Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Water, water, everywhere.


This is the path to the goat barn, between the 2 trees. There are some boards under the water that they walk on to get to the milk room. All this water, that came from the creek to the right up above, is going through the yard straight to the sheep shed- hay island. Then it goes on into the South garden and down the driveway, then turns right and goes through the little orchard then down to the pear trees. Where it makes a little lake.

It is actually a little less water today. I did get to milk Sandy last night and feed some of the others in the milk room. They got to come out some this morning. But now it's sprinkling again. And we could possibly get some snow tomorrow? That's what I'm hearing now. I kind of hope it does so all this nasty mud will be covered up for a little bit.

I believe it's like this all the way up through Indiana. My niece lives up there and had water pretty close to her house. I had to go to town yesterday and could see all the lakes where there are no lakes. SO much water. But my mom says this will be so good for the gardens this summer. I told her I do not see how that works, as I still have to water my garden in the summer. Where's all this water then, huh? I don't know, but I guess somehow it does help.

I hope you all are dry and warm wherever you are out there.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Thinking about spring (and lots of plans)

Yes, it's STILL raining. Yes, it's STILL muddy. Yes, we have lakes and ponds and creeks and streams all over, STILL. I wasn't able to milk Sandy last night because there is NO way a goat will cross a creek for love nor grain. So she didn't get milked. It's times like these that makes me want to drag one of the stanchions out to the barn and make a little stall just for milking when it's pouring rain. One day.

So I have been thinking about my farm here. And what all I want to do this year. Way too many things and way too much money to do them. But the first thing I would like to do is make another greenhouse. We made one a few years back but didn't use strong enough plastic. We still have the PVC pipes. I'm going to look at some catalogs for a thicker mil greenhouse plastic and order some. I will save tons of money starting my own seeds. I spent SO much money on flats and flats of plants last year. And I can just start my own right here and maybe sell extras.

Plus, a greenhouse can be used as extra early growing space too. AND it can be used as a chick brooder and composting place. I have seen people use them for that purpose and it works great. The chicks are warm and they scratch up the soil and fertilize it too. I am planning on getting more Freedom Rangers in the spring.

And I am wanting to do a lot of rearranging in this house and the little house. And make some walkways that are more goat and sheep friendly. I hate that they have to stand in mud so much. They need some wooden platforms to get them up out of the mud.

I have also been thinking about fencing and pastures and rotating and parasite management. I do not want to lose any more sheep to those awful Barber Pole worms again. So I really need to make my 2 pastures into smaller yards and move the sheep every week so they'll be going around every 21 days.

Also need to make more garden space for the market gardens.

So many plans and so much to do. I just need money, the key ingredient to make it all happen. I hope to sell all my doeling kids as soon as possible. And most of my ewe lambs too. I only want about 10 ewes here. I really don't have the space for too many sheep. Or goats either. I have 8 does now plus the 2 bucks. I will probably sell the Lamancha buck and butcher the Boer buck.

I'm sure everyone is thinking about spring and have lots of plans too.


Monday, January 14, 2013

Blahs

It is nothing but WET outside. There is water everywhere out there. I feel so bad for my animals. The goats all have a dry barn and shelter. But the sheep only have an open shelter. It's big enough for them all and they are sheep with nice wool coats on. But the ground is SO wet and muddy. I need to make some wooden platforms for the goats and sheep to just stand on that's not in mud. I am taking old hay and throwing down on paths but it's still just WET.

I know I should not be complaining about all this wonderful water that we'll need this summer. But right now, it's not doing a bit of good. It's depressing to look out the windows and see lakes and ponds and streams where there is not supposed to be those things. I want to just go hibernate like the bears. They have the right idea.

It did get cold last night though. After a week of highs in the 60's and 70's here and no heat on, it's about 48 now. My hubby had to build a fire in the wood stove again. It took awhile to get it going, but he's a good fire building man. Now to get daughter to get some more wood in. She's good at that.

And I was going to try to get pictures of the finished quilt, but computer wants to go all wonky on me again. But it is finished and is on the way to my husband's truck with him. He just left. I told him that nice warm very heavy blue jean quilt might just save his life one day. if he's ever lost out in the middle of no where way up in Montana in a blizzard, stuck in his truck with no fuel for heat, that quilt will keep him warm. I so hope that never happens. Anyway, glad it's done and my poor fingers can take a break. I'll post pictures soon I hope.

So how is the weather in your neck of the woods this week so far? I so want summer right now.

Friday, January 11, 2013

Easy dinner



Well, it worked this time. This computer is so wonky. 

So this is our dinner the other night. Beef stroganof. I just took some beef stew meat and onions and garlic. Sauteed that with some mushrooms. Then added a can of cream of mushroom soup. Right before serving I add some sour cream. Put that over some egg noodles and there ya go. Dinner. 

My mom used to fix this all the time when I was younger. It's so good.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Horses in need of resuing ASAP

http://www.facebook.com/SunDewSavesHorses

I just saw this on a friend's Facebook page. A bunch of horses were bought by a kill buyer up in Pa. They have til this Sunday to be bought. There are steps you can take to get them to you. And they are really cheap too. Nice looking horses. If anyone needs a good horse, I hope you can rescue one of these. I just don't have room.

Just rambling on...

I can't seem to post a picture. I did a few days ago. But all day yesterday, every time I'd try, the computer would just freeze up and all I could do was shut it down. So don't know what's going on with it.

I have sold most all the lamb! I am so happy about this. After worrying about not selling any at all. I sold half to a friend. Another half to another friend who had hay that I desperately need right now. So we are swapping 37 nales for a half a lamb. Then there are 3 others who are just buying pounds. And a pretty good bit too. I hope there's enough for us now! But I can always use the money.

I have 3 ewes that will lamb around the first part of Feb. These are all hair sheep. Then I am not sure about Darla. She's so wooly right now I'd never know. She's half Suffolk and half Finn. VERU wooly. She looks like those little felted sheep people make with little tiny stick legs. She really needs sheared bad. So I hope she's been bred because now I don't have a ram for her. Since they are both in the freezer. I have her son, who's been in with all the ewes since before Christmas. I haven't seen any action between them. SO hopefully one of the other rams got to her first.

And then I have 4 younger ewes that will be lambing in May of they've been successfully bred by Mr. Abraham. These will be all mostly Finn lambs. Docking tails and castrating all of these. I'll castrate all hair rams too. What fun awaits!!! I love little lambs.

I hope to be getting a deer this week too. The slaughterhouse where I get my dog's food has a lot of deer that hasn't been picked up yet. They are giving the people til Friday to pick it up. If they don't I get one!! And I just want half burger and half sausage. So I am hoping someone doesn't want theirs so I can have it.

We also need wood. A friend up on the mountain has about a truck load for us. Free! I love free. I'll have to give him some deer sausage. It's been warmer than normal here the past few days and will be near 70 this weekend. So I let the fire go out. You just can't turn down a wood heater. And we can save quite a bit of wood this way. But I just know we are in for a blizzard or ice storm any time now.

And I have one doe that's about ready to pop. She'll be kidding around the first of Feb. Her first time too so I am a little nervous for her. She is already loosening up in the tail and quite puffy around the most important parts. I took pictures and wanted to post her and Zarah and Trudy's rears and bellies. I hope this computer cooperates soon so I can post them. I don't think I'll need to make kidding pens because Penelope is the only one the 1st of Feb with Trudy following later. So I can just put Penelope in the big back stall for a few days. All the goats are so stagered this year. I usually have them kidding all at the same time. At least within a few weeks. But this time they'll be going til the end of May. AND I will be selling ALL the doelings this year. I might keep the Boer cross bucklings to raise for meat. But ALL doelings MUST go!

Need to get the quilt done. Hubby will be home this weekend.

Have a great day y'all!


Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Quilting

This is my little quilting frame. I've had this for about 32 years now. It's a bit wobbly and has some duct tape holding one of the legs on at the bottom. Gotta love duct tape! And this blue jean quilt is heavy. So it leans a little to the left. But I love this frame. It's been in the garage for a long time. My husband keeps asking me if I am ever going to use it again. Well, yes. And I will keep using it. Til it falls apart and duct tape doesn't help any more.






I'm about halfway done going one way. So this shouldn't take too long to finish. And when hubby comes home, he'll have a new quilt to keep him warm. Because it looks like he'll be out on the road in his truck for another year.

And my fingers hurt. I feel like a diabetic that's having to prick my finger a million times a day. Because I have. And I HATE needles!