Lately I’ve been contemplating how many chickens is the right number of chickens. I think the sweet spot lies somewhere between the low end being the amount of chickens your property can feed with on site food sources (like Joel Salatin mentions in the audio) and the high end being the number you need for your personal egg consumption and hatching to sustain your flock.
Chickens are the least sustainable of all the animals we raise. That is partly because we’ve been raising enough chickens to provide hatching eggs for many other families, not just what we need here.
We recently used the last of the eggs we had stored from spring and summer, and we’re feeding about 150 chickens right now since there’s not much for them to forage during winter – while only collecting between 2 and 6 eggs per day since they don’t lay many eggs during the dark short days of winter. ????
We do have some on site resources to feed them, but not enough for this size of a flock and so we’ve been refining our flock and hatching egg offerings for a number of years, getting closer to the target of that sweet spot. (We could have gone much faster with reducing our flock but we love all the breeds we have and find it so hard to pick!)
For 2023 we are focusing more on Bresse and less on having a lot of breeds for rainbow hatching eggs. Bresse are becoming more popular since they are a meat breed but they still provide plenty of very large eggs, and those eggs are hatchable too so unlike most meat birds that you buy a chicks, each family that keeps Bresse has their own source of chicks for both chicken eggs and meat to sustain their flock!
In a drastic reversal of its previous policy, the FDA now considers ALL homeopathic medicines to be “unapproved new drugs” subject to pharmaceutical-specific premarket approval requirements or removal from the market at any time without notice as “illegally” marketed products.
With the FDA making its proposed new guidance final this month, we now must face the prospect that at least some of our cherished medicines could be gone in the new year as the FDA decides to eliminate remedies that it considers “too risky” without having to provide any evidence of problems. This is something which is explicitly allowed by the guidance.
We must turn to Congress and ask them to step in with legislation that protects homeopathic medicines from the FDA’s vague and overly broad (mis)guidance that could lead to arbitrary and unfounded withdrawals of properly manufactured and labeled homeopathic medicines that threaten no one (and the FDA has even done so already when it was in draft form!).
Ask your legislators to join the growing bipartisan coalition of offices seeking to preserve the right to choose homeopathic medicines.
‘Tis the season for colder days, warming up by the fire, and time spent with those you love. Dive in with us as we create a cozy home and turn our focus inward towards the restful winter season and the hope of Jesus Christ.
Happy December from Better with THyme
Happy December!
This month we’re making our final preparations around the farm before the winter weather turns harsh – especially finishing up our new lambing shelters since we’re expecting lambs late this month or early next month!
I’ve had a continuous pot of broth going since Thanksgiving to keep us all filled with the warm nourishment it provides daily, we’ve also been continuing to have adrenal cocktails every afternoon (with additional vitamin C from Super C – which you can get free this month!) and I’ve been really upping our magnesium game lately with double batches of magnesium bicarbonate.
Have you ever made magnesium bicarb? It’s very simple and makes it easier for your body to absorb and utilize the magnesium. Most of us (up to 80% of Americans ????) are deficient in magnesium AND on top of that, stress causes us to use up even more! This is our most important supplement. I also take Mineral Essence daily, to make sure I’m getting the full range of minerals my body needs.
Of course we’re also continuing to making sure to support our bodies with enough sleep, and making sure our home is filled with safe products – from our cleaning supplies to our personal care and supplements. Plus all the Christmasy diffuser blends for warm, welcoming smells throughout the house!
Below you’ll find seasonal tips, diffuser blends, a Bible reading plan and more for this month, plus info about this month’s free gifts and new releases from Young Living. It’s a lot, so make sure to save this page to come back to throughout the month and I’ll add to it if I find anything else seasonal that I’d love to share with you!
XO Sarah
The Holistic Homestead Course
We welcomed a number of new students to our course in November and we’re temporarily closing the doors for the course while we focus on serving our current students and enjoying some rest and family downtime during December.
If you missed your chance to get in during our sale, sign up for the waitlist and be the first to know when we open the doors again!
We hope to have ewe lambs ready to go to new homes in March. If you’re interested in your own babydoll lambs, please sign up to be notified on the product page by clicking on the image below!
We’re also starting to add Farm Merch! What else would be useful to you besides a calendar? Contact us and let us know!
This month we are hosting a gathering at the farm. Meet the animals, ask questions and join us for some fun seasonal DIY projects (think gifts to give for Christmas!) that you can take home with you. Contact us for more info if you’re interested!
Limited Time Offer
Simplify your holiday season with the limited time Winter Collection of essential oil blends! No figuring out what to put in the diffuser for amazing wintery scents, just pick one and done! These blends also make great perfumes!
Check back soon, I am going to post some of my favorite Christmas dinner recipes!
Thieves Tea
Warming, soothing and ever so slightly spicy. This a such a simple winter wellness tool to have in your toolbox. The Thieves blend includes Clove, Lemon, Cinnamon Bark, Eucalyptus radiata, and Rosemary.
Essentials for a Cozy Winter Home
Winter is upon us, and this season often brings lots of gatherings and goings-on. We want to make sure we stay above the wellness line and enjoy this season to its fullest. Here are a few of our must-have products for doing just that!
Stress Away Roll-On: for a moment of calm whenever needed.
Thieves Roll-On: for all the immune support.
Pine Essential Oil: for festive aromas and immune health.
AlkaLime: to use after one too many glasses of egg-nog.
NingXia Red 2 pack: for daily energy & vitality
Christmas Spirit Foaming Hand Soap, 3pk: for festive scents & healthy, clean hands!
Learn more about all our other favorite winter essentials here:
The Winter Wonderland Challenge Is Here! Every day during the month of December we are diffusing the Evergreen Essence blend! So simple but powerful investment in your wellness this month!
If you’re a current customer or brand partner, you can also access our team diffuser calendar with a new blend for every day of the month. Let me know if you need help finding it!
Swipe through to see all the gifts and ideas of how to use them! You definitely do’t want to miss a free bottle of Peace & Calming. It’s Peter’s number one go-to oil, great for kids who need re-centering and it’s our cow Mulberry’s absolute favorite. She will let us know if we forget to bring it at milking time!
Question 1: Differences between Guineas and Chickens? Do you have to put them up at night?
Guinea eggs are slightly smaller and more pointy but the yolks are the same size.
Guinea meat is darker and leaner (some friends have told me they love the meat, we haven’t tried it yet).
Guineas range far but always stick together in a group, they don’t separate like chickens do. Ours stay in our perimeter fence, if you don’t have a fence that will contain them, consider your neighbors.
Guineas can fly better than chickens, though they stick to the ground in general.
Guineas prefer to sleep up high in the open air vs. most chickens prefer to sleep inside a coop. If you want guineas protected in a coop at night you’ll have to teach them to go in. For eg, feed them inside the coop at sunset. They do go to the same place every night so I don’t think you’d have to do this indefinitely, just until they learn.
Guinea keets (babies) don’t know what to eat and not eat. The brooder should be all feed on the bottom, no bedding.
Guineas have the potential to be much louder than chickens! We raised ours indoors for a month and in a rabbit tractor near our house for another month. They are very comfortable and friendly with us and we have livestock guardian dogs that keep predators far away so the loud alarm noise they can make has been extremely rare in our experience, just a couple of times per year.
Question 2: Pros and cons? I’m wondering if we should consider getting some for tick control.
Besides considering the differences above, I’ll keep this short to the one most important pro in our experience: if you have ticks in your area and have at least some space for guineas to range, I don’t think you’ll regret it. We have had up to 300 chickens at a time ranging throughout our property and they never put a dent in the ticks. We have 5 guineas and they’ve wiped out the tick population!
Ask me any others in the comments and I’ll do my best to help!
An adrenal cocktail is not an alcoholic drink, but a nourishing drink that can help stabilize your energy and support well being by providing the essential minerals that are missing from our modern diets. Getting all the minerals your body needs helps support your adrenal health and more.
What does adrenal health have to do with energy? Your adrenal glands are endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones including adrenaline and the steroids aldosterone and cortisol, which effect metabolism, glucose usage, blood pressure, immunity, and stress response regulation.
What symptoms indicate adrenals need support?
Hair loss
Slumps in the afternoon
Dry skin
Low libido
PMS
Irregular menses
Infertility
Feeling cold when others feel warm
Exhaustion even with enough of sleep
Brain fog, irritability and anxiousness
Burst of energy in the evening
Inconsistent sleep patterns
Craving salty or sweet foods
How to make an adrenal cocktail
To make an adrenal cocktail three crucial ingredients are needed to restore the balance of vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes your body needs to replenish cortisol, regulate blood sugar, and balance hormones to alleviate adrenal fatigue symptoms!
Whole food vitamin C
Potassium
Sodium
From there, you can add on additional options to increase energy and minerals, which are depleted in most of us. For example, maple syrup for glucose and additional minerals. Collagen for essential amino acids to sustain blood sugar regulation.
Adrenal Cocktail Recipe
Whole food C source: 4-6 ounces organic lemon or orange juice, freshly squeezed if possible
Potassium source: 1/4 cup organic coconut water or 1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Sodium source: pinch – 1/4 tsp Himalayan or Redmond salt
1 scoop Inner Beauty Collagen
1 tube NingXia Nitro
Splash raw heavy cream
1 Tbsp organic maple syrup
1/2-1 ounce magnesium bicarbonate
Sparkling or Soda Stream water to top off
Mix all ingredients in a 12 ounce cup/jar and top with sparkling water. Sip throughout the day or drink during the afternoon energy slump.
Orange Creamsicle Recipe with additional Mineral Rich + Inflammation Support Supplements
Mix all ingredients in a 12 ounce cup/jar and top with sparkling water. Sip throughout the day or drink during the afternoon energy slump.
More About Mineral Essence
This supplement provides essential ionic minerals, which are the most fully and quickly absorbed form of minerals available. It’s an excellent source of magnesium and also contains more than 60 different minerals, in the right balance our bodies need plus additional ingredients for added vitamins and nutrient absorption.
Balanced, full-spectrum ionic mineral complex
Enhanced with essential oils
Excellent source of magnesium
Ingredients
Mineral Essence is a broad spectrum supplement that combines sixty two ionic minerals in a base of royal jelly as well as cinnamon, lemon and peppermint essential oil.
The essential oils of Lemon, Cinnamon, and Peppermint enable the ionic mineral complex to be absorbed at the cellular level more easily.
Royal jelly is rich in amino acids, minerals and Vitamins B6 and B5. May support healthy endocrine system.
Honey contains antioxidants, amino acids and vital minerals and vitamins including B vitamins.
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About Our Family
Hi, we are Sarah & Peter Milcetic of Better with Thyme Farm! On our farm we focus on working with Creation and the wisdom of God’s design. Stewarding our land and animals for God's glory gives us hope and freedom for the present and eternity.
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. -John 15:4
We Love Thyme
We love thyme. With seemingly endless varieties of this aromatic, delicious, medicinal, flowering evergreen ground cover we thought it was a perfect namesake for our farm. We especially loved creating a play on words that reflects hope, regeneration and abundance.
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. -Romans 15:13
Homestead Cleanup!
Are you ready to make a shift toward a healthier home? I'd love to help you!
Introducing the Holistic Homesteaders Hub! Our mission is to create a network of breeders, buyers and service providers dedicated to stewarding our animals for their optimal wellbeing, rearing our animals as close to nature as possible and incorporating natural remedies only as needed.
