When the Garden Goes South

It started innocent enough; longer strings of cool weather yielded a nice extended harvest of greens and spring crops. Then the wild ride began; heavy rain; flooding; sheer and tornado winds. Now repeat all of that in cycles for a few months and you have the current disaster that is my garden. :0


This shall be the summer of the snail. Continued damp conditions alternating with intense heat and humidity have opened the door to a diabolical army of slimy voracious snails. They are on everything: kale, green beans, tomatoes, and even the squash. I tried picking them, squishing them, feeding them to the ducks.. then there was some herbal chemical application; today we must accept it; the majority of the garden has gone south!


When you can't beat them- heat them. Beds that have become overrun to the point of no return are currently being pulled out, fed to the flocks, and covered for the rest of the season. It's time to solarize the soil and hope for the best next time.


Solarizing the beds offers the garden a chance to fight back as naturally as possible. Beds can be emptied then covered with a black or clear covering allowing the heat of summer to 'cook' the impurities out of the soil. This intense heat can kill out pests, their eggs, and weed seeds that have taken up residence in the bed.


In addition to solarizing, we are considering adding new beds to the area. This will increase our ability to rest and rotate more efficiently next season. The greenhouse is due for some attention as well; the outer cover is split and the doors are bowing from weather and wear. Maybe the decrease in garden needs will lend me time for that task.


Today I take a deep breath, straighten up tall, and remember that fall will be here before I know it. Cooler weather will bring a renewed hope for the beauty of growing things.


Maybe I can get some of my closets cleaned out too?

Questions Answered: The Issue of Wet Hay

Many of you are already aware of the severe flooding in southeast Texas where my homestead resides. While my homestead did not suffer damage, we did wash out from heavy flooding. One question that has passed my inbox quite a bit lately is the desperate issue of wet hay.


* First and foremost- wet hay can be a dangerous host for mold spores which can devastate not only the health of our livestock, but our health as well. Practices for hay also apply to feed. Now, on to the questions:


1. How can I keep my hay dry during floods? Storing hay can be challenging, especially in my area because the weather can change in an instant. Ours is in an awning type stall, up off the ground, and away from blowing rains. My advice: in a stall, trailer, or shed off the floor (pallets work well). In an emergency cover it with tarps.


2. What if my hay got wet? Open it! We use square bales which we can break open and 'air the flakes' with fans. It won't keep mold out forever, so use the wettest bales first. If you see mold or if the hay smells musty, don't risk it! I put my wet hay in the compost- if it is moldy, cover it with a tarp to prevent the spores from dispersing.


3. How do I know the hay I am buying didn't get wet? That is tricky. Knowing your supplier is the best advice. In a pinch: touch it- it should feel dry and healthy, smell it- no must or wet barn smell, and if unsure stick you hand in the bale- if it's wet leave it!


4. What's the risk? "Molds commonly found in hay include Alternaria, Aspergillus, Cladosporum, Fusarium, Mucor, Penicillium, and Rhizopus. These molds can produce spores that cause respiratory problems, especially in horses and, under some conditions, will produce mycotoxins." (University of Minnesota Extension) Horses, ruminants, and poultry are equally susceptible to the toxins moldy hay produces. So are we!


 During the terrible storms this past week, my hay storage did remain dry as did my feed; we were fortunate. I hope this helps.. for more information or for specific questions please contact your local extension office and speak with your Agriculture agent. They are there to help!!

Poultry Processing Spring 2016

   Processing time comes and goes here on the little homestead. Unpleasant as it may be, it is a necessary act we have to come to terms with. Spring butchering fills our freezer with healthy food plentiful enough to feed our family. Over the many years we have honed a setup and work through plan that has served us well making large batch processing efficient and timely.


This year brought quite a few challenges to our homestead- many of which have a profound effect on our food production. Heat was the first obstacle partnered with some shipping mishaps which left us with half the birds we normally process in a year's time. This was followed by severe flooding that left us standing in water searching for higher ground.



Challenges are good for us- even in urban farm/homesteading. Times like this force us to think outside the box, evaluate every option we hadn't thought of, and press on. The flock didn't suffer to terribly once we found a dry place for them, and the year's butchering day went off without incident.

I am task oriented, focused and rather intense about set up, process and the generally running  of it.
The week of processing I get freezers cleaned and prepped making sure there is plenty of space and plenty of ice on hand. The night before, stations are set up in order to streamline the process.


One of our young adults did return home to assist this year; it was such a blessing to have an extra set of hands! Since we are an empty nest homestead, changes to our layout were required.


In general , we used three stations: Killing is station one: knives, cones, and lined buckets are ready, waiting, and stay at this station until clean up; Break Down is station two:  cutting boards, knives, bowls of salted ice water, large lined trash cans are on hand for the main processing station; 'Cool Down' is station three: positioned near the sink are sealing bags, markers, and towels to rinse, dry, bag and label. With fewer hands on deck, we opted to combine station two and three which left my husband to man the catch and kill station and myself to process, cool down, and then package the birds. Our extra hands helped with my station until she had to leave.


 To our great surprise the whole thing went off without a hitch- or even an injury! In all, we processed about 48 birds in 4 hours despite the fact there are only 2 (three for a time) of us here to do the work (in the past there were 5-7 people on hand).

 If you have never had the privilege of processing your own poultry or if you are considering it, I encourage you to step out of your comfort zone and give it a go. Start small, maybe a few birds, and work to a goal that meets your family's needs or consider partnering with an experienced poultry family until you get a feel for it.


Sitting at the table tonight, we shared in good food and the satisfaction of hard work and the provision it brings, the security of a well stocked freezer, and the joy of knowing that he and I can manage this task- just the two of us.

In the Coup: My Poultry Keeping Overview

Our family made the decision was made to raise our backyard flock several years ago. Having both grown up with family farms, poultry came to our homestead right after the garden was set in place. Planning our flock, we had to know the purpose for the birds we would be raising and the costs involved. Every year we stop and take into consideration our previous experiences, the success and failure, and the cost and outcome. Understanding the past shapes how we choose the flock we maintain, as well as the plan for their care.

 Concerning Breed

   Egg production is always our primary purpose; meat is secondary. Knowing this, helps narrow down the many breeds available. Predators, output and experience keep our focus on 'heavy breeds' or 'dual purpose' breeds; Orphingtons and Austalorps, are my all time favorite breeds; dual purpose birds mean the hens are a laying flock while surplus roosters can fill the freezer.
   Since our children were members of 4H, the poultry project led us to raising seasonal meat flocks. Now that the children have grown, our freezer will be filled with seasonal flocks of Cornish cross instead.
   Our desire is to raise breeds that are close to natural lines or heritage lines, however, that can be a challenge and a bigger expense. When that is not reasonable due to expense or availability, we strive to stay as close as we can. Currently, we raise Buff Orphingtons, Black Australorps, Maurons, and Auracanas in our layer flock; Cornish cross are the meat flock breed.

Concerning Housing

   Our homestead came with a large shop building that has become our barn and workshop. Simple modifications turned a metal awning into stalls with an enclosed coop on the side. Here, our layer flock resides near the stalls where our herd sleep offering protection from elements and predators, while giving us easy access to feed bins housed between the stalls and the main building wall. Our hens run free during the day leading us to 'cage' our garden beds preventing destruction.
   The meat flock is housed on the opposite side of our shop/barn; kennels under an awning provide their pen and brooder space. Feed is housed near these kennels, as is open pasture. When meat flocks are not housed here, these kennels are kept clean but closed off.
   While our structures are permanent, we do have two large kennel housings that can be easily moved to maintain a quarantine set, new birds, or as transitional pens when babies are added to an existing group. Sometimes these kennels are set in garden areas that need worked by the birds when full access would be a bad idea (such as, the corn was done, but the neighboring green beans were not..pen is set over corn beds for hens to work).

Concerning Feed

   Research and experience; keys to my feed decisions. I read everything I can find on feed products and work my goals from there. My layer flock is fed a pellet/scratch/seed mixture..a supplement to their long days grazing and scratching the earth. Layers receive purchased feeds with seed and greens added in; they are not much on grazing, so grazing is often brought to them.
   All our feeds are purchased at a co-op in a neighboring county; buying in bulk helps with cost and quality. We plan monthly trips for all our homestead feed needs (our garden seeds are purchased in bulk here as well).

Concerning Health

   Herein lies a touchy subject; to medicate or not to medicate. My conviction has always been 'less is best'. Having experienced flock loss due to Merk's disease and coccidosis, I do vaccinate and treat for these two ailments. Other situations are handled as they arise. Our flock and coop are treated with diotenatious earth (DE) for parasites/mites and regular feedings of garlic/cayenne/flax along with leafy greens keeps them in good health; raw apple cider vinegar is rotated into water fountains for health and nutrients. I always try natural treatments before going to the modern pharma medications.



   Poultry flocks require time, effort, and determination and experience helps immensely. Along the way there has been success and failure; life and death; trial and triumph- homestead life is not always as romantic as we like to think. There are failures and losses to contend with. This year's floods have proven quite a challenge during chick and meat brood season!


    No matter the inconvenience or the set backs..I wouldn't trade my little peeps for anything..they are Miss K's favorite farm animal as she has just started her own pen of cucu maurons!

 

From the Herd: To Buck or Not to Buck?

This spring's kidding season brought two little bucks to our farm which poses the age old question: do we wether or do we buck? Let's take a look at our general rule of thumb, the methods, and the madness.


Intact male goats (bucks or billies) are generally larger, more aggressive, and apt to buck their owners as well as other goats/animals. Aside from that, sexual maturity also brings about habits quite unpleasing- musky smell, urinating on their faces, and hollering like an insane maniac! My personal policy has always been 'none or one'- there is either one breeding male on property or no intact male at all. Male stalls and grazing areas are never entered without some form of protection (a 2'x4') especially if the male is in rut. Keeping intact males has to be a source of conviction and a test of one's grit; they don't make it easy.


Castrated male goats (wethers) must be castrated before they begin male sexual behaviours (musk and rut) which is generally 4-6 months of age. Wethers are smaller, gentler, quite passive 'pets' or stall buddies. If fixed in time, they will not develop the foul smell nor will they perform the nasty tasks that attract the ladies. I generally do not currently house wethers, however, in the past we did keep them with our does for companionship.


There are many goat farms enlist the services of a vet for castration which can be costly yet effective. This is a surgical procedure requiring shots, anesthetic, an overnight stay, and a cut which may or may not have sutchers. I have only used a vet's services once.


Then we have goat farms who take the issue into their own hands. Castrating on the farm is much cheaper, does need to include a tetanus shot, and generally is 'cut free'. Most farmers utilize one of two methods: burdizzo, or banding.

The burdizzo method utilizes a metal implement which crushes the cords and blood vessels leading to the testicles. I have never used this method, nor do I personally know anyone who has.

The elastrator method utilizes a tool which stretches a band which will be placed at the base of the scrotum in order to restrict blood flow to the testicles causing the tissue to die and the scrotum to fall off. This is the method I use since it is quick, cost effective, and overall very effective.

Both methods should be followed by a tetanus shot and need to be done around 4-6 months of age (when the testicles have descended). Knowing the timing comes with experience, so you may want to employ a seasoned farmer for assistance the first few times.


In the end, the decision to castrate or not- which method to use- are up to the person managing the herd. Breeding farms like mine may keep a buck or they may 'rent a buck' from a partnering farm. Those same farms may employ wethers to barn buddy with does who haven't kidded or who are out of season. Hobby farms or small family farms often stick to wethers and does as pets or pasture management (not really breeding or producing).

This year, our herd is under revision as we phase out of the milk goat business and into the meat goat business. Our decision to change fits our current family dynamic and offers a potential to sponsor youth needing projects. Either way, deciding the fate of a male kid's future is a must. It must be made responsibly and efficiently.


for further reading or to take the goat health study please visit:
http://extension.psu.edu/courses/meat-goat/health/castrating-male-kids

In the Herd: Choking Issues in Goats

This week starts a weekly series I am going to call 'In the Herd'; here we can dig down deep into herd life and lessons.

First things first- what is my herd?

My herd consists of boar/Nubian cross goats which were originally a dairy based herd. Not needing to produce milk for my family anymore, I am phasing out the dairy goats and expanding back into boar/meat instead. There is a herd mama: Zaida; her daughters: Daisy and Fawna; their sons: Bit and Nip- the buck on board is named Mattie.

This week's topic of discussion is choking, which may seem strange yet is apparently more common than I realized. Our herd experienced this for the first time last night- and I have raised goats for many many years! Quick thinking and good resources kicked in- needless to say, our herd is fine.

The symptoms:

1. Thrashing or shaking the head or rubbing the 'cud' area on railings.

2. Coughing or gaging motions/sounds.

3. Foam or slimy mucus mixed with cud/feed.

The response:

1. Wait and watch. Often they handle this on their own.

2. Massage the neck/cud area rubbing toward the mouth. This will also help determine if there is a large object causing the issue.

3. Mineral oil in a syringe(20cc will do it) to lubricate the throat and help the goat push it out.

The last resort:

1. Lavage with warm water- this is risky so I have never done it!

2. Emergency vet service- expensive, so consider your investment. There are times when this is called for.

I am a 'less is best' interventionist- so I watch and wait (as long as they are still able to breathe and not in shock I wait) giving them the opportunity to handle it.

Causes of choking:

1. Eating too fast. Herds can be competitive, especially with food, leading them to eat too fast compacting dry feed in the cud area without enough moisture. Consider adding more feeding area or space and evaluating if enough feed is being given.

2. Not ready for the feed given. Sometimes the pellets are too large for young kids or an older goat to handle. Crush, crumble or stir in mineral oil to help if this is reoccurring.

  This morning the herd seems fine and morning feeding went off without a hitch. Hopefully our little speed eater has learned to slow down and savor the meal instead of rushing through!

Anyone else have an experience or issue with choking? Let's open the floor and discuss.

Resources: Natural Animal Husbandry, TAMU EDU, The Goat Handbook, Dairy Goat info



Finding My Feet Again

Sometimes our best laid plans just don't make it.

That is how I sum up this year so far.

Empty nest. Wacky weather. Travel. Floods. Computer virus and one crashed. Full time job. Full time homestead.

I keep thinking, one of these days I am going to get it figured out.

That day hasn't arrived yet- but I'm working on it.

Right now- one computer is functional. The rain has stopped. Water has receded. Job is moving along at a varied pace. I am still alive and in the upright position.

Until you homestead without your children, you never really realize how much they did. It never occurred to me how well delegated responsibilities were until I stood at the feed storage area and saw empty bins! Who normally handles that? The past four months have been a crazy roller coaster of sink or swim- in which there were days I am pretty sure I drowned. Time to get it together! After all, my children would be ashamed of me making such a failure of this life we built together.

Today- I find my feet.

Plans are drawn and laid out- revisions and changes are on the horizon in an effort to streamline and conquer. The problem, I realize, is that I kept trying to do things the way we were doing them together...but we are not together! Time to take ownership of the mess and make it work for me. Once a week I will assess those feed storage bins and actually not run out!

There will still be gardens, and chickens, goats and a fussy donkey.

I will find the floor of the quilting room and once again let my creative juices out of their box.

Miss K and I will paint and plan and play.

My short arms and stubby legs will manage to start and work the push mower.

Meals will be made *I had no idea how hard it was to cook for one (my husband and I work different shifts).

As I find my footing, I tip my hat to all you wonderful farm girls out there who do this day in and day out.. alone.. with outside jobs... with that empty nest. You ladies rock!

May I learn from you!!!

Some how, some way this is all going to be okay.

Handling Injury in the Herd

It's a phone call no goat herder wants to get, yet, it happens. My son called to tell me one of our does, was wounded; not just any wound, an eye wound. To me, of all the things to damage, the eye of any animal is the hardest to heal and the most challenging to care for. Often, it is hard to tell if the eye has been cut, scratched, infected, or simply irritated. While it can be obvious if it is severe, over the phone is never easy. 

Sound farm boy that he is, my son snapped a decent picture of the eye (not the picture above). The eye was bulging, draining clear fluid, and obviously wounded. So, what's a girl to do?

1. Assess the mess.

    While eye wounds can be gross, they are not often fatal- nor do they always mean loss of the eye. For Daisy, the eye was still in tact, in the socket, and the drainage was clear; all good signs.

2. Consider the situation.

    This doe is expecting, which limits the course of treatment we are willing to undergo. Not being a life threatening situation for her or the kid, we decide to handle it ourselves and treat externally. 

3. Plan of action.

    A simple trip to the local farm supply store offered a sterile wash complete with antibiotics. Not pleasant to administer, but the least invasive thing we can do while still attempting to keep infection at bay. My general philosophy on intervention is always 'less is best'.

4. Work the plan. 

     For weeks, my son and I took turns rinsing the wounded eye with sterile antibiotic wash two times a day while keeping an close watch on her. After a week, the swelling subsided and the drainage stopped. We kept the wash going for four weeks total, until the swelling was completely gone and she seemed to be out of the risk for infection. 

This case was fortunate, as our doe never developed infection, fever, and the eye did not protrude beyond the socket. Had any of those issues developed a vet would have been needed due to her being 'with kid'. Her eye would have had to be removed, antibiotics administered, and potential loss of the kid. 

My words to all- no matter what animal you have taken responsibility for, please take the initiative to learn about their care: the potential injuries, illnesses, and diseases that could develop.. and how to treat them. Often times, rapid response from the owners is not only enough, but even in a distressing case that response can save the animal's life (and further suffering). 

While Daisy does seem to have vision loss, she and her baby are healthy and doing well today, thanks to an observant and quick thinking farm boy!

Join Me in Welcoming

Please join us in welcoming the first kid of the 2016 birthing season!

I arrived home from a late night of work to discover our first time mama, Daisy, had successfully delivered, cleaned, and started nursing her very first little one. Needless to say, I was impressed! This new mama was in the birth stall, fully up and functioning before the after birth was even delivered.

Of course, this warranted a quick picture and phone call to my right hand farmgirl, Miss K- who was all smiles and squeals. She quickly decided on a name- mama is 'Saisy' (as she says it) and her baby is a little Bud. I believe she chose well.

 Miss K could hardly contain herself long enough to arrive for his welcome. As you can see, they were instant friends. K is quite the goat mama- gentle, soft spoken in the stall, and very gracious in letting mama 'Saisy' know she, too, is loved and is doing a very good job. I, however, was in the dog house because I forgot to bring the raisins (every animal gets a treat from Miss K when she comes to see them). Shame on me.

Today, Miss K still reels with delight in joy of new farm babies. We hike out there regularly for nibbles and nuzzles from this sweet guy- and, of course, keep our eye the other new mama to be who is showing some healthy signs of kidding.

Let's join Miss K in her enthusiasm and welcome Daisy's Buck to the Scaife Family Farm!

Preparing for the Storm

As a homestead farm, we live our lives tied to the weather. Any hint of inclement change tends to stir a fever in our souls to gather and prepare. Me, I am driven to prepare for the worst and hope for the best- with my animals and my crops it rings even more true. 

Living in a state where all four seasons can happen in any given day has taught me to be ready for anything. Today's humid heat can give way to tonight's hard freeze- keeping things healthy can be tricky. We have does ready to kid, baby chicks to keep warm and dry, as well as three gardens, the donkey, buck, barn cats and a dog. In an inclement situation we assess what the greatest need is and work from there. 

Adult birds should be fine in their coop as long as food and water will be available to them. If the day is a dark one, supplemental light will help. Baby chicks that are not fully feathered have to be kept dry. Since they are unable to maintain their heat, lamps, bedding, and shelter are vital. My preparedness tip- be ready with an indoor warming box, towels, and a low heat hair dryer in case of emergency. 

Goats are fairly hearty and adapt well- our bucks and mature does have shelter, feed, water and raised areas for resting off the ground (old pallets work well for this). Does that have been bred need a bit more mothering; they have a heat lamp available and are checked regularly if their kidding is near. Many a birthing season has been kick-started by a good storm! My preparedness tip- have the birthing kit ready, towels, warming box, and a fresh stall that is reserved only for the new mama and baby. 

The rest are content with simple shelters to get away from the rain. Doc often refuses shelter no matter what- I guess it's a donkey thing. Ben will shelter with the barn cats in the hay and feed area. As for the gardens, raised beds have helped quite a bit with flooding issues. I do keep frost cloth on hand as well as some simple hoop frames to drape it over. 

Last but not least, have a way to stay warm and dry yourself. I keep candles, lanterns and firewood along with plenty of blankets and towels. If the risk could mean long term outages I wash up clothes, dishes, and try to cook a few meals that will last and eat well cold if we need them. 

Here on my homestead, we have learned to be prepared for any animal to end up in the house, or under a lamp, or wrapped in a blanket- or even tucked in your overall pockets. 

For more information about storm preparedness, consider reading:

TexasHelp

Livestock Preparedness & Recovery

TX Extension Disaster Education Network

And...share your storm prep info!

Miss K's New Loves

They arrived on the homestead farm Saturday morning; creatures great and small welcomed them with nuzzles and noises. No welcome was so wondrous as the one that came Sunday afternoon as our littlest farm girl found a whole new set of loves. 

Little Miss K has been combing the pages of our favorite poultry catalog for weeks. Each time revealed the struggle within her to choose only a few (a feeling I know well). She practiced her poultry care techniques with little fluffy toy chicks in order to be fully prepared when the real ones arrived. This weekend as a set of chicks found their way to our brooder, Miss K joined the ranks of crazy chicken ladies everywhere! 

Genuine enthusiasm and joy beamed from her dimpled face as she made her way to the brooder. Soft whispers of love and adoration were given as she crouched down and carefully let them settle at her presence. Hand feeding, gentle cuddles, and just plain sitting and observing their antics was the only thing on her agenda that day. Quite an attention span for an almost two year old!

I grew up with baby chicks. My children grew up with baby chicks. Now our little Miss K will grow up learning the many wonders and amazing life lessons chicks can give. Welcome to the family, Miss K's new loves. The 'wittle beebee shickiez' have arrived!

Weekend Wilding

I am an outdoors soul with an intense need for sunshine and fresh air. While my job does afford me opportunity for outdoor exposure, some weeks do find me inside more than out. This week was hit and miss- and with the sun warming the soil, the ability to be inside was quite a strain! That is what weekend wilding is for!!

Friday finds me fidgeting and fussing for the five o'clock hour- that magical moment when I can strip off the constrictions of professional life and don the clothing only nature can appreciate. The emotional and mental strain of the week has drained my energy reserves bringing a need for immediate immersion in the wild world. My fast fix is a walk.. at the wooded park, among the gardens, or even along the country road I live on. Getting myself away from media, social mayhem, and the demands of bureaucracy is a number one priority and that walk kick starts the process.

From there, it is time to steep myself in the habits and happenings of homestead farming. Ben and I stroll the pastures and commune with the herds and flocks, catching up on the musings of the hens as they cackle their complaints about rations and roosters. We find ourselves in the garden breathing deep the fragrance of herb and soil all the while nibbling tasty bits of this and that. Settling in the outdoor chairs, warm coffee is sipped as Ben checks every nook and cranny for any naughty beastie, eventually settling himself at my side (or on my lap). Birds sing us into a soothing mood, offering gentle meditation in the presence of God's handiwork.

End of day finds me at the kitchen sink watching the sun set through the window. There is food to prep, dishes to tend, and laundry to sort, but the setting sun never looks the same twice so those things can be done as soon as darkness falls. This painting by God's hand is meant for us, yet so often we miss it. Weekends are for sunset watching.

It is true, there are a bounty of chores to be done on the weekend- especially in the spring..yet, there is also time for stopping to gaze up through the tree tops at the beauty of filtered sunlight. Time must be founds to nuzzle soft muzzles and scratch furry ears. Before I know it Monday will find me.. for now, my weekend intention is to steep myself in the beauty of wild things and breath in the wonder all of nature holds.

Little Hands on Deck

Of the many changes that have come to the homestead, a grand baby has been one of the most precious. Miss K has been a part of our lives for nearly two years, and in that time she has grown to be quite a little homestead hand.

She may look like a little doll, but this gal is a strong force to be reckoned with. Her little feet carry her to every corner of the Scaife Family Farm; barns, pastures, gardens and playgrounds are no match for her. K hauls feed, tosses hay, and works the garden right along side her Grand-daddy and me.

Every animal on the farm runs to greet their favorite little farm girl; they know she always comes baring gifts... raisins, carrots, and the tops of strawberries! Her hugs and kisses are welcome and met with tender nuzzles and noises. Eggs are gathered.. one at a time to the fridge and back. Nest boxes are fluffed every time she is here. Is it any wonder they love her?

As she grows, so do her skills. Where once she simply walked through the garden observing the growing things, now she pulls weeds, harvests, and waters. Instead of following us during chores, she pitches right in carrying feed and hay right alongside us. There is no need to drag her along, she visits all the different jobs several times in a day making sure little bits of things get done as we go.

The most important thing to remember when working with little ones at our heels.... to them all work is play. When K and I work together my expectations are light and flexible: we might work one row of weeds, clean one stall, or wash only a handful of dishes. That is all okay; it will get done, just slower that if I were doing it myself. It is about the process, not the results... and the process is a beautiful thing to be a part of.

Decluttering the Homestead

Time gathers things- or, maybe it's better to say 'we gather things with time'. Either way, the reality is.. clutter happens.. and a homestead is a clutter magnet! Over time space becomes filled with this and that- the things we said we will get to later. Items that fell to the wayside and the wayside crept closer and closer to the door. You get the point.

This month's focus on my homestead is declutter: use it or remove it.

The goal: break the homestead into zones and clear the zone.

Repurpose, recycle, reclaim- but do not let it remain!

We are twelve days into this month and let me just say this is hard! One: it's ragweed season so I am battling out the histamine drip while trying to decide keep or cull. Two: emotions and doubt play tricks with your mind as you try to decide in there is any use for 'that old thing' (OTC allergy meds are not conducive to mental clarity!). Three: not everyone in the house is on board with my manic urge to purge.

Since the allergies are winning, my focus turned inward these past few days. Closets, pantries and drawers are the starting line. So far the upstairs spare room (now the sewing room) has been gone through- though I can't say it is clutter free since it is packed floor to ceiling with outgrown baby items. Does every grandparent's house have a baby stuff stash?

From there I pressed on to the downstairs spare room- now the grandbaby room. Despite the toys it is in pretty good shape- if only I could figure out how to make the art table/supplies less messy looking. Wait, why? Aren't all creative, artsy people a bit messy? My room is now where I'm at. Then pantries and cabinets. The house is only one small piece though.

We have a barn, well house, storage shed, greenhouse- four poultry pens, three gardens, three pastures- not to mention the place where the trailers set, the 'bone yard' and the dreaded place where all clutter goes to multiply and mock me..the shop! The magnitude of this mess makes me dizzy. Standing in the drive at the end of my work day causes me to ask myself why I didn't start sooner. I know the answer- it is a pain!

The plan?

Burn the fallen trees - or re-purpose them in the goat pen (they are dropping like crazy right now).
Recycle the metal- damaged metal objects are now being piled on a trailer for a little trip.
Trash the trash- determining what is truly trash is the object of many grumblings. (keeping it real)
Thin the 'herd'- metaphorically, of course. Here we are focusing on downsizing or simplifying the chores: barn, gardens, and pasture care. There are less hands on the homestead, so time to re-evaluate what we focus our energies on.
Finally, there are some areas of disrepair that need a tune up. My goal is to fix those fence 'patches' and make things easier for me to handle on my own... calf panels are this girl's best friend. (If only I could find a gate solution as wonderful as calf panels).

Will I get this all decluttered by November- oh, honey, I doubt it, but there's no reason not to be ambitious!

Now, before I get distracted again (or my sinuses clog up), better go bag some more stuff from the closet!

The Life of Ben: In the Garden

The back door eases open; he sniffs the air to see who is in the kitchen. He finds me there and waits patiently by the fan as I finish up dishes before gathering my gloves and basket; we are going to the garden.

In the corner of the garden, just beyond the peach tree, a tiny nose twitches. Crouching back in the shadows his heart races as the garden gate opens.

With a burst of energy, Ben charges straight to the back corner; past the peach tree and to the shadowy corner.

The little rabbit we fondly call 'Pete" has bounded under the fence. He sits in the shadow of the wood's edge watching Ben sniff the very spot he was sitting. In hushed tones Ben 'speaks' to Pete; I wonder what he must be saying; is it a warning about eating my garden or simply a conversation between oddly paired friends?

In a show of good measure, Ben carefully searches every inch of the bunny hideout making sure I know how hard he is working. Convinced that task is complete, Ben moves through his routine checkpoints, sniffing, scratching, and nuzzling every inch of the garden- every possibly hiding place. He nibbles snippettes of greenery as he goes.

A stop at the water barrel for cool drink ends his list of things to do. Lumbering through the growing things, he plants himself at my feet. His large head nuzzles my side, seeking approval for a job well done. As I picks a pepper, I scratch his soft ears and pat his strong shoulder- he has worked hard today keeping her garden safe. Ben decides to take a welcome rest in the shade of an oak tree when the watering begins; he's not fond of being wet.

Together we stroll back to the house; he stays just close enough for my hand to rest on his shoulder as we walk.

Once inside, I make a glass of tea as Ben enjoys a bit of egg leftover from breakfast. I take my seat at the table to answer emails and sketch a bit; Ben takes his place at my feet.  There he will nap until we head out for evening chores and one more visit to the garden. 

His Name Is Ben

His name is Ben, or as Miss K says, "Big Ben". This gentle giant came to be part of my home a little over a year ago; just about the time Miss K joined us. They have been partial to each other since the day they met. So have Ben and I.

It was a long journey from the little farm he was born on to the simple homestead where he now resides. Ben came to me at the tender age of 6 weeks; a cotton ball with a wet nose. From day one he found my lap, my foot, and my shoulder his favorite places to lay his head. We were inseparable, learning each other's manner and temperament. 

He has been my shadow, comfort and fervent protector every single day. At my side or under my feet, Ben is never far from me and always ready to warn me when things just don't seem right. He is a gentle dog, but has shown on more than one occasion the ability to protect and defend. 

Miss K and Ben are kindred spirits- loving the garden, the barn and the great outdoors. Story time has often found them side by side listening to me read to them. Upon her arrival, Miss K's first order of business is to bring Ben up to date on all things as she chatters away beside him in the kitchen. He offers a tender dose of attention and a few will placed kisses. If K goes outside, Ben is close beside her- it's the only time he goes anywhere near the baby pool!

With my family growing and changing, Ben has been my comfort and companion. He lays at my feet as I sip coffee after work, 'helps' me with chores, and joins me in the garden while I work. We are never apart when I'm home- he lovingly walks me to the gate and he eagerly greets me when I return. 

Poultry Harvest 2015

This year brought quite a few challenges to our homestead- many of which have a profound effect on our food production. Heat was the first obstacle partnered with some shipping mishaps which left us with half the birds we normally process in a year's time. This was followed by severe flooding that left us standing in water searching for higher ground.

Challenges are good for us- even in urban farm/homesteading. Times like this force us to think outside the box, evaluate every option we hadn't thought of, and press on. The flock didn't suffer to terribly once we found a dry place for them, and the year's butchering day went off without incident. In all, we processed about 50 birds in 3 hours despite the fact there are only 3 of us here to do the work (in the past there were 5-7 people on hand).

My family tends to give me plenty of space on days like these: I am task oriented, focused and rather intense about set up, process and the generally running  of it. Over the years, our family members learned each aspect of the process, but eventually found their place in the line up.

Fans set out, freezer's cleaned and prepped- I tend to 'fast' my flock the night before: the have water but no feed. This cuts mess and the birds seem calmer. My butcher set up has three stations: catch and kill, cut and cook, burn and bury. That's it. Note: we do not leave skin on our birds, so there is no plucking station.

My station is cut and cool where tables are set up and covered with paper. Trash bins are double lined and tucked under those tables. I have aprons specifically for butchering. Knives are specific to me as I have very small hands; I like them sharp and light weight. On one side of the table is a tub of water for 'quick rinse' needs (hands, knives, etc.). The other side of my table has a tub of icy salt water for rinsing the meat before packing. This cools the temp and helps draw the blood from the meat.
 

Bags of ice go into chests near the table. The rinsed and packaged meat will be chilled here before it goes into the freezer. This prevents the freezer temp from plummeting and the meat not cooling quickly.

Once meat is well chilled, the bags are layered in the freezer: layer of ice, layer of meat, layer of ice, etc. My family will tell you I am a bit nuts about cleaning and cooling quickly- but they have not gotten sick from any of our meat (just saying).

Today I sit with a sigh of satisfaction knowing the freezer is stocked and the heifer will be joining in very soon. Though it is not the usual harvest, it is a good one. We can always raise another set in the fall. We are all just glad to have a whole hunk of chore time cut out! 

Poultry Apocalypse 2015

Every year chicks are ordered. They arrive fairly unscathed despite their journey. This year, unfortunately, that was not so. It seems this is the year of the poultry apocalypse and it isn't pretty.

Admittedly, my order was placed a little later than normal. The busy-ness of our home has me running a bit behind tradition. The confirmation came stating our chicks were shipped, but the pick up call did not. Four days passed before we received a late night call, after postal hours, that the chicks were in. By morning the results were dreadful. Nearly half our birds were DOA. Those that remained didn't last long.

Contact with our hatchery confirmed the error had occurred in transit; the birds seem to have sat in shipping between there place and ours. Rising temperatures and enclosed trucks led them to their fate. Graciously our hatchery re-ordered.

Confirmation came, but the call did not. Again, though one day earlier than the last, our birds were still not here until three days past their scheduled pick up. Again, the results were fatal. With dread and remorse I contacted the hatchery seeking a solution to the mix up. They were on top of the error and eager to resolve as well. Bless them.

As of right now, half the birds we anticipated are alive and seem to be holding their own. We decided to accept credit to the account and not attempt further shipments right now. The hatchery is working to reach out to the postal offices regarding care of live animal transports. It has been a tough season, but it is a blessing to work with a wonderful company.

A few lessons learned:

*stay on top of the anticipated arrival date- it would not have helped this time, since the birds truly were not arriving on time- it does help you prepare

*be open and honest with the post office and your hatchery- both sets of employees were helpful and ready to answer questions.

*know your hatchery- we have a long excellent history with our hatchery and it really helped during this mess.

*accept what you can not change and move on- I hate losing them, but I can't fix it. Focusing on what is truly helps.

*be ready for disaster- have electrolytes, incubators, isolation areas, and even a hair dryer available for emergencies.

The hatchery we have used for many of our homesteading years is Murray McMurray Hatchery; excellent company with very considerate and helpful staff. I highly recommend them.