Yesterday I started my new job. My commute to work is 50 minutes one way. Fortunatelly I do not have to be at work til 10am and am headed home no later than 6pm. Obviously, being on the farm, I have to do chores. So we are working on a system to get the chores done in a timely manner, so I do not feel as though all I do is work and come home to work.
Ryan did great yesterday making sure things with the kids went well. I did make it home by 5pm yesterday as it was the first day of work. Once it gets busy though I know I will be later in the evening. I am fine with doing the morning set of chores. I get up with the kids at 6am anyway and don't leave for work til 8:30 or 9:00. So I have time to feed and check water. Overall the morning chores minus milking take about 30 minutes to complete and that is so I can spend some time with the animals.
We are currently down to 4 goats, 1 horse, 22 chickens and 15 chicks, plus 3 dogs. The snow is gone right now and the horse and goats have a big round bale they are working on. So they get feed in the evening and water is checked morning and evening. The chickens get fresh water morning and evening, plus grain. The dogs all get fed morning and evening, plus fresh water. Right now it isn't much.
I am also spritzing my plant seedlings twice a day. Some have already popped up through the soil. I hope they will fair well. So far its marigolds, broccoli, califlower, and corn coming through. I plan on Sunday to plant the peas and corn in the garden, if it dries out enough for my cousin to come work the ground. I would like them in the ground before I go on vacation next weekend.
After the spring really sets in the work load on the farm will increase to garden working, possibly milking, egg collecting and general clean up. Summer time will require extra watering during the day, the goats are picky about dirty water so we have a small trough that if need be we will drain out and refill with fresh water. The warmer weather also brings into account new projects. We need to lay floor in my boys' room and paint. Then we will move the boys into one room together. My daughters room needs painted and we will move her to the front part of the house. After that we have a college exchange student coming to live with us in the fall, so her room will also need to be painted. She has lived with us before and is like family. We will also be putting in the window a/c's this summer again as I think we faired pretty well with them last year. We did buy a new thermostat for the house and that may help the regular a/c run better, but we will have to test it on a hot spring day. Otherwise we will stick with the window a/c's one more summer and then with work will be able to get the new central air unit next fall.
So lots of things going on but hopefully we will get in the groove with all of it soon. Off to day two of the new job.
Christian Mother of three children: DS 14, DD 13 and DS 10. Married to a wonderful hardworking man. Blogging about many daily details of my wild crazy ride as a mother, wife, massage therapist, and my walk with Christ. We also have a small hobby farm in south east Kansas that we are trying to turn into a sustainable farm.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
Harder than I thought...
So today was the day for our nigerian dwarf goat to go to freezer camp. Our help arrived an hour late so that put us way behind schedule. I want to post that there will be no pictures posted of the process. I can put a link of how we did it on here but I did not want to take pictures. Link will be at the bottom.
So our help came over with a 22 rifle. We captured the goat and brought her into the back of the barn. Ryan said his peace to her and then he left. He is the softy here on the homestead and that is okay, I don't mind my sensitive cowboy. After Ryan left my help and I got the goat into position and that was that.
Ryan came back in and we used a tpost to hang the goat. Then Ryan skinned the goat, which took a bit longer than I expected too. After that we figured out how to get the guts out to put it nicely. Then we began the butchering process.
I applaude good butchers cause I have no clue how they get the good cuts they do. We ended up with alot of roast type meat, stew meat and meat I will later grind up...once I get a grinder. Regardless, we have meat. It will taste good however it is cooked and it will feed my family.
The size of the goat we had, would diffinatelly not have been worth the $75 set price to butcher the goat. I think we would really have to rethink the process if we ever choose to do it again. That said....Im not very good at killing my own food. I know also that it took an emotional toll on Ryan as well. We are new to all this but a deer is very different than an animal you have had on your property for months. We shall see how we fair with chickens.
For anyone who wants a detail and graphic description on how to butcher a goat here is a link (GRAPHIC WARNING)
Home Butchering LINK
So our help came over with a 22 rifle. We captured the goat and brought her into the back of the barn. Ryan said his peace to her and then he left. He is the softy here on the homestead and that is okay, I don't mind my sensitive cowboy. After Ryan left my help and I got the goat into position and that was that.
Ryan came back in and we used a tpost to hang the goat. Then Ryan skinned the goat, which took a bit longer than I expected too. After that we figured out how to get the guts out to put it nicely. Then we began the butchering process.
I applaude good butchers cause I have no clue how they get the good cuts they do. We ended up with alot of roast type meat, stew meat and meat I will later grind up...once I get a grinder. Regardless, we have meat. It will taste good however it is cooked and it will feed my family.
The size of the goat we had, would diffinatelly not have been worth the $75 set price to butcher the goat. I think we would really have to rethink the process if we ever choose to do it again. That said....Im not very good at killing my own food. I know also that it took an emotional toll on Ryan as well. We are new to all this but a deer is very different than an animal you have had on your property for months. We shall see how we fair with chickens.
For anyone who wants a detail and graphic description on how to butcher a goat here is a link (GRAPHIC WARNING)
Home Butchering LINK
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Free Range Chickens, baking bread and homemade stew
Today is beautiful 50 degrees. It started early this morning with frost. Sundays are the days I get the paper and donuts for the kids. This was a tradition my dad did when I was growing up and I try hard to do it for our kids. I only get the paper for the coupons and I know there are alot of free ways to get coupons. I clip those online too. But this is a little treat for the kids, so we try to do it.
After we went to the store to get the donuts and paper, my hubby and I came home to hang with the kids. I then decided to put some stew meat in the crockpot with veggies and will either make mashed potatoes or put them in soon. Haven't decided yet...although the kids like mashed potatoes.
After that, I hung out on the web a bit. Then I decided homemade bread would be outstanding with the beef stew. So I researched an easy recipe online and started it up in the bread maker. I used to make our bread for the week every Sunday. So I am thinking I will start this again also.
Our total acreage that is now fenced in is 3.85 acres. I have 5 goats, 1 horse, 23 chickens, 3 dogs and 15 new chicks on our little farm.
Bread just beeped, so I am off. Have a blessed day.
After we went to the store to get the donuts and paper, my hubby and I came home to hang with the kids. I then decided to put some stew meat in the crockpot with veggies and will either make mashed potatoes or put them in soon. Haven't decided yet...although the kids like mashed potatoes.
After that, I hung out on the web a bit. Then I decided homemade bread would be outstanding with the beef stew. So I researched an easy recipe online and started it up in the bread maker. I used to make our bread for the week every Sunday. So I am thinking I will start this again also.
After all that, the weather was just too nice to be inside. So I left the bread machine and crockpot to do their work. I went outside and decided it was time to see if the chickens would free range without getting into trouble. So I let them out for an hour and it seemed to work out nicely. So I took down the makeshift chicken yard and let them go. Now they are foraging bugs for protien and I know in a couple weeks once they start laying my eggs will be tasty.
Bread just beeped, so I am off. Have a blessed day.
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