I Grew That

Tonight was one of those moments that reaffirms why I want chickens and a garden. Trust me... I think ALOT about throwing in the towel. I am tired, worn, and it often seems like just one more chore and one more expense. I feel like right now the need for cheap food outweighs the need for truly clean, healthy, and wholesome. I do what I can with what I can afford. Then as I am quickly throwing together a cheap and last minute meal I am out of onions. Ugh! I just sent Gary to the grocery store so no chance of going back just for onions. 

Then it hits me. All the things in the garden that overwintered were growing in the warm spring weather we have been having. Fantastic, there were onions (although small) out there. Ethan was still sleeping and Wade was playing and watching "Cars", so I ran out the back door and did a hurried garden raid. My Tuna Cabonara would be on steroids tonight. Swiss Chard, onions, asparagus, and a big fat carrot (although I left the carrot out of the tuna dish). Then three homegrown chicken eggs and I felt like I was soaring. FOUR ingredients from my own yard. 

I came in feeling like a hero and a warrior. I have to fight to keep thinking of the positives of these extra chores in my life and I honestly felt rewarded for my efforts today. I guess there is good reason to scatter more seed in the ground... even if I am behind this season.

Happy Gardening.

The Global Village Construction Set

He had me at "farmer"... completely worth watching. The concept of open-sourced blueprints for civilization is just awesome. No doubt Gary will want to be building a tractor in our backyard once he sees this. Although as far as farming goes give me a pony and a plow and I will be happy...





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I love learning something new everyday. Honestly, the majority of my reading is non-fiction. I find so many interesting and informative pieces of information that I would LOVE to share but I have to hold myself back. I apologize now if you are in information overload. I really do try to contain myself. 

Farm Sights

Last weekend we spent an afternoon into evening bailing hay. It is a day I look forward to several times a season living in the country. (Maybe I enjoy it because I'm in charge of counting kids and taking pretty pictures rather than being dressed in long sleeves and pants in 90 degree weather throwing 40lb square bales into an even hotter hay loft. Maybe...) As I was sitting on the wagon behind the baler with a half naked toddler on my lap, I looked north and saw my older children on a tall pile of hay swaying back and forth on another wagon. Further north I saw more family unloading bales into the barn and even further north I saw the cows grazing on a field. It was a magical feeling, seeing all my family actively involved, smelling all the smells in the beautiful late afternoon sun. It can't even be conveyed in words... maybe pictures.

Kids eating unripe (super sour) apples in the orchard

Finding a butterfly in Grandma's herb and flower garden

Rustic farm stuff

All the cut hay raked into rows waiting to be baled

Kids seeking shade

Fresh cut alfalfa hay... wish this was a scratch and sniff

Burdock - nature's velcro

oh no! BURDOCK FIGHT!!!!

Old grainary and a beautiful blue sky!

Most of my memories are recorded in pictures, either mental or with my camera. I literally think in images. Try and get me away from my desk without my camera. I feel naked without its weight slung across my shoulder! This group of pictures (plus the hundreds, thousands you don't see) is how I see life through my eyes. So many good memories and feelings. And I want to remember each moment. Every single one. Therefore, I take pictures of every day life. A life full of simple pleasures and big ideas, dotted with plenty of accomplishments and plenty of setbacks. I feel incredibly lucky to live this life here this way and give my children these experiences, hoping they never take them for granted, which I'm sure they will. Hoping they will always find a sort of peace helping on the farm, perhaps escaping temporarily from a busy life, like I once did. Always seeking peace and finding it in something as simple and family and the land.

Chickens

Well the hubby and I had a great debate regarding the chickens. Should we order more. Should we not. Should we get a rooster. Should we not. It is finally over!

Say hello to our new flock of chickens or soon to come I should say.

Silver Laced Wyandotte

These birds are strikingly beautiful and practical. They are described as follows:

With silvery-white edging on their shiny black feathers, Silver Laced Wyandottes will be a lovely addition to your flock. These deep, wide- bodied birds are good layers of brown eggs and are very docile. Their close- fitting rose comb is an advantage in cold climates where single combs sometimes freeze. Average mature weight: roosters 71/2 lbs., hens 61/2 lbs.

I ordered them via the Ohio Meyers Hatcher (I wanted to support "local" business) and they will arrive in early March. We settled on 14 hens and 2 roosters, just in case we lose the common 10% we should be covered. The current flock will be retired and Jo-Jo my spunky Polish rooster will be re-homed (hopefully). Next spring we will purchase an affordable incubator and will try our hand at hatching our own replacements. The goal with these girls will be to let them have the run of the yard as our first flock did before the board fence went up. If that doesn't work we will be hastily creating chicken tractors for them.

No more frozen water!

As a splurge we purchase a electric water heater base for our chicken waterer. The boys (the hubby and teenager) are thrilled! Hope they are as thrilled to have another rooster or two in the coop. For some reason they are the only ones attacked by roosters. Weird.

I sometimes second guess myself when it comes to keeping farm animals in the suburbs. Mostly because it is so much more expensive then just going to the store and buying eggs or chicken meat. Sometimes the bottom line is all I can see, but the truth is that this idea of keeping animals or growing vegetables is the healthy choice and the right and humane choice for our family. I can't second guess that.

P.S. 
A friend called my hubby and told him he saw a fox crossing the street two doors down from us. We have had raccoons (that is a ridiculous story for another time), possums and skunks but have only lost a chicken to a Chicken hawk. The fox is new.

Attack Rabbits - I Hope Not

Doe 1 - Name To Be Determined

Well I did it. I finally got a trio of rabbits. Two young doe and a young buck Broken New Zealands. I have been think about this since we got the chickens around the spring of '09. They are surprisingly sweet. I was extremely impressed with the breeder Colleen. Not only was she full of useful information, she really, really loved her animals. Even these "meat rabbits". She had a great respect for the animal and their "personalities" while remembering that they are animals. You can check out her rabbits at www.dustibunni.com. She also breeds Angora rabbits. Something I might be extremely interested in having the in the future. I like the idea of fine fiber and wool. Anyway...

I have to admit I was afraid of rabbits. Growing up I couldn't have a dog or a cat because of my younger brother's severe allergies. Instead my parents let me choose a cute rabbit. I picked out a tiny, fuzzy, snow white rabbit. He was so cute I called him "bun bun" with his official name being Snow Ball. I loved "bun bun". Little did I know that he would grow into a huge, evil, ATTACK RABBIT.

So what my parent's failed to realize was that:
1. Some male rabbits need to be neutered to not be mean.
2. Rabbits (male) smell.
3. They like to run away and hide in ever little crack in the basement making catching quite a chore.
4. That the rabbit was going to grow to an enormous size 12 pounds at least.
5. That the snow white rabbit with lovely red eyes would soon get black ears, tall, feet, and nose. Making it quite the little devil. OK, just mean looking.
6. And that rabbits would charge and growl when you came down the basement stairs.

The last item did it. The charging and growling. I was terrified. Some lovely and happy 4Hers got "bun bun" and I couldn't have been more relieved. I have never been so happy to see an animal leave. I have since had some wonderful experiences with rabbits and have a lovely pet rabbit that is a Mini-Lop Mix named Mr. Cotton Tail. But I now know that Snow Ball a.k.a. "bun bun" was a Californian Buck and I had some fear of "meat" rabbit types.

What a surprise to find them so friendly and curious and sweet. Giving kisses and coming to the door to say "hi". I am going to enjoy having our new pets. And best of all hubby seems to like them too!

Doe 2 - Name To Be Determined

Buck - Name to be Determined