Sprouting Fodder for Chickens

We have been experimenting with sprouting fodder here at Colored Egg Homestead for the past few weeks. It all started when I came across this YouTube video

Happy New Year & A Giveaway

Happy New Year friends! 2013 is gone and we have a bright new year ahead of us.  While I don't much believe in resolutions per say, I do think that the beginning of a new year brings forth a renewed sense of hope and aspirations to strive for. 

For the past few years the goal has been to 'produce more, consume less'.  We have been working toward this by growing more of our own foods, saving seed, bartering goods, ditching cable, installing rain barrels, and our newest adventure; growing fodder for the chickens and our pet rabbit to cut feed costs.  I'm looking forward to seeing what we can accomplish this year to become more self-sufficient and I hope that you all will continue to follow us in our journey. 

In my appreciation for my friends and fans I'd like to offer you a chance to win one of my handmade egg nest necklaces. These necklaces have become very popular in my Etsy Store. 

Enter below using the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Winner will be selected by random drawing on 1/11/14

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and please keep in touch!

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Chocolate Pretzel Cookies - Recipe

I just love the combination of salty pretzels and sweet chocolate together. I usually satisfy this craving with chocolate dipped pretzels but this time I wanted to mix things up a bit. I found this recipe and was so excited about it I made them right away. 

Handmade Holiday Giveaway - Homestead Bloggers Network

Friends, lend me your ears.. I have an announcement to make!

*cue trumpets*

Its time..... for a giveaway.....

and not just ANY old giveaway... Its a

Homestead Bloggers Network 

Handmade Holiday Giveaway! 

Total Giveaway Prize Value - Over $240

Bojangles! Tell them what they could win!

Something to cluck about... that's for sure!

Check out these wonderful handmade items!

Oatmeal, Milk & Honey Goat Milk Soap from Yonderhill Farm Goat Milk Soap and House. Barn. Farm. - $6 value

Yonderhill Farm carries a great selection of Goat Milk Soaps made by hand.. We use the milk of our sweet nigerian dwarf dairy goats to create beautiful, creamy, luxurious soaps for everyday use.

Peppermint Lip Balm from Green Eggs & Goats - $3 value

Hand-crafted products straight from our farm to you! We sell lip balms as well as honey and jams when they are available. We are also working on some feather crafts that should be ready to list soon!

Felt Dahlia Brooch Pin from ktnunna Handmade Jewelry & Accessories and Colored Egg Homestead - $9.50 value

I started making jewelry when my daughter was just a baby. I began creating pretty little things for her and myself to wear. At the suggestion of my friends and family I opened ktnunna in 2009. I have been surprised and humbled at the support and encouragement I have received since beginning this little business. View the brooch here!

Fingerless Gloves-Navy with White Lace from Timber Creek Farm - $25 value

Homegrown wool creates Hand spun homemade yarns and accessories. The wool is from our sheep and Pygora goats and we also sell other types of wool and natural yarns. The accessories are handmade and embellished with vintage style lace and buttons to create a unique accessory. For the giveaway, we are donating a pair of fingerless gloves embellished with lace at the cuff. Beautiful and functional!

2-color Paracord Bracelet from Handmade by Blair and Survival at Home - $10 value

Hand sewn crafts and paracord gear made with love by the Blair family.

NOTE: This will be made to order for the winner. Winner will be put in touch with Patrick to select colors and size.

Natural Wool Dryer Balls from Joybillee Farm - $30 value

Joybilee Farm is a fiber farm and artisan studio located in British Columbia, Canada. Each product in our lineup is handcrafted from our own sustainable harvest, and will help you live the JOYful, fearless, creative life that lets you "laugh at the time to come." Check out the drier balls!

Toddler No-Sew Blanket from Lil' Suburban Homestead's Etsy Store - $35 value

Hi I am KarenLynn at Lil' Suburban Homestead currently we are selling no-sew fleece blankets! I have a beautiful toddler no-sew fleece blanket that we will be giving away for this wonderful Homestead Bloggers Network Holiday Giveaway!

NOTE: Blanket pictured and linked to is a larger size. This giveaway is for a toddler sized blanket!

Neck Pack with Eye Pack Included from Simply Herbs Country Store and Simply Living Simply - $25 value

We are stocked with a distinctive selection of individually hand-crafted and organic herbal products, and a few other products specifically chosen by me that I think you may like. Our current selections include Herbal Packs, Kat's Herbal Teas, Goat Herbal Tea Soap, Organic Essential Oils and Herbal Kits! Read about the Neck Pack here!

Charlie the Robot Mug by MereWare and ImagineAcres - $25 value

I use a pottery wheel powered by my imagination to create monsters, robots, and gnomes out of clay. Some of these creatures are functional- in the form of mugs, bowls, and jars. Others are made for the pure fun of it, and serve as loveable pieces of art. Meet Charlie.

"Here Comes Santa" Vintage Hallmark Keepsake Ornament from Once And Again and Spring Mountain Living - $25 value

A collection of fabrics, vintage and handmade items - from the UP to you! See the ornament.

3D Abstract Pendant - One of a Kind from Ever Growing - $25 value

One of a kind 3D pendants & paintings, handcrafted with lots of care, intention and attention to detail using joint compound and acrylics. This pendant is 1 1/2 inches X 1 inch abstract yellow, green and silver teardrop shaped.

Easy Rectangle Crochet Dish Cloth Crochet Pattern PDF from The Mind to Homestead (on Etsy) and The Mind to Homestead blog - $4 value

The Mind to Homestead carries pattern PDFs for the crochet patterns that I have written.

The Gardening Notebook cd or download from SchneiderPeeps - Value $10

The Gardening Notebook you will help you create a custom gardening notebook. With over 100 pages of gardening information and printables you can create just what you need to keep track of your garden. The winner can choose to have The Gardening Notebook on CD or instant download.

At Home Canning DVD from New Life on a Homestead - $19.95 value

In At Home Canning For Beginners & Beyond, you’ll get almost 2 full hours of step-by-step instructions on how to can fruits, veggies, meats, and meals-in-a-jar.

BONUS!

Every item here was donated by a member of the Homestead Bloggers Network and most of these great bloggers have come together to bring you a brand new holiday cookbook, Homemade Holiday Recipes and we're including a copy as part of this giveaway. Please note that this is a digital product and will be sent to you via email.

Enter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada. Giveaway runs from Dec 9th through Dec 16th at 12:00am CST. Winner will be notified via email and given 24 hours to respond. Gift items will be shipped directly from the small businesses that donated them, so prizes will arrive in individual packages over a period of several days.

Six Fun & Festive DIY Outdoor Holiday Decoration Ideas

'Tis the season.  Its hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us already. Seems like it sneaks up more quickly every year! I love holiday decor but despise paying tons of money for them. So, I've compiled this collection of super fun and festive DIY outdoor holiday decorations to share with you. 

Bird's Nest Cookies - Recipe

How adorable are these Bird's Nest Cookies? I'll be the first to admit that I have a bit of a sweet tooth, (and a slight obsession with colored eggs) so when I was flipping through my big cookie cookbook and came across these I just had to make them. If you wanted to, you could substitute small jelly-beans as the "eggs" as well.  

Thaw Out with Chicken Vegetable Soup

When the temperatures dip there is nothing more comforting than a hot bowl of soup. This Chicken Veggie soup is a favorite in our house. Do not be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. The soup is very easy to put together. While the chicken is cooking you have plenty of time to prep vegetables.

2013 Sustainable Agriculture Conference

This past weekend I attended the 28^th Annual Sustainable Agriculture conference in Durham NC. I was honored to have the opportunity to attend with a scholarship from Carolina Farm Stewardship Association. The energy and passion of the conference was electric. Here are a few photos from the event.  

28th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference

http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/sac/

I am getting VERY excited about attending the 28th Annual Sustainable Agriculture Conference coming up November 15th-17th. I keep catching myself looking over the schedule, the speakers, the hands-on events and dreaming about all the delicious fresh local food that will be served. 

For the love of Pumpkins - Things to Make and Do

Autumn is such a magical time of year. The leaves begin to change into a melody of golden orange and red hues, the weather cools, and the days grow shorter. There are so many things that I love about this magical time of year, one of the biggest being PUMPKINS!

Photo credit: Iguanasan

Pumpkins really are a versatile vegetable. There are so many ways to put these great gourds to good use.

Fresh Eggs Daily & A GIVEAWAY!

I've been a fan of Lisa at Fresh Eggs Daily for quite a while now. When I was just starting out with chickens her blog and facebook page were (and still are) a great resource for me and the hundreds of questions I had about how to keep my feathered friends safe and healthy. I love that Lisa takes a natural approach to raising her flock. 

CEH Week in Review 10/13

Hello friends! I'm a little late with this weeks week in review due to a much needed mini-vacation to celebrate our anniversary. It was nice to sneak away for a little bit.  We spent a few days in Myrtle Beach, SC at a lovely resort. 

I'm very thankful for our friends over at Bean Acres for watching over our farm while we were away.