Pollen art

I had to go to town today and I could see the pollen in the air. Every time I got back in the car, I'd have to turn the wipers on to get the pollen off so I could see through the window. It was SO thick.


But look at this. It so pretty. All swirly and  curly. And there's a star in there too. How cool is that? Are ya'll seeing pretty pollen water puddles?

Farm tour, farmer's cheese and lamb quiche

The farm tour is over. It was hot! There were about 20 people who came here. And it was fun. I'm glad it's over and I won't have to do that again for a long time. But I did have fun. I made farmer's cheese. And a lamb-goat cheese quiche for the dinner later.


To make the cheese, just get a gallon of milk (I use raw goat milk) to a slow boil, about 160-170 degrees. Take off heat and add half a cup of apple cider vinegar slowly while stirring. It clabbers really fast. Have a cheese cloth lined colander ready and pour cheese into colander to drain. Hang it up til all drained, about half an hour. Then refrigerate. Add whatever you like to it.



These pictures got mixed up. This is showing the ingredients I like to use. I roasted 2 heads of garlic, chopped up, and some fresh chopped rosemary, parsley flakes and salt. Mix it all up and there ya go. This is the easiest cheese ever.

So the quiche is my lamb burger, eggs, milk, cheese and peppers. Plus onions, mushrooms and some cheese from another farm in Tn. It was SO good. Now I have to wait til fall for more lamb.

All the food that was brought was really good. All fresh and home made from their own farms. Can't wait til the next tour now!

Twisty ties

Oh how I hate them. Honestly, every time I take one off of something, I cannot find that twisty tie to save my life. It just disappears. Not to be seen again. Until I go to clean out the sink. Or get the pig bucket ready to feed the pigs. Or sweep up under things. Then there it is. Oh my goodness, they make me mad!

Look what I have

Aren't these the cutest little things? I got them this afternoon from Sand Mt. They're New Zealand White does. 5 weeks old. I had been thinking about getting some for the garden. And I have this little chicken tractor that's just perfect for them to move around the garden and fertilize to their heart's content. They're already eating the grass. I found my old rabbit stuff, so I didn't have to buy anything but rabbit feed.

Springtime in Georgia!

 Some purple wisteria and iris and some Redbud trees blooming.

 This picture on top is my favorite. It's my screen saver right now.

 I love this picture of the wisteria against the barn siding.

This is my friends yard. She has about 3 acres of azaleas and all kinds of flowers and bushes and trees. Right now, everything is about to explode in blooms.

 Beautiful azaleas all over her yard. There are so many. She has paths and there are azaleas at every turn.

This is a shot of one of my apple tree blossoms last night. So pretty.

My bees are here!!!

 Friday was a very long day. And it ended getting bees.

I went to my friends house at 6:30. He hooked up his enclosed trailer to his truck and we headed out. We had to go to Sale Creek, Tn, not too far away. We got there before dusk. Then more people came. Thank goodness we were first. We had to back the truck into this narrow space to those hives. Then Lynn, who is an engineer, had this elaborate system to get the 3 hives into the trailer. There was a dolly, lots of straps and metal bars across the tops. I had brought my full bee suit, but it was dark by the time we loaded them, so I just put on a long sleeve white shirt and Lynn's wife's hat.

There were a lot of people standing around. Lots of red lights all over. I helped get the straps on the hives. Held lights. I felt something going up the back of my right leg. Then felt a little sting. I tried all I could to get that bee out of my pants! It really didn't hurt bad. But the I heard one in my hair. And I have really thick curly hair. Finally got that one out and headed to Lynn's house. (That's my hive in the middle with the white box in the middle of the hive.)

When we got to Lynn's and to where he had his bee stands, it was about 9:30. And when I got out of the truck, I put my ear to the trailer. And I heard bees. Loud angry bees. And lots of them. So we went to the house, ate some cornbread soup, (it was SO good. I'll have to tell y'all how to make it later.) suited up, lit the smoker up. Headed back to the trailer. By then, they had settled down again. He smoked through the cracks and lifted the door up. My hive was in between his two. And the hive on the right was crazy mad. There were dead bees all over inside. I felt so bad for them.

We got up in the trailer and brought the bad hive out first. Got it up on the stand. Now Lynn, who I mentioned is an engineer and has a shop on his farm, had made the nicest bee stands for his hives. Out of stainless steel. On metal posts about a foot off the ground. In a nice little stand of trees. So those hive stands ain't going anywhere.

Got back in the truck and headed to my house. It was about 11:00 by then. Got my hive out onto my trusty yellow wagon and pulled it down the driveway to the sheep yard, where I was putting my hive, in the corner by the big maple tree. On a wooden pallet. With a little field fence yard for them to keep the sheep away. It was 12:00 when we were all finished. I was perty tired by then. A very long day. But I was very happy to have my bee hive in place at Outback Farm.

This is the front where you can see a few bees on the pallet. It had an entrance reducer for traveling purposes. I went out later last night and pried it off with my hive tool. I missed the little nail the first time and I heard the bees then. I got it the next time, dropped it on the ground and shut the fence and ran out! I need to pick it up and save it for winter.

They were really active yesterday. It was sunny and warm out. It took them awhile to get going though, since it was cold in the morning. But I watched them all during the day and they were busy little bees.

I had signed up for a bee workshop a few months ago and it was Saturday. So I went and learned SO much from Samantha, at Barefoot Farm. She and her husband have had bees for years and years. And I know now why it's called Barefoot Farm. They have a lot of kids and they were all barefoot. Even the husband. They were so knowledgeable. I learned that as long as I am BEHIND the hive, I will be ok. If I am in FRONT of the hive, in their flight path, I better watch out! I also got a great book called The Backyard beekeeper by Kim Flottum. Good book. Also got a pint of their honey. It is so good.) I so enjoyed that class and feel more confident. Although, I know that I will learn so much more as I go along on this journey. I also bought an extra box with frames that Samantha said I should put on the top later on this week. She said I should leave them alone for at least a week to settle in. Then put it on.

I have a hive tool, but not like this one with the hook on one end. She's had this one for years. And the tool on the left is a frame lifter tool. Very handy tool to have. We have a bee store in Lafayette that is all things bee. I'll go Wed. and get some more things I'll be needing. (Look at her. And 7 kids too.)

This is her observation hive. So interesting. We got to see drones, workers and finally found the queen. She isn't a very strong queen though. So she'll be watching her. If she doesn't do what she's supposed to do, lay eggs, she will have to be killed and a new queen brought in. Bees are so amazing.

And this is the back view of my hive. The entrance in facing East. I want to make a deck here under this maple tree. I was worried at first then when I found out we would be ok behind the hive, I'll go ahead with my plans now. I will love sitting here and watching my bees.

I am SO glad I went ahead and jumped into this adventure with bees. I have always wanted bees but kept waiting. When I heard that Eddie was selling all his bees to retire and move to Montana, I just jumped and told him I wanted a hive. I so wish I had gotten 2 now. But I hope to grow this one into a split and then add to it. I'd still like to have one out back.

But right now, I am just enjoying them and hoping they will be happy and healthy bees. And that they will pollinate everything and take all the pollen they want! And some honey would be a really nice reward.

More sheep shots

I put the sheep out on the front pasture. It's finally looking good and green and full of grasses and clovers and all kinds of other things sheep love.

Can you see part of Lookout Mt in the background? I love this view.

The lambs have really been keeping me on my toes lately. They are just the right size to get through the field fence where I've had to cut either ram heads out or goats with horns. So I need to go put wire across the holes. These lambs are sneaky little devils. And of course, what's on the other side of the fence is SO much better. If you can see here, all the lambs and Amarillo are at the front fence, climbing it to get to the honeysuckle vines. And this is a very old rickety fence.

This is the lowest spot and it always fills with water to make a pond after heavy rains, like last night. It looks like the lambs are wondering what that is.

And this is what makes up for all the headaches these little devil lambs cause me. They are so funny to watch. Here is Tater Tot leaping in the air.

Here ia another view of Lookout Mt across the pasture next door. That I wish was mine. But isn't. And this cattle panel is about to fall over. Another way for sheep to get out and over into this paradise.

There are a few sheep missing. Darla is sick. So her boys are staying with her. She might have pneumonia. Again. She so needs to be sheared and it's been SO hot this past week. And the other day, I gave them too much bread. So the wool sheep all had runny poop the next day. I am seriously thinking about selling all the wool sheep. I have more trouble out of them than the hair sheep. They are never sick or puny like the woolies are. So I think I'll sell the wool sheep and get a few more hair sheep. Such easy sheep to have.

I love the day after a heavy rain or storm. Every thing is so green and fresh. And all the pollen is washed away!!! It's been so heavy here with pollen. I can just feel it in the air. And it's so think on everything.

We're going tonight to get the bees!

Around the yard and gardens

This is just part of my front yard. If you look at the top, where that white pallet is, that's where the bees will be going. When I get them. I'll put a fence around it to keep the sheep away. My yard is full of dandelions. Which I love. And I cry when I see those horrible commercials about Roundup to kill them. I use the flowers for tea and jelly. And the leaves are good to eat. And the bees LOVE them! How can anyone kill these plants? There will always be dandelions and violtes and henbit in my yard.

This is a view of the "wild" garden to the side of the yard. To the left top corner is where the bees will be. I have 7 blueberry bushes, so far, wrapped around this garden. I planted sunflowers seeds and some herbs in this garden plus lots of other flowers will pop up too.

This is the rock garden. This is the newest little lilac bush. So pretty. The bees should really like this bush. I also have some small butterfly bush, spirea and lots of peppermint and other herbs and Black-eyed Susan flowers. Plus dandelions all around it.

I have 4 fig bushes. Or are they trees? I don't know. They are all getting leaves now! You can see my sheep in the side yard. I put Abraham back in with the ewes today. Maybe some September lambs?

This is my grapevine row in the garden. All of them are getting leaves now. You can see the kale and collards to the right. Potatoes to the left.

I have 3 really old apple trees in the side yard. All of them are getting leaves and are full of buds ready to blossom out soon. I also have 6 newer trees down below the garden. And 3 pear trees. All getting leaves and buds too.

I found some Adirondack Blue and some white potatoes from last year in the garage. So I cut them up and planted them today. I dug a trench, put the potato pieces in that, then covered it all with a heavy layer of old hay mulch.

So it is really becoming spring around here. We're in for some strong storms tonight, so lots of rain too. We kind of need it right now. Strange to say that. But the ground is quite dry. My little baby plants need water.

Just a little view of my yard and gardens. I think my bees will be ok here. Plus there are 2 mountains on either side of us here, full of trees.

No bees yet

We were supposed to go about 6:30 tonight to get the hives in Sale Creek, Tn. But, we are in for some pretty nasty storms right between 5 and 8 PM. Right in the middle of when we were going. So we will go tomorrow. I am not looking forward to storms. In April. Those are scary. So I'll do a post about my yard and garden instead.

Mulching the garden beds

 I did do quite a lot Sunday. I know, it's a day of rest. But when the mood hits, I jump.


So I got the wagon and loaded up 3 huge loads like this one of the best hay mulch. This is where I fed the sheep hay and it's sat here all winter. It's FULL of big red worms. I mean FULL. Every time I got a fork full there were worms.

This is where all that went. On the cabbage and onion bed. It's really deep too. Still have a flat of cabbage and some broccoli to get planted. It will get done.

I have all this to get on the garden too.  Under the sheep shelter. Lots of good stuff. Then there's the other shelters. The chicken coop. And the goat barn. I should have lots of good arm muscles soon!

What do y'all use for mulch? I like this because it has all the sheep, goat and chicken manure mixed in with it. So good for the garden. And I can mix it in later to the soil and it makes it richer.

So tired

I don't know what's wrong with me. I am so tired. Can't seem to do anything. I have no strength. I get worn out so fast. And I have SO darn much to do. I think I'm depressed. I cry at the smallest things. I get upset all the time. I am just so tired. I lay in bed at night, thinking of all the things I need to do. I can't sleep. I have to get up and take a sleeping pill. Then I have to get up at 6 am to get my grand daughter on the bus. It's getting daylight again now, so I stay up.

Already today, the sheep were outside the electric fence. In the rock garden. I was on my way down the driveway to plant some flowers under my farm sign when I saw them. They must have just gotten out so hadn't done much yet. The little piece of field fence was down. SO I ran and got some feed and got them back in the sheep yard. Then had to fix the boundary fence to get them over next door for a few days. The grass in that yard in nice and pretty tall and so green now.

I was going to mow along that fence so the sheep wouldn't be tempted to go under. But  the grass is so tall, the mower keeps shutting off. And it wears me out to have to crank it up every few minutes.

But earlier this morning, I tried the new milking machine on Zarah. I had put her kids up last night so I could milk her. I could not get ANY suction. Nothing. I tried the bigger machine on Penelope. No suction on that one either. So had to hand milk them both. I got so upset and just cried buckets. I feel so useless. I know it's something simple that if my husband were here, he could get it going. It just makes me mad. And I cry some more. Poor me.

I did make some farmer's cheese for a farmer's get together and seed swap tonight. I want to go so bad. But it starts at 5 and goes til 9. Right in the middle of milking and feeding times. Aren't these farmer's too? Don't they have evening chores to do too?

And now my camera is not working. Something about the lens. I should know not to carry it in my pocket all the time. And I just got it not long ago.

I think I'll go back to bed now.

Arlo's gone

I just sold Arlo Guthrie and Trudy's buckling! So I have enough money to buy my milk machine! I am so happy that Arlo isn't going to be sausage. Now to find a new home for John Henry. And Ira Joe.

I'm going in the morning to get the milk machine. I hope I don't get lost. Nashville is not the easiest place for me.  It's got a lot of highways and signs and way too much traffic. I hope I can find the place.

Pigs, having fun in the sun

 Aw, just look at that face. he's so happy. They were both out enjoying the sunshine today.

I was filling up their water bucket and squirted them both with the hose. they love that. They'd run all over, squealing. So fun! I filled up a few of their holes for them too. Their yard is now a big mud hole.

So I went and cut them some salad to eat. They really enjoyed that. I'll have to do that every few days.  But they are growing so fast. It has to be all that good bread and the fermented grain they're eating. The white pig is as big now as the black pig. They are kind of fun right now. But I know later, it'll be different.

It works!

I went out this morning and put the new Premier fence up. I got it all hooked up and was wondering hoe to tell if it was working or not. About that time, I heard a big ole yelp and saw poor Stella running for her life. Yes, it works! So got the gate open and the sheep piled out. They ran around a bit, then one by one, they touched the fence. Because what's on the other side is better, right? I am so sorry, but this is the funniest thing I have ever seen. When sheep get bit, they leap up in the air and jump through the yard. Then all the others go running to see what happened to them. I know, I have a sick sense of humor. It hurts. I have gotten bit a few times. It ain't fun. But when it happens to someone else, it's just too funny.

So I think in a few days, this will be all eaten down. It's the front yard, where the septic tank is. I mowed this in early Feb. Not since. And it's very tall and lush and green. Why doesn't the rest of my farm look like this?

I will be using this fence to do the intense rotational grazing. I so hope that this will help keep the parasite problem down. Plus the Diotemacious Earth, kelp and minerals they are getting. I think they are all looking really good for not having much to graze on yet.

You can see here how tall and pretty the grass is here.  And they have plenty of room to keep them all busy.

 I did have to add some of the field fence here at the end to make it reach to the fence. So far, so good.

This is the energizer bunny. It's amazing! Like a secret agent case, full of goodies. I was a little intimidated at first, but it has great instructions on the lid and was really easy. I did all by myself!

This is the inside. So cool, right? I was wondering how I was going to tell if it was working, before I let the sheep out. About then, I heard the loudest yelp. Stella must have been sitting beside the fence when I flipped the on switch and got bit. Poor girl. I had to thank her for her help.

So I think this just might be the thing I have been needing here to help keep the sheep where I want them. I've had one of these before, but without the energizer. So I sold it. Wish I had it back now. I may need to get another one. I want to keep the chickens in one going after the sheep to eat the poop and spread it around to fertilize the pasture. Isn't it amazing how one thing helps another?

Eggs and fences and kindred spirits

I finally got an egg from the 2 hens in the tractor today! I had lifted the top a few days ago and left it open for a few minutes. Kansas told me a few had gotten out. The rooster and 2 hens. Out. All over the yard. I grabbed some feed and got them in the coop. And they've been there ever since. I keep forgetting to get them back in the tractor. But I did get one egg yesterday from one of the cooped hens. So 2 eggs in 2 days! And after paying $5  for a dozen eggs at the farmer's market Wed.

Also got my Premier sheep netting fences and energizer electric fence I ordered on Wed. That was fast. I'm going to put up one of the fences out in the front yard and let the sheep mow it for me tomorrow. See how the fence works. Each one is 164'. I am planning on putting one up and putting the sheep in it. Then putting the other one up next to it to let them into it after a few days. I'll have to see how that works. That energizer is too cool. I hope I can get it working. I'll take pictures and post again when it's up.

And had some people come over tonight to see about getting goat milk and cheese. So some new customers. And some new friends. I feel like I have met some kindred spirits. They are into fermenting too! So they want to come back and learn how I do it. So fun! I love meeting kindred spirits. Right away, I liked them all. Like I've known them forever. I am finding that there are a lot of people like this around. I have been meeting them all over. And even right here on my blog. I feel like all of you who leave comments are kindred spirits too. So many people doing the same things I am. Sharing what they learn. Learning form others. We need this now. More than ever. Kindred spirits.

OUCH!

 I have always wanted to find some stinging nettles. I have yet to see any. So last week, when I saw that one of the farmers at the market was going to have some, I went. There was a man in front of me and he got the last 2 bags. Just like that, gone. And I was SO close!

So this week, I got there early. I was the 3rd person in line. I grabbed 2 bags! I was so excited to finally have stinging nettles in my hand.

But even more exciting was having them already picked and in a bag! Man, those things DO sting! And I am still stinging. But I really would love to find a wild patch and pick them anyway.

So last night, I sauteed some with some baby collards and garlic. Pretty good.

But I have also heard that dried nettles makes some good tea. So I am drying some. But first I put some fresh in a pot and boiled it for some fresh tea. I love it. It's really good. So next week, I will try to nab some more. She said she should have a lot more then. So this and dandelion tea, I should be good to go.

Let me know what you think of these prickly little buggers.  Have you ever had any? Have you ever picked any? How do you eat them? Tell me, please. I want to know all about them.

Sandy

She's getting bigger. If I get this right, she should be due the end of April. I sure wish she'd have been sooner. But that's ok. I can't wait to see her kids now. After Penelope's little cuties, I know Sandy's will be adorable. I think they are already sold too.