making these dried herbs Valentine projects, I painted the base coats of pink and red on all the pieces to get started. The larger wall hanging sized heart could be used on a door or hung on a hook. I have a cabinet in our family area that I like to decorate. It s right by our family dining table so I can enjoy the decorations often. A couple of tips I discovered along the way: You might find that you need more glue than you would normally use for crafting. I had to let the glue dry somewhat between adding layers of dried herbs. Also, the glue dries clear so it didn t matter if I applied glue over top of a bottom layer of

6 herbs, in order to add the bigger pieces last. When working on the burlap and gluing the letters to it, make sure to be working on a protected paper. The glue may drip through, under the burlap.

7 Sachet or Potpourri Bag Using only a small scrap of fabric, stitch up the bottom and sides. Fill with dried herbs. Tie the top shut with a pretty ribbon, string or cord. Add one of the printable tags available here. Brighten someone s day with a pretty gift! Burlap Bunting It is extremely easy to make bunting. Purchase a pre-made bunting if you prefer, but these are really just burlap triangles hung on a piece of twine. First, paint the letters. Next, apply glue where you want the dried herbs to design.

8 After the dried herbs have dried to the wooden letter, apply glue to the back of the letter and attach to the burlap triangle. Allow to dry flat until the glue is completely dry. As the glue is drying, make sure it hasn t stuck to the paper covering the work surface. (If you didn t grow herbs, don t worry! you can buy dried herbs here)

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10 There you have it. Three super easy crafts to pull together from the dried herbs and flowers you grew in your garden. Once you start to craft, I am sure you will think of even more wonderful gifts to make using dried herbs. Pin this for later and get crafting!

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12 Farm Animal Care Binder for Your Homestead Before finishing plans for any type of getaway, it is good to pull together an farm animal care binder for the farm sitter. There are a few important reasons to have a farm animal care binder available in the feed room or tack room. Even though basic care may be similar from one farm to another for, say,

13 chickens, each of us has our own routine, and way of caring for the flock. Pecking orders are established around a set routine, and herd and flock managers know how to use this to their advantage when caring for animals. What Type of Information Should Go in a Farm Animal Care Binder Type of animal, chicken, goat, sheep, horse, etc. Food used Our food storage cans are clearly marked and have appropriate scoops and buckets inside for feeding. Treats and how often Too much of a good thing can cause problems! If you toss a handful of meal worms into the coop, show what a handful means to you. Special handling information We scoop feed into the feeders before opening the coop in the morning. This works out well because the roosters can get right to work supervising eating, instead of trying to kick me to move faster! (mostly kidding) Information like that will make the farm sitter s job easier and in some cases safer. Veterinary info This is a just in case, type scenario. Accidents, illness and injury happen quickly. In case of an emergency situation, having the vet information available can save a lot of time. Often a vet will give some guidance over the phone while traveling to your farm. Farm Animal Care Printables Link At the End of this Post! Free Download!

14 Stick to the Routine as Often as Possible Times to feed- Routine is important to livestock care. Routine feedings keep their rumens operating consistently and well. If

15 you normally feed between 7 and 8 AM, make sure that is impressed upon the caregiver. They may not realize the risk taken if they show up at 10:30! Times to put animals in for the night When your animals are used to being brought in to the barn for the night, not being brought in can lead to stress. Predators may be lurking, hoping that your chickens don t get put in the coop for the night and the door closed tight. In addition, for our poultry, I give a head count number for each coop. That helps with making sure no one is left out in the cold, and is valuable information to include in a farm animal care binder.

16 Species Specific Information in the Farm Animal Care Binder Set up a page for each animal species on your farm. Rabbits and chickens have different nutritional needs. Feeding

17 everyone a farm grain blend is not advisable. Even for the short duration of a vacation, it can upset the animals digestive tract and lead to serious complications. Yes, chickens are omnivores but that doesn t mean you should offer them food intended for another species. I set my pages up with the Species of animal at the top of the page like this example: Example Rabbits Rabbit food in each hutch. Clean water bowl and refill Check that the bedding is dry and no water was spilled Add hay to the hay feeder as needed You then add pages for each species of animal in the same manner as shown above. I made printable sheets for 12 different species commonly kept on small farms or homesteads.

18 I included a blank form in case I missed the type of animal you raise. Additional Information in the Farm Animal Care Binder In addition to the specific instructions on each species, I try to give tips such as who the leader or flock boss is. If the animals break free from the fencing, what type of tactic brings them back. For our food driven animals, grabbing the bucket of food and heading back to the barn works perfectly. Chasing a stray sheep never ends well. We can t always be available during an emergency and having

19 written instructions prepared ahead of time will make it much easier for a caregiver to step in and meet the needs of your animals. The entire set of 13 pages is available for you to download and use as you choose, for your own farm management. I hope the set brings you peace of mind, in the event you can t be available to tend to the barnyard. Download and Print Your Copies Here. Print only the pages you need. Or print the whole set.

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22 Luxury Chicken Coop Upgrade Our coop is a converted garden shed. It contains the basics of chicken life but no chicken coop upgrade. Slowly, we have added some upgrades and replacement parts, repaired windows, holes, and secured the flooring. No real luxury for the chicken coop, just a nice sturdy structure. I guess the chickens have been reading some lifestyle magazines because Whynnie s latest diary entry is a list of what the flock thinks is necessary. Read what Whynnie feels are important features in a chicken coop upgrade.

23 Whynnie Discusses How to Add A Chicken Coop Upgrade or Two Dear Diary It s me Whynnie. I don t know how to break the news to the farmers around here, but this coop is outdated and sorely lacking in amenities. Did you see that new coop that arrived here a few weeks back? I heard that it has a lot of upgrades. The rumor is that it even has a screen door! I do not know why the baby chickens got to have that coop. Seems to me it should have come to us first. But never mind about that. If the farmers will just meet these simple requests, no further actions with the chicken housing administrator will need to happen. First, We want an automatic door. Occasionally they are late arriving in the morning and we are kept waiting to get out and greet the day. This would be a convenient chicken coop upgrade. Believe me, no one wants to be stuck in the coop with three roosters once they wake up. At least in the run, they are distracted a bit and leave us to get a bite to eat. Second item- An automatic watering system for the coop and run. Yes I know the farmers change the water tubs out twice each day. But the automatic water system would give us fresh water all the time. And it could be connected to the warm water during the cold times. Think of the convenience! And while we are on the subject, how about if they throw in a snack machine. I m thinking healthy snacks like blueberries, cracked oats, sunflower seeds, bundles of fresh herbs. Oh dear, now my beak is watering!

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25 Chicken Coop Upgrade in the Run We need a garden in the run. I see a garden out there, so I know they know how to plant stuff for us to choose. We need one without a fence around it. Lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, spinach, and more, right outside our front door. great upgrade. Now that s a

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27 And in the Coop. Inside dust bathing area. I want to take a bath even on rainy days. The farmers should put a small dust bathing station in the coop for bad weather. That would seem to be a simple chicken coop upgrade We have roost bars, and nesting boxes but they could use an upgrade. There should be privacy curtains on these nesting areas. And please knock before entering. A girl likes to have her privacy for egg laying. The Most Important Chicken Coop Upgrade According to Whynnie Last but not least, this screen door issue. I look at that new coop with the fancy secure screen door and I can t help it. It is what I want it for our coop. Think about how wonderful it would be to have a securely covered screen door. This would help keep us safe it the evening when it is too hot to have the coop doors closed before dark. I will also need to talk to the farmers about the media center. This should have been added already. I am missing all my Netflix shows. Sad to say the old coop just isn t what she used to be. Yes we have safety, security and protection from the elements. There s plenty of roosting space, especially with the the new roost set up. Plenty of nest boxes and feeders for calcium supplements and grit too. This is about staying up to date and taking care of your real estate. Surely the farmers can see the importance of these items. Signed Whynnie

28 So friends, what have you done to your coop to add a chicken coop upgrade or two? Please tell me what you think of Whynnie s list in the comments section. Using Wood Heat Simple Tips for Staying Warm

29 Many folks in both the suburbs, the country and in urban neighborhoods are using wood heat to warm their homes. This is not a new phenomenon. A resurgence of using wood heat happens every so often. Our family runs a sawmill business and when oil and gas prices are high, our sales for firewood soar. During times when the prices are more moderate, only the die hard folks that love using wood heat, continue to buy. Our mill uses all the different forms that the log can take. Firewood, sawdust and bark mulch are the by products from the lumber mill. If you have a sawmill or lumber mill near you, check with them for the availability of firewood. It might be sold as slab wood or split wood, depending on the equipment they use. In any event, if you need wood to burn for heating your home, you will be glad to find a nearby source. When a severe winter comes along, home heating oil and even natural gas can become scarce as demand increases. If you have a wood burning stove or a fireplace in good working condition

30 you can stay warm with wood heat. At times, we have heated our whole house with wood heat. And just as often we are lazy and busy and rely more on the oil burner. However, we have the wood stove ready to go, and keep a supply of wood near the back door. Many will keep a small supply of wood for emergencies, such as power outages and large winter storms. Even if you have oil or gas heat, having a backup plan using wood heat is a good plan. When to Buy Firewood If you are reading this during the winter, you may have trouble sourcing firewood, depending on your location. In our area, the firewood dealers are usually sold out by the time extreme cold weather sets in. In addition, delivery can be next to impossible once your street is covered in snow and ice. Our recommendation to our customers is to buy during the summer, stack the wood and let it dry. You might want to try the Holzhausen method of wood stacking. Make buying the firewood part of your winter preparedness system. Buying months ahead of when you will need it, allows the wood to season, making it easier to start a fire. As my father in law always said, all wood will burn. It just depends on how much time you want to spend starting the fire!

31 Foraging for Wood If you have permission to forage scraps and limbs from a property, that can be a good way to collect firewood for free. Maybe you have an area of trees on your own property. Gathering fallen limbs, dead trees and kindling could be a source of firewood right out your back door. Remember the old saying he who chops his own wood is twice warmed? It s still true today. And it can be a fun family activity during a snowy afternoon.

32 Fire Starters Kindling, alone, often needs something even drier or more combustible to help it catch fire. There are some easily obtained items that can help the fires get started.

33 Newspaper. We have one newspaper delivered to our door still. It s not that we can t get the news any other way, it s that having some newspaper around comes in handy. We use it crumpled up under the kindling to start a fire. We also keep newspaper for animal cage lining, eating Chesapeake Bay blue crabs, and of course reading the news. Newspaper is also a great insulator and can help keep foods warm or cold as needed. Pine Cones and citrus peels are items you can find or save from the household and later use for fire starters. Both will release pleasant aromas while the fire burns!

34 Fat wood is the resin filled wood from pine trees. It is usually cut into thin sticks. Instead of cutting pine specifically for the center fat wood, consider foraging for dead pine trees or stumps left behind from a cutting. You might want to try making char cloth for a fire starting alternative to matches. Setting Up the Burning Stove Fire in a Wood Clean the wood stove regularly and maintain it in good condition. Make sure the chimney flue is open. Clear out an over abundance of ash. Some ash will help the fire burn better from the start but too much can smother the kindling and fire starters. Collect the ashes in a metal pail and store far from any combustible structure. When cooled completely, the ashes can be added to the chicken s dust bath for a healthy addition of toxin removing dust. Ash can also be added to the garden, used as an ice melt on your sidewalk or driveway, and in the barn to repel flies. Crumple newspaper, break up fat wood pieces or lay down fire starter of your choice. Place a few pieces of kindling on top of the fire starters. Light the fire from the bottom. Control the air flow to the fire by adjusting the vents. Add more fire starters and kindling as needed to get the fire going. Begin adding smaller pieces of firewood. Once the fire is going well, add a larger piece of firewood, adjust the vents for less air, and enjoy the fire. Here s another method of setting up the firebox in a wood

35 stove, called the top down method.

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37 Using Wood Heat Cautions When using wood heat in your home, you may notice that your nasal passages and throat can be dry and uncomfortable. Increase the humidity in your home by placing a cast iron pot on the top of the wood stove or anywhere near the stove. this additional moisture being released into the air will help with dryness. If you have an electric humidifier or vaporizer, that can be a good assist with dry air too. Using fire in the home always increases risk. Make sure that children are kept away from the fireplace, or wood stove at all times. Check the area around and under the wood stove for toys or items that may have found there way to a dangerous spot. Keep combustible items far back from the hearth area. Keep the stove maintained in good working order. Other Means of Staying Warmer While Using Wood Heat You might find that your wood stove or fireplace only heats a smaller area. Try these ideas for keeping the heat in the areas you need to live in. Check windows and doors for drafts. Apply weather stripping to keep the heat in the house. Close off unused rooms. Clear furniture from in front of heat vents when using the oil burner or heat pump. Close drapes to further insulate the window. Wear layers of clothing. Don t forget the socks. really does keep your whole body warmer. And a hat

38 Using wood heat responsibly is a good way to heat your home. Foraging for the wood can keep the cost down and provide you with wood if you run out or forget to order. Plus the action of chopping your own firewood is great physical activity during the cold winter months. How are you weathering the winter weather this year? Do you use alternate forms of heating your home?

39 Goals and Changes Farmer/Writer of a Ah, the promises of a brand new year. This farmer/writer looks ahead to the upcoming months. Goals and changes come to mind along with a brief look back at highlights of the recent past. Is it something you do, too? I learned how to make soap, which is something I had wanted to try for a while. Sock knitting must remain on the list of items to learn however. I still have not successfully knit a pair of socks. It will stay on the list of goals and changes! I met many other homesteaders this past year at the Homesteaders of America Conference and that was a huge highlight of the year. Looking forward to seeing many familiar faces again in 2018! Yay for that area of goals and changes! I try to talk myself out of writing this down every year. It

40 seems almost cliche. But then, as my thinking about the past year turns sentimental, I can t seem to help myself. I guess I really am a writer. And a farmer. Writing Goals and Changes My life is almost incongruous. Writing is a solitary pursuit, carried out mainly inside,with a cup of something growing cold next to the keyboard. Farming, especially with livestock, is a never ending journey from day to day and season to season. The inspiration for my writing comes from this daily care and whatever challenges occur. So it s important for me, that I spend enough time with the animals to continue being inspired to write. Fortunately, I am still in good health and strong enough to carry out most of the farming tasks that need to be done on a daily basis.

41 Occasionally, I wonder what I will write about when I am too old or too feeble to carry out the tasks of farming. Because both farming and writing are important parts of who I am. Will I keep a couple house chickens so I can continue to observe their antics? Can a living sheep become part of our furnishings, waiting for ear scratches and cookie treats?

42 Thankfully these thoughts are not on the short list of goals and changes to ponder for next year. Goals and Changes My writing career stemmed from heartbreak over a job that could not continue. Little did I know that a truly wonderful fulfilling opportunity was waiting for me! Writing about livestock and farming in general, along with homestead themes, pulled together my past in small business retail and my education in animal science. Finally, the journey through so many different jobs began to make sense. It all came together to give me confidence to write with some measure of authority. What a true blessing life experience is. Going forward into 2018, I am waiting to have my book, 50 DIY Projects for Your Chickens, in my hands! June 5 is the release date! I hope that it will help you care for your flock and add enjoyment to your chicken tending. It is full, I mean really full, of easy projects you can assemble from items you have on hand or can be easily obtained from the hardware store. Not only are the projects outlined in step by step style, but I also tell you the why. Why is it important to add this to your coop or chicken yard. I hope you will consider pre-ordering my book and being among the first to receive a copy!

43 Another surprise was in store for me in I submitted a new idea for another book and it was accepted! I signed the contract right before the holidays began. Stay tuned for more on this in the near future. Want a hint? It s not about chickens! Believe it or not there is another animal that is also close to my heart. Can you guess? I plan to continue writing for Countryside Magazine and Goat Journal too. These publications are awesome and I am very happy to be part of the content. Farm Goals and Changes In a huge turnaround from previous chickens this year. I realize that crimp in the egg production, but changes I really need to make. We years, I do not plan to add this is going to put a big it s one of the goals and should still see plenty of

44 eggs for our family but I might miss sharing eggs with our neighbors. Our older girls in the Red Coop are naturally slowing down. The Blue Coop should still have a good year ahead of them. I am not planning on letting anyone be broody this year since it resulted in so many roosters last year. The only ones I may allow to brood will be the Bantam Cochins because they seem to be a breed that people are interested in taking a few at a time for backyard flocks. The roosters are slow moving and docile too, making them a great pet chicken for children. A major cleanup needs to happen around the barnyard. I seem to be cropping out so much of my photos because of junk piles that are in view. We seem to hang on to all sorts of usable items, just in case. I really can t see the need to keep all of it though. And I am getting tired of not having any good photo areas. The farm goal for this year will be cleanup and control.

45 Mainly self control for me in not adding more animals! Top 6 Blog Posts from 2017 Highlights from the Blog. Click on any title to read the entire entry. My number 1 post for 2017 has actually become my number 1 post for all time! I am glad so many people enjoyed this one. The included video was well loved too. Take a look here> Three Things Chickens Don t Need For Winter When raising chickens naturally, there are three things chickens don t need for winter. I know it s hard to believe that chickens can and do make it through the winter months, even in very cold climates, without our interfering. How can a chicken possibly survive the cold and reach the warmer spring months healthy and happy? Because this happens over and over. Chickens all over the world weather the winter without these

46 three things chickens don t need for winter. What Herbs Keep Chickens Healthy Can herbs keep chickens healthy? Does herb use increase the immune response in the flock? The answer to both questions appears to be, yes! Chickens love herbs, so dosing them with these natural compounds is an easy task. Best Tips for Raising Ducks Are you thinking about ducks as part of your 2018 goals and changes? Raising ducks is different than raising chickens, although you can be successful raising ducks and chickens together. Some modifications need to be addressed when raising ducks, and they add a new dimension to your barnyard. It s hard to believe I wrote this post over 3 years ago and it s still one of my top 5 post of any year. Keep Your Chicken Coop Smelling Fresh Here are five quick tips to help you keep your chicken coop smelling fresh. If your coop makes you hold your breath when you go in to collect eggs, think about how the chickens feel! It s not too hard to keep the coop clean and fresh, if you do a little bit of cleaning every few days. I am listing a few important basics for you. Quiet Chickens- What Breeds to Choose in the Suburbs I suppose this is a sign that chicken keeping is still growing and popular! If you are wondering if your goals and changes in adding chickens to your yard will bug your neighbor, I tried

47 to answer that here. My post on which breeds might be more soft spoken is a frequent read. Many suburban and city neighborhoods have voted to allow residents to keep a few chickens in the backyard. Are there quiet chickens that won t disturb the neighbors? This was a recent question posed to me by a resident trying to get her town to allow chicken keeping. Generally speaking, I don t find chickens noisy. Yes, roosters will crow, but most urban cities and suburban towns prohibit roosters, so that is not the concern. Hens will be more quiet than most dogs, as they go about their daily scratching and pecking. What is a Lash Egg Admittedly, this last entry is a bit of an obscure subject for chicken content. Lash eggs don t happen often but if you are caring for chicken s long enough, you may encounter this once or twice. Surprisingly, it is always a top post from the year. I had never even heard of a lash egg. It had been over 10 years since we first began chicken keeping. In all that time, not once did I have a lash egg laid in my chicken coop. Until one day, a strange looking thing appeared. We had occasional strange eggs, bumpy shells, extra pigment, weak egg shells and one or two rubber eggs (no shell at all). And then, there it was. What is a Lash Egg you might be asking?

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