Debbie Vail, NC
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Got Milk?   Kefir That Is!

11/5/2012

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Remember the Got Milk commercial, where the person in the commercial was wearing a milk moustache?  I think Henny Penny, Goldie and Violet have been rehearsing for the part.  They love milk, especially milk kefir.  It is especially good for chickens if they are sick, however, they are not sick in this picture, but enjoy the milk kefir anyway.  
 
Do you cringe when someone mentions probiotics because you really don't want to think about those zillions of bacteria living in your gut?  The truth is that taking probiotics is probably one of the best interventions you can do to stay healthy or regain your health, and milk kefir is loaded with probiotics, even more so than yogurt.  We have about 3 to 4 pounds of these little critters in our gut and to a large degree, they are our immune system, and they hold the keys to our very existence.

Milk Kefir is full of naturally occurring bacteria and yeast living in symbiosis as the result of the fermentation process. Kefir is loaded with vitamins, minerals and easily digested protein. It can even be consumed by the lactose intolerant because the yeast and bacteria provide the enzyme lactase, an enzyme which consumes most of the lactose left after the culturing process.
Want to make your own milk kefir?  It's easy to do and will save you money over the store bought version.  Click here for information on an upcoming milk kefir class in East Alabama.

Source:  http://www.naturalnews.com/024477_kefir_bacteria_probiotics.html


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Daisy the Hornworm Slayer

9/2/2012

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If you grow tomatoes there is no doubt that you are familiar with the tomato hornworm.  This tomato plant pest can do some serious damage in just a very short time.  If left unharmed, this ugly bug will turn into a beautiful moth but then you would have no tomatoes.  Not wanting to spray pesticides on my garden left me with few ways to deal with the critters.  I could pick them off and drop them into soapy water, squash them, find some parasitic wasps (didn't know where to look however) or I could carry with me the new "Garden Pal."  This device needs no gas or electricity.  There is no back breaking work lugging it around as it will just follow you as you go along.  My "Garden Pal" was given to me by a friend and was ready to work upon arrival.

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Meet Daisy, my friendly Buff Orpington "Garden Pal."  All I have to do is break off the limb with the hornworm attached and the "Garden Pal" does it all.  There's no need for stooping and bending as the "Garden Pal" leaps high into the air, and

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in a split second the job is done.  See how fast!  The camera couldn't capture this without the blur.

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Among the many green hornworms, I found this rather large brown worm.  The smaller worm in this picture is not the same kind as the larger one in the picture.  I do not know what kind it was but the "Garden Pal" works on all kinds so it didn't really matter.   I still would like to know what it is if someone can tell me though.

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See the "Garden "Pal" in action again.

Aim

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Leap,



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and done.  

Today my "Garden Pal" had a real workout as we exterminated about a dozen hornworms.

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The title of this post is, "Daisy the Hornworm Slayer" and it reminded me of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."  I guess Buffy would be a good name for Daisy since she is a buff colored Buff Orpington, but maybe not a fitting name for my black Lab.  Regardless, that is her name anyway.

I call this picture "Buffy the Tomato Slayer."  She got bored watching the "Garden Pal" work so she decided to find a green tomato to eat and pass the time away.

Gardening is more fun when you have a "Garden Pal."      Life with pets - never boring :)
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Violet Goes Broody

4/25/2012

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When I went to check on the girls this afternoon I was concerned because Violet was missing.  Here is where I found her.  "Please close the door and leave me alone" was her response. 
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Daisy, Rosie and Violet Enjoy Country Life

4/14/2012

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Violet - "Hi Mom"!
(DB this is for you!)

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Rosie was too busy  to smile for the camera

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Daisy looking for new adventures -"Now where did that bug go?  I know I saw it run under this tank somewhere"

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We're off to see the Wizard (and the camera man would have to get our backsides)

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Rosie, Daisy and Violet join the flock

4/7/2012

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Yesterday, some good friends from Montgomery drove out to our house to bring us their three beautiful girls named Rosie, Daisy and Violet.  We have a flock of 33 and so now we will have a 36. 
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 Daisy taking her first dust bath in the warm sun.

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Rosie and Violet came over to check out the new bath

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Rosie, Daisy and Violet get a tour from a new friend.  "Now this is how we drink water.  Do you see the little shiny knobs under the board?  Just peck at them and you will get a mouth full."

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