Ranch Chores
How to hatch chicken eggs
A large amount of eggs should be incubated in a forced-air incubator
A small amount of eggs can be incubated in a still-air incubator. Typically a Styrofoam box either homemade or kit. These are great for beginners!
Set up the incubator 24 hours before placing eggs inside. A still-air incubator will need to be kept at a consistent 102 degrees F., a forced-air incubator will be kept at 100 degrees F.
Humidity should be around 58%-60% until hatching begins and then set it to 65%. If using a wet sponge and "eyeing" the humidity, you do not want water droplets collecting on the inside.
Do not move the eggs for the first 48 hours. After that, you'll want to rotate the eggs a quarter turn four times a day. Eggs hatch in 21 days. On day 19, stop turning the eggs.
When chickens start hatching, do not help them leave the shell or worry about eggs rolling into each other.
You now have some baby chickens that will need to go in a warming pen. Make sure you dip their beaks to show them how to drink, offer them available chicken starter, and make sure their little butts stay clean of poop and you'll have a grown up chicken in no time.
Trimming your dog AND cat's toenails
I can't stress enough how important it is to teach your puppy and kitten how to have their feet played with when they are babies. It is so much easier later when they are full grown if they are used to having their feet err...paws touched. Put your thumb on the bottom of its paw and gently press. Make those claws pop out fully.
Equipment: A good pair of pet clippers. You can use the same kind of toenail clippers on both dogs and cats.
Now the hints...
Cat's have a magic spot on the back of their shoulders, right below their neck where there is loose skin. This is also where their momma's would carry them around when they were little. When you pick a cat up in this spot they go limp...even older cats. It helps to have a human helper hold the cat by the magic spot, and another person clip the nails. Use the paw message technique from above, pop out those nails, and clip. You might have to clip in spurts. A foot a day. You don't want to upset the cat. There is no rush.
For dogs, the most important thing to remember is they jump. You don't want to hold their leg in a weird angle and have them panic and get hurt. Best way I have found is to have your dog sit on his hindend. It's not easy to jump without your feet underneath you. If you feel unsure, ask someone to help you "entertain" the dog while you clip. Treats are always a distraction!
Remember, there is more to clipping toenails than you think. If you go to short, they'll bleed. Have your vet show you the right length to cut first.
Is the ugly black fungus attacking your roses?
Nothing is more disappointing than going out to your garden and finding your beautiful roses covered with black spots. There's an easy solution! Bury your banana peels in the ground around the bush and soon you'll see healthy roses again. An added tip: Roses love compost from your kitchen! Sprinkle your egg shells and coffee grounds around your bushes too!
Hanging clothes outside has its benefits!
Not only will you be saving money on your electric or gas bill for not running the dryer, you'll also get your whites even whiter! It's true. Hanging up a dingy pair of white underwear will be whiter after being bleached by the sun. So will your white socks, towels, and blouses. Plus, it is much easier to iron clothes that were line dried. Clothes also last a lot longer, because they are not being abused in a tumbling dryer. To make hanging up clothes outside easier, wear an apron with pockets when hanging clothes. Put your clothes pins in the pockets. My personal favorite benefit of drying outside is crawling into a freshly made bed when the sheets smell like the outside. Who needs fabric softener when you have a natural fresh scent that didn't cost a penny?
Protect yourself from Bee's
By now you know that bee's aren't bad insects, right? We shouldn't bother them if their not bothering us. There are many benefits of having them around, but sometimes they can be a pest. Especially if they start bothering you, and let's face it, when you're doing chores and sweating it attracts bees, wasps, yellow jackets and the like. Here are a few ways to get rid of the bee's that bother you. Put out a piece of raw hamburger. They will attack the meat instead of you! You can also make a trap out of a 2 liter bottle. Cut a couple 1 inch holes near the top of the bottle (leave cap on). Fill the bottom 2" of the bottle with a sweet concoction...or leave the backwash of pop in the bottle. lol Hang it from a tree or set it on the picnic table. Soon the bee's will be curious enough to fly in the holes and be "trapped". A wonderful product that makes the bee's stay away from you is Skin-So-Soft from Avon.
No Streak Windows
After spraying your windows with cleaner (or if you're green, use a mixture of water and vinegar) use crumbled newspaper to dry your windows. You'll leave no streaks! Want to save the landfills after you use the newspaper? Bury the used newspaper in your garden. It'll compost down and you won't even notice it when you till your garden. For the newspaper you used commercial window sprays with, I'd advice you to bury them in your non-edible flower gardens because they are no longer organic.
Homemade Doggy Biscuits
1 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
2 TBSP. Peanut Butter
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 egg white
1 TBSP. chicken broth or stock
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 c. milk
2 TBSP. Peanut Butter
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese (grated)
1 egg white
1 TBSP. chicken broth or stock
1 tsp. baking powder
Drop by the spoonful onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes...depending on if your dog likes chewy or crunchy cookies.
Want more hints? Send me an email! I'll be adding to this page, and would love to hear what household chores give you problems.
Recipe of the day…Swedish Pancakes!
Melt a tablespoon in a hot skillet (large), spread batter over the entire surface of the skillet…a very thin layer. Cook for 2 minutes, and then flip the giant pancake. (that part does take practice). Cook 1-1 1/2 minutes until speckled brown.
Spread butter on top of pancake, roll it up, pour syrup over the length, sprinkle with powdered sugar, and eat!
Recipe courtesy of my Grandma T., who always made these for me growing up, and I’ve carried on the tradition. My family loves them!
Homemade fudgesicles
Mix together…
1/2 cup of milk
1 can of sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup of unsweetened cocoa mix
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Everyone has those Tupperware popsicle makers, right? If not, you can buy the cheapie ones at most stores. Pour the mixture in, and freeze for at least 4 hours. Makes 6
Extra hint:
If you don’t have the ingredients, you can also mix some instant chocolate pudding with milk, and use more milk than the recipe calls to thin it down. Freeze. These taste more like frozen pudding pops than fudgesicles, but they are good!
Shrimp ball
2 cans of mini shrimp, drained
2- 8 oz pkgs of cream cheese, softened
2 Tablespoons of minced or chopped onion
2 Tablespoons of mayonaise
1/2 Tablespoon of minced garlic
Mix it all together, chill, and serve with your choice of crackers. You can mix and keep it until the next day, but it should be eaten by the 2nd day, because it involves seafood. ;-)
Caramel apple nachos
Drizzled caramel syrup over regular tortilla chips (make sure the syrup is room temperature if you store it in the fridge)
Then grate an apple over the syrup.
That’s it! Unlike regular cheese nachos it doesn’t take many to fill you up. They’re absolutely delicious.
Guacamole
1 avacado - mashed
1 tomato - chopped
1 clove of garlic - minced
2 tablespoons of Lime juice
You can add a dash of salt, but I don't use salt in it.
Mix it up, dip it with your favorite tortilla chip, and enjoy!
Mexican Dip-licious.
Cut the tops off 6 (or however many you need) red bell peppers. Any color bell pepper will work.
Put a couple spoonfuls of refried beans in the bottom of the hollowed out peppers.
Take a 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and one pkg of cream cheese, mix together while adding two tablespoons of taco seasoning to the mix. Put a dollop of mixture on top of the refried beans.
Then, in layers, add chopped tomatoes, olives, onions, grated cheese. (I also add corn, sometimes avocado)
Top off with a splash of hot sauce (your choice).
Set the stuffed peppers into a baking dish, add a little water at the base of the dish. Cover with foil. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and then take the foil off for 15 more minutes.
Serve hot!
Easy Applesauce Cake with caramel icing
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pour flour, brown sugar, baking soda, allspice, and salt into an 8-inch UNGREASED square pan. Whisk ingredients together.
Pour water, applesauce, and oil into the flour mixture and stir. Don’t over mix!
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool.
You can dust with powdered sugar or make this super easy caramel icing (I prefer caramel icing)
1 cup butter
3 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. baking powder
Combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and baking powder. Beat well and spread over cake. If it gets hard, add a few drops of milk.
Mexican Dip-licious.
Cut the tops off 6 (or however many you need) red bell peppers. Any color bell pepper will work.
Put a couple spoonfuls of refried beans in the bottom of the hollowed out peppers.
Take a 1/2 cup of mayonnaise and one pkg of cream cheese, mix together while adding two tablespoons of taco seasoning to the mix. Put a dollop of mixture on top of the refried beans.
Then, in layers, add chopped tomatoes, olives, onions, grated cheese. (I also add corn, sometimes avocado)
Top off with a splash of hot sauce (your choice).
Set the stuffed peppers into a baking dish, add a little water at the base of the dish. Cover with foil. Cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, and then take the foil off for 15 more minutes.
Serve hot!
Easy Applesauce Cake with caramel icing
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup applesauce
1/3 cup vegetable oil
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Pour flour, brown sugar, baking soda, allspice, and salt into an 8-inch UNGREASED square pan. Whisk ingredients together.
Pour water, applesauce, and oil into the flour mixture and stir. Don’t over mix!
Bake for 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Let cool.
You can dust with powdered sugar or make this super easy caramel icing (I prefer caramel icing)
1 cup butter
3 cup brown sugar
6 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. baking powder
Combine butter, brown sugar, and milk. Bring to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla and baking powder. Beat well and spread over cake. If it gets hard, add a few drops of milk.
Caramel apple nachos
Drizzled caramel syrup over regular tortilla chips (make sure the syrup is room temperature if you store it in the fridge)
Then grate an apple over the syrup.
That’s it! Unlike regular cheese nachos it doesn’t take many to fill you up. They’re absolutely delicious.
