Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Harry's simple turkey recipe
(Based on Thanksgiving 2008)
12 lb. Turkey at 325 degs. for 3.5 hours
Wash turkey, clean cavity with salt. Stuff cavity with apples and onions. Add a cup of water to bottom of roasting pan. Use a pan that will keep the turkey raised.
Baste with mixture of melted butter, basil, and white wine, then cover turkey with aluminum foil for first 2 hours. Brown for last 1 ½ hours.
Baste every 20 mins. Use fresh mixture for first hour, then continue to baste with drippings from pan. Add water if needed.
Basting Mixture: Melt ¼ lb of butter and add dried basil flakes and a couple dashes of dry white wine.
Substitute freely. Adjust cooking times for size of turkey approximately 20 min. per lb.
The rest:
- Dice giblets, brown in butter and add to two jars of Heinz turkey gravy. Stir in drippings from pan and simmer for a few minutes.
- Stove Top Turkey Dressing (follow directions on box)
- Instant mashed potatoes (ditto)
- Wrap sweet potatoes in aluminum foil and place on rack with turkey for last 1 ½ hours.
- Get someone else to make the green beans.
Community Thanksgiving at Presbyterian Church
The Sixth Annual Community Thanksgiving will be held in Westminster Hall at the first First Presbyterian Church on Thanksgiving Day from 2–4 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Yellow Springs Interspiritual Council. All villagers are invited. Turkey and sides will be served. Admission is free.
Yellow Springs vet at Honor Flight celebration
Theodore Jackson of Yellow Springs, who took an Honor Flight to the WWII Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC this year, told the Springfield News-Sun he was grateful and honored to have been able to take the trip. According to Jackson, he served in the Philippines and England.
Springfield News-Sun: Honor Flight open house recognizes vets
Monday, November 23, 2009
Guide to Holiday in the Village
As part of the YS Chamber of Commerce's Marketing Plan, they have rolled our their first ever online shopping guide. Developed for the Chamber by local designers Bing Design, it mimics the high quality, glossy magazines found in the Thanksgiving Day newspapers. The Guide features the Chamber's marketing partners and includes maps and a list of holiday events. Check out this beautiful e-magazine here or look for it on the Chamber Website.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Only four days left in the Home, Inc. survey
Yellow Springs Home, Inc. is seeking your input to help design a development that fits community needs at Rabbit Run Farm. Between Nov. 13 and November 25 a brief online survey will be available to complete. If you have any questions, please contact Emily Seibel, Program Manager, at (937)767-2790, by email or on the web. Thank you.
Nature Arts and Crafts Show continues today
(Chamber photo)The Nature Arts and Crafts Show at the Glen Helen Building continues in its second day today, Sunday, Nov. 22, from 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Related post: Glen Helen Nature Arts and Crafts Show
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Backyard Flock: The numbers game
Depending on the size of your family and the size of your lot, the ideal number of chickens to have in a backyard flock is about six. There are so many variables that go into this number that it probably shouldn’t even be mentioned. But six is the number that has always worked for us. Right now we have 13.
If you have six chickens that are in the productive stage of their life (six months to four years) you will be getting on average about four eggs a day. This will vary according to the seasons as they need about 12 hours of light to produce an egg. In summer, with six chickens and a family of four, you will be amazed at how fast the eggs pile up. You will have plenty to give away. But in winter, unless you leave a light on in the coop to make up for the lack of daylight, there will be days when you might be tempted to pick up a dozen eggs at the supermarket. Other factors that affect their egg-laying capacity are molting, broodiness and age.
Chickens usually molt every year. When they are making new feathers, their bodies use all the calcium they have stored up that would otherwise go into egg production. In Ohio, domestic chickens usually molt in late fall. Aside from the lack of eggs, a naked chicken is not a pretty sight. But, I will save that topic for another article.
When a chicken goes broody, all she wants to do is sit on a clutch of eggs. They can be hers or the eggs of other chickens; they can be fertilized or not. It makes no difference. Once she gets the urge to be a mother, she goes into a trance like state, stops laying, and sits on a pile of eggs for a couple weeks, thinking they are going to hatch. Fortunately, this usually only happens with certain breeds of chickens. I will also save this topic for another column.
Chickens are at their egg-laying peak from about six months, when they first start to lay, to about two years of age. In peak light, they will lay almost an egg-a-day during this age span. After that they will lay less and less until they reach the age of about six or seven years, when they will hardly lay at all. My best layers were my Barred Plymouth Rock and my Rhode Island Red. They never went broody, molted for only short periods of time, and produced regularly for about five years. Rocky, my Barred Rock, died of illness last winter at the age of five. Up until that time she had been a fairly regular producer, giving me two or three eggs a week near the end of her life. Pee Wee, my red hen, at almost six was giving me like production up until a few weeks ago when she molted. The molting is over, but she hasn’t started laying again. She deserves a rest.
This past May, we bought six new chicks at a hatchery, three Barred Rocks and three Araucanas. We did everything by the book in raising them. At six months, like clockwork, they started laying. It seems like the day they started, the rest of the flock (seven older chickens) quit. Was it psychological, or was it just a combination of the factors I mentioned above? With chickens, you can never discount the psychological factor. But, several of them are molting. In any event, we have all the eggs we can use right now, including green eggs that the Araucanas lay. But the days are getting shorter and I do not have an electric line out to their coop.
As you can see, if it’s eggs you want, you will have to introduce some youngsters into the flock every couple years. Following that pattern, if you are averse to serving up one of your pets for dinner and you are adept at keeping them safe from predators, your flock will inevitably grow. Hence the number 13.
If you have six chickens that are in the productive stage of their life (six months to four years) you will be getting on average about four eggs a day. This will vary according to the seasons as they need about 12 hours of light to produce an egg. In summer, with six chickens and a family of four, you will be amazed at how fast the eggs pile up. You will have plenty to give away. But in winter, unless you leave a light on in the coop to make up for the lack of daylight, there will be days when you might be tempted to pick up a dozen eggs at the supermarket. Other factors that affect their egg-laying capacity are molting, broodiness and age.
Chickens usually molt every year. When they are making new feathers, their bodies use all the calcium they have stored up that would otherwise go into egg production. In Ohio, domestic chickens usually molt in late fall. Aside from the lack of eggs, a naked chicken is not a pretty sight. But, I will save that topic for another article.
When a chicken goes broody, all she wants to do is sit on a clutch of eggs. They can be hers or the eggs of other chickens; they can be fertilized or not. It makes no difference. Once she gets the urge to be a mother, she goes into a trance like state, stops laying, and sits on a pile of eggs for a couple weeks, thinking they are going to hatch. Fortunately, this usually only happens with certain breeds of chickens. I will also save this topic for another column.
Chickens are at their egg-laying peak from about six months, when they first start to lay, to about two years of age. In peak light, they will lay almost an egg-a-day during this age span. After that they will lay less and less until they reach the age of about six or seven years, when they will hardly lay at all. My best layers were my Barred Plymouth Rock and my Rhode Island Red. They never went broody, molted for only short periods of time, and produced regularly for about five years. Rocky, my Barred Rock, died of illness last winter at the age of five. Up until that time she had been a fairly regular producer, giving me two or three eggs a week near the end of her life. Pee Wee, my red hen, at almost six was giving me like production up until a few weeks ago when she molted. The molting is over, but she hasn’t started laying again. She deserves a rest.
This past May, we bought six new chicks at a hatchery, three Barred Rocks and three Araucanas. We did everything by the book in raising them. At six months, like clockwork, they started laying. It seems like the day they started, the rest of the flock (seven older chickens) quit. Was it psychological, or was it just a combination of the factors I mentioned above? With chickens, you can never discount the psychological factor. But, several of them are molting. In any event, we have all the eggs we can use right now, including green eggs that the Araucanas lay. But the days are getting shorter and I do not have an electric line out to their coop.As you can see, if it’s eggs you want, you will have to introduce some youngsters into the flock every couple years. Following that pattern, if you are averse to serving up one of your pets for dinner and you are adept at keeping them safe from predators, your flock will inevitably grow. Hence the number 13.
Friday, November 20, 2009
Best Hometown Celebration
The editor of Ohio Magazine presents Mayor Dave Foubert with the Best Hometown award.
Singers warmed up the crowd to kick off the celebration.More photos of the Best Hometown celebration and Friday Fling here.
Best Hometown Celebration Tonight
The celebration starts at 5:30 p.m. tonight in the alley next to the Senior Center. See our own Mellow Yellow Dance, hear Yellow Springs songs and why locals think that Yellow Springs is the best hometown. Editors from Ohio Magazine will be in attendance to present the award and sell copies of the magazine. Tonight is also a Friday Fling with free carriage rides and late shopping.
Business After Hours last night at the Emporium
The YS Chamber of Commerce has the lowest dues around and offers great benefits to members. You might want to consider attending one of these bimonthly Chamber events. Almost everyone in attendance won a door prize!Related post: Business After Hours tonight at the Emporium
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Business After Hours tonight at the Emporium
This from the Chamber:
Just a reminder about the Business After Hours tonight where we’ll be talking about Chamber benefits with the experts on insurance and work er’s comp. Please come to learn more about these benefits and encourage non-members to come hoping that they’ll be interested in joining. It is at the Emporium from 5:30-7:30 with wine, treats from Current and door prizes.
Don’t forget the Best Hometown Celebration tomorrow night next to the Senior Center that starts at 5:30. See our own Mellow Yellow Dance, hear Yellow Springs songs and why locals think that Yellow Springs is the best hometown. The folks from Ohio Magazine will be here to give us our award and sell copies of the magazine. Then after enjoy a Friday Fling with free carriage rides and late shopping.
Just a reminder about the Business After Hours tonight where we’ll be talking about Chamber benefits with the experts on insurance and work er’s comp. Please come to learn more about these benefits and encourage non-members to come hoping that they’ll be interested in joining. It is at the Emporium from 5:30-7:30 with wine, treats from Current and door prizes.
Don’t forget the Best Hometown Celebration tomorrow night next to the Senior Center that starts at 5:30. See our own Mellow Yellow Dance, hear Yellow Springs songs and why locals think that Yellow Springs is the best hometown. The folks from Ohio Magazine will be here to give us our award and sell copies of the magazine. Then after enjoy a Friday Fling with free carriage rides and late shopping.
WYSO Thanksgiving
| |||||||||||||
| | |||||||||||||
Carolion - Nov. 18, 2009
Dear Friends and Family,
Carolion died peacefully at around 8:00 yesterday (wed) morning. She was able to stay in the house to the end. Her children, Ben, Jessie and I (Corrie) were at the bedside as well as Paul and Carol (my dad and stepmom). Our brother Max was en route from England when she passed.
Her condition was in a fairly steep decline starting last saturday. We were able to reorganize the house, with the help of hospice volunteers, to allow her more privacy and quiet to go more deeply inward. Last week I suggested that we send an update to her mailing list. She wanted to express to you her "great gratitude for the cards", which we received by twos and threes all but a couple of the days I've been here. She also wanted to share that she was "delighted in the changes" that she saw in her caretakers-my brother Ben, myself, and Tiger, as well as the army of devoted friends and neighbors that provided respite each week.
I am especially grateful and humbled by the time and devotion shown by Lee Ferguson, Selwa Whitesell, Rubin Battino, Bet Stewart, Alan Staiger, Patti Dallas, and Jonatha Wright, among others, who scheduled time week after week to allow Tiger and me the time and peace of mind that have made our journey possible. Hospice, too, has been an incredible organization to be a part of. Yellow Springs local nurses Liz Porter and Maureen Dawn have shown unyielding compassion and strength to our family.
A memorial service is planned for Friday, November 27th at 2 pm at the Glen Helen Building in Yellow Springs.
Best,
Corrie
Carolion died peacefully at around 8:00 yesterday (wed) morning. She was able to stay in the house to the end. Her children, Ben, Jessie and I (Corrie) were at the bedside as well as Paul and Carol (my dad and stepmom). Our brother Max was en route from England when she passed.
Her condition was in a fairly steep decline starting last saturday. We were able to reorganize the house, with the help of hospice volunteers, to allow her more privacy and quiet to go more deeply inward. Last week I suggested that we send an update to her mailing list. She wanted to express to you her "great gratitude for the cards", which we received by twos and threes all but a couple of the days I've been here. She also wanted to share that she was "delighted in the changes" that she saw in her caretakers-my brother Ben, myself, and Tiger, as well as the army of devoted friends and neighbors that provided respite each week.
I am especially grateful and humbled by the time and devotion shown by Lee Ferguson, Selwa Whitesell, Rubin Battino, Bet Stewart, Alan Staiger, Patti Dallas, and Jonatha Wright, among others, who scheduled time week after week to allow Tiger and me the time and peace of mind that have made our journey possible. Hospice, too, has been an incredible organization to be a part of. Yellow Springs local nurses Liz Porter and Maureen Dawn have shown unyielding compassion and strength to our family.
A memorial service is planned for Friday, November 27th at 2 pm at the Glen Helen Building in Yellow Springs.
Best,
Corrie
Xenia man celebrates 100th B-day - has ties to YS
First I was tipped off by his granddaughter on her Facebook page, then I saw it on Channel 7 last night, and this morning it was reported in the Xenia Gazette: Hargis Hicks of Xenia turned 100 yesterday and celebrated in his favorite restaurant where they threw a party for him. Hicks is the grandfather of Mindy Carpenter, one time YS resident and former director of the Antioch Writers' Workshop.
"Grandpa made the newspaper!" Carpenter wrote. "He has eaten lunch at this restaurant nearly everyday for over ten years, so they threw him a 100th birthday party yesterday."
Xenia Gazette
"Grandpa made the newspaper!" Carpenter wrote. "He has eaten lunch at this restaurant nearly everyday for over ten years, so they threw him a 100th birthday party yesterday."
Xenia Gazette
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Dayton Region Rally
Congratulations to Lisa Hunt for an incredible presentation yesterday at the Dayton Region Rally. Lisa got the crowd engaged with a chant and gave an energetic and informative presentation on the arts in Yellow Springs. Congratulations also to Evan Scott for coordinating this event.
I’ve attached a photo of Lisa on stage with the Arts Council logo on the big screen. Sorry for the poor photography. Here is a link to an article in the Dayton Daily News today: Rally at UD Arena touts strengths of Dayton area.
Karen Wintrow
Executive Director
Yellow Springs Chamber of Commerce
Rocky & Pee Wee: Best Hometown
Click on image to enlarge.The celebration starts Friday at 5:30 p.m. outside the Senior Center.
The Backyard Flock: The joy of raising chickens
Imagine stepping into your backyard and being mobbed by more than a dozen beautiful chicks. It happens to me every day. I would feel like a rock star, but for the fact that I’m talking about real chicks – the feathered kind. It is a fact, however, that they are beautiful, and each one special in her way.We have been raising chickens in our backyard for over five years. We are not alone in this in Yellow Springs. A few years ago, I did an article about backyard flocks in the village for the YS News. At that time there were about a dozen. It was fun talking to the other poultry folk. I could detect the joy in their voices as they told me stories about their birds.
We started with a half-dozen chicks purchased at the Caesar’s Creek Flea Market on a balmy day in May, 2004. Amy, who up until that time had had a no-pets policy, couldn’t resist the little fuzz balls a Korean man was selling for six-for-five-dollars. I would have talked her out of it, but for the fact that my friend Terri Wehrley-Pyles had a flock of six in a shed behind her house. So, I knew it was doable. With out knowing much about it myself, I cautioned Amy that we would be taking on responsibilities that we weren’t in a position to foresee at the time. She claimed she understood.
We drove home happily with two barred Plymouth Rocks, two Rhode Island Reds and two Araucanas, each about the size of a canary, cuddled up in a cardboard box. Every time we hit a bump they would let out a chorus of peeps. All I knew about raising chicks back then was that you had to keep them warm the first few weeks. We currently have 13 hens of all descriptions. What I have learned over the years is that after the first couple months, they are pretty easy to care for, as long as you can keep them safe from predators.
If you treat your chickens like pets, especially by handling them a lot when they are still little chicks, they will behave like pets. If you don’t want to get emotionally involved with them, they will treat you the same way. Either way, they are a joy to watch. I have known farmers with flocks of a hundred chickens or more who have observed very little about their behavior. They don’t know what they are missing. Chickens are smart, funny and a bundle of curious instincts. It’s no wonder that so many chicken terms such as “pecking order” and “coming home to roost” have found their way into our everyday language. I read somewhere that they communicate with a vocabulary of some 30 different sounds and can recognize up to 300 other chickens.
One summer afternoon a few years ago, I dragged a lawn chair out to where my girls were scratching and pecking, and sat down to observe them with a beer and a bag of corn chips. Pee Wee, the little red hen of Rocky and Pee Wee fame, jumped up and sat in my lap. “Cuck-cuck-a-coo,” she crooned. At the age of almost six, she still greets me every morning as the rest of the flock scrambles for position around the feeder.
Look for this column to become a regular feature of the Blog.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
