to grow or not to grow... our own chicken feed

the drought has effected our area profoundly. our chicken pen is a desert, our neighbors corn is already dry, the orchard looks like a scene from the dust bowl. premilinary estimates for the usda declare an average increase of 4% in meat and egg prices next year. these estimates don't yet include the inevitable increase in feed prices. so how can we afford to sell eggs for the ridiculously low prices expected around here; we're talking less than $2 a dozen for farm fresh free range eggs. and they keep a ton of roosters, too. these guys are making maybe $.50 per dozen after feed cost, and i have to compete with that, or start selling frozen custard. :)
to compete, i started researching on what i can grow to sustain the girls.
my criteria: drought resistant, easy to harvest, high yields, high protein, time to harvest
corn needs too much water, millet needs quite a bit of water, oats need lots of space. all are hell to harvest.
since quality of life for my flock is a high priority, i'm looking into a few grains and pseudo-grains as well as legumes and sprouted seed (for winter greens). i'm not okay with just a soybean/corn mash with vitamins. i've begun to look more closely into quinoa and amaranth. quinoa being the cooler season, and amaranth being the warmer season crop. extremely drought resistant, can produce well with 10 inches of rain; large yields relative to fertility, up to 8 oz per plant; spacing at 6-18 inches and up to 8 ft tall; nutritious leaves, seeds grow in long groups, easy to cut and store on the stem.
millet is a drought resistant true grain (grass), well love by birds, high protein content, drought resistant, short growing season, easy to harvest at waist height.
sunflowers are great for sprouting, drought resistant, simple to harvest, dries in the field, short growing time.
i'm probably going to pass over the traditional crops: corn, sorghum, soybeans, oats, are too water intensive and pest attracting for what i'm going for here.

exploration in vermiculture

i hate our compost bin. it's basically a wire cage with no front where we deposit kitchen trash for the neighbors dogs to pilfer. the chickens and ducks get the good bits, but we don't feed them eggshells so as not to encourage egg cannibalism. i could move the thing into a 55 gallon blue barrel, but that's not a particularly efficient strategy, with water and air stealing my nutrients. what's plan b? a worm bin! after reading "worms eat my garbage" and doing some internet research i've decided on a vertical style bin. i haven't decided if i'm going to spend $4 on tubs at the dollar store, or build one out of wood scraps laying around the farm. my carpentry skills are shit, and i'd like to take pictures of this thing, but i'm trying to avoid supporting 3rd world slavery and mnc's. i think i just made my decision. i'm probably going to get some red wigglers from the bait shop down the road. the book says 8 worms can reproduce to 1500 in a year, so i'm okay with starting with a small quantity.

how do you use worm castings?

you can sprinkle them around the top of plants and let water take the nutrients to the roots (good for potted plants). you can sprinkle around the plant and incorporate the castings into the top layer of soil (good for in ground plants. you can use it as part of the compost component in your potting soil mixes. i intend to add it to my aquaponic system for nutrient and mineral support for my fruiting plants. more on aquaponics later.

5 ingredients = toning facial + tasty beverage

Chickens are fed, plants are watered, time to do something for me. This afternoon I'm giving myself an exfoliating oatmeal facial and a refreshing drink. My skins been quite oily lately and I get a lot of sun working on the farm. Having finished my monthly waxing routine yesterday, my skin deserves some attention. 

I've chosen these ingredients for my particular skin care needs. Oatmeal to absorb oil and dirt, egg white to firm skin, honey to keep from over drying, lemon juice to break down oil and treat blemishes, green tea for antioxidants. After some internet research, here's the recipe I've used (all measurements approximate):

Oatmeal mask for oily skin

1/2 cup Oatmeal (any kind will do, I've used quick)

1 egg white

1 T honey

1 t lemon juice

green tea for consistency (about 2 T)

mix first 4 ingredients into a paste, add green tea until you get a consistency that will stay on your face. let stand to moisten oatmeal.

Green Tea Angie Palmer (renamed for my delightful friend)

remaining green tea

honey to taste

lemon juice to taste

mix, taste, chill. serve over ice, preferably with a bendy straw.

apply mask to clean skin with fingers. lay back, place teabags on your eyes, drink your drink. allow mask to dry. then rinse.

 

I made the mask, chilled the drink, then took a hot shower to open my pores. I also did a hot conditioning treatment for my hair with my favorite natural conditioner and a shower cap. 

My favorite deep conditioning scalp treatment:

2 T olive oil 

1 t eucalyptus oil

2 capsules borage oil

mix, apply to wet hair focusing on scalp and ends,  put on shower cap and let the hottest water you can stand run over you. i like to rub the extra on my skin. rinse, give your hair a good scrub, soap or shampoo the excess if you like.

Here's why I love these oils: olive oil is a great moisturizer, eucalyptus tingles and helps get rid of flakes (also great if you have congestion) borage oil contains high amounts of GLA an essential amino acid used by skin. I frequently use borage oil when i have dry skin. It eliminates scaly skin, and even brightens my tattoo.

 

SInce i don't use shampoo, my hair can look a bit oily and clumpy after an oil treatment. not such a problem since i have curly hair. I find that rinsing everyday for a week or a light castile soap lather helps.

Those are a few of my special, now and then treatments. I hope they can help you in your pursuit of simplicity and enhancing your natural beauty.

Since