Happy Chickens

I have some very happy chickens tonight  I finally got all the big holes in the fences around the chicken yard all plugged up yesterday and clipped all wing feathers last night. So about 5 this afternoon, I opened the coop door and let them out. It took some a little longer to figure out how to get out. But they did. And they were a bunch of happy birds.

They ran around chasing bugs and eating grass like they haven't had any in years. 5 of the newer chickens had never been outside before. And the rest it had been a long time. It was like they didn't know where to go first.

 Here is Mr. Rooney and some of his girls. He'd go find some tasty little morsel and call them all over. He's such a good rooster.

 This is Russell Crowe to the left with some of his girls. He's still young and not into sharing just yet. But he will.

And these little guys are just a few of the Freedom Ranger chicks. At 4 weeks old, they are quite big. They have been outside a week now in a fenced in area. Today I put up netting along the wooden fence where they can't go through into the back goat lot. I let them out this morning and they didn't know how to act. A few went out, then they'd run back in. They finally figured it out and had a good day eating bugs and grass too. When it got close to dark, they were ready for their dinner and all followed me back to their pen and ate. They are growing fast.

So today was a good day for the chickens here at Outback Farm.

Milking Adabelle

I milked Adabelle tonight. I had milked her a little right after she had her kids. She had never been milked before. She just stood still then. Tonight she did not! She's a kicker! But I held onto the milk pail and she never got her foot in it! I had to milk with one hand but got it done. I think she'll make a great milk goat. She has a great compact udder with nice teats. I got about 2 1/2 cups. I can't wait to try again in the morning. If she works out, I may see if I can just buy her back. They are never going to milk her. They really need brush goats anyway. Or sheep.

Now I am off to cut wing feathers off all my chickens so I can let them out of their coop for awhile in the evenings. I worked on putting netting and chicken wire on all the fence with hole big enough for them to get through. There have been 4 hens getting out the past few days. They go back in the coop at night though. And I saw one already over in the other garden. So off with their wings! Well, feathers anyway.

Adabelle

This is Adabelle. She was born here about 4 years ago to my doe Ocho. I sold her to some friends up the road. She just had twin bucks the beginning of June. Her first ever kids. I think they might be John Henry's or could possibly have been Tom Dooley's. She has elf ears and so do the kids. So who knows. Both the bucks were up there with her and another doe.

So the kids are old enough to be weaned and they were not going to milk her. And I need more milk. SO I asked if I could keep her here and milk her and the boys could be weaned away from their momma. He said yes. So I went this morning to get her. Abby and Sandy apparently don't remember her so I am keeping her in a separate lot next to the does til they get used to each other.

And while she's here she might as well be bred back again. So I'll put her back in with John Henry and put Zarah in there too. Sounds like a plan to me. I just hope now that she will keep producing milk. She should be quite full by this evening milking time. She looks good for having had twin bucks still nursing her.

SO I have added 2 more goats to the farm.Lots going on right now. And breeding will start next month.

There's a new buck in town

This is my new Boer buck, Lil Red. I went last night to look at some bucks at a farm over in Lafayette. This guy has a lot of goats. Nubians and Boers and some crosses. I settled on this little cutie. He's just 5 months old but already doing the bucky thing. He's really stocky and has the little Boer head but the thick nose and neck and really meaty. I decided to get a Boer buck to use with Sandy my Nubian who always has bucks. SO I thought I'd just breed for a meatier kid and either sell them or use them for us. I'll put Sandy and Penelope in with him next month. He's a cutie.

I had to move him and John Henry up front because the girls were all teasing them. Poor guys. And they are starting to really stink. Like bucks. This way the back yard can rest a few weeks and grow some more.

Is anyone else thinking about breeding these days? What is going on at your farms?

Sheep Shelters

               Working for sheep sure is hard! But they need some shelters so it has to be done.

My friend Kenneth came today to help me put up the sheep shelter for the ewes in the South pasture. It's added to my new garden shed. It's 8x12 so they should have enough room to get under in a down pour. Later I will add sides to it. But right now I just wanted to get the metal roof on it.

 Kenneth is very easy to work with. He's a lot like me and works til it's done. No need to take breaks. Just get 'er done! I like that. We work well together. All we need to do now is screw the roof on. We were right in the sun the last part of the day. This took 5 1/2 hours! He'll be back tomorrow to finish the roof. But it looks good so far. I am so thankful for good friends. And he's saving me $15.00 an hour!

I did this one all by myself last week. I had some pallets that I got for free from the pallet shop in town. And I had a sheet of the outdoor siding we had used for a pig shelter a few years back. And I grabbed several boards that I nailed across the top. And my friend at the hardware store gave me some tarps he was going to throw away for the roof. And when it starts getting cold, I can put plastic around the outside and another pallet in the front. So all free and used material for a pretty good and sturdy shelter for the 3 ram boys. I put them up front in that pasture for now til I can figure out the breeding arrangements in a few weeks. I'll be playing musical sheep and goats. Sounds like fun, right?

And They're Out!

These chicks have grown so fast. They went through 1 50lb bag of chick starter in 2 weeks. I bought another bag last week. I had to get another today. So they had to go outside and eat for free! They have more than doubled in size and it was so hot in their brooder boxes.

They are 3 weeks old now.




So I added more fence to the little area I had for the other meat birds. They will have plenty of room in here til they get a little bit bigger, then they can go out into the whole yard.  But so far I am well pleased with their progress

This is one of the wooden boxes we used for their brooder. It's big and very heavy. As I was pulling it down the staird I fell right smack on my rear. That hurt. But I got it in there and they can get in it if it rains. I'll try to get the other box out there too.

                                            They are such good chicks. I really am liking them.

Getting Away

These are pictures from my mini vacation. I don't get to go away very often so when I find someone to take care of all my animals, I'm outta here! And fast!


So I headed up towards the Smokey Mts. This is the beginning of the Ocoee River where a lot of white water rafting and canooing goes on. And there was some Olympics here back in the '90's. Beautiful river.

      

Here are some rafters trying to get into this little place. They were all lined up waiting their turn. it must of been fun.

 

 I was supposed to get to Murphy, NC and get to Cherokee from there, but made a wrong turn right about here.













And ended up going down all these little country 2 lane roads. It went for miles and miles. I saw names like this, Hanging Dog Community. Kinda didn't want to stop there. So kept going. This is what happens when ya don't have a map or GPS. I didn't have either. Quite fun actually.

I saw some beautiful scenery the whole way.

Then there was a fork in the road. This old country store and an outhouse were on one side. That's when I called my husband, the truck driver with a map. He said I was lost. Ya reckon?

So I went ahead and turned left and saw some tree worker guys. I stopped and asked where the heck was I anyway? He said everyone who had stopped was lost that day. He asked where I was going and I said Cherokee. He said I had gone about 2 hours out of my way and wasted all that time. But if I keep going I'll end up in Murphy. Where I had just been.

But as I was leaving I thought, no, I did not just waste a few hours. I had 2 whole days and i didn't really have any plans. I would not have seen all this beautiful country if I hadn't gotten lost.

I got to this beautiful lake and then the Hiwassee Dam. That was amazing! And then I realized how many miles I had come around this huge lake. It's over 6ooo acres. That's a lot of water.

And then when I got back headed in the right direction, I came across this river, the Nantahala. I had to stop and put my feet in the water. It was freezing! But oh so nice and peaceful.

So here I go again, headed to Cherokee, NC. On the way I thought it would be so nice to find a cabin on a creek or river with a porch over the creek with a rocking chair. So I stopped at the visitor senter and told the lady there and she gave me the numbers of a few places. Panther Creek Lodge and Cabins sounded so neat and it was heading toward Maggie Valley, where I would be going the next day. SO I went to see them.

 And this is what I found. THE most perfect little cabin a few feet from the most beautiful little creek ever! AND with a porch right over the creek! AND with 2 rocking chairs! It was amazing. And I called and the lady gave me the code for the key to the front door and I went in and I was so happy I found this place.

 Here is the creek. It was so loud and full of water.

 


                                   Isn't that perfect?

 And this is a place where years ago when we would take the kids up to Cherokee to camp, we would eat here. It's still here! So the next morning I ate pancakes there. So cool.

And I went to the Biltmore Estate On Tuesday. I so wish I had had more time. That place is so beautiful and so big. I had lunch there and it was so good. I had a great time there. Went to the winery too. They also have a farm I wish I could have went to. But had to get home.

This is the sunset on the way home. It was awesome! I have never seen a more beautiful sunset ever. It just kept on getting more beautiful too.












It was so nice to get away and I needed it so much. But there's no place like home.

Sheep Shots

I was outside this evening after mowing and saw the ewes all jumping around like little lambs. Just having the best time. It was so cool today and they all loved it. But then I realized they were jumping on each other and head butting. I do believe they are all in heat.  So I ran in to grab the camera and of course they all stop and act like perfect little ladies. I recorded them anyway. And if you watch this, you will see a lot of traffic, which never happens out here. But there was just car after car after car. So I figured something was going on out at Mountain Cove Farm. They have weddings and receptions out there in the big barn. There must have been 50-60 cars going by while I was out there. The last time this many cars came out this way like that, they were making a movie called Water For Elephants, right up the road. Never have I seen so many vehicles in the few days they were here. So many people came out here to watch it. Just amazing, right out here in the middle of no where USA. Anyway, I thought it was interesting. And it was a wedding reception. I had to go to the store later and saw the sign pointing this way.

So then I went and stood in the farthest North East corner of our property looking South. You can see the roof of the old barn in my borrowed pasture next door. That's where the sheep will be going tomorrow.

This is Darla. She has to be in every picture. She's such a ham lamb.

This is looking toward the house here. I sure wish we owned on the North of this fence. Great pasture over there.

This is a shot looking toward the North of our property.  That's Lookout Mt. over the trees.







I just love it out here. It is usually really quiet and no traffic. I am always the last car going this way.

14 Quarts

 I did not plan on canning any beans this year. But these didn't sell at market Wed. so I just dove in and did it. I sat outside under the big ole maple tree in the corner. It was so nice and cool, almost cold. The cicadas were making their noisy noise in the trees. And my friend with his tractor mowing in the sheep pasture, making tractor noises. I love living way out here. Also a chainsaw down the road cutting a fallen tree for firewood for winter.

                  Stella eating her first green bean. She wasn't too impressed with them like Bubba is.

                                                           Bubba loves his green beans!

 In the kitchen getting ready. I almost didn't find my canner. But I did. And a watched pot never boils! It took forever. So there are 7 quarts in the sink waiting to go in the canner and still had half a bowl left. So I did 7 more. Plus cooked a big pot too.

                                All done and on the counter. Just pinging away! I love that sound.

This is where I sat this morning. I want to make a wooden deck in that corner under the tree. I am tired of mowing and having to move the furniture every time. I love it out there.

                                                             Anyone else canning?


Now I am off to mow the yard. I am taking my grand kids to Dolly Wood Monday and Tuesday and need to get that done.

Good Morning

This is my favorite place to be in the mornings.It's so pretty and never ever the same. This almost doesn't look real but it is.

The sheep have to tell me good morning. And to tell me they want their food right now, please! They are very impatient girls.

A little later Jim came with his big mower to mow their pasture. I have to move them over to the other pasture tomorrow and he also mowed it. But not as low over there. He also looked at my new garden shed and he's going to make the sheep shelter first next week for me. So I will be able to leave the sheep over there even if it rains.

                                              I just love my sheep. They are amazing animals.

                                     
                                      The sheep are telling Bubba and Stella good morning too.

It's been the most beautiful day here. So cool and almost feels like fall already. I'm thinking we may have an early winter. As I was sitting outside later breaking beans, I could hear a chainsaw up the road. I love that sound. Our neighbors had a tree that finally fell last month in a storm. Thank goodness it fell out into the field.

There are so many things we need to be doing to get ready for winter. We need wood bad. And a wood burning fireplace would be really nice. We have a fireplace but it burns up way too much wood and I am always putting wood in it.

I also need lots more hay. I think I have 85 bales so far. I'd like to have about that much more to go through the winter. With feed prices going up so much, they may just be getting hay to eat.

What are y'all doing to get ready for winter so far?

Colors From The Garden

Just look at all these amazing colors. I love going to the garden and looking at all the different brilliant colors that only God could create. Just so beautiful.

                 These are Adirondack Blue, red, blush, gold and white potatoes. They are so good.

                                            And all the peppers, red, green, yellow and orange.

I just cut up all these hot peppers and boiled some vinegar and canned them for my hubby and mom and son-in-law, who all love hot stuff. Not me. My fingers were burning! They sure are pretty though. And the bell peppers will go in the freezer for using later in all sorts of good things.

 They last of my tomatoes. I will be pulling up all the vines and plants in the next few days. Making room for all the fall plantings. But not the beans. they are finally coming to life again and producing like crazy! I have a half bushel in the fridge outside waiting for market Saturday. I will add more to that basket Friday evening.

I know most of you all have gardens, but I just had to share all the pretty colors of mine. You just can't get this in a can of paint, right?

Freedom Rangers-2 Weeks old

You can't really see much in the boxes, but these guys have more than doubled in size in just 2 weeks. I am filling up the gallon size water jug twice a day now. And just added another feeder to the other side of the brooder box. At a few days old, they barely filled a corner. Now they hardly have enough room.

Next week I will let them outside. There are some things I need to get ready or fixed before I let them out first. But it's amazing how well they are doing and how fast they are growing. And I only lost one chick.