Sunnyside Lane Hobby Farm

10 Reason to Eat Blackberries

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Teresa Fikes

It is Blackberry Season here on Sunnyside Lane Hobby Farm.

Did you know that just one cup of blackberries has only 62 calories, 15 carbs, 1 gram fat, 8 grams fiber, 1 gram sodium and 2 grams protein?

Blackberries are listed in the top ten super foods that contain antioxidants.
Blackberries are jammed with polyphenols which help in the fighting heart disease and cancer.
Blackberries have anthocyanin. This is an antioxidant that causes the berries to have the deep rich purple coloring and it helps concerning memory retention and lowers the danger of hypertension.
Did you know that Blackberries can strengthen the blood vessels? Thus, the blackberries are helping to fight heart disease.
These powerful berries can also aid your eyesight.
The tannin in the blackberries in high and can help in the tightening of tissues, give you relief from intestinal inflammation and even aid in the reduction of hemorrhoids and other stomach disorders.
Some universities such as Ohio State University have discovered blackberries might protect against cancer of the esophagus which is caused by gastric reflux disease.
Blackberries contain phytoestrogens which are plant estrogens. This has been shown to guard against many kinds of cancers, but is thought to take an active part in preventing cervical and breast cancer.
You will find that Blackberries contain high levels of these vitamins: Vitamin A, C, K, E, fiber and Manganese.
Blackberries’ content is high in fiber and reduces the threat of intestinal diseases and the chance of acquiring diabetes.

Kids and Adults love blackberries, making them an healthy easy food choice. These berries pack an energy punch to help you refuel after hard play or a workout. This makes Blackberries a great idea to help control weight. To find out how to get these tasty berries to your table visit the Pantry on Sunnyside Lane Hobby Farm.

Order yours today, by filling out this simple order form.

The Better Decking Material – Composite Wood Or Organic Wood?

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Teresa Fikes

Proper deck construction takes solid planning. Important to that planning process is the decision between organic and composite decking material. Once the material of choice, natural wood is being pushed aside by composite materials that offer lower maintenance and higher durability. Gone are the days of plastic looking composite decks. Technology has improved greatly, and the composite materials now in use rival real wood in appearance so much that most people cannot tell the difference between the two.

The Pros And Cons Of Organic Wood

Real wood is still the most commonly chosen material for decking. It is the most economical choice for installation and will last for decades if maintained properly. Most decks are made from pressure treated Southern yellow pine. This is one of the least expensive of wood decking materials. The pressure treating process makes the wood resistant to weather, water, and insect damage. Other types of wood like redwood and cedar do not need to be pressure treated because of the natural preservatives they contain.

The average price of materials and labor for Southern yellow pine is $15 per square foot. For higher end wood materials like cedar and redwood, the average price is $30 per square foot.

People love the look and feel of a real wood deck. The price for organic wood deck material is less than for composite. Pressure treated Southern yellow pine is less than half the price of the most affordable composite materials. With regular maintenance, real wood decks can have a lifespan of 40 years or more.

The amount of maintenance required to keep a wood deck looking new is the major downside. Wood decks must be cleaned, stained, and sealed once every year or two. Otherwise, the wood will fade and rot from exposure to the elements. In harsh climates, wood can splinter and warp. While pressure treated wood is fairly weather resistant, it is also susceptible to warping.

The Pros And Cons Of Composite Materials

Composite materials are made to look like real wood. The new generation of composite materials bears a striking resemblance to natural materials. However, many people can still tell the difference at a glance. Composite deck materials are made from a mix of plastic and wood fiber. The result is a decking material that looks like wood but is more durable and weather resistant.

The higher price of composite products often drives consumers back to real wood. Labor and materials for a composite deck starts at $30 per square foot and go higher for materials with a closer resemblance to real wood. The trade off in price vs. real wood is that composite materials do not need to be sanded, stained, or resealed. A thorough cleaning several times a year is all that is needed. Eliminating the cost of maintenance can make composite materials more economical over the typical 40 year life span of a real wood deck.

Unfortunately, some composite materials are cheap looking. This look is what many people associate with composite decks and is why those same people turn to wood materials without really considering any of the new composites that look almost exactly like the real thing. Also, it can be hard to gauge the durability of composite materials because they are a relatively new product. However, their short history already suggests that composite materials are going to last much longer natural wood.

Composite decking has come a long way. In just the last few years, technological advances have resulted in materials that look authentic but are maintenance free and more durable than real wood. Composite decks some with limited warranties that can last as long as 25 years. Wood decks might be less expensive at the beginning. But when you factor in the cost of repair and maintenance, composite materials come out as the more economical choice.

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Fried Collard Greens

Posted on December 30, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

Collard Greens for cash! That sounds like a great idea. The more you eat the more you make for the coming year. Wow! I will be eating a lot of greens even though I don’t believe in this personally. I just love Collards. I grew eating them here in Alabama.

Collards (Photo credit: YoAmes)

Fried Collard Greens

Collards
Bacon
Salt
Black Pepper
Bell pepper, Red and Yellow- sliced or chopped
Onions, sliced or chopped
Hot Water

Wash the collard greens thoroughly removing grits and critters. Remove the stems from the leaves. Tear or Chop the leaves of the Collard into smaller bite size pieces. Set aside.

Fry Bacon crispy in an Iron Skillet on high to medium high. Do not add grease or oils. Bacon supplies the grease you will need. Remove the bacon from the bacon grease. Add the greens to the skillet with the bacon grease. Slowly add hot water to barely cover the greens. Hot water will not break the iron skillet like adding cold water to it. Cook on high heat until the water has almost cooked completely away. Then add onions, bell peppers, salt and pepper.

Stir until completely mixed together. Cover skillet with a lid; reduce heat to low. Simmer for roughly 30 minutes.

To serve: Spoon fried collard greens on a plate and top with crumble bacon.

This is great with Grits, Cornbread and Sweet Tea.

This is a recipe my mother fixed for us as children growing up. I hope you enjoy it as much as we have. I would love to read your comments below.

New Year’s Day Southerners Traditional Foods: Collards, Pork and Black-eyed Peas

Posted on December 26, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

As with many of the superstitions, there will be several ways to answer a question. In general, it is the belief that black-eyed peas are a lucky entrée for the New Year’s meal. It is especially popular in the southern United States. Much of the belief is stemmed from our history.

The Future and Peas

Black Eyed Peas (Photo credit: nep)

Most Southerners will tell you that it dates back to the time of the Civil War. Black-eyed peas were considered Slave or animal food. Most field peas such as black-eyed peas or purple hulled peas were not worthy of General Sherman’s Union troops. When the Union soldiers raided the Confederates food supplies, the legend says they took everything except the peas and the salted pork. The Confederates considered themselves incredibly lucky to be left with those meager supplies, and they survived the winter on the peas. This is why Peas became a symbol of luck.

Another version of the belief in the lucky black-eyed pea is the Southern belief that black-eyed peas are lucky because the eyes are always looking forward to the future.

Money and Greens

Young collard plants growing in a container (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

More traditional New Year’s Day foods served in the south are collard greens and corn bread. These are thought to bring the money on New Year’s Day. The greens’ symbolism is the color of money. Collard greens take the place of cabbage in the south because that’s what is grown here in late fall. It is a southern tradition or belief that each bite you take of greens is worth $1,000 in the New Year.

Got to have Cornbread

Golden baked or fried corn bread symbolizes pocket change or spending money. It is another yet soul food Southerners eat on New Year’s. The tradition stems from the color of the bread. The color represents “gold” or “coin” money. Besides that, what else would you eat with collards and peas that are seasoned with pork?

Pork is Served

HOG JOWLS (Photo credit: shrtstck | icnt.mx)

As for pork, some say it’s lucky because pigs are forward-facing animals: they can’t look backwards without turning completely around. Others say pigs are just generally associated with the idea of having enough to eat, hence, the phrase “Pigging Out!” It signifies a profitable year. The pork can be served has a whole roasted pig, ham slices or slice hog jowls. These are the sliced cheek of the hog which is served the same way as bacon is served.

What Foods Not to Eat

English: Roasted chicken Español: Pollo asado (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Additionally to the above-mentioned lucky foods to eat, there are some mentioned here to avoid on New Year’s Day. Chicken and Turkey is discouraged from serving, because the birds scratch backwards. This could cause grief or dwelling on one’s the past.

Another philosophy warns against eating bird, because good luck could fly away. Lobster is, also, a bad idea because of the backwards motions they have and could, hence, lead to setbacks.

‘A Beginner’s Guide to Using Floral Foam’ by author steph07

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

Floral foam (also known as Oasis foam) is a very popular product which allows florists to create full and perfectly arranged floral displays. It’s used by pressing the end of the flower stems into the foam to build up the display. The foam keeps the flower in place, and the the finished result is an arrangement which doesn’t move about or lose its shape.

When using real flowers, the foam is soaked in water so adds the benefit of keeping your flowers looking fresh for longer.

……

Links:

Oasis videos here

Author Byline:

Stephanie has years of experience with flower arrangements and writes about her hobby for magazines and blogs. She works at the popular store Inspirations Wholesale who are suppliers for florists, selling Oasis products such as floral foam and other tools.

License: Creative CommonsLink: https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/g97waJBXhcW6NCFc0EntRdMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?full-exif=true

License: Image author

The Mayan Doomsday, And Why It Doesn’t Spell Doom Part Two

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

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Written by Micheal Stratford

The one reason anyone believes that the Mayan calendar predicts the end of the world is the end-date of the last span recorded, 12/21/2012. However, it isn’t the only end date in Mayan (aka Maya) records.

The Maya, a civilization that was long-term in thought if ever there was one, measured time via katuns (spanning 7200 days); 20 of these made up a b’ak’tun (144,000 days, 394 years). According to the Mayan document known as the Popol Vuh, we are in the fourth great world’s age; the previous three ages were worlds that failed. Our successful globe replaced them, and the calendar of the fourth age ends with the thirteenth b’ak’tun, the end-date of which is December 21, 2012.

Some apocalyptic predictors have decided that the Maya were warning of the destruction of the by-now degenerate fourth world by the gods. The Maya predicted the end by letting their calendar run out of dates, since they could predict the coming destruction.

The truth is, they couldn’t and they didn’t. Because most researchers, including such august folks as Mayanist scholars David Freidel and Linda Schele, have realized that the Mayan calendar is probably a perpetual one.

Remember perpetual calendars? You turned a wheel on them and the month, day and year would shift. That’s the conclusion not only of Friedel and Schele, but also of Maya authority Wyllys Andrews, who reminds us that a new Mayan calendar was discovered at Xultun. This new calendar travels at least 7000 years past the 12/21/2012 landmark, and shows no indication of an end-date.

The Maya, by all accounts, made their calendars in the assurance that the earth would continue in perpetuity. Their mindset, according to Andrews, was one of steadfast resistance to change, and their calendar reflects that mode of thinking.

Of course, this isn’t the first time around for humanity, the idea of a doomsday date.

Christopher Columbus believed that he had to discover his ancient lands right away and end his travels quickly—the zodiac, according to his diary, indicated that the end of the world was nigh around 1502.

The Spanish conquistadors lived in fear of the end-times, as similar astrological predictions said the apocalypse would occur around 1524, when a second Great Flood would engulf the world.

Halley’s Comet in May of 1910 caused some apocalyptic predictions, with numerous clergy and pseudo-scientists warning that the poison gases from the comet would destroy our atmosphere.

In December of 1954, Dorothy Martin of Chicago predicted that aliens from the planet Clarion would flood the world a second time—her cult was known as “the Seekers,” who quit their businesses and sold their earthly goods shortly before the fatal day. She may have been following in the footsteps of William Miller, whose cult did exactly the same thing 111 years earlier, reacting to Miller’s prediction of March 1843 as the end of it all.

Heaven’s Gate, run by Marshall Applewhite, did them all one better—his prediction that the Hale-Bopp comet would end the world drove his 39 followers to a mass suicide.

And who can forget Harold Camping? He predicted, via some rather skewed numerology, that the Bible itself set the date of the apocalypse as May 21, 2011; he bankrupted his business, the Christian ministry Family Radio, to set up nation-wide billboards announcing the end, and blamed an error in calculation when it failed to materialize.

As indeed all such predictions have failed to materialize.

So, if the Maya and their abrupt calendar are worrying you at all, just remember that history—and the probability of absolutely no disaster occurring 12/21/2012—are on your side.

The Mayan Doomsday, And Why It Doesn’t Spell Doom Part One

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

Written by Micheal Stratford

It’s known as the 2012 “phenomenon”, and there are hundreds of websites, crazed tweets and emails, along with nearly a million random comments (averaging around two hundred per website), all about it. We’re going to die, all of us, they tell us, and the cataclysm is coming December 21, 2012. And just in case you’ve been on Mars for a decade, or simply don’t want to plow through all those sites, here’s a very quick recap of the prediction, the reasoning behind it and the probability of it happening.

One caveat—it won’t be that quick, since there’s quite a bit to cover, hence this is a two-parter.

The scientific community, in brief, finds the prediction ridiculous, the reasoning flawed and the probability of occurrence non-existent. So why is the idea so popular, so widespread and so ingrained in our national mind-set, so much so that John Cusack’s biggest movie hit to date is 2012 (playing endlessly on TBS and TNT channels), a grand tableau of the disaster?

It starts with the Mayans, who created their own calendar, like the Gregorian bean-counters and Sumerian rune-readers. The popular interpretation of this calendar has been that the 12/21/2012 date marks the end of an era.

Two camps have arisen about this. One side says it will be positive, uplifting, like the Second Coming, which will renew the tired earth and end all that global warming; the other predicts dire catastrophes in the form of worldwide earthquakes, floods and upheavals that will leave the earth devastated. We’ll wish we had global warming afterwards.

Neither camp has a great deal of relevant research to back up its claims; evidence, scientific or otherwise, for the phenomenon is nil. But the Mayan calendar does end on December 21, 2012, said end-date coming at the close of a 5125-year cycle representing the arc of the Mesoamerican “Long Count” calendar. So people naturally wonder if the Mayans were on to something.

If they were, they kept it to themselves; no extant Mayan accounts speak of an end-of-the-world catastrophe, and nothing has been found in any archeological dig of Mayan civilization, whether it be a stone tablet or a wall decoration, that comes near a depiction of a civilization’s end. The closest thing the Mayans created to such science-fiction was the bas-relief stone depiction of a god with flames shooting out his rear end (in the 70s, this was claimed to be a picture of alien astronauts revered by the ignorant savages).

The truth seems to rest in the Mayan methods of keeping time; before the Europeans descended on the South American provinces with their lust for gold and their Gregorian updates, the time periods in Mayan history were measured in eras.
A b’aktun, for example, is a standard Mayan measurement of time that spans 144,000 days (over 394 years); it is broken down into twenty katun cycles of 7200 days apiece.

The Mayans reverenced world ages, not time-pieces, and their measurements were created for the divisions that they came up with (and many of their texts, deciphered and understandable, are still extant). It’s unlikely that they saw the end of the world as a single date; they would have been much more likely to consider it as an age, if they considered it at all.

In other words, it’s probably not going to happen, at least not based on the Mayan calendar, which regarded its times as the spans of the gods, not the minutes and hours—and days—of mortal man.

Of course, that hasn’t stopped the theorists from going a bit crazy over it. The second half of this article deals with them—and modern science’s reaction to them.

“Well, Well, What Can the Matter Be?”

Posted on October 11, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

Well water problems can be a huge headache for people. From the moment the groaning is heard that signals that there is no water to the time waiting until the well refills, it is truly inconvenient. While this is the end result of problems with a well, there are actually many causes for a loss of water. Some have some easy fixes that can take care of the problem and others require more elaborate and expensive solutions.

One problem is the build up of minerals that clog the well screens and perforated liners. The incrustation can slow the filling of the well and tax the pump. If the pump is working to pull in the water and none comes, you run the risk of damaging the pump.

Solution: Slow the pump rate to keep the minerals from building up inside. Have the well flushed out so that the perforations and/or screens are clear.

Another is the build up of biofilm. This is a gel-like substance formed by bacteria. It traps minerals and sand and mud in the pores of the well and causes a slowing of the water supply.

Solution: Monthly chlorine treatments can kill the bacteria and keep the well flowing.

Wells that dry out can be due to the water table becoming insufficient to supply the wells that tap into it. This is a bigger problem because finding a better water supply could mean relocating the well or digging it deeper to tap into a better aquifer.

Solution: Re-drill it in another location. Digging deeper on the property may yield better results, but the deeper the well, the more expensive a project it can be.

Other structural issues can exist, too. If it is poorly developed, there can be problems with the borehole that has been clogged or blocked by debris from the initial drilling. The well drilling company should take care of this and make certain that the well is flowing freely, but if it isn’t properly done, then it can lead to premature well collapse. If the hole is poorly drilled, then collapse from the sides caving in can also occur.

Solution: Drill a new one and use a different drilling company than the first time. Sometimes the debris can be cleared out, but it may be more cost effective to drill a whole new well if a collapse has begun rather than attempting to fix that one.

Overall, a slow well might be due to a possible over-pumping of the aquifer—the well is using more water than can recover from the groundwater supply. This can be temporary due to droughts or a deeper well might be needed to tap into a bigger water supply. If there is a structural issue or a mineral build-up problem, then a licensed drilling contractor may need to evaluate the problem and offer solutions and estimates of the cost involved to fix it. Whatever intervention is needed; you need your well to be feeling “well” again soon!

Day 1

Posted on October 5, 2012 by Teresa Fikes

Every business opportunity out there tells you to sell big to make big money.

You want money, you sell. That’s what all the websites will tell you.

Except this one.

This one makes you money when you give stuff away. Like money.

And your time, your efforts, your talents, your God-given abilities and what Walt Whitman called your “own inexorable self.”

We say God-given, because we don’t shy away from the spiritual side of life in sales.

We found out that giving makes good business sense.

We learned a long time ago that giving yourself, your time and profits, is a better payoff. And this isn’t just some vague feel-good pay-it-forward nonsense.

We’ve turned giving into a practical, money-making proposition, and it pays off in a bigger, better way than anyone ever dreamed.

It’s better than cashing a commission check that might not have been earned.

Or offering a business opportunity which is no opportunity at all for the poor suckers who must buy the “big selling package.”

We don’t have a big selling package; we have a vision for the future, and a sense of responsibility for the present.

When you log in to our website www.myday1.com to see our short video, we hope you’ll find it as life-changing and reviving a business idea as it has been for us.

One thing we do want you to notice: a section for favorite charity donations of our employees.

Our philosophy is based on that principle: giving big to get big. It’s how we run the place; it’s how we make the big money.

One question—will you give us the chance to show you how it works?

At www.myday1.com we’ve got a genuine business opportunity—not to sell to you, but to give you. Because giving makes good business sense.

Pick the Best Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Poultry

Posted on September 1, 2012 by Guest Blogger

English: Australorps (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There are practically countless numbers of breeds of chickens. Hybrids and crossbreeds have, also, emerged in recent years. It is important to choose the right breed that meets your requirements and is easy for you to raise. Different breeds differ in some attributes like meat, eggs or simply temperament. It is advisable that during the initial years, you try two or three breeds, so that you can decide which one is the best pick for you. Even then all birds of a certain breed might not be identical and show some deviation from their type. Breeding can have effect on egg size and productivity.

A popular website recently conducted a survey of more than one thousand readers, who have more than three years of experience in raising chickens to find out the popular breeds, hybrid or natural. It turned out that most productive hybrid egg layers were Hy-line Brown, California White, Golden Comet, Cherry Egger and Indian River while Leghorns, White-faced Black Spanish, Rhode Island Reds, Australorps, Rhode Island Whites and Plymouth Rocks topped the heritage egg layers. For extra-large eggs Hy-line Browns, Golden Comets, ISA Browns, Cinnamon Queens and Brown Sex Links did well among hybrids while Jersey Giants, Australorps, Plymouth Rocks, Orpingtons and Rhode Island Reds among heritage.

backyard chicken eggs (Photo credit: Rachel Tayse)

The following excerpt shows some more categories-

Quickest Eggs

“Some hybrid pullets (young hens) start laying eggs when they’re only 17 weeks old, but pullets of some breeds take more than 26 weeks to mature and start laying. If you’re in a hurry to get fresh eggs on your table, consider Cherry Eggers, Indian Rivers, ISA Browns, Pearl Leghorns and Golden Comets. Almost all Leghorns and Leghorn hybrids are quick to mature, but if you’re looking for other heritage breeds, check out Red Caps, Whitefaced Black Spanish, Anconas and Minorcas. Hens of these breeds can start laying at as early as 21 weeks.

Egg Color Spectrum

If one of your selection criteria is eggshell color, Marans, Barnevelders and Welsummers lay the darkest brown eggs. (We didn’t include Penedesenca in our survey because they’re rare, but they usually lay even darker eggs.) Ameraucanas and Araucanas (rumpless) lay greenish or bluish eggs.”

Source- http://www.motherearthnews.com/Sustainable-Farming/Best-Chicken-Breeds-For-Backyard-Flocks.aspx?page=2

Take your time going through the details and remember our tips.

10 Reason to Eat Blackberries

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Fried Collard Greens

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New Year’s Day Southerners Traditional Foods: Collards, Pork and Black-eyed Peas

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‘A Beginner’s Guide to Using Floral Foam’ by author steph07

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The Mayan Doomsday, And Why It Doesn’t Spell Doom Part Two

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The Mayan Doomsday, And Why It Doesn’t Spell Doom Part One

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“Well, Well, What Can the Matter Be?”

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Day 1

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Pick the Best Chicken Breeds for Your Backyard Poultry

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