I want one or two or perhaps three. LOL

Please visit this link on Olde English Babydoll Southdown sheep.  OMG, what cuties they are!  If you click on the link above, go to the right side of the page and click on meet the flock, and then videos, you can see them in action.

We stopped in Spokane this last weekend and saw some, as there is a breeder out there I found online.  They are so cute.  This will definitely be a new addition sometime.  They will be used for mowing the lawn and for their fleece, as I am knitting again and it would be great to have my own supply of wool.

Still no eggs from the chickens yet, but really should be anytime.  And, still no goat kids yet, though the the girls are definitely getting wider.  HAHAHA  That's Phoebe staring at the camera and Rachel's chubby belly below.  I think Rachel will kid first, as she has been the biggest of all and her udder feels full.  We felt the kids move in Rachel and Monica tonight, but Phoebe is still skittish, so it's hard to get her stand still.  We'll keep you informed as to when the kids arrive.  Can't wait!!!

Can't tell you how nice it was to come home Sunday night and have no turkey poop on the back deck!!! Wow, so nice.

Rob moved the chickens today, as there was not as much snow (though we did get an extra 2 inches this morning, then it cleared off and was sunny and it mostly melted, go figure), and the chickens went crazy for the new grass.  We had not moved them during all the snow for the past couple of days.

I found some great recipes and new blog if anyone is interested.  Definitely going to try the ketchup, mayonnaise, and the marmalade.  Really like this blog site, as she lives here in Seattle, so gardening tips are a little more closer to home regarding weather and planting and such.  Also, a great grinder for the corn we will be growing for cornmeal; this was recommended by the NW Edibles blog above.  Not expensive, but does the job well, they say.

All five of the starts containers have sprouted, now to keep them growing and get a little sturdier before transplanting them this next month.  I just received the red mangel beets to use as feed for the chickens and pigs this next year.  I can plant some now and in the summer for a fall harvest, too.

Am going to be checking on the peach tree, raspberries and strawberries tomorrow and see how they held up under the straw and snow.  Hopefully no damage done.

Have a super evening!

Turkey Tractor

Well it is partially done.  Just need to put the covered area in and the turkeys will be contained.  No more pooping on the back deck!!!  OMG!!  No more digging up the newly planted strawberries!!!  Anyway, in the turkey book I have, turkeys are supposed to mate between March and May, so will keep you posted on that.  The toms have been displaying (feathers all fluffed up and strutting) and they are stomping, which is when they stomp one foot with their wing feathers down, which according to the book, means they are signaling they are ready to mate.  However, haven't seen much interest by either of the hens, (isn't that always the case, girls!  hahahahahaha)

This is one of our toms in full display mode.  They are really very cool looking and look much larger when all their feathers are puffed up.

Finally finished reading Everything I Want to Do is Illegal by Joel Salatin.  Hmmm, really makes me kinda of question anything the government puts out as to being true or not.  Very interesting reading.  Now I am onto The Permaculture Way by Graham Bell and Salad Bar Beef by Joel Salatin.  I really like the idea of permaculture as it enriches and builds the soil and at the end, you grow things in it.  Another idea I have with the turkey tractor is to leave it in one place and do the deep mulch system where you just keep adding more bedding on top of the old for about 8 months to a year and by then, it has composted itself and you can either add the compost to the garden or make a new raised bed right there where the tractor was!  Picture to come soon of the turkey tractor when completed.

All of the seedlings in this container have sprouted!!!  YAY!  From the front to the back they are Tom Thumb lettuce, Forellenschluss lettuce, 3 kinds of broccoli, Wautoma cucumbers for pickles, and lemon cucumbers in the back.  I am so proud of myself!  haha  Will be starting 5 new containers this next week with more veggies in them.  The other 4 containers already started all have some sprouts in them, but this was the only with everything up so far.  Even the tomatoes and peppers have started to sprout!

This would be the pregnant Rachel.  She and Monica and Phoebe are all getting pretty large.  Still not sure on the due date, but perhaps within the next couple of weeks.

Hopefully the snow has not frozen the new strawberry starts and the raspberry canes I planted or the peach tree.  They were all mulched with straw and I have not dug through the snow to see, will just wait until it thaws.

Hockey this weekend with 3 games against Spokane for Liam.  Should be great.  Hopefully, there will be time to visit the sheep farm right outside Spokane and see the Olde English Baby Doll Southdown sheep.  Am thinking of perhaps for mowing lawn, fleece and just because.  :)

Snow

The snow is gorgeous!!!  Very white and crisp looking.  Liam made a snowman and was very proud of it!  Some melted yesterday, but then it snowed again last night, so it's all pretty again.  Little flurries this morning.  Had to break through frozen water for all the animals so they could get to it.  Gave the chickens more straw to nest with to stay warm.  Pig was out rooting still, so the ground is not too hard.

I did finish the hat and it turned out fabulous.  Yay.  Now to get it done in different colors perhaps for gifts.  Hmmm, who should I make these for??? :)

Anyway, animals are all doing great, and I had more veggie starts sprout overnight  YAAAAYYYY!  We got 5 more trays to plant starts, so will be getting those done today and tomorrow.  I am going to be planting some red mangels (page 30 on the right side in about the middle of the page) for chicken and pig feed through the winter.  They are supposed to be equal in nutritive value to grain and you can hang them on a nail and let the chickens peck at them until they are gone, then hang another one.  Awesome, way less $$$ than chicken feed, though they are eating less as we move the chicken tractor each day, well except for today, because I am not moving the tractor through the snow, so that will have to wait until tomorrow.

Have a super day!!!

OMG!!

Okay, so I know I blogged already today, but just had to again.  I obviously think it is spring, even though the weather does not, as I am in full spring cleaning mode.  I ordered some castile soap off Amazon, added some white vinegar and water.  Best cleaner ever!!!!  Now I just need to get some spray bottles so I can label and keep handy.  I got the ideas for cleaners out of a book on sustainable living from the library.  Aren't libraries the best?!

So I brought the vegetable starts inside to water and keep an eye on them, as it was harder to do so when they were out in the goat shed.  As Kara and I were inspecting them today to see if they needed watering, voila!

New starts for broccoli, cauliflower, and lettuce.  Others to follow I am sure.  Just wanted to say YAY!! Even with all the snow and colder weather, something is thinking spring along with me.  haha

Again, enjoy the snow! :)

Spring?

Okay, so I guess I will have to wait a little longer for spring to actually be here.  It is pretty.  I think we have about 3 inches or so.  No school today, so the kids are happy.  All the animals are in their houses, other than Gus, who is roaming around in the snow and the turkeys.  Well, the turkeys don't really have their own home yet, so that's probably why.

I found this yesterday, and perhaps we will use this as a model for the turkey house, only longer and taller.

Also, Kasara sent me a link yesterday, Whole Foods Wholeness, very interesting indeed.  What the H, E, double toothpicks are people thinking?  Really!  Seriously!  On that note, I believe we will be saving our seed from the garden this year, then I know its organic and I won't have to purchase any new, so it would save money also.  Two for one.  Gotta like that.

Enjoy the snow out there!

Good Tuesday Morning!

AM
So it hailed/snowed here last night.  Nice layer of crunchy whiteness on the grass, deck, and skylight.  Just sitting here at the mac and having my coffee this morning.  I switched to a percolator for coffee from a French press and an electric kettle.  I am trying to save some electricity, so returned the kettle and got the stainless steel percolator.  I always felt like the French press did not make enough coffee for myself and Rob in the morning, and if Nik or Kara wanted any, then I had to make another batch.  The percolator can double as being used for just heating water also, so it takes the place of two items.  And, the percolator is a 14-cup size, so makes plenty.  Yay!

Just finishing up filling out the softball forms for Kara to play softball at the high school this year.  She is very excited.

PM
Got started on the turkey house today.  Rob is still thinking on how to finish it.  Want to make it sturdy enough, but not so heavy it can't be moved.  Will let you see the finished outcome when it's done.

Not much else new here today!  Enjoy the sun (it's out here now!!)

T

More Plants!

Rob just finished planting the Frost peach tree I got at Costco of all places.  $11 for a 6 foot tall tree.  We probably won't get anything this year, but they are supposed to be great for our zone (as stated by Sunset Magazine, so it should be true) and be very prolific in their production capacity.  YAAAAAAYYYYY!  I might even go get another one.  lol

I finished planting the raspberry canes I got and also the strawberry starts.  I covered them with straw to keep them from freezing, as it has been so cold lately.










Rob let Pig and Marty and the whole farm out onto the front lawn today to eat the grass clippings, as Liam had been running the riding lawnmower and cutting the grass.  Pig is so funny, with his flopping ears and all.  All have been put back in their respective places now and Rob is working on the turkey home.  We have decided to put it by the goat/pig pasture to be able to use some fencing already there for the backside.  I really want to make sure they can't get into the garden as I am starting to plant things now.

I just finished reading Holy Shit, Managing Manure to Save Mankind, by Gene Logsdon.  Very informative and very funny in some parts.  Never realized how interesting (or not) manure is.  Am now reading Everything I Want To Do Is Illegal by Joel Salatin.  Also very informative about how government wants to regulate everything and makes it very hard for local, smaller farms to sell their items without having to spend buku bucks for all the licenses, permits and things they really wouldn't need as they are on a much smaller scale.  

I tried and tried on this knitting pattern for a slouchy fit hat to make, but just could not get it right, so have started another pattern that I think is going to be Fabulous! (said like Billy Crystal doing Fernando Lamas on SNL  hahahah).

Later!