Many blogs and articles talk of building a good community for the coming hard times. Getting to know your neighbors, visiting and perhaps working together. In hard times neighbors can provide skills you don't have. You may have skills they don't. Sharing chores, sharing food, sharing protection for all. Sure makes sense but it can be harder for some than others.
We live on a little acreage and most people in our area to do. No close neighbors really. Those along the river are much closer together than us on the land side. My hubby, due to his drinking, has slowly closed himself off from just about everyone. I have my family and a few friends. I make acquaintances fine but friends are different. I always have a few and they are good friends. Unfortunately, they live all over the place, none very close.
I start this blog this way because I want to talk about one neighbor in particular. They are really the only neighbors we socialize with and not very often at that. They were the first neighbors we met while the house was being built, walking up our long driveway one day to see how it was going. Far, far too far to walk from their house to ours on the roads. When he rebuilt his pasture fence he put a man-gate in it and when we built our fence we put one in across from his. There is a bit of land between the two fences that belongs to yet another neighbor. We walk across it, and we are all but there. Saves time and leg muscles.
This neighbor, let's call him Scott, has always been a help. He loaned his tractor to clear out blackberries when we first moved in - we were doing it by hand. When animals got out of the fence he tracked them down and put them back. He hunted moles for us when they began to overwhelm us. Gave advice. Plowed my garden every spring. Shared his hay when weather was awful and I ran out. We often yacked with each other with weather was good and we were both out doing chores. Good neighbor.
We've had some tough times for almost two years now. Economic. I've explained before. I had to put the house up for sale and I told them before I told anyone else. He hated to hear it, hated to have to see us go, he said. Well, the house didn't sell and we've hung on. Barely perhaps, but we've hung one. No money to go into savings though and I knew we were going to have to have our long gravel driveway graded this year.
We do this every year but last year I didn't have the funds. Price kept going up and the year prior it had been about $1300, grading, 2 loads of rock and rolled. Boy, it was bad thru last winter and, of course, just kept getting worse. It had to be done this year or no one was going to make it up the driveway at all. Scott had told me to call him when I was ready to have it done and he could give me some local name to call for bids. I was very worried that I didn't have enough money and then what was I going to do? It really needed to be graded.
Once the rain sets in it's time to have it graded. I called Scott. He really wanted more info on how bad it was, how hard it was packed. Then he tells me he'll be over on Thursday with his tractor to see if he could grade it. I didn't think so. It was bad and packed hard. He wanted to look at it anyway so I agreed to wait until he had at it.
My hubby told me that Scott worked on it for about two hours. It's not bad at all. It's not as good as it would have been had the big graders worked on it, but it's not bad. I think we can make it thru the winter. I called Scott to thank him and he told me he'd hit it again when it started to get back again, no problems. Refused any payment, said it was no problem. After I hung up, my hubby told me that he and Scott spoke a bit before Scott headed home. Scott wanted to know what hubby thought and asked if we'd be staying now.
I'm going to go over tomorrow with a bottle of wine that I know they like. Seems very little as a thank you. I was so worried about that darn driveway. It's such a relief. Maybe nothing to him but so much to me. How can one have a better neighbor?
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Saturday, October 25, 2008
A rich life.
Today was the memorial for my friend's husband. He died of pneumonia at age 58. He would have been 59 in a few weeks. I didn't really know him well, and had only interacted with him on a few occasions. He and his wife, my friend, lived a very simple life on a little acreage, a ways out from a small town quite a bit above the snow line.
They lived in a small trailer with no electricity, no phone, no running water. She works and he took care of the animals, he loved his goats, built on the place and the trailer. Scruffy looking fellow, long graying hair usually covered with his trademark hat, beard rarely, if ever, combed and dressed in whatever he happened to feel like that day. The first time I met him he was wearing his hat, his glasses were dark from the sun, he had a cigar jutting out and an ear to ear grin on his face. Baling twine made up his belt. He wasn't what I was expecting, but who is when you first meet them? I always worried about them freezing up there in their tiny trailer. They did fine, of course. Times were always tight but they got by and they truly loved where they lived and each other.
His health began to fail a bit. Not much but some. Then he got sick. He didn't get better right away. She began to talk of taking him in to see a doctor. This was a big deal as he had no insurance. He didn't want to to see a doctor. He began telling her he was feeling better. One night he told her he was feeling better, don't worry and went to bed. She listened to him breathing, woke him up and informed him they were going to the hospital.
She didn't take him to the closest hospital but one she felt was better, had a good reputation. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and taken to the ICU. He would have died that night if he had stayed at home. He probably would have prefered that, knowing him. He spent not quite two weeks in ICU before he was taken off the machines and he peacefully passed.
He and my friend were members of a small local church. He did some work for the church, founded a small group called John's Boys (after John the Baptist) where men would get together and walk in the woods, talking. The church was very important to both of them.
Today was his memorial. The pastor opened the memorial with the comment, "Don't judge a book by it's cover." I listened to the pastor's comments, listened to the songs he had loved, listened to the comments made by those that knew and loved him. These were all friends, he had only his wife for family. I realized that I didn't know him at all. And it was my loss. He was a giving, caring individual. He was intelligent and had a seeking mind, always looking for new things. He shared all he had with those around him. He had led such a rich life. Not rich in money or things. But rich in friends, in faith. I wish I had known him better.
They lived in a small trailer with no electricity, no phone, no running water. She works and he took care of the animals, he loved his goats, built on the place and the trailer. Scruffy looking fellow, long graying hair usually covered with his trademark hat, beard rarely, if ever, combed and dressed in whatever he happened to feel like that day. The first time I met him he was wearing his hat, his glasses were dark from the sun, he had a cigar jutting out and an ear to ear grin on his face. Baling twine made up his belt. He wasn't what I was expecting, but who is when you first meet them? I always worried about them freezing up there in their tiny trailer. They did fine, of course. Times were always tight but they got by and they truly loved where they lived and each other.
His health began to fail a bit. Not much but some. Then he got sick. He didn't get better right away. She began to talk of taking him in to see a doctor. This was a big deal as he had no insurance. He didn't want to to see a doctor. He began telling her he was feeling better. One night he told her he was feeling better, don't worry and went to bed. She listened to him breathing, woke him up and informed him they were going to the hospital.
She didn't take him to the closest hospital but one she felt was better, had a good reputation. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and taken to the ICU. He would have died that night if he had stayed at home. He probably would have prefered that, knowing him. He spent not quite two weeks in ICU before he was taken off the machines and he peacefully passed.
He and my friend were members of a small local church. He did some work for the church, founded a small group called John's Boys (after John the Baptist) where men would get together and walk in the woods, talking. The church was very important to both of them.
Today was his memorial. The pastor opened the memorial with the comment, "Don't judge a book by it's cover." I listened to the pastor's comments, listened to the songs he had loved, listened to the comments made by those that knew and loved him. These were all friends, he had only his wife for family. I realized that I didn't know him at all. And it was my loss. He was a giving, caring individual. He was intelligent and had a seeking mind, always looking for new things. He shared all he had with those around him. He had led such a rich life. Not rich in money or things. But rich in friends, in faith. I wish I had known him better.
The first hard frost
We've had a couple of minor frosts but we had our first hard frost a couple of days ago. My poor car lives outside and I had to really scrape ice on the windows so I could go to work. I went out and picked all the tomatoes with at least a little color. They are now lining my kitchen window sill and nicely turning color. I wonder if they will taste like home garden tomatoes or like nasty store tomatoes. I'm thinking about going out and picking all of the green tomatoes to see if they will also turn color. I need to come up with some ideas on what to do with green tomatoes. I like fried green tomatoes but I have way too many green tomatoes to eat them all fried. Since I have so many dark orange tomatoes in the kitchen I may try my hand at making some salsa. I would have to buy everything else I need, but I might try anyway.
Friday after my evening feed-the-animals chores I went and dug up my potatoes. My potatoes were planted very late. I cut up the seed potatoes waaay too small and waited until they were almost completely dried up before I finally dumped them on top of the ground and covered them with cut grass. Most of them didn't survive my mistreatment and I was thrilled that any grew. I kept layering grass and barn waste hay around the plants as they grew. I wondered what, if any, potatoes I would get.
I didn't need to actually dig the potatoes. I removed the layers of composted, yucky, organic materials until I found the potatoes. Gloves probably would have been good but my hands wash easier than gloves. Besides, I forgot to bring them. I had several large ones, quite a few medium to small and a bunch of tiny ones. Reds, golds and some purple ones. I've wiped off the wet stuff and they are currently laying on a towel in my entry way drying. My mother was over this morning and viewed them. She was pretty doubtful that potatoes could be grown on top of the ground and was quite enthused about it all.
Next year will see a lot more potatoes grown. They will get planted in the spring instead of June or July, which ever month it was. How great, and really quite pain free, it was to grow our own potatoes. My sister-n-law makes this great potato dish. Cut some potatoes up into a baking dish, melt a lot of butter and mix with this great garlic mix she has and pour over the potatoes. Bake for about an hour. Not very healthy but oh so good! I'm going to do that with my potatoes. Soon. When they are dry. I can hardly wait.
A big want to do tomorrow is work in the garden a bit, loosing up the soil. Then I'll plant my garlic cloves. I bought some of the elephant cloves, two bunches. That's a lot of individual cloves. I have the space available and have just been waiting for the first hard frost. If nothing else gets done this weekend, the garlic will get planted.
I now have rabbits. I'd been thinking of raising rabbits for meat for awhile. I'm wondering if I can get past the cute factor and do the butchering. What with my own goat meat and now rabbits I'll be just a bit more self-sufficient. I like that. The rabbits belong to a friend of mine. They are just living with me for the winter until she gets back on her feet a bit due to the recent loss of her husband. It's fine with her if I breed them and eat the results. I need cages built though and they are currently, five of them, living in my garage. That sounds worse than it is - tonight is their first night in the garage. Tomorrow cages will get built for them.
Also thanks to this friend I got more chickens, with tons of chicks, and geese. One hen has 19 chicks and one has 17. Yikes! I figure we'll be crock potting a lot of roosters here in a couple of months. Egg production is low due as is usual this time of year. I miss all of the fresh eggs. It's always feast or famine with the eggs. Sometimes I'm nuts about what to do with all of the eggs and then it's I'm not getting eggs! I'd planned on freezing some of the extra eggs this year but thanks to predators, hawks I'm thinking, I never had an overabundance of eggs.
I sold two of the chicks this morning to a family that bought my last two wethers. I'd been thinking it was time to get them into the freezer as it's two less mouths to feed and the goats are already eating hay. I already have two wethers in the freezer though so it's nice that someone else will get the meat. I still have a couple of mama goats I'd like to sell but if not I'll have 6 does kidding in February. Too many for me. I prefer less as my kidding pens are still full of other things. And my barn floods every year. The first year the french drain was put in the floor barely got wet but last year wasn't good.
We've lit the woodstove a couple of time already. I though I would this evening but I put on a sweater top and sweat pants and I'm comfortable. Soon though we'll have a fire every evening. I still have a little bit of wood outside that I need to bring in. The main wood is stacked and waiting. Still lots to do before winter gets here.
Friday after my evening feed-the-animals chores I went and dug up my potatoes. My potatoes were planted very late. I cut up the seed potatoes waaay too small and waited until they were almost completely dried up before I finally dumped them on top of the ground and covered them with cut grass. Most of them didn't survive my mistreatment and I was thrilled that any grew. I kept layering grass and barn waste hay around the plants as they grew. I wondered what, if any, potatoes I would get.
I didn't need to actually dig the potatoes. I removed the layers of composted, yucky, organic materials until I found the potatoes. Gloves probably would have been good but my hands wash easier than gloves. Besides, I forgot to bring them. I had several large ones, quite a few medium to small and a bunch of tiny ones. Reds, golds and some purple ones. I've wiped off the wet stuff and they are currently laying on a towel in my entry way drying. My mother was over this morning and viewed them. She was pretty doubtful that potatoes could be grown on top of the ground and was quite enthused about it all.
Next year will see a lot more potatoes grown. They will get planted in the spring instead of June or July, which ever month it was. How great, and really quite pain free, it was to grow our own potatoes. My sister-n-law makes this great potato dish. Cut some potatoes up into a baking dish, melt a lot of butter and mix with this great garlic mix she has and pour over the potatoes. Bake for about an hour. Not very healthy but oh so good! I'm going to do that with my potatoes. Soon. When they are dry. I can hardly wait.
A big want to do tomorrow is work in the garden a bit, loosing up the soil. Then I'll plant my garlic cloves. I bought some of the elephant cloves, two bunches. That's a lot of individual cloves. I have the space available and have just been waiting for the first hard frost. If nothing else gets done this weekend, the garlic will get planted.
I now have rabbits. I'd been thinking of raising rabbits for meat for awhile. I'm wondering if I can get past the cute factor and do the butchering. What with my own goat meat and now rabbits I'll be just a bit more self-sufficient. I like that. The rabbits belong to a friend of mine. They are just living with me for the winter until she gets back on her feet a bit due to the recent loss of her husband. It's fine with her if I breed them and eat the results. I need cages built though and they are currently, five of them, living in my garage. That sounds worse than it is - tonight is their first night in the garage. Tomorrow cages will get built for them.
Also thanks to this friend I got more chickens, with tons of chicks, and geese. One hen has 19 chicks and one has 17. Yikes! I figure we'll be crock potting a lot of roosters here in a couple of months. Egg production is low due as is usual this time of year. I miss all of the fresh eggs. It's always feast or famine with the eggs. Sometimes I'm nuts about what to do with all of the eggs and then it's I'm not getting eggs! I'd planned on freezing some of the extra eggs this year but thanks to predators, hawks I'm thinking, I never had an overabundance of eggs.
I sold two of the chicks this morning to a family that bought my last two wethers. I'd been thinking it was time to get them into the freezer as it's two less mouths to feed and the goats are already eating hay. I already have two wethers in the freezer though so it's nice that someone else will get the meat. I still have a couple of mama goats I'd like to sell but if not I'll have 6 does kidding in February. Too many for me. I prefer less as my kidding pens are still full of other things. And my barn floods every year. The first year the french drain was put in the floor barely got wet but last year wasn't good.
We've lit the woodstove a couple of time already. I though I would this evening but I put on a sweater top and sweat pants and I'm comfortable. Soon though we'll have a fire every evening. I still have a little bit of wood outside that I need to bring in. The main wood is stacked and waiting. Still lots to do before winter gets here.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
New birds and lost things found
A friend of mine's husband has had a sudden health emergency. She is spending virtually no time at home and a neighbor has been taking care of her animals. Since it looks like the emergency isn't going to be over soon, I've taken in some of her critters. Yesterday I brought home 2 roosters, 6 geese, 4 hens, and 2 hens with each about 12 young chicks. I was planning on bringing home her 5 rabbits also but my small truck was running over with the birds and their cages. I'm supposed to pick up the rabbits next Saturday.
Such chaos getting all the birds into the chicken house. I'm not letting anyone out for at least a week so the new birds learn that this is their new home. The geese are in a large doghouse (it's BIG) that is a bit cozy but not bad. I let them out this morning and they found their water fine but pretty much just stood all day around the chicken house ramp. Hearing the chickens probably and it sounded like home. I've been having problems with predators, hawks I think, getting my hens so I'm hoping having the 6 large geese in the chicken yard will help with that. Going to be fun feeding tomorrow AM in the dark. I do have a tap light out in the chicken house now and will have to use it tomorrow.
Usually I'm not out feeding until around 7 - 7:30am and it's mostly light by then. Tomorrow, Monday, I start my new job! So glad to have a job at last. I'll be getting up much earlier now, of course. Probably about 40 minutes to work but I'll leave early at first to see what the traffic is like. I'll probably leave at 7am and I'll have to feed the chickens and goats and let the geese out (they were fed tonight) plus get myself ready to go. Guess I'll get up around5 - 5:30ish to be safe. I like time in the morning and hate to be rushed.
Yesterday while we were getting birds stashed away and working on the goose house I accidently wore my glasses outside. I have the no-line lenses and they make the ground look weird. I never wear them outside. So, I took them off and put them into the pouch of my sweatshirt. My spouse asked me for some nails and I went to get them and put them, loose, in my sweatshirt pouch. Not a good idea I realized, so I took the glasses out, and for some unknown reason, placed them on the hood of the pickup next to the windshield. I planned, I'm sure, to pick them up when we were done. Forgot about them. Afterall, I never wear the glasses outside.
It wasn't until I went to pick up my grand daughter around 7:30pm that I realized I didn't know where my glasses were. It was dark and we had moved the pickup. I checked the garage hoping I'd put them there. Nope. I couldn't remember where I had placed them and I was freaking. I just knew I had left them outside somewhere and probably had crushed them when I moved the pickup. I told my spouse when he got up this morning and he went looking. Not in the garage. I checked the back bumper of the pickup, opened the canapy doors - not there. No money to buy new glasses and I can't read without them. How was I going to work without the glasses? Then my husband brought them in. He had found them on the pickup's hood. Damp from the morning rain but safe. Of course, as soon as he told me where they had been I remembered placing them there. Such relief!
Never take chances on such a vital piece of equipment. Yes, I had a spare set. However, my eyes did not like them at all. I think both my spouse and I will have to get a good, current spare pair of glasses. I haven't even started the new job and I'm already spending money on things (well, making a list anyway). A water filter such as the Berkey is #1 on the list. Glasses just hit #2. I'm thinking I might try on some on the reading glasses I see in stores. Might not hurt to have a couple pair of them around in case of emergency. I think they are pretty cheap. I don't plan on getting caught without glasses again.
Such chaos getting all the birds into the chicken house. I'm not letting anyone out for at least a week so the new birds learn that this is their new home. The geese are in a large doghouse (it's BIG) that is a bit cozy but not bad. I let them out this morning and they found their water fine but pretty much just stood all day around the chicken house ramp. Hearing the chickens probably and it sounded like home. I've been having problems with predators, hawks I think, getting my hens so I'm hoping having the 6 large geese in the chicken yard will help with that. Going to be fun feeding tomorrow AM in the dark. I do have a tap light out in the chicken house now and will have to use it tomorrow.
Usually I'm not out feeding until around 7 - 7:30am and it's mostly light by then. Tomorrow, Monday, I start my new job! So glad to have a job at last. I'll be getting up much earlier now, of course. Probably about 40 minutes to work but I'll leave early at first to see what the traffic is like. I'll probably leave at 7am and I'll have to feed the chickens and goats and let the geese out (they were fed tonight) plus get myself ready to go. Guess I'll get up around5 - 5:30ish to be safe. I like time in the morning and hate to be rushed.
Yesterday while we were getting birds stashed away and working on the goose house I accidently wore my glasses outside. I have the no-line lenses and they make the ground look weird. I never wear them outside. So, I took them off and put them into the pouch of my sweatshirt. My spouse asked me for some nails and I went to get them and put them, loose, in my sweatshirt pouch. Not a good idea I realized, so I took the glasses out, and for some unknown reason, placed them on the hood of the pickup next to the windshield. I planned, I'm sure, to pick them up when we were done. Forgot about them. Afterall, I never wear the glasses outside.
It wasn't until I went to pick up my grand daughter around 7:30pm that I realized I didn't know where my glasses were. It was dark and we had moved the pickup. I checked the garage hoping I'd put them there. Nope. I couldn't remember where I had placed them and I was freaking. I just knew I had left them outside somewhere and probably had crushed them when I moved the pickup. I told my spouse when he got up this morning and he went looking. Not in the garage. I checked the back bumper of the pickup, opened the canapy doors - not there. No money to buy new glasses and I can't read without them. How was I going to work without the glasses? Then my husband brought them in. He had found them on the pickup's hood. Damp from the morning rain but safe. Of course, as soon as he told me where they had been I remembered placing them there. Such relief!
Never take chances on such a vital piece of equipment. Yes, I had a spare set. However, my eyes did not like them at all. I think both my spouse and I will have to get a good, current spare pair of glasses. I haven't even started the new job and I'm already spending money on things (well, making a list anyway). A water filter such as the Berkey is #1 on the list. Glasses just hit #2. I'm thinking I might try on some on the reading glasses I see in stores. Might not hurt to have a couple pair of them around in case of emergency. I think they are pretty cheap. I don't plan on getting caught without glasses again.
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Winter is coming
Been awhile since I last posted. I've been a bit depressed over my continuing unemployment. Four weeks of unemployment left. A 13-week extension is available but if I understand correctly, that kicks in after your initial claim period is over. My claim period started 04/08 and is not over until 04/09; however the money is all gone. Does that mean I have to wait for the extension until 04/09? We could very easily lose our home. Good news is that my husband has finally found a job. Pay starts out at $9 an hour, ouch, but it's better than what he was bringing in, $0.00. I continue to search every day, something will come in. I hope.
I planted a fall garden this year. First time for that. My spring garden didn't get plowed so I ended up planting the plant starts I had already purchased in a flowerbed. Unfortunately, it's on the semi-shaded part of the house. I have finally been able to harvest some tomatoes, long green chilies, jalapeños and some lettuce from the fall garden. Even my zucchini plant has not done well this year. It finally has 4 4-inch long fruits on it but as the nights continue to cool I don't know if I'll be able to harvest any. My fall garden consists of peas, 4 types of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, parsnips, turnips, onions and rhubarb with everything being seeds. Turnips came up pretty good - boy do I hate thinning turnips. Or anything for that matter. : ) Peas came up real good, best of everything. I've been out every day making sure their little vines reach and twine around the strings. I'm pretty sure its rabbits that found them and nibbled them down to the ground. No fall peas for me this year.
What didn't come up at all: parsnips, rhubarb, spinach and 3 of the 4 types of lettuce. A red leaf lettuce is finally growing but not in the rows I planted. It looks like the seed was blown in the wind. I'm guessing I must have planted everything too deep. I don't think onions are usually a fall crop but I had the starts so I planted them. Maybe half came up but they are only about 5 inches tall. I have no idea how long they will survive if a frost hits. Broccoli recommends starting seeds inside and planting starts. Next year. The seeds took a long time to come up and then those darn rabbits nibbled some of them. They are only about 2-3 inches tall.
Once again, if we had to live off of the garden we would starve.
The problem with the spring garden was not being able to get it plowed in a timely manner. The neighbor that always plows it for me sold his tiller and didn't get around to getting a new one. Lesson there is you shouldn't depend on others for the important things. My folks gave me their tiller that attaches to the back of the garden tractor. Took us a long while to figure out how to use it. Finally found the instruction manual on-line. It couldn't be used in the original garden as the tractor (this is a small riding mower type thing) couldn't get over all the barn waste I had been spreading around.
I picked a new spot and finally got it tilled. No fertilizer was added though and I'm guessing that's why nothing did well. I will be buying some for next spring. No barn waste though. Thistles have taken over the original garden and I'm guessing it's from seeds that passed thru my goats' systems. Lots of thistles in the pasture that the goats eat. I don't have thistles anywhere else so...
The new garden spot is small. I plan on tilling several small spots next spring and planting them. Maybe different types of beans in one spot and tomatoes and onions in another. I still want to till one more spot to plant winter wheat in. Probably during October as I plan on planting garlic in October to winter over. I also have 2 plum pits I've saved I plan on planting in the garden. They need winter before growing so I'm going to see if I can get them to do anything. I have 4 plum trees already but I love plums.
I picked walnuts yesterday for the first time. Not all are ready for picking yet so I'll be watching the tree every other day or so. I need to go on-line to see about how to dehull them (they are not black walnuts) and dry them. And my apples should be ready for picking pretty soon. Not sure what I'll be doing with them this year. Last year I made so much pie filling (froze it) that we still have plenty left. I don't care for dried apples much but applesauce sounds good. I'm thinking of trying to make apple cider vinegar from the peelings and such too.
My mother brought over her canner for me to use. It's an old one. It was my grandmother’s forever until she passed. I had the gage tested and it's good to go. I have the Ball Blue Book on canning for figuring out how to use it. It's a big, intimidating canner. I was thinking of canning the applesauce rather than freezing it and taking up freezer space. I also want to can a couple batches of this delicious lentil barley soup I make. Nothing like instant soup out of a can - home made can that is. I need some more quart jars which I can get from my mother. They are in the well house which used to be buried under blackberries. They had some well problems not long ago though so the berries are gone. I'd better get the jars before the blackberries come back. Hmm, maybe I'd better do that today.
In May I purchased 4 cords of green wood. It was delivered and dumped on the ground to start seasoning. We had about 2/3 of a cord left over after winter. I've been slowly, very slowly, stacking wood. We've had some rain of late, with more to come so I've been working on getting the rest of the wood stacked so we can cover it against the rain. I fill a wheelbarrow and then wheel the wood over to the stack. Back and forth. I've done 9 loads so far this morning but have lots more to do.
My plan was to have the wood finished this weekend. However. My mother is in the hospital (hopefully getting out today) from cancer surgery. I spent a good portion of Friday and Saturday at the hospital. Saturday was also the 4th birthday of my middle grandchild so after leaving the hospital I went to her party. She's really into being a princess and she certainly can do that after her party. Lots of lovely princess type dresses, shoes, tiaras - the whole bit. She had a castle cake made by my nephew's wife. Niece-in-law? Beautiful cake. Lots of food to eat. My hubby had to work yesterday (today too) so I brought him home a plateful plus enough for lunch today and maybe tomorrow. That's always appreciated.
It's supposed to be up to 83F today. I had planned on going back outside to stack more wood but now I'm thinking I'd better go get jars. My aching back will appreciate the break but, you know, winter is coming.
I planted a fall garden this year. First time for that. My spring garden didn't get plowed so I ended up planting the plant starts I had already purchased in a flowerbed. Unfortunately, it's on the semi-shaded part of the house. I have finally been able to harvest some tomatoes, long green chilies, jalapeños and some lettuce from the fall garden. Even my zucchini plant has not done well this year. It finally has 4 4-inch long fruits on it but as the nights continue to cool I don't know if I'll be able to harvest any. My fall garden consists of peas, 4 types of lettuce, spinach, broccoli, parsnips, turnips, onions and rhubarb with everything being seeds. Turnips came up pretty good - boy do I hate thinning turnips. Or anything for that matter. : ) Peas came up real good, best of everything. I've been out every day making sure their little vines reach and twine around the strings. I'm pretty sure its rabbits that found them and nibbled them down to the ground. No fall peas for me this year.
What didn't come up at all: parsnips, rhubarb, spinach and 3 of the 4 types of lettuce. A red leaf lettuce is finally growing but not in the rows I planted. It looks like the seed was blown in the wind. I'm guessing I must have planted everything too deep. I don't think onions are usually a fall crop but I had the starts so I planted them. Maybe half came up but they are only about 5 inches tall. I have no idea how long they will survive if a frost hits. Broccoli recommends starting seeds inside and planting starts. Next year. The seeds took a long time to come up and then those darn rabbits nibbled some of them. They are only about 2-3 inches tall.
Once again, if we had to live off of the garden we would starve.
The problem with the spring garden was not being able to get it plowed in a timely manner. The neighbor that always plows it for me sold his tiller and didn't get around to getting a new one. Lesson there is you shouldn't depend on others for the important things. My folks gave me their tiller that attaches to the back of the garden tractor. Took us a long while to figure out how to use it. Finally found the instruction manual on-line. It couldn't be used in the original garden as the tractor (this is a small riding mower type thing) couldn't get over all the barn waste I had been spreading around.
I picked a new spot and finally got it tilled. No fertilizer was added though and I'm guessing that's why nothing did well. I will be buying some for next spring. No barn waste though. Thistles have taken over the original garden and I'm guessing it's from seeds that passed thru my goats' systems. Lots of thistles in the pasture that the goats eat. I don't have thistles anywhere else so...
The new garden spot is small. I plan on tilling several small spots next spring and planting them. Maybe different types of beans in one spot and tomatoes and onions in another. I still want to till one more spot to plant winter wheat in. Probably during October as I plan on planting garlic in October to winter over. I also have 2 plum pits I've saved I plan on planting in the garden. They need winter before growing so I'm going to see if I can get them to do anything. I have 4 plum trees already but I love plums.
I picked walnuts yesterday for the first time. Not all are ready for picking yet so I'll be watching the tree every other day or so. I need to go on-line to see about how to dehull them (they are not black walnuts) and dry them. And my apples should be ready for picking pretty soon. Not sure what I'll be doing with them this year. Last year I made so much pie filling (froze it) that we still have plenty left. I don't care for dried apples much but applesauce sounds good. I'm thinking of trying to make apple cider vinegar from the peelings and such too.
My mother brought over her canner for me to use. It's an old one. It was my grandmother’s forever until she passed. I had the gage tested and it's good to go. I have the Ball Blue Book on canning for figuring out how to use it. It's a big, intimidating canner. I was thinking of canning the applesauce rather than freezing it and taking up freezer space. I also want to can a couple batches of this delicious lentil barley soup I make. Nothing like instant soup out of a can - home made can that is. I need some more quart jars which I can get from my mother. They are in the well house which used to be buried under blackberries. They had some well problems not long ago though so the berries are gone. I'd better get the jars before the blackberries come back. Hmm, maybe I'd better do that today.
In May I purchased 4 cords of green wood. It was delivered and dumped on the ground to start seasoning. We had about 2/3 of a cord left over after winter. I've been slowly, very slowly, stacking wood. We've had some rain of late, with more to come so I've been working on getting the rest of the wood stacked so we can cover it against the rain. I fill a wheelbarrow and then wheel the wood over to the stack. Back and forth. I've done 9 loads so far this morning but have lots more to do.
My plan was to have the wood finished this weekend. However. My mother is in the hospital (hopefully getting out today) from cancer surgery. I spent a good portion of Friday and Saturday at the hospital. Saturday was also the 4th birthday of my middle grandchild so after leaving the hospital I went to her party. She's really into being a princess and she certainly can do that after her party. Lots of lovely princess type dresses, shoes, tiaras - the whole bit. She had a castle cake made by my nephew's wife. Niece-in-law? Beautiful cake. Lots of food to eat. My hubby had to work yesterday (today too) so I brought him home a plateful plus enough for lunch today and maybe tomorrow. That's always appreciated.
It's supposed to be up to 83F today. I had planned on going back outside to stack more wood but now I'm thinking I'd better go get jars. My aching back will appreciate the break but, you know, winter is coming.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Home canned butter
I've been reading for several years about home canning of butter. Many people do it but canning books do not recommend it. I keep quite a stock of butter in the freezer but if power should be lost it won't last. Home canned butter is shelf stable, I'm told, for 3 - 5 years. The instructions I have says to use the cheapest butter you can buy, although the good stuff works even better.
So I tried it. I canned 4 pounds of butter today which made 4 1/2 pints. The butter is finished and now sitting on the kitchen table. In a bit I'll put it on a shelf in the pantry. My hubby is quite leery about this. I'll wait a few months and then open a pint so he can see how it's just fine. I'm hoping this will be another step towards being prepared for whatever. I'll be keeping an eye out for cheap butter too.
So I tried it. I canned 4 pounds of butter today which made 4 1/2 pints. The butter is finished and now sitting on the kitchen table. In a bit I'll put it on a shelf in the pantry. My hubby is quite leery about this. I'll wait a few months and then open a pint so he can see how it's just fine. I'm hoping this will be another step towards being prepared for whatever. I'll be keeping an eye out for cheap butter too.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Groceries
I normally shop for groceries on a monthly basis. At my last job (still unemployed) we were paid once a month so shopping monthly was easiest. I think I spend less this way too as the less I'm in a store the less I'm tempted to buy. I always shop with a list and I try to stick to it. I admit, however, to always buying off the list at least a little.
My mother and I went grocery shopping last week. I always start off at the local Costco and then go to the local WinCo. Now that I'm on unemployment the list is shorter and I have crossed off usual buys like books. Sticking to the list is much more important now but I still have some money for stocking up. Not anywhere what I had before, but some. Those items are on the list as well and I have a pretty good idea what everything will come to.
Last month I came in under budget so perhaps I was too cocky this time. Over budget by about $80. My spouse's dental work was cheaper than expected so I used that to cover all but $37 of the overage. My unemployment does not allow any overages at all. This is going to have to be a new skill for me to learn.
I can blame part of the overage on higher prices. When you only shop monthly you can really see the price hikes on some items. I can also blame - and this is really the big problem - on shopping off of the list. I bought some fibers tablets for my spouse. Two tablets give you 4 grams of fiber. 220 tablets for $19.99. Only 4 grams of fiber for $20.00?! Won't do that again. I also bought some of the best tasting fruit and nut bars I've ever had (Costco had samples). Better to eat one of them than a candy bar if a sweet craving hits. However, they were $17.99. Again, not a good buy. Hmmm, right there is the $37 dollar overage. It's that easy.
My mother and I went grocery shopping last week. I always start off at the local Costco and then go to the local WinCo. Now that I'm on unemployment the list is shorter and I have crossed off usual buys like books. Sticking to the list is much more important now but I still have some money for stocking up. Not anywhere what I had before, but some. Those items are on the list as well and I have a pretty good idea what everything will come to.
Last month I came in under budget so perhaps I was too cocky this time. Over budget by about $80. My spouse's dental work was cheaper than expected so I used that to cover all but $37 of the overage. My unemployment does not allow any overages at all. This is going to have to be a new skill for me to learn.
I can blame part of the overage on higher prices. When you only shop monthly you can really see the price hikes on some items. I can also blame - and this is really the big problem - on shopping off of the list. I bought some fibers tablets for my spouse. Two tablets give you 4 grams of fiber. 220 tablets for $19.99. Only 4 grams of fiber for $20.00?! Won't do that again. I also bought some of the best tasting fruit and nut bars I've ever had (Costco had samples). Better to eat one of them than a candy bar if a sweet craving hits. However, they were $17.99. Again, not a good buy. Hmmm, right there is the $37 dollar overage. It's that easy.
Friday, May 23, 2008
The library
I should be keeping busy doing all those things I always said I would be doing if I had more time. Now that I'm unemployed I have the time but those things are still waiting. Funny how that works. One of the things I have cut out of the budget is book buying. I love reading and have many books but I used to buy at least 4 to 5 new books every month. Even at Costco's great prices, usually $4-$5 dollars each, it's just not in the budget. So I turn to the library.
Actually, I've always used the library. For example, when a new garden book would come out I would often borrow it from the library to see if it was one I would like to have. That has saved me a lot of money right there! We have the inter-library loan which is great. You go on-line and find the book you want. Regardless of which local library has it, you can reserve it and they will send it to the library of your choice. We have a small library here in town so I just pick them up there. New books, old books, books from a favorite author. Whatever I want is pretty much available.
I got an email from the library today and 3 books have come in. I'll be off to town shortly to pick them up. I bet I have over a dozen on reserve. Some I'm number 30 on so it's going to be a while before I get those books. Still, it sure saves a lot of money. I need to go browse a book store and look for new titles so I can see if the library has them yet. Looking forward to the new books!
Actually, I've always used the library. For example, when a new garden book would come out I would often borrow it from the library to see if it was one I would like to have. That has saved me a lot of money right there! We have the inter-library loan which is great. You go on-line and find the book you want. Regardless of which local library has it, you can reserve it and they will send it to the library of your choice. We have a small library here in town so I just pick them up there. New books, old books, books from a favorite author. Whatever I want is pretty much available.
I got an email from the library today and 3 books have come in. I'll be off to town shortly to pick them up. I bet I have over a dozen on reserve. Some I'm number 30 on so it's going to be a while before I get those books. Still, it sure saves a lot of money. I need to go browse a book store and look for new titles so I can see if the library has them yet. Looking forward to the new books!
Sunday, May 18, 2008
How low can we go?
Been awhile since I last posted. I was laid off on April 18, 2008. I didn't have this blog link at home and I just now found it again. I knew the layoff was going to happen and it was a matter or when so I had made a list of all user names, passwords and links - except this link.
Anyway, my household now consists of two unemployed people. Ack!
As I said, I was pretty sure it was coming. One of the things I did to prepare for the loss of income was to decide to refi the house. The 15-year mortgage was a high payment and by refinancing to a 30-year mortgage the payment would drop a little over $500 per month. Although I really hated refinancing (there's about 9 years left on the 15-yr one, and the cost to refinance would add around $3300) it seemed the right thing to do.
It was approved almost immediately and I was just waiting to sign the papers. The week we were supposed to sign came and went so I called the title company. The lady handling our loan had gone on vacation so we should sign early the next week. I got laid off that Friday. Since everything was approved I figured it would go OK anyway - Hey, I wasn't going to tell anyone about the layoff. Unfortunately, it turned out the title company hadn't verified my job yet so when they did, I was already laid off. End of the refinance.
I had initially budgeted with the regular mortgage payment so I knew we could do it. At least on paper. On paper there is enough money to pay all the usual bills with about $4 left. Pretty scary as life has a habit of flinging things at you that aren't on the budget. I got paid monthly so I had a little over half of a regular paycheck plus 3 days of vacation time coming. By signing the "No, I won't cause problems" paper the company wanted signed I got 4 weeks of severance pay.
With the severance pay I did some stocking up on the food storage and other things. Might as well while I have the money to do so. Food and such bought now will be much cheaper than months down the road - if you can get some of the stuff like with the recent rice shortages. I've spent way more than I should have though. Even though I know I shouldn't be spending anything extra right now, I continue to do so.
My economic stimulus check arrived and I've spend most of it already. It was a planned expense though. We heat mostly with wood and there was no money in this new budget to buy firewood for next winter. I had 5 cords delivered (wood is also cheaper when you order it early in the season rather than at the last moment I discovered) and it is piled out back waiting for me to start stacking them. My spouse has to have a tooth pulled (the expensive way) so I can pay that and still get a dab of money in savings. End of the stimulus check.
There's also no money in the budget for hay for the goats. I was able to sell a few stock options (which would have expired tomorrow, I will lose most of the options as they are all underwater) so I earmarked that money for hay. We also had a garden tractor that had quit running and was just sitting. My bnl came to look at it for us, asked me what I wanted for it and wrote me a check for that amount. He got a good deal as it turned out it was just a pulley that broke. Still, with his check and the small stock check I have enough for at least 2 tons of alfalfa, delivered and stacked. I'll buy another ton of cheap grass hay from my neighbor. I plan on selling a few goats so that might make it thru winter, or at least mostly thru. Another big worry taken care of.
The weather has taken a hard right from really cool and wet to hot and dry and my garden still isn't plowed. The neighbor that usually plows it for me sold his plow and I haven't found anyone else to plow yet. I usually see signs for plowing but not his year, although I do have one more place to look. If I don't get things in very shortly, it will be too late. I had already decided on just a small garden due to still being lame from foot surgery. Just a few basics this year but the plants are going to die if I don't get them planted. Oh, seeds are one of the things I stocked up on. I think gardens are going to be a necessity and I wanted to make sure I had seeds.
I'm wondering just how low, financially, we can go before trouble sets in. The latest budget has no money for savings, retirement and very little for my alcoholic spouse to drink. On paper we can make it - if I can stick to the paper. For over a year now I have cut back and cut down and adapted to lower money. I'm at a point now where a year ago I would thought I couldn't survive, but we are. I am job hunting but there is very little out there that pays close to what I earned before. I had a job with very decent pay for what I did. I hope to get a job much closer to home but the pay is also very much lower in this area.
It is scary and worrisome and sometimes I don't sleep well. The rest of the time I try not to think about it much.
Anyway, my household now consists of two unemployed people. Ack!
As I said, I was pretty sure it was coming. One of the things I did to prepare for the loss of income was to decide to refi the house. The 15-year mortgage was a high payment and by refinancing to a 30-year mortgage the payment would drop a little over $500 per month. Although I really hated refinancing (there's about 9 years left on the 15-yr one, and the cost to refinance would add around $3300) it seemed the right thing to do.
It was approved almost immediately and I was just waiting to sign the papers. The week we were supposed to sign came and went so I called the title company. The lady handling our loan had gone on vacation so we should sign early the next week. I got laid off that Friday. Since everything was approved I figured it would go OK anyway - Hey, I wasn't going to tell anyone about the layoff. Unfortunately, it turned out the title company hadn't verified my job yet so when they did, I was already laid off. End of the refinance.
I had initially budgeted with the regular mortgage payment so I knew we could do it. At least on paper. On paper there is enough money to pay all the usual bills with about $4 left. Pretty scary as life has a habit of flinging things at you that aren't on the budget. I got paid monthly so I had a little over half of a regular paycheck plus 3 days of vacation time coming. By signing the "No, I won't cause problems" paper the company wanted signed I got 4 weeks of severance pay.
With the severance pay I did some stocking up on the food storage and other things. Might as well while I have the money to do so. Food and such bought now will be much cheaper than months down the road - if you can get some of the stuff like with the recent rice shortages. I've spent way more than I should have though. Even though I know I shouldn't be spending anything extra right now, I continue to do so.
My economic stimulus check arrived and I've spend most of it already. It was a planned expense though. We heat mostly with wood and there was no money in this new budget to buy firewood for next winter. I had 5 cords delivered (wood is also cheaper when you order it early in the season rather than at the last moment I discovered) and it is piled out back waiting for me to start stacking them. My spouse has to have a tooth pulled (the expensive way) so I can pay that and still get a dab of money in savings. End of the stimulus check.
There's also no money in the budget for hay for the goats. I was able to sell a few stock options (which would have expired tomorrow, I will lose most of the options as they are all underwater) so I earmarked that money for hay. We also had a garden tractor that had quit running and was just sitting. My bnl came to look at it for us, asked me what I wanted for it and wrote me a check for that amount. He got a good deal as it turned out it was just a pulley that broke. Still, with his check and the small stock check I have enough for at least 2 tons of alfalfa, delivered and stacked. I'll buy another ton of cheap grass hay from my neighbor. I plan on selling a few goats so that might make it thru winter, or at least mostly thru. Another big worry taken care of.
The weather has taken a hard right from really cool and wet to hot and dry and my garden still isn't plowed. The neighbor that usually plows it for me sold his plow and I haven't found anyone else to plow yet. I usually see signs for plowing but not his year, although I do have one more place to look. If I don't get things in very shortly, it will be too late. I had already decided on just a small garden due to still being lame from foot surgery. Just a few basics this year but the plants are going to die if I don't get them planted. Oh, seeds are one of the things I stocked up on. I think gardens are going to be a necessity and I wanted to make sure I had seeds.
I'm wondering just how low, financially, we can go before trouble sets in. The latest budget has no money for savings, retirement and very little for my alcoholic spouse to drink. On paper we can make it - if I can stick to the paper. For over a year now I have cut back and cut down and adapted to lower money. I'm at a point now where a year ago I would thought I couldn't survive, but we are. I am job hunting but there is very little out there that pays close to what I earned before. I had a job with very decent pay for what I did. I hope to get a job much closer to home but the pay is also very much lower in this area.
It is scary and worrisome and sometimes I don't sleep well. The rest of the time I try not to think about it much.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Catching up
Boy, don't post for awhile and Google will deactivate your account. Took me a bit to get back here. I don't want this to become a diary but I don't have much to post about. There are soooo many good blogs out there that talk about Peak Oil, food storage, homesteading, being frugal that my blog just can't compete. I can only talk about how my family is coping with all the new stresses and changes.
I've been sending lots of articles to family and friends lately on the shortages: wheat, corn, and rice. I have all three stored and have been stocking up even more on wheat and rice. Thanks to a kind local LDS member (met on my food storage group) I have been able to purchase 300lbs of wheat at very good prices. I also purchased 50lbs of rice but realized that they weren't any cheaper, maybe more, that what Costco sells. They came in nice boxes though (25lb each) so store easily. (I usually store everything in my food grade buckets but I've lost my source for free buckets and I'm almost out. This is worrisome too. I'm looking as I really hate to have to buy buckets.) I've also added 50lb of beans to the storage.
Used to, I had food storage enough for 5 adults for 2+ years. The family has grown with my son's addition of spouse, kids and in-laws. Now I have enough for 8 adults and 3 kids for almost a year. I have a Costco trip planned for later today and have plans to add rice, beans and oil to storage plus other stuff for the pantry. I need more canned stock too and that's planned for today as well. I recently purchased a cookbook that is just for cooking out of one's food storage and it uses a lot of canned stock that I don't have.
I worry about my friends though. I send the articles - and I think they are scary things - but I don't hear what, if anything, they think about them. I hate to directly ask what they might be doing for food storage/prepping. Seems intrusive to me. I send the info and it's up to them as to what they do with the info. Wish they would just volunteer some info one day.
My hubby was asked to fill in a job specific application yesterday. He went and got the forms and filled them in last night, returning them this morning. Pay is OK and he would be good at the job and I think he could do the job easily enough. Fingers are crossed hoping they call him in for an interview. No word back but one call on all the resumes I've sent out. Not surprising but disappointing nonetheless. One of us had better get a new job pretty soon. While we're good on food storage, we are NOT good on money storage, lol. More to come on food purchasing, job hunting, job loss and just living in these economic times.
I've been sending lots of articles to family and friends lately on the shortages: wheat, corn, and rice. I have all three stored and have been stocking up even more on wheat and rice. Thanks to a kind local LDS member (met on my food storage group) I have been able to purchase 300lbs of wheat at very good prices. I also purchased 50lbs of rice but realized that they weren't any cheaper, maybe more, that what Costco sells. They came in nice boxes though (25lb each) so store easily. (I usually store everything in my food grade buckets but I've lost my source for free buckets and I'm almost out. This is worrisome too. I'm looking as I really hate to have to buy buckets.) I've also added 50lb of beans to the storage.
Used to, I had food storage enough for 5 adults for 2+ years. The family has grown with my son's addition of spouse, kids and in-laws. Now I have enough for 8 adults and 3 kids for almost a year. I have a Costco trip planned for later today and have plans to add rice, beans and oil to storage plus other stuff for the pantry. I need more canned stock too and that's planned for today as well. I recently purchased a cookbook that is just for cooking out of one's food storage and it uses a lot of canned stock that I don't have.
I worry about my friends though. I send the articles - and I think they are scary things - but I don't hear what, if anything, they think about them. I hate to directly ask what they might be doing for food storage/prepping. Seems intrusive to me. I send the info and it's up to them as to what they do with the info. Wish they would just volunteer some info one day.
My hubby was asked to fill in a job specific application yesterday. He went and got the forms and filled them in last night, returning them this morning. Pay is OK and he would be good at the job and I think he could do the job easily enough. Fingers are crossed hoping they call him in for an interview. No word back but one call on all the resumes I've sent out. Not surprising but disappointing nonetheless. One of us had better get a new job pretty soon. While we're good on food storage, we are NOT good on money storage, lol. More to come on food purchasing, job hunting, job loss and just living in these economic times.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Chickens
I've been going thru a chicken catalog getting ready to order my chicks. Hubby is working on the new door to the chicken house. The wind, which can be ferocious in my area, keeps ripping the door right off the hinges. This time instead of repairing the door, it's all new with super duty hinges and better hooks to keep it closed. Hopefully, this door will last awhile.
A minimum order of 25 chicks is required and I have that number plus I keep saying I should have a couple of this breed and, oh, look at that one! I talked to my sister-n-law on Saturday and if she can get my brother to build a shed she's in for some chicks. Maybe a nephew as well. Guess the order will be for more than 25 no problem.
This is nice. I've been trying, subtly, to get family members to prepare more, have some food storage and maybe alternative ways to heat and cook. I haven't had much luck so far. If they get some chickens though, they will at least have fresh eggs and perhaps a stewing rooster or two. Not much in the way of being prepared, but hey, it's a start. Hmmm, I'd better get the catalog over there so she can fall in love with some chickens.
A minimum order of 25 chicks is required and I have that number plus I keep saying I should have a couple of this breed and, oh, look at that one! I talked to my sister-n-law on Saturday and if she can get my brother to build a shed she's in for some chicks. Maybe a nephew as well. Guess the order will be for more than 25 no problem.
This is nice. I've been trying, subtly, to get family members to prepare more, have some food storage and maybe alternative ways to heat and cook. I haven't had much luck so far. If they get some chickens though, they will at least have fresh eggs and perhaps a stewing rooster or two. Not much in the way of being prepared, but hey, it's a start. Hmmm, I'd better get the catalog over there so she can fall in love with some chickens.
More kids!
I don't plan on turning this into a goat blog, but goats are on my mind. I have 3 does and all 3 have now kidded. Sister kidded on Thursday, 01/10 with twins. Three hours and 40 minutes later she had a triplet. She is now refusing to nurse the third baby since she arrived so late. Thank heavens my hubby is home to bottle feed Squirt. Sister had 2 girls and 1 boy.
Saturday I opened up the barn for fresh air. When I went back out after a couple of hours, I was missing a goat. Desi was gone. As she was due any time I figured she headed out to the blackberry area to have her kids in peace. It was raining and quite chilly. Hubby and I searched thru the blackberries for an hour looking for her. I asked him to check the, now empty, buck pen and he said the gate was closed. Darn, that would have been easy. We're soaked and cold and bleeding from those darn blackberry vines and beginning to search areas twice when he calls out that he found her. Where, you might ask? Why yes, in the buck pen as the gate was wide open. Arrgg. She hadn't kidded yet so I haul her back to the clean barn. She kidded with triplets, 2 boys and 1 girl about an hour later. Good mom, too.
Sunday I opened up the barn for fresh air. One goat left to kid and I was guessing maybe Monday. Went in the house, came back and yes, indeed, missing a goat. Sigh. I had to listen to hubby tell me 'I told you so'. Having learned a lesson, I went to the buck pen and there she was. Hauled her up to the barn and closed the doors. Hubby was working on a new door for the chicken house and left. I turned around to find Chelsea showing every sign of being in labor. About 25 minutes later we had a kid born. Five minutes later, another one. One of each sex this time. Now I have 4 boys and 4 girls, all healthy ones too. Barn sure seems smaller all of a sudden. Once the last kids are at least 3 days old I'll open up the barn during the day and kids can bounce all over outside. If it's not raining anyway.
I may try selling a boy or two at the 4H sale depending on how they grow but they are meant for the freezer. It's a good feeling knowing that we will have meat in the freezer come fall. Meat that we know has no anti-biotics or growth hormones. Meat that has had a good life prior to being meat, that knew sunshine and grass, jumping and playing with their buddies. Meat that was killed in a humane manner. My brother owns a meat store so I'll talk with him about doing the butchering, cutting and wrapping. That way I know for sure the meat I get is the meat I took in. I'll know it was prepared in a clean manner. Nice to know that I don't have to worry about getting sick eating that meat. That will make it all taste so much better.
What's in your meat?
Saturday I opened up the barn for fresh air. When I went back out after a couple of hours, I was missing a goat. Desi was gone. As she was due any time I figured she headed out to the blackberry area to have her kids in peace. It was raining and quite chilly. Hubby and I searched thru the blackberries for an hour looking for her. I asked him to check the, now empty, buck pen and he said the gate was closed. Darn, that would have been easy. We're soaked and cold and bleeding from those darn blackberry vines and beginning to search areas twice when he calls out that he found her. Where, you might ask? Why yes, in the buck pen as the gate was wide open. Arrgg. She hadn't kidded yet so I haul her back to the clean barn. She kidded with triplets, 2 boys and 1 girl about an hour later. Good mom, too.
Sunday I opened up the barn for fresh air. One goat left to kid and I was guessing maybe Monday. Went in the house, came back and yes, indeed, missing a goat. Sigh. I had to listen to hubby tell me 'I told you so'. Having learned a lesson, I went to the buck pen and there she was. Hauled her up to the barn and closed the doors. Hubby was working on a new door for the chicken house and left. I turned around to find Chelsea showing every sign of being in labor. About 25 minutes later we had a kid born. Five minutes later, another one. One of each sex this time. Now I have 4 boys and 4 girls, all healthy ones too. Barn sure seems smaller all of a sudden. Once the last kids are at least 3 days old I'll open up the barn during the day and kids can bounce all over outside. If it's not raining anyway.
I may try selling a boy or two at the 4H sale depending on how they grow but they are meant for the freezer. It's a good feeling knowing that we will have meat in the freezer come fall. Meat that we know has no anti-biotics or growth hormones. Meat that has had a good life prior to being meat, that knew sunshine and grass, jumping and playing with their buddies. Meat that was killed in a humane manner. My brother owns a meat store so I'll talk with him about doing the butchering, cutting and wrapping. That way I know for sure the meat I get is the meat I took in. I'll know it was prepared in a clean manner. Nice to know that I don't have to worry about getting sick eating that meat. That will make it all taste so much better.
What's in your meat?
Friday, January 11, 2008
Kids have arrived!
I have 3 nubian/boer cross goats that are pregnant, Sister, Desi and Chelsea. Sister is a big goat with a red roan coat. Desi is much smaller, more delicate (shows the dairy goat more) and is predominately black. Chelsea is mid-size and is brown. All have been bred to a black full-blood Boer buck and are due any time.
Sister was listed as being due last. Ha, she fooled us all. My hubby called me about 4:50pm last evening (I was in the parking garage getting ready to drive home from work) saying he was quite sure Sister's water had broken. When I got home about 6:05pm I watched the news for a few minutes (Vancouver, WA had a tornado!), changed clothes and headed to the barn.
My barn is in two sections. One section has hay storage, pens and a strawed floor. The other is a new addition and is a loafing shed type with 1 wall open. It has a dirt floor. The goats have been making nests in the straw and dirt the last few days so there were piles of dirt in the open part of the barn. Why I didn't have hubby bring the goats in and shut the doors is beyond me. When I got to the barn Sister has already delivered 2 kids - in piles of loose dirt. Birthing goo is bad enough but now it was all covered in dirt.
Cleaned up the kids and we had 1 boy and 1 girl. Nice size, healthy kids. I was hoping for dark colors on the kids and got it. The boy is a nice red and the doeling (I'm calling her Keeper as when I saw her I told my husband that she was a keeper) is a dark black and brown. Very pretty. I already have the black buck picked out for Keeper when she gets that age. Made sure the kids were nursing and that mom had plenty of water and feed.
I went back to the barn a few hours later prior to going to bed. Sister was in obvious labor. Looked closer and there was 1 foot hanging out. Uh oh. I finally had to go in. I found the one leg and the bum but couldn't find the other leg. Hubby had to come out and help. I held and he searched and finally a third kid was born. Three hours and 20 minutes after the first 2 kids! I think that's pretty unusual. We didn't think the kid was alive at first but hubby cleaned off some goo and yes, she's moving. She was small, very weak, couldn't stand at all and pretty much just sprawled there. We put her in front of Sister who cleaned her up and then I held her to the teats. She knew just what the teats were for and nursed sooner than her older siblings. I'm calling her Squirt.
This morning all three kids were up and bouncing even Squirt. Squirt nurses a lot, probably because she's smaller. I'm betting she'll catch up in size quickly. If not, her personality will be huge anyway. Sister doesn't thing Squirt is hers; she gently pushes Squirt away when she tries to nurse. I hold Sister's head and once Squirt is nursing, mom doesn't seem to mind. We'll force her to let Squirt nurse for the next couple of days and hopefully Sister will completely accept her.
I was very concerned that Sister might have one more kid yet to be delivered. I didn't feel anything in there though but to be safe I took her to the vet's this morning. The vet didn't feel anything either but noticed signs of internal infection. 'Going in' can do that. So Sister had a huge anti-biotic shot, a shot for pain, a shot to help clean out anything left inside and a huge shot of CMPK to prevent ketosis. The canopy was off the pickup and it was raining so I put a tarp down in the back of my small station wagon and off we went. And people wonder why I bought a station wagon.
Hubby made sure that Squirt got to nurse at 1pm and will do so again at 3ish. I'll make sure when I get to the barn after work, and then once more before bedtime. Kids are so darn cute. I may have to see if I can post pictures here. I'm betting we'll have more kids this weekend as I'm pretty sure Desi is that close. Desi, being black, should have really black kids. Color is nice but body conformation is more important, which is why I think Sister's kids should grow up nicely. I'm going to start working with Keeper for the first show in April. She would show in the percentage class. If the boy grows up nicely he'll go into the wether sale at the April show. Otherwise he'll go into my freezer. Goat meat is very delicious. Boys usually get names like Chops, burger etc.
I can hardly wait until my 3yo granddaughter gets to see the kids. She loves the goats and will just flip over the cute kids.
Sister was listed as being due last. Ha, she fooled us all. My hubby called me about 4:50pm last evening (I was in the parking garage getting ready to drive home from work) saying he was quite sure Sister's water had broken. When I got home about 6:05pm I watched the news for a few minutes (Vancouver, WA had a tornado!), changed clothes and headed to the barn.
My barn is in two sections. One section has hay storage, pens and a strawed floor. The other is a new addition and is a loafing shed type with 1 wall open. It has a dirt floor. The goats have been making nests in the straw and dirt the last few days so there were piles of dirt in the open part of the barn. Why I didn't have hubby bring the goats in and shut the doors is beyond me. When I got to the barn Sister has already delivered 2 kids - in piles of loose dirt. Birthing goo is bad enough but now it was all covered in dirt.
Cleaned up the kids and we had 1 boy and 1 girl. Nice size, healthy kids. I was hoping for dark colors on the kids and got it. The boy is a nice red and the doeling (I'm calling her Keeper as when I saw her I told my husband that she was a keeper) is a dark black and brown. Very pretty. I already have the black buck picked out for Keeper when she gets that age. Made sure the kids were nursing and that mom had plenty of water and feed.
I went back to the barn a few hours later prior to going to bed. Sister was in obvious labor. Looked closer and there was 1 foot hanging out. Uh oh. I finally had to go in. I found the one leg and the bum but couldn't find the other leg. Hubby had to come out and help. I held and he searched and finally a third kid was born. Three hours and 20 minutes after the first 2 kids! I think that's pretty unusual. We didn't think the kid was alive at first but hubby cleaned off some goo and yes, she's moving. She was small, very weak, couldn't stand at all and pretty much just sprawled there. We put her in front of Sister who cleaned her up and then I held her to the teats. She knew just what the teats were for and nursed sooner than her older siblings. I'm calling her Squirt.
This morning all three kids were up and bouncing even Squirt. Squirt nurses a lot, probably because she's smaller. I'm betting she'll catch up in size quickly. If not, her personality will be huge anyway. Sister doesn't thing Squirt is hers; she gently pushes Squirt away when she tries to nurse. I hold Sister's head and once Squirt is nursing, mom doesn't seem to mind. We'll force her to let Squirt nurse for the next couple of days and hopefully Sister will completely accept her.
I was very concerned that Sister might have one more kid yet to be delivered. I didn't feel anything in there though but to be safe I took her to the vet's this morning. The vet didn't feel anything either but noticed signs of internal infection. 'Going in' can do that. So Sister had a huge anti-biotic shot, a shot for pain, a shot to help clean out anything left inside and a huge shot of CMPK to prevent ketosis. The canopy was off the pickup and it was raining so I put a tarp down in the back of my small station wagon and off we went. And people wonder why I bought a station wagon.
Hubby made sure that Squirt got to nurse at 1pm and will do so again at 3ish. I'll make sure when I get to the barn after work, and then once more before bedtime. Kids are so darn cute. I may have to see if I can post pictures here. I'm betting we'll have more kids this weekend as I'm pretty sure Desi is that close. Desi, being black, should have really black kids. Color is nice but body conformation is more important, which is why I think Sister's kids should grow up nicely. I'm going to start working with Keeper for the first show in April. She would show in the percentage class. If the boy grows up nicely he'll go into the wether sale at the April show. Otherwise he'll go into my freezer. Goat meat is very delicious. Boys usually get names like Chops, burger etc.
I can hardly wait until my 3yo granddaughter gets to see the kids. She loves the goats and will just flip over the cute kids.
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Peak Oil/Global Change
I'm a believer in Peak Oil and Global change. I think most people at least know the terms now but many people do not believe that anything will come of them. One of these people is my brother J. J and his wife, S, live in the jungles of Peru as Field Coordinators for Missionary Ventures. In simple terms they find things that need to be done and host volunteer teams that come to do the work. They've been in Peru for something like 7 years now. Maybe more, actually. They don't get back to the States very often but they are here now for about 3 months.
They live a pretty primitive life due to where they live, at least compared to the average American way of life. He's built several schools and homes with composting toilets, dug wells by hand, and has very little electricity. He is currently living what many people would say is a post-peak lifestyle.
He's been in Peru for several years without a visit home and now that's he is back he is amazed at the average American lifestyle. I like to think that I'm working on reducing my usage of things. I'm good at turning off lights (CF lights), I recycle, I compost, we keep the house much cooler than years before and so on. He is amazed at how much light we use. He sat in my kitchen and said "look at all the lights you have one" counted them and said "six lights. In Peru only 1 light would be on." They are on one light switch and spaced thru the kitchen. "In Peru they would have unscrewed all the bulbs but one." Hmmm.
Flush toilets are another point for him. His composting toilets work great for the school with many users and at his personal home with only a few users. We flush, although not after every usage. Now, I've been meaning to switch to peeing in buckets and using that pee water (1 part pee 10 parts water) to water plants but hadn't done so as the house was for sale and I didn't think pee buckets would look good. Now that the house is off the market I need to do that. I have the buckets, I just need to set them up. I've also done a lot of reading on composting humanure but haven't put it into action yet.
Coming from Peru they were freezing in our winter cold and, really, due to our location it's not that cold out there. They piled on the layers though, which is more than most of us were doing. My other brother's house is so hot they have to open doors to cool the house (woodstove). J marveled over the variety of foods available. He's used to getting whatever the market has that day and vegetables are always poor quality there. I'm working on eating more local and in season but for their visit I have been buying things I wouldn't normally buy. I was very unhappy to see Safeway (a large local chain) had spinach from Mexico. The store I usually shop at has been having spinach from the next state. We Americans take such abundance and good quality for granted. He marvels over the huge cars most people drive. In Peru he has a motor cart and walks a good deal.
Now, I can remember when they first moved to the jungle, changing locations from the high desert area of Peru. He moaned at how primitive life was in this fairly good sized city in the jungle. He adjusted quickly though and having embraced that way of life is now appalled at how we live. All the things that Peak Oilers talk about that need changing, he's already doing. He lives comfortably and mostly likes how he lives. He does admit that his climate is much better for primitive living than ours.
I tried talking with him about Peak Oil but he doesn't believe in it at all. He remembers how 'they' predicted no oil in the '70s, how Y2K didn't occur. And I wondered how I could talk to him about why this time is different. I'm not good at remembering all the arguments, the reasons and explanations.
There is a blog that I read daily called Casaubon's Book. The writer covers Peak Oil, global change, reducing etc. She firmly believes that our lifestyles must change, change a lot, and change now. She had a post today that recaps reasons for Peak Oil now that I thought was right on. This is a link to today's blog: http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-is-this-apocalypse-different-than.html
They live a pretty primitive life due to where they live, at least compared to the average American way of life. He's built several schools and homes with composting toilets, dug wells by hand, and has very little electricity. He is currently living what many people would say is a post-peak lifestyle.
He's been in Peru for several years without a visit home and now that's he is back he is amazed at the average American lifestyle. I like to think that I'm working on reducing my usage of things. I'm good at turning off lights (CF lights), I recycle, I compost, we keep the house much cooler than years before and so on. He is amazed at how much light we use. He sat in my kitchen and said "look at all the lights you have one" counted them and said "six lights. In Peru only 1 light would be on." They are on one light switch and spaced thru the kitchen. "In Peru they would have unscrewed all the bulbs but one." Hmmm.
Flush toilets are another point for him. His composting toilets work great for the school with many users and at his personal home with only a few users. We flush, although not after every usage. Now, I've been meaning to switch to peeing in buckets and using that pee water (1 part pee 10 parts water) to water plants but hadn't done so as the house was for sale and I didn't think pee buckets would look good. Now that the house is off the market I need to do that. I have the buckets, I just need to set them up. I've also done a lot of reading on composting humanure but haven't put it into action yet.
Coming from Peru they were freezing in our winter cold and, really, due to our location it's not that cold out there. They piled on the layers though, which is more than most of us were doing. My other brother's house is so hot they have to open doors to cool the house (woodstove). J marveled over the variety of foods available. He's used to getting whatever the market has that day and vegetables are always poor quality there. I'm working on eating more local and in season but for their visit I have been buying things I wouldn't normally buy. I was very unhappy to see Safeway (a large local chain) had spinach from Mexico. The store I usually shop at has been having spinach from the next state. We Americans take such abundance and good quality for granted. He marvels over the huge cars most people drive. In Peru he has a motor cart and walks a good deal.
Now, I can remember when they first moved to the jungle, changing locations from the high desert area of Peru. He moaned at how primitive life was in this fairly good sized city in the jungle. He adjusted quickly though and having embraced that way of life is now appalled at how we live. All the things that Peak Oilers talk about that need changing, he's already doing. He lives comfortably and mostly likes how he lives. He does admit that his climate is much better for primitive living than ours.
I tried talking with him about Peak Oil but he doesn't believe in it at all. He remembers how 'they' predicted no oil in the '70s, how Y2K didn't occur. And I wondered how I could talk to him about why this time is different. I'm not good at remembering all the arguments, the reasons and explanations.
There is a blog that I read daily called Casaubon's Book. The writer covers Peak Oil, global change, reducing etc. She firmly believes that our lifestyles must change, change a lot, and change now. She had a post today that recaps reasons for Peak Oil now that I thought was right on. This is a link to today's blog: http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/2008/01/why-is-this-apocalypse-different-than.html
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Stress is a killer part 2
I meant to talk a bit about stress. I ramble I'm afraid and other things got in the way. So, my co-worker's doctor actually talked to him about the possiblity of changing jobs since his stress is primarily job related. Will the stress at work end? Not with his particular job although it may lessen, we hope. What can he do to help relieve stress? He is a very musical person so his music is a great stress reducer. He is in a band, in charge of a jr. band and gives lessons. Stress there so he may cut back on things. He has to start thinking now on how to reduce stress.
For me, stress was financial and my husband's health. His drinking. He is now sober and hopefully will stay that way. My stress level is waay down. Why? Well, ends are meeting and I actually took the house off the market. The market sucks and I didn't want to sell anyway. It's nice not to have to worry about strangers trouping thru at any moment. I'm unpacking boxes and getting back stuff I have been looking for since I packed everything up. I'm also going thru and putting a lot of stuff into the spring garage sale box. Three large boxes so far.
I've been thru counseling for spouses of alcoholics. I know I'm the enabler personality. Still, I'm dismayed at how much my husband's drinking affects me. Lots of stress. I need to work on that. Having some money in the bank helps relieve stress. I'm knitting these days and have actually finished a couple of things. I'm working on a shawl right now. It'll be a very warm one. Thinking about each and every purchase I want, deciding if I really want it and how I can save for it is putting me in control of purchasing, and I feel less stress that way.
Planning for the future, planning my garden, choosing chickens, planning for kids all help me to relieve stress. I feel the future is less than rosy but I'll have food from my garden, from my chickens, meat, milk and cheese from my goats. It all helps me to feel, at least somewhat, in control of my life. Now if I could get that house paid off. Tain't going to happen but I'm working on it.
For me, stress was financial and my husband's health. His drinking. He is now sober and hopefully will stay that way. My stress level is waay down. Why? Well, ends are meeting and I actually took the house off the market. The market sucks and I didn't want to sell anyway. It's nice not to have to worry about strangers trouping thru at any moment. I'm unpacking boxes and getting back stuff I have been looking for since I packed everything up. I'm also going thru and putting a lot of stuff into the spring garage sale box. Three large boxes so far.
I've been thru counseling for spouses of alcoholics. I know I'm the enabler personality. Still, I'm dismayed at how much my husband's drinking affects me. Lots of stress. I need to work on that. Having some money in the bank helps relieve stress. I'm knitting these days and have actually finished a couple of things. I'm working on a shawl right now. It'll be a very warm one. Thinking about each and every purchase I want, deciding if I really want it and how I can save for it is putting me in control of purchasing, and I feel less stress that way.
Planning for the future, planning my garden, choosing chickens, planning for kids all help me to relieve stress. I feel the future is less than rosy but I'll have food from my garden, from my chickens, meat, milk and cheese from my goats. It all helps me to feel, at least somewhat, in control of my life. Now if I could get that house paid off. Tain't going to happen but I'm working on it.
Stress is a killer
I was talking with one of my co-workers this morning. He's been having problems with stress and his heart. He's OK but stress is not good for him. He asked how I was doing and I said great. I'm glad I never went back to the doctor for the anti-depressants. With hubby getting better every day, still sober and a good attitude, my stress level is way down. I still stress a bit over finances, and I think I should actually. Ends meet, I get a little in savings each month, but I need to remember not to spend, spend.
I think being in too much debt, and some will say any debt is too much debt, is probably one of the top reasons our economy is in the trashcan. It's too easy to get there and so hard to get back. Before my economic crash I would have told you I had little debt, and compared to many I was right. I had a car loan that would have been paid off in another 2 years, a small personal loan (bought a goat) that had another year of payments and a credit card with a balance under $3000. With hubby's income those payments were met with ease, I was able to add to my food storage each month (plus other long term items), had a 401k deduction, paid a little each month into an IRA, a little extra on the house and usually got some money into savings.
Right now any extra money is going into savings. I have 2 savings accounts: one at the good ole bank and one in my 'personal' safe account. A large bank account won't help you if you need cash right now and it's late, on a weekend or during an emergency. Everyone should have a stash of cash where they can easily access it when needed. I also keep a small cash stash in my car for emergencies. Last month I had to use $40 of it for gas when my planned gas money ran out.
I've been in a bit of a dither about retirement savings, like the 401k and IRA. If the US has an economic crash would I have access to that money? Both accounts are invested in stocks, bonds and such, so would it all be lost? Would I be better off paying extra on the house and saving, saving, saving? No one can answer those questions although lots of people try. As I mentioned, my current plan is to just save and put some extra towards the mortgage. Some people say 2008 will be the start of the Long Emergency. I plan on seeing how this year goes and make changes as needed.
With the prices of food these days I'm not able to add much to my FS but some. This month I added 25lbs of wheat berries, 25lbs of rice and a large bottle of canola oil. Next month I plan on a 25lb bag of beans for sure and probably more oil. Oil stores nicely at very cool temps and I don't have much on hand. Not exciting food but I have spices and other things to make some good eatings out of what I bought. My grain mill has both electric and manual abilities. I suppose I should try out the manual version when I make bread this coming weekend. Maybe.
Catalogs are coming in. Couple of seed catalogs which are fun, but even more fun, is the catalog from Murray McMurray. Chickens, ducks, geese - all kinds of feathered critters. You have to order a minimum of 25 chickens for the day old chicks to survive the trip (heat) and I didn't want 25 chicks. My hubby said we should go for it though so now I'm picking out which breeds I want. I always get Austrolorpes and I know I want Orpingtons. Can't remember what all I have picked out without the catalog in front of me. I'm going to order a couple of banties as they are good brooders and I want to hatch out some of the eggs. Hopefully one of my friends that is overrun by her neighbor's chicken will have a rooster for me. If not, I'll order one. I'm also trying to talk my brother, parents and one nephew into having a couple of hens. Hey, can't beat those fresh eggs. Better than anything you can buy in the store. Plus, you don't have to go to the store for them. Gas saved!
I spent hours last Saturday cleaning my barn. It's now full of clean straw and waiting for kids to arrive. I have 3 goats (nubian/boer crosses). Two are due to kid any day and the third is due the 11th on. No one looks like they'll pop any minute though. The longer it takes them to kid the dirtier all that nice fresh straw becomes. These goats have all kidded before and I was told they are easy kidders and good moms. Any boys born will grow up nice and strong and end up in the freezer. I hope to keep at least one girl and sell the rest. Guess I'd best wait to see what pops out first before planning though.
Kids, chicks, planting seeds. Ah, spring will be coming soon.
I think being in too much debt, and some will say any debt is too much debt, is probably one of the top reasons our economy is in the trashcan. It's too easy to get there and so hard to get back. Before my economic crash I would have told you I had little debt, and compared to many I was right. I had a car loan that would have been paid off in another 2 years, a small personal loan (bought a goat) that had another year of payments and a credit card with a balance under $3000. With hubby's income those payments were met with ease, I was able to add to my food storage each month (plus other long term items), had a 401k deduction, paid a little each month into an IRA, a little extra on the house and usually got some money into savings.
Right now any extra money is going into savings. I have 2 savings accounts: one at the good ole bank and one in my 'personal' safe account. A large bank account won't help you if you need cash right now and it's late, on a weekend or during an emergency. Everyone should have a stash of cash where they can easily access it when needed. I also keep a small cash stash in my car for emergencies. Last month I had to use $40 of it for gas when my planned gas money ran out.
I've been in a bit of a dither about retirement savings, like the 401k and IRA. If the US has an economic crash would I have access to that money? Both accounts are invested in stocks, bonds and such, so would it all be lost? Would I be better off paying extra on the house and saving, saving, saving? No one can answer those questions although lots of people try. As I mentioned, my current plan is to just save and put some extra towards the mortgage. Some people say 2008 will be the start of the Long Emergency. I plan on seeing how this year goes and make changes as needed.
With the prices of food these days I'm not able to add much to my FS but some. This month I added 25lbs of wheat berries, 25lbs of rice and a large bottle of canola oil. Next month I plan on a 25lb bag of beans for sure and probably more oil. Oil stores nicely at very cool temps and I don't have much on hand. Not exciting food but I have spices and other things to make some good eatings out of what I bought. My grain mill has both electric and manual abilities. I suppose I should try out the manual version when I make bread this coming weekend. Maybe.
Catalogs are coming in. Couple of seed catalogs which are fun, but even more fun, is the catalog from Murray McMurray. Chickens, ducks, geese - all kinds of feathered critters. You have to order a minimum of 25 chickens for the day old chicks to survive the trip (heat) and I didn't want 25 chicks. My hubby said we should go for it though so now I'm picking out which breeds I want. I always get Austrolorpes and I know I want Orpingtons. Can't remember what all I have picked out without the catalog in front of me. I'm going to order a couple of banties as they are good brooders and I want to hatch out some of the eggs. Hopefully one of my friends that is overrun by her neighbor's chicken will have a rooster for me. If not, I'll order one. I'm also trying to talk my brother, parents and one nephew into having a couple of hens. Hey, can't beat those fresh eggs. Better than anything you can buy in the store. Plus, you don't have to go to the store for them. Gas saved!
I spent hours last Saturday cleaning my barn. It's now full of clean straw and waiting for kids to arrive. I have 3 goats (nubian/boer crosses). Two are due to kid any day and the third is due the 11th on. No one looks like they'll pop any minute though. The longer it takes them to kid the dirtier all that nice fresh straw becomes. These goats have all kidded before and I was told they are easy kidders and good moms. Any boys born will grow up nice and strong and end up in the freezer. I hope to keep at least one girl and sell the rest. Guess I'd best wait to see what pops out first before planning though.
Kids, chicks, planting seeds. Ah, spring will be coming soon.
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