Bad Attitude Farm & Forge LLC

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Ethnically distinct knives / swords for this winter.

Since starting this blog, I have spent most of my time on the farm.  Now that things are slowing down, I expect to get back to work with the forge where this whole new life started.  The plan is to have the first knives and swords worthy of our imprint by this spring.  Here are a few of the projects I have planned.

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Muscovy Business with a 13 Year Old

I just had one of the most pleasant business exchanges.  So much so, that I had to ask the person I was doing business with just how old she was.  The answer surprised me.  She is 13 years old, raises ducks, chickens, and other critters.  Of course I asked, do you milk goats?  Why would I ask such a thing?  Well, there’s more on our farm that needs tending to than just our two children.  Finding a baby sitting isn’t the easiest thing in the world.

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Not that I know why you would do such a thing, but if you go to Google and you search the term: Bad Attitude Ducks you will find that we are the number one web site for Bad Attitude Ducks.  A bit more of a search and we find that we are one of the only web sites discussing Foul Tempered Fowl.  Ha, we are finaly number one at something.

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You know what is really embarrassing?  Its when you are way out back working on the chicken and duck runs when right about the time you get to Eva Gabor’s portion of Green Acres and a couple of coon hunters ask you if you mind if they jump your fence.  I’ve never wanted a gun in my hands so badly before in my life.  Not sure if I would have committed murder to keep them from telling anyone or suicide to keep it from mattering.

I have candled eggs before, but never have managed to have the right timing or angle to see what I did today.  Maybe its because previously I had mainly candled brown chicken eggs and today it was a batch of bluish white Indian Runner ducks.  Whatever the reason, I saw a living, beating heart no larger than the head of a pen.  Although it did not promote the emotions of seeing my child’s 3D ultrasound, it promoted a sense of amazement much greater than I had before experienced.  Within the womb, a human child seems so very much a part of the mother that witnessing movement is not nearly as amazing.  But an egg without the mother wrapped around it is something kin to what one might expect to see in a science fiction movie.  The other difference being that a 3D ultrasound is something you watch on a screen.  A heart beating within an egg is right there before your eyes.

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This recipe is for one pound of cucumbers.  Adjust quantities and volumes accordingly.

½ cup apple cider vinegar
½ cup white sugar
1 tablespoon salt
1 pound cucumber (cut as desired)
1 sweet onion (chopped fine)
Add pickling spice to taste

For every quart jar of cucumbers or other vegetables

1 cups vinegar (preference apple cider or white)
2 cups water
1 tablespoon salt (pickling or canning salt works best)

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Video – We put a camera on the ground between the pond and the pen.  Each night before sun set or when a storm darkens the clouds, our flock of ducks heads to their night time home.  The pond is maybe 100 yards away from the garage.  The flock seems to know that predators come out more at night.  That or they’ve figured out we put the vegetable and fruit scraps in there after a long day of canning.  So, usually without any prompting, they come waddling home… quack quack waddle waddle quack quack

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In our links / other places section, you’ll see a link to Rose Creek Creations and Rose Creek Cattle Company.  One of the owners (Angela) and I met on Craigs List.  She was asking for help with a ceramic kiln.  I gave what advice I could.  Now a days, she gives me a lot more advice than I have to offer in exchange.  Yesterday’s advice saves money and buys the Styrofoam incubator at Tractor Supply.  She also suggested purchasing the automatic egg turner.  I was skeptical at first, but her flocks seem to be health, happy, and growing; so I figured like her other advice it was sound.  I just unpacked the Little Giant Air Incubator ($41.99) and the optional automatic egg turner (another $41.99). Read more…