Apple Trees and Goats

We always bury our goats under the apple trees. The tree gets nourished by the goat body. The grass always grows really well there. Then the goats get to eat the apples and the grass. Then the goats make more goats. On and on it goes. This year we have had to bury two so far. Its part of farm life. Really its part of all life. Its a part that not everyone gets to participate in as much as they should. Its the part that makes farmers such great people. If people knew how fragile and precious life is maybe they would respect it more. Its not until you see death that you really appreciate life. This week i had the privilege of standing out side in the crisp morning air with my three daughters as we cried about a baby goat that had died over the night. No matter how many times it happens it always pulls on your heart some. Being the dad and the main farm manager its hard to not feel responsible for all the bad that happens but some times its out of my hands. I dont always have the answers and when it comes to baby goats dieing I really do not have any answers. If it was up to me they would all live.

We also had the same mom goat get really sick and we almost lost her. Luckily we were able to bring her back. She seems to be doing really well now. For the farmers out there. I used a drench of vit C, and probios. Then I gave her b12 injections every 8 hours. Now she is on free choice seaweed meal, high quality grain, and hay. She went from laying on her back and foaming at the mouth to standing and grazing in about 24 hours.

We have also had lots of new life on the farm. We have had three new babies born this week. It seemed like every time we came home a new baby had been born. This is such an exciting time of year. Plus soon we will have fresh goats milk.

Eliza Feeding comforting the moma

This little girl is just hours old.

Bottle feeding the babies while the moma gets better.

 These little guys are just hours old.

The woodstove

"Firewood warms you twice, once when you cut it and again when you burn it." - some lumberjack

At the end of this summer we got a wood stove for heating the house. It has been a learning adventure. There is a famous permaculture guru Geoff Lawton that says with traditional wood stoves you will always "be a slave to your heating source" He is a firm believer in using rocket mass heaters or masonry heaters. We explored both of these for a while and decided that at this point it was just not safe to have a rocket stove in the house and a masonry stove is just to expensive. So we went with the most efficient stove that we could afford.

On our property we have a lot of woods. In fact the majority of it is woods. Did you know that if you cut a tree down split it and stick it in the wood stove it will not burn? So this year we are not going to be able to use the firewood from our property. We need wood that is seasoned and dry. It needs to be seasoned for year or more before it can be burned in the wood stove. Anything less just smolders in the stove and does nothing good. I had no idea that this would be a problem, but it is. So I built a large wood shed that will hold a little over four cords of wood. So now for the "slavery" part. I will be collecting wood to fill that shed for the rest of the winter. Not only collecting it but splitting it, stacking it, letting it season, then carrying it to the house to burn. 

The main reason that we leaned towards burning wood, is that it is a renewable resource. With proper management we should always have a power free option for heating the house. If we add this with other sources of heat like passive solar, and a solar water heater, we should be able to drastically diminish our power consumption.


While we are speaking of cold. We had also had a new arrival on the farm. We had no idea that Dot the mom was even expecting. Then  around 2am on the 14th we heard a goat crying. When i went down to the goat house to see what was going on i found that Polka Rose had been born. She is the sweetest little goat. They are Kiko goats that we got from a friend. The mom is really sweet and good natured. Im not sure if it is just a Kiko trait or just her, but either way they are both really sweet. 

Poultry Day

The Sunday before thanksgiving is our last processing day. Its the day that officially ends our poultry growing season. Here is how we do it.

We gather all the birds the night before. We go into the coup with a red light and catch everyone and then put them in cages. Make sure to keep them protected so nothing eats them over night.

The night before we plug in the scalder and let it run all night. In the morning its nice and hot you dont want to be waiting on the water to heat up. We keep a propane burner and large kettle going just in case we need to add more hot water. The cone you see is what we use to kill the birds in. The bucket is for heads.

After the scalder its into the plucker

Then to the processing table. After that we put them into a cooler of ice cold water to bring down the temp as quick as possible. This year we got a fish fillet table. Its way easier on the back and has a hole for guts.

Then they go inside and get a final rinse and dry.

Then into the package and ready for the freezer.

The best and final step is to enjoy with friends!

1 Year Reflection.

Some months later...

This blog has not become what I'd expected since we moved to our new homestead. It has been a little desolate these last few months. As I've confessed before, it's such a daunting thing to wrap my head around what we've done here, and what is yet to be done. So, I'll do my best to make a sweeping update in one short and sweet post.

Firstly the house is NOT what it was 1 year ago. Of course, the hustle of getting things in order those 2 weeks before we moved in held the majority of the updates, but since then we've (nearly) refinished the master bath and I'm really excited about it. There are several small changes that are lined up and just need to be accomplished, but our room has become a sanctuary of sorts. It's always cool back there, and with the seating area it's often quiet and I even make an effort to keep the bed made! Other bits of paint, curtains, pictures hung and shelves mounted have helped make the rest of our space feel like home. Certainly there still remains a bounty of ideas that will someday come to fruition, but for now our home is pretty cozy and I'm learning that +/- 1600sqft is the perfect size. Not too much, not too little.

The acreage on the other hand...so, in that regard I think everyone might think the more the better and maybe that's true. On one hand though, it's very difficult for us to not feel obligated to make the absolute most of what we have--every square inch. It's not the back .25acre anymore! Having nearly wrapped up our Permaculture Design Certification we know SO much more about how to effectively plan and use the terrain, but it's a little overwhelming. We're finding ourselves with goals we can't even imagine ever getting to! 10.5 acres is FAR more than enough to sustain us if we were really diligent about growing all our own foods, etc. So we're trying to focus on the immediate; trying not to become bogged down with the overwhelming vastness of possibility. There are 2 year goals, 5 year, 10 year...lifetime even.

And, can I just say that every day I'm more thankful for where we've landed? Do you remember my whining from last year? The complaining about the house? Well, it's still not my dream farmhouse, but it's got potential and with the new addition of a fantastic covered back deck it's growing on me. I was never a 'ranger station in the woods' kind of girl, but it's morphing into the country cottage I could see myself in for a long time...

"The plans He has could far surpass my own, and for all I know my dream would have been limiting."

Those are words from that whining an entire year ago and a day rarely goes by in which there isn't a revelation of how true it is. Rereading that post is still pretty painful because it occurs to me how many of my dreams have come true in this past year and how none of it would have if I hadn't hit as close to rock bottom as I think I ever have. Extreme doubt and frustration is silly in retrospect, but it was the only thing that brought be down to where I needed to be to accept all these gifts we now have.

We can't sit still around here and I'll blame the neglected blog on too much to do, difficulty focusing, etc. Honestly, a little of my writing here feels like bragging or like something that might hurt people who aren't here yet, who aren't where they know they want to be. Plus, most of the post titles would be something like, 'so, our chickens were laying 7 eggs a day until yesterday and now they're laying 2. What the heck?' or 'People say turkeys poop everywhere--that's true'.

We are where we wanted to be, and obviously it's not Eden.  The world was created with this perfect balance and this could be Eden if we just pursue that and this place has taught us a lot about that. The rhythm of the place around us is totally out of our control to embrace or resist. We're figuring out how to ride those rhythms and make the most of it all.

Anyway. A list of what has been done on the 'farm' end.

• planted: Chinese Chestnuts, Apples, Blueberries, comfrey, stinging nettle, peppermint, witch hazel, loofah, blackberries, raspberries, mulberries, elderberries, asparagus, figs, persimmons, rhubarb, hydrangea, mushroom plugs, cover crops, animal forage...we have a few annuals going in the garden area, but we REALLY focused on getting the perennials going this year.
• cleared: 'back yard', garden area, cleared out many trees from our back 5 acres.
• built: chicken coop, goat house, mobile chicken coop, fencing, mobile fencing, covered deck, garden beds, trellises, bee yard.
• raised: laying chickens, goats, meat chickens, turkeys, guineas, dog, ducks.
• education: Permaculture Design Certification, holistic beekeeping, orchard class, lots of reading, beginning farmers farm tour...
• classes: We had several bee classes and essential oil classes and can't wait to add more to the list as the farm progresses. 

In sum: we don't update this place as much as we should--my fault. But, things are happening very regularly and we are content to be where we are. Still a little scared because there's so much, we have moments of complete overwhelmtion (and you can quote me on that). Anyone want to move in next door? We're learning more and more how much this type of lifestyle is better when your neighbors are on board! A few of ours down like ducks in their lawn? Or cat paws on their cars? Silly country folk...

Around the Farm

"You don't have to see the whole staircase.

 Just take the first step." --Martin Luther King, Jr.

We are slowly plugging away at all the to-dos on the property; readying homes for goats, chickens, ducks, bees, fish and even worms. The list of animals is long and there's a hint of intimidation whenever we discuss them but it's thrilling to think how lively this place may become this spring.

The biggest hold up is fencing. And protection (I think we need a dog). We must have a goat fence and though we've walked that line and readied it for posts and the actual fence, it's still overwhelming. We have to rent an auger, buy posts, the fence, and either have it delivered or rent a truck to pick it up. All these things add up, and while we'd love to do every project all at once we still have a bathroom without a toilet. That's getting done too, but of course, in the middle of one project you discover a hitch and those stinky things usually cost *more* money.

Then there's the garden...we've managed to plant an orchard with a variety of apples, berries, figs, paw paws, grapes and more, it'll be years before we see the fruit from that, and, it also takes up the majority of our 'sunny' acreage--meaning trees have to come down to make food growing possible. The greenhouse is set up and seedlings are growing, but alas, it's in the shadows and not nearly as hot as it should stay. And the trees that keep the planned garden area in shade most the day are coming down slowly. It pains me to cut down trees of any kind, but it's a necessity on this acreage. It's fairly overgrown everywhere, and while the trees provide so much shelter and beauty, many of them are dying or dead already and in some places are threatening the house. Fortunately what we've cut so far there's none going to waste.

(you can see some stumps here, and most of the trees in this pic will have to go...)

Last weekend it was 70degrees on Sunday so we spent the entire day getting our farm chores done. It was the perfect day, a day that reminds us why we wanted to do this. Our family is a great team, and I look forward to working together for a long time. One of the accomplishments of that day was using downed timbers to start a mushroom garden (shitake, reishi and button). It takes a cold-damp spot to encourage mushrooms to thrive so the major dilemma was narrowing it down to where we'd like them to be. We decided on the already landscaped area on the northside of our house. It NEVER sees sunlight, and will be easily accessed. Plus, it'll add some interest to an area obviously meant for bushes, but currently void of plant life. Using the freshly fallen Oak and Poplar logs Drew cut to gain sun in the back yard, we built a functional and adorable mushroom haven; projects like these ease the pain of chopping down trees. Their lives go on just in different purpose.

I've created a pinterest board just for timber-made projects. Thank goodness it's riddled with great inspirations for not letting these timbers go to waste. Currently we're working on a walkway of cedar pavers, we may be able to pave the whole lot! I'm trying to think of ways to incorporate them inside as well. Have you any timber-made goodies?

Busy as the Bees

someone turned 8 since the last post.

When  I take long breaks from the blog I get nervous about what to say next. Like, it'd better be important, meaty and enthralling or the people of the e-verse will wonder why I'd bothered. But, it's time to throw caution to the wind and break back in after a long, awkward pause...

and we enjoyed a lovely sukkot.

I am a little unsure of where to start in terms of what's been up 'round here. Really, what hasn't been up? Nary a corner remains that we haven't touched or at the very least considered. But, consideration does little to get things done; yet, things done without it can be a waste of time and worse.
So, we're constantly pacing ourselves.

a kitten chasing a hand knitted chain. all our kitten toys are naomi-made.

Bit by bit some of the major things that make a place feel like home are getting done. We've got lots of new lighting, which is a great help in lifting the gloom that fills a house with 'turret windows' in the woods. (turret windows--affectionate term for the narrow windows that were put in a house situated in a place that deserves walls of glass on account of the views. Perhaps the builder was a survivalist? It'd be sweet to stumble on a hidden stash of weaponry).

sisters grim.

I've come here today to talk a bit about the most overwhelming part of our move so far. We're relatively easy-going about the house. We've accomplished a lot and are happy to take it one bite at a time from here on, but oh how we miss our garden. We have a blank canvas of unturned soil; and a lot of trees. The latter is intimidating to say the least. Who wants to cut down tall beautiful trees? Folks who want to grow big plump tomatoes. Our acres are about 9/10 wooded--and pond. We've enjoyed the pond FAR more then we would have expected especially since we'd never really considered buying a place with one. I'll say, you should consider it, not only is the fishing fun, the canoeing dreamy and the cool breeze to die for on a hot and terribly tiring day--there is SO much to learn at the water's edge!

this one will be 4 in a week!

And, the pond is yet another overwhelming consideration while we try to effectively plan our future farming. Where does one put the goat house? And, with little sunlight, where shall we plant the orchard? And, which of these tall trees might bring in a little income? Or fall over? What about the bee yard? The kids' swings? And the chickens? And with the water flowing toward the pond, what about run-off and what equipment can't we live without? What can we do today without spending a penny??

using timber from the land helps the budget...can make for adorably rustic buildings too...

We know this place is an investment in our future, and that of our kids, but it's difficult not to spiral into overwhelm-tion or to sit crippled for fear of screwing it up. Prioritize. Prioritize. Prioritize.

So, the order of priorities that you may hear more about here later:
-finish chicken coop
-finish goat house
-finish building hive stands and bring the bees home.
-plant some fruit trees/bushes
-get chickens
-cut down little trees for firewood
-get goats
-hire someone to take out big trees
-get ducks, and guineas, and a dog to keep them all safe.
Update 9.13 all of this is accomplished! Don't worry, there's a whole new list...

back to school.

All this we're trying to do in a way that makes sense. Efficiency is key. We've been reading this text on Permaculture--along with other resources. And we're trying to apply Biodynamics preparations and get the soil ready for growing. Our heads are spinning a lot of the time. Surely everyone feels this after a move to some extent, and I keep trying to relax and remember what our last place was like 8 years ago when we moved in there. So, if in 8 years we make the kinds of strides here we did there--well, everything will be just fine. And, what's the point if we're not enjoying this process??

Winner! & Our Appliance Search is Done

Winner of the book giveaway, comment #34: 

MamaWestWind said...

Awesome! We love these books and have a couple more to collect yet. Thanks so much!

Thanks everyone for entering! I encourage you all to run off and read some of Reg Down's collection of children's books. They are fantastic!

Here are a few images of the house. Right now it's MUCH closer to being home. We finished up installing our oven just a little bit ago, so now there are no more excuses to not have good dinners--so I'm told. Here I'm  going to run down the appliances we got because they are SO difficult to pick and someone somewhere may be looking for suggestions. Skip it if you have no interest...If nothing else you may find some inspiration to save on your next purchase because, while we spent a lot, we saved in several ways too. My original plan was actually to get a vintage stove and fridge, but while there are several great places to find them refurbished, I couldn't justify the nearly 4x usage of energy it would take a year to power them. Bummer, 'cause they would have been amazing...

Fridge--this is the one I'm a little less than thrilled about. I wanted a smaller one, and we even bought one, but it was broken when they tried to deliver, I suppose on of the risks of shopping at the Sears Outlet. Anyway, I thought it'd be a more efficient use of the space and keep us from letting things go bad if we stuck to under 20 cubic feet, but alas, when it came down to it we couldn't wait for the one we wanted to be shipped up to 4 weeks. So, one morning I packed up the kids and went fridge shopping at the local H.H.gregg. I did save a bit because of a sale and because it was an 'open box', but, having gotten the fridge from somewhere other than the outlet I feel safer. Fridges have a lot of breakable things and parts that seem irreparable...Oh, and first tip on saving money. Haggle--nearly every place selling appliances or anything for that matter can haggle. Can't hurt to try, and I saved us about $200 just by asking.

Dishwasher--Now, we got a lot more than we bargained for on this. We've had it lined up for a few weeks, but we had no idea we were getting the Cadillac of dishwashers. Being from the outlet, sure there's the nagging feeling that anything and everything might go wrong in an instant (i.e. first fridge), but the price was less than 1/4 the sale price and there is a warranty, not to mention we went for the extended plan, so we're good for at least 5 years. And, this puppy is CRAZY quiet. And, it beeps and bops and shines lights in places I didn't know possible.

Oven--So, before we even moved I knew I wanted a Jenn-Air because I'd read they make models that have a dehydrating feature. Well, Sears Outlet had one, and we went back and forth on it because even though it was 30% off retail, it was still way more than we'd anticipated, especially since I'd been considering used/vintage pieces. Well, it came down to not having time to shop around elsewhere on this one, and boy am I glad it did. The girl at the store said it didn't have the dehydration feature--she was wrong. The girl didn't mention a built in meat thermometer--wow. It's got convection, which we knew we couldn't live without, and though we've only used it to warm leftovers so far, I'm really stoked. Oh, and it's got a modular cook top and a downdraft air vent. I'm not sure about the air vent, but the modular cook top--I'd forgotten, but it's just like my Grandma's. There's a grill attachment, a griddle attachment, you can get a smooth top and coil top cooking eyes. We can't run out and buy them all right now, but Grandma has had her Jenn-Air for over 30 years. Seems like a good investment, after all, unlike our last house, we know we will likely be here a while.

So, all these things in place really makes me want to bake and fill this house with warm homey smells. And, there's a hinting air of fall lingering about that excites me. Time to get some mums and gourds, time to prepare for the fall holidays, and time to really start in with some 'school' time. That's right, eventually these kids will need some sort of instruction from me, beyond 'empty that box' or 'go feed the fish'. There is some learning going on here. Lots. In readjustment there is so much to learn about ourselves, from our new surroundings, and about what's important to us and why. We've purged so much over the last few weeks, I can see even the girls reconsidering what they have as they pull it from a box that's been sealed and forgotten. We're all doing a lot of that, and taking breaks with a fishing pole...

More than Just a House

It's easy to get caught up in the house right now. So much to do--the list keeps growing, and our wallet keeps thinning...anyway, I need a little break from that. So, I'll share a bit about the outside--which is what charmed us into this 'ranger station' in the first place. 

there's been some fishing.

and some catching

some discovering 

(really excited to see this full grown praying mantis since we hatched them in the spring--this guy is probably more than 1 year old)

and some squirming...

But overall, this place is full of treasures we couldn't have imagined. A pond and it's ecosystem weren't something we set out to find, but now I am so glad we did. It's a schoolhouse of its own with learning that only the wonder of nature can inspire. 

As the house transforms we are more and more grateful  for the disappointment we faced a few months ago; this is no old farmhouse but I'll trade that house for the squeal and giggle from a girl who's dangling finger has just been nibbled by a tiny turtle. I'll trade it also for the threats of friends and family to be around more often. Or the unending opportunity to have animals, a few hiking trails, unending plants to discover and wildlife to investigate...I can deal with this ranger station. I'd dreamt to small.

p.s. looking for recommendations for the best plant and bug identification field guides.

p.p.s. enter to win.

Clear Eyes, Clean Heart...

If you haven't watched every season of Friday Night Lights I suggest you do. Now. I'm not sure why a drama about a high school football team hit so close to home for me, but you just can't help but root for the team, for the coach, for his family...

Anyway. That has NOTHING to do with what's happening in my life right now, except that it feels very full of emotion and hope. I'm really excited about our move and even the house to some degree. It is a very blank canvas--well, at least it was drawn in pencil so can be erased fairly easily--and I'm always up for a challenge. But, seriously I am already seeing amazing things happening for a hopeless team that formerly had no chance of winning state had they not put full trust in their coach--or the coach giving it his all in spite of the betrayal he felt. (This metaphor taken directly from the East Dillon scenario of season 4 of FNL).

I didn't come here to relay my undying devotion to the fictional characters of this made for TV series--that would be ludicrous. I came here to simply share a few update photos and divulge the fact that the bucket of hope is officially full and overflowing. And, in the background I hear some semi-upbeat instrumental Explosions in the Sky music getting louder...and I can see coach Taylor peeking out from under his East Dillon ball cap with a lipsealed grin and a look of 'didn't I tell you?' on his face. I get it. I get it. Can't lose...

So. Pictures...

yesterday

today. 

is it ever not a nice night for a white kitchen? 

and the master bath. going to do one of those remakes of a vintage dresser for a vanity--good idea, yes?

where our belongings reside until further notice from the flooring guy.