emilyatspecklefarm

Cooked Yolk Mayonnaise

The taste of that freshly made glistening yellow, garlicky spread was not something I would have associated with “mayo.” Commercial mayonnaise is a sad distant, rather ugly, cousin to the luscious mayonnaise that results when you combine delicious fresh eggs with high quality oil and seasonings.

By emilyatspecklefarm, ago

Cooked Yolk Mayonnaise

The taste of that freshly made glistening yellow, garlicky spread was not something I would have associated with “mayo.” Commercial mayonnaise is a sad distant, rather ugly, cousin to the luscious mayonnaise that results when you combine delicious fresh eggs with high quality oil and seasonings.

By emilyatspecklefarm, ago

When The Smoke Clears


Wildfires have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandpa was a private wild land firefighter, both my parents fought fire before I was born and many of my cousins have worked on crews as well.
 
“Ahhh…the smell of money!” Was what my grandpa Frank said every time the smell of smoke would drift in. We would be prepared for any approaching fire. We knew what we would take, property was regularly back burned, trees thinned, limbed up and cut down around building. Talking about fire behavior was regular dinner time conversation. 
 
But all the preparation, the planning, the talk; was never tested. Fires were fought away from property and people became comfortable, grew lax in their back burns, didn’t limb up quite as high as they once had. Trees were left standing closer to buildings; shade is nice you know, especially in the hot summers.

(more…)

By emilyatspecklefarm, ago

When The Smoke Clears


Wildfires have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My grandpa was a private wild land firefighter, both my parents fought fire before I was born and many of my cousins have worked on crews as well.
 
“Ahhh…the smell of money!” Was what my grandpa Frank said every time the smell of smoke would drift in. We would be prepared for any approaching fire. We knew what we would take, property was regularly back burned, trees thinned, limbed up and cut down around building. Talking about fire behavior was regular dinner time conversation. 
 
But all the preparation, the planning, the talk; was never tested. Fires were fought away from property and people became comfortable, grew lax in their back burns, didn’t limb up quite as high as they once had. Trees were left standing closer to buildings; shade is nice you know, especially in the hot summers.

(more…)

By emilyatspecklefarm, ago

Rabbit Slaughter ~ Part I : Preparation, Equipment & Dispatch


Since you are reading this I want to congratulate you.
You are (probably) here for one of a few possible reasons: either you have decided that you want to raise something for meat and are trying to decide if rabbits are right for you. Translation: can I really kill and eat something so cute and fuzzy?!
Or, you’ve already taken the plunge into rabbits. Maybe have a litter of rabbits that needs butchered soon, maybe should have already been butchered, and you realize you really aren’t too sure about this whole ‘turning an animal into meat” business and could use a little honest advice and information. (more…)

By emilyatspecklefarm, ago