Mourning Doves are capable of flying up to 55 mph, which makes them a challenging target for even the best wing shooters!  Amy puts on a shooting clinic with a SxS 20 gauge shotgun averaging 1 bird per every 3 shots (11 for 34).   This is well below the national average of 1 dove per every 7 shots.  And I personally consider it a pretty good day when I hit 5 or 6 doves per a box of shells!

This video is shot with a GoPro camera strapped to my hunting cap.  Please excuse the quality of the filming job!  The camera records everywhere I look… which provides the action from the hunter’s perspective, but doesn’t allow for steady filming.

Post and Footage by Peter

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Pictures from last year’s dove hunt can be viewed here.

Post by Peter, Video by Ryan McLemore, Picture by Ryan McLemore, Davis and Peter

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According to the Tennessee Wildlife Research Agency’s website, “dove are the most hunted and the most harvested migratory game bird in North America. There are about 450 million birds in the continental population. The overall harvest in the U. S. is 45 million birds. In Tennessee, some 100,000 dove hunters harvest an estimated 2 million or more doves annually.”

Talk about a “renewable resource”…. at the present time, hunters are not keeping up with the reproduction rate of the mourning dove.  A liberal limit of 15 birds per day in Tennessee is proof of their stability.

Tips for Handling and Preparing Dove:

-Clean dove and chill the meat as soon as reasonably possible. (Too often hunters put their bagged doves in an unventilated game vest, sit in the sweltering September sun, wait hours to clean their birds and then wonder why the meat has a strong taste.)

-In the field, keep doves in the shade, or even better in a cooler.

-Once the dove are clean, I like to place them in the refrigerator and let them sit overnight in a brine (salt water).  A friend recently suggested adding sugar and pepper corns to the brine.  I tried it with the last limit of doves with good results.

-For best results, prepare dove fresh before freezing.

-If freezing is needed, I like to place the dove in a zip lock back and then fill with water to reduce the chance for freezer burn.

-There are many good ways to cook dove.  My favorite is wrapped in bacon and grilled to medium.  This last batch of doves I experimented and cooked them like I would liver and onions.  I de-boned the breast and cooked in a skillet with onions, salt and pepper and then served on rice.  It was awesome!

Post and Pictures by Peter

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Decker John learned to watch for doves and quickly picked up the ability to identify doves in flight from other birds.  He also is an expert dove retriever!  At the bark of my shotgun he jumps up and takes off  to find the dove.  He even scolded me a time or two for missing “slam dunk” shots!  Fun times and good memories – that’s what hunting with your boy is all about.

The footage is filmed with a GoPro camera mounted to my hat… please excuse the shaky filming job.

Tips for dove hunting with kids
1.  Always rehearse gun safety rules.
2. Use ear protection – the sound of the gun firing is more disturbing than the recoil.  It will also help them not develop a flinch when they squeeze the trigger.
3. Keep hunts short and head home before they loose interest or get tired.
4. Look for opportunities to teach hunting skills during the hunt.

Decker John sitting by a hay bale in a dove field waiting on his first dove!

Decker John with a limit of dove he retrieved for me on a second hunt – we make a great team!

Post, Pictures and Footage by Peter

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One of the joys of summer is being able to walk out to the garden and literally “pick” what you want for supper!  We have found that okra grows easily here in the south and we make sure we plant plenty of it.  We like to use okra in gumbos and stewed with cherry tomatoes, but my favorite way to cook it is covered in cornmeal and fried.

My mom makes the best fried okra, period.  Growning up fried okra was considered a treat!  I learned how to make it by simply watching her cook.  Its simple and there really is no recipe… but I tried to put some measurements down as a guideline and starting point.  Feel free to experiment and adjust measurements…  that’s the fun of cooking!

Sunshine loves for me to cook fried green tomatoes in the summertime… so I had the idea of combining the okra and green tomatoes and cooking them together.  The result was two thumbs up and we’ve been eating them together like this for years!

2 cups of sliced okra pods
1 green tomato
1 cup cornmeal
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup vegetable oil
salt
pepper

Start by picking (or buying) a mess of okra and green tomato(s).  Wash the okra and the green tomato in cool water.

Slice the green tomato up into bite size pieces.  Most people like to slice green tomatoes for frying and we do too, but for this dish we cut into bite size to match the okra.  Next, cap the okra and slice into 1/2″ pieces.

Next, pre-heat a skillet on medium high and add oil.  While the skillet is pre-heating, put your cornmeal and sugar into a ziplock bag.  Add the okra and green tomato and shake to make sure all is well coated.

Make sure the oil is good and hot, but not smoking before adding okra and tomatoes.  Once the skillet is ready, add okra and green tomatoes and fried until golden brown.  I have found it best to stir and turn the vegetables only a few of times to prevent knocking off the cornmeal.

Once golden brown, remove the okra and green tomato and let drain on a plate with several layers of paper towels.  As soon as you remove it from the oil give it a shake of salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

post by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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We teach our children that this land was founded by men who wanted to honor God in their governing and give the citizens life and liberty and freedom to pursue their dreams.  It seems sometimes that being American projects pride and not humility, self over serving and that we are boastful and arrogant in our independence.

This week I’ve wrestled just a little bit over my patriotism.  I wonder often, if God will continue to bless our great land when we are failing so miserably in honoring Him with the very wealth and freedoms He has bestowed upon us.

I shutter at the corruption in our country… the filth and the perversions that are allowed and celebrated.  That the wholesome, idealistic American dream is becoming harder and harder to achieve.

But every Sunday as we drive to church one of my children will pray over our services and without fail they will say, “thank you that we live in a country where we can go to church and worship You.”  And they are right.  How thankful I am to live in a country where my children are allowed to go to school, to worship in freedom and where all three of them have the opportunity to dream big and work hard.

America is a beautiful place with a beautiful heritage.  On this independence day our family will remember the early Americans who gave their all to win our freedoms.  We will thank God for our country and we will wave our flag with pride.

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties,
Above the fruited plain!

America! America!
God shed His grace on thee,
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness,
And ev’ry gain divine.

-Katharine Lee Bates

 Happy Fourth Y’all!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Just last week a dear friend told me that she has been entertaining a ton this summer because it’s so easy!  I get it … it’s nice out, it’s not complicated to feed a crowd, the kids can run and play and it stays light for hours after dinner.  It’s a party on the patio, no house cleaning necessary.

This weekend we put together venison and vegetable kabobs.  So beautiful, healthy, fun and perfect for a crowd.

Our marinade of choice is always Dale’s.  And we found that no other seasonings were necessary.  The vegetables soak up a bit of the sauce and juices while grilling so they are deliciously flavorful as well.  Cook until the meat is medium-rare and the vegetables are tender, flipping occasionally.

He’s got the meat, I’ll get the melon.  Come on over.

post and pictures by Sunshine 

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We have always been partial to serving deserts with a huge dollop of real whipped cream, and we’ve always been a believer that the extra trouble that it takes to whip it fresh and keep it chilled is totally worth the effort.  And it is.  Except that we’ve figured out how to skip the chilled mixing bowl and the 5 minutes of whipping and splashing and we’ve totally avoided having to toss out the runny melted cream when too much was whipped and it just doesn’t save.

What’s the secret?  Let me introduce the iSi Cream Whipper.

Now, I realize that this is a total luxury item, but as one who detests ridiculous kitchen gadgets – even I think this one is a keeper.  Fresh whipped cream, with no prep time or dirty dishes and a refrigerator life of several weeks mean that I can always have whipped cream on hand.  No sugar, no artificial ingredients.  For this Southern host, that sounds just about perfect.  I’m calling this a must have.  Brides – put this one at the top of your registry list!

So with fresh raspberries from our garden and some blueberries to boot we are only minutes away from dessert.  Summertime berries and whipped cream.  Perfect.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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We love this quick and simple souffle and think that once you try it you’ll be nuts about it too!  Thanks to my sister-in-law, Meredith, (again) for another great recipe!

Southern Zucchini Souffle
3 cups grated unpeeled zucchini
1 small chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup oil
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 tablespoons parsley
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
4 lightly beaten eggs
1 tablespoon melted butter

What to do: After grating zucchini, squeeze with a paper towel to remove some of the excess liquid.  Then combine all ingredients except butter and mix well.  Pour zucchini mixture into a 9×13 well-greased pan.  Drizzle melted butter over the top and then bake at 350 for 35 minutes until a knife comes out clean and the top is golden brown.

Tips: The souffle will be puffed up when you pull it out of the oven and then will fall after about 5 minutes.  Don’t panic!  This is supposed to happen.

What’s a souffle? A soufflé is a lightly baked cake made with egg yolks and beaten egg whites combined with various other ingredients and served as a savory main dish or sweetened as a dessert.  Thank you Wikipedia!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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This rich soil has been waiting to be turned over in the garden beds and the children absolutely loved shoveling and mixing and raking it into place.

Our fine little gardeners!

This was Chapel’s first year to really get in on the garden scene and she had a grand time!

post by Sunshine, pictures by Peter & Sunshine

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We picked at one of our favorite farms, with some of our favorite friends.  It takes a bit of winding through the back hills of Tennessee to get to this place, but the long drive and the glorious scenery are a major part of the experience for us.  On our drive to Valley Home Farm, Decker John actually said, “Mama, it’s so pretty in these valleys that I almost want to cry.”  Oh!  Melt my heart.

In our family, the golden standard for Strawberry Jam is the basic Sure-Jell freezer jam.  It’s not complicated, it’s not fancy, but it’s what we grew up on and it captures the sweetness of these ripe red berries exactly the way we like them.

As a newlywed, I had the great joy of living only a few hours away from my grandmothers.  Every spring for several years I would bring my fresh picked berries to my Mamaw’s house in Winston-Salem, and we would spend a day making jam.  We made enough for me and for her and a few extra jars to give away.  I love that she taught me exactly how to chop and smash the berries, that she emphasized the importance of stirring the Sure-Jell on the stovetop for exactly one minute as the directions said, and I love that when I spread my biscuit with jam I always think of her.

Legend has it, that I was given a taste of strawberry jam from the fingertip of this special lady during my first week of life!  No wonder I love it so.

Are berry picking and making jam family traditions for you?  

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Right now we are only picking about 4 spears each day.  So they wait in a glass of water in the fridge until we have enough to cook for the family.

Once you’ve planted and waited for your asparagus bed to mature for harvesting, what is so fun about this vegetable is that it will produce shoots daily.  I’ve heard that during the peak of summer it’s possible to need to cut shoots twice a day just to keep up with the growth!

Sometimes we roast our asparagus in the oven, but when it’s fresh from the garden, all I want to do is enhance it’s naturally bright taste by just barely steaming it.  Amazing, and delicious.

Fresh Asparagus
asparagus stalks with woody stalks trimmed off
olive oil spray
kosher salt
What to do: Place washed and trimmed stalks in a pan and spray lightly with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle salt over stalks and then add about 1/2 inch of water to the pan. Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat to medium and allow asparagus to simmer about 5 minutes until bright green and easily pierced with a fork. The trick is to cook it until the stalks are tender, but still firm and to stay far away from overcooking or letting the stalks become “bendy” or “mushy.”

Would you believe me if I told you that this little lady cleared the plate by herself!?
  

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Tips for turkey hunting in big fields:

1. Scout - know where the turkeys roost, where they fly down and what part of the field the gobblers like to strut.  I have observed that the Toms typically prefer to strut in an area that has short grass (or vegetation) and is elevated to give them a view of the entire field.

On days that warm up quickly, I have noticed the gobblers will often move to a shaded part of the field.  And if the weather is chilly and rainy, they will stay in the middle of the field longer.

The hunter’s chances for success increase significantly when they are set-up where the gobbler naturally wants to go.

2. Decoys – use a decoy set-up that grabs the gobblers’ attention.  Most likely there will be other turkeys in the field… and it is difficult for decoys to compete with live hens.  I have had great success using a strutting Tom and submissive hen breeding pair set-up (hen ready to breed position).  However, I have  also been successful using everything from a single hen to setting out a half-dozen decoys.

If you recognize a decoy set-up is not working, don’t be afraid to make changes.  For example, take down the strutting Tom and replace it with Jake decoy.  Duck hunters adjust their decoy spreads as they see the ducks’ response to it…. turkey hunters need to do the same to be successful.

3. Calling – in big fields I try to be a little more aggressive in my calling than the “live hens.”  I want to get the gobblers’ attention – and keep it!  Calling is an art form rather than a science and there is no magical formula to follow.  The hunter must make a decision in the moment, based on experience when to back off the calls and when to call more aggressively.

4. Set-up – if at all possible select a place to set up that puts you in the shade and provides decent cover.  It is much more difficult to remain concealed when you are sitting in a spot with the sun shining directly on you.

In big fields, there will typically be multiple turkeys approaching, which means multiple sets of eyes searching for the least little sign of danger.  It doesn’t take much movement for a wise old Tom to become concerned and hang-up just out of range.

5. Change it up – if you are successful in shooting a gobbler in a big field, try not to “educate” the other turkeys.  If possible, sit still after the shot until all the birds have left the field.  The sound of the shotgun will disturb the turkeys, but they do not necessarily associate it with danger.  The next time the field is hunted, change-up the decoy set-up and use different calls… the goal is to sound and look different.

The Tom from the video is what turkey hunters refer to as a “limb hanger!”  The gobbler’s spurs are long enough to hang him from a limb… it usually takes at least a three year-old bird to reach this status.

Doesn’t always happen, but it’s great to be able to bust a turkey just after daylight and be backt home in time for breakfast with the kids!  Having the kids share in the excitement of the hunt is special.

I was able to take a second turkey from the same big field.  I continued to use a strutting Tom and submissive hen set-up, but changed up the location and the calls.

post and video by Peter, pictures by Sunshine and Peter

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Gobbling, strutting, owl hoots, crow calls, fly down cackles, yelps, spittin’ and drumming, running and gunning, roosting birds, spotting and stalking, bushwhacking, low crawling, tree hugging, turkey vests, beards, spurs, fans, red heads – we love everything about turkey hunting!

This season actually started off pretty tough as the weather was cold and dreary with foggy mornings… but as the weather warmed up, so did the gobblers!  Just a few weeks into the season and we have had a number of outstanding hunts, made new friends, had time to enjoy the spring woods and been fortunate to bust a few long beards!  Check out the videos of a few hunts below.

We don’t mind spotting and stalking if the gobblers won’t cooperate.  My brother, Daniel found this bird strutting in the corner of field and perfectly executed a sneak attack!

Carley hunted hard and was rewarded with a beautiful Tom that she took with a 50 yard shot!

Tyler and I had the chance to hunt with Justin Martin of Duck Dynasty.  While we certainly had a great time and were impressed with Martin’s woodsmanship, the weather did not cooperate and the fog put quite a damper on the gobblers.  We hope to give it another try before the season ends!

Tyler took a nice late morning Tom with a strutting gobbler and submissive hen decoy set-up.

Daniel and I and were fortunate to double-up on late day birds headed to roost!

Jakes are the best birds for the table!  Our friend Corey, takes a Jakes once we figured out the Toms had left the field.  Watch the boys come rolling in single file!  The real challenge here was to hit only one bird… and Corey executes perfectly!

I had the privilege of taking a young hunter on his first turkey hunt… and we were fortunate to have plenty of action!  Watch as three nice  gobblers come in to the hen decoy in full strut.  I unfortunately misjudged the yardage for the gun he was using.

Another clip of Jakes coming into decoys on a short, rainy afternoon hunt.  I enjoyed having birds in close even when I do not have intentions of shooting!  Come on back in a few years boys!

post and videos by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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Are you gardening this year?

post and pictures by Sunshine

The post Ready to Garden appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

We start by soaking these turkey tenders in beer for a solid 4 hours.  Once soaked, patted dry and dredged in an egg wash, we coat them in flour + seasonings and fry them up!  Nothing fancy – but plenty good!

If you are unable to use your turkey fresh, we recommend soaking it in salt water in the refrigerator for a day  before freezing.

The full recipe for this golden goodness is below…

Wild Turkey Tenders
4 Turkey Tenders – trimmed
1 Bottle of Beer
Egg
Milk
Vegetable Oil
Flour
Salt and Pepper

What to do: Marinate turkey tenders in beer for 4 hours, then remove tenders and pat dry.  Next, place tenders in egg wash and then coat in a mixture of flour, salt and pepper.  Place coated tenders in a pre-heated skillet with oil.  Make sure oil is hot, but not yet smoking.  Cook until golden brown on both sides and ensure that meat is cooked all the way through.

Tip: You can kick this recipe up a notch by adding some sausage gravy!

This recipe can be used for any part of the turkey.  We typically slice the turkey breast into serving size pieces and follow the same instructions.

post and pictures by Peter

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We took a trip to the local TSC and let the kids pick out three chicks each.  The chicks spent their first few weeks in the garage in a stock tank under a heat lamp… and the kids enjoyed feeding, holding and checking on them regularly.  The chicks are about 8 weeks old now and doing very well.  We ended up with three Barred Rocks, three Rhode Island Reds, two Buff Orpingtons and one mystery chick that was supposed to be a Buff.  We’ll have to figure out what she is one of these days!

The chicks are now fully feathered and have been moved to the chicken coop.  In anticipation for eggs to start coming, we built a hen-house and attached it to the back of our chicken coop.  We made the nesting boxes easily accessible so the kids can collect eggs from outside the chicken coop.  Now we are all set and waiting for eggs!

Picture of the framed hen-house – note the nesting boxes to the left.

Another picture with the siding added.

A picture inside the hen-house – complete with roost and nesting boxes.

A picture from inside the coop looking at the doorway to the new hen-house.  Look forward to seeing which hen ends up “ruling the roost!”

post and pictures by Peter

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Our dear friend Yancy is a fabulous children’s worship artist and it was a treat to have her lead the children in praise.  They sang ‘Hosanna Rocks’ and some of her other awesome Easter songs, while playing kazoos!

Our springtime menu included finger sandwiches, hummus and pretzels (bunny ear style), fruit and veggies, carrot muffins and pretty thumbprint cookies.  Yum!

Stickers and poster board made some pretty cute bunny ears!

The older girls and boys painted wind chimes and mason jar flower vases.

Being the rabbit hunters that we are, we searched for cottontails instead of eggs, and exchanged them for bags of candy!   The little bunny hunters picked up cotton balls that we scattered in the front lawn, but the older children really had to hunt to find their cottontails!

A classic pillowcase race became a competitive bunny hop and we raced over and over until the kiddos were worn out!

The puppies came out for play time too!

The very talented Melissa Loudon, took lots and lots of pictures and our photo set was a blast for all!

What’s a party without a favor?  Each family went home with Yancy’s Everday Happy Day album and The Berenstain Bear’s Easter Story book!

This may become an annual event, I can’t think of anything better to celebrate!  
Rejoice and throw a party – Jesus Is Alive!

pictures by Melissa Loudon, post by Sunshine

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A successful shed hunt requires a lot of patience, a sharp eye and the ability to cover plenty of ground.

March is also an ideal time to search for antlers because the under growth which is waiting to explode will typically hold off until April – which bring with it poison ivy and ticks!  Also, I have found antlers during turkey season (April) that have already been completely chewed up by rodents.  So, getting out in March is the perfect time to find antlers.

Including the kids in the hunt for antlers is a great chance to spend time with the young’uns and teach them about being in the woods.

A couple of tips for finding shed antlers

-Go on cloudy days as everything shines in the woods on a bright sunny day.

-Look for antlers in thick bedding areas.  I have found antlers in food plots, fields, fence crossing and other travel coridors.  However, the majority of the antlers I have found have been in thick cover, grown over fields and other places deer choose as their bedding sites.

-Learn to search for antlers by scanning the woods as you slowly walk.  Be sure not to “out walk your eyes.”  Often, I see something that looks like “it could be an antler” and as I approach I realize it is an antler.

This is the perfect opportunity to spend time with your kids in the woods, make it an adventure!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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I like to keep my chicken salad simple and then top it with spinach and tomatoes, or thinly sliced apples for some crunch. I prefer the fresh taste that sour cream and ranch give this recipe, and skipping on the mayo saves a few calories too! This recipe is great scooped up on crackers too for an afternoon snack.

Chicken Salad
2 cups chicken, cooked and shredded
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package ranch dressing mix

What to do: Mix together and refrigerate until ready to serve. Chill until ready to use.

Most Southern cooks will have their own version of this sandwich spread. Cucumbers are so clean and refreshing and like the chicken salad, I like to keep it simple so that the cucumber flavor can shine through! Forget your healthy instincts when making this sandwich, I’m a believer that cucumber sandwiches must be served on white bread.

Cucumber Spread
2 large cucumbers, peeled and cored to remove seeds
1/2 onion chopped
8 ounce package cream cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dill

What to do: Place cucumber, onion and cream cheese into a food processor and mix. Stir in seasonings. Chill until ready to use.

by Sunshine

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The kids have enjoyed watching the day old chicks grow into young hens.  We start them under a heat lamp in a livestock tank for the first few weeks.  When the hens become fully feathered they will be ready to go to the chicken coop.  This little batch of hens will be docile and friendly – they have been handled by the kids daily.

You have to keep a close eye on the chicks!

Or they may end up on your head!

post by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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Driver hunts hard, jumps rabbits, explodes out of the check area, and is the type of hound that will literally kill himself to get at the rabbit. He is a rabbit’s worst nightmare!  He can run the front with composure and power, but more often is seen gutting a high energy pack from the second or third spot.  He is certainly not perfect, but is a workhorse with all-day stamina that gets the job done in the field and under the gun. He was very easily broken of deer, and he hasn’t had an e-collar on in the field since he was a puppy. He also retrieves rabbits, as did his dam.

Driver is 3 1/2 yrs. old (d.o.b. 8/1/09), is AKC registered and is approx. 14 1/4″ tall. He has a coarse, deep mouth that stands out in any pack.  He has already been bred a handful of times and has pups doing well in TN, GA, New Hampshire, KY and VA.

Here are a few clips of Driver in the field thrown together to give you an idea of his mouth, speed and ability in the field.

post and video by Peter

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One of our children’s favorite games is to “play hunting.”  This began at their grandparent’s house as a game Grandaddy plays with the grandsons.  He hides turkey decoys among the trees behind the house and the boys take turns shooting with Grandaddy’s special toy guns.  The rules of the hunt and gun safety apply just as much in the backyard as they do in the woods on a real hunt.

We have recently bought a second toy gun, so that both of our older children can “hunt” together.

We take guns seriously and we expect our children to do the same.  So, when they want to play with their toy guns they have a few guidelines.

-We never point a gun at a person – so we do not let toy guns be used for playing army or cowboys and indians, etc.    Guns are only for shooting game , period.  (Learning to defend yourself and your family with a gun will come at a much later date and we feel it is unneccessary to teach at this stage.)

-We carry and hold a gun in such a way that we keep ourself and those around us safe.

-We take care of the gun and put it away when we are finished with it…. it is not a common toy to be left laying in the backyard.

When our kiddos are older and we feel comfortable letting them begin shooting and carrying real firearms we will go more in-depth with safety training.  As Tennessee hunters they will also be required to take a hunter’s safety course when they begin hunting.

I expect my children to grow up to be hunters, it is what they have seen and experienced their whole lives.  We want them to be comfortable and confident when holding and carrying a gun, and we want safety to be second nature for them.

How to you handle gun training with your children and do you have any tips for teaching healthy fear and respect for firearms?

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Once the rabbit is up and running their work has just begun.  Their job is to pursue the rabbit and not lose the track.  They drive the rabbit until the chase is ended by the hunter’s gun or the rabbit is forced to take refuge due to exhaustion or fear of being caught.  Sometimes the chase is short and other times it can last well over an hour.

They pursue the rabbit with all that is within them.  To say they have a total disregard for their own bodies would be a understatment.  They take a beating from the rough terrain, sharp briars, rocks and barbed wire fences.  All rabbit dogs have scars.  It is not uncommon after a hunt for me to have to doctor up several of the dogs.

Drive, Jack, Fancy and Maggie eager to start the hunt.

Here are a couple of pictures of Jack after a long day in the briars.  As you can tell he is exhausted, battered and spent.  Jack exemplifies what I’ve heard athletic coaches say many times, “leave nothing on the field!”  Jack, along with his pack mates demonstrate “true grit” every time the tailgate drops.

Maggie, the oldest and most experienced dog in the pack, does not show any signs of slowing down at eight years old.

Having bred, raised and trained beagles for about fourteen years, I am convinced this kind of drive and desire is not something that can be taught.  Rather, it is the result of careful breeding.  There are many factors I consider when planning a future breeding, but the at the top of the list is the goal of producing pups with true grit!

pictures courtesy of Justin Kuhler, post by Peter

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We spent an afternoon helping Papa, my dad, wrap up his firewood cutting for the season.  Our little guy brought his tool set and got a some work done while he was waiting to carry the split logs.

Papa had a little nature lesson with the kids and together they counted the rings on this huge fallen oak.  It was decided that the big ole tree was over 120 years old.  Amazing.

On a side note: we considered blurring the logo on Papa’s hat, but we love him too much to do so.  He is a baseball fan through and through and those Yanks have been his team since he was just a lad.

A good day, a good lesson and good work accomplished.  This little lumberjack is sure to grow into a very fine man.

pictures and post by Sunshine

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While we certainly prefer for one of the hunters to shoot the rabbit, the little hounds have done their job equally well if the rabbit is driven to seek refuge and go underground.  In this case the dogs will often “show” us the hole or rock pile where the track ended.

This video shows the beagles being successful in driving the rabbit to the gun and to the ground.  We were fortunate to shoot 15 rabbits over one-and-half days of hunting, and the dogs put another 7 rabbits in the ground.  Only, two or three rabbits were able to escape by simply loosing or out smarting the pack.

post, picture and video by Peter

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When she was little bitty she would want us to pile books in her crib in the mornings and she would look at them for an hour before wanting to get up for breakfast!  When she was old enough to say just a few words she would come to Pete and I and say “book with me” wanting us to sit and read aloud to her.  Now we find ourselves saying things like, “look up from your book while you are walking” and “one chapter book is enough for a trip to the grocery store.”  This girl loves to read.

Here is her first OSR book review - Where the Red Fern Grows.  It’s a classic heartwarming and heartbreaking story.  She has been through this book multiple times, and loves it even more with each read.  It was the first book that made her cry – opening her up to experience the emotions of the characters like no book had before.  It’s a sweet one.  Bright’s other posts are here and here.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Bright, age 7

This is the great story of a boy with two coon hounds.  He saves up his money, $50 in all!  Then he leaves home and travels to the place to buy the dogs.  He trains them with good hard work.  They become some of the best coon hunters in those parts.  They win awards.

Though I like many parts of the book, the part where he goes to get the dogs is my favorite.

His family lives deep in some mountains.  His life is different from how I live because how they dress and act and because of the time period.

When you read this classic novel you will truly be Where the Red Fern Grows.

This was Peter’s favorite book as a child and he was thrilled when Bright read it for the first time!  What book are you looking forward to seeing your kids read?

intro and pictures by Sunshine, book review and art by Bright

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Venison is remarkably low in fat, which makes it a much healthier red meat option.  The absence of the juicy fat means that this meat needs to be cooked carefully, overcooking will ruin it!  Whenever we’ve heard someone say they’ve tried venison and didn’t like it, our first thought is that they probably overcooked the meat.  Venison steaks need to be cooked no more than medium, with a pink center.

For those that are not sure they like venison, here is the dish we would serve to forever change their minds!  We used sliced tenderloins, which are considerably smaller than the backstrips.  Both are excellent choices for this recipe.

During the summer of our wedding engagement, my mom spent some time giving me a crash course in cooking.  I specifically remember one session devoted to cooking meat.  She held up a bottle of marinade and using Vanna White-like hand motions said, “Always have Dale’s in your kitchen!”

Do you use Dale’s?  It’s certainly a favorite of ours when it comes to marinating venison.  The strong and salty flavor of Dale’s can be overpowering when venison is marinaded too long.  We have found that a quick soak, or even brushing it on as the meat grills is just about perfect.

Bacon Wrapped Venison
venison tenderloin or backstrips cuts
bacon, cut strips in 1/2 lengths
Dale’s sauce
toothpicks

What to do: Cut tenderloin into evenly sized medallions about 3/4″ to 1″ thick.  Marinate meat in Dale’s sauce for 30 minutes. Wrap each piece of meat in 1/2 strip bacon and secure with toothpicks. Grill venison medallions on medium heat until bacon is browned and meat is cooked medium rare or medium. Flipping once during cooking, if possible.

It’s a good idea to always serve bacon wrapped tenderloin with potatoes!  Delicious!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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The rabbit dogs pictured above from left to right: Maggie, Fancy, Driver and Crockett.

by Peter

The post Rabbit Hunting Birthday appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

Simple, on-hand ingredients make these fun and fast to put together.  The crumb topping really sets these apart and if you leave the peel on your apples you can claim a little fruit serving as well.   Perfect for breakfast or a snack and even sweet enough for dessert, you might start making these every week!

Introducing the apple crumb muffin, courtesy of my sweet Southern sister-in-law, Meredith.

Apple Crumb Muffin
8 ounces sour cream
2/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups diced Granny Smith apples, peel on

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 tablespoon butter

What to do: Mix together sour cream, sugar, eggs and vanilla by hand. Next combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir dry ingredients into wet until just combined. Add apples to batter and stir until distributed. Fill greased muffin tins 2/3 full. Mix together ingredients for topping and cut in butter. Sprinkle topping over all muffins and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.  Makes 18 regular sized muffins.

Tip: The original recipe called for peeling the apples, using more sugar and less cinnamon. We made a few little tweaks and I think you’ll be perfectly pleased!

pictures and post by Sunshine

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Rubber knee-high boots (wellies), known for keeping your feet dry, fall short as an all-around “good boot.”  Rubber boots are uncomfortable for walking, do not “breathe,” and are typically poorly insulated.  Muck Boots solve these issues.  They are designed to actually fit your feet and are extremely comfortable.  Pete claims Muck Boots are the most comfortable boots he has ever worn!

Muck Boots – they work, they fit, you love them, and you’ll buy them again.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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This was a super fun week for us as our home was featured on Design Mom’s Living with Kids series!

For us home is our land and our woods, our family and our house.  The house part is usually a big cluttered mess; it is a battle I fight daily.  It has been encouraging to read the wonderful and gracious words of so many readers who looked at these pictures of my house (all picked up and clean) and loved what they saw.  Because sometimes, I forget to look past the food on the floor and the piles of unfolded laundry.  Our house is full of life and full of love and it’s the very little and very messy people living here that truly make our house a home.

Thank you, Gabrielle, for including us!  It has been a true honor to share this piece of our heart with your readers!  Check out the full post, see all the pictures, read our interview, and get a glimpse into our life ‘Living With Kids!’ right here!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Grits are a classic Southern comfort food.  Served simply with butter and salt or dressed up with cheese.  We love our grits topped with grilled shrimp and veggies.  We think you are going to love this version of smokey gouda cheese grits with red bell peppers and bacon… everyone loves bacon!

A true pantry staple.  Grits are simply a more coarsely ground version of cornmeal.  You can purchase grits ‘quick-cooking instant’ style, or you can buy them whole kernel, which take a bit longer to cook.  Look for them in the breakfast aisle beside the oatmeal, or better yet, find a local source that grinds them fresh!  Yummy recipe below…

Gouda Grits & Bacon 
2 cups grits
if using quick-cooking grits: 4 cups milk & 4 cups water
if using whole kernel grits: 5 cups milk & 5 cups water
1 1/2 cup grated smoked gouda cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 pound bacon

What to do:
Prepare grits by bringing milk and water to a boil in a large pot. Once boiling, stir in grits, cover pot and turn heat to low. Allow grits to simmer 5 minutes (quick-cook) or 30 minutes (whole kernel). Grits are ready once liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in cheese, butter, salt and pepper.

In a frying pan, cook bacon strips until crispy. Remove all but about 2 tablespoons of bacon drippings from pan. Toss in red pepper and saute for 2 minutes before adding onion. Cook pepper and onion until translucent.

Spoon grits onto plate and top with peppers and bacon!  Serves 4

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Usually rabbit hunting is fast paced with plenty of action… but occasionally, due to harsh weather or poor scenting conditions the hunt becomes more about endurance and making the most of the few chances presented.  This was one of those hunts.  Only two real races and the rabbits were holding tight.  Once the rabbits were up, they did not run in predictable patterns but opted to resort to trickery over running big.

Amy hung in there and ended up with a well-earned rabbit!

post and video by Peter

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Ree Drummond is the Pioneer Woman and these are her perfect pancakes!  When it comes to comfort food, she is the authority.  Delicious!

Thank you to our very talented friends – Ike Elgard, for producing, directing, and for writing our beautiful music and thank you to Ryan McLemore for filming!

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Like many Cajun recipes, this soup starts with a roux.  We’ve included Mandy’s tips for stirring up the perfect roux!

Begin by melting butter on medium heat and stir in flour.  Continue stirring as flour and butter thicken and begin to brown.

Our gorgeous paper bag colored roux!

Add onions and Rotel to roux base.

Saute until onions are tender.

Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 1 hour.

Mandy’s Louisiana Shrimp and Corn Soup
1/2 stick butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 onion, chopped
1 can Rotel tomatoes (use liquid)
1/2 can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 pound peeled shrimp
1/2 cup green onions, diced
1 tablespoon parsley
8 ears of corn, cut off kernels and milk the cobb, or
1 can shoepeg (white) corn (do not drain)
2 cans golden corn (do not drain)
2 cans creamed corn

What to do:
Chop onion, set aside.  Make a medium brown roux using butter and flour.*  When done, add onions, saute.  If the consistency is dry or if it seems like it may burn or scorch, go ahead and add the can of Rotel tomatoes.  Add tomato sauce, water, corn and shrimp and simmer for 1 hour.  Add green onions and parsley, simmer 15 minutes, and serve.

Roux*
Ever made a roux before?  If not, we need to touch base on what you will be doing.  A roux is like a gravy; it’s browned flour and is used as a base to thicken soups, stews and gumbos.  It adds a great flavor and adds a nutty aroma.  You CANNOT leave the stove when making a roux.  You must constantly stir the skillet, or it will scorch.  It will take about 10 – 15 minutes for the color to turn and for the roux to be ready.

Melt the butter on medium heat and stir in flour.  Stir constantly!  The mixture will go through a phase where it bubbles and foams a bit.  Once the bubbles have gone away, the mixture will begin to darken.  The darker the roux the richer and stronger the flavor.  We are going for a medium roux for this recipe, a little darker than a brown paper bag.

Tip: like many soups, it tastes better the next day, so make a day beforehand and store in  the refrigerator.

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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To qualify for the adventure category, you must don your adventure clothing, pack an adventure bag, and do something just a little bit out of the ordinary!  For this simple adventure we played in the woods, walked to the creek and waded around in the freezing cold winter water!

We pulled on our ‘play in the dirt clothes’, our chore boots (read my review here), and our warmest coats and hats.  Nothing dampens an adventure like a little one who is sad and miserable because they are cold.  It’s pointless for mama to worry about who is getting their shoes muddy or staining their pants, so dress for the dirt!

Mom’s Adventure Bag:
Snacks
Treats (these are very different categories)
Water
Wet Wipes (useful in many, many situations)
Camera, not pictured :)

Kid’s Adventure Bag:
Binoculars (real & homemade)
Walkie-Talkies
Camera (pretend or real)
Whistle
Other very important items, like sticks, will be gathered along the way.

Bags packed?  Let’s go!

Tell me, what is your secret for turning an ordinary outing into an ‘Adventure’ ?

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Supplies:
Unfinished wood hearts.  Your local craft supply store should have them in several sizes and styles.

Ribbon or cording for stringing necklace.  We used about 3′ for each necklace. Plus more ribbon for dressing up your necklace.

Feathers.  You can buy them loose or ready to string.

Paint. I chose to use spray paint because it dries so very quickly!  (I used it here too!)

Embroidery thread, super glue, tape (if using loose feathers)

Drill and drill bit

Start by marking drill holes with a pencil on all hearts.  Drill through each heart, making sure to choose a drill bit that will make a hole large enough for your cording.

Paint the hearts on both sides and allow to dry.  Our hearts did not need sanding, but it’s possible you may need to buff off a few rough spots before painting.

Now the fun part!  The sky is the limit… play around until you have the arrangement just as you want it.  Cut the cording to desired necklace length (make sure it’s long enough to slip  over your head), plus several extra inches for tying a few knots.  Then thread on the heart, feathers and tie on the decorative ribbon.

Next, making sure this heart/feather/ribbon grouping is centered on your cording length, tie a simple knot in the cording just above the group.

Tie the cording ends together and you are done!

Stumped how to use loose feathers?
Here is what I did…

Gather together your combination of feathers.  Cut a piece of tape about 1″ long and tightly wrap around the shaft ends of the feathers.  On several of my groupings, I needed to trim the tape width into a narrower strip.

Apply a clear drying, super glue all over the taped area.

Cut a piece of embroidery thread about 12″ long.  Keeping about a 2″ tail piece at the bottom of the feather, fold the thread to create a small loop at the top end of the feather grouping.  This loop will thread through your necklace cording.  Then begin wrapping the thread around the shaft, wrapping up and then back down the taped and gluey area.  Make sure to leave the small loop above the wrapping free.

Ending at the bottom of the shaft, knot the thread ends together several times and secure by dotting the knot and the threaded area all over with glue.  Trim thread ends and allow glue to dry.

Wrap them up and wear them out!

Link up and let me know what festive baubles you come up with!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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The 2012-2013 duck season ended this past weekend, but for some waterfowlers their season stopped weeks ago due to the “late season grind”.  It does not matter what part of the country you reside in, the latter half of duck season is quite different from the beginning.  Birds have seen and heard it all since they began their migration and so they are difficult to call in and are wary of decoys.

If you hope to be successful with late season ducks, here are a few things to do.

1. Less is more.
Yesterday at our big water blind, there was a nearby blind blowing hail calls at every duck in the area.  That is absolutely what NOT to do.  This late in the season, ducks are call and decoy shy.  We remove all motorized decoys ie. Mojo’s and pulsating butt feeders, and resort solely on jerk strings for water motion.  We also use smaller, species specific decoy spreads.  As for calling, when the ducks are looking or coming to check us out, we leave our call hanging silent on the lanyard.  If they are working us, we do not call.  Only when it looks like the ducks are heading out do we hit them with a few quacks or a greeting call.  Once they turn to come back, the calls stop.  There is no need to do feed chuckles and single quacks to fill the empty void.  Less is more here.

2. Watch the weather.
I know that’s what everyone says to do from opening day on, but it holds true through the whole season.  Usually this late in the season, most of the ducks have arrived on their wintering grounds and are there to stay, but a good arctic blast can still give you a push of “new” birds.

3. Hunt off the beaten path.
By now, most high traffic public hunting areas are so shot out that being successful is more about luck and less about skill.  The end of the season is when I switch tactics and go for places that I have let sit all season without pressure.  When you do this, birds that are call and decoy shy actually act normal, “work the spread,” and are very call responsive.

This is how we use the three points stated above to have successful hunts the last few days of the season.  We have a couple local spots that have not really been hunted all season, mainly because they did not have enough birds using them.  Then we had an arctic blast come through, and I noticed a lot of ringnecks showing up for the first time this winter.  The holes also had a few buffleheads, mallards, gadwalls and wood ducks using them as well.  We hunted the next morning, after seeing the new ducks, using a small diver spread of six decoys to the left of our setup, and an eight decoy gadwall spread to the right side.  We also had one pair of mallards 20 yards outside of the gadwalls.  Both small spreads had jerk strings.  We enjoyed a great hunt with ringnecks buzzing by and committing in with ease, wood ducks landing in the spread, gadwalls working nicely and cupping up, and mallards appearing out of nowhere with landing gear down, coming in hard!

I know late season ducks can be a challenge, but there is no need to hang up your lanyard and waders early.  There is still good duck hunting to be had at the end of the season, it just takes a different mindset and approach.

by Tyler Hand, pictures by Peter & Sunshine

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Honestly, it’s not a good idea to judge a dessert on it’s nutritional value.  It’s not there to give you energy or strength for the day.  It doesn’t have the responsibility of adding nutrients or fiber to your diet.  It’s not a part of the meal for any reason but pure pleasure.  Based on that requirement, this dessert is divine.  Fix it when you need a fast one for a crowd – you don’t want to be left with much of this in your fridge.  It might be worth adding an extra mile to your jog today.  :)

Oreo Heaven Dessert
1 package Oreos
1/2 stick butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 16 ounce container Cool Whip
1 8 ounce package cream cheese
1 6 ounce instant chocolate pudding mix
2 1/2 cups milk

Crush Oreos (they do not need to be finely crushed) and stir in melted butter.  Put 3/4 of Oreo mixture in bottom of a 9′x13′ pan and spread evenly to create a crust.  In your mixer beat cream cheese and sugar until very creamy.  Fold in half of the Cool Whip.  Spread this cream cheese mixture over the Oreo crust.  I find it helpful to drop the cream cheese in large dollops and then gently spread them out with a plastic spatula.  Next, whisk the pudding into the milk until it begins to thicken.  Pour pudding evenly over cream cheese layer.  Pop the pan into the refrigerator for 20 minutes to allow the pudding to chill and set-up.  After pudding is set, gently spread the remaining Cool Whip over the dessert and sprinkle with Oreo crumb topping.  Enjoy!

This dessert is rich!  The 9′x13′ makes enough to feed at least a dozen!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Deer season is over and your freezer is stocked with venison.  Do you sometimes find that the more unusual cuts get lost in the shuffle as ground meat is easier to substitute in beef recipes?  We totally understand as ground and sausage seasoned venison are more common to find in our meals as well.  However, we are here to offer you a fantastic (really one of our very favorite) way to use the cubed steak cut.  (Of course, if your freezer doesn’t happen to be full of venison, you can make this same meal with beef.)

Fun fact: not only is the purple variety of cauliflower so much more fun, and a bit more flavorful, it is full of antioxidants called anthocyanins (which are found in other purple foods like red grapes and blueberries) and make this colorful food even better for you than the typical white vegetable!

Country Fried Steak (Venison)
4 cube steaks (about 6 0z each)
1/2 sleeve crackers (Saltine or Ritz)
1 cup flour
1 egg
1/2 cup milk, plus 1 cup milk
1/2 cup oil
salt
pepper

What to do:
If frozen, properly thaw the venison cube steak (don’t microwave).  Rinse meat, pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.  Pre-heat skillet on med high and add oil.  It is important to have the oil hot when you add the meat so you don’t end up with a soggy mess!  Be careful to not have the oil so hot that it is smoking.

Take half a sleeve of crackers and crush them with a fork or potato smasher in a shallow dish.  We have used Saltines and Ritz and both work great.  Do not crush the crackers to a fine powder…leave the cracker crumbs about the size of bread crumbs.  Next add flour and mix together.  In a separate bowl, beat egg and mix with 1/2 cup milk.

Immerse cube steak in egg mixture and then place directly into cracker/flour mixture.  I use my fingers to press the meat into the cracker/flour to ensure all the little cuts in the meat are filled and coated.  Flip the meat over and repeat the process until as much cracker mixture as possible is pressed into meat.

Place meat in the skillet and cook until golden brown and then flip to the other side.  Limit the number of times you flip the meat as the breading will start falling off if you flip back and forth.  Salt and pepper the meat to taste.  Once both sides are golden brown, put on a pan in a 350 oven to finish baking for 15 minutes while you make gravy.
Serves 4

Country Gravy
2 tablespoons drippings
2 tablespoons flour
4 cups milk
salt
pepper

What to do:
Using the same skillet, remove all but about 2 tablespoons of drippings from meat and reduce cooking temperature to medium.  Add 2 tablespoons flour and brown – while stirring and scraping the bottom of pan to ensure it doesn’t burn.  Add milk and continuing stirring and scraping the flour off the bottom to make sure it doesn’t scorch.  Adjust the temperature as needed to help the milk thicken.  If the milk is not thickening, increase the temperature and keep stirring.  This should take about 5 minutes.  Once the gravy is the desired consistency, reduce the temperature to low.  Salt and pepper to taste – we like a lot of pepper!

Roasted Veggies
1 bunch asparagus
1 head purple cauliflower
olive oil
kosher salt

What to do:
Rinse asparagus stalks and trim ends.  Rinse cauliflower head and cut off florets.  Line vegetables in a single layer on a jelly roll pan and drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt.  Roast in the oven at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes.  Do not overcook or vegetables will become soggy and lose their beautiful colors!  Same method used for these carrots.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Our cousins in North Carolina had a sweet little dusting of snow last night and it’s been such fun seeing the Facebook pictures of our friend’s kids bundled up and checking out the snow.  The funny thing is that these Southern snow-day pictures include an awful lot of green grass!

I remember as a child spending hours playing outside when it snowed; we would bundle up with hats and gloves and rain boots (because who has real snow boots down here?).  We would make snow angles and throw handfuls of snow at each other; my dad would pull us around on the trashcan lid (because again, who has an actual sled?).  And sometimes if we got a really good snow, we would make a snowman!

Snow makes the world stop for us.  No work, no school, no chores.  We must enjoy every second of the wet white stuff before the sun melts it away!  Our children have enjoyed several great snows, but they are few and far between.  Once we had about 4 inches and it stayed around for 3 days!  Pretty impressive – ha!  It’s all in your perspective, isn’t it!?  A friend from St Louis was baffled when he heard us talking about the snow “sticking”… we had to explain that just because there are flakes in the air, it doesn’t mean the ground will be white!

While all we got this week was rain, we were teased just a little bit yesterday by some white stuff falling down… the children ran to the window calling “snow! snow!” but what was actually falling down were tiny little balls of icy sleet.

We’ve had some fun snows at our Tennessee home the last few years… come on winter 2013, give us another snowy day!  Snowday flashback pictures, our baby girl actually hasn’t seen much snow, the only thing we got during winter 2012 were a few flurries!

post and pictures by Sunshine  

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He lived in south Mississippi where hunting during the ’30 and ’40 was pretty much limited to small game.  My grandfather loved to quail hunt and I am told that he kept six pointers so he could hunt over three in the morning, come in for a quick lunch and head back out to hunt with the other three in the afternoon.

In addition to the hunting stories and a handful of black and white photos of my grandfather, we have his two Browning shotguns.  We took these family treasures out of the gun safe over the holidays to hold and admire.  One is a Belgium made Sweet 16 gauge A-5 from around 1930.  This shotgun was purchased in Europe by grandfather’s friend, who had traveled there on vacation.  My grandfather reimbursed him the purchase price of $48!

The other shotgun is a Belgium made 12 gauge A-5 thought to have been from the mid 1930′s.  This gun was actually owned by my grandfather’s uncle, but was used almost exclusively by my grandfather.  As family members passed away, this shotgun ended up with my grandfather’s cousin.  During a family reunion in Mississippi he gave this shotgun to my father saying, “it was your dad who wore the checking off the stock shooting quail.”

This is my father holding the Browning 16 gauge.  For many years it served as his primary shotgun.

When my big brother was old enough, he began using the Browning 16 gauge – which began a chapter in the gun’s history where it was used by all of my grandfather’s grandsons. We considered it a privilege to hunt with the Sweet 16!  I recall using it to hunt ducks back in the good ole days when #6 lead shot out of a 2 3/4″ 16 gauge was all the gun you needed to fold a duck at 40 yards!  I also remember using it to hunt dove, quail, squirrel and even black bear.

Here I am pictured at 10 years old, black bear hunting in the North Carolina mountains with the Browning 16 gauge, loaded full of “pumpkin’ balls” as my dad would say.  I am pointing at a bear track.  We barely missed that bear as it crossed below us on the ridge just out of sight.

Here I am pictured at 11 years old with my younger brother and dad.  I am holding the 16 gauge after what appears to have been a fairly successful dove shoot!  Looking back I can’t believe we put camo tape on that beautiful gun!

At the age of 14, dad gave me a new Browning 12 gauge and my younger brother used the 16 gauge for a few years.  Soon he also graduated to a 12 gauge, and the Browning 16 gauge was retired as a hunting gun.

Some time ago my dad had these guns professionally cleaned and re-blued.  Before they were re-blued, I recall them having rubbed spots from years of use with bright steel showing through.  The checkering on the stocks of both of the shotguns is worn down and slick from heavy use.  Though it still remains in great condition to this day, its trips to the field are limited to only special occasions.

Holding these shotguns is something very special indeed.  I imagine my grandfather had no idea these shotguns would be treasured by his son and grandsons, but I expect that he would be greatly pleased.

 post by Peter, pictures by Sunshine, vintage pictures courtesy of Peter’s mom

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Maggie is not a flashy hound but she is as solid a gun-dog as I have ever hunted over.  She works hard, makes few mistakes and is level-headed.  Maggie is the measuring stick by which we evaluate all the other hounds we have owned.  Fancy is quite the opposite.  She is feisty and aggressive.  At times she errs on being over aggressive or too competitive, but she makes up for it with her non-stop drive to find a rabbit.  Together they make an awesome pair of rabbit dogs.

Pictured below, my nephew enjoys showing off the first rabbit of the morning.  Maggie is in the middle and Fancy is on the right.

We take pride in the fact that both Maggie and Fancy were bred, born, raised and trained here, by us.  We love that both are as good as or even better than their sire and dam.  As breeders, our goal is to always to improve the breed.  If a breeder is not constantly producing dogs as good as or better than the sire and dam then you should look elsewhere for your puppy.

Out of all the dogs in the pack, we consider Maggie to be the top dog.  Going on 8 years old, she may be past her prime physically, but there is no substitute for experience.  There is no telling how many rabbits we have killed in front of Maggie.  She is not the fastest or strongest hound in the pack, but she is smart, doesn’t make many mistakes and consistently works hard every time the tail gate drops.  One of the things I most appreciate about Maggie is her unwillingness to quit.  At the end of a long hunt when the other dogs start dragging a bit, Maggie still has to be run down and caught because she is not ready to go home.

Pictured below, Maggie is tough!  A couple of years ago she went missing on a hunting trip.  I left the dogs with the other hunters and went looking for her.  I found her hanging upside down with her back leg caught in a fence.  You can see the visible scar in the picture.  I carried her back to the truck and called my veterinarian.  He said there was nothing I could do but watch it and see if she would lose her foot due to blood loss.  I doctored the cut to prevent infection and anxiously watched to see if it would heal.  I am so thankful that she didn’t have any permanent damage.  Watching her run rabbits today, you would never guess she nearly lost a leg.

It is evident that Maggie holds a place of respect among the other beagles.  You can see it both in the kennel and in the field.  The other dogs trust her and follow her leadership.  In the Southern woods, filled with deer, coyotes and foxes Maggie is completely “trash free” and trustworthy.  If young dogs bark on a track that doesn’t sound right, I look to Maggie to see what she thinks of the track.  If it is anything but a rabbit she will come back and tell on the young dogs.

While we have a number of really quality rabbit dogs in our kennel, we consider Maggie and Fancy to be the core and build the pack around them.

by Peter

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I thought I had tasted just about every kind of jerky from beef and buffalo jerky to deer and elk jerky, but this goose jerky was new to me.  After the first sample, I knew Tyler was on to something here.  Goose makes excellent jerky.  And as I thought about it…goose meat has a color and texture that often resembles red meat – so it makes perfect sense to try making some jerky with it!

Here are Tyler’s step by step instructions for making goose jerky that will knock your socks off!

The first thing we are going to need is goose meat.  We have plenty!  Tyler and Josh pictured here with Raven after a successful Tennessee goose hunt!

Clean, wash and pat dry 4 lbs of goose breast meat.  Optional – I like to soak any wild game meat in salt water over night before using.

Cut the goose breast into thin strips – try to be consistent with the thickness.  Make sure you trim off any fat from the meat when making jerky.  Also, try cutting the meat across the grain for more tender jerky.

Mix together the marinade in a large bowl.

Add goose strips and make sure the meat is well coated and submerged in the marinade.  Cover and place bowl in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day take the marinated goose strips and place in the dehydrator.  The cooking time will vary depending on your dehydrator and the thickness of your strips.  It could take anywhere from 4 – 8 hours.  Keep an eye on it – the jerky is finished when they are completely dry, but not crispy.  Give it a try – it’s a great way to use goose meat!

Tyler’s Goose Jerky
4 pounds goose breast meat
2 Cups teriyaki sauce
2 Tablespoons Tabasco sauce
2 Tablespoons liquid smoke
2 Tablespoons black pepper
2 Tablespoons garlic powder
1 Tablespoons meat tenderizer
1 Tablespoons Mrs. Dash
1 Tablespoons Red Pepper

What to do:  
Clean, wash and pat dry 4 lbs of goose breast meat.  Optional – I like to soak any wild game meat in salt water over night before using.  Cut the goose breast into thin strips – try to be consistent with the thickness.  Make sure you trim off any fat from the meat when making jerky.  Also, try cutting the meat across the grain for more tender jerky.  Mix together the marenade in a large bowl.  Add goose strips and make sure the meat is well coated and submerged in the marinade.  Cover and place bowl in the refrigerator overnight.  The next day take the marinated goose strips and place in the dehydrator.  The cooking time will vary depending on your dehydrator and the thickness of your strips.  It could take anywhere from 4 – 8 hours.  Keep an eye on it – the jerky is finished when they are completely dry, but not crispy.  Give it a try – it’s a great way to use goose meat!

by Peter, pictures and recipe by Tyler Hand

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At six months old, Lightning still has some growing to do, but he is plenty strong enough to tackle thick briars and get after a rabbit.

We really enjoy training beagle pups.  We use the term “starting a pup” to mean introducing a pup to rabbits.  They will instinctively use their nose to track the rabbit and once they start tracking and barking on the track, we refer that as a “started pup.”  We are currently working with two pups, Lightning and his litter-mate sister.  Typically, we prefer to work with just one pup at a time – as they often end up playing and distracting each other.  So far these pups have been all business.

The key to working with young beagles is patience – you can’t get in a hurry!  At this stage it’s most effective to focus on  positively reinforcing their good actions – praise them every time they do they do something right…like getting in the briars to hunt.  They are not even sure yet what they are hunting for but its a step in the right direction!

I prefer to start my pups in the wild (versus a starting pen).  I leave a hedgerow of briars and brush near the kennel for the purpose of training pups.  I keep the hedgerow fairly narrow with mowed lanes on each side so the pups are more likely to have sight chases.  Pups typically progress from sight chasing a rabbit to using their nose to track the rabbit scent.

These pups don’t mind getting in the thick stuff to look for Mr. Rabbit!  That’s a good sign.

These pups have not yet “started” but we do not expect it will take long.  A few more trips to the hedgerow and I think they will start scent tracking rabbits.  It will not be until next season that these pups will join the pack in the field for a hunt.  For now, we will continue to give them plenty of opportunities to practice chasing rabbits at home.

pictures and post by Peter

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Decorating with natural materials is great because they are plentiful, easy to collect, cost nothing and are disposable – just use then toss – no need to store.  I love the natural colors that nature provides, but sometimes it’s fun to step it up a notch – especially when everything outside is brown and gray right now!  These painted pine cones almost look candy coated to me!

Spray paint has the power to transform almost anything and one of the best features of using spray paint is that it dries almost immediately which means it’s perfect for last-minute, spontaneous projects!  I found these great tiny cans at Hobby Lobby and at 50% off they were less than $2 each.   All you need are pine cones, paint and twine.  Let’s do it!

Painted Pine Cone Garland

Gather pine cones and clean off needles.  Line them on an old sheet and start spray painting.  I sprayed them directly on the sheet, I didn’t try to hold them and rotate.  Once I had painted all the pine cones on one side, they were dry and ready to be flipped over.  Paint second side.  Once dry you can touch up missed spots or paint the underside of the cones if you want fuller paint coverage.

Cut baker’s twine into 6-8 inch long pieces, 1 for each pine cone.  Tie twine around pine cones about 1/2 inch from the top, double knotting twine.  Repeat with all pine cones.  When all pine cones are tied with twine, clear a spot to begin attaching them to create garland.

Unwind twine, leaving about 12″ before beginning to attach pine cones.  Tie pine cones onto twine in a pattern or in a random order using a triple knot to hold it securely in place.  Spacing cones about 3″ apart, continue tying them onto twine and creating your garland.  Once all pine cones are attached, leave about a 12″ tail and cut twine from roll.  You can choose to leave or trim the ends of all the pine cone ties.

We hammered brass nailhead tacks to the top of the window molding to tie up our garland… and I have a feeling we’ll be leaving the tacks and coming up with another festive garland once spring arrives!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Cooking with cast iron is preferred by many cooks because the skillets can go from stove top to oven and they also conduct heat evenly when cooking.  Cast iron is considered a much healthier and natural alternative to “non-stick” cookware which use chemicals to create an easy to clean surface.  I love that cast iron skillets quickly get sizzling hot – which means crispy fried okra and golden cornbread crust.

If well cared for – cast iron skillets can last for generations!  Remember our friend, Kathy, who is still using her great-grandmother’s cast iron pans!?

The Lodge skillet comes pre-seasoned, which is a pretty big deal.  Seasoning cast iron involves penetrating the cookware with oil to create a natural non-stick finish and protect the cookware from rusting.  Seasoning a pan isn’t impossible to do, but the fact that Lodge skillets come well seasoned from their foundry is a pretty nice feature for most cooks!  The Lodge two handle design is a great feature for easy pouring and carrying.

If you haven’t ever used cast iron, it can certainly feel like stepping out of your comfort zone… it’s heavy, it’s different, and it can feel a little bit tricky to figure out the do’s and the don’t of this product.  Rest assured – the unchartered territory of cast iron cookware is easy breezy and once you have this basic skillet in your kitchen you’ll be grabbing for it every time the stove is on!

Don’t:
Don’t ever use soap to wash your skillet.  Soap will strip away the seasoned surface.  If your pot needs more than just wiping out, use kosher salt and a rag to scrub away any tough stuck-on food.  Don’t ever put cast iron in the dishwasher!

Do:
Wipe out your skillet with a damp cloth and then rub the surface with a small amount of cooking oil (on a wash rag or paper towel) after each use.  Make sure it is totally dry before storing to prevent rust. If your pan does develop a rust spot, just scrub it clean and then rub oil into the area to re-season and seal it.

Use your skillet often, it only gets better with time!

Here is a link for a great source for more tips on loving and caring for cast iron cookware.  Lodge care tips

Tell us, are you a believer in cast iron?  How old is your skillet?

post and pictures by Sunshine

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So how do you improve your land for rabbit hunting?  Add food plots?  Build brush piles?  The answer is fairly simply – do nothing.  Just let fields go and allow the native plants, briars, grasses, shrubs and trees grow.  This will provide all the cover and food sources needed to increase your rabbit population.  Many think that building brush piles throughout your property will provide the necessary cover to increase the rabbit population.  Others suggest this does very little and there is no substitute for natural native cover.  Food plots are great for deer, but providing food in the open makes rabbits an easy target for predators.

Many folks would consider the land pictured here too rough, but it is a beautiful sight to the rabbit hunter!  We have a number of fields we have “let go.”  Meaning they were either clear cuts or hay fields and we have allowed the native grasses, shrubs, trees, and briars to grow.  And we have seen the rabbit numbers increase significantly!

This land was clear-cut a number of years ago and has become an ideal rabbit habitat.  However, this land is basically unhuntable without shooting lanes.

All that is needed is a little bush hog work to clear the shooting lanes!

We widened the existing logging roads and cut several new shooting lanes.  With a 6′ bush hog, two passes at 12′ makes an adequate shooting lane, but 18′ is better – especially for young hunters and trying to get some hunting footage.

Two pass shooting lane through a wall of briars and saplings (before and after).

Three pass shooting lane on a logging road (before and after).

One of the new shooting lanes (before and after).

We look forward to hunting this land and expect to have some action pack hunts!  The combination of native growth and a little bush hogging makes this property an ideal place to hunt rabbits!

post and pictures by Peter 

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Pan Fried Rabbit Tenders
cornmeal and flour
salt
Tony Chachere’s seasoning (or substitute salt and pepper)
oil
rabbit tenderloins

Trim and prepare tenders for frying. Heat a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil in large skillet over medium to high heat.  Dredge tenders in cornmeal / flour mixture on both sides until well coated.  Drop into heated skillet.  While cooking, season to taste with either Tony Chachere’s or salt and pepper.  Cook on each side about 2 – 3 minutes until browned and cooked through.  Do not overcook the rabbit.  Like other game meat it dries out easily and becomes tough.  Transfer to paper towels to absorb any excess oil before serving.

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Roasted Carrots
carrots
olive oil
kosher salt
black pepper
dried dill

Wash and peel carrots.  Place carrots in a single layer in a jelly roll pan or casserole dish.  Lightly drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with kosher salt, black pepper and dill.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes.  Do not over cook!  These will be tender yet firm, overcooking will cause the carrots to lose their color and begin to dry out.

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Turnip Greens
2 pounds turnip greens
ham hock (or meat of choice)
1 onion, chopped
1 tablespoon sugar
2-3 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon salt
2 teaspoons pepper
1/2 teaspoon ginger

Wash a mess of turnip greens and cut through the bunch several times to make them easier for your fork.  Set aside.  Bring 6 cups of water to a boil and add a ham hock (or your meat of choice, if meat is uncooked, cook for 30 minutes before proceeding).  Reduce heat to medium and add a chopped onion and the turnip greens into the pot.  It will look like your pot is overflowing, but don’t worry, they will cook down significantly.  Add sugar, vinegar, salt, pepper, and ginger to the greens.  Cook with the lid tilted for 30 – 45 minutes, or until greens are to desired tenderness.  Taste and adjust seasoning for your personal preference.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Traits I look for in a Rabbit Gun

Gauge – one of the great things about rabbit hunting is that you can hunt with just about any shotgun in your closet or gun safe at home.  I have hunted rabbits with everything from a single shot .410 to a semi-automatic 12-gauge.  I only rabbit hunt over dogs so I will rule out .22 rifles.  They certainly have their place for stalk and jump rabbit hunters, but they are too dangerous when dogs and other hunters are involved.

The goal in choosing any hunting gun is to match the gauge or caliber of the gun to the game animal and terrain you will be hunting.  In my opinion the 20-gauge matches up very well for cottontail, snowshoe hare and swamp rabbits.  Additionally, the shells are readily available and priced affordably.

The .410 is a great choice for young hunters and those looking for a bit more of a challenge (and don’t mind missing a few shots).  The 12-gauge, used by many is certainly a fine rabbit gun, but I would speculate for most it would not be their first choice.  However, the 12-gauge should not be regarded as “too much gun.”  When shooting low brass field load there is really not much difference between the 20-gauge, 16-gauge and 12-gauge.  The next time you are buying shells compare the amount of lead and velocity statistics on each box and you will see they are fairly comparable.

Any shotgun will work, but if I were buying a new rabbit gun I would pick a 20-gauge.

Lightweight – rabbit hunts often mean spending the better part of the day in the field on your feet carrying a gun.  I want a light gun that is enjoyable to carry for hours at a time.  I often have  my hands full as I manage the hounds – the last thing I want is a heavy shotgun adding to the load.

Compact – not only do I want a light shotgun, I want one that is compact and able to be shot quickly – not bulky and slow to the shoulder.  Barrels in the 22″ – 26″ range are preferred, 28″ and longer barrels are better suited for hunting other game.

Workhorse – leave your pretty, shiny shotguns in the display cabinet.  When rabbit hunting I often find myself in the middle of thickets and briars and don’t want to worry about putting a scratch on my gun.

Adjustable Chokes – with the exception of the .410, which should stay with a full choke, I want to be able to change chokes to match the terrain I’m hunting.

Action – single shots have certainly been responsible for adding many rabbits to the game bag, but I personally prefer to have a follow-up shot!  Pumps and auto loaders are fine choices, but I like the ease and speed of loading and unloading double barrels.  I typically leave my gun unloaded until a rabbit is jumped and running.  Throughout the hunt, I unload and reload my gun numerous times.  I also like double barrels because I am able to use two different chokes – one barrel set-up for close range shots and one for extended range.

My rabbit gun of choice is a side-by-side 20-gauge with adjustable chokes.  It is light and compact with 24″ barrels.  I typically, have one barrel with a I.C. choke for closer shots and a Mod. choke in the other barrel to extend my range.  I typically shoot low brass #6 shot shells and occasionally use a high brass shell in my Mod. barrel if I am hunting an area with  long shot opportunities.  I prefer the side-by-side to the over-and-under because they are typically lighter and more compact…and I just like the look and feel of a “granny gun.”

If you only have one shotgun, and it’s bulky, heavy and has a fixed choke, take it and don’t feel bad about using it!  The main thing is that you get out in the field, enjoy yourself and be safe!  My grandfather exclusively used this single shot 12-gauge with a 30″ barrel!  It wouldn’t be my first choice for a small game gun, but he knew how to shoot it and he was able to keep his game bag filled!

 pictures and post by Peter

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Rabbit hunting is a great way to introduce young kids to the world of hunting.  There is typically plenty of action and excitement to keep their attention.  They enjoy the dogs, teamwork, excitement and fun that defines a rabbit hunt.  I have found that beagles barking on a hot rabbit track make the hunt easier for kids to follow and understand.  There are moments to focus and be quiet as they anticipate the rabbit crossing followed by opportunities to talk, walk around and have fun!

Tips for a Successful Rabbit Hunt with Kids

Safety is always the number one consideration when hunting – even more so when kids are involved.  Make sure they have on blaze orange and that all hunters take extra precaution to make sure clear and safe shots are taken.

Make the hunting trip enjoyable.  We pause here to celebrate a rabbit and the boys listen to Uncle Daniel give an account of the kill.

Stop and get the kids a snack and a cold drink at the local market.  Bojangle’s biscuits start our hunt off right!

Involve the kids in the hunt.  They will enjoy their experience more if you include them at whatever level they are ready to participate.
A couple of my nephews lead the beagles in the field.

The kids are not quite ready to carry shotguns so we took several breaks during the morning to let them shoot their air rifles at Coke cans.  Again, the goal of the hunt is make the experience fun and enjoyable for the kids!  Uncle Tim goes over the basics.

Wrap the hunt up before the kids lose interest.  Young hunters do not have the patience and endurance of a seasoned hunter.  It’s better to end the hunt early leaving them wanting more, than to drag it on too long and end with them being tired and bored.

Make sure you take some kids hunting this winter.  If you don’t have kids, grand kids or nieces / nephews of your own, invite a dad and his kids to join you in the field.  We bet you will enjoy the experience as much as they do!

 post and pictures by Peter

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After a morning of sitting at the table reading and doing schoolwork, there is nothing better than “shooing” the children out the back door!  They love taking off through the back door and running through the woods – climbing fallen trees, jumping over holes and swinging from the vines – burn off that energy little monkeys!

These are our Hanna Andersson Christmas pajamas that the children having been wearing hard for 2 years.  Their clothes truly last through washing and wear, they pass down from child to child beautifully and they seriously do not wear out!  Take a look at these pictures and you’ll see what kind of testing we put our clothes through!

bonus: check out the major semi-annual sale right now!

Are you a fan of Hanna Andersson?  Do you sometimes stay in pjs all day too?

post and pictures by Sunshine

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The shooting lanes are bush-hogged; our chaps are on and we are ready to go!  This year, we have several solid packs of dogs with a couple up and coming young hounds looking to make their place in the pack.

Check out  highlights from the 2011 season and get a taste of what’s ahead!  There will be a lot of good dog work, fast shooting, bells ringing, beagles barking, radio talking, rabbits running, hounds in hot pursuit, and shotguns firing.  The hunts are fun and the action is guaranteed!

Join us in this year’s chase.  

Clips from last year’s rabbit season. 

post by Sunshine, pictures by Ryan McLemore

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We love giving a fresh twist to classics and we are crazy about this spicy black-eyed pea dish from the lovely Paula Deen.  Try it out and let us know if these aren’t the best black-eyed peas you’ve ever tasted!  The only thing we do a little different is to use hog jowl instead of bacon and substitute a spicy instead of mild Rotel.  If you’ve never eaten hog jowl you really must give it a try.  Slice it thin and cook it just like bacon.  I find it to be sweeter and less salty than traditional bacon.  Hog jowl has a great flavor and its a good choice to season any Southern vegetable dish.

Hoppin’ John is a deep Southern variation of this dish that serves black-eyed peas over rice.  So rice or no rice, it’s up to you – but make sure to start the New Year off right and have black-eyed peas for your dinner.

Spicy Black-Eyed Peas or Hoppin’ John 
4 slices bacon (or sliced hog jowl)
1 medium onion chopped
1 16 ounce bag dried black-eyed peas (or field peas)
1 12 ounce can Rotel (mild, medium or hot)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups water

What To Do:  
In a large pot, cook bacon until cripsy.  Remove bacon, crumble and save for topping the peas.  Saute onion in the bacon drippings until tender and translucent.  Pour rinsed (but not soaked) peas into pot, then add Rotel, salt, chili powder, pepper and water.  Cover and cook the peas for 1 hour over medium heat until peas are tender.  Top with bacon and enjoy!

Tips: 
Black-eyed peas are lentils and so they don’t need to be soaked overnight or for long periods of time before cooking.  Rinse them well and then toss them in the pot!
Serves 8

post and pictures by Sunshine 

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The funny thing is that mixed with the laughter of my sisters, the sound of dad’s chainsaw running, the smells of the engine oil, fresh-cut wood and Big Red gum (there was always Big Red gum) – cutting firewood became a very special part of my childhood.

Working hard as a family is so important.  Not only is it vital to teach your children how to work hard and how to stick with a job until it is completed, it’s also important to show them that working hard is part of living well – doing a chore doesn’t (always) mean just get it done, it can also mean enjoying the process of the work – together, talking and unplugged.

Cutting firewood when I was young taught me that putting on old clothes and getting dirty are good for me, that it’s not all about me, but it’s about doing something that benefits our family. We learned how to work together as a team, taking turns carrying, passing, stacking and unloading.  It taught me that spending time together on a chilly day was important and that it was expected that I would follow directions and do the job well.

This is the kind of dirty and tired that puts a smile on your face and makes you hungry for your next meal!

I haven’t cut firewood with my dad in many years, but I know every time I walk past his huge stack of perfectly cut logs what it took to get them there.  Our kids can’t tote a heavy load but they can carry one or two logs – and I’m betting that they loved every minute of this “chore!”

It wasn’t these workers first year on the job!

 post by Sunshine, pictures by Sunshine & Peter

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I reflect over several milestones in Whitey’s training.

Started Running
Whitey started running with little effort (“started running” for those unfamiliar with the term is when a beagle starts using their nose to track.  Often they progress from sight chasing rabbits to using their nose to track.)  I remember well the afternoon he started running – my little boy and I had Whitey out of the kennel and were looking to put him on a rabbit.  Having already had 3 or 4 sight chases under his belt, I walked Whitey over to a rabbit I had seen on the edge of a cut hay-field.  He soon spotted the rabbit and took off after it running it into the nearby treeline.  We watched as Whitey paused for moment looking into the brush where the rabbit had disappeared.  Thinking he might once again turn and come running back to me, I watched as he suddenly put his nose to the ground and dove headlong into the treeline giving plenty of mouth as he scent tracked his first rabbit!  He ran the rabbit only about 75 yards, but I couldn’t have been more proud…and excited!

Jump & Circle Solo
Another milestone for a young beagle is the first time they jump and circle a rabbit running solo – completely on their own.  Depending on the time of year and the amount of opportunities I have given a young dog, I fully expect them to be able to jump and circle their own rabbit before they are a year old.  Whitey reached this milestone at about 9 months old.  I ran him solo quite a bit as a puppy and by the time he was a year old, he was able to push rabbits around the farm by himself with ease.

Run with a Pack
The next accomplishment for Whitey was to run in a pack with 3 or 4 hard-hitting, experienced hounds.  Often I find that a young hound gets frustrated running with experienced and strong dogs.  I first dropped Whitey on the ground with a big male named Crockett.  After about an hour of watching and listening I was convinced Whitey was able to hold his own.  I then added two more big males, Jack and Driver to the pack and the intensity and drive of the race increased.  Whitey continued to stay in the races and handled the pressure well.  Some young dogs advance through this step without missing a beat.  Others do not handle the pressure and competition very well and either get discouraged and quit the race, or are overwhelmed and “crack up.”  I have seen first hand a few young dogs start acting crazy when they couldn’t handle the pressure of an experienced pack.

First Rabbit
Evaluating a hound under the gun is always the true test of their ability.  Just last week Ike and I took to the field with a pack of six hounds including Whitey.  The goal was simple – get Whitey his first rabbit!  We worked the hounds through a dry pond filled with briars.  Soon after entering the pond, Ike starting whooping as he kicked up a rabbit.  Captain Jack was the first dog to hit the track and soon all the dogs had piled on the line.  Listening to six hounds on a hot track is always an awesome sound!  The rabbit ran up a hill for about 200 yards and we split up to take stands as we heard the pack turn and start back in our direction.

I thought for sure, I was in the right spot as the dogs approached, but at the last second they veered and headed for Ike.  A few moments later I heard Ike’s shotgun but he came across the radio saying he had missed the streaking rabbit.  As the pack went into their first check, we set up again and waited.  It wasn’t long before Maggie sorted things out and the race was back underway.  After another big circle without getting a shot opportunity, Ike and I ended up standing together expecting the rabbit to be pushed through a neck of woods between a field and the river.  As the pack grew louder heading in our direction, I could pick out Whitey’s voice and knew it wouldn’t be long before we had his first rabbit.  The rabbit suddenly appeared slipping through the woods and this time Ike dispatched him with ease.

The pack was not more than 10 seconds behind the rabbit and we ran to meet Whitey at the dead rabbit.  We spent quite a bit of time praising Whitey and letting him mouth the rabbit and pull fur.  He was excited!  I am confident that this is only the first of many, many rabbits Whitey will drive to the gun during his career!

post by Peter, pictures by Peter & Ike Elgard

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We rejoice in our Savior’s birth – may your Christmas Day be full of hope and joy!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

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One of my favorite ways to hunt waterfowl is to scout out and find what we refer to as “local honey holes” that ducks are using.  This can include your neighbor’s cattle pond or flooded pasture, a creek or slough, a seasonal wetland or flooded timber.  In the winter, storm water does not filter out and dissipate quickly like during other times of the year.  Any little depression in the landscape can quickly turn into a waterfowl haven overnight with the passing of a large storm. Places that you never see birds near can become covered up!

The most popular style of waterfowl hunting is out of a duck blind on or near a large body of water holding large concentrations of birds.  This method requires A LOT of gear, from boats to hundreds of decoys, blind construction and brushing it and the list goes on and on!   But don’t get me wrong, I hunt this way hard from opening weekend to closing day, and this style can equate to not only seeing a lot of birds, but raising your season’s bag total to high numbers.

Hunting the local honey holes is often a much more simplistic style of duck hunting as it requires less gear and set-up time.  But with this method of hunting comes its own challenges and devotion to being successful.  Scouting, the act of observing an area without disturbing it, is vital.  What we typically do is to find about a half a dozen places that could be potential “honey holes,” acquire permission to hunt them, and begin scouting them on a daily basis.  If we observe over the course of a few days that more and more ducks are using a particular spot, then we plan a hunt for the next day.  If you wait too long, the birds that were there several days ago can be long gone.  The rule of thumb is “hunt where you saw ducks the day before!”

The easiest part is the actual hunt.  We typically throw out a dozen or so decoys, species specific to what we observed.   Realism is important here so use the most realistic, different position decoys that you can afford.  I like to use four to six active decoys, two or three surface feeding or no head style decoys, a few butt feeders and a couple of sleepers.  Remember that birds always land into the wind, so set-up accordingly.  I prefer a crosswind or the wind from my back. Don’t forget about the sun either.  No one likes to stare into the sun all morning long and the birds can spot you a lot easier if you’re not in the shadows.  Hide as best you can because these birds know this spot and are quite familiar with its surroundings. If you stick out and the landscape doesn’t appear normal, they will catch on quick!   There is no need for loud, aggressive calling.  You may not even need to call at all. The ducks want to be where you are, so being subtle is key.

Local honey hole hunting is very rewarding and any duck shot brings a sense of accomplishment with it.  You worked hard, spent many an hour scouting and patterning the birds, and being meticulous with all the fine details.  High fives with your friends, a good neck scratch for the retriever and an appreciation for the birds is in order.  Once you have finished your hunt, be sure to thank the landowner for his/or her generosity and offer them some of your bag.  One last thing, make sure you do not over hunt these spots.  That is an easy way to quickly turn a sweet spot into a deserted cattail hole!  We try to let a hole rest for about a week before hunting it again.  Hunting small local spots can be an easier, low-cost alternative compared to big water, theatrical production style hunting.  And when done right, you can walk away with a hunting story that will be around for many years to come!

by Tyler Hand, pictures by Peter & Josh Mondrage

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Credit goes to one of the  South’s fantastic cooks - Emeril Lagasse for this delicious recipe!  We made a few changes to the original recipe, follow along for a step by step guide to our version of Hunter’s Style Duck.

Cut meat into bite size pieces and season in a large pan with oil.

Brown meat on all sides.

Sprinkle with flour and continue stirring for several minutes.

Add vegetables to pan and stir until cooked.

Add garlic and tomatoes.

Add wine and stock to dish, and allow to simmer for 1 hour.

Serve over rice and enjoy the reward of your hunt!

Hunters Style Duck
2 Mallards (or 4 – 5 teal, or 1 domestic duck)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups red wine
2 cups beef stock

What To Do:
Cut duck into bite sized pieces.  Season with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper.  Heat oil in large skillet.  Once oil is hot, add the duck and brown on both sides.  Sprinkle with the flour and continue to cook, stirring, for several minutes.

Add onions, celery, bell peppers, and mushrooms.  Stir, scraping the bottom of the pan.  Cook for 4 – 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and tomatoes.  Cook for about 2 minutes.  Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and wine.  Continue to cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes.  Add the stock and reduce the heat to simmer for about 1 hour.  Serve over rice.  Makes enough to feed 8 hungry men!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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One of the things we love most about our home is that we can cut through the  woods to our Mimi and Papa’s place.  This week we took a field trip to their farm and spent the morning making Christmas cookies.

Making cookies is such a huge part of Christmas for so many families.  Christmas cookies involve so much more than stirring up a batch of chocolate chips… usually there is rolling and cutting and spreading and decorating….!  I love eating cookies that are beautiful and intricate.  My favorites have cream in the center, or cherries on top – it seems like Christmas cookies set a pretty high precedent for bakers!

I used to spend hours and hours making the most delicious oatmeal cream filled layer cookies, but the days of fancy cookies are on hold for now.  These days I much prefer the hand rolled treats my babies make – no pressure and all fun!  We make a simple sugar cookie that doesn’t even involve a rolling-pin, just use your hands and press with a fork!

The cookies we churn out taste delicious, but they look a little messy!  They are absolutely covered in sprinkles – because that is the best part, right!?

The children rolled, pressed, sprinkled, licked fingers, dunked cookies in milk, gave carrots to the horses, said hello to the cows, and played on the swings.  Then we walked home with some of our favorite people.  The cookies are going fast, but the sweet memories of a sunny day at Three Sister’s Farm will stick around forever.

Who are your favorite people to bake with and do you have a tried and true cookie recipe?

Fork Pressed Sugar Cookies
1 pound butter
2 cups sugar
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt

What To Do:
Cream together butter and sugar.  Sift dry ingredients together and mix into creamed mixture.  Chill dough in refrigerator for several hours.  When chilled, roll dough into small balls and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Press slightly with a fork.  Add sprinkles!  Bake at 350 for 8-10 min until lightly browned.

Tips:
These cookies will spread out on the pan!  If making them with your children be aware that because of all the butter in this recipe, the warmer the dough gets in their hot little hands the more melted the cookies will be when they go into the oven.  Try to help them keep the holding and rolling of the dough to a minimum! :)

post by Sunshine, pictures by Sunshine & Peter

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I had the privilege of hunting with our friend Amy and her brother when she took her first deer.  Here is her story, in her own words.

……………………………………………………………………………….

I had already spent two afternoons in the deer stand; both times I had ridden home in the dark with nothing.  This time we were trying a morning hunt.  I woke up at 4:30 with a goal.  Dressed in orange, covered with scent-covering spray, we headed into the field around 6:00.  We settled into the stand, trying not to make a noise.  There were bees buzzing in the hollow wall of the shooting house.  Is that something you usually remember?  A coyote ran by and kept on running until it reached the tree line across the field.  I hoped that wasn’t going to be the only animal we saw that morning.

Peter saw it first.  A doe stepped out of the trees and then back in.  Our eyes scanned the tree line until she stepped out, this time with four others.  She knew we were there.  Peter raised the gun slowly, inch by inch, pointed it out the window and handed it to me.  As the stock touched my shoulder, the doe headed back for the woods.  It turned to check on us once more.  Peter whispered something.  The other deer were walking around.  I was focused on the spot behind her shoulder.  Everything else was blur and background noise.  I held my breath, steadied my hands, and shot.

The deer kicked her hind legs into the air and dashed into the shadow of the woods, followed by the others.  My hands began to shake.  The world around me came back into focus.  Peter said again and again, “You got it!”  I was trying to figure out what happened.  The deer’s back legs had flown in the air as if I had hit them.  He had to say it more than once before I understood: he knew the doe was dead because she had “mule kicked” before she ran.  He said that was a sure sign of a good lung shot.  I didn’t let myself believe it until I saw the blood on the leaves, a trail leading into the woods.

We tracked the blood foot by foot until we saw the doe lying between the trees only 20 yards away.  Afterwards, Peter told me that he shot his first deer when he was my age, with the same gun that I had used.  There’s nothing more thrilling than walking up to a deer, your deer, knowing that your patience, focus and determination have paid off.

intro and pictures by Peter, post by Amy

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These New Orleans Style shrimp are so good my mouth is watering just looking at these pictures – it really is!  They are fiery and buttery and full of flavor!  And you won’t even believe how simple and quick they are to make!

All you need are shrimp, italian dressing, butter, pepper and lemons.  So simple!

Rinse shrimp.

Mix sauce.

Pour sauce over shrimp.

Bake until pink.

You will absolutely want to serve this with a thick slice of hot and toasty french bread – because this sauce is made for dipping!

New Orleans Style Shrimp

2-3 pounds shrimp with shell (fresh or frozen)
1 cup butter
1/4 cup pepper
8 oz italian style dressing
juice of 2 lemons

What to do:  Place rinsed shrimp in large roasting pan, if using frozen shrimp make sure they are completely thawed.  Combine ingredients for sauce and mix well.  Pour over shrimp and make sure they are well coated.  Roast at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until shrimp are pink.  During last 10 minutes of roasting, pop your bread in the oven to warm – you are gonna want to eat this right away!

Tips: This is a very kicky version, if you want a little less spice then use less pepper or try a Cajun seasoning mix instead.  This sauce recipe can be doubled and used for about 6 pounds of shrimp if you are feeding a crowd!  If the shrimp is your main course you can figure about 1/4 pound of shrimp per person – if it is an appetizer or is being served along with other heavy foods then you can count on each person eating a bit less.  Cooking time may need to be extended if doubling the recipe – 45 minutes for 6 pounds of shrimp.

This recipe came from my Auntie who lives and fabulously cooks in Augusta, Georgia – Home of the Masters and the Tea-Time at the Master’s cookbook – where this recipe originated.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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This good-looking knife fits perfectly in my hand.  It has a comfortable weightiness that makes it feel substantial and is useful for going through tough cartilage and thick hides.  Yet, it is compact enough to not be cumbersome or awkward, especially when field dressing a deer.  I have been impressed not only with the look and feel of this knife, but also its ability to hold an edge and endure rigorous use.

I have been a fan of Buck Knives ever since I was a boy.  When I was ten years old my father gave me my first knife of significance, a classic lock-blade Buck 110, along with a Buck sharpening stone.  You can imagine  how important I felt to have a “real knife.”  I spent hours trying to perfect using that sharpening stone.  I still have this knife and continue to use it frequently in the field.  Often a big job such as quartering an elk or boning out a deer requires more than one knife, and the Buck 110 is a great second blade!  It also fits comfortably on the belt whenever I need to wear a knife.

I also like Buck Knifes because they are Made in America.  It’s frustrating how much of my hunting gear is made overseas.  It just doesn’t seem right!  Buck Knives are a great investment as the company has a “Forever Warranty” on all their products.  The packaging for Buck Knives always includes a scripture verse…and I love that!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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This is a post our daughter wrote about spending time with this little calf.  You can read her first post here.

Our Little Calf  By Bright, age 7

This week, we had two special calves born in our field.  One was red and white and it was a girl.  It had curly white hairs on its head.  It had a pretty red neck.  It had a cute little tail.  I decided to name it Bright after Almonzo Wilder’s (from Little House and the Prairie) red and white calf and after myself.  I love that series.   The mother rejected her calf.  It was very weak, all it did was sleep.   The other calf was alive and healthy.

She let us touch her and let Daddy carry her. Some calves will run away.  This calf loved us and stayed close and never ran away. We bonded.  After a few days the mother still had not gone close.  So Daddy went to the store and bought milk and a large calf bottle.  We bottle fed it.  At first it didn’t want the milk.  But I talked to it and petted it and said it had to drink the milk.  That worked for a while but it took too long for two bottles a day.  Then it was getting colder and it was going to rain and it couldn’t stay in the pasture.  We moved it to a small pen on the side of our barn.  We put in straw for bedding and propped up the bottle so it could eat by itself.  Then we put in some water for it to drink.  It loved its new pen.

It was fun being its mother, it was so fun.  It’s not so often that you have a calf that won’t run away and that you bond.  And it’s not so often that the mother let’s you get so close .  I’ll always remember this calf and the memories of its calf-hood.

intro and pictures by Sunshine, post by Bright

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This week we have started leash breaking Lightning.  Leash breaking is simply the process of getting a young dog use to being on a leash.  Often, the first few times a leash is put on a dog they will fight, pull and flop all over the place.  It’s a little like bronco busting on a much smaller scale!

During this training the dog will not only get used to having a leash on, but more importantly will learn submit to the handler.  Lightning is learning to go where the handler takes him.  He stops when the handler stops and he walks when the handler starts walking.

Often, you will see a defiant dog take the leash in their mouth and try to direct the handler.  It’s important to establish in this early training that the handler is the master, and is in charge, no questions asked.  If a dog is allowed to think they are in charge they will not be a very enjoyable hunting companion in the field or a pet around the house.

Here you see Lightning’s first experience on a leash.  The kids take turns holding the leash and speaking calmly but firmly to him.  It won’t be long until having a leash on is no big deal for Lightning and then he will be one step closer to joining the pack in the field!

Tips for Training a Pup

-Make your training sessions short – puppies, like kids have short attention spans.  It is much better to have six short 10-minute sessions than one hour-long session.

-Reinforce positive behavior with praise and affection.

-It is best to work with one puppy at a time, as they are easily distracted.

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine

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I grew up duck hunting bayous, ponds and flooded timber in Shreveport, LA – small holes that only required a couple dozen decoys and a big cypress tree to lean against.  Throwing out 350 decoys and climbing in a blind with seven others hunters over-looking big water was a new experience for me.

Duck hunters are arguably the toughest hunters.  A typical duck hunt starts hours before daylight – setting out or adjusting decoys in often frigid conditions.  If the hole has frozen over, the guys all get out in their waders and “bust ice” to create open water for the ducks to land.

Once in the duck blind, everyone scrambles to get their face painted and gear lined up in time for “shooting light.”  Even an apparently good-sized blind quickly fills up with eight guys, all their gear and a couple of Labs.

Typically, in a duck blind the most experienced guys will sit on the corners of the blind and call the shots.  Working as a team is essential and the goal is to shoot together as a unit once the ducks are in the kill zone and the shot is called.  The roar of eight shotguns going off at once is impressive!

Duck blind cooking is legendary…and its true, everything tastes better in a duck blind!  Biscuits, bacon and eggs all cooked on propane stove.

Duck Blind Tips       

The blind is not the place to work on your duck calling.  Practice in your truck or garage at home and leave the calling to those that know what they’re doing.  If it’s your first time in the duck blind, take Phil Robertson’s advice and just sit back, watch and learn.  Don’t shoot before the call is made to “shoot,” “take ‘em,” or “cut ‘em.”  Sky busting (shooting high birds) will likely get you kicked out of the duck blind!

Don’t move!  Once birds are spotted it is essential to be still.  It doesn’t matter how well the blind is brushed in – if you are popping your head up to try and see the ducks you are going to cause them to flare off.

post and pictures by Peter

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While this way of baking cornbread may not go all the way back to that first generation of landowners, it certainly goes back many years.  Our host told the story of how she learned to make cornbread as a young woman – while her mother was in the bed with a bad back.  She remembers running back and forth to the bedroom asking if she had the right amount of each ingredient until she learned to make the cornbread on her own.  Today, she still mixes her batter in the same glass and measures them by their depth saying the cornmeal need to be, “right about here…”  Don’t worry, we’ve got the actual measurement of cornmeal for you in our recipe!

While Mrs Kathy makes her cornbread in her mother’s glass cup, often bakes it in her great-grandmother’s mini loaf pans and mixes up her batter by eyeballing and stirring, I began to wonder if it was going to take me years to master this recipe.  I couldn’t believe that her ingredients are almost the same as Martha White’s Southern Cornbread recipe on the back of the cornmeal bag!  So, if the special touch isn’t in the ingredients themselves, what is it that makes this cornbread so delicious?  It’s the order of steps, the cast iron skillet, and the hot bubbling oil she mixes into the batter!

Measure flour and top with egg.

Slowly add milk and stir until smooth.

Pour hot oil from skillet into batter and carefully stir.

Pour the batter into the sizzling skillet.

Bake until golden.

Slice and serve!

While this hot and golden cornbread topped with butter and local molasses is a true treat – it can’t beat spending the afternoon with friends – fellowship and food, it really doesn’t get any better than this!  Thank you Kathy and Beth for opening your home to my daughter and me and for sharing your recipe!  Read on to learn how!

Southern Cornbread (Martha White with a twist!)
1 egg
1 1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup oil
1 7/8 cup self rising enriched cornmeal

Here’s How:
Pour oil into cast iron skillet and heat in 450 degree oven.  Measure cornmeal into mixing bowl and then top with egg.  Add milk slowly while stirring batter until it is smooth and lumps are gone.  When oil is hot and bubbly, remove skillet from the oven and very carefully pour hot oil into the mixing bowl.  Stir oil into the batter.  (You will hear exciting sizzling sounds and this is when you may start drooling in anticipation of what’s to come!)  Once stirred, pour batter into hot skillet and bake for 20 min until golden.
Makes 8 slices.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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DIY Antler Mount:
-Select racks

-Cut antlers from skull, just below the burr.  I found that using a saws-all with a metal blade works best.

-Space antlers on your plaque (we used a 7″x36″).

-Cut a “flat” spot in the backside of the burr to help the antler lay flat on the plaque.

-Drill pilot holes through the antlers and the plaque.

-Screw the antler to the plaque.  I used a composite deck screw, as the combination of fine and course thread works well for both bone and oak.

When working with antlers, keep in mind that each one is different and each set will not be a perfect match.  Tape measures, not needed.  Just use your eye for spacing and layout.  You have to find the best spot for the screw in each antler.

A friend, Matt Teply made the plaques for me for out of reclaimed oak from a “turn of the century” dairy barn here in middle Tennessee.  Several years ago he and I tore down a barn, which was well on its way to falling in, and he managed to haul away a mountain of prized oak.  Once planed, sanded and sealed, it looks absolutely beautiful.  If you have never worked with aged oak, you must know it gets harder and harder the older it gets.  Drilling pilot holes for your screws is a must – and you can forget trying to drive a nail into it!

by Peter, pictures by Sunshine 

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This week we’ve got a delicious stew that is simple and yummy.  Melt in your mouth venison vegetable stew.  Serve it with Southern Cornbread for the perfect winter meal!

Venison Country Stew
2 pounds of lean venison, cut into bite size morsels
1/2 cup flour
salt, pepper
3 slices of bacon
4 medium potatoes
8 carrots
2 onions
4 celery stalks with leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup red wine

Here’s How: 
Place cubed and trimmed venison in a ziplock bag with flour, salt and pepper.  Shake until well coated.  Cook bacon in a large pan, remove bacon and keep the drippings in the pan.  Brown the floured and seasoned meat in bacon drippings.  You are not trying to cook the meat at this point – only browning the floured sides of each piece.  Transfer meat to greased dutch oven.  To drippings left in the pan, add 2 Tablespoons of flour; brown while scraping to get all of the salt, pepper that was remaining in the pan.  Pour 2 cups water into pan and slowly bring to a boil while stirring to create a gravy for the stew.  Pour gravy over venison, cover and cook at 325 degrees in the dutch oven for 1 hour.  Chop, peel and prepare vegetables.  After stew has cooked for one hour add vegetables, garlic and wine to the dutch oven and gently stir them in.  Add more salt and pepper to stew.  Cover and cook for an additional 2 hours.  More water can be added if additional gravy is needed.
Serves 6.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Most deer hunters will eventually cross paths with a mature buck, but it takes a dedicated, experienced and skilled hunter to consistently drag big bucks out of the woods each year.  I define mature bucks in my area as anything 3 1/2 years and older.  If I were hunting in an area with less pressure and more restrictive limits, I would bump the age up to 4 1/2 years and older.

There are endless strategies for hunting big bucks, everyone has their favorite.  Manufacturers spend big money to advertise the latest and greatest gear hunters need – deer calls, deer scents, cover scents, camo patterns, scent reducing clothing, deer stands, firearms, ammo, range finders, optics, etc.  While improvements in the technology of our gear are helpful – I think the most necessary tools for killing a big buck cannot be purchased.

Three Simple Keys To Remember:

1.  Know when and where to be in the woods – the more you hunt the more you develop an instinct for knowing when to be in the deer stand and where to set up to see a mature buck.  Having your finger on the pulse of the rut is not an easy task – especially if your hunting opportunities are limited, but timing your hunts around peak rut activity will greatly improve your chances.

2.  Hunt the wind – this is the same advice your Granddad gave you.  It is wisdom.  If the wind is not right, don’t hunt the stand.  Its simple, but all to often hunters ignore the wind direction – some lessons have to be learned the hard way!  I recall years ago watching a buck downwind of me through optics about 500 yards away.  He was working his way towards me on a major powerline.  At about 350 yards, he stuck his nose in the air and caught a whiff of me and immediately turned and retreated to cover.  I was in a set up to see this buck because of the perfectly straight and long powerline, but just think how many bucks have winded you that you never had a chance to see.

3.  Old-fashioned patience – pure and simple, you can’t kill a deer if you are not in the deer stand.  In an age of instant gratification, being patient is not easy.  There is no substitute for staying in the stand and spending time in the woods.

I was able to fill my final Tennessee buck tag with a black powder nine pointer.  I had seen this buck at least three times before, but was unable to take a shot.  Twice he was running full stride in pursuit of a hot doe and I was unable to stop him.  The third time I saw him, I was had him in the cross hairs at 40 yards, but the shot would be through thick cover and I chose to wait.

The morning I took this buck, I could hear him in a cedar thicket across the field all morning long.  He was chasing does and grunting loudly.  I knew it would simply be a matter of time before he popped out in to the field.  After waiting on him for 2 1/2 hours, he suddenly appeared chasing a doe into the food plot.  As quickly as they appeared, they suddenly disappeared running back into the cedar thicket.

It’s not my preference, but I decided my only option would be to shoot this buck on the run the next time he appeared.  Another ten minutes passed and with a string of crashes the doe and buck reappeared in the food plot, but this time they turned and headed in my general direction.  At about 60 yards, I grunted at the buck and then yelled to try to stop him, but he paid no attention to me and continued running after the doe.  I swung smoothly as the buck ran past my stand and was fortunate to fire a killing shot.

by Peter, picture by Steve Simmons

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This is our new favorite smoothie - even baby girl asks for “mo.”

Cranberry Clementine (Lime) Smoothie
3 cups ice
2 cups vanilla greek yogurt
1 cup orange juice
3 cups fresh or frozen whole cranberries
1 lime, pulp and juice
1 clementine, peeled (or small orange)

What to do:
Toss items into your blender in the order listed. Put the lid on. Press go!
Makes 4 servings.

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Corn and Potato Soup (With Bacon)
2 32 ounce bags of frozen corn
4 slices of bacon
1 medium red onion, chopped
2 jalapeno chilies, seeded & finely chopped
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 Tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 red potatoes, diced
2 15 ounce cans chicken broth
2 cups half and half
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes

What to do:
Cook bacon in a large pot until browned, then transfer bacon to a plate with paper towels to drain.  Next add onion, jalapeno and garlic to bacon drippings and cook while stirring for about 5 minutes or until tender.  Stir in flour, salt and pepper and cook for 1 additional minute while continuing to stir.  Add potatoes, corn, broth, half and half to the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and let pot simmer about 20 minutes until potatoes are tender.  Stir in tomatoes and heat through.  Serve with bacon crumbled on top.
Makes 10 servings.

Tips!
Sometimes I add diced ham to this soup to make it ever heartier for my dinner crowd!  Afraid of spice?  Don’t worry the pepper in this one only adds flavor – it’s not hot at all!

post and pictures by Sunshine

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Making this gravy (also called sawmill gravy) just exactly right is based on feel and look and taste… and like many family recipes, this is something that has been taught but has never been written down.

Today we’re putting this one on paper (well online really), and we know you can master it!  Step by step instructions and pictures are below.

Express your love with this Southern comfort food and soon your family will be saying….

(image via)

Southern Biscuits and Gravy
1 pound of your favorite sausage (we prefer Odom’s Tennessee Pride Mild)
2 Tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
salt & pepper

With stove turned to medium heat, brown sausage and drain off any excess grease if necessary, keeping about one tablespoon of drippings in the pan.  Sprinkle flour over the browned meat and stir until flour is absorbed.  Next, pour in milk and begin stirring slowly and steadily.  While you are stirring salt and pepper to taste.  At this point it is only a matter of time before the gravy thickens to the perfect consistency… don’t walk away from the stove!  Perfect gravy is thick enough to not be drippy, but thin enough to soak up with a biscuit!  When the gravy is ready, spoon it onto your favorite biscuit and serve right away.  More milk can be added if needed – the gravy will continue to thicken as it rests in the pan.

Tell us, did you grow up on biscuits and gravy too?

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My sister in-law didn’t choose to register for fine china but chose instead to use a lovely pattern passed down from her grandmother.  Here in the South, having your grandmother’s silver platter or crystal bowl is a coveted treasure.  Many times relatives will register for the same patterns – knowing that some day they will be passed down together to the next generation.  While I am still pleased with my traditional Mikasa, sometimes patterns just don’t have generational appeal – a family friend was recently lamenting that the peach and black floral pattern she had chosen in the 80′s was really out of touch with her home today . Which introduces another question, should patterns be classic or current?

With Thanksgiving less than one week away you might be making plans to host the whole crew – or you just might be breathing a sign of relief that you won’t be setting the holiday table at your house this year!  I love that at these special dinners the fine china, crystal and silver are pulled out to be cleaned and polished… but why do we save these items for major holidays?

Let’s make a pact – to use our china more! Let’s elevate the simplest dinner into something a little more special, mix it with everyday dishes and chargers to change the look.  I recently mixed mine with plasticware for a special seven-year old’s birthday party!

Tell me, what is the story of your fine china?  
If you skipped this tradition have you been glad that you did?

by Sunshine, pictures by Peter and Sunshine

The post Fine China Not Just for Holidays appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

Additionally, the weatherman was calling for a cold front to arrive Monday night causing the low temperature for Tuesday morning to drop to 28 degrees…a 27 degree drop in low temperatures in a 24 hr period.  The rut, which had lulled for a couple of days, would surely be flaring back-up!  I decided to hunt a stand that overlooks a large hayfield surrounded by a number of cedar thickets.  Historically, this has been a great stand to cover a lot of ground looking for rutting activity.  Being black powder season, I was able to see much further than I could shoot.

As soon as shooting light arrived, a number of deer could be seen in the field which had been covered by a shiny hard frost.  As visibility increased, I could make out a small eight point buck in the field chasing several does.  It was not long before deer began pouring into the field from different directions.  It was hard to keep track of the number deer as they came and went, but I could track at least 5 different bucks and would guess somewhere between 20 – 25 does.

Having paid my dues and spent many unproductive hours in the deer stand, it is an amazing feeling to be in the right spot at the right time!  It was thrilling to watch all the deer activity – to see a couple young bucks sparing, bucks chasing does, to hear grunting, to see bucks working scrapes and rubbing trees.  It was the most deer activity I had seen all year.

Enjoying the morning and having the opportunity to be in the middle of all this deer activity, I noticed a lone doe enter the field about 300 yards away.  My experience told me she was a “hot doe” – she had that skittish appearance and the tell-tale sign of continuing to look behind her.

I focused completely on her to see if the buck in tow was one I had already seen that morning or hopefully a new shooter buck.  Within a minute a large bodied, tall racked buck raced into the field.  My first thought – “Big Buck!” and in a moment I went from enjoying the morning to all business.  As I studied the buck, I could see he was a six pointer…. but a very large six pointer.  I could easily tell by his body size and conformation that he was a mature deer, and that he had plenty of height, width and mass… a great buck.

As the buck trailed the doe up the edge of the field,  I ranged a landmark to find 150 yards and determined that as soon as he reached the mark I would take the shot.  Just shy of the mark, the doe darted back into the tree line with the buck hot on her heels.

About the time I relaxed my shooting position and began to think that it wasn’t meant to be, the doe exploded back into the field running straight in my direction with the buck less than 100 yards behind her.  As the doe passed my stand, I prepared for the shot and mouth grunted as loud as I could to break the buck’s concentration.  He stopped broadside at 50 yards, offering a perfect shot… it was the perfect morning to be in the deer stand!

by Peter, pictures by Peter and Sunshine 

The post Perfect Morning Produces Big Six Pointer appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

Last week she came to us with a fully written post and asked if she could submit it for the site.  This is the first installment of what we hope will become a hot feature here on OSR.

Lil’ Bow  by Bright, age 7

I’ve always wanted a bow and arrow.

It was the very day of my birthday that my wish was granted.  I opened the package and there with two shiny arrows was my bow.

My dad had a hay bale moved beside our yard.  I have fun shooting into it.

I can’t wait for the day I shoot my first deer.

We gave Bright a Barnett Youth Lil’ Sioux Recurve for her birthday and it’s been a great first bow!

intro and pictures by Sunshine

The post My First Bow – A Post From Bright appeared first on Our Southern Roots.

 Pumpkin Rice Pudding Recipe
2 cups Arborio ice
4 cups milk
2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 teaspoon orange extract or 1 tablespoon orange zest
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
brown sugar and cream for topping

What to do:
In a large pot bring milk, water, orange juice, orange extract/zest, vanilla, salt and rice to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium/low and cook for 20-25 minutes stirring continually until most, but not all, of liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and ladle half of rice mixture into serving dish.  In a separate bowl, mix together pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg.  Ladle remaining half of cooked rice mixture into bowl with seasoned pumpkin. Once thoroughly mixed, spoon pumpkin rice over plain rice and spread out evenly in dish.  To serve, top individual bowls with brown sugar and cream.

Serves 8

post and pictures by Sunshine

The post Pumpkin Rice Pudding appeared first on Our Southern Roots.