Our work is never done. We don't live on a "real" farm but we sure have regular, steady, daily chores. Honestly, I love doing the animal chores. It is impossible to complete them with a baby on your hip so it usually means a few lingering minutes of meaningful free time. A peaceful moment to make sure all the animals are fed fresh food and have clean water. Time to scratch a bunny's head and talk with the chickens about how they need to keep laying such wonderful eggs.
Today I ran out between rain storms to let the chickens out in the yard. Let them eat worms, bugs, and compost and save us money on that feed bill! As a side note: I have found some great articles and resources lately about feeding rabbits and chickens non-commercial feed and I just bought 900 mangel beet seeds to grow for feed this winter. I am pumped! Anyway, Wade was sleeping (don't worry I had the video monitor) and I had just a minute to get the beagles in the pen, check the green house, give the rabbits a snack, check water, and feed "starving" baby chicks. One of the new Silver Wyandotte roosters and I had a meaningful heart to heart, eye to eye chat about how he needs to respect me and my position or I would eat him. We gave each other a good long meaningful look. My last roos respected me but not Corey or Gary... this batch better respect me too.
However, we don't have a normal "life". Chores are there day in and day out regardless of the weather or if we want to get away for the weekend, which never can happen because of the animals. There are more than just animal chores now. There is making yogurt, kefir (water and milk), making dough, baby, plants, and planning a head for the next day's three meals. The days of collapsing on the couch at the end of each work day to watch TV are long gone! Instead we trying to see how quickly we can do the chores after the baby is finally asleep so we to can hit the hay.
What chores are part of your daily life style? Do you find that friends and family understand your homesteading chores and how it "limits" you? I would love to hear what you think
What chores are part of your daily life style? Do you find that friends and family understand your homesteading chores and how it "limits" you? I would love to hear what you think
We have goats, chickens, a garden and plants around the house. We are able to go out of town because we have a big feeder and waterer for the chickens. For the goats, we let their kids with them all day. Going out of town is one reason we do not wean the kids. We don't have someone nearby that can milk the goats, so the kids have to do that job. :) The garden is on an automatic waterer (small garden) and our plants are xeriscape for the most part.
ReplyDeleteWe do ask someone to come by and water the plants and feed the animals every few days.
I don't think we would have animals if we weren't able to go anywhere since we have always enjoyed travelling.
I forgot to share this link for a post on my blog about how I do monthly meal planning. I am absolutely loving it. I did not want to try it for the longest time because I thought it would not work for me. But it's great!
ReplyDeletehttp://treasuringthemoments.net/2011/03/27/monthly-menu-plan-for-april/
Elisabeth @ Treasuring the Moments.net
Elisabeth I love your ideas for getting out and about. We would need a bit more set up and help but someday I am sure we will be able to as well!
ReplyDeleteI am heading over to your site to check your menu. I have read several books on the topic and have been playing with the idea of making a monthly menu... good for you for being so organized!!!