Cold Pops: Home remedy to help fight colds & flu.

Cold and flu season have come in HOT this year, we’ve already got the sniffles, coughs and itchy eyes happening! I like to make these cold and flu “pops” each year. They are a little bit of a process to make, but super easy to store and use all throughout winter! (Also, I am NOT a doctor, just a hippie. Ha!)

My recipe uses chamomile flowers, they contain:

• Anti-inflammatory properties

• Soothes cold symptoms

• Good for your heart

• Helps with digestion

• Good for sleep

• Reduces anxiety

I also use elder flowers, they are the flower or the elderberry bush. Elderberry syrup is used by many to also fight colds.  Elder flowers support healthy respiratory systems, in particular helping reduce runny noses. They have also been used to support healthy fever management.

Ginger helps to achieve efficient digestion. And since everything in your body gets regulated by your gut (in my OPINION,) a healthy one is super important. 

The lemon helps with nasal congestion, and overall taste…and the raw honey, well that’s a SUPER FOOD and can do no wrong. We eat it every day. 

Here is my recipe, with links below it to all the ingredients/tools you might not be able to find locally! 

Ingredients:

1 tbsp Elder flowers

1 tbsp Chamomile flowers 

1/4 a stalk of Fresh chopped ginger or 1 tbsp ground ginger 

Lemon wedges

1 tbsp Raw honey 

In 2 cups of water, heat Elder flowers, Chamomile flowers and ginger.

Bring to a boil

Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes on low 

Strain flowers 

Add to silicone mold or ice cube tray

Freeze overnight 

Add to hot water or tea, add lemon and honey for extra immune boosts. 

I found most of my ingredients on Amazon, you can find those here. (Some of these links are commissionable links, but all of these items I use in my kitchen today.) 

Here are the elder flowers I used:https://amzn.to/3tpGSQi

Here are the Chamomile flowers:https://amzn.to/3Uy5fHs

Here is the silicone molds, they work GREAT:https://amzn.to/3DZz7W6

These are great also, Easy to store when you aren’t using them:https://amzn.to/3WW8IkE

Sometimes I also add some cayenne pepper to my tea to spice it up as well! 

And I almost forgot my favorite tea: https://amzn.to/3G9w1kX

Enjoy! Hope this helps this winter! 

Baking Essentials

I’ve been having so much fun with our soudough starter, Birdie!! If you haven’t made your own bread or tasted the amazingness of freshly baked bread … you are missing out! It can be intimidating because it’s a process with some steps - but it’s not hard and you can totally do it!

Also, through much trial and error, I have discovered some tools to make the process a little easier…and wanted to have them all in one spot to share with y’all. So, here’s what helps me in the kitchen!

And a heads up: some of these links are commissionable links to products. I’d share about them anyway but if you do decide to buy them through these links I make a few dimes! ❤️

Danish Dough Hook/Whisk

Why do I love this?

Honestly, this isn’t a necessary tool, but I LOVE it and I use it every.single.day. In fact, I have two of them because one is always dirty! This replaced the whisk in my kitchen. Anything that I’m doing bread/dough related I use it-making cookies, muffins, sourdough, baguettes, etc. I even use it to scramble my eggs in the mornings.

Grab one here: https://amzn.to/3ExEOwl

Large ceramic bowl

I love a good ceramic bowl. I don’t ever use plastic or stainless bowls with baking my bread - I just want to be sure the active yeasts have nothing else to feast on, and feel like the more natural supplies used the better! They are also nice and big, sturdy, long-lasting. You will soon go from baking one loaf to 2-3 at a time. Promise. On the bowl-go big or go home!

I got this one as a gift from my awesome MIL, but I found some similar on Amazon:

Option 1: https://amzn.to/3rRzdsU

Also, I need these in my life! They are beautiful!

Option 2: https://amzn.to/3RTfnrO

Digital Scale

Gotta have it if you want to do sourdough. Having the correct amount of ingredients is crucial to baking and I couldn’t do it without a food scale. This doesn’t need to be a super fancy piece of equipment, I love my Amazon Basics food scale - you can get it HERE, this one includes the battery!

Silicone Spatula

If you have a sourdough starter on your counter these will change your life! 😂 They are perfect for feeding your starter, help create those good air bubbles and are SO easy to clean! I use mine daily and is a must have in my opinion. Since you NEED this … HERE you go.

WECK Jar

These jars are super helpful when maintaining a sourdough starter. Using a glass mason jar is totally fine, but WECK jars are curved at the bottom which helps when you’re stirring your starter and creating those air bubbles.

Get them here: https://amzn.to/3RMOshD

Dutch Oven

It’s kind of a must. I got mine as a gift (MIL has good taste) but have also seen them tons at garage sales/goodwill. You’ll need one with a lid, that can go into ovens at 500 degrees. This is the one I have: https://amzn.to/3CsBUWT

Sourdough Kit

This is a one-stop shop kit. This is everything you need once your starter is up and running, and you’re ready to bake. You can definitely find these items sold separately but this is pretty much all you need. This kit includes 2 round banneton baskets (9 Inches), 2 washable linen liner cloths for smooth dough texture, 1 plastic scraper for shaping and scraping your dough, one stainless steel scraper for cutting your bread, 1 silicone stirrer(colors will vary)and 1 bread lame for scoring those beautiful images. One last thing - it includes our sourdough starter and instructions! This will make a great gift for someone that has “everything” - get it here.

I’ve just finished up making a batch of dehydrated sourdough starter. If you are ready to dive in and make your own, here’s the link to pick-up “Birdie” for you!

chicken & waffles casserole

In our October farm delivery, we included chicken breasts and our homemade waffle mix. Now it’s time to combine those things into a tasty breakfast (or easy weeknight meal)!

For waffles you’ll need:

• waffle mix

• egg

• melted butter

• buttermilk or milk

• vanilla

Follow the steps included in our waffle mix or make your own recipe. Set aside.

For chicken you’ll need:

•chicken breast

•1 cup All-Purpose Flour

•½ tsp Salt

• ¼ tsp Pepper

•1 tsp Garlic Powder

• 1 tsp Paprika

• 1 tsp Onion Powder

• 2 Eggs beaten

• Vegetable Oil for frying

  ——————————

• Cut chicken breasts into 2-in cubes

• Whisk together flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and onion powder in a bowl

• Toss chicken in flour mixture

• Set chicken in milk/egg mixture

• Toss chicken in flour mixture a second time

• Pan fry chicken on med-high vegetable or peanut oil until cooked through, or about 3 minutes a side.

• Let cool on a paper plate lined with a paper towel.

For casserole you’ll need:

•8 eggs

•3/4 cup milk

•1/4 cup maple syrup or honey

•2tbsp melted butter

•pinch of salt & pepper

————————————

•combine all ingredients in a bowl

•in 9x13 pan place waffles (cut into pieces) and chicken nuggets in bottom of pan

•pour egg mixture over chicken and waffles

•Bake at 400degrees for 45 min-1 hour

•Serve warm

Thursday’s Top Three: Turkey Edition

“Top Three Things We Love About Our Turkeys”

1. They are packed with natural nutrients - from a top quality feed (organic, soy-free, corn-free, no animal biproducts), AND all the bugs & grass they can eat. The majority of factory raised turkeys eat grain, jam-packed with anti­biotics and hormones to prevent disease and promote growth.

2. They only have one bad day. Our turkeys live a great life - they are free to live on pasture, scratching & pecking, feeling the sunshine & wind, BEING turkeys. Factory raised birds are often inside overcrowded cages their entire lives, on concrete floors.

3. They are tastier! You can absolutely taste the difference in our turkeys. The meat is juicier, the skin is crisper and the fat content adds to the taste of the bird vs. overpowering it.  Factory raised turkeys often have a yellow color to them and are quite dry.

MOndays are for miracLeS

I want to share parts of our journey with you guys, and I think maybe sharing a post each Monday is the way I’m going to do it....sooooo, here goes!

Throughout our journey with a pediatric brain tumor (still mind blowing that this is a sentence I use), we’ve experienced all kinds of miracles - some small and some huge. This one is pretty damn big. This miracle is about a man - an incredible surgeon who’s job each and everyday is to save lives. Kids lives. My kid’s life. 

Beckett James, age 4

“Dr. Whitehead ain’t got no quit in him.” That’s what one nurse (a nurse that just happened to catch us in the hallway during Beckett’s surgery) told us about our surgeon. And booooyyy, that was the perfect way to describe him. 

About 12 hours after Beckett’s initial diagnosis we learned of an AMAZING neurosurgeon at Texas Children’s Hospital.  After hearing about all of his experience and accomplishments from some of our most trusted friends (hi, miracles), we knew we had to travel to Houston and try to get on his service. TCH told us to come as soon as we could, and we’d be admitted under “whoever” was on call for that day. We decided to go ahead and go and then try to sneak into Dr. Whitehead’s care somehow.  Wouldn’t you know it, the day we arrived, Dr. Whitehead was the surgeon on call (hello, miracle). 

Beckett’s brain tumor - Pilocytic astrocytoma

We were admitted, and a few hours later Dr. Whitehead walked into our room with his team. He was so calm, so reassuring, so confident in what his team could do for us.  He did a few cognitive tests on Beckett, had looked over his scans and medical report, and then he explained what our next steps would be and what the next couple of days would look like for us.  He was thorough, he was factual, and he answered all of our questions honestly. After he left our room, I looked at my sister, and just exhaled. He had a good plan and I felt like, “okay with this guy, we got this.” 

2 days before surgery, waking with dad.

1 day before surgery, after his MRI.

The day of Beckett’s surgery Dr. Whitehead calmly walked up to me in the hall and said “okay we have a room, it’s time.” About 45 minutes later I kissed my boy, walked out of the operating room, and he started performing a TEN HOUR surgery on my Bear. Most of that 10 hours was spent looking into a microscope, into my son’s brain, removing a tangerine-sized tumor. Around 8pm that same day, he walked into the waiting room just as calmly as before (although utterly exhausted) and said, “okay we got it all.” I WANTED TO JUMP ONTO HIM AND SMOTHER HIM WITH HUGS. But of course, I just cried and said “thank you thank you thank you.” (MIRACLE MIRACLE MIRACLE!!!)

The moment we found out the tumor was removed.

The day after surgery.

3 days after surgery.

....And then he left to go get some rest....so he could wake up the next day for his clinical hours...where he’d follow up and check on all the other kids he had performed surgery on. All the other kids he had saved. 

He followed up with Beckett over the next few weeks we were in the hospital. He was always compassionate and calm, always remembered little things about Beckett and Lawd y’all - he saved his hair! (tiny miracle)

We’re forever grateful for you Dr. Whitehead. Miracle man.

Forever and ever Amen. 

Side note: Dr. Whitehead LOVES Texas BBQ (who doesn’t?!) and in particular Franklin’s (duh) - so if anyone has a hook-up with Mr. Aaron Franklin and can get me a brisket shipped to Houston I’d love you...for like, a really long time. 

Nice to meet you!

Hi y’all, I’m Paige! I’m just your average 30-ish year old, stay-at-home momma, living the dream. Then BAM! WE BOUGHT A FARM!! Now, I’m a stay-at-home momma, living the dream... while milking cows, collecting eggs and cleaning up WAY TOO MUCH poop! About 3 years ago my family and I bought a little “fixer upper farm” just west of weird in Dripping Springs, TX (outside of Austin).

No - we did not grow up farming. No - we have no idea what we’re doing. We’re one of those crazy families that had an out-of-this-world dream, and whose stars aligned at the right time for us to take a giant chance! It’s been so much harder than I imagined, but also SO MUCH BETTER. I honestly can’t imagine living my life any other way now, even WITH all the poop! 

Our daughter, Brooklyn, is the oldest of three kiddos and was going into kindergarten when we moved here.   She is equal parts sweet (to everyone else) and sass (to me!) and is absolutely an animal whisperer, especially with catching chickens and holding babies!

Next in line is our boy Braxtton (“Brax”). He’s the little worker of the bunch. He loves a job, even if it requires scooping poop, and won’t quit until it’s done! When he’s not helping out, you can find him outside building a fort, making a trap or cutting down trees 😬😳 . Yes it happened. 

Our youngest is named Beckett... what can I say about Beckett??? He is FULL of personality! Our farms egg cartons read “Organically raised, Free to range, Toddler terrorized” and that couldn’t be closer to the truth! Becks was just a baby when we moved here, he has grown up on our farm and doesn’t know any different! It’s amazing to watch him - he has no fear when it comes to our animals, and he can do most of the jobs on the farm - or at least tell YOU how to do them! 

I can’t forget about Farmer Corry - he’s the most important! He’s the one that gets up early to help me with chores, and then heads to work all day so i can keep this farming thing going! Every morning, before work (and before the sun comes up) we’re out there milking, feeding, watering and handling whatever crisis the night brought us! This farm would absolutely not work without his support! Also, chores are more fun with a buddy! 

We’ve lived on our farm for about 3 years now, and I have learned to raise chickens, cattle, pigs, bees, peacocks, turkeys, AND children! So many lessons have been learned - they’ve often come hard (and expensive) but I always walk away knowing that I’ll do better in the future. Above everything else - we’ve met SO many amazing people. People that are willing to walk you through a process, help you when you’re at your lowest, and teach you - really teach you the right way to do things on a farm. 

So...that’s our little family. And our little farm. It’s nice to meet you, thanks so much for following along in our journey! We hope you will be entertained, maybe learn a thing or two, but most important - see the amazing things that can happen when you support a small, local farm. Now, let’s get out and grow something! 

Love to you all! 

Black Bear Farm  

Herbs we use on our farm...

Keeping backyard chickens is similar to raising children - there are lots of different ways to do it, and most folks do things just a tad different than the rest. Here at Black Bear Farm - we of course use organic food and chicken scratch, the hens are free to range all day eating grass and bugs, and we also use natural spices and herbs to help aid in certain areas. Here are a list of the herbs we use on our farm, and why we use them. They are all easily accessible, and you can usually find them in bulk on Amazon (hello, money saver)! 

1. Lavender 

We use lavender in the nesting boxes in our coop. Lavender is a natural stress reliever, which helps with laying hens. Its also known to increase blood flow and aid in circulation. Lavender also acts as an insecticide to help keep critters away...and it also smells nice! 

2. Rosemary  

We use rosemary alongside lavender in the nesting boxes but also spread any extra we have from cooking, around their chicken yard for them to peck on and eat. Much like lavender, Rosemary acts as a great insect repellent, and smells nice in the nesting boxes, but it also improves the respitory health of our flock.  

3. Oregano 

Oregano is so awesome! It acts as a natural antibiotic, helping to keep our girls nice and healthy, but it's also rich in vitamins A, K, and antioxidants and high is calcium - good for strong egg shells! We feed sprinkle fresh oregano around the chicken yard and also mix dried oregano in their feed (1 tsp daily).

4. Sage 

Sage is also rich in vitamins and antioxidants and we feed it just the same as oregano - we sprinkle it in the yard and also mix dried same into their feed (1 tsp daily).

5. Mint 

Mint is one of my favs. It's scent is very strong, and repels lots of rodents. We put mint leaves in and around the coop/nesting boxes. Some chicken keepers plant mint around their run/coop to help keep critters away. Mine eat it all!  Other than rodent repellant, mint also encourages feather production in birds and naturally helps lower body temperature. We like to put mint leaves in ice cube trays and freeze them, then give to the flock to snack on. Not only are the girls getting a cool treat, but they eat the mint leaves and internally cool themselves. This Texas heat is brutal so any tricks to help keep everyone cool is a win in my book! 

6. Parsley 

Parsley isn't just a garnish around here! Parsley contains vitamins A, B, C, E and K. It's also a great source for calcium (egg shells), iron, magnesium and zinc! We give this to our older hens who are laying because it stimulates egg laying. We don't feed to our chicks until they are a few months old. We sprinkle fresh parsley in their yard to munch on, and also mix dried parsley in their feed (1 tsp daily).

*We also mix in garlic powder and cayenne pepper once a week (1 tsp) as a laying stimulant, and to aid in circulation.

**We also mix in flax seed and and chai seeds in our flocks feed daily - they aid in layer development and give our birds (and their eggs) a healthier fat profile.  

What do y'all feed your flock? Have you noticed adding herbs and spices have helped your backyard chickens? We would love to hear what you do! ​

Surviving Summer Travel

So I know this is a "farm blog" but I'm also a momma, and before we started this farm life of ours, we actually traveled places (Mom, can the chickens come with us??? Ummmmno) . Anyway, I wrote this a while back and still think it's helpful today so I wanted to share it here on the BBF blog! Happy summer y'all!

6 Steps to Surviving Summer Travel

Being the mother of three small children (at one point, ages 4, 2 and “new”), I know how hard it can be to do…well…just about anything, and that includes flying.  But guess what?  People with children deserve to go places too, visit their friends and family too, drink margaritas on a beach too…you get my point.

  I have flown several times with my children, sometimes with my main squeeze and sometimes solo, and I’ve learned a few things along the way, mostly from trial and MAJOR error (OMG...There was the one time I overheard the passengers in front of us saying “we’re never having children” because my son was throwing a total fit after we missed our connection, and he missed his nap) so I get it! 

My last trip I flew alone from Denver, CO to Austin, TX with my 4, 2 and new and believe it or not,  I got a few “your children are well behaved” and “good job mom” comments on our way out.  (Before we took off --- totally different.  I got a few “you’re nuts” and a few judgemental looks/heavy breathing when setting eyes upon us). At this point I was totally asking myself, “is 10am too early to order a drink?!”  But, it went great, and I think it was because I took a few simple steps in preparing for our flight. These should help keep your kids occupied...which will help keep the other passengers happy about you flying with tiny humans...which will help keep your stress level down so you might actually ENJOY yourself (who am I kidding, see drink  comment above). 

Step 1:  Snacks on Crack.  Snacks are a must.  Your own snacks are a must.  But, not just any snacks…and not just any snack container.  Let me introduce you to Snacks on Crack.  My amped up version of airplane (or car ride) snacking.

I took two string sorting containers (one for the 4 year old, one for the 2year old) and divided small amounts of different snacks into each compartment. The kids not only get a variety of snacking options, but they have fun deciding what they will eat first, what they will eat next, what they will save for later, how many gummy bears they have compared to raisins (you see how this is taking up time…my evil plan is working).

Step 2: Water bottles. I always bring my kiddos water bottles with us when we fly because kids plus small airplane cups plus small tray tables is SURE to end in disaster. I just bring them empty and fill them once we’re through security (most airports have filling stations) and the kids sip on them all throughout the day. They don’t ever run out of water and I don’t have to worry about having to explain to the passengers in front of us why they are now drenched in OJ.

Got this three pack of water bottles at Costco for $11! Boom!  

Step 3: Surprises. Each kiddo of mine takes a backpack on the plane with them (backpacks are also a good choice when flying– they are small, they can be carried, and put on/off while still in your seats so you won’t have to crowd the isle of the plane) and usually fill it with crayons/paper, their favorite books, and Snacks on Crack. Right before we leave for the airport I sneak in a couple of surprises. Last time it was paper and stickers, and some “tinker toy” type things that I found in the $1 section of Target. They find them, they play with them, they smile, they are distracted. Boom. Best surprise to date: play dough. It took up over an hour of time on the plane. I call that a win.

Step 4: Headphones. BECAUSE THE IPAD JUST DOESN’T WORK WITHOUT SOUND! Yes, my kids get to watch the iPad, or a movie on a plane. Because, I’m not a crazy woman.

You can thank me later. I found some fairly inexpensive headphones at WalMart (think $9.99) and they plug right into my iPad or other device. Then my kids can play Angry Birds (how annoying can one game be?!) from wheels up to wheels down for all I care. 

Step 5: Umbrella Stroller. I love my kids, especially when they are strapped down and unable to run away from me. Navigating the airport with not one, not two but THREE small children can be totally overwhelming. Having at least two of them in a stroller totally helps with that…it helps me keep track of them all and helps with the “carry me”, “hold me”, “I wanna walk”,“I’m tired of walking” scenarios that are playing out in my head right now…they sit in the stroller until we’re at the gate. Then you can gate check that sucker and they can get right back into it when getting off the plane and going to get luggage (why are car seats the LAST thing they take off). Plus if you have three, like me, the oldest can push so your hands are free to drink margaritas and eat bon bons!

Step 6: Bribes. Yeah, that’s right I said it. And, I’m not above it. If my kids behave they get a Ring Pop upon landing. They ask about that damn Ring Pop from the moment we get to the airport until we’ve landed and I can literally see the drool dripping from their tiny mouths. It works, real well.

**Side tip from my sister Jane. Pack a couple of “emergency only” balloons. In case you get stuck in an airport unexpectedly for a missed connection (not me, no never) or a long layover (horrible planning on my part) balloon games can provide hours of entertainment. Just make sure you give it away to someone else before boarding, because, a balloon popping…on a crowded airplane…you get the picture. **

Happy traveling! These tips also work for grumpy husbands!

 **what did we miss?? Share your own tips and tricks with us!** 

Spicing up a fruit salad

It's summertime and that (for us) means swimming, swimming and more swimming! We were invited over to a friend's house for an End of School swim session and offered to bring a fruit salad for the kids (from ages 2-7). 

I thought about it for a bit, and decided to make single serving fruit cups in case the kiddos were in and out of the pool and needed a quick snack. I was all out of mini bowls ('cause I'm always out of mini bowls) and so I turned to my #1 go to - the ice cream cone. My kids will eat just about anything out of an ice cream cone!

Fruit Cones are super easy to make, and my kids had fun "stuffing" the cones with fruit they thought their friends would like...aka...all strawberries 😂  

Fruit Cones

We made the icing using a version of a recipe I use on our cinnamon rolls (cough...cough...find those here: https://www.blackbearfarmandapiary.com/shop/) and just used store bought cones like these: 

First you dip the cones in the icing and let them dry/harden on foil or parchment paper.

I let my kiddos help me dip the cones. I'll let you figure out which ones they did!  

We used assorted fruit in our cones - we chose strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, oranges, apples and grapes. We cut them up into smaller pieces to fit inside the cones, and to also help the younger kiddos eat them.  

After the cones are dry (about 5-10 minutes) just sit back and let the kids do the work! 

These were a hit at the swim party (and maybe a couple before) with the kids and adults! We will definitely make these again! Enjoy! 

**The icing recipe:

3 tbsp milk or water  

1/4 tsp vanilla (optional) 

2-3 cups powdered sugar - add a cup at a time to the milk/vanilla and stir in additional as needed. It should be thick but easy enough to dip cones in. 

let us know if you try these!