More things I have noticed

I have noticed more changes now that I am home full time.  Although I have been intermediatelly fighting off whatever illness are attaching my already compromised immune system, I am enjoying figuring out new ways for our family to save.  Most of the savings start in the kitchen and garden.  We planted a lovely garden this year and most days are meatless, because I get protiens in other ways.  I picked about 10 lbs of tomatoes the other day and watched them sitting on the counter.  Well today I decided I needed a few things, spaghetti sauce, bbq sauce and ketchup.  Well the abundance of tomatoes could handle that.  So today I am making some spaghetti sauce.

So while looking into recipes I was making a shopping list for my pantry.  My old shopping list went a bit like this:
Oatmeal
Poptarts
Cereal
Eggs
Bread
Peanut butter
Jelly
and so on


My new list looks like this:
Molasses
Honey
Palm Oil
Cocoa powder
wheat flour
pastry flour
sea salt
kosher salt
petcin
vinager
grape seed oil
and so on


Funny how different it is when you cook from scratch and grow or raise the basics on your farm.

So in the next few weeks I have plans to make some items to freeze to test before the kids start school.
Homemade poptarts
breakfast sandwhiches
waffles
pancakes
homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwhichs (both peanutbutter and jelly will be homemade)
hotpocket type sandwhiches


Of course I will be canning soups and such.  My kids will have thermos' for their lunches and home made sandwhich breads.  I know this will save us alot cause the cost of school lunches is on the rise. 

The more items we can make at home the better.  Well Im off to conquer some goat milk soap making, wish me luck.

Chhhhhaaaa---chhhaaa---Changes

I have not even went back to see what I posted last on the blog as its been so long.  Regardless, I had went back to work for the past year.  Although I love my job and helping people, I have found that being around people tends to cause my auto immune disorder to flare up.  I have spent the past 3 months sick and/or fighting off some bacteria or virus.  So I spoke with my doctor who thought it would be in my best interest to step back from massage and regain control of the illness.  I do miss working daily but I have found things that I can do at home to keep me busy and possibly make some money.  With it being summer time the kids are home and not bringing home any extra germs, but I am still needing naps some days or at least rest.  The heat takes a toll on me too.  I have started two daily meds as well as eating cleaner and healthier.  All in all I seem to be regaining some control over it. 

Other happenings on the farm, we currently have ALOT of chickens all laying hens and 3 roosters.  Some chicks are in the brooder growing into some nice chickens.  Plus we have added ducks, 3 hens and 2 drakes.  A donkey and 7 goats (4 does and 3 bucks).  One of the bucks will be going to a new farm soon.  Another to the sale in the fall, if he makes it.  He is very young and the heat is getting to him.  Then we have Ginormous our Herd Sire, who is a beautiful Nubian.  I really lucked out on him and am very impressed with his personality.  He fit right in with our herd.  I do run our bucks with our does year round, although some people do not think that is a good idea, we are with our goats daily multiple times a day and it just doesnt make sense to seperate them.

I also put in a HUGE garden this year and have been reaping the benefits of it. 

We also have Talapia Blue fingerlings growing in  the "pond".  We will be offering fresh talapia to local restaraunts starting next spring.  I truelly can not wait.

Up in the city, not at the farm

Im in the city at my j-o-b.  Someday, I hope to work only 3 days a week and be on the farm the other  4 days.  Its a good goal.  I am fortunate that my hubby holds down the fort at the farm during the week.  I get to spend Sundays and Mondays hanging out with the animals.  Right now I am kinda happy to be at work cause it is a bit cooler than the old farm house. 

I know that the animals are doing well this morning.  The spoiled goats are getting ice water all day long, as well as the chickens.  We did decide that the horse needed a new home as she was not very conducive with the baby goats.  We were scared that with her spunkiness she would end up trampling a baby goat.  So we found her a new home and she is getting the attention she deserves. 

The heat index has been so high latelly that my chickens went on strike when it started.  I am hoping that they are just finding a nice shady spot to lay their eggs in.  We have not gotten eggs for about two weeks.  Hopefully this weekend, I can get post put in to give them a little enclosure outside the coop again.  I used the t-post for something else, isn't that the way it always goes.  Im trying to get hubby to build a three foot tall by twelve foot long enclosure, but he is worried the goats will try to stand on it.  So we are looking into other options.  Hope to figure that out this weekend as they do not need to be free ranging all day long, because of the egg loss.

Photos around the farm