Much Has Happened ~

So much has happened since we last spoke, I'm not quite sure where to begin. The majority of it was good though life will throw us curve balls every chance it can. Every now and then when we don't see them coming we get blindsided. Such has been things around here to the extent that I have felt a little off-balanced. Writing didn't seem to get to the top of the priority pile that often and when it did it was soon knocked down the list by an emergency. I hope someone else can relate and it's not just me struggling to keep up.

We've come to the conclusion that some changes are needed to help the farm flow more smoothly through the challenging times. At present we are working through some ideas to carve out more time for ourselves. When the time needed to care for the livestock takes up more than what one is extending on themselves. Well, it is time for some changes. We figured it is time to either decrease the number of dependent animals or scale back on the "pampering" they are getting. We are choosing both options. After selling most of our Spring kids, we are down to 2 buckling left, who need new homes. Once they are sold our goat care will be easier and our milk production will be up. We are having to lock up the kids at night, so we can milk the does in the morning. Some still insist on nursing, even at 5mths of age and their mothers still let them. We are only milking once a day for a couple of reasons. One being we can't possibly use all the milk they could produce and two it effort to keep our evenings free for personal pursuits or just plain o' sitting. So we don't begrudge them them what little they get during the day. But we DO want our share of the milk.

Progress has been made on Cedar Hill, the horse/goat pasture, named for the large Cedar that stands in the middle of it. Fencing is a daily chore we are trying to work at in this heat. Which isn't for long once the sun gets high in the sky. We've let the goats & horses out into the area a couple of times to munch on the buffet out there. But someone has figured out where a small section of fence is not completed at the edge of the woods and keeps leading everyone out. Of course they all make a bee-line to my loaded plum tree. The one I've been intently watching for the fruit to turn ripe. Last year I put up 12 or so pints of jelly from this tree, besides all the fresh eating we could handle. Guess they will have to be banned from the area till all is completed. Here I was trying to be nice and let them have some fun in a new pasture. All it took was for one to ruin the opportunity for the rest of them. Though they didn't have to play "follow the leader" and could have stayed out in the pasture longer. Had they not given into peer pressure or should I say herd instinct.

We have also sold a number of laying hens this Spring also. Along with a few chicks and biddies we hand raised. The egg production count was getting above my extra refrigerator space. So something had to give or go! So we sold a few and have been dishing up boiled eggs treat to the remaining hens in an effort to keep the eggs as fresh as possible for our paying customers. Lon even gave away all the extra roosters to a couple of new goat buyers. Now all we have left at present are the roos we plan to hang on to for breeding purposes of the specific breeds we have. He has been putting them up in Roo-ville, but somewhere in the pen is an escape hatch. So they keep helping themselves back out to freedom with the hens. Some of our hens are looked quite ragged so we are trying to give them a break from the Roo's attention for awhile. Hence the locking up, as fertilized eggs are not a needed item right now. I have even pulled about 5 out of the barnyard and placed them in the play-yard of the B&B for some needed healing time . I am confident they will soon grow new feathers to shade their backs. Lots of rest and extra feed should do the trick. I may even go so far as trying my hand at making coverlets for the hens in needed of protection from the sun and our ever watchful flock Rooster, Big Boy. Who still likes to romance them from time to time. That is when he isn't being a watch-dog for them.

The Freedom Ranger chicks we got back the first of March, are now getting to harvest size. They are a heritage breed that is being used as a good choice for broilers. Growing slower than the "franken-stein" ones you find in the grocery store. But the upside is that we know what is being converted into their meaty parts from their food. (NO JUNK) Plus they are suppose to be more flavorful, due to the longer growing out phase. Next week we will start harvesting 4-5 each week, till all of them are either on the table or in our freezer. Time for heating up the grill and trying out some new recipes.

Speaking of recipes, I've started back on my cheese making with good results. Encouraged by my success and the multitude of yummy recipes for hard cheeses I keep finding. I've decided to order a cheese press, so I can venture out beyond the soft goat cheese I've been making. Bread baking is also a regular part of my week too. Finding a couple of new recipes that produce consistent results is a blessing. One in particular that we like is an Oatmeal loaf that makes great toast with a sourdough taste and some mighty fine grilled cheese sandwiches. I made a loaf this morning, but before placing it to rise a second time. I sprinkle it with cinnamon and raisins, rolled it up and then placed it in my prepared loaf pan. My experiment at making Cinnamon Raisin Bread for toasting. It is residing on top of my car in the garage as I type. I've found this heat is good for one thing ~ it helps my breads to rise quickly. Now if I could only find a way to bake them without heating up the kitchen from the oven.

Our garden is fully planted and we have little green tomatoes on our vines. Waiting for that first garden fresh matter to eat is hard. Watering has become a chore that has to be done daily, as we haven't had any rain to help us out. I'm using a soaker hose and rotating it to each row in turn across the garden. The garden area is larger than last year's, as we cleared out the last section of rocks and added 5 more rows to it. That's a lot of space added, but even so we still managed to fill it up. We have growing ~ 3 varieties of onion, 2 of garlic, 7 types of tomatoes equalling 40+ plants, 2 crowder pea crops, 2 types of cabbage, green beans, both yellow squash and zucchini, cantaloupe, sweet corn, sweet and red potatoes, cucumbers, a small row of beets to try, butternut squash and the last of my lettuce patch. That's a lot of plants that need regular watering in order to produce well. Our plan is to raise as much of our food as possible for fresh eating. Then supplement with some locally grown produce for putting away in the freezer and in my empty waiting canning jars for our winter pantry.

There is so much more I could share, but I am sure your time is just as spoken for as mine. Know that I think about my blogger friends often and I will try harder to sit down and drop you a note every chance I get.

getting more organized,
Deborah