On the 12th Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me.....

On the 12th Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me.....
-12 Toes for Trimming-
11 dozen cookies, 

10 loaves rising,

9 ladies laying,

8 mommys baking,

7 cats for chasing,

6 nights of canning,

- 5 BALES OF HAY -

4 baby bunnies,

3 dairy goats,

2 dozen eggs,

and A Bald Eagle perched in a Pine Tree

The toes I am referring to are Goat "toes"  Our goats get a pedicure every month. Goats have cloven hooves and can get sore feet like people. It's amazing how much animals can be like people.... or maybe people are like animals (I know some people who are animals!) Anyway they get their feet trimmed once a month. I don't get a pedicure that often. Sometimes I think they have it better than I do!

On the 11th Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

On the 11th Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

- 11 dozen cookies -

10 loaves for baking,

9 ladies laying,

8 mommys baking,

7 cats for chasing,

6 nights of canning,

- 5 BALES OF HAY -

4 baby bunnies,

3 dairy goats,

2 dozen eggs,

and A Bald Eagle perched in a Pine Tree

Whew.... I have missed how many days? I tell you just when I think things are going right- something comes right in and overwhelms me.  This weather has been very difficult to deal with. Farm chores have almost seem to double.... and the days are shorter! Thankfully we got plug in heaters for the water troughs for the chickens and goats- so the only one we have to hike out warm water to is the rabbits (twice a day)

The cold has me a bit nuerotic....I am actually having nightmares that we forget to put up the goats and the chickens freeze. I worry that the rabbits will freeze, though I know they love the cold. I worry that the goats are going to jump on the pool and go through the ice..... essentially I am worried in that there will be some sort of frigid end for someone on the farm. The hows and whens change but the theme remains consistent. Icy demise.

I have so much going on and so many extra Christmas things to do... no wonder this is called the busiest time of the year! How I would love to sit in front of the fire and relax, maybe roast some chestnuts (although I used all that was left of those for my Thanksgiving dressing- but it's my fantasy) But to relax would be lovely... I have to make tonight a short entry because I am doing my baking, cleaning and working all at one time while trying to blog... I just can't focus (go figure :~)  Hope you all are staying warm!

on the 7th Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me....

on the 7th Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me....

7 Cats for Chasing

6 nights of canning

- 5 BALES OF HAY -

4 baby bunnies

3 dairy goats

2 dozen eggs

and A Bald Eagle perched in a Pine Tree

that's a snapshot of what my day looks like really. How funny. Tonight is a busy one... I should have written "A Million Presents for Wrapping"  I have so much to do - and I feel like tonight is a good night to catch up. So on that note.... have a great night all!

On the Sixth day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

On the Sixth day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

Six Nights Spent Canning

- FIVE BALES OF HAY -

4 baby bunnies,

3 dairy goats,

2 dozen eggs,

and A Bald Eagle perched in a Pine Tree

I am always canning. I love it because it's a great skill to have- even though I haven't mastered it yet :)

I am always trying new things and sometimes they turn out great- other times not so much. I have lots of things I like to can... I could give you recipes, or your welcome to come over and we can Can something together. It's fun for me!



Tomato Sauce I Canned this Year



Canning is a great way to store summers bounty for winter. and Without extra chemicals or crazy processes that the Food Industry uses on our everyday food.

It is amazing how much food our family eats over the winter- part of the reason for the current 'experiment'- and it seems basics like tomato sauce go fast.... Experience is the key to figuring this all out it seems. (But I think it's the key to success at anything really- so I'll keep at it)

When I'm not canning (and it's cold outside) I like to cook, bake, sew or scrapbook or just read. I love to read books about Country Living and the like. There are alot of great references available out there- My favorite book is by Carla Emery and is an all inclusive look at country life. I also like magazines like Mother Earth News and Grit. There is always something new to be learned and I love to soak it all up. I don't know/ realize how much I retain until things pop up where I need the knowledge. Recently SugarBear got a mild case of Bloat and I knew to go get her some feed grade soda at the Co-Op and almost immediately tragedy avoided. So it does pay off. Other times it just is awesome to have them on hand.... like when it's time to process a deer. Who knows that stuff unless they have done it before? And it's not like there is a college class called Deer Gutting: 101 

So books are great to have around. I love the Internet but there is something much more personal about curling up with a book; it's a warm cozy feeling that is just not replaceable. I also can't take my computer in the tub with me - and I love to read in the tub.

All the critters are doing fine except for one Henrietta who really doesn't like the cold. She is the thinnest of all the chickens and I wondered about her possibly being ill previously. She seems to be chilled and stays in all the time and is not very active. I am watching her closely and bringing her food...We will see tomorrow if she is ok. Everyone else is doing good. Cold but good.

The first day of the Food Experiment was successful. I am dubbing this Operation FallOut. This is an inside joke but it has been a success so far today. I really wanted processed sweets tonight so I made some meringues. They are homemade (egg white, salt, AC vinegar, sugar) and have no extra chemicals etc that say an Oreo would. And it still tastes like creme filling :)

Anyway so far so good... hopefully the weather will start to warm up soon. I'm not sure what the Farmer's Almanac says but at this rate maybe we will have another white Christmas.

Merry Christmas to All and To All a Good Night.

on the Fifth Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

on the Fifth Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

- 5 BALES OF HAY -

4 baby bunnies,

3 dairy goats,

2 dozen eggs,

and a Bald Eagle perched in a Pine Tree

5 Bales of Hay is really nothing in the grand scheme of things. Especially this time of year when all everybody eats is hay. 

Hay can be expensive too. We have enough pasture here to make alot of hay- but we don't have all the equipment. (We do have the right tractor- but not the right attachments yet) So we buy hay.

This year we are realizing that we should just buy the attachments because the weather got cold and the hay got pricey! There are lots of different types of hay... and different animals need and prefer different types. I am just learning all this. Apparently, all grass is not created equal. (I was aware of this growing up vaguely because my dad was obsessed with the lawn) There is hay with a legume mix for more protein, stemmy hay that has more roughage .... there is so much to know! Thankfully my goats will eat it all (but prefer less stems), my rabbits love all greens so far (and love the cheaper hay the best) and I just use the hay to line the nest boxes for the chickens but they will sometimes eat the seeds out of the goats waste hay. Goats waste alot of hay. I often find myself scolding them like children... GarnerGoat you did not eat your greens....

Today was a very cold day. There are no leaves left on the trees and all thats left for the goats to scavange for is my out of control mint patch (the garden once had flowers in it as well but the mint took over very quickly) grass, and pine. They really like pine but they don't eat too much at a time. Probably is too acidic or something. The chickens have no bugs to scavenge for so I am plussing up their diet with everything I can clean out of my fridge. Yesterday I gave them 2 bowls of bread and milk that was quickly devoured. Today I gave them a filet of salmon. They are too funny the way they love to eat different things and they go into something like a feeding frenzy. I have learned watching them recently that I will definitely not take them anything extra next summer while I am barefoot. My toes would be in danger.

Tomorrow I am starting my food "experiment" It is actually going to be an experiment 2-fold. I am going to do this for 1 week. I am convinced of 2 things now... I have more than enough food for the time, and that I am addicted to processed food. SO I am going to attempt to do without processed food in addition to the original experiment of only "shopping" in my pantry. Tomorrow I am going to get a gallon of milk, cat food, half  'n' half, and potatoes to make sure that I have those staples. I had went shopping at Wegmans already and got some very nice veggies so I will have fresh veggies to go along with this experiment. -I don't want this first week to be too painful- Otherwise I am using only things that I already own. It was amazing what I could come with for the week when I really looked inside my pantry- my menu is below if you are interested:

Monday- Venison Roast with Celery and Carrots in Crock Pot, Potatoes, Broccoli

Tuesday- Flank Steak / Chinese Stir Fry Veggies, Rice

Wednesday- Venison Chili, Corn Bread

Thursday- Chicken, Green Beans, CousCous

Friday- Rabbit in the Crock Pot with Veggies and Potatoes (I'll also make homemade bread)

Saturday- Homemade Pizza (leftover dough from bread makes great pizza dough)

Sunday- Something to celebrate... probably steak :)

I will make treats along the way to keep up morale... they will depend on how everyone is holding out.

Wish me luck!

On the Fourth Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me....

On the Fourth Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me....

- 4 Baby Bunnies -

- 3 Dairy Goats -

- 2 Dozen Eggs -

and A Bald Eagle Perched in a Pine Tree

The Baby Bunnies are cuties. They always are. We don't typically interact too much with them, it's easier to not get attached that way.  So the bunnies are cute, but not really that friendly. It is not hard to tame a bunny... it just takes a consistent amount of interaction. But like I said we don't interact with ours too much.... Last night I had a friend over (to can, we had so much fun!- Love ya Alicia!) and I decided to show her our bunnies - they are 6 weeks or so right now- and I picked one up. My whole chest is clawed up. You would think those bunnies were tiger cubs.  It was a bit embarressing. What was funnier was that she put one in her jacket and it climbed all around.... too funny!

We don't interact with our bunnies because they are "the Edibles" Their parents- Jesse and Precious are our pets, and we love and adore them. But unfortunately for them, (fortunately for us) the bunnies have a different fate. Precious (our doe) is actually in the corner of this shot. Isn't she cute? She is a sweetie. She is the best mom. She had her first litter in a snow storm and did not loose any kits. (that's what the hairless pinky babies are called) She actually had never lost a kit until this summer when she decided her nesting hut was too hot so she had the kits in the hay manger/ rack. One of them fell through. When I went out to check on them and saw what had happened I moved the kits to their box. (you never move baby bunnies as a rule because the mom may not take care of them) Anyway, I moved them to their box and within half an hour she decided she would take care of them. Mother of the year!

Our rabbits are a great addition to our farm and a tasty addition to our freezer. My favorite was to make rabbit is to make them as if they were chicken. I think the best, and easiest way, is the crock pot. Seasoned like chicken, with veggies from the garden and homemade fresh bread it is a gourmet dinner at home in the country. Country chic at it's best. Well I am off to eat dinner... tonight is Pork chops stuffed with homemade Rice-A-Roni, and Brussels Sprouts. BUT I am going to make Brioche after dinner so we can have it for breakfast tomorrow. If you want the recipe let me know. :~)

on the Third Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me....

On the Third Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

- 3 Dairy Goats -

- 2 Dozen Eggs -

and A Bald Eagle Perched in a Pine Tree

Here are my 3 Dairy Goats. (this is actually a shot of their backsides)

Because they are so adventurous it can be difficult to get them all in one shot. The only reason they are all staying still (relatively) is because they are eating the chicken scratch (aka goat candy)

Food is essentially their main motivation. You can get a goat to do anything with food. Pretty much all food works but GarnerGoat LOVES Rabbit feed. Spot Loves Layer feed and Sugar Loves Strawberries. See picture to the right :~)



Sugar Mama



Spot and Sugar



I know that you have probably seen this picture before. ->

But I just have to show it because it is one of my favorites. She is the cutest goat ever I think (I may be partial- but I'm not certain)

<----  This is them trying to figure out who is going to get this stawberry.

Spot has an ongoing battle with the Peach tree that is quite hilarious. He is always trying to assault it (so he can get that one leaf that is just out of reach)

Peach Trees (leaves) are actually bad for goats - but they think they are the best thing since... well anything that grows in my garden. Maybe it's like Humans. Peach Leaves are Goat Crack- it might be able to kill them, but they just can't get enough.

GarnerGoat is in the background of this picture. He is always the one on the outside... the misfit. We have a house of misfits. GarnerGoat was a bottle baby that was very sickly- that's why he is so small- but he is quickly catching up to the other 2.

Here is a picture of him as a baby. The Picture next to him is of Spot. They were taken the very same day.

He (Garner) is soooo small huh? 

And isn't Spot huge? No wonder he is the one in charge!

Well as you can see 3 Dairy Goats are a Wonderful Christmas Present. I am happy to have them and feel so blessed to have them in my life. (Even though sometimes I might not always feel so loving- I always do love them)

Goats are alot of work.  Like everything in life- with Goats you get back what you give. Our family invests our hearts, time and resources into our farm and we feel that we receive an overwhelming bounty in return. This morning I was so tired... this life can be physically tiring and with the colder weather it is actually more difficult. Warm water has to be brought out to the animals in jugs and feeding has to be done at a minimum of twice a day to ensure that everyone has enough "fuel" to keep their engines burning. This is hard work. So this morning I was tired and I needed some motivation. I got some great advice (from humans) but ultimately I ended up going outside and giving the chickens some bread in milk. The best advice came from them- the fact that they run to me when they see me, because I equal good things is motivation to keep providing for them. And it was motivation to do the same for all that I care for. I want to be the person that can be depended on. Run to me if your looking for love, support, or good eats.

Have a great night all.

on the Second Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me...

On the Second Day of Christmas My Farm Provided Me

  - 2 Dozen Eggs -

& a Bald Eagle Perched in a Pine Tree

Today Austin sold 2 dozen eggs! He sold them to his teachers. We are letting him keep a portion of the $ (the other portion goes to cover the costs of the animals)  He is very excited about it, and so are we. Maybe one day he will be able to buy a car with egg money....

I am very tired right now and not able to keep my thoughts together. So- I will write in the morning. On the Third Day of Christmas! BTW we are having 25 days here at the farm since there is so much love, fun, work, and so many chores to go 'round. So keep checking... and don't give up on me today, read yesterday's blog and look at Sugar's cute little face. She is just one of the reasons I'm exhausted. And I LOVE it. (but need to get some sleep)

Have a good night. Sweet dreams of goats dancing/ climbing on clouds. (they don't simply jump like sheep- that's too boring)

on the First Day of Christmas the Farm Provided Me...

On the First Day of Christmas the Farm Provided Me...

A Bald Eagle Perched in a Pine Tree

The Bald Eagle was Perched in the Pine Tree so it could scope out my little Henriettas.

You can't blame the Eagle too much. I mean I love to watch them, they are adorable!  They are not enjoying the cold weather... I am only getting 6 eggs a day now. (out of 9 chickens) Hopefully they will lay in the winter-winter. I tell you feast or famon is the name of the game of this farm. I really need to figure out how to ration and spread things out. OR make it so everything happens all at once so I only have to CAN like mad for a short period of time. Then I will have all my Jelly done in one setting... Hmmmm..... things to remember when planning the garden.

Speaking of the garden. Do you know that I am just loosing my strawberries.     Look!

I bought these "Everbearing" Strawberries last year because I wanted the fruit all summer since I have very little fruit on my property.

(I currently have a peach tree and wild raspberries and a few blackberries. I also have a persimmon tree- but I don't know what to do with that) I planted a fig tree this year so I hope it makes it through the winter. Since it was my first year with the strawberries I didn't have alot of experience so they were small and I ended up feeding alot (alot) of them to the goats. The goats have NO manners but they are sooo cute. As demonstrated...

As you can see Sugar is really just the cutest thing ever. If you aren't used to seeing goats- don't they have different eyes? Their eyes are as expressive as humans. Sugar is as spunky as 3 three year olds hopped up on candy and soda at ChuckECheese on a Saturday. (anotherwords she is a spunky but stubborn little cutie)

Well to bed I go because it is late and FarmChores come early.

tomorrow is the 2nd day of Christmas....

any guess what the Farm will Provide to Me?

the Weather outside is frightful.... so I'm canning!

The weather outside is frightful so naturally the thing to do is cook (or can) Tonight I am canning some Venison, Beef, and Vegetable Soup.  Austin got the deer the other day and we just got the meat back.

I promised a picture so here it is.  ;~)  We got the meat processed by a place called T&R Processing. They did a great job on both deer and we got sausage with Dan's deer and it was good (and spicy) The next deer we will get jerky and some slim jims
So I am canning the soup and some plain stock (so I don't waste the canning space and I run a full load) in my pressure canner. Dan looked up for me how long it needed to process and @ 11# Quarts have to process 75min. That is a long time.
I am concerned that everything will be mush when it is time to eat it.
I will have to find out and report back. The first snow will be the perfect time to test the soup. After playing and shoveling we can warm up with that. YUM!

Yesterday was much nicer. I let the goats run loose all day. (don't worry there is nowhere that they would go - my property is pretty large and the area they hang out in is in our "yard" They only stay in the few acres around the house- I can see them always, and I am always checking on them) I let the goats run because they can get more forage that way. There is less to eat with the weather change and I feel like hay must get boring. I don't have any goat poisonous plants (except in my garden which is fenced off and a peach tree that has already lost it's leaves) so they can munch and munch. So they do. It's also an added bonus because they clean up my garden so next spring I will have less work to do.

As you can see the goats enjoy cleaning up my garden. My chickens like to follow around the goats and explore in general. They are much more cautious now since they lost their sister though.
Instead of waddling in the open they hang to the sides and run through the wide open spaces (for the most part) They are the funniest little characters. We have the two Adventure-Chickens who we laugh at because they are fearless. Last night they were headed down our driveway! (if you are familiar with our property you know how silly that is)
They follow us on our walks in the woods, on trips to the Blind, and even though they love to follow where we go for the sake of adventure. They never want the adventure to end and they are difficult to put up at night. Like impossible. I chased one of them tonight (In the rain) for at least 10 min. It was like I was going in circles. Well I'm running back and forth to the pressure cooker trying to monitor 11# pressure so I will get going so I can keep a closer eye.
It's almost December! Is anyone ready for this weather? I know I have a lot to do to get ready. Hay storage, extra bedding on hand, supply of feed... and I am still working on the meal planning experiment.
Always something to do on the farm. I am so blessed, what would I be doing if I lived in the city?

Eggs on my face ;~)

I was wearing egg on my face earlier. First it was a custard then a meringue! Without a doubt farmfresh eggs make better -well everything! I have so many eggs that I had to do something with them AND I also had an entire gallon of expired (but not bad) milk. So I made a very delicious custard!

I am a recipe weirdo. I can't follow a recipe. I should rewrite that- I can't follow just one recipe.
I am always trying to take 4 or 5 different recipes and decide the parts I think are delicious and then I combine them to make a mega recipe. Sometimes it's a mega-flop other times it turns out good. This custard was a few recipes rolled into one and I think it is a good one. I'm writing it here for your palate's pleasure because it is damn delicious.

• 4 cups milk (I used skim because that is what I had)
• 1/4 cup cornstarch (you could use more if you want it thick- mine was thin)
• 3 cups sugar
• 12 egg yolks
• 1 whole egg
• vanilla to taste

I whipped together the milk and cornstarch, then put them on a med-low heat and added in the sugar. I let that cook and thicken while I stirred very frequently. While that cooked I seperated the eggs (except the one) and put them in a large mixing bowl. After my mixture on the stove got nice and bubbly and thicked up a bit I turned the heat down to low and ladled out 3/4 cup or so of the mixture. I let that stand a minute or so to cool and then very slowly -like a teaspoon at a time at first- I added that ladled out milk mixture into the egg yolk while I was beating like a crazy woman so my eggs wouldn't scramble. When it was all added in I added back the egg and milk mixture to the milk mixture still on the stove. I whipped that stuff like crazy continuosly and turned the heat back up to med and let it cook and thicken. (kept beating) When it was perfect consistency I took it off the burner, added my vanilla and then put it in the dishes to cool. Yummy in my tummy!

Then because I had the whites... I made meringues. I made some minty ones with crushed candy canes on top (they are actually still baking because they have to bake a long time) a good recipe is found at http://www.allrecipes.com/   just search peppermint meringues -there are alot of options- and you too can join in my insanity.

I am doing all of this because of my newest push to not be wasteful. Plus I love sweets! and to cook. But mainly, I want to use what I have and not take it all for granted. I am so blessed in my life. I have a great happy and healthy family, a beautiful farm :) , and a wonderful support system. I don't want to take anything for granted... I think it's easy to look around this time of year and say "I want" but I am stepping back and trying to just soak in all that I have.

So I still have milk left over. I had a large glass of vanilla milk while I pondered the next direction (tbsp vanilla and a generous tbsp of sugar mixed into cold milk) and thought. AHA! the chickens. The chickens will love the milk. I can soak some bread in it and they will think they are in heaven. I might even give a bite to the goats.
So everyone will be happy, nothing will be wasted -in fact 2 amazing things were created from what I already had. Now, I need to get some sleep because there is always something to do around here, and tomorrow will be no exception.

Bald Eagles vs Chicken

Happy Thanksgiving! Most of the US enjoyed a turkey dinner today, at my house Dan and I had to interrupt a chicken dinner. Dan looked outside to check on the chickens and saw a bunch of feathers swirling around... so we decided (rapidly) to go out and locate the origin of what looked like a pillow fight gone wrong. It took a few moments but we quickly got suited up and went out to investigate. We went out the back porch (top one) and and as we stepped onto the grass a huge bird of prey flew from the ground behind the compost area up into a tree right above.  Simultaneously a Bald Eagle (Yes a Bald Eagle!!!) flew above us and then from the right to left and perched in a tree. It was amazing and it was HUGE. It was really very beautiful and much larger than I had thought. T.V. does not give you the real perspective.

So we went out to check out the area where the one bird had flown from and sure enough, there was one of my chickens- sans head. It was inevitable and I knew this day would come, but now that it has I am more afraid. That bird was huge.

So the first bird we saw was actually brown, not bald eagle colored. Dan looked it up and immature Bald Eagles can be brown and look very similar to what we saw; but hawks look similar as well.
Who knows at this point, hopefully we won't get another chance to find out.

Everybody else is doing great. I worry about Garner being the outcast but in reality I can't punish Spot and Sugar for being animals- Garner is the misfit and that's how it works with herd animals. (even with humans too at times it seems)

I have started taking inventory on my pantry and am going to do the freezer tomorrow. I want to meal plan every week and stick to it. That means it has to be easy to cook. I want to not buy any food (minus the VERY basics like milk) for 2 weeks to start. I also want to keep a record and a loose inventory of what our family actually eats in a month/ winter... maybe even a year. If I have a record I know what I need to have on hand (sounds like the opposite of the experiment but it all goes together)
Well happy Turkey Day to all and to all a good night!

Chicken Scratch

Chickens like to scratch. We all know and love the chicken as it scratches the ground, pecks the ground, repeats, waddles on.... Well someone forgot to tell my chickens to waddle on and now I swear they are digging areas for me to plant next years bushes or something. Chickens - you gotta love 'em.

Speaking of my lovely farm animals I have to say that my bunnies are so cute these days. They are like little tiny bunnies and you have to be careful not to let them out of the nest because they become part ping pong ball/ part bouncy ball. The dart from one place to the next and don't know what to do with themselves. If I didn't think it was mean to them (and Precious) it would be hilarious. My goats are as goaty as ever. We are contemplating returning Spot to Hope (the lady we got him from) because of his excessive bad manners. He even butts the chickens! (again- would be VERY funny if it wasn't mean)

So the deer slayers (Dan and Austin) are going to go hunting in the morning tomorrow. Hopefully they will get another deer. We would like to get a couple hundred pounds of deer meat in the freezer this year. Between the cow we are having slaughtered (a friend of mine raises them hormone and ABT free and essentially organically) The pig we are having done the same way, the deer and our rabbits we should not have to buy meat at all the entire winter (unless we want chicken breast or something)

I am considering doing an experiment. I have so much excess in my pantry and freezer that I want to try to purchase only staples for an entire month. Meaning Milk, Bread (that I can't make -like for sandwiches) Flour, Sugar and bare basics like that. I would like to see how I can utilize what I already have and really reduce the amount of $ spent per month on unneccesary items. If I do this experiment I will do it in Jan. I think... since there are no holiday dinners to be making at that time. Until the official experiment I am going to attempt to initiate this thought process into my way of life.

I will report back on tomorrows hunt.

Wow! time flies.... when your having fun

We have been busy bees here at the Citadel the last week.
On Tuesday Dan took the first deer of the season (I will post pictures) and today Austin took his first deer (ever)!!! We have a lot of deer here - as does all of the area, and we feel it is important to hunt for two reasons; for ourselves (meat etc.) and to help manage the deer poplulation.  Both Dan and Austin took bucks of good size but with smaller racks. We took the deer to be processed at a shop about half an hour away and we are looking forward to seeing what comes back. It was interesting for me to learn to field dress the deer -as I had never done it before. After doing the first one with Dan I was able to do the second one with Austin (while Dan went back out to the blind)
The chicken apparently went hunting the second time with Dan -without him being aware of it at first. Our chickens and GarnerGoat really seem to love Dan and this chicken followed him out to the blind and then back in when he decided that he was done for the evening. I'm not sure what little snippet would be funnier here. If I said the chicken was a good watch-chicken or if she had eyes like a chicken (hawk) maybe neither. It's late and I'm tired but I had to share that now we have 2 deer in the shop being processed and we couldn't be more excited. Dan and I are so proud of Austin, he had an amazing shot and he was really very impressive today. Austin's buck's head/ rack is going to be mounted so he has this as a great memory and all in all it has been a very good and very busy week.
More to follow when exhaustion is not an issue....

It just gets more eggs-citing!

So I can't even believe I am saying this but I got 10 eggs today. Yes 10. Obviously one of my hens laid her first egg today, which is really cool because I took all 10 eggs to my friend and got to show her what a 'First' egg looks like. They (first eggs) are more oval, tend to be white spotted, smaller in general, and elongated. If you are a woman, or a compassionate man- you can understand why. So today a total of 10 eggs. That is soooo Eggs-cellent! (I know it's corny but I couldn't help but crack a joke)
I don't want this blog to be about just the chickens and I have been contemplating the fact that right now this is just a daily chicken update....  Fox 5 news reporting.... (Get it?)
I think as this progresses there will be a natural ebb and flow of information depending on who or what is in season. I am coming up on planning my garden so that will be the next big topic of conversation- although bunnies will be cute and cuddly soon. I am going to learn how to insert pictures and other info into this so maybe one day when people actually read it (or more likely I re-read it) it will have more visual interest. Speaking of, it is fall and the leaves are beautiful. I feel like I live in a magazine or a painting of a countryside it's so picture perfect.
It is also hunting season now- it is chilly and a perfect time for venison. I am hoping that Dan gets a few deer this year, as they are an excellent quality meat for almost no cost. I can't wait until he comes in the house and says he has bagged a big one. I'll post pictures- there that gives me incentive to figure it out.
My goats are great and everyone appears back to normal and healthy today. I am considering worming everyone as a kind of preventative since it is going to be very cold and they are going to be spending alot of time in their little barn very soon. I would rather them not be in close quarters with worms (and each other) Maybe I'll call the vet tomorrow. I need to call for Cat anyway. Cat is difficult because he goes to a real vet, not a farm vet. He gets real check-ups and all that jazz. I suppose he is a bit spoiled, but he deserves it. Why? well, because he is Cat- just ask him and he will squint his little eyes at you and tell you so.
The goats are so cute and all furry and fuzzy for the winter. Sugar is the shaggiest and she looks kinda funny but really cute. I love the way Sugar looks because she has the prettiest horns too. Her horn are more sharp and curve back further. All the goats horns have some scaling going on toward the ends- where it looks like the horn has been scratched or chipped away. I asked the vet about that and he says that it's just a change in diet -not good or bad- just a change in diet causes a change in the horn make up. Makes sense right?
I think this year I am going to research veggies to grow that produce the best, with the least disease. Hybrids if I have too. Last year I did all heirlooms and now I know why they invented hybrids. I will definitely keep the Zucchini and the tomatoes (but add a paste tomato) but I think I will need to do a lot of research on green beans and on Bell Peppers. Onions were my fault last year (I will explain another day) and I think the carrots were good actually. No cabbage or broccoli next year or anything that will attract that stinkin cabbage worm. Although I read an article about how to kill them organically with a bacteria that kills them but not other bugs and is not harmful to us.
So I will have to start reading all my veggie books.
I'm too tired to proof read so please forgive all my errors.

SUNDAY Whoa WHoa that's my FUN day...

Today was a good day. Beside the fact that Spot has a tummy issue (not a big one) everyone is doing good. My chickens are my super heroes these days. Today I got 9 eggs! 9! that's the most ever. Yesterday was the most ever...now today the most ever! Yay for the girls! Pullets reach full production @ 6 months old. That would be consistent with an April hatch date. Note to self: next year I will get chicks in April or allow who-ever wants to set then to set. (assuming I get a rooster, otherwise that would just result in rotten eggs)
Dan also bought me the new oven and dishwasher I wanted for Christmas today! We had to order it because I wanted a special one. but it will be delivered the day before Thanksgiving! I can cook my turkey in the new oven! AWESOME. I am getting a very awesome farm fresh turkey from the guy I get my cows from. I am excited to try a true turkey- not something from a feedlot that is bred and fed with the only purpose in mind to be gaining weight as quickly as possible. Taste isn't even the first priority- just sheer size is the bottom line for the grocery store turkeys.
Anyway I can't wait to make all sorts of breads and pastry and turkey and Any & Everything else I can think of! 
My goats are tiring these days, I am wondering if it's bad behavior on my or their part. I'm hoping they will mature like dogs do, dogs are always difficult at this age so it would make sense that goats would be the same. right?
Speaking of dogs. I want a dog so bad. But the idea of a dog chasing my chickens would drive me crazy. So does that mean I won't have another dog? Ahhhh that can't be. Maybe I need a Donkey instead of a dog. they are just as awesome. Donkeys are good 'watch dogs' and can keep a whole flock. they are viciously loyal defenders of all of their herd and can be very loving and cuddly too. So Austin and I can love her and then she can keep everyone safe when I'm not around. Just like a dog.
Well I have a lot of things to do- like figure out what to do with all these extra eggs. I'm thinking pound cake, ice cream, egg nog, all the yummy stuff that my rear end doesn't need.  If you need any, let me know :)

All sorts of fun...

So we have had all sorts of fun in the last few days... this blog covers Friday and Saturday.
Farm life is not for those with a weak stomach so just be prepared if you are munching on something you may want to put it down a second. 
So Friday when we went to let everyone out we noticed Sugar had vomitted. (told you to put down the sandwich) I figured she had some imbalance going on her stomach(s) so I decided to run to the Co-Op and get Feed Grade Soda. ...........Let me back up a moment.... We had invited company down on Saturday which means that the farmhouse needed a little sprucing. My mother was kind enough to come down to assist- and hang out so she was here for all of the fiasco mentioned above...
So Sugar was a mess and I decided that she needed some help getting her stomach settled. Goats are ruminants and the natural digestion/ fermintation of their food causes gas. Sometimes they need a little help keeping the ph level balanced so that gas doesn't cause bloating or ultimately the 'disease' Bloat. Believe it or not Baking Soda helps with that. I suppose you could use the kind from the grocery store- but that would cost a fortune. So Arm and Hammer (really!) actually sells a Feed Grade quality 50# bag just for Ruminants. Who would of known?
So we went to the Co-Op, got the Soda and I also got a Goat Block (mineral block for goats) for the goats. I got a bag of scratch for the chickens and a new waterer for inside the chicken house and 10 bags of Cedar Bedding.  I like Cedar bedding because it helps keep mites away (for the chickens) and fleas away and other bugs as well. -It also smells much better than the normal aroma of the chicken and goat house.
When I got home I put out the Soda and the Goat Block and since then Sugar has not gotten sick (as far as I am aware)
 NOW what I did notice today is that Spot has clumpy poo. It is a never ending battle.
So Saturday we had company- with kids- ---I'll just say I discovered my goats wouldn't be the ideal petting zoo goats.
*Sidebar-The animals are a novelty to most people, but they don't understand the whole connection I think. The desire to be connected to the land, to be self sufficient sounds cool to others but to our family it is not just an idea that's cool, it is a reality that is somehow deep within us a necessity.
So the kids fed the goats through the gate and the chickens were fun to pick up and pet and watch, I also left the eggs for the kids to gather (did I mention 8 eggs on Saturday?!!!)
the rabbits just hung out - I didn't want anyone bothering them because the bunnies are not yet a week and I am protective of Precious' nerves.
Thanks to my mom my house looked great and my food was good too.

BTW- want a good Pulled Pork BBQ recipe?
1- Pork Butt or Shoulder Roast and
1- 2 liter of Root Beer
Your favorite BBQ Sauce (we like Jack Daniels or Sweet Baby Rays)
thats it!
So in a Crock Pot cover the cut of pork with the root beer. Cover, let it cook on medium for at least 12 hours (I like overnight) then turn off the Crock Pot and move to large bowl/ plate. After the Roast has cooled pull apart and remove fat. Drain Crock Pot and place Pork back in the Crock Pot along with BBQ sauce (enough to coat sufficiently) Cook on Low for a minimum of 2 hours.  TA DA.

SO all in all Saturday was a sucess!  Thanks Mom!

I should eat my words (and some eggs!)

Nichole

So I was wrong yesterday- they (the chickens) are lining up an taking turns! Today there were 7 eggs. I thought that I got a "First" egg the other day but since there were only 6 eggs I figured some little lady just needed her pipes cleaned. Turns out- someone didn't need their pipes cleaned- they needed a day off. So 7 eggs today. 2 were dropped on the way back to the house and we have come up with a new system now where we take out an egg carton when we collect the eggs so we don't have our hands too full of eggs and fumble.
I am loving the chickens so much that I am considering getting Guineas in the spring. Dan says we will call them "the Mafia" (I will probably get a rooster so he can be the Don Corleon) Guineas are fun to watch, very pretty and they eat ticks and bugs like crazy. My good friend- probably one of the best I have ever had- has guineas (and goats and chickens and rabbits... ) Her guineas are adorable and a riot to watch. The coolest thing about them is that they are like real birds (game birds) and fly and roost in trees. Maybe in the Spring.

Today I let the goats go to town in my flower beds. GASP! It's the end of the season and they love it all- plus the more they eat now the less cleanup in the spring right? It is soooo cute to watch Sugar chomping on a big sprig of mint- halfway hanging out of her mouth- and wagging her tail. Added bonus* fresh breath, for all of about 5 seconds. 

I tried to peak in at the baby bunnies today. When I looked in they were totally covered under their hairball nest. So I lifted up the nest and tried to sneak a peak. They must have felt a draft because next thing I knew those things were popping up like popcorn. Needless to say I quickly put the nest back together. By then Precious had decided she didn't like me bothering them anyway so it was best that I went back on my way.

I have to say that I am sad that the days are getting shorter, less and less time outside. I suppose the winter is good for a whole bunch of reasons (it will keep the smell of the coop down) but I will miss the longer days. (but not the horseflies) Less smell, no horseflies, mosquitos....maybe winter isn't all bad...
My last thing to report is my goat's bad behavior. GarnerGoat has been a little naughty lately. I am not sure what is going on with him but I think he is feeling a little cranky because Spot is being an exceptionally obnoxious bully.  Sugar is Sugar and is as sweet as Sugar (as always)

With the days getting shorter this is my time to get ready for the next season/ year/ project etc. One thing I have learned living here for only this very short time- plans evolve and change constantly and you always have to plan ahead and be prepared (Hello snowstorm of 2010)... So I will start planning my garden... & do I want chicks? ... Guineas? ... another kid this year? and how do I get the barn I want, with the fencing and everything else and spend- well nothing would be nice :) 

I'm off to daydream of a Barnyard full of frolicking goats, softly clucking chickens and Guineas roosting in trees. Maybe a Cow and calf in the pasture; the cow will have milk so we can make our own butter to put on home grown potatoes and fresh garden veggies that we will eat with our own home grown (and processed humanely) meat and fresh homemade (unbleached) bread.  hmmmmm....... dreams.......
how nice. (and they sound yummy too!)

Change in Format- Nichole's blog...

So Day 3 and already I have made some executive decisions. So far this blog has been a joint effort (myself and Austin) and it is turning into a creative writing class not a Log of the Farm. So I am going to split the Blog into 2 sections. A section for myself and a section for Austin. My section can be more matter of fact and Austin's can still be cute and funny. (mine may be cute too at times I hope) So... that's the new format to be expected from this point forward.

Nichole
Yesterday was a productive day in that we got 6 eggs again. The chickens seem to consistently be laying 6 eggs/ day which means that either they are taking turns in rotation -doubtful that they are that organized to line up and say "my turn"- or that 6 are in full production. The eggs are beautiful, big, and brown, and gorgeous inside. The chickens are free range so the egg yolks are a deep orange color (and are full of more nutrients than a 'regular' egg) and the whites are firm. Our shells are tough too. You can tell a first egg by the shape- they are more oval (totally understandable!) color- they are speckled with white it seems, and the size. The chickens and the goats get along well and it's funny to watch the chickens chase/ follow the goats when they run the pasture. Their tiny little chicken legs can't keep up and they duck their heads like football players and Zooooom they go as fast as they can. It's a sight you have to see to fully understand the ridiculousness of. The worst part of having the goats in the same pasture as the chickens is that the goats (especially Spot) love the Layer feed. (at this rate of consumption perhaps he will surprise me one day and lay an egg) keeping them out of the chicken house has been quite a challenge with a lot of trial and error. Right now we use a zip tie (I am a lover of Zip ties as you will soon find out- they can be used for anything from tying up tomatoes to probably even broken bones -slight exaggeration) Anyway we use a zip tie to partially suspend the door, a block of wood to maintain tension so they can't push the door up, and a twist tie to ensure they can't knock any of those out of place. Goats are smart so we will see how long this lasts. I was actually surprised at how smart the goats are. Every dog owner thinks their dog is the smartest dog ever and I suspect the same of goat owners- they are probably all right. Goats can out think us. They are also complete beggars like dogs- but with less manners. We had to cut goat toes the other day - an experience like no other - and they can wiggle their way out of anything. We had them roped/ collared to two opposite sides and held them against a tree/ post sort of deal and they managed to wiggle, sit, and everything in between to get out of it. Dan is going to build me a goat stanchion- I'm not sure if he knows that yet (if he is reading this blog I guess he does now :) The goats favorite treat to beg for at the moment is strawberries. It's the end of the garden and the only thing left are strawberries and beets. I planted peas - but it must have been to late because the shoots are beautiful but they are not producing flowers. So the end of the season strawberries are a treat for the goats and the beet thinnings are a treat for the rabbits. Speaking of - it seems like Precious and the babies are doing fine. I am going to try to peak in today and get a count. I don't usually bother her when it's cold... she always does fine. The only kit ever lost was when she decided to nest in the hay manger because it was so hot outside. Not that I blamed her. The kit fell through before I moved them into the nesting box and died- but the others were fine and even though I moved them she took care of them just like the good mother she is. The rabbits grow 3 months before they are processed and are very easy to process and are quite delicious. Especially in the crock pot. Today I have lots of real work to do but I plan on hitting the Co-Op for cedar bedding and for some sort of air freshener for the goat/ chicken house. I also have some canning to do- end of the peppers. So signing off with lots to do.... Nichole

Chickens on the Brain!!!

So apparently Mommy has chickens on the brain! Not to suprising since we have 10 of them. 60% of them are laying (roughly) and they are all cute as a chicken button. Each chicken has it's own personality and even though they all look the same we can tell them apart. Most people couldn't tell that one chicken has a whiter "ear" than another but when you spend time with them and love them dearly like we do- you learn them and all their individual quirks. There is Henrietta the Houdini Hen- we wrote about her in the first blog, who does the duck and run routine every chance she gets. There is Delores who is the SWEETIE and who loves Austin and follows him around. The other ones are fun too except for the crazy one- she that is not named. She is an evil chickeny soul who makes you chase her until you feel like giving up. Then she must sense the defeat because she finally gives in. The most fun thing about the chickens is dumping the water in the yard everyday. The goat house has a trough and outside there is a trough. When we dump the water the chickens run to get the worms and other bugs that pop to the surface. Bugs al a mud (and grass).
So Mommy has chickens on the brain so much that tonight that she drew one on a picture for Pa for 10 November. Pa and Austin laughed and we all agree that it's a bit goofy. (Austin actually thinks it looks more like Tweety than a chicken)
So tomorrow morning we will all have eggs!
Viva las Chickens!

Gettin Started on the Farm...

Howdy. That's what they say in Texas, which is where we moved from. When we lived in Texas we lived in the suburbs. Total suburbia- within 5 minutes of 3 grocery stores and the Katy Mills Mall. We moved here via a quick stop in another Keeping Up with the Jones type suburbia area- which is funny because the Jones' lived in a gated community that was completely fenced in like a ghetto or a prison with a swimming pool.
So here we are now a year later - "hillbilly hicks" living on a farm(-ish)
We decided we wanted to get away from the bright lights of the city- that would keep us up all night between the traffic and used car lot lights, and escape into the quiet firefly lit country nights.
Pa has always dreamt of land. Mommy used to dream of the mall- but now she dreams of chickens. Austin is in between with just enough of each to be well rounded. So we bought the "Citadel" a beautiful piece of property and dove in head first. This blog was started to chronicle the Citadel Life.
First thing we decided to venture into was lagomorphs. What are lagomorphs you ask? they are rabbits. or as Pa says Rare-bits of meat. We got our first rabbit named Jessie who is about as big as a cat and as fluffy as a pillow- per Austin. Jessie is a Flemish Giant Rabbit and a sweetie. He is also a stud (muffin) he and our other rabbit Precious who is just as the name implies have a litter every few months. Jessie, Precious and the Edibles -so we call them- are a story for another day. Then came the BabyGoats. Sugar (mama -one day) who is the herd queen, Spot who thinks he is all that, and sweet lovable GarnerGoat. We got the goats as kids and have been raising them from there. Right now they are in their terrible twos. In the beginning of October we got our misfit chickens. Why are they misfits you ask? They have been debeaked. That means they had their beaks "trimmed" very short. They also had their wings clipped so they couldn't fly when we got them. We were not aware of all of the trimming before we picked them up. - maybe next time I won't buy chickens from the Co-Op. Our most exciting chicken -Houdini Hen - Henrietta, is an escape artist. She was the first one to lay an egg and to learn how to duck under the gate.
Right now we get six eggs a day! It is sooo fun to go collect eggs. Especially when they are body temperature- it's kinda weird. Yet awesome. So for city slickers we have quite a bit of livestock. We also have a Cat- named Cat. Cat is also known as the Great White and Black Hunter. He got his nickname from hunting lizards and he now hunts very successfully small game such as chipmunks, mice and moles. Cat has not yet bagged any large game though he has gone after a a doe with two fawns. He also ambushed the goats- who run from his 9 pounds of ferociousness.
We had a garden over the summer - which turned out ok. It was a learning experience. I learned many ways to use zucchini (which I had way too many of) I learned not to plant too many cherry tomato plants (long story) and I learned what grew well and what did not. AND I learned to HATE cabbage worms. Oh and I canned alot and learned some new canning recipes.
We have decided that so much happens on a daily basis that we would try to write daily. So we will update you tomorrow on Citadel Everyday Life
So a bit of Texas and a bit of our new home life combined... "Peace Ya'll" - see you tomorrow.