Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Apple Cider vinegar

It has been awhile since I've posted any farm activity. I've been trying to get all my winter weaving, spinning and knitting projects done because I know as soon as it warms up I will be outside starting the garden.  I have been very busy with lambing and kidding. One big doe kid from my 3 year old alpine doe needed help, but all are well and the doe kid is one of the nicest we've had from our alpines. We breed for milk and dairy soundness, which means sound legs good udder attachment, teat placement and size and a good sound structure to produce milk. We've had 1 ewe lamb out of a Shetland mule bred to our texel ram and a ewe and ram out of our shetlands bred to a BFL. Pictures in next post. I'm posting a picture of apple cider vinegar I bottled up in January after fermenting since September from apple cider from our own apples. It turned out very good and with 2 1/2 gallons I shouldn't run out. I put a mother in the cider  I got from an amish friend, and let it work for about 4 months. Raw unpasteurised cider vinegar is high in potassium and can be sprayed on your animals hay daily for about 2 weeks before lambing or kidding to help with easier births. Adding it to the water is another way to get it in their systems. The Robins have returned and the Blue birds too so Spring is not far off.