Do legumes cross-pollinate? For instance, next year, I plan to grow a vining white cornfield type bean, a black bush bean, a soybean (bush), a green lentil, and a blue-podded pea (for dried/split). I want to save enough for winter-eating but also enough to plant true for the next year and years after that. So... will they cross each other? If so, how far away do I plant them?
The white beans will be in the 390 square foot "cornfield" in the fenced-in backyard. The rest of the legumes will go where-ever I feel the soil has been amended by the chickens and where there is support (for peas and lentils) or where there is room enough. AND where the goats can't get to them!
= = = =
We had a terrible storm last night. A town nearby made the news with so much hail that it looked like it snowed. Our goat pen flooded (thankfully the goat house was a little higher and was tight and dry). We have some work to do before the next storm. Lost some raspberry plants to the storm, and some beans.
Thunder, lightening and lots of rain most of the night. We even had a tornado warning so we (including mom-in-law) went down to the basement. That's ok.. the bunny wanted company!
Made my first goat milk ricotta cheese on Sunday and it was amazing! So easy! Can't believe I had never made it before, from any milk. Want to make cheese from the whey so I'll experiment with that when I have time. Chickens ate their portion like they were starving!
Found some storage bins made specifically for keeping "pet food" so we bought 3 (goat food, chicken food, bunny food). Need 3 more (oats, cracked corn, sunflower seeds) but have to wait until the store gets restocked.
Made some blueberry bread for my neighbor, and while I was delivering it, she gave me another gallon of goat milk. Gonna make more ricotta cheese and/or yogurt today. Also told me they had just planted some prozo, which I later found out was millet. Said she planted as late as August last year and harvested and fed their chickens on it most of the winter. So... I had some millet seeds in the freezer, because we eat it and I give it to the quail. Soaking some tonight in water, and will toss in a special patch tomorrow or the next day ... experiment to see if we can grow millet. If we can, wow! Perfect!
We're giving that neighbor our two quail, Pecka and Fella. She has only laid one egg in the last several months, and they've been so good to us, so ... well, two little quail won't be dinner, but maybe it'll be an appetizer for the family.
Showing posts with label Quail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Quail. Show all posts
Critter and Garden Update
Ok, here's a catch-up blog posting. The time away from regular computer work was supposed to help but ..
- day one found the milking goat's hooves being tended to by a pro because they hadn't been trimmed. EVER. they were turned in, making soft pads instead of calluses, and causing her to be very grumpy. no wonder.
-day two saw my hand getting sliced by a chicken coop when I tripped over one of our goats, and then on the way to get it taken care of, got a traffic ticket
-day three showed up with a sudden mouse invasion in our barn and an allergy attack for all of us here
-day four gave us progress (finally) on finishing the outside goat pen AND cancelling our quail and silkie chicken order until we have more time to devote to them
-day five found us in the middle of a wind storm, with tomatoes and squashes blowing nearly horizontal.
... other things ...
...our corn, sunflowers, cucumbers, melons and other seeds planted are bursting from the surface of the soil. Since we got such a late start on all gardening things, the corn probably won't be mature before the first frost but will provide a good place for beans to climb, and a windbreak for other plants.
...Hubby stepped on a screw (thankfully didn't go through to his foot) and I put my hand on a screw (yes, I did get impaled) plus cut both index fingers on baling wire. Can't really use either hand to hold tools and can barely type. Argh.
...Tomatoes (several varieties), black beauty eggplant and mini red bell peppers potted and against the workshop (windbreak). Have more still to pot up and get outside or in the green room.
...Planted many seedlings (squashes and cucumbers and 1 cantaloupe) in the plastic kiddie pool "container" that are having a growth spurt. Mulched with grass hay yesterday then watered real good. Hope the horrible wind this week doesn't kill them. And some rain would help save our backs and my cut-up hands.
...Flowers on our potatoes in boxes! More specifically, it's those potatoes that I had bought at the store to eat (last October?) for .99 cents for 10 pounds ... but they developed sprouts on them before I had a chance to eat them. Yes, using the chicken-poo boxes (from when the chicks were babies in boxes) worked very well, because those are the potatoes growing the best! The ones in boxes without chicken poo are lagging behind, and further behind are the rose finn fingerling potatoes that I bought specifically to plant. Hmmm... will definitely have to remember all of this for next year. Um... now that some are flowering, wonder what I'm supposed to do next?
...Planted more of those sprouted store-bought eating/baking potatoes in a kiddie pool, along with onion sets, soy beans and hutterite (white) soup beans.
...Took video of the trimming/cleaning of the "milking goat" 's hooves. Person who did it says it looks like they were NEVER done. Unless goats have access to lots of rocks (for climbing) then goat hooves need to be trimmed regularly .. about every 6-8 weeks. This goat is over 2 years old so they had grown in and around and couldn't allow calluses to grow on her little pads. Will try to post the video on youtube soon because it accurate shows how horrible the goat's hooves were when we got her. Really is abuse. Shame!
...Found an alternative source of goat milk. Really had to since the one we had refused to be milked without two additional helpers, taking over an hour a day. Way too long.
...Made our first raw milk goat yogurt and it did amazing! Very thick and quite tart. Subsequent batches will get honey and vanilla mixed in before getting processed. Meanwhile, Hubby's yogurt for this morning breakfast has a spoonful of blackberry jam in it.
...Used more raw goat milk to make a rice pudding, but forgot to add sugar. Hubby's in heaven anyway.
...Henny Penny's chicken house has been moved into a 6x10 dog kennel in the backyard. Finally. Spent her first night there so waking up this morning to the possibility of bugs and the definite of direct sunshine. Can barely wait to check on her!
...The goats spent their first night in their outside pen. It's about 9 times bigger than where they have been, so they were quite confused as to where to lay down for the night. Just hung around the gate, I guess hoping we'd come back. Hubby and I had to go out after dark and corral them into the little tarp-covered home we made for them. Guess we'll have to do that for several nights until they get the idea that it'll be warmer in there. That's also where we put the hay. Waiting for sun-up so I can look out of my window and see what they are up to!
Still need to take pictures of our garden. Coming up this next week, we hope to:
...Finish another outside chicken coop for the 7 week old chicks and move them in
...Pot up the rest of the tomatoes and peppers and move outside
...Build frames for berry bushes/brambles
...Plant the berry bushes/brambles
I'll try to post a couple of times a week. As other gardeners know, Summer is our busiest time!
- day one found the milking goat's hooves being tended to by a pro because they hadn't been trimmed. EVER. they were turned in, making soft pads instead of calluses, and causing her to be very grumpy. no wonder.
-day two saw my hand getting sliced by a chicken coop when I tripped over one of our goats, and then on the way to get it taken care of, got a traffic ticket
-day three showed up with a sudden mouse invasion in our barn and an allergy attack for all of us here
-day four gave us progress (finally) on finishing the outside goat pen AND cancelling our quail and silkie chicken order until we have more time to devote to them
-day five found us in the middle of a wind storm, with tomatoes and squashes blowing nearly horizontal.
... other things ...
...our corn, sunflowers, cucumbers, melons and other seeds planted are bursting from the surface of the soil. Since we got such a late start on all gardening things, the corn probably won't be mature before the first frost but will provide a good place for beans to climb, and a windbreak for other plants.
...Hubby stepped on a screw (thankfully didn't go through to his foot) and I put my hand on a screw (yes, I did get impaled) plus cut both index fingers on baling wire. Can't really use either hand to hold tools and can barely type. Argh.
...Tomatoes (several varieties), black beauty eggplant and mini red bell peppers potted and against the workshop (windbreak). Have more still to pot up and get outside or in the green room.
...Planted many seedlings (squashes and cucumbers and 1 cantaloupe) in the plastic kiddie pool "container" that are having a growth spurt. Mulched with grass hay yesterday then watered real good. Hope the horrible wind this week doesn't kill them. And some rain would help save our backs and my cut-up hands.
...Flowers on our potatoes in boxes! More specifically, it's those potatoes that I had bought at the store to eat (last October?) for .99 cents for 10 pounds ... but they developed sprouts on them before I had a chance to eat them. Yes, using the chicken-poo boxes (from when the chicks were babies in boxes) worked very well, because those are the potatoes growing the best! The ones in boxes without chicken poo are lagging behind, and further behind are the rose finn fingerling potatoes that I bought specifically to plant. Hmmm... will definitely have to remember all of this for next year. Um... now that some are flowering, wonder what I'm supposed to do next?
...Planted more of those sprouted store-bought eating/baking potatoes in a kiddie pool, along with onion sets, soy beans and hutterite (white) soup beans.
...Took video of the trimming/cleaning of the "milking goat" 's hooves. Person who did it says it looks like they were NEVER done. Unless goats have access to lots of rocks (for climbing) then goat hooves need to be trimmed regularly .. about every 6-8 weeks. This goat is over 2 years old so they had grown in and around and couldn't allow calluses to grow on her little pads. Will try to post the video on youtube soon because it accurate shows how horrible the goat's hooves were when we got her. Really is abuse. Shame!
...Found an alternative source of goat milk. Really had to since the one we had refused to be milked without two additional helpers, taking over an hour a day. Way too long.
...Made our first raw milk goat yogurt and it did amazing! Very thick and quite tart. Subsequent batches will get honey and vanilla mixed in before getting processed. Meanwhile, Hubby's yogurt for this morning breakfast has a spoonful of blackberry jam in it.
...Used more raw goat milk to make a rice pudding, but forgot to add sugar. Hubby's in heaven anyway.
...Henny Penny's chicken house has been moved into a 6x10 dog kennel in the backyard. Finally. Spent her first night there so waking up this morning to the possibility of bugs and the definite of direct sunshine. Can barely wait to check on her!
...The goats spent their first night in their outside pen. It's about 9 times bigger than where they have been, so they were quite confused as to where to lay down for the night. Just hung around the gate, I guess hoping we'd come back. Hubby and I had to go out after dark and corral them into the little tarp-covered home we made for them. Guess we'll have to do that for several nights until they get the idea that it'll be warmer in there. That's also where we put the hay. Waiting for sun-up so I can look out of my window and see what they are up to!
Still need to take pictures of our garden. Coming up this next week, we hope to:
...Finish another outside chicken coop for the 7 week old chicks and move them in
...Pot up the rest of the tomatoes and peppers and move outside
...Build frames for berry bushes/brambles
...Plant the berry bushes/brambles
I'll try to post a couple of times a week. As other gardeners know, Summer is our busiest time!
Quail change snd raspberries
Got a call yesterday from where we're getting our 10 coturnix quail. It was yet another bad batch, and had to completely cancel the order this time. Did I want bobwhite quail instead?
I don't know anything about them, but didn't know about coturnix before we got them! So I said yes, we'll take 10 day-old bobwhite quail. Can't be too different, right?
Got me thinking ... our female quail stopped laying for a while. Places all over are having troubles filling quail orders. Anybody else out there having quail troubles this year?
= = = =
Raspberries: We have 4 fall gold (yellow) raspberries and 9 heritage red raspberries in addition to 9 kiowa blackberries to plant this weekend. Can they be planted somewhat close to each other? I want to line our backyard fence with berries: yellow raspberry on a short side, red raspberry on part of the long side and blackberries on the rest of the long side. Blueberries and 1 jostaberry will go inside the fenced yard. The fenced yard is about 1/10 of an acre. Any problem with berry cross pollination?
I do know that raspberries don't like wet feet so we're making kinda raised beds for them. Won't need to trellis this year's planting because I'm using the fence as such. And I know about pruning.
Next year we'll add more and plant them in rows in the front yard. I dearly love fresh berries.
= = = =
Updated 1:44 p.m.: Just had someone evaluate our supposed-milking doe from Patricia De-Vreese Crowley at Crowley Manor Farms in Conifer, Colorado (near Denver). Call the goat CM2. CM2's health was (allegedly) neglected, with her back hooves (allegedly) not being trimmed. The back ones were so bad that they were curling under. The front hooves weren't too much better (CM2 paws the ground a lot so that keeps them a little bit in check).
Noticed the allegedly? Want to be legal here.
Like I said before... I learn every day more about how Patricia allegedly treated (at least) CM2.
Her Nigerian Dwarf goat Sundance (with buck Nitro Max) just kidded today. Named "Bella Blue" and "Midnight Star". Just ... be aware.
Unbelievable.
I don't know anything about them, but didn't know about coturnix before we got them! So I said yes, we'll take 10 day-old bobwhite quail. Can't be too different, right?
Got me thinking ... our female quail stopped laying for a while. Places all over are having troubles filling quail orders. Anybody else out there having quail troubles this year?
= = = =
Raspberries: We have 4 fall gold (yellow) raspberries and 9 heritage red raspberries in addition to 9 kiowa blackberries to plant this weekend. Can they be planted somewhat close to each other? I want to line our backyard fence with berries: yellow raspberry on a short side, red raspberry on part of the long side and blackberries on the rest of the long side. Blueberries and 1 jostaberry will go inside the fenced yard. The fenced yard is about 1/10 of an acre. Any problem with berry cross pollination?
I do know that raspberries don't like wet feet so we're making kinda raised beds for them. Won't need to trellis this year's planting because I'm using the fence as such. And I know about pruning.
Next year we'll add more and plant them in rows in the front yard. I dearly love fresh berries.
= = = =
Updated 1:44 p.m.: Just had someone evaluate our supposed-milking doe from Patricia De-Vreese Crowley at Crowley Manor Farms in Conifer, Colorado (near Denver). Call the goat CM2. CM2's health was (allegedly) neglected, with her back hooves (allegedly) not being trimmed. The back ones were so bad that they were curling under. The front hooves weren't too much better (CM2 paws the ground a lot so that keeps them a little bit in check).
Noticed the allegedly? Want to be legal here.
Like I said before... I learn every day more about how Patricia allegedly treated (at least) CM2.
Her Nigerian Dwarf goat Sundance (with buck Nitro Max) just kidded today. Named "Bella Blue" and "Midnight Star". Just ... be aware.
Unbelievable.
Silkie chickens and more quail coming
The person I was going to get my silkie hen from had an incident last weekend. A big animal, for the second time, pushed a hole through her double layer of poultry netting and ate most of her chickens ... all kinds, including the silkie. She thinks it was her new neighbor's dog.
So... she placed another order with McMurray Hatchery, and called to ask if I wanted to piggy-back on there.
Hubby and I discussed it.
We need a rooster for our black australorps and a rooster for our easter eggers. We have 5 each of those breeds, all born Apr 29 so about 6 weeks old, and we want to separate and breed true.
Plus we want silkies to hatch our quail eggs and chicken eggs so..
Yes, we're piggy-backing on her order.
-1 male black australorp
-1 male araucana
-5 straight run buff silkies
-5 straight run blue silkies
Hope we get at least 1 buff silkie rooster and 1 blue silkie rooster. I sure do love my chickens, and really like taking care of them as babies.
Expecting July 6-8. Not far from now.
= = = =
The quail eggs were supposed to hatch last week, but the incubator was bull-yuck. No way to regulate temperature except by checking it regularly (like... hourly) and either turning on the overhead fan to cool it down, and wrapping it in various lengths and thicknesses with aluminum foil.
Waste of money. DON'T buy the chickbator!
We have 10 straight-run day-old quail coming next week. The Kid really loves those eggs, and they are easy to sell, so we're going to breed them to increase our flock, and probably infuse new blood every couple of months till we have 30 or 40 laying hens. And now Pecka is laying again so yippee!!
= = = =
Came home from errands just now to find one of our chick babies (pullet) had escaped! Brownie was just sitting on top of the hay that's on top of the coop, just looking at me. I was expecting it because she'd regularly look for a way out. It only took a few minutes to catch her, I carressed her and made kissy noises, and put her back in with her friends.
Yep, they're ready for the outdoor coop. Probably should have done that a couple of weeks ago.
Fun fun!
So... she placed another order with McMurray Hatchery, and called to ask if I wanted to piggy-back on there.
Hubby and I discussed it.
We need a rooster for our black australorps and a rooster for our easter eggers. We have 5 each of those breeds, all born Apr 29 so about 6 weeks old, and we want to separate and breed true.
Plus we want silkies to hatch our quail eggs and chicken eggs so..
Yes, we're piggy-backing on her order.
-1 male black australorp
-1 male araucana
-5 straight run buff silkies
-5 straight run blue silkies
Hope we get at least 1 buff silkie rooster and 1 blue silkie rooster. I sure do love my chickens, and really like taking care of them as babies.
Expecting July 6-8. Not far from now.
= = = =
The quail eggs were supposed to hatch last week, but the incubator was bull-yuck. No way to regulate temperature except by checking it regularly (like... hourly) and either turning on the overhead fan to cool it down, and wrapping it in various lengths and thicknesses with aluminum foil.
Waste of money. DON'T buy the chickbator!
We have 10 straight-run day-old quail coming next week. The Kid really loves those eggs, and they are easy to sell, so we're going to breed them to increase our flock, and probably infuse new blood every couple of months till we have 30 or 40 laying hens. And now Pecka is laying again so yippee!!
= = = =
Came home from errands just now to find one of our chick babies (pullet) had escaped! Brownie was just sitting on top of the hay that's on top of the coop, just looking at me. I was expecting it because she'd regularly look for a way out. It only took a few minutes to catch her, I carressed her and made kissy noises, and put her back in with her friends.
Yep, they're ready for the outdoor coop. Probably should have done that a couple of weeks ago.
Fun fun!
Quail laid an egg
Pecka the Coturnix quail hasn't laid an egg since May 21. Until today! Not sure what changed but the Kid went down to check on their food and water, and there it was! Doesn't look like her others ... just a pale blue with no speckles. Wonder if she molted and just needed a good rest from laying?
Arm still messed up, and more
I'm still in major pain from whatever I did to my arm last weekend. Not getting anything done.
Very late in getting the garden's raised beds built and filled and planted. I hate that. I have lots of seedlings ready for the ground ... they are overtaking my garden room!
Got my holly bushes and trees in the mail on Saturday (I think) and still haven't planted them. Hope they stay alive long enough to get them in the ground.
Still need to repair the goat house, and finish building the first chicken coop so we can get Henny Penny in it. Then we can clean out her temp coop and get half of the baby chicks in that one.
Glad Hubby is taking off Thur and Fri so we can have 4 whole days to get projects done. I'll do as much as I can, but I hate it when my body won't keep up with my project list.
As far as the Kid .... his toenails are healing. Good enough for him to want to go out and play with the new neighbor next door. I told him if you feel that good, you can do your chores. Ah, no. Don't feel that good. Yeah, I figured.
I think our quail have had it. Pecka hasn't laid an egg in almost a week, and still crouches there.
And I'm pretty sure the quail eggs in the incubator won't hatch because I can't get the temperature to regulate! Do NOT buy the Chick-bator or whatever else you find it being called. You have to manually turn the eggs twice a day. It does come with a little thermometer but no way to regulate the temp. It includes 1 piece of aluminum foil that you are supposed to make into two strips. One goes in the bottom of the yellow bowl, and hold the second in reserve as needed. But my house has been in the 60's, so the temp in the chickbator was hovering until 90. Need it to be smack at 100 degrees. I added more foil around it which helps but as the temp in the house fluctuates, so does the chickbator.
Never again. I need a silkie hen to hatch my eggs. And now that Pecka isn't laying, I won't ever have any of her kids. I'm really angry that I spent our hard-earned money on something that was supposed to work, and doesn't.
= = = =
As a side note, we are having yet another horrible wind storm. Just had to chase down one of the plastic kiddie pools that we had on the deck, waiting for dirt and my cabbage plants. Well, those, and a few other seedlings that just can't wait until the rest of the garden's raised beds are built and filled.
Had to put the goaties back in the workshop/barn because the little things were getting so scared out there in the wind.
Did we pick the right place for our very-last-home? So windy that I'm afraid to get the plants planted.
Very late in getting the garden's raised beds built and filled and planted. I hate that. I have lots of seedlings ready for the ground ... they are overtaking my garden room!
Got my holly bushes and trees in the mail on Saturday (I think) and still haven't planted them. Hope they stay alive long enough to get them in the ground.
Still need to repair the goat house, and finish building the first chicken coop so we can get Henny Penny in it. Then we can clean out her temp coop and get half of the baby chicks in that one.
Glad Hubby is taking off Thur and Fri so we can have 4 whole days to get projects done. I'll do as much as I can, but I hate it when my body won't keep up with my project list.
As far as the Kid .... his toenails are healing. Good enough for him to want to go out and play with the new neighbor next door. I told him if you feel that good, you can do your chores. Ah, no. Don't feel that good. Yeah, I figured.
I think our quail have had it. Pecka hasn't laid an egg in almost a week, and still crouches there.
And I'm pretty sure the quail eggs in the incubator won't hatch because I can't get the temperature to regulate! Do NOT buy the Chick-bator or whatever else you find it being called. You have to manually turn the eggs twice a day. It does come with a little thermometer but no way to regulate the temp. It includes 1 piece of aluminum foil that you are supposed to make into two strips. One goes in the bottom of the yellow bowl, and hold the second in reserve as needed. But my house has been in the 60's, so the temp in the chickbator was hovering until 90. Need it to be smack at 100 degrees. I added more foil around it which helps but as the temp in the house fluctuates, so does the chickbator.Never again. I need a silkie hen to hatch my eggs. And now that Pecka isn't laying, I won't ever have any of her kids. I'm really angry that I spent our hard-earned money on something that was supposed to work, and doesn't.
= = = =
As a side note, we are having yet another horrible wind storm. Just had to chase down one of the plastic kiddie pools that we had on the deck, waiting for dirt and my cabbage plants. Well, those, and a few other seedlings that just can't wait until the rest of the garden's raised beds are built and filled.
Had to put the goaties back in the workshop/barn because the little things were getting so scared out there in the wind.
Did we pick the right place for our very-last-home? So windy that I'm afraid to get the plants planted.
Pix of Quail and Rabbit
It's windy today. Way too windy to do any planting or building outside.... so I took some pics this morning. The rest of the day was supposed to be spent publishing my Kid's haiku book, writing and soap-making! However, my left arm is so messed up that I can barely do anything. The Kid's book is a priority. Then starting Hubby's porkchop dinner in the crockpot. Then lots of pain meds.
The above is a pic of our quail: Pecka the girl is on the right, kinda crouched down, and Fella (formerlly Ella) is on the left, keeping watch over his girl. Pecka has had a rough few days, and it's kinda cool that Fella is showing his concern. I think the flax seeds I gave them yesterday helped perk her up a bit. Well, I can only hope. I'd hate to lose her.
This is Blanca, our ruby-eyed french angora bunny rabbit. She's ruby-eyed (red-eyed) because she's an albino, which means no pigment in her skin or anything else. She can't be out in the sun, and definitely prefers cold over warmth. The above shows her munching on a dandelion leaf that I picked on the way out to the barn. Unfortunately, we have a large supply of them.
Here's Blanca contemplating jumping from her cage down 3 feet to the floor. Hmmm... better not. The big person has a hand-full of hay for me!
The above is a pic of our quail: Pecka the girl is on the right, kinda crouched down, and Fella (formerlly Ella) is on the left, keeping watch over his girl. Pecka has had a rough few days, and it's kinda cool that Fella is showing his concern. I think the flax seeds I gave them yesterday helped perk her up a bit. Well, I can only hope. I'd hate to lose her.Chickens, goats and more
We've been so busy that I haven't blogged, and didn't even check e-mails until just tonight. Very busy weekend.
Finished the baby-chick coop for the garage, and got all 10 of the 3-week old chicks in it late last night. At first, they just sat there all confused, then ran around in circles in one little spot, some of them poking their heads out of the poultry netting (thereby scaring me silly). By this morning, they had slept in complete darkness (I checked on them at 4 a.m., and spied them all spread out on the ground). Today they discovered the roost, the holes in the concrete block, the little house we built, and so forth. I added lots of hay and grass clippings to the coop during the day, which are all mashed down now.
Pecka, the girl quail, got very scared yesterday. We thought she was going to die. Kept flying up and hitting her head on the top of the cage. Didn't put out an egg yesterday. For that matter, neither did Henny Penny. Hmmm.
Shoot, just remembered I didn't turn the quail eggs today (in the incubator). Ok.. In a minute.
Tried to finish the goat pen, and nearly did. Still need a better way to fasten the gate. Got the water bucket over there and filled. Added 2 bays of hay in the back of the goat house. Then, just 5 minutes before we planned to move the babies to their new home, the new next door neighbors' dog came up and scared them. Terrified them, actually. Moved them anyway, but they started panting and panting. We showed them around, where their water was, etc. Didn't stop panting until we gave up and moved them back to their indoor pen. We'll try again in a day or two.
It got quite warm today. So warm that when I walked into the workshop to check on the critters, the poor angora rabbit was laying down. Gonna have to move her back in the garage.
Ok, the big news. The 13 yo Kid had ingrown toenail procedure on Friday. Didn't go well. The doc didn't do it right, and didn't catch the infection. Once the numbing agent wore off, the Kid was in the most intense pain I've ever seen with him. Not since he had major surgery when he was 9 months old. It got so bad.... not even a half of one of my percocet or anything else I tried, helped. Ended up making the hour trip to the closest hospital (one of the downsides of living in the country). The doc had said the Kid didn't have an infection, but the ER pediatrician said he did, and a few other things. Put him on antibiotics, and stronger pain meds. Finally feels better today, Sunday.
A neighbor 2 houses down, who we hadn't met before, drove his tractor up our driveway. We greeted him. He was just grading his driveway and wanted to know if we'd like him to do ours. Just a neighborly thing. We chatted. He graded. I gave him 6 of Henny Penny's green eggs. We made tentative plans for cocktails some time during the Summer.
And the house next to us closed last week, with the new owners moving in. This is a very tiny house, so small that the neighbors call it "the doll house". Owner Don and wife, plus their 5 children. In that tiny house. But they seem nice. Plan to have a mini donkey and chickens. The 12 year old wants a bmx track but the father poo-pooed that right away.
The neighbor behind us ... with the turkeys, chickens, goats and ducks ... the turkey had babies a few weeks ago. Three of them. And one by one, they got eaten by the neighborhood fox. Now the turkey is going around, depressed, looking for her chicks (is that what they're called)? She came over several times today, visiting, looking around. Wanted to be petted and picked up. First time I've ever touched a turkey. So sweet. We introduced her to our baby chicks because the garage was open, but she wasn't interested. Poor thing.
We planned to cut the grass this weekend, but every time we got ready to, the wind kicked up. Fun fun. Finally did tho cut the weeds that surrounded the front door area. Poor UPS guys trying to find a foot-hold to leave packages there on Friday did it. (BTW: the chicken and baby chicks loved the clippings!)
I'm burnt. Sore. Hands cramped up and can barely type. My left arm is so messed up that I really need a sling. Did WAY too much. Didn't cook at all this weekend. Didn't clean this weekend. Finally took a bath but .. feels like, although I got a LOT done this weekend, I guess, I actually didn't. I hate that.
Gonna go take some meds and go to bed.
= = = =
Please plant a nut or fruit tree today. Thanks.
Finished the baby-chick coop for the garage, and got all 10 of the 3-week old chicks in it late last night. At first, they just sat there all confused, then ran around in circles in one little spot, some of them poking their heads out of the poultry netting (thereby scaring me silly). By this morning, they had slept in complete darkness (I checked on them at 4 a.m., and spied them all spread out on the ground). Today they discovered the roost, the holes in the concrete block, the little house we built, and so forth. I added lots of hay and grass clippings to the coop during the day, which are all mashed down now.
Pecka, the girl quail, got very scared yesterday. We thought she was going to die. Kept flying up and hitting her head on the top of the cage. Didn't put out an egg yesterday. For that matter, neither did Henny Penny. Hmmm.
Shoot, just remembered I didn't turn the quail eggs today (in the incubator). Ok.. In a minute.
Tried to finish the goat pen, and nearly did. Still need a better way to fasten the gate. Got the water bucket over there and filled. Added 2 bays of hay in the back of the goat house. Then, just 5 minutes before we planned to move the babies to their new home, the new next door neighbors' dog came up and scared them. Terrified them, actually. Moved them anyway, but they started panting and panting. We showed them around, where their water was, etc. Didn't stop panting until we gave up and moved them back to their indoor pen. We'll try again in a day or two.
It got quite warm today. So warm that when I walked into the workshop to check on the critters, the poor angora rabbit was laying down. Gonna have to move her back in the garage.
Ok, the big news. The 13 yo Kid had ingrown toenail procedure on Friday. Didn't go well. The doc didn't do it right, and didn't catch the infection. Once the numbing agent wore off, the Kid was in the most intense pain I've ever seen with him. Not since he had major surgery when he was 9 months old. It got so bad.... not even a half of one of my percocet or anything else I tried, helped. Ended up making the hour trip to the closest hospital (one of the downsides of living in the country). The doc had said the Kid didn't have an infection, but the ER pediatrician said he did, and a few other things. Put him on antibiotics, and stronger pain meds. Finally feels better today, Sunday.
A neighbor 2 houses down, who we hadn't met before, drove his tractor up our driveway. We greeted him. He was just grading his driveway and wanted to know if we'd like him to do ours. Just a neighborly thing. We chatted. He graded. I gave him 6 of Henny Penny's green eggs. We made tentative plans for cocktails some time during the Summer.
And the house next to us closed last week, with the new owners moving in. This is a very tiny house, so small that the neighbors call it "the doll house". Owner Don and wife, plus their 5 children. In that tiny house. But they seem nice. Plan to have a mini donkey and chickens. The 12 year old wants a bmx track but the father poo-pooed that right away.
The neighbor behind us ... with the turkeys, chickens, goats and ducks ... the turkey had babies a few weeks ago. Three of them. And one by one, they got eaten by the neighborhood fox. Now the turkey is going around, depressed, looking for her chicks (is that what they're called)? She came over several times today, visiting, looking around. Wanted to be petted and picked up. First time I've ever touched a turkey. So sweet. We introduced her to our baby chicks because the garage was open, but she wasn't interested. Poor thing.
We planned to cut the grass this weekend, but every time we got ready to, the wind kicked up. Fun fun. Finally did tho cut the weeds that surrounded the front door area. Poor UPS guys trying to find a foot-hold to leave packages there on Friday did it. (BTW: the chicken and baby chicks loved the clippings!)
I'm burnt. Sore. Hands cramped up and can barely type. My left arm is so messed up that I really need a sling. Did WAY too much. Didn't cook at all this weekend. Didn't clean this weekend. Finally took a bath but .. feels like, although I got a LOT done this weekend, I guess, I actually didn't. I hate that.
Gonna go take some meds and go to bed.
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Please plant a nut or fruit tree today. Thanks.
Chicken and Seedling and Pen Update
Thought maybe I'd post a few pictures this morning....
The above picture of the yellow pool shows the plants we're growing indoors. Using a yellow kiddie pool, didn't poke holes in it, filled it with compost and dirty, and transplanted some mesclun seedlings on the right, and in the middle... nasturtiums and strawberries. On the left, which you obviously can't see, are seeds I planted for radishes, Danvers Half-Long carrots (short roots) and bunching onions (scallions).
This is a pic of the seedlings sitting in my east-facing bedroom, what we call the "green room" or "garden room". As you can tell, I have lots of tomato seedlings, cabbage, bell peppers, and much more. Really waiting for this snowy weather to finish so I can get out and fill up the garden (which I haven't finished getting ready yet).
The above is a picture of what the space looked like before the guys got very far with building the chicken coops and goat pen. Took them 2 days to get very far.
The above is a picture of what our goat pen looks like now that it's mostly finished. Plenty of room in the 4x16 enclosed house (yes, it has uncovered areas for good ventilation). Sturdy gate. Can't see the poultry fencing along the perimeter. Still to do: stack some bales of hay in the back of the house, place the water bucket ... where?, and install a scrap gate along the left wall to hook on the feed buckets. Other than that... it's sturdy and functional. Not by any means purty but will work for us. Should have the goats in it by weekend.
The above is a picture of our quail egg incubator. Yeah, we got that cheapo thing. Hard to keep the temp steady so I'm constantly checking and adjusting the foil around it. Then every time I take off the lid to turn the eggs (twice a day), the temp drops 10-15 degrees so really have to watch it then. Have it in the garden bedroom's bathroom so it won't be disturbed. Gonna have to find a better place for it the next time. Anyway, there are the 4 fertilized bobwhite quail eggs that came with it. They take 23 days to hatch, and our coturnix quail will only take 18-19 days. So... if Pecka gives me an egg today and tomorrow, we'll place them in the incubator tomorrow night. Should all hatch on Monday, Jun 7. Here's hoping!
Wanna see a pic? This is Henny Penny, the laying Araucana (easter egger) hen we got two Sundays ago. She gives about 6 eggs every 7 days. She's finally gotten used to us, and knows when we open the back door of the little temporary "isolation" coop that she'll get a treat ... whether it's a big red wiggler worm, or a handful of cracked corn or oats, or an apple core ... she's excited to see us!
Speaking of hens ... here's a picture of 4 of Henny Penny's light green chicken eggs, compared to 5 of Pecka's quail eggs. I love the contrast!
And here's a pic of the Kid's dinner the other night ... one chicken egg and 3 quail eggs. Notice the beautiful intense yellow-orange yolks and firm whites. Not sure you can see but the inside of the quail eggs is a light blue, and the inside of the light green chicken egg is ... light green! How cool is that?!?! Saved the eggshells to crush and give back to the chicken and quail. Good source of calcium to make more eggs.= = = =
Remember ... please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
Rainy busy Saturday
We woke up today with every intention of getting the douglas fir tree-lings and holly bushes planted. Well, me directing and Hubby and Kid planting.
As we got dressed and started to head to the door, an odd sound came from the baby monitor that we have connected to the workshop/barn. Sounded like static. Actually, was rain mixed with hail. A moment later, it hit the house. Sooo... we didn't get planting outside done. Or the chicken coops or chicken/goat pens done. We DO have a big pool of mud in the goat pen area tho.
What did we do? Gathered another quail egg and another green Henny Penny egg. Hubby hooked up the grow lights in the indoor garden room. Planted the european mesclun salad mix seedlings in the indoor "pool" (I'll try to take a pic tomorrow). Started two dif kinds of corn seeds in jiffy peat pellets. Started lots of different kinds of winter squash and pumpkins and gourds in jiffy peat pellets. Took a lamp out to the workshop/barn because the overhead doesn't give out much light, even at night. Had our furnace looked at (gotta replace... argh). Fed cracked corn to the Henny Penny for the first time ... loves it and oats and especially loves apples! Gave a little of her laying pellets to the quail to see if it will strengthen her shells. Talked with a neighbor about how they sell their eggs (word of mouth ... can't keep up with the demand).
Checked our mail and our quail eggs and incubator were there! Ah ha! I'll take a pic tomorrow.
By the time I finished directing what to do, and did some myself, it was late. Expecting close to 70 tomorrow with hopefully no rain. Maybe we can at least get the goat pen finished and possibly the chicken coop. Hope!
As we got dressed and started to head to the door, an odd sound came from the baby monitor that we have connected to the workshop/barn. Sounded like static. Actually, was rain mixed with hail. A moment later, it hit the house. Sooo... we didn't get planting outside done. Or the chicken coops or chicken/goat pens done. We DO have a big pool of mud in the goat pen area tho.
What did we do? Gathered another quail egg and another green Henny Penny egg. Hubby hooked up the grow lights in the indoor garden room. Planted the european mesclun salad mix seedlings in the indoor "pool" (I'll try to take a pic tomorrow). Started two dif kinds of corn seeds in jiffy peat pellets. Started lots of different kinds of winter squash and pumpkins and gourds in jiffy peat pellets. Took a lamp out to the workshop/barn because the overhead doesn't give out much light, even at night. Had our furnace looked at (gotta replace... argh). Fed cracked corn to the Henny Penny for the first time ... loves it and oats and especially loves apples! Gave a little of her laying pellets to the quail to see if it will strengthen her shells. Talked with a neighbor about how they sell their eggs (word of mouth ... can't keep up with the demand).
Checked our mail and our quail eggs and incubator were there! Ah ha! I'll take a pic tomorrow.
By the time I finished directing what to do, and did some myself, it was late. Expecting close to 70 tomorrow with hopefully no rain. Maybe we can at least get the goat pen finished and possibly the chicken coop. Hope!
Soap and store and critter update
Soap: Made lots yesterday... lavender scented, fruit scented, rose... and more. Lots of different shapes. Also made more grapefruit salt scrub (great to use in the shower in the morning for a wake-me-up). Have also Tea-Bag Pockets and the first Halu Healing Pillow. Had great fun, but it sure is back-breaking work. By the time I was done with all of my projects, chores, fixing dinner and cleaning up, I was ready to pass out.
Not sure if I'm gonna do the farmers market this weekend. Haven't heard from the person I'm supposed to share space with, and there's a situation that may conflict with me being gone most of the day. Might need to reconsider.
Quail: Now that we moved the quail back into the garage, Pecka (the female) is starting to get her feathers back. She sure hated the vicious noise from the wind hitting the workshop/barn. It's not warmer but is certainly quieter. Eventually we're gonna move them into the front living room because Hubby would like to park in the garage and doesn't want to "gas" them and the new quail coming.
Store: Also, don't want the quail in the garage because we're gonna open a little pick-up area in the smaller part of our garage for when our produce starts coming in... eggs (chicken and quail), lettuce and other produce we grow, herbs, flowers, my soaps and other bath products, etc. Don't want it in the house, and the animals are in the workshop, so it has to be in the garage. Don't really want to call it a store cuz it won't be available all of the time ... just a few hours once or twice a week or by appointment ... suggestions? Read update, below.
Goats: Our goaties are growing so quickly. Already they are losing their cute baby faces, and showing such strong personalities that before was only hinted at. They keep knocking over the water bucket. I imagine they are bored because they've been indoors for the last several days (rain, wind, hail, snow, ice, etc). I'm sure they will like their new accommodations if only it could get finished. Wish they would eat something other than pellets... so far have turned up their noses to dandelions, apples and everything else we've attempted. Of course, they still like to nibble on rocks!
Chicken: Henny Penny, the Araucana we got last week, has laid an egg every day since we got her. We love it! All are the same light green ... EXACTLY the clor of a light green easter egg. She raises such a ruckus when she lays. Hope she's ok ... it's either (1) this egg hurts.. get it out! or (2) come here cuz I laid an egg and I know you want it! Either way, her screeching (not a polite little cackle) tells us it's time to collect her egg. BTW, she sure does like her snacks, especially apples but not so much for greens.
Chicks: The baby chicks are coming along nicely. As you know, we have 5 easter eggers and 5 black australorp, all 2 weeks and 1 day old. It's odd tho. Some of them (in each group) have developed tail feathers and grown quite a bit, and there is a couple in each group that haven't. They are all the same age. Do the tail feathers indicate sex?
Dinner/Family Time: Two days ago, we decided to resume eating dinner together. We had gotten very lax about that before we put the house up for sale about a year ago. So two nights ago, we ate together (nachos). Chatted about our day. Movies (my Kid's fav topic). Chickens. Whatever. Same for last night (pasta).
Today's plan: Making more soap today, and flax-seed eye pillows. I need a new one for myself too! It's supposed to snow more today, so maybe I'll light a fire in the fireplace. Wait. Can't do that. The chicks outgrew their boxes so we made new accommodations and they are now beside the fireplace. Well, I'll rethink that one!
Have a great day, all. Please plant a nut or fruit tree today. Thanks.
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Updated 3:10 p.m.: Turns out in order to sell our produce legally, not only do we need a license but also farm/ranch insurance. Frustrating development.
Not sure if I'm gonna do the farmers market this weekend. Haven't heard from the person I'm supposed to share space with, and there's a situation that may conflict with me being gone most of the day. Might need to reconsider.
Quail: Now that we moved the quail back into the garage, Pecka (the female) is starting to get her feathers back. She sure hated the vicious noise from the wind hitting the workshop/barn. It's not warmer but is certainly quieter. Eventually we're gonna move them into the front living room because Hubby would like to park in the garage and doesn't want to "gas" them and the new quail coming.
Store: Also, don't want the quail in the garage because we're gonna open a little pick-up area in the smaller part of our garage for when our produce starts coming in... eggs (chicken and quail), lettuce and other produce we grow, herbs, flowers, my soaps and other bath products, etc. Don't want it in the house, and the animals are in the workshop, so it has to be in the garage. Don't really want to call it a store cuz it won't be available all of the time ... just a few hours once or twice a week or by appointment ... suggestions? Read update, below.
Goats: Our goaties are growing so quickly. Already they are losing their cute baby faces, and showing such strong personalities that before was only hinted at. They keep knocking over the water bucket. I imagine they are bored because they've been indoors for the last several days (rain, wind, hail, snow, ice, etc). I'm sure they will like their new accommodations if only it could get finished. Wish they would eat something other than pellets... so far have turned up their noses to dandelions, apples and everything else we've attempted. Of course, they still like to nibble on rocks!
Chicken: Henny Penny, the Araucana we got last week, has laid an egg every day since we got her. We love it! All are the same light green ... EXACTLY the clor of a light green easter egg. She raises such a ruckus when she lays. Hope she's ok ... it's either (1) this egg hurts.. get it out! or (2) come here cuz I laid an egg and I know you want it! Either way, her screeching (not a polite little cackle) tells us it's time to collect her egg. BTW, she sure does like her snacks, especially apples but not so much for greens.
Chicks: The baby chicks are coming along nicely. As you know, we have 5 easter eggers and 5 black australorp, all 2 weeks and 1 day old. It's odd tho. Some of them (in each group) have developed tail feathers and grown quite a bit, and there is a couple in each group that haven't. They are all the same age. Do the tail feathers indicate sex?
Dinner/Family Time: Two days ago, we decided to resume eating dinner together. We had gotten very lax about that before we put the house up for sale about a year ago. So two nights ago, we ate together (nachos). Chatted about our day. Movies (my Kid's fav topic). Chickens. Whatever. Same for last night (pasta).
Today's plan: Making more soap today, and flax-seed eye pillows. I need a new one for myself too! It's supposed to snow more today, so maybe I'll light a fire in the fireplace. Wait. Can't do that. The chicks outgrew their boxes so we made new accommodations and they are now beside the fireplace. Well, I'll rethink that one!
Have a great day, all. Please plant a nut or fruit tree today. Thanks.
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Updated 3:10 p.m.: Turns out in order to sell our produce legally, not only do we need a license but also farm/ranch insurance. Frustrating development.
Goat House Pix
It's not done but here are pictures of the goat house being constructed on Tuesday of this week:Picture 1: the fence was put up on Monday... now it's Tuesday and it's time to sort the wood. I'm looking down from my garden room (an upstairs bedroom) and hoping they can understand my drawing. Notice the extra 2x6 wood? That was what I planned to use for my raised-bed gardening. Oh well.
Picture 2: The west "wall" and the first board on the north wall are up. All being propped up with the pipes that will be used to install the gate for the fence. Took the pic when they were on a smoke-break. Don't get me started.
Picture 3: A little bit more of the north wall is done. Actually, I think this pic shows that length is done. Well, except for it being sturdy! Yes, they were gone ... on lunch break this time.It was midday by now, and the threatened storm was getting closer. Plus they were dealing with buffeting winds. Come on.. hurry!
Picture 4: Here they've put on the 4-foot east wall and turned the corner with one section of the south wall. I know what I drew doesn't make sense but maybe by the time it's completely (I mean... COMPLETELY) done and I can take pictures from down there and inside, it will make sense. Still bracing the walls with gate-piping.
Picture 5: Another section of the south wall. Notice the pile of wood is gone. By the time they were done for the day, they had used every stick of my planned raised bed gardening wood that I had saved from the last house. AND by the time this pic was taken, the storm was less than 2 hours away. 
Picture 6: Finally getting the "ceiling" on the enclosed part of the goat house. It measures 4 x 16 and doesn't look great but we still have to insulate and tarp it. My plan was to make it small and deep so that the goats (young and old alike) would have a nice warm hay-filled area to ride out rain, snow, hail and wind. Since our goats are dwarf nigerians, it should work well. Goats like to cuddle anyway (which I didn't know until recently)! Should be warm enough for goat babies too. That's the plan, anyway.I walked into the covered part of the goat house (it's 6-foot tall) and it really did cut the wind down. Was almost warm! I can just imagine our two young goaties in there next week or the week after... cuddling up for yet another freak snowstorm. The goat house has a few drafty areas which will mostly be taken care of with the styrofoam insulation and tarps, but it can't be airtight because that will cause the goats to be susceptible to respiratory infections.
Picture 7: They got the ceiling attached and started working on the gate. Wish they had covered the goat house because it was made of INDOOR plywood ... I had plenty of tarps! Can you see them in the left of the pic? Come on, guys... the storm is almost here! The gate can wait!
Picture 8: Took this after they left for the day ... at 3:30. They collected some of our tools, but none of the wood (still need to build the chicken coops). I hurried out after they left and tried to gather what I could to place under the deck's overhang. Then, in the gusting wind with hail and snow 30 minutes away, the Kid and I covered as much as we could of the far part of the goat house. The wind kept ripping the tarp from our hands, and I couldn't find the bailing wire so I used some of my yarn. I know. Brilliant. Not.
Picture 9: This is what I woke up to yesterday morning. Actually, THIS morning too! You might barely be able to see the tarp along the back part of the goat house but the snow covered... almost everything. Can't believe that it's May 13 and not only did we get a couple of inches yesterday, and another inch last night, but more snow is forecast! Argh!When I went out to check on the critters in the workshop yesterday morning, I found some of our tools. In a big frozen puddle. I was furious!
Anyway, I guess you can kinda get an idea of what I planned for the goats. The uncovered area towards the front will eventually get a little "ceiling", and is going to be used for the feeding and milking area. The gate is very close to the door from our walk-out basement so during bad weather, none of us have to be very uncomfortable for long.
So that's our goat house to date.
Saturday I'll be a farmers market and will hopefully make enough money to get some more tarps. (Did I mention we're out of money for this?!?!)
Then Sunday is supposed to be in the 70's so Hubby and I and the Kid (hopefully) will get out there and see what we can do. Hoping the heat will help dry out the wood so we can finish covering it. No mold, please.
Monday is predicted to be in the 70's too. Maybe what we don't finish on Sunday, the guys can get done on Monday. Yeah. Here's hoping I make enough money on Saturday to pay them.
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The chicken we got from our new friend has settled in well in our little coop in the workshop/barn. Hubby gave her the temp name of Henny Penny (coz he always liked that story), and the name has now stuck. We got her on Sunday, and she laid an egg each day after! Mon, Tue and Wed = 3 eggs! All very light green. Very cool. Her production prompted me to create a spreadsheet so I can start tracking eggs (chicken and quail), milk, and other things we'll harvest on our little 2-acre homestead.
Our little baby chicks aren't so little any more. Tried to take a pic last night but didn't come out well. Even tho they are all 2 weeks old today and started out the same size 2 weeks ago when we got them, some are a lot larger than others. Tail feathers have come in on about half, and some were almost flying out of the box we had them in. Hubby and I rigged up bigger boxes last night and transferred everyone. And because the boxes were bigger, they wouldn't fit in the kitchen anymore. We moved them to the fireplace room (den) and hooked up the heat lamp on the fireplace mantle. We also raised the dowel rod location ... previously was only about 3 inches off the floor of the box. Now it's about 8 inches up, and the chicks best at "flying" have already started using it. Wow.
And our little pair of quail ... well, the wind and other noises in the workshop/barn had them completely flustered. Pecka stopped laying, and had started to lose most of her feathers. We moved them back into the garage on Saturday, and we finally started getting eggs again... TWO yesterday!
I've ordered some fertilized quail eggs and a cheap little incubator because we need more quail. We have orders for quail eggs for eating, and poor little Pecka can't give out enough to sell.
It's late... almost 10 a.m. That's REALLY late for me to do a blog entry. I'm so tired... changing out the chicken boxes took us to about 10 p.m. We still had other things to do before we get to bed, and we get up at 4:30 a.m. to start the day. Yawn.
Time to go make soap for Saturday's farmers market!
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Please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
Preparedness versus Self-Reliance
If you read my info on this blog, you know I used to be in "survival preparedness" big-time. Earth changes. Social unrest. Political chaos. Blizzards. Tornadoes. Etc etc etc. My other blogs, including http://survival-cooking.com/ still gets lots of activity because it discussed working with stored foods.
Oh, I still cook with stored foods, only now I do it with self-reliance more in my mind, than preparing/prepping for hard times. Yes, we have dried tomatoes and dried herbs, but only because I grew them and dehydrated them. (I don't freeze a lot, and "can" even less.) I can fix a meal in the dark, and convert a pizza box into a solar oven. I know my Kid won't eat fresh blackberries or raspberries but if I dehydrate and powder them, I can hide them in a smoothie with a little dried spinach powder and frozen bananas ... good enough for him to ask for seconds.
But when I need buckets to store the corn I grew, I surf on over to http://www.usplastics.com/. When I need a big water tank or hand-cranked grain grinder, I go to Emergency Essentials at http://www.beprepared.com/.
Just saying ... I'm not a survivalist, but am quite practical and like knowing I have enough food and drink and "medicinal" herbs put away for my family in case of emergency. Don't you?
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We ate quail eggs last night! I took pictures but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see them. Hubby ate 11, the Kid had 8, and I had 4. Come on, quail ... give us some more! Yum!
On a little more yucky note... our baby chicks didn't have much pasty butt yesterday. Only one got a bath! We might be turning the corner but will keep a close eye on it.
Massive winds yesterday. Up to 100 miles per hour in places. Blew pollen all around. Sounded like being in the middle of a tornado most of yesterday. Close to 80 mph here where we are. The Kid and I had to chase down a few things that decided to fly (inanimate!).
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Please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
Oh, I still cook with stored foods, only now I do it with self-reliance more in my mind, than preparing/prepping for hard times. Yes, we have dried tomatoes and dried herbs, but only because I grew them and dehydrated them. (I don't freeze a lot, and "can" even less.) I can fix a meal in the dark, and convert a pizza box into a solar oven. I know my Kid won't eat fresh blackberries or raspberries but if I dehydrate and powder them, I can hide them in a smoothie with a little dried spinach powder and frozen bananas ... good enough for him to ask for seconds.
But when I need buckets to store the corn I grew, I surf on over to http://www.usplastics.com/. When I need a big water tank or hand-cranked grain grinder, I go to Emergency Essentials at http://www.beprepared.com/.
Just saying ... I'm not a survivalist, but am quite practical and like knowing I have enough food and drink and "medicinal" herbs put away for my family in case of emergency. Don't you?
= = = =
We ate quail eggs last night! I took pictures but you'll have to wait until tomorrow to see them. Hubby ate 11, the Kid had 8, and I had 4. Come on, quail ... give us some more! Yum!
On a little more yucky note... our baby chicks didn't have much pasty butt yesterday. Only one got a bath! We might be turning the corner but will keep a close eye on it.
Massive winds yesterday. Up to 100 miles per hour in places. Blew pollen all around. Sounded like being in the middle of a tornado most of yesterday. Close to 80 mph here where we are. The Kid and I had to chase down a few things that decided to fly (inanimate!).
= = = =
Please plant a nut or fruit tree today.
Quail Question and the two-dollar garden challenge
I found the following question in my YouTube in-box and thought I'd answer it here:
From MrDreaC: I saw a video a wile back on quail. I was hoping you could answer a few questions i had. the reason i ask is because im thinking of raising some quail. i wanted to know if you had any pointers for me. such as how many birds id need (just me and my girl would be eating).# and size of cages. the best species to buy, where to buy and the like. also my wife has told me that she doesn't want the house to be full of bird squawking all the time. are the birds loud? how may meal birds can be produced by 1 breeding pair? thanks in advance. (sic - above is exactly as it was in my in-box!)
My Response: I'm not an expert by any means. You can check my blog at http://vikkisverandah.blogspot.com and search for "quail". They do make noise but it's not constant and certainly a lot less than most birds. Keep one boy and one girl together because they get jealous and will peck another of the same sex. We just moved ours into rabbit hutches with easy-to-clean pans underneath. Do NOT let a pet-store employee talk you into using a regular bird cage... they don't work for quail. Quail do not fly a lot. They jump up and often hit their heads. They don't need tall cages, just wide. Good luck.
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My goat-neighbor-son called yesterday and said he'd be over today to help construct the goat pen. Would have come over yesterday except he got his chicks in. All 400 of them! He's going to do something called "Pastured Poultry Profit" from a book by Joel Salatin. Interesting. Never heard of it. But will have to pick his brain about it. I think they have 2-3 acres, but the info I found talked about doing it with 20 acres. The reviews I saw for the book on Amazon.com brought up concerns about the lack of info on how to market the meat/eggs in today's society. Didn't discuss the internet, from what I can tell.
QUESTION: what is the best way for a small "hobby farmer" to market the meat, eggs, milk, cheese, produce, etc.?
We'll probably use most of our eggs, but would like to sell our extra quail and quail eggs. Plus we plan to sell our produce. That's why I'm asking the above question.
I got a LOT of work done on repotting my seedlings yesterday but still have lots more to do. My plants are growing so fast and we haven't even begun making the raised-bed frames for them. I have a lot of cold-crops ready to go so we need to get it done soon!
Plus I broke down the other day and bought 3 strawberry plants and a small 9-flat of lettuce plants. I just couldn't wait any longer! I want fresh greens! The lettuce got planted yesterday in a windowsill planter... plenty of space because we'll keep them "clipped". The strawberries will get planted in another windowsill planter and should begin bearing within a month.
It's so much to get done for the first year on a new property. We'll do as much as possible, but I'm thinking the strawberry pyramid will have to wait until next year. That's why the windowsill planter for this year.
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Last night I took 3 peat pellets, un-shrank them (rehydrated), and placed an organic green lentil in each.
Assuming they sprout, I'm gonna do a lot more and plant them all along a fence. I've never grown lentils so know nothing about them. I'll harvest, save to eat and to seed. Since they didn't have a name, I'll call them VC Green Lentils!
= = = = = =
I'm thinking that I'll put off my $2 Garden Challenge for a year. I just don't have the time, energy and strength to do more than what we had already planned. Even scaling back still won't give me that extra time. Sorry to disappoint but ... I'm sure you understand.
= = = = =
Hubby, the Kid and me did get some pallets and other things moved around in the workshop/barn last night. We also moved the chicken coop in place but I'm not happy with the puddle of oil soaked into the dirt underneath. Gonna have to figure out something.
And ... Hubby tried to work on a co-worker's laptop here at home yesterday and it tried to reconfigure our modem. It's basically shot. I had to piggy-back off a neighbor's to post this morning. I'm really ticked, especially since Hubby does all of this work for free. That free job's gonna cost us a new modem. And Hubby got a promotion about a year ago but have they given him the title and new pay yet? Nope!
Ok, I'm not in the best of moods today. Maybe I should go back to bed for a little while.
From MrDreaC: I saw a video a wile back on quail. I was hoping you could answer a few questions i had. the reason i ask is because im thinking of raising some quail. i wanted to know if you had any pointers for me. such as how many birds id need (just me and my girl would be eating).# and size of cages. the best species to buy, where to buy and the like. also my wife has told me that she doesn't want the house to be full of bird squawking all the time. are the birds loud? how may meal birds can be produced by 1 breeding pair? thanks in advance. (sic - above is exactly as it was in my in-box!)
My Response: I'm not an expert by any means. You can check my blog at http://vikkisverandah.blogspot.com and search for "quail". They do make noise but it's not constant and certainly a lot less than most birds. Keep one boy and one girl together because they get jealous and will peck another of the same sex. We just moved ours into rabbit hutches with easy-to-clean pans underneath. Do NOT let a pet-store employee talk you into using a regular bird cage... they don't work for quail. Quail do not fly a lot. They jump up and often hit their heads. They don't need tall cages, just wide. Good luck.
= = = =
My goat-neighbor-son called yesterday and said he'd be over today to help construct the goat pen. Would have come over yesterday except he got his chicks in. All 400 of them! He's going to do something called "Pastured Poultry Profit" from a book by Joel Salatin. Interesting. Never heard of it. But will have to pick his brain about it. I think they have 2-3 acres, but the info I found talked about doing it with 20 acres. The reviews I saw for the book on Amazon.com brought up concerns about the lack of info on how to market the meat/eggs in today's society. Didn't discuss the internet, from what I can tell.
QUESTION: what is the best way for a small "hobby farmer" to market the meat, eggs, milk, cheese, produce, etc.?
We'll probably use most of our eggs, but would like to sell our extra quail and quail eggs. Plus we plan to sell our produce. That's why I'm asking the above question.
I got a LOT of work done on repotting my seedlings yesterday but still have lots more to do. My plants are growing so fast and we haven't even begun making the raised-bed frames for them. I have a lot of cold-crops ready to go so we need to get it done soon!
Plus I broke down the other day and bought 3 strawberry plants and a small 9-flat of lettuce plants. I just couldn't wait any longer! I want fresh greens! The lettuce got planted yesterday in a windowsill planter... plenty of space because we'll keep them "clipped". The strawberries will get planted in another windowsill planter and should begin bearing within a month.
It's so much to get done for the first year on a new property. We'll do as much as possible, but I'm thinking the strawberry pyramid will have to wait until next year. That's why the windowsill planter for this year.
= = = = = =
Last night I took 3 peat pellets, un-shrank them (rehydrated), and placed an organic green lentil in each.
Assuming they sprout, I'm gonna do a lot more and plant them all along a fence. I've never grown lentils so know nothing about them. I'll harvest, save to eat and to seed. Since they didn't have a name, I'll call them VC Green Lentils!
= = = = = =
I'm thinking that I'll put off my $2 Garden Challenge for a year. I just don't have the time, energy and strength to do more than what we had already planned. Even scaling back still won't give me that extra time. Sorry to disappoint but ... I'm sure you understand.
= = = = =
Hubby, the Kid and me did get some pallets and other things moved around in the workshop/barn last night. We also moved the chicken coop in place but I'm not happy with the puddle of oil soaked into the dirt underneath. Gonna have to figure out something.
And ... Hubby tried to work on a co-worker's laptop here at home yesterday and it tried to reconfigure our modem. It's basically shot. I had to piggy-back off a neighbor's to post this morning. I'm really ticked, especially since Hubby does all of this work for free. That free job's gonna cost us a new modem. And Hubby got a promotion about a year ago but have they given him the title and new pay yet? Nope!
Ok, I'm not in the best of moods today. Maybe I should go back to bed for a little while.
Goat Pen Figured Out
Our back neighbors came over around 11:00 a.m. yesterday to look around our property and help me figure out where to house the goats. We have two good areas that really hadn't occurred to me:
(1) The workshop. It's a really big building (30x45) and we can easily house the goats along the side or back of the workshop inside. It's got a couple of opaque skylights, and electricity available for heat lamps and video-cams for when we kid later on. They could go in there at night, and in the morning we'd walk them outside and around to the "dog run" that's fenced in. We could put one of those big heavy pallets in their workshop-pen, stack hay around and scatter more across the pallet and dirt floor. That would make a nice warm place to milk them later, too. Very safe from predators and the elements.
(2) There's space under our back deck that the former people used to store firewood. We'd have to do some repairs because the former dogs dug holes all around it and through it. We'd also have to replace the aluminum door with something more like a barn door that would still offer protection but also sunlight when the snow is deep.
Maybe we'll fix up the workshop first, and if it works out, we'll either cut a hole in the back for a door and make a fenced area right behind.
And maybe we'll fix up the under-the-deck area for the billy goat(s) when it comes time.
Yeah, I'm thinking we'll prepare an area for the goats in the workshop. There should be room in there for the chickens too. Maybe we'll even move the rabbits and quail out there too!
= = = =
After we finished our taxes yesterday (we paid through the nose ... ouch!), we popped on next door to eat our annivesary dinner at a steak restaurant. The Kid too. After all, he was part of the wedding ceremony too. Can't believe it's been 4 years. Anyway, we got home just before dark, time to get doggy-bags refrigerated, teeth brushed, and things ready for today.
Hubby left this morning with the check for taxes to mail. Now I need to move money around. Basically, the gov gets our fence money. Oh well. Better luck next year! We'll do the fence when we can and just hope that critters don't eat up all our corn, beans, pumpkins and so on.
Meanwhile, I have a doc appointment this morning (for the migraines that have increased in frequency). Hope I can get the Kid in too because he's had a cough for a couple of months and he's also got another ingrown toenail. After the doc, we'll head on over to Home Depot where I'll pick up a few things to "fence-off" the goat pen in the workshop. Hoping that one of Hubby's friends will come by on Saturday to help us build the pen so that we can pick up the goaties on Sunday.
I just realized I never took a pic of my seedlings. Maybe I'll have a chance tomorrow. Today's schedule is kinda packed.
Have a great day, all!
(1) The workshop. It's a really big building (30x45) and we can easily house the goats along the side or back of the workshop inside. It's got a couple of opaque skylights, and electricity available for heat lamps and video-cams for when we kid later on. They could go in there at night, and in the morning we'd walk them outside and around to the "dog run" that's fenced in. We could put one of those big heavy pallets in their workshop-pen, stack hay around and scatter more across the pallet and dirt floor. That would make a nice warm place to milk them later, too. Very safe from predators and the elements.
(2) There's space under our back deck that the former people used to store firewood. We'd have to do some repairs because the former dogs dug holes all around it and through it. We'd also have to replace the aluminum door with something more like a barn door that would still offer protection but also sunlight when the snow is deep.
Maybe we'll fix up the workshop first, and if it works out, we'll either cut a hole in the back for a door and make a fenced area right behind.
And maybe we'll fix up the under-the-deck area for the billy goat(s) when it comes time.
Yeah, I'm thinking we'll prepare an area for the goats in the workshop. There should be room in there for the chickens too. Maybe we'll even move the rabbits and quail out there too!
= = = =
After we finished our taxes yesterday (we paid through the nose ... ouch!), we popped on next door to eat our annivesary dinner at a steak restaurant. The Kid too. After all, he was part of the wedding ceremony too. Can't believe it's been 4 years. Anyway, we got home just before dark, time to get doggy-bags refrigerated, teeth brushed, and things ready for today.
Hubby left this morning with the check for taxes to mail. Now I need to move money around. Basically, the gov gets our fence money. Oh well. Better luck next year! We'll do the fence when we can and just hope that critters don't eat up all our corn, beans, pumpkins and so on.
Meanwhile, I have a doc appointment this morning (for the migraines that have increased in frequency). Hope I can get the Kid in too because he's had a cough for a couple of months and he's also got another ingrown toenail. After the doc, we'll head on over to Home Depot where I'll pick up a few things to "fence-off" the goat pen in the workshop. Hoping that one of Hubby's friends will come by on Saturday to help us build the pen so that we can pick up the goaties on Sunday.
I just realized I never took a pic of my seedlings. Maybe I'll have a chance tomorrow. Today's schedule is kinda packed.
Have a great day, all!
Grow to Feed Quail
I'm researching what we need to grow to feed our critters. As you know, I'm planning our garden now so... even tho I've bought quail food, here's our plan:
Morning Feeding:
1 “dixie cup” millet
Evening Feeding:
1 “dixie cup” treat
Treats:
-berries (I assume very small or chopped)
-corn (cracked)
-grass seeds
-legume seeds (small)
-millet
-soybean (dried, crushed)
WATER: Clean and refresh with clean water daily.
If the quail have a large feeder, mix the feed well before filling. Quail need slightly more protein than chickens. Our quail like to get in the food/feeder and push it out onto the floor of the cage. Working on that!
= = = =
Updated at 7:15 p.m.
We're already growing millet, and can get a hold of non-treated grass seed for now. We are also growing soybeans, corn, beans, and berries. We can totally grow their food. Food!
At Home Depot today because needed a plug for our bathtub, marking paint for mark where our fence and trees will go, and trash cans. As we pulled up, we saw they had lots of trees in their parking lot. Apparently they had survived yesterday's "blizzard". Among the shrubs, pines and shade trees were fruit trees! Yes! And much cheaper than I was planning to spend at Stark's. They don't have everything I wanted but still.... I talked with the garden department manager who took my name and number and will call me when they get their next shipment. We're not ready to plant them yet but in a couple of weeks, we will be. YES!!!
Morning Feeding:
1 “dixie cup” millet
Evening Feeding:
1 “dixie cup” treat
Treats:
-berries (I assume very small or chopped)
-corn (cracked)
-grass seeds
-legume seeds (small)
-millet
-soybean (dried, crushed)
WATER: Clean and refresh with clean water daily.
If the quail have a large feeder, mix the feed well before filling. Quail need slightly more protein than chickens. Our quail like to get in the food/feeder and push it out onto the floor of the cage. Working on that!
= = = =
Updated at 7:15 p.m.
We're already growing millet, and can get a hold of non-treated grass seed for now. We are also growing soybeans, corn, beans, and berries. We can totally grow their food. Food!
At Home Depot today because needed a plug for our bathtub, marking paint for mark where our fence and trees will go, and trash cans. As we pulled up, we saw they had lots of trees in their parking lot. Apparently they had survived yesterday's "blizzard". Among the shrubs, pines and shade trees were fruit trees! Yes! And much cheaper than I was planning to spend at Stark's. They don't have everything I wanted but still.... I talked with the garden department manager who took my name and number and will call me when they get their next shipment. We're not ready to plant them yet but in a couple of weeks, we will be. YES!!!
One Day to Closing!
We actually got some sleep last night so we're feeling better today. More positive outlook. And with the closing for our house tomorrow, the excitement is so ... indescribable. By Sunday at noon we'll be in front of our new home with a trailer of stuff and a car full of cleaning supplies, ready to unload and start preparing for our lives there. Monday we'll take another load to take care of while we meet the radon mitigator (since we can't live there until that's done). Then other the course of the next week and a half, we'll take what we can, little by little, until we finally rent a big truck and workers to get the big stuff, like the chest freezer, appliances, furniture and beds.
I dream about types of fencing, and chicken eggs. Of designing a chicken coop that maybe our little goats can share. Of planting the millet, or where is the best place for the lentils, or how many of each tomato will we grow.
Love this.
= = = =
We're looking at the McMurray Hatchery for info about chickens, quail, and more birds. While there, found rabbit hutches! Perfect since our Angora rabbit needs a mate!
We had already ordered Auracana chicks and Coturnix quail chicks from a feed store near our new home but now that I've seen Black Astralorps ... changed our order to 5 black astralorps and 5 auracanas (coming in the week of April 26) and keeping the 10 coturniz quail (coming in the week of June 8).
Anybody have any experience with any of these?
I dream about types of fencing, and chicken eggs. Of designing a chicken coop that maybe our little goats can share. Of planting the millet, or where is the best place for the lentils, or how many of each tomato will we grow.
Love this.
= = = =
We're looking at the McMurray Hatchery for info about chickens, quail, and more birds. While there, found rabbit hutches! Perfect since our Angora rabbit needs a mate!
We had already ordered Auracana chicks and Coturnix quail chicks from a feed store near our new home but now that I've seen Black Astralorps ... changed our order to 5 black astralorps and 5 auracanas (coming in the week of April 26) and keeping the 10 coturniz quail (coming in the week of June 8).
Anybody have any experience with any of these?
We got the house!
Remember the 2 acre house we loved on sight and put an offer on? The short sale (because the sellers/owners haven't been paying their mortgage payment)?
Late yesterday I got a call from our agent, saying we got the house. Yippee! Problem, tho. Argh! The bank's acceptance fax was dated Jan 20 and was received by the seller's agent the same day. That date was supposed to "start the clock" for all of our deadline dates, like the inspection, request for documents, etc. Unfortunately, the seller's agent SAT on that fax until late yesterday, the 25th. WHY!?!? We're ticked and clueless. Because that jerk sat on the fax, we have already missed several deadline dates.
Part of the acceptance letter included several requirements, including that the seller's bank requires the closing to be on or before February 26. We had a closing date of Feb 19. Wonder what it will actually be?
= = = =
... I had more to write about that but was interrupted from typing when I got an e-mail from our agent. It appears that the sellers don't want to leave until the end of March. Huh? We need clarification... do they want to wait until March to close, even tho that's against the bank's wishes and they haven't paid a mortgage payment in quite a while, or do they want to close on Feb 26 and live there free until the end of March? Under our dime, while we pay apt rent and mortgage, two utilities, an extra month of storage units and etc? Either way, no way. Agent is contacting them to get this clarified and to let them know in no uncertain terms that we will close before Feb 26. And we want it in writing.
If they had asked for additional time before they accepted the contract and IF their bank had agreed to it, we might have agreed to another week or two. But now, Hubby and I are concerned that they'll destroy the house if they are allowed to stay even one minute past closing. We've decided that we'll do our walk-through inspection on our way to closing, get the keys, and immediately go to the property and squat while Hubby changes all the locks.
Paranoia doesn't fit me but sometimes, it pays to be diligent.
= = = = =
I've been up since 5:30 and haven't eaten yet. My nauseous tummy is growling so I need to feed it before I get another call to deal with. Plus trying to get the Kid to understand math. Cooking. Critter care (one of our two remaining quail is laying 1 egg every other day and our angora bunny has torn out a lot of her fiber!). Arranging whatever is needed to get this deal done. And not sleeping at night. Plus... craving a good ole Fuddrucker's cheeseburger.
I started writing this e-mail an hour or two ago. It's now 10:46 a.m. Yep, time to eat. I'll write more when I know more.
Late yesterday I got a call from our agent, saying we got the house. Yippee! Problem, tho. Argh! The bank's acceptance fax was dated Jan 20 and was received by the seller's agent the same day. That date was supposed to "start the clock" for all of our deadline dates, like the inspection, request for documents, etc. Unfortunately, the seller's agent SAT on that fax until late yesterday, the 25th. WHY!?!? We're ticked and clueless. Because that jerk sat on the fax, we have already missed several deadline dates.
Part of the acceptance letter included several requirements, including that the seller's bank requires the closing to be on or before February 26. We had a closing date of Feb 19. Wonder what it will actually be?
= = = =
... I had more to write about that but was interrupted from typing when I got an e-mail from our agent. It appears that the sellers don't want to leave until the end of March. Huh? We need clarification... do they want to wait until March to close, even tho that's against the bank's wishes and they haven't paid a mortgage payment in quite a while, or do they want to close on Feb 26 and live there free until the end of March? Under our dime, while we pay apt rent and mortgage, two utilities, an extra month of storage units and etc? Either way, no way. Agent is contacting them to get this clarified and to let them know in no uncertain terms that we will close before Feb 26. And we want it in writing.
If they had asked for additional time before they accepted the contract and IF their bank had agreed to it, we might have agreed to another week or two. But now, Hubby and I are concerned that they'll destroy the house if they are allowed to stay even one minute past closing. We've decided that we'll do our walk-through inspection on our way to closing, get the keys, and immediately go to the property and squat while Hubby changes all the locks.
Paranoia doesn't fit me but sometimes, it pays to be diligent.
= = = = =
I've been up since 5:30 and haven't eaten yet. My nauseous tummy is growling so I need to feed it before I get another call to deal with. Plus trying to get the Kid to understand math. Cooking. Critter care (one of our two remaining quail is laying 1 egg every other day and our angora bunny has torn out a lot of her fiber!). Arranging whatever is needed to get this deal done. And not sleeping at night. Plus... craving a good ole Fuddrucker's cheeseburger.
I started writing this e-mail an hour or two ago. It's now 10:46 a.m. Yep, time to eat. I'll write more when I know more.
Recipe: Millet Oatmeal
I wanted all 3 of us to get a little more oatmeal in our diets so last night, I got out the crockpot. Here's what I did:
Ingredients:
1 cup millet
2 cups GF oats
4 cups water
Directions:
Add all to crockpot and cook on low overnight. Serve with butter and honey.
There was enough leftover, so I will add some dried blueberries and a dash of cinnamon and tub-it-up for Hubby's work breakfast on Monday. Delish!
= = = =
We didn't get much done today. My mouth STILL hurts from the oral surgery 11 days ago. I tried to call the dentist's office yesterday but they are gone until Tuesday. Now my tongue tip feels like it's burnt. Wonder what happened... was it the numbing needle? Did it nick something? I would really like a normal mouth again... and not have to go to sleep with an ice pack on my jaw.
And the cough! Ah come on!
I made rice tonight. Just rice. Didn't feel like cooking anything because I didn't feel like eating anything. The Kid supplemented with some goat yogurt and carrots, and Hubby plans to have a sausage sandwich.
Went into the garage earlier and found the quail almost out of seed, and completely out of water. It's the Kid's job to check food and water for the critters first thing in the morning. Guess he fudged this morning, which could have killed them. Quail need a constant supply of food and water. Gonna have to have a LONG talk with him about responsibility. Usually he doesn't have a problem with chores, but the last few days he hasn't stepped up to the plate. Hope it's a temporary thing.
We all made pizzas Thursday night. Seems to have become a ritual. Mine was so delicious I think I'm gonna have to grow an extra amount of basil so I can make my own pesto. I'm gonna have to experiment using walnuts and almonds and maybe pumpkin seeds since we'll be growing them. Very interesting!
Still waiting to hear response for our second offer on the house. It's taking a long time. I know that short sales are supposed to take a long time, but now that we're in the process, it's kinda ridiculous. There's someone at the Fifth-Third bank, location unknown, with our file in his/her in-box, and he's sitting around drinking coffee and doing something that might be a smidgeon easier than a short sale. Just pick up the file, already! [sigh] ok, i'm slightly better. Weekends are hardest. I just want to get the approval and the closing date so we can schedule all of the inspections and start planning where the fruit and nut trees will be planted!
I need a good hot cup of tea. On my verandah. That I don't have yet. Argh.
Ingredients:
1 cup millet
2 cups GF oats
4 cups water
Directions:
Add all to crockpot and cook on low overnight. Serve with butter and honey.
There was enough leftover, so I will add some dried blueberries and a dash of cinnamon and tub-it-up for Hubby's work breakfast on Monday. Delish!
= = = =
We didn't get much done today. My mouth STILL hurts from the oral surgery 11 days ago. I tried to call the dentist's office yesterday but they are gone until Tuesday. Now my tongue tip feels like it's burnt. Wonder what happened... was it the numbing needle? Did it nick something? I would really like a normal mouth again... and not have to go to sleep with an ice pack on my jaw.
And the cough! Ah come on!
I made rice tonight. Just rice. Didn't feel like cooking anything because I didn't feel like eating anything. The Kid supplemented with some goat yogurt and carrots, and Hubby plans to have a sausage sandwich.
Went into the garage earlier and found the quail almost out of seed, and completely out of water. It's the Kid's job to check food and water for the critters first thing in the morning. Guess he fudged this morning, which could have killed them. Quail need a constant supply of food and water. Gonna have to have a LONG talk with him about responsibility. Usually he doesn't have a problem with chores, but the last few days he hasn't stepped up to the plate. Hope it's a temporary thing.
We all made pizzas Thursday night. Seems to have become a ritual. Mine was so delicious I think I'm gonna have to grow an extra amount of basil so I can make my own pesto. I'm gonna have to experiment using walnuts and almonds and maybe pumpkin seeds since we'll be growing them. Very interesting!
Still waiting to hear response for our second offer on the house. It's taking a long time. I know that short sales are supposed to take a long time, but now that we're in the process, it's kinda ridiculous. There's someone at the Fifth-Third bank, location unknown, with our file in his/her in-box, and he's sitting around drinking coffee and doing something that might be a smidgeon easier than a short sale. Just pick up the file, already! [sigh] ok, i'm slightly better. Weekends are hardest. I just want to get the approval and the closing date so we can schedule all of the inspections and start planning where the fruit and nut trees will be planted!
I need a good hot cup of tea. On my verandah. That I don't have yet. Argh.
One Quail Gone
We awoke this morning to find one quail dead, against the back of the cage. It was the skinny one, who we thought was a male. We surmise that he tried to fly out a few too many times, and finally just fatally hurt his head.
There haven't been any new eggs in the last 2 days. Wonder if it was because Ned (er, the boy quail) had already really injured himself.
Well, we did suspect that the deplorable conditions of the barn where we got them probably made them unhealthy. Guess that could also explain the death and lack of eggs.
I don't think I'm cut out to raise critters for meat. Just like my Kid, I'll eat the eggs. But now that we've named our quail, and now that Ned is dead, I just don't see myself getting past our modern mentality: as long as I don't know the critter, I can eat it. This experiment sure did teach me a lot. Hubby and I talked about it this morning as he got ready for work. Perhaps we can find another self-reliant mini-farm and THEY will raise beef and pork and we can get half of one of each per year in exchange for a regular supply of chickens and quail. Maybe meat rabbits. I'm glad I came to this conclusion now instead of later.
How horribly depressing.
= = = =
So.... once we get settled in to our own mini-farm ... by perhaps Fall 2010, we need a homestead or small family-owned farm in Elizabeth or Parker (Colorado) who raises beef and pork, naturally, without antibiotics or hormones. We're want half of 1 each, each Fall. Willing to barter/trade chickens, quail and possibly meat rabbits, also raised without antibiotics or hormones. Sorry ... you'll have to slaughter. Also willing to trade for the beef and pork some of my loofa-soap, or something else we may have that you want, like a good supply of winter squash, pumpkins or zucchini. E-mail please.
There haven't been any new eggs in the last 2 days. Wonder if it was because Ned (er, the boy quail) had already really injured himself.
Well, we did suspect that the deplorable conditions of the barn where we got them probably made them unhealthy. Guess that could also explain the death and lack of eggs.
I don't think I'm cut out to raise critters for meat. Just like my Kid, I'll eat the eggs. But now that we've named our quail, and now that Ned is dead, I just don't see myself getting past our modern mentality: as long as I don't know the critter, I can eat it. This experiment sure did teach me a lot. Hubby and I talked about it this morning as he got ready for work. Perhaps we can find another self-reliant mini-farm and THEY will raise beef and pork and we can get half of one of each per year in exchange for a regular supply of chickens and quail. Maybe meat rabbits. I'm glad I came to this conclusion now instead of later.
How horribly depressing.
= = = =
So.... once we get settled in to our own mini-farm ... by perhaps Fall 2010, we need a homestead or small family-owned farm in Elizabeth or Parker (Colorado) who raises beef and pork, naturally, without antibiotics or hormones. We're want half of 1 each, each Fall. Willing to barter/trade chickens, quail and possibly meat rabbits, also raised without antibiotics or hormones. Sorry ... you'll have to slaughter. Also willing to trade for the beef and pork some of my loofa-soap, or something else we may have that you want, like a good supply of winter squash, pumpkins or zucchini. E-mail please.
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