Pioneer Woman at Heart

One Flourishing, Frugal and Fun Family!

One family learning to live off the land, cut back on expenses, and to live a simpler and a more self-sufficient lifestyle.

Adopted Motto

"Eat it up,
Wear it out,
Make it do,
Or go without."
~A Pioneer Sampler, by Barbara Greenwood~

Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Question ~ Tidbits

Question:  I use organic whole cloves often.  Where is a good place to buy it bulk?  And what's the best way to store it (freezer?)?  

Can raccoons open a barrel-slide style door latch?  I went out yesterday to find all my chickens outside.   The horror!  All were accounted for, but only 2 eggs.  I got 7 the day prior, even in this cold weather.  Only I let them out or in, and it was getting cold (so the ladies and gent stay in).  Someone or something opened the latch on the door to the ramp that goes outside.  It's a tough, tight latch and you have to lift the door slightly to get the latch all the way open.  We heard gun shots out there the evening prior, and hunters were stopped by a Sheriff yesterday not far up the road.  

I'm going to talk to Hubby, but a game camera should be put up for now and I may have to secure the outside (and the inside).  


New item over at my Rooster's Crow Farm Blogspot.



Ship's Helm dishcloths/doilies.




Also available are headbands/ear warmers.
More colors are being added soon, so check back often.

By the way, hot banana pepper relish is fantastic in a grilled tuna/cheese sandwich.  Yum!

Nothing like hunting for hours for a paper cutter, then realizing a kiddo took it when they moved out.  And that was just the case, and she forgot to bring it when she came over too.  Ugh.  Kids.   That project can wait I guess.



10 comments:

WILLIE...! =(^..^)= said...

Try this for bulk buying cloves...

https://www.spicesinc.com/p-1639-whole-cloves.aspx

AND...Freezing Cloves...
Chop peeled cloves and tuck into snack size bags, freezing in a thin layer. To use, just break off a piece of the frozen layer. Alternatively, you can flash freeze garlic—whole cloves or chopped—on a parchment-lined tray. Toss the frozen garlic into freezer bags.

AND..Raccoons will get into anything..AND l mean anything...
They have sensitive hairs in their paws..which allows them to
open, get into anything...!
And..it's no good putting a sign up saying..'No Raccoons'
either..they can't read...! :o).

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Willie, we've had raccoon issues here in the past, but not one getting into my coop. I will be securing the inside today.

mamasmercantile said...

Hope you manage to discover who is letting the chickens out. Hopefully it will be something that can be stopped.

Bits of Stitching! said...

Hoping that very soon you are able to get to the bottom of who/what opened the chicken coop!
Your crochet headbands are very cute!

Pam said...

No Raccoons here but Foxes and Badgers are prolific. The few people who have chickens mostly have brick built houses for them.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks mamasmercantile, it was alarming to find the door open and all of them outside.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Thanks Bits of Stitching, I sure hope we find out what opened the door.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Pam we do have fox here, but haven't seen one lately. Nor raccoons for that matter, but I'm setting a trap to see what/who it is.

Mary said...

I ran an herb shop years ago, and bought herbs and spices from Frontier Cooperative, the quality is excellent and they do carry organic but just looking at their site now the prices have gone far higher and than they used to be http://www.frontiercoop.com I would never freeze spices as even a bit of condensation would cause even whole spices to lose flavor. Can’t speak to chicken coops but crafty raccoons once almost successfully managed to pull up a locked window screen in my bedroom one night, thankfully they made enough noise that it woke myself and my husband before they got in. They were pretty darn shameless and didn’t try running away. They were actually indignant that we caught them.

Pioneer Woman at Heart said...

Mary, one time while camping, our camper door kept banging. Hubby woke up with panic and swung open the door to find a raccoon trying to get into the camper, ha ha ha! They are funny yet pesky animals for sure.