Is it May Already?

Well, I came back here to find my post where I'd mentioned buying our first chicks only to realize it's been over a month already AND I haven't posted since then! Wow. Those chicks are now probably about 6 weeks old or maybe a bit more depending on how old they were when we first bought them. I'm not sure if it was the next week or the week after that Autumn and I went back and bought 4 more. These will be surprises! We know they're pullets but we just don't know what kind. They must be the same age as our original ones because they've grown at the exact same rate. Their only difference really is their color. If you remember, I'd bought 2 Amberlinks and 2 Red Sexlinks the first time and they are evolving into exactly what their name suggest... amber and red-colored birds. These new 4, however, are white. There's no color on their wings or heads or anything. I need to surf the web some more to see what kind they might turn out to be. It's rather exciting... sort of like not having an ultrasound during your pregnancy! The baby kittens are doing well. We lost one, Melvin, as The Dude named him, to Copernicus. He didn't kill it, he was just playing with it. After all, Cop IS a puppy and they like to play with things and especially things that smell different and move. So, after 2 or 3 days of The Dude taking extra special care of him, Melvin finally let go. He was buried under the tree in the backyard. :o( The other 4-named Tiger (I call it Tigger), Janet, Shadow and Guinea are all getting so big and they're adorable to watch when they start playing together. Sometimes I find Janet playing with her mama's tail as it swishes back and forth across the grass or concrete patio. The pups have been on lock-down for a while. Copernicus was first, after the incident with Melvin he tried it again with Shadow and I tied him up. One day a few of the chicks got loose and Zeta took off after one into the dry creek bed. The chick was saved only by diving head-first into a nook created by tree roots. Then I tied Zeta up. I am finding that longer, plastic-covered wire leads are not a good idea for them. They like to chew and so they've chewed them to the wire and that causes it to kink somehow. They're also constantly getting wrapped around trees, roots, the dog house and anything else they can find to tangle themselves into. We are debating now whether to use the tie-downs that go into the ground instead of one that runs from tree to tree. Today is Mother's Day! I'm thankful for my family and that I was given the opportunity to be a mother. Some aren't. I also feel like I'm the mother to all these animals because they rely on me to feed, shelter and clo...oh wait...feed and shelter them. They're teaching me a lot as far as what life is like with a bunch of animals... Many days I don't feel like getting out in the cold or the rain to feed them or let them out of their coop or take them for a walk or pet them, but then I realize... they depend on me and if I don't take care of them they would die. It really is a huge responsibility to take on but I'm glad we did. I love having them all. I just can't wait to get our own home so we can move ALL of us out there and get settled. Speaking of the house: A lot has been going on there too. We've still been contacting builders and such but recently we found one and he seems to be a good one. He gave us references and an address for a house he build recently. We never got that from the other builders. :o) So we drove by to look at the house and since they were home we decided to try and talk to them and ask them about it. I think it's safe to say that this guy is probably going to be the one we pick. Next step: The fun part-talking to the banks. Weeeee. Needless to say we have been very busy lately but the end of the school year is near (only 2 weeks away) and that means Mama gets to sleep in a bit. ;o) I hope to be busy with gardening and house building stuff over the summer... and canning! I've been doing nothing but baking lately...cakes, and cookies galore and the scale is witness to that! I need to work harder on feeding us all better. Man can't live on cookies alone, after all! So, that's all from the Homestead-in-the-works. Maybe I will remember to blog a little more often than once a month. ;o)

Is it really Spring?

So...long time no post. :o)

(This first part was a draft I had saved and never finished, therefore it never got published.)

We have begun the garden! YAY! We took the tiller over one afternoon and set to work...or The Dude did anyway. We have 2 garden plots, one smaller than the other. The smaller one has been planted with Spanish onions, potatoes and Ginger so far. I still have some bunching onions and garlic to plant in that bed and it will be full.

The second bed only has carrots so far AND I planted them going the wrong direction (oops). When we chose the garden spots we decided to take advantage of the natural clearings since we don't want to take down any trees unless it's just unavoidable. Still, we have to keep in mind the direction the sun moves across the sky and plant accordingly. You don't want taller crops casting shade over the other, shorter crops. Most plants need full sun, or probably 6-8 hrs of sunlight daily and it's hard enough getting that in the woods-even with somewhat of a clearing.

We also have seeds started indoors. They include cucumbers, lettuce, turnips, a hot pepper mix and bell peppers. I have plenty more seeds to start and have all the ingredients to get that done... except time. :o)

My parents have gifted us 2 blueberry baby bushes in pots that they started from their own HUGE/high producing bushes and I think we've determined where we will be planting those. The garlic and bunching onions I mentioned earlier are in pots and came from them also. Those need to be planted in the potato bed with the other onions. I also have a terracotta strawberry pot loaded with green plants with blooms. :o)

(New post begins here.)

Yesterday we went and purchased our first baby chicks. They are "supposed to be" Amberlinks and Red Sex Links. In other words... they are reddish-yellow and BETTER put out some big brown eggs! I said "supposed to be" because apparently the people we got them from thought they were one thing and the sign said the other. In fact, they said that about EVERY trough of chicks... yet all the signs said something different. Go figure.

Anyway... they are in the custom-made coop complete with wood shavings, water and food dispenser and heat lamp. Locked in, safe from the rain and cold (and dogs and cats). :o)

Speaking of cats... if you follow me around on Facebook you will have knowledge about these cats that just showed up at our house one day (did I blog about it too?). Well, anyway, one of them got herself knocked-up. Not really a big deal to us. Well, I went out to feed the cats/dogs one day and she walks over to me meowing and I'm like, "Whoa, you got skinny. Did you have your babies?" After coming to my senses and realizing this animal was NOT about to respond to my question... I set off to find them. No luck. Few days later... no luck. I thought they must have died because she was always around but I never saw or heard any kittens. Well, recently The Dude said someone had come by looking for their cat (the mama) who then told him that she'd been feeding them because you know what happens as a mama if you don't nurse your baby? Yeah, well, she was NOT suffering and that milk was going somewhere so we set off to find them. So we went into the building behind the house and as soon as we walk in Sambo says... "I hear them! Listen!"

Sure enough....

Five widdle baby kitties! Which is a good thing, because the owner of the mama wants her back. She will be taken home after she's finished nursing these guys. Speaking of "guys" I have no idea if they're males or females or both! WOW.

So, the latest about the garden is that the onions and potatoes are up and going well. No sign of the carrots yet, but I topped the ground with mulch too so it might take a little longer. The seeds we started came up in some pots but then died off. I guess we can dump the dirt back into the bag and start over. WITH A SHARPIE MARKER THIS TIME (who had the bright idea to write the types of seeds on the pots in Washable Marker? Durrrrrr. I'm not naming names. ;o)

I think I will go over there and check on things shortly and see how the strawberries are coming. Maybe I will get some new picture to post.

Also, my parents are coming for Punkin's Birthday next week and bringing lots of garden stuffidges to share: herbs, veggies, daffodil bulbs for the girls to plant, etc.

The excitement continues....

Another update on random happenings...

Imagine my shock when I learned a few days ago that I would be getting my pups in a week and a half!

Say WHAT????

Yup.

So, this holiday weekend The Dude and I worked on the dog house. I have an in-progress pic but haven't got the energy right now to upload it to my online album and what-not. It's coming! Just be patient! ;o) The framing is done and the trusses are finished too. Doesn't that make it sound like it's going to be HUGE? Well, it is a little big. 4x4x4 or thereabouts I think.

The Dude also worked on the chicken coop some more which is good because I think we will be getting some soon. Not sure what "soon" means exactly, time-wise, but...soon. :o) I can't have pups around here with nothing to do, can I? LOL! He put the front side wall on after he cut out the door and I then painted the front and the door. Just a few more things to do and it will be complete.

I got a few new pictures of the puppies to show off too. :o) I canNOT WAIT TO GET THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I just love their little waggy tails and cute fluffy bottoms. Sigh. Not too much longer! And I have a ton to do before they get here. Collars, leashes, food, food DISHES, tags, etc...

Anyway, I think that's about all I have to mention right now. I'm feeling a bit under the weather and it's been raining non-stop since yesterday so I'm taking every opportunity to rest that I can. Tomorrow is the first day back to work and school for everyone and I need to do my part.

p.s.  I think I have the pups names picked out.  I will keep it to myself for now... I want to see the puppies to make sure they fit, if that makes sense. :o)

Have a lovely evening. :o)

YAY for Puppies !!!

It's been a bit since I've posted simply because there hasn't been too much going on. The Dude and I have started construction on our first chicken coop. No pictures yet because after learning a bit more we determined we needed to alter a few of the plans. So, pics of that coming soon!

Also... I finally found someone fairly local that had the puppies we needed. Well, I say puppies because we're getting two now. A brother and a sister. Below is a pic of a littler of Great Pyrenees but not THE litter as they won't be born until around the end of this month. This is just one I found online to share. :o)

Now, the next two are of some more mature (obviously) pups. I have no idea how old these pups are but this is just to show how large they get sometimes. :o) LOVE IT! Can't wait!

Are those some doggies or WHAT?

So, I am awaiting the news that they have been born and then I can go pick out my girl and boy.

Any name suggestions? It has to be very different, ya know because that's how I roll. :o)

One last pic... Just because it makes me smile. :o)

Until next time....

Getting "Back to Eden"

http://www.backtoedenfilm.com/



"The Dude" and I (I have decided not to use real names here in case for some reason LOTS of people from all around somehow stumble across this bloggy they won't learn too much about me and the tribe... so until further notice, the hubs will be hereinafter known as "The Dude".  Cool?  Good. So, like I said... The Dude and I ... we watched this film last night. I had to tell ya'll about it.

A pal of mine sent me the link to this film on Crackbook and we were immediately in agreement that THIS was how we wanted to start our farm.  THIS is how we need to garden. 

Basically the gist of it is that we work and work and work at bettering the soil because it's too dry and too acidic and too basic and not enough phosphorus and blah blah blah...  but the Earth in and of itself grows.  It lives, survives... THRIVES, and does it wonderfully!  WITHOUT added compost, bloodmeal, frequent waterings (other than naturally provided rainwater) and tilling....

If we were to walk into a forest right now, you and I, we would find WHAT on the ground?  LOTS of stuff, right?  Like what?  Well, fallen pine needles, leaves, grass... and also wood mulch too.  So this dude in this film, Paul, he goes and says that he doesn't till... doesn't compost... doesn't WATER any of this orchards, gardens or ANY of it, other than after the initial planting, I believe.  His reasoning is that wood mulch acts like a sponge or blanket that holds in all the rain water and then creates it's own compost and topsoil underneath. 

NATURALLY.  Without help from any man. 

How AMAZING is that?



By the way... this is Paul. 

Paul Gautschi.   Say "HI", Paul.

So he prunes his trees and takes those cuttings and has them chipped up into the most awesome looking stuff and spreads it over the ground in all of his gardens.  He has layers upon layers of this same material and he just keeps adding to it.  Another thing he does is takes all the green garden waste, i.e. wilted plants, grass clippings, stuff that didn't get used in the kitchen, etc, and feeds those to his chickens.  The chickens are fed awesomely healthy foods rich in all KINDS of vitamins and minerals and then guess what they do?  Yep.  They poop.  Then Paul takes a screen he made and lays it over his wheelbarrow and shovels the dirt/poop from the chicken yard/pen onto the screen.  Then he sifts it.  All that is left on top are rocks and other things that one wouldn't want in their garden and what he was left with in the wheelbarrow was the darkest, richest, healthiest looking topsoil/compost mixture that I have ever seen!



Guess what he does with it?

He does NOT turn it into the existing soil.  That's what you or I would do, right?  Yep.

Well, not Paul. He simply spread on top of the existing ground. 
I remember hearing him state that his only garden tool used was his garden rake.  To spread the wood chips and this soil/compost mixture like stuffidge.

WOW. 



So, what about weeds?  Well, yes, he gets a few here and there but says that it's probably from where others are cultivating and scattering seeds into the wind and they are then blown his way and germinate in his awesome soil.  You can pull them up almost so easy it was like they weren't even rooted in, but they were.  The stuff is so moist and LIGHT that it doesn't dry up and solidify, per se like the plain ol' dirt stuff does.

LIGHT?  Yes, light.  However... not so light to where it will just blow away in the wind.  You can drive over it and everything and it stays in place.  At one point in the video they showed a close-up of his feet walking over the wood chips and The Dude noticed how it sprang back up after he stepped off of it.  Like a sponge that you squeeze and then release.  Can you picture it?  Good.  Just making sure everyone in class was paying attention.

There is so much more that I could say and add but I have forgotten so many of the details.  ((This is one very good reason to have your own Dude.  They remember what we cannot and vice versa.))  Let me state, though, that all I've listed here already?  ...Came from watching less than half the film.  Imagine what I will post next after I finish watching it!!!!  The Dude has already finished it and is so super pumped about getting started on our property.  I am too, of course!  Absosmurfly!

This is a picture of one part of Paul's gardens.



Look.At.That.Topsoil.

Wow.

So, go check out that film and see for yourself.  And just an FYI he quotes a LOT of scripture....

Okay, so go watch it... And buy stock in a good chipper.  ;o)

Well, I'm off to finish watching it....  Until next time!