Friday, April 5, 2013

What's For Dinner - Skillet Grilled Catfish

Skillet Grilled Catfish



Ingredients
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 catfish fillets (6 to 8 ounces each)
1/4 cup butter

Directions
In a large resealable bag, combine the first nine ingredients. Add catfish, one fillet at a time, and shake to coat.
Place a large cast-iron skillet on a grill rack over medium-hot heat. Melt butter in the skillet; add catfish. Grill, covered, for 5-10 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Yield: 4 servings.

Nutritional Facts
1 serving (6 ounces) equals 222 calories, 15 g fat (8 g saturated fat), 51 mg cholesterol, 366 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 8 g protein.

Prep/Total Time: 25 min. Yield: 4 Servings

Catfish are Running in the Ozarks!

Most channel cats gather near brush piles, drop offs, humps, stumps, dead falls, or pockets cutting into the bank. Big channel cats seem to prefer deeper water at the base of ledges . They also gather in the turns of channel bends, and the edges in or near dam tail waters. 


Catfish are more aggressively feeding in the spring months as the weather warms . The winter period of reduced meals will leave the channel cat with an ongoing hunger, and now as the temperatures are rising it is stimulating their metabolism, channel cats are always on the prowl looking for shad, crayfish, sunfish or other meals to satisfy their appetites.

Heavy rains in the spring may have swollen many rivers. This resulting in increased current conditions. Channel cats will head to areas where they can escape the heavy current. This is one reason they will gather in brush piles, drop offs, humps, stumps, dead falls, or pockets cutting into the bank. 

Warmer weather is here - So get out there!


Homestead Crossing has some great fishing/hunting land for sale & lease! 
Contact us today!

Thursday, April 4, 2013

What's for dinner: Venison Roast


Venison is an excellent lean meat.


Venison Roast


half venison roast
2 carrots chopped
1 cup  mushrooms
half medium sized onion chopped
½ cup chicken broth
¼  cup red wine
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
½ tbsp garlic powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
½ tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp minced garlic

1) Chop up carrots, mushrooms, and onion. Place venison roast and vegetables in crock pot.
2) Pour in chicken broth, red wine, and Worcestershire sauce.
3) Season with garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, chili powder, and minced garlic. 
4) Cook on high for about 6 hours. If possible pull apart venison an hour or so before serving.
5) Pull apart roast, season as necessary for added flavor, and enjoy!

Note: If there is too much liquid in the crock pot close to serving time, whisk in a little flour to thicken it up. I continuously added in some extra pepper, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and chili powder as it cooked for some extra flavor, so experiment as you go along. Don’t take my measurements of seasonings too seriously—just taste test and make it to your liking. That’s the fun in cooking, right? For health purposes try to lay of the salt a little. Your heart will thank you later.

LOCAL EVENT: Gun Show this weekend


DATE April 6 - April 7, 2013
DIRECTIONS 1927 Lacrosse Rd, Melbourne, AR 72573
CITY / STATE Melbourne, Arkansas
DESCRIPTION
The Melbourne Gun Show will be held on April 6th and 7th, 2013 at the Izard County Fairgrounds. Show times are 9:00am to 5:00pm Saturday and 9:00am to 4:00pm Sunday.

Location:
-Izard County Fairgrounds, Melbourne, Arkansas
(1927 Lacrosse Rd, Melbourne, AR 72573)

Show Times:
-Saturday: 9:00am-5:00pm
-Sunday: 9:00am-4:00pm

Admission is $5.00 per person.
Tables are $30.00 each.

Please contact for more information:
-(870) 291-7833

We hope to see you there!


For more information about this event, Please see below.
EMAIL mike.cone@centurytell.net
PHONE 870-291-7833


Please Confirm Events
Events are liable to change dates, times or even cancel without notice.. Be sure to check with the Event Coordinator for accurate dates and times and information.


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

2013 Missouri Spring Turkey Hunting - Regular Season: April 15-May 5



Missouri Spring Turkey Hunting 


2013 Seasons
Youth Season: April 6-7
Regular Season: April 15-May 5


There are several changes to conservation area regulations and managed turkey hunts. Check pages 8 through 17 of the 2013 Spring Turkey Hunting Regulations and Information booklet listed below for details.


Youth Spring Turkey Hunting Season
Who May Participate:
The youth hunter must be age 6–15 on opening day.

Season Dates:
April 6-7, 2013

Shooting Hours:
One-half hour before sunrise to sunset Central Daylight Time

Valid Permits:
Youth hunters must possess one of the three following permits:

Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit
Resident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit
Nonresident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit
Note: Landowner permits are valid only on the land for which they are issued.

Youth Season Limit:
One male turkey or turkey with visible beard

NOTE: Youths who take a turkey during the youth season may not harvest a second bird until April 22. This is because the bird taken during the youth season counts as the first bird for the first week of the regular season.


Regular Spring Turkey Hunting Season
Season Dates:
April 15 –May 5, 2013

Shooting Hours:
One-half hour before sunrise to 1 p.m. Central Daylight-Saving Time

Valid Permits:
Resident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit
Resident Landowner Spring Turkey Hunting Permit
Nonresident Spring Turkey Hunting Permit
Season Limit:
Two male turkeys or turkeys with visible beard may be taken during the season, with the following restrictions:

You may only take one turkey during the first week from April 15 –21.
If you do not take one during the first week, then you may take two during
the second or third week from April 22–May 5, but you may not take them both on the same day.
NOTE: If you hunt during a managed hunt, season limits still apply.


*Above Information from Missouri Department of Conservation


Homestead Crossing Inc. has great hunting land for lease available. Don't want to lease? Buy your own land with owner finance options!  Contact Ed Johnson at 417-252-1067 Today!

From Everyone here at Homestead Crossing Inc have a safe & fun Turkey Hunting Season! 





The Benefits of Vertical Gardening


What Is Vertical Gardening?
Simply put, vertical gardening is the practice of growing certain vegetable plants up a support to keep them from spreading on the ground. Most vining plants, such as cucumbers, can be grown vertically using a trellis. Growing these plants vertically saves space, and generally promotes more vigorous growth.

The Benefits of Vertical Gardening
As mentioned above, growing plants vertically saves space in the vegetable garden. You can grow more plants in a smaller area by using vertical gardening practices. A plant that would normally take up 4 square feet spread across the vegetable garden, will only take up 2 square feet if vertical gardening is used.
Vertical gardening can also greatly improve your crop production. Keeping vegetable plants off the soil will help prevent soil-borne diseases, and may limit the chances of rotten fruit. If vegetables are allowed to lay on the soil, they can begin rotting on the bottom side due to excessive moisture.
Growing some vining plants up a support also reduces the risk of powdery mildew, and other mildews, by improving the air circulation around the plants. This will also improve access to blooms for bees and other pollinators. Vertical gardening can greatly improve the overall appearance of your garden, because spreading plants will not look so unwieldy.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Tips to use recycled plastic jugs in your garden

Here are are few tips to use recycled plastic jugs in your garden! 

ENJOY!





1. Use gallon bottles/jugs and cultivate what you want.. ideal for anyone who lives in an apartment or small area.



2Cut the bottom off your gallon milk jugs (and save the bottoms ... you'll see why!) and use them as cloches in the garden! Place them over young tomato, pepper, and other plants, to protect them from frost on chilly spring nights.



3. Slice off the bottom inch or two of your milk jugs, and use them as a tray for starting seeds. Use the top sections as cloches, and you've gotten two great uses out of every milk jug! Poke a few holes in the bottom for drainage, add potting soil or seed starting mix, and plant seeds.



4. Don't spend a bushel of cash on upside-down vegetable planters. You can make them from milk jugs.



5. Slice milk jugs at an angle and you have an instant scoop, complete with handle. Just make sure you leave the lid on! This works perfectly for grass seed, fertilizer, potting soil, and even bird seed! For smaller jobs, use half-gallon jugs.



6. For liquid fertilizer, plant food, herbicides, or other chemicals that need mixing with water, use a milk jug! Measure and add the first ingredient to an empty milk jug, set it on a level surface, and use a permanent marker to make a line at the top of the liquid. Write the ingredient name in the space it occupies in the jug. Add other ingredients as needed, one at a time, marking and labeling after each addition. Next time you make the mix, you won't have to measure. Just use the markings on the milk jug! To avoid mixing chemicals that shouldn't be mixed, reserve one milk jug for your plant food, another for herbicides, and so on, and label them clearly.



7. Punch a series of small holes in the top of a gallon or half-gallon milk jug, fill with water, and use in place of a watering can! The half-gallon size works great for children or anyone who can't manage a heavy full gallon. The water comes out slowly, so kids are less likely to drown plants. If you have to transport water to a garden or flower bed, use a solid lid to haul the gallons of water, and replace it with a hole-punched lid once you get there!



8. Gallon milk jugs are big enough to plant tomatoes. Can hang on deck or wall.



9. Poke tiny holes in the bottom of the jug and place next to new plants.