tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-50580551411368413082024-03-09T20:16:14.233-08:00One Sunny AcreStay on the sunny side of life and the light will reflect off of you.Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.comBlogger163125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-61836646113925879902021-11-11T11:40:00.000-08:002021-11-11T11:40:01.889-08:00The Real Witsa Bean<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAg9bEItvK9VFaMwXIY9zTAR-8HUT3ktUzQmwtsP9yoJdQ2U7d77QRl69PBUbH3BN1-7KR9PsYk8Zo0uynoHgrmYPCHGNzVg0MOdlm5CbMDlImHRnCBtW4KstGdEhDnpdRLUHeZOKQtnEE/s1600/1636658786394403-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAg9bEItvK9VFaMwXIY9zTAR-8HUT3ktUzQmwtsP9yoJdQ2U7d77QRl69PBUbH3BN1-7KR9PsYk8Zo0uynoHgrmYPCHGNzVg0MOdlm5CbMDlImHRnCBtW4KstGdEhDnpdRLUHeZOKQtnEE/s1600/1636658786394403-0.png" width="400" />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Witsa, Pole/Snap,
2021 – This is the REAL Witsa. I will start off by saying that most of the
beans being sold out there as Witsa are not Witsa. There is not a second bean
coincidentally named Witsa either. They are entirely the wrong bean which has
been misnamed. There is a garble of information and much crisscrossing of
misinformation attending some of these listings. Adding to the confusion is
that most are listed as a Runner bean, but this is a Common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris.
This may be a cultural difference by country in which they mean a Runner bean
to be a Pole bean, not P. coccineus as we know a Runner bean to be. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The true Witsa
bean is a South African bean developed in 1951 from a cross between Green Savage
and St. Louis Perfection. It is a very long, tender podded, STRINGLESS!! bean with good disease resistance and outstanding productivity. I suspect it failed
to take off commercially because it is so very tender and would not hold up
well to shipping and commercial processing. The other bean being sold out there
is a shorter, flat-podded bean. It may be a nice bean itself, but it is not
Witsa. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The most accurate and detailed information on its history can be found here
in a PDF image of an old South African market bulletin from June 1966: <a href="https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA00148490_3532">https://journals.co.za/doi/pdf/10.10520/AJA00148490_3532</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQY-RhK6lsu0zjC1grBthvV_c64J06j2_dkQZcyU44pSRWxRYNx2A4OIpi7JWylL80clHBPbYqCilDMOP9fImoG9JS92kNhMUIa8t5M23f3Y4Xj-1vszcpo0TLxKDhlKAapYXAkOt2lwDs/s1600/1636658784831512-1.png" width="400" />
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As a home
gardener who loves to can and put up lots of good food for my family for the
winter, Witsa is a dream. This bean will not waste space in your garden or your
time in the kitchen! The pods average 8 inches long, with 9-10 seeds per pod.
They remain super tender and go through a puffy stage as the seeds fill out in the
pod. The dry pods are so tender they are easy to shell and crumble in your
hands. The plants are vigorous climbers and the blooms are white. It is one of
the most productive beans I’ve seen to date. It had an initial large flush around
65 days from planting, the vines remained disease-free and healthy, and it gave
me a second large flush in late September. It kept going right up until our
season ended.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The true Witsa has pods that are as long as the diameter of this disposable plate!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It is the longest podded bean that I have grown.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRq1FpPPGEn669LPhNv6mAWKBcyI2g3RmwXSrYiCThxsGR7MWUjPirs12G4e6LP8WI03T1E8y-crjiMFLfhgstmHrqsFbTzxK8WVfc3E9232EN4FYNF6ov55AMP7-iursQb73XsXdKTacT/s1600/1636658782944498-2.png" width="400" />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It has an unremarkable white seed.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-tF0qOyrjT9oRQ5t0VZtivzpLTOBBzDd2r8XPDEeh81cF_tFMbxy0CM15B1z1v2r2BsGkN-kx0SfxvYsDBM-XUji0ey8uQhiX6Sl4EauR2aywQv2M-BUrTk5lZV0Hl4YStqGUFWzz-WPJ/s1600/1636658781268083-3.png" width="400" />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I acquired
seed for this bean in 2014 from a California bean collector named Marshall Smyth,
but I didn’t end up growing it out until 2018. I had only a few seeds and got
poor germination, so with just a couple of plants I mostly focused on increasing
the seed and didn’t pay it much attention to assess its qualities at the time.
I had a good dozen or more plants come up from the newer seed this year. We ate
so well from this bean! And I have a good supply of 2021 seed for it now.</span></p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /><br /></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-57688109479327133382021-11-09T12:14:00.001-08:002021-11-09T12:14:06.857-08:00So, We've Got This Going On Here Today...Our septic leach field failed this summer. Our house was built in 1942 and the next door neighbors who used to live here say it is the same system they had when they bought the place in 1974. So I guess we're lucky it made it as long as it did!<div><br></div><div>This puts a few other projects back a little. Hopefully, we'll be able to do a new metal roof come spring. </div><div><br></div><div>The old system was buried 6 feet deep! 😳</div><div><br></div><div>We went through 3 contractors prior to this crew who all told us different things. Turns out the Health Department will tell you whether or not you can have a leach field. And we were cleared for a new one, so that saved us a chunk of money and we didn't have to run electric for an aerator or UV system, praise the Lord. </div><div><br></div><div>This is the fourth contractor we talked to. Brandon went in person to the Health Department yesterday and they came right out the same day to consult with the inspector. They dropped off their digger last night and have been hard at it since 9:30 this morning. They've gotten 2 of the 4 lines put in already. They should have it all done by tomorrow, new 1000-gallon tank and everything.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div><br></div><div>Unfortunately, the goats will lose access to their pasture until the ground settles naturally, about a year from now. I can run an extension of their dry lot out to the right of the little red barn and double that space. I'll move all of their climbing toys up there. The 6 wethers will be going out on the farm to clear brush next spring, so that will take a load off of my hay supply. I need to run new fenceline back there anyway. It will all work out.</div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-11710206779156090122021-11-02T19:00:00.001-07:002021-11-02T19:00:16.189-07:00Last of the Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br></div><div>Dinner tonight was homegrown BBQ chicken and the last pickings of the garden: George Washington Fall Beans, Muncher cukes and Japanese Black Trifele tomatoes.</div><div><br></div><div>We skipped right over frost and will have our first freeze tonight, with a very cold week in the forecast ahead. I don't know that I'm ever really ready for winter, but I've been a little more on top of things than usual this year.</div><div><br></div><div>I still have many goat projects that I want to build and improve upon and a line of fence I'd like to get run on the farm before the ground gets hard. </div><div><br></div><div>Next thing on the schedule is breeding season! I live in anticipation of those spring kids. 🐐 ❤</div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-35224259677002684102020-12-01T20:38:00.001-08:002020-12-01T20:42:48.364-08:00Best $17 I've Ever Spent!<p>If there are cookies involved, these two will be your best friend. Try to trim their hooves, give them meds or any other necessary goat maintenance and they go all psycho and will try to kick your lights out. 😕</p><div>So now it has come to this...</div><div> <br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><br />I bought this $17 <a href="https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/large-weigh-sling?cat_id=145" target="_blank">calf sling from Premier1 supplies</a>. Best purchase ever! No more nonsense, lol. They are quite secure and comfortable in there and it is much less distressing for all parties involved. </div><div><br /></div><div>And I can do a much better job without wearing out my back. You can swivel them around to get the best view and lighting too. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWTBKtoDXQWby8_JxKAXA-STG2-T9nYjkwN3ZKxWJVW4kCy1swFc9SAZ0pHGzBdwMFmXJkmvzMHonv9w8WRn1pxxNewxtDsLFffeVpJNNE6qMj3r4T4PGLJj4vAaXn8-Ej2W2Bgk6vXaIC/s1600/1606690532323974-1.png" width="400" />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYuotZ3Z28Z3e3IwtjX1EERo8Dz0MeGDZdox5w14TocrNbl187emBPcvkim9uc82AVhr6ciDJtVBY-5aRsoLdofxE5DXWWpH2Y55-TsLJWX2OsZhicY1LN1S9h4Ax5dKhyXYEbz3uRmHtt/s1600/1606690527084158-2.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></div><div>Here's Snappy sticking his nose through the knot hole in the barn wall, wondering what on earth's going on back here and insisting he deserves a cookie too.</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The boys are not hard to trim. They behave very nicely on the milk stand for me. Other than the stinkiness, they are a real pleasure to work with.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Something else that has made my hoof trimming easier is a Stanley Surform rasp. You can find them at the hardware store or online for about $9. It makes it really easy to get a nice, even plane on the bottom of the hoof. It takes off a little at a time; much like shredding cheese, but on a lesser level.</div><div> </div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW9sgsiwdwe4TAE1kUmJMtVIJdJh9mgHFRinqF5EkmwPLCAT2MoYIP2uDyelxrMwx-vlKmPwh998Djaxju73P0YZzEJ3L2FcM98aYyQ4zwm8GNBH9SqdxLkS-Hs4NtfVLOVBO9YKpCk4Fm/s1600/1606705827786227-3.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></div><div>I also invested in a nice, sharp <a href="https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/ars-hoof-trimming-shears?cat_id=6" target="_blank">pair of hoof trimmers from Premier1</a> last year. Those ran me about $40, which I thought was a fair price and well worth it. These are well made and dependable. If they ever need sharpening, you can send them in and they'll do it for free.</div><p>Heather and Astrid were handled and played with all the time as kids, but they still turned out to be stubborn brats. They were dam-raised. Ava was beginning to dread messing with the goats, so I had to do something. A few cookies later and all is forgiven! Overall, it's a more positive experience for them too. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/nLSnF5op8wQ" width="480" youtube-src-id="nLSnF5op8wQ"></iframe></div><p>I would say use your discretion as to the size, weight and health of your goat if you decide to give the sling a try. Some goats are more rotund, with a large, active rumen. It might not be as comfortable for one in that case.</p><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-27627849423159882812020-09-10T19:18:00.003-07:002020-09-10T20:59:03.950-07:00Hay is Up!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br /></div><div>Today we got 90 bales of sweet, second-cut timothy/orchard grass/clover hay put in the barn for winter. Man, is that a good feeling!</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div><br /></div><div>We bought off the same folks as last year. The lady had a whole plate of no-bake cookies for the kids to take home. They helped a good bit and got a little wagon ride on the way home. Good times! 😊</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-39726881308910357262020-09-08T23:50:00.004-07:002020-09-10T20:58:47.560-07:00It's a Jungle Out There<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzoVw8seVhKZhMhwDfwel_3i1XPa0jcwbID5fHFYmgZExN35VKI-xGiif-NiecqexwM7e9O4Z22qpI8TxXvefjx1Me_pzGGfQ532TvqxwYIoQbitGmQkos6uTNPmrLnjh_7EtpwpOZ6IO/s1600/1599631584310584-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVe9hUgHXyxypqs-SQ5gRsyplPqgYSruSdzSCpA-jDymsLs6YfUIIl4hI3B8LpWylJNy3gbCrO0b2l1SFQ9Lw4MmJts2706ImdUbVHqGfCJ6vRJPj-a3RJ8RndhQfv6etDb2j-lQWlomSd/s1600/1599631574513428-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVe9hUgHXyxypqs-SQ5gRsyplPqgYSruSdzSCpA-jDymsLs6YfUIIl4hI3B8LpWylJNy3gbCrO0b2l1SFQ9Lw4MmJts2706ImdUbVHqGfCJ6vRJPj-a3RJ8RndhQfv6etDb2j-lQWlomSd/w625-h351/1599631574513428-3.png" width="625" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Summer is winding down, but with all of the late rains we have had, the garden is still very green and lush. This has been one of the most bountiful and healthy gardens I've ever had. I did lose control of the weeds as we had a couple of weeks of continual rains. As the bulk of the harvest came on, my whole family caught Covid! I was thankful to feel well enough keep up with the canning. It amounted to something like a mild flu/bad head cold for us. The kids recovered quickly, but my husband and I were sick a good two weeks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have seen so many beneficials out in the garden this year. The brown marmorated stink bugs seem to have leveled out finally. They had been the worst pest I've had for several years now, sucking juices from the fruits and spreading disease. This year my nemesis was the cabbage moths. I sprayed the cauliflower several times with BT, but they were relentless. Now with all of the rain we've had, the cauliflower is beginning to rot out. I will probably just go ahead and pull those. I used insecticidal soap a couple times to get the thrips and aphids. I have seen a lot of lady bugs too. The only place had to spot check with Sevin spray was the summer squash and zucchinis as we battled so many squash bugs. I was careful to spray late of an evening so it would dry before the new blooms opened and the bees came back in the morning.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzoVw8seVhKZhMhwDfwel_3i1XPa0jcwbID5fHFYmgZExN35VKI-xGiif-NiecqexwM7e9O4Z22qpI8TxXvefjx1Me_pzGGfQ532TvqxwYIoQbitGmQkos6uTNPmrLnjh_7EtpwpOZ6IO/s1600/1599631584310584-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="889" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvzoVw8seVhKZhMhwDfwel_3i1XPa0jcwbID5fHFYmgZExN35VKI-xGiif-NiecqexwM7e9O4Z22qpI8TxXvefjx1Me_pzGGfQ532TvqxwYIoQbitGmQkos6uTNPmrLnjh_7EtpwpOZ6IO/w500-h889/1599631584310584-0.png" width="500" /></a> <br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_fw4c8tuod7IRkLEb_picJPBtvfz9hrDiUuPbfaO2rwhEaLXZJgbyO_dtRARqzVXuCZFI3EJMgtmlYNVKPMOI-Dv_4a2fro6OlVTm2ySuhMk8Zwkks_9b5fAEcheo-NyZ1WvDaA7veZn/s1600/1599631580852181-1.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjG_fw4c8tuod7IRkLEb_picJPBtvfz9hrDiUuPbfaO2rwhEaLXZJgbyO_dtRARqzVXuCZFI3EJMgtmlYNVKPMOI-Dv_4a2fro6OlVTm2ySuhMk8Zwkks_9b5fAEcheo-NyZ1WvDaA7veZn/w625-h351/1599631580852181-1.png" width="625" />
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</div></div><div> </div><div>The luffa gourds have taken over both sides of the hoop trellis now. It is an aggressive spreader. They bloom during the day, which is nice; a sunny, yellow bloom. I canned a lot of pole beans and left the rest here to go to seed. I kept hitting my head on the dangling fruits as I was picking beans. They are heavy! <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGXP_kMJRff4a1j_i6CPmuzNB00fXKAKvnFRm9N6eqsgwFrZX4b_bg22q9dI_OtD2dZK23JWRzwxK3i84rlH-5W8xsJQ5gB51kZM9IDUzyF0QGZqg7Ti4qdsZ-Ks6q2lLcvz4SpAtVcwvE/w625-h351/1599631577542270-2.png" width="625" />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVe9hUgHXyxypqs-SQ5gRsyplPqgYSruSdzSCpA-jDymsLs6YfUIIl4hI3B8LpWylJNy3gbCrO0b2l1SFQ9Lw4MmJts2706ImdUbVHqGfCJ6vRJPj-a3RJ8RndhQfv6etDb2j-lQWlomSd/s1600/1599631574513428-3.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've had some gorgeous sunflowers this year! These are called "Teddy Bear", I think.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="889" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilXOHz20gLgtGAb1zqMfKcDLPpB3ODyxRGO84_I0OOr23eAS7UjM70QB24EbpGmXUGxde77702QVbW1CXg33NeUUGCDjOFRUVmQQ1VYcS3m_pCMAWnDpei9-E28wVGLgAFtdAipiwbrd8X/w500-h889/1599631565654822-5.png" width="500" />
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<span style="color: black;">The grasshoppers have arrived, looking to fill their bellies.</span><br /></div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn5D8jnt1IAwn2ezwWC4jAxkXJieUdjKRwvY46TcaYOcUKKCumtrIdNq1taqCFqB4yJaxoAiHFgFZpw3vaQwSDAOnrVfTfsx6Pf2lCj-8vgmXyBzyDD3zGz8JbfMGS-9hEUhsQOV_A0An/s1600/1599631557520646-7.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">
<img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrn5D8jnt1IAwn2ezwWC4jAxkXJieUdjKRwvY46TcaYOcUKKCumtrIdNq1taqCFqB4yJaxoAiHFgFZpw3vaQwSDAOnrVfTfsx6Pf2lCj-8vgmXyBzyDD3zGz8JbfMGS-9hEUhsQOV_A0An/w625-h351/1599631557520646-7.png" width="625" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have lost control of the tomato patch. It is difficult to get around. I have canned up 3 wheelbarrow loads of tomatoes and saved lots of seeds. I wish I hadn't planted them so close together. I was desperate to get several varieties in the space. I have saved seeds from multiple fruits to lessen the chance of any being all crossed out. I don't usually get many crosses, but it does happen sometimes. I did pretty well photographing and documenting all the varieties I saved. You can find those on<a href="https://www.instagram.com/journey011/" target="_blank"> my Instagram feed -- journey011. </a></div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="351" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6rQFclx05qt-glfVlvdipB3m18zhyeTZJaUT4IHOhJxclascXP69bXzLYeMO-yuyUow4TyxG1GF05D-NvVyDOjVYNEpiEdthLmJ5a521G_f9IZcXm1KfdOgek2uTXeUcG0haQdRlnlIoR/w625-h351/1599631551446934-8.png" width="625" />
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</div></div><div><br /></div><div>The Glass Gem corn reached about 12' tall. I planted densely, in a spot that was well fertilized with chicken manure and compost. Each stalk has 3 to 4 ears each! They are filling out well and I am beside myself with anticipation for the joy of shucking them when they dry. 😄</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="889" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-4XIMuS2rw-XqYL7O75z2KcUWbd-SJuxY1sgZICS27z0N0me0SJz_GBYGZA_LGguDZesrhmXD4dIt1sjx0eB3YRwEXNMSi-24bn33flK5Y4q4xF8RdAZS4SPhngDD47S5Wn_WXumoXkCd/w500-h889/1599631540752494-10.png" width="500" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My fingers are crossed that the Thai Red Roselle will set seed before frost. I can't wait to have a glass of this tangy, red tea as soon as these buds develop. We sure could have used that natural Vitamin C while we were sick! They are just now appearing. These were started back in February. The plants are much larger than I expected and I have them crowded, of course. I am considering digging one or two up to bring inside for the winter. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglTgwpFPee3JBsbBxZI9TENanDC8bGvXQ_6eeGDicVDS4RNno8cLvbwvuEGBmEce3mQVMS3nISZ5cnxZVR_I-x5Xa38N1MaXwE_vy-o4tx3h0z1sS5zf770td3FhZArGnTeZUyddE-fBJ/s1600/1599631546556038-9.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="500" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiglTgwpFPee3JBsbBxZI9TENanDC8bGvXQ_6eeGDicVDS4RNno8cLvbwvuEGBmEce3mQVMS3nISZ5cnxZVR_I-x5Xa38N1MaXwE_vy-o4tx3h0z1sS5zf770td3FhZArGnTeZUyddE-fBJ/w500-h500/1599631546556038-9.png" width="500" /></a>
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</div></div><div><br /></div><div>September and I have a love/hate relationship. I love the crisp, cooler days, but I also get a little bit of SAD as the days get shorter. I do hate to see the garden come to an end, but I guess everything--myself included--needs the break. We have eaten so well from it this summer and I am grateful. 💚<br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-29883843842027772522020-08-19T15:23:00.003-07:002020-09-08T23:02:56.818-07:00Kitchen Floor Pickles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="889" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhH-TJY5E9F2dfrCY1-YhCE2T-rbImLktBVGPVb9ATUJMOCSlVCsaXHTx3BemzaYsDXogxpVjyOWhwq1W6Me-0bQkksaVB-wkzsSCHCdqOpr-A7bhne_jRlNeJm6gf1ahcTPsp3AR9Yn_3u/w500-h889/1599630849550647-0.png" width="500" />
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</div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mUd0o2yrQsVy0PPT5mOm2MKuU-n4jsyrMLwx9BIlZczUyyrWtyHqYCdvM1iHaSmlZGZbhKYd9wmaX-9_Y38a9xVtA8MVAUSHsVJpiWq5dZhAPQy2B_vyU16m_w2c6pxcg_T_XBFxpeka/s1600/1597386156862457-0.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is an old-fashioned, lacto-fermented pickle recipe that I got from my next door neighbor and garden buddy, Mavis. She shared a jar with me last year and they were THE best pickles I've ever tasted.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I used larger cucumbers than what it called for because that was what I had at the time. You cut them up later, after they've fermented for a month. I've made gherkins before by a similar process, but they only go about 5 days. On the second step, I am going to try using monk fruit, instead of regular sugar, since we are keto. I'm not sure I'll put the full amount in either. I am not certain how that will work out, but if it does, I will update and let you know!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="color: #800180;"><b>ETA: 09/09/2020 -- Monkfruit worked out perfectly! I used about 1 cup, give or take. You can use as much as you want until they taste best to you. Since fermentation also utilizes some of the sugars in the cucumbers themselves, these sweet pickles are very keto-friendly. The larger cucumbers I used on this first batch still turned out good and crunchy. I was able to get a bunch of smaller ones for the second batch, which is pictured above. I decided I would also trim off the blossom ends as you do with regular pickles. There is supposedly an enzyme in them that can affect the crispiness, as I understand it.<br /></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;"></span></b></div><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-large;">Kitchen Floor Pickles</span></b></p></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Using small to medium-sized cucumbers, pack tightly in a gallon jar. Add 2 tablespoons alum, 2 tablespoons salt, 1 cup whole mixed pickling spice, and 4 cups vinegar. Fill the rest of the way up with water. Cap and let set for 1 month. Be sure jar is glass or plastic. Shake jars often. (Rolling the jar across the floor each day is how this recipe got its name.) </span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Remove from jar and wash thoroughly. (Wash jar too.) Cut in chunks and put back in jar. Add 4 cups sugar. Cap and shake jar. Shake until cucumbers are covered with juice. Pickles are ready to eat. Refrigerate. </span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Have fun shaking! These pickles are delicious. And you don't have to can them. They won't last that long. </span></p></blockquote><blockquote style="text-align: left;"><p style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Note: When I say wash, I wash with water only, not soap and water. Also, these pickles make their own juice while you're shaking them.</span></p></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-15071482198831473292020-07-24T13:08:00.003-07:002020-07-24T13:13:00.585-07:00A Reviving RainThe garden has been at a standstill for most of June and July due to little rainfall this summer. I haven't done the best job keeping up with watering the garden, very hit and miss. My cistern has gone dry and I hate using city water and running up the bill. With the help of the kids and my husband this year, I thankfully had everything mulched right off the bat and that has made a big difference. Yesterday's continuous rains finally managed to saturate the ground and the garden (and weeds) seem to have doubled in size today. <div><br /></div><div>Here are a few of the peaceful scenes I got to soak in last evening. 😊</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>My luffa gourds and pole beans are beginning to climb. These all were planted during the first week of June. I only put in 5 bean varieties this year as I needed the room to work with renewing several of my tomato varieties. Also, we are low on tomato sauce and salsa, so I plan to do a lot of canning with them.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" height="711" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1BUVCVtOxbWZ6gmnKiGHMZSYJ-FF64ZTUDtrRPQPMupY5GulxDcJvpv6NDety3HW_sfIjeVyU09pKZnJpS4O-V2DQwltvCqBFFIWFCA6affuKOcYkaV0JGd4f5qI6QlyhzVnqkGzeQdvh/w400-h711/1595620010212845-1.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>These are WV-63, an heirloom canning tomato with high yields of uniform red fruit on a very disease resistant plant. They are an indeterminate, but put most of their energy into bearing. I sucker prune my indeterminate tomatoes and these stayed short and bushy after that. I put in half a row of them and they are all just loaded.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>My Feher Ozon peppers are doing great. These will turn fiery red and then will be smoked and dried for paprika. It is a sweet and slightly spicy pepper. This is the second time I have grown them. I will have seed available of these later as well. </div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN1c-TuP4jjcYsBFHzrj_Y6HDbXkQ839imbcs6I2lNnktrELzJ40ICjkC6DNtFyK1gpNJ-MSbq_PWOVXYm2BYaWtheDS4RRF2AcU1_i67tr-2Wj65PxeHh8oNEVQDcD3BVT9uTIbThbq11/s1600/1595620003185848-3.png" width="400" />
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</div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now, I'll share with you a moment of peace as happy frogs sing tranquilly in the little pond over the hill. Monroe, our one-eyed barn kitty who has adopted us, photo bombs at the end. She is very demanding of affection! 💗</div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="BLOG_video_class" height="305" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/FCMroqq4eKU" width="472" youtube-src-id="FCMroqq4eKU"></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-55752845603732782372020-06-27T12:23:00.003-07:002020-06-27T12:26:11.227-07:00Flip-top Bottles at Aldi's <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br /></div><div>If you enjoy making your own kombucha at home, you need to stop in Aldi's and buy their sparkling lemonade (non-alcoholic) just for the flip-top bottle it comes in. My kids said the lemonade was very good too. (I wouldn't know, as I have been sugar-free on keto for over two years now. 😋) </div><div><br /></div><div>These bottles are very expensive to buy in a case. I paid $2.19 for what I think was a one liter bottle. They are glass and well made.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sealing the bottles of kombucha airtight on the second ferment will produce a fizzy beverage. This is usually when you would add fruit or juice if you want--mixed berries and pineapple juice with ginger were our favorites. I have used pint canning jars with reused metal lids screwed down very tightly. This wasn't always successful. These bottles are perfect for the job.</div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-30510982798085040192020-06-19T11:35:00.003-07:002020-06-19T11:38:08.409-07:00Ameraucana Eggs in the 'Bator<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /><div>I have another batch of eggs going in the incubator, hatch date set for Wednesday, July 8, 2020. These are Ameraucana eggs, a mix of self-blue lavender, cuckoo and black. <div><br /></div><div>My husband says I don't need anymore chickens. I told him I'm selling some Silkies to make room for more! 🤣 I will even come out ahead.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I am thinking I will cross these with my Easter Eggers to bring up their blue.<font color="#3367d6"> </font></div><div><font color="#19059f"><b>Blue is my favorite color.</b></font> 😍</div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-30679571068261234302020-06-16T22:46:00.002-07:002020-06-17T12:13:35.543-07:00Trimming rooster spurs with a Dremel<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-5dNYUV-IFtCjnqcv_9KZu_pYYucE4CX9LxZpP-0L8TcUgMTrPz58_F5XM-dZD22uo1WhEXD8UCUHhrwwU4OpVWTv8A3yu8dBsWF83R_FxuknWhTJcJF5eoHJj1Oiju70CnUdMe0iKTb8/s1600/1592421203725624-0.png" width="400">
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</div><br></div>As I was putting leg bands on my older Silkies the other day, I noticed one of the spurs on my painted rooster, Rocky, had curved backward and begun to impale itself into his leg. My husband was working in the garage, so I brought the rooster up and we immediately got it trimmed. <div><br></div><div>I have seen another method where they put a hot baked potato on a rooster's spurs to loosen them and then twist them off. Leaving the quick exposed like that looks more painful to me. I thought I'd show you how it works to trim them with a Dremel rotary tool.</div><div><br></div><div>We get the little brown cutting wheels. I'm not sure the specs or part number, but see the photo below. It works like a tiny angle grinder.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>You can wrap the rooster in a towel if you wish, but I just hold him tightly with his head under my arm and restrain the leg. My husband uses his free hand to hold the foot as well. It is important that the rooster holds still so you can make an accurate cut.</div><div><br></div><div>You want to leave about a half of an inch stub. You <u>don't</u> want to cut too close or flush with the leg. The main goal is to take the sharp tip down so that the rooster won't hurt the hens or himself when he walks or worse, stab someone or another rooster by flogging. It will slowly regrow. I find it sufficient to trim them once a year in the spring before breeding season hits full swing.</div><div><br></div><div>The great thing about this method is that it is very quick, minimally painful for the rooster and the speed of the wheel cauterizes the quick and you should have little to no bleeding. Recovery is quicker than the other methods of twisting them off and there is no need to apply medicine or isolate the bird for time to heal.</div><div><br></div><div>You can see from the picture below how clean the cut is.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>You can see from this angle how the spur had curved back toward the leg. It made a complete U-turn. I've never seen this happen before in my 12 years of chicken keeping. Perhaps he had injured it. The other spur was normal.</div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div><div>All done and no worse for wear. Rocky's ready to go back to his girls. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-44338609069168235822020-05-15T15:04:00.002-07:002020-05-15T16:31:17.584-07:00Chickens in the Garden<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><div><br /></div><div>I wanted to brag on my chickens a little and show you what good garden helpers they are. 😊</div><div><br /></div><div>This upper quadrant of the garden is a perfectly bare square of dirt since I put my bantams on it this past winter. I have 6 silkies and 2 other bantams in that coop and they have been way more aggressive getting after every green and growing thing in their area. The smaller fenced area was to keep them out of the asparagus patch. </div><div><br /></div><div>The big chickens further over have done a lot to keep the weeds down in their area too. They had a big pile of compost they decimated for me. I've taken to making a pile in one corner of the garden each year of all manure, clippings and scraps. I don't want to waste any of the good stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>I'll lime, till and plant the top half of the garden just as soon as it ever quits raining long enough. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've been working with these <a href="https://www.premier1supplies.com/p/poultrynet-12-48-3-electric-netting?cat_id=139" target="_blank">Poultry Net electric fences from Premier1</a> for about 6 years now. They are amazingly effective and I can't say enough good things about them. They're super easy for me to move by myself and I've had no losses to dogs, opossums, coons, etc. since I started using them. I have lost a couple to hawks, but that was while allowing the chickens to range outside the fence. The fences are strong and haven't degraded in that time either. I have three of them now for rotating their pasture and keeping different flocks separated. Occasionally I will get some stubborn girl who wants to fly out, but I just clip the flight feathers on one wing and that puts an end to that.</div><div><br /></div><div>So anyway, this has been an easy way for me to cultivate and fertilize my garden and I highly recommend it. Those accursed weeds can be very discouraging for me otherwise. The droppings are incorporated quickly and thoroughly enough that it doesn't get "hot".</div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-54672630700746432792020-05-05T13:33:00.002-07:002020-05-05T15:25:36.187-07:00Rainy DayI've been getting some pretty radishes out of the garden, as well as spring onions. The lettuce and spinach are just about to come on too. One plus to this cold, wet weather. Looks like we'll have to run the fireplace at night for the next week or two. <div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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</div><br /></div></div><div>We have had so much rain this spring and few sunny days so far. I am already behind on what I wanted to have done in the garden. It's a swamp out there right now.<br /></div>Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-21708508363761940022020-04-22T15:23:00.000-07:002020-04-22T20:34:19.400-07:00Not Fun<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Poor Katie had to go to the vet yesterday for an abscess, two actually, on her cheek. It's not CL because of the location. Likely she is biting the inside of her cheek or has a briar lodged in there. Her teeth may need floated.</div>
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I've dealt with a couple of various medical matters with my goats over the past 16 months since getting them and let me tell you, I would rather do anything...seriously anything, like having to stick my arm halfway up a goat's wahoo even, than have to flush an abscess! It was traumatic for all of us. </div>
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Katie's twin doelings stood at the gate and bawled most hysterically, which set us all on edge.</div>
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Not something the vet mentioned, but I found it helped to open the wounds better by first applying a warm compress of epsom salt solution so that the scab came off and it was easier to get the cannula up in there.</div>
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I had Ava helping me restrain her. I won't make her do it again in this particular case for the likelihood of causing her to forever hate goats because of it. It was not a job for the feint of heart. Even held in the milkstand, Katie was of a mind to buck out of there. Horses are easier to restrain than a goat! This is a 56 lb. goat!</div>
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I owed everyone a handful of animal crackers after that.</div>
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Julie, or Juji as we call her, is doing well for a 13 year old goat. She doesn't get into to as much excitement as the others, but prefers to pick a good spot and lie in the sun all day. We figured out last time that the easiest way to trim her hooves is to roll her over into your lap, lol.</div>
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I have found another reason to start bottle raising kids from now on, besides for managing milking or avoiding the hysterical hollering that goes on every time I have to separate them to work on anybody. I caught these big girls still nursing their mama. They are tubby little things and their mama is not. I thought Katie was looking thin because of her troubles chewing, but maybe that is less of a problem than I thought. I am going to have to separate the girls out long enough to dry her out.</div>
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I am on the fence about breeding Katie again this fall. She is an excellent mama, but I would like to get her weight up a little first. Her blood test for Johne's and CAE will be coming back soon. I don't expect any problems there.</div>
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Katie's birthday and her doelings' birthday is this Saturday, the 25th. Katie will be 12 and the girls will be 1.</div>
Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-80805801452440216482020-04-22T11:54:00.001-07:002020-04-22T18:57:16.789-07:00Greening Up<div>
2020's garden is well underway! Just waiting for things to warm up around here.</div>
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Savannah's rainbow carrot experiment.</div>
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Growing some <a href="https://www.southernexposure.com/products/roselle-thai-red/" target="_blank">Thai Red Roselle</a>, a species of hibiscus whose buds are used to make a tangy, citrus-flavored tea or jelly. The leaves are also edible as greens.</div>
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Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-86103490456231152562020-04-17T15:19:00.003-07:002020-04-17T15:20:10.593-07:00Good Hatch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Despite all my worrying about humidity levels, we had a very good hatch. 17 of the 18 eggs that went into lock-down hatched. We ended up with 1 black, 4 blue splash, 5 paint and the rest are white, all healthy and vigorous. I plan to sell these here in a couple of days, after the kids have had a chance to enjoy them for a bit. If there is sufficient demand for them, I will set a couple more batches. All proceeds will go toward the purchase of a pair of new doelings!Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-57121806857509800302020-04-13T21:17:00.001-07:002020-04-13T21:17:03.899-07:00Day 19Ok, we're in lockdown...the silkie eggs, that is. 😬 Candling on day 14 had me worrying that the air cells weren't large enough. I ran the humidity low as possible from then until now and made good progress. I hope it was enough. It has been awhile since I've hatched eggs and I haven't done banty eggs before. I kind of flew into it without thinking and forgot to weigh the eggs before setting. We'll see how it goes.<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I hope you all are staying well and getting along alright during this pandemic. What a surreal event it has been. It seems it will be a long time before things get back to any semblance of normal.<br />
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Ordinarily, I am a homebody and an introvert anyway. I could never run out of interesting things to do or means of keeping myself busy. But the thought that you <i>cannot</i> do something makes it oddly more desirable. I have started a lot of different little projects around here and it seems there's always something I'd like to run to Tractor Supply or the hardware store for. I try to bundle all those things into one trip as much as possible or make do.<br />
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We have gotten a good bit of tidying up done out on the farm lately. There are many pressing projects that need attended to out there. My husband has been blessed to be able to work from home, but mediating the chaos of everyone else working from home has kept him very busy in the IT department (which he technically isn't in anymore!!) He is set up with a desk in the basement and we really don't see much of him during the day. There are lots of things I wish he had time to help me with, but this has been no vacation for him.<br />
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Here are a few pics of things I am doing lately. None of which yet have included spring cleaning, ha.<br />
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Wintersowing. </div>
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And starting flats...tomatoes, flowers, peppers, cauliflower, head lettuce, herbs, etc. I'm going to plant a LOT of tomatoes this year and do a lot of canning. I didn't plant up all of the garden space I have available the past couple of years since I was so busy. I plan to can lots of tomato sauce so I can make it keto. </div>
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Planted early spring veggies in the front raised bed so far.</div>
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Pruned my roses and working on putting down new mulch on all of my beds. I know, these are two different colors! I ran out of the mocha brown and haven't been back to Ohio to get more so I had to settle for black. Not exactly a "necessary" purchase, but if I don't get it done now, I will be fighting weeds all summer.</div>
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We bought my Dad's bass boat out of the estate and my husband has been working on the old motor which wasn't running. He bought a big, thick manual on it and cleaned and rebuilt both carburetors. It sounds pretty good, but has some electrical thing wrong with it. He bypassed the kill-switch and that got it starting for now. This is has been his quarantine project and stress reliever. I don't think he would have gotten to it yet if it hadn't been for the COVID-19 shut down. Hopefully, we'll get to spend lots of time out on the water this summer. I bought a new 12-person tent too.</div>
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We're on day 13 of 21 hatching a batch of silkie chicks. After candling and removing 6 duds, I have 19 viable eggs at present. </div>
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These are some of the parents. (The Polish hen and the Mille Fleur hen's eggs were excluded, of course.) I would love to get some more Mille Fleur D'Uccles. They are the sweetest, prettiest little banties. Our silkies are very cute and friendly too. Just the right size for the kids to cuddle.</div>
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Raising some replacement layers. These are all female Easter Eggers. The EE's will always be my favorite for layers. They have a nice temperament and I just think blue eggs taste better. 😉 I wanted to add some Cuckoo Marans this year, but I'll have to order them. I haven't found any locally.</div>
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I am totally obsessed with goats nowadays. I got my first Nigerian Dwarf does in January 2019 and spend a lot of my time studying all about good goat husbandry. The white doe farthest left is Katie and the other two are her doelings from last spring, Heather and Astrid. Lazy ol' Juji is in the barn hiding somewhere. </div>
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These are my new registered boys, both carrying milk stars from their dams. They are looking forward to having a job to do this fall. Katie is 11, so I'm retiring her. I plan to breed Rebel (black, in back) to my 2 first fresheners. He is a slightly smaller built buck than Snapdragon (in front.) </div>
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Snappy says "Hi"! Who knew you could love something so dang stinky? 😄 Both boys have wonderful personalities and can be so cute and affectionate. Everyone got their hooves trimmed yesterday and the boys stood for me much nicer than the girls do. I'm going to give them a spring shave here as soon as the weather warms a bit more.</div>
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I've been working on building them a run. They just go out in it for the day now and sleep at night in the barn until I can finish their little shed. We're putting up a privacy fence around that side of the yard too, as extra protection against loose dogs. I also have electric run around the pen. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBa5Pk7d3AuHMJUDMw_lNAhFiYjTn5NzdoaKq1UrLOM293W0dv2eep5lp3DQMcjsUOZdNV5-BOMgJu5PginWg5Lfup_dHAnPOBW1eCef30VaSj4JjxFPwmRC1GH-JoVTjUqtdNur8Gva5s/s1600/20200404_174841.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBa5Pk7d3AuHMJUDMw_lNAhFiYjTn5NzdoaKq1UrLOM293W0dv2eep5lp3DQMcjsUOZdNV5-BOMgJu5PginWg5Lfup_dHAnPOBW1eCef30VaSj4JjxFPwmRC1GH-JoVTjUqtdNur8Gva5s/s640/20200404_174841.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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When I can, I try to get away for a hike and some foraging as much as possible.</div>
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Morels are in season right now. I've been out a couple times. So far I have only found this one tiny Tulip Morel, <i>M. diminutiva</i>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3q866OYn1I7ugXdzSaOz8Eb6wXu-hlofTaUUmaQUx5KlyDUrIrb2y1SsjszUiNFspDKe0G6XRuvocp5txFJ0RrYsMVWwl2i5dAxBn99BID_UBiVCXWGWb3lBaeXPsjePtcCbXhtX4pFlo/s1600/20200406_175124.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3q866OYn1I7ugXdzSaOz8Eb6wXu-hlofTaUUmaQUx5KlyDUrIrb2y1SsjszUiNFspDKe0G6XRuvocp5txFJ0RrYsMVWwl2i5dAxBn99BID_UBiVCXWGWb3lBaeXPsjePtcCbXhtX4pFlo/s640/20200406_175124.jpg" width="360" /></a></div>
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Naturalized daffodils scattered around an old home site. My honey hole
was logged 2 years ago. I don't know how long it will take to recover.
The machinery spread the daffodils everywhere when they came through.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBmDC77r-JrhlY_g147fpYLDFQcu1SrUvAzldFpeInVkm5ufuRKpDPj14lPKBfMyuT1UUwEhPDU_CU1_FJpcaI0NmCT-MnpLQdKtUTrWV7aKear-Ij-zwJFVDjYcScddPVWkcTeTnb-KE/s1600/20200326_172014.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1600" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWBmDC77r-JrhlY_g147fpYLDFQcu1SrUvAzldFpeInVkm5ufuRKpDPj14lPKBfMyuT1UUwEhPDU_CU1_FJpcaI0NmCT-MnpLQdKtUTrWV7aKear-Ij-zwJFVDjYcScddPVWkcTeTnb-KE/s640/20200326_172014.jpg" width="640" /></a> </div>
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And we've been digging ramps.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjaa3b6TXUJrsyWxpcnvoPsnTZYEcOeWJwGEC_RUI8wmyMhc9tG-mIpnzOrST9enbWRQt_EwaNjC-enx2XgQh8I-9qo14YqAyWGXcIt3Tyb-UHv8mHaiW9DKiCS03CfEt7AzvkGQxXkwe/s1600/20200328_184913.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="900" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixjaa3b6TXUJrsyWxpcnvoPsnTZYEcOeWJwGEC_RUI8wmyMhc9tG-mIpnzOrST9enbWRQt_EwaNjC-enx2XgQh8I-9qo14YqAyWGXcIt3Tyb-UHv8mHaiW9DKiCS03CfEt7AzvkGQxXkwe/s640/20200328_184913.jpg" width="360" /></a> </div>
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And playing in the creek.</div>
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And Savannah is really into learning to shoot a bow lately. She's pretty good too! </div>
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Things are blooming and this is my favorite time of year. I am so thankful for spring as it makes living in the twilight zone much easier to bear. So long as I stay outside and stay busy and don't turn on the news, everything is seems wonderful here in my little corner of the world. My heart goes out to those who are sick or have lost loved ones. It is hard to believe they could let something like this get so out of control in this day and age we live. </div>
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I hope you have a blessed Easter this Sunday, in whatever form that may be.</div>
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<br />Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-65056168407007574622019-03-29T12:12:00.000-07:002020-03-21T12:48:41.024-07:00New GroundWell, hello Blog. Here I am. <br />
<br />
Looking back over old posts and photos and just what a nice way to chronicle things this has been, I regret the massive gap in time where I quit posting.<br />
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Life has been crazy. Life has been, well...life. That's how it goes sometimes.<br />
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But things are beginning to settle down a bit. Or at least I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. So I thought I'd revisit my old blog and see what I might do to dust it off and polish it up a bit and put it back into service.<br />
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I have several things currently brewing, so I'm hoping to make this a point of contact for a few things I'd like to take on in the near future. I went ahead and bought a domain name!<br />
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First thing of note, take a glance up above and you will see I changed my blog's name. Sunny Side Acres. Note, plural, acres! I am taking on my dad's 45-acre farm as my portion of the inheritance. Once the house in town is sold, we'll be signing the deed for the farm too.<br />
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<b><span style="color: #741b47;">[Edit 3-21-19: I've taken the blog title back to One Sunny Acre for now. I couldn't get Sunny Side Acres for my herd name. Oh, well. I am happier with my new choice -- BrightNBeautiful. So I will probably call the whole farm BrightNBeautiful Acres. This came from a poem I love, <a href="https://allpoetry.com/Maker-of-Heaven-and-Earth-_All-things-bright-and-beautiful_" target="_blank">All Things Bright and Beautiful</a>, which I read to my children (and memorized) when they were little. I like this name much better actually! When I get things rolling, I will be retooling the whole blog for a point of contact for the farm. Not a huge priority for me right now, but I have a lot of things going on that I'd like to talk about/chronicle. I want to keep this blog's info too as it is all one journey for us and I like looking back.]</span></b><br />
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It has been a long haul: helping my dad try to fight Glioblastoma stage 4 brain cancer, losing him even yet unexpectedly, no will, I had the nightmare job of administratrix, family problems holding things up, on two different fronts at that, mountains of paperwork, many phone calls, several back-and-forth trips to three different county courthouses to sort things out, a couple of break-thrus, a fire, lots of theft, lots of cleaning up, still cleaning up... It's getting there. Moral of the story: don't die without a will!<br />
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But things are starting to look better.<br />
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I felt Sunny Side Acres was the name that best wrapped it all up. That best conveys that there is still hope and a pressing on toward the future. My eldest daughter, Ava, is a budding artist. She had done this phrase as calligraphy: "Keep on the sunny side of life and the light will reflect off of you." It just struck me as perfect. It plays off my old blog name for our one-acre micro-farm which contains as much as we've been able to neatly squeeze into it. And it envelopes the dreams we have for moving forward with the new property and the hope we have to make it all that it should and could be.<br />
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I haven't any nice recent pictures of my Dad's farm a the moment. It has fallen to neglect and will require lots of work and quite an investment of money to get it up to where it is something productive. It is basically undeveloped land at this point, with one usable outbuilding on it. The 226 year old farm house was burned down just before Christmas by arson. This has started the ball rolling, I guess. There is a little relief and closure to this for me. We were going to tear the house down anyway, but we had hoped to salvage the materials. I can only imagine there were some awesome timbers underneath, maybe even chestnut! That leaves me sad. I wish I could have used them in building a new house. But at least we are well on the way to getting things cleaned up. Here is a pic of the fire:<br />
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I have a lot to update here on the blog. A LOT. For now I'll leave you with a couple pictures of the kids so you can see how they've grown.<br />
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Ava's going to be 12 in June. Savannah just turned 7 this month. We're still homeschooling. </div>
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And this is my two with their cousins at Pandapas Pond in Blacksburg, VA. </div>
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And this little girl here will hopefully give us a couple of kids in mid-May! We bought two older Nigerian Dwarf does back in January. They are registered, so her kids can be AGS registered too. I'm hoping to build up a nice herd. For now, they are the most precious and comical little members of our family and they bring us so much joy. They really brighten my day. That's something we needed more of around here. <3</div>
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<br />Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-84649174104040257232016-04-12T18:05:00.002-07:002016-04-12T23:06:19.660-07:00It Takes a Lot of Duct Tape to Do What I DoChickens... Did you know you can duct tape them back together? That's what I do when they get their backs worn out by the roosters or have a problem with feather picking.<br />
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Cover the area with strips of duct tape. It will stay on for about 2 weeks and protect the hen's back or any wounds she may have while they heal and the feathers start to grow back in. It will fall off on its own as the dirt and oils get under the tape. Reapply as needed until the area is completely healed. I like to choose a plain color, close to the hen's own color if possible, and the other chickens don't seem to notice any difference.<br />
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I am really loving the color and variety in my flock this year. I've got two Easter Egger roosters and they have been such gentlemen so far. I made a point to hand feed them treats since they were young so they would like me and hopefully not flog. So far, so good.<br />
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Ava named the beautiful white roo "Buttered Popcorn". He is Broody Banty's baby's daddy. The other guy is the dominant roo. He doesn't really have a name. I am always hesitant to name roosters since they usually don't hang around long. If they make it through the summer, I'll come up with a name for him.<br />
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She has given several of the girls names as well, but those seem to morph and change often to suit her mood. This little EE girl is my favorite. I love the little black hearts on her breast! So cute!<br />
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Broody Banty's baby turned out to be a pullet. Yay! I was really hoping for another layer so I could keep her.<br />
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I bought a Hova Bator Genesis last fall and have been really wanting to set some eggs, but I've held off for now since my dad was diagnosed with brain cancer in February. I've really got my hands full with that. I'm uncertain if I should just go ahead and eat my two tom turkeys too. I wanted to find some hens and breed them, but I don't really need another project right now. Especially not things that depend on me to feed them. The kids and their daddy have been lucky to get a hot meal here lately. I dunno.Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-33607626643808278142016-01-14T18:23:00.001-08:002016-01-14T18:31:54.758-08:00New ArrivalBroody banty managed to hatch out one little black peep on Monday morning. Unfortunately all of the other eggs were duds. This little fella will have the coveted position of permanent pet status around here. <i>(Unless he grows up to be a flogging rooster.)</i><br />
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Little mama has been so cute teaching him/her how to eat and drink. She tosses seed with her head, clucks and scratches around like crazy. Half of the time, he gets up there to grab a bite and she sends him flying! <br />
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He has cute little fuzzy cheeks, just like his daddy. I hope it's a pullet, actually, but it will be awhile before we find out. I think we'll call it either Elsa or Olaf (girl or boy) since he was born on the coldest day of the winter so far.<br />
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I had just about given up on anything hatching. I thought it had been well over 3 weeks since she had gone missing, but she must not have gotten down to business right away. It was such a delight to come out to do my chores and hear the unexpected conversation of little peeps and clucks. This is the first chick born on our property, my first hatch ever.<i> (Well, broody banty did all of the work.)</i><br />
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I'm going to move them tomorrow to a better brooder in the basement. It's warmer down there and we can spend more time comfortably watching them.<br />
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They've really made me itch for spring! I'll be firing up the incubator here soon. I'll be hatching eggs from our mixed layer flock first until I get the hang of it.Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-65485925140089102082015-12-29T22:45:00.001-08:002015-12-29T22:47:09.279-08:00Broody Banty, Part Deux!Banties are so small and so <i>good</i> at hiding!<br />
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The bantam Golden Seabright from my previous post gave up immediately when I took her eggs away from her, but the three of them continue to fly over the fence and hide their eggs each day.<br />
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When broody banty number 2 disappeared about 2-3 weeks ago, I immediately assumed she had gone broody, but a search of our property turned up nothing. If she had made her way over to the neighbor's big barn, there wasn't anything I could do about it, so it was wait and see.<br />
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Two days ago she finally made an appearance, popping out briefly to find something to eat. She was very impatient and nervous and demanded that I bring her food right away. She then threatened to whoop the cat if he didn't get out of her way and proceeded to eat from the cats' dish. As she briskly made her way back to her hiding spot, I was able to trail her and saw her duck in here:<br />
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A small recess in the bottom of my husband's wood pile. He has been working on splitting this wood every few days and it's a wonder she wasn't squashed by the unstable pile of logs! She never came running out, never made a peep, just laid low, waiting and hoping not to be noticed. </div>
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The weather here has been hitting record highs for the month of December with the strong El Nino going through. Many days have been in the 60's and 70's. We've scarcely burned any firewood this year so far. But tomorrow night is forecast to go below freezing, so I made the decision to move her and her eggs to a safer, warmer location. </div>
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Chicken solitary confinement.</div>
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I didn't want to risk finding frozen peeps or worse yet, a frozen mama banty. </div>
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She was a little peeved with me and very agitated at first, but after she ate, drank, relieved herself and preened her feathers, she finally did settle back down on her eggs. Of the 14 eggs I removed from the nest, 5 were warm and viable. I candled the others to verify their demise. We even saw these 5 <i>WIGGLE</i> a couple of times. Yay! :D If I remember correctly, she has been gone at least 2 weeks, or perhaps nigh unto three. We may have some new peeps here very soon!</div>
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I have <i>no</i> idea what I'm going to do with them. As broody and sneaky as these banties are and given how chicken math works they could multiply quite rapidly come summertime. These little girls have a major advantage over the standard size pullets in hiding their nests from me. :\</div>
<span id="goog_1191321541"></span><span id="goog_1191321542"></span><br />Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-89284388788391744742015-11-28T12:58:00.000-08:002015-11-28T13:06:48.679-08:00Broody Banty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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If you've kept chickens for awhile, then you know that most missing chicken stories don't have happy endings. We were so glad this one did! We've become very attached to our three banties. They are so sweet and gentle and just the right size for the children to cuddle.</div>
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One night she didn't turn up on the roost with the others, although I had last seen her about an hour before closing the pen when I tossed them their daily ration of scratch grains. After a brief search of the backyard the next day, this is where we found her: </div>
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<img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8hzpWgUrsCIjHeNW9bpdUpEQWPzdwwtNK4IPZF-Zi_pj1DPabrh8wPi4g1YoLPAD6xOSuiDET9ufYCnr1oxuiumzgGfvDzHaawyNmp753pMHvr0tRyXwGrfFiit8mYuJjOW9_rrKVdZaU/s640/IMGP1673b_web.jpg" width="424" /></div>
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What else to do with a hoard of 16 eggs, but to set them? </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAC7MusE2LfE3-0xDQ30oLGHjB81UQaiUlLcH8-q2TXDKvQvI4ARih2OlTIyTKkHMXmNwn5uNdBU2NbkMpjoz3EYecoj9VUd8GcDMmuKxeR0XDCYBYNYJyci7VuAhC6ns-UqEqloXk6Ei/s1600/IMGP1679_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWAC7MusE2LfE3-0xDQ30oLGHjB81UQaiUlLcH8-q2TXDKvQvI4ARih2OlTIyTKkHMXmNwn5uNdBU2NbkMpjoz3EYecoj9VUd8GcDMmuKxeR0XDCYBYNYJyci7VuAhC6ns-UqEqloXk6Ei/s640/IMGP1679_web.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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This little
girl seems to have her seasons mixed up. It has been an unusually warm November this year, so that is understandable. Maybe in the spring I will
allow her to set some. I felt really bad taking them from her and even worse scrambling them up later!</div>
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If these were fertile, they would have been a cross between our white Easter Egger cockerel and bantam Golden Seabright. The banties have discovered they can squeeze between the gaps in the electric poultry netting when it's off and he usually flies over daily to escape our other Easter Egger cockerel who is the top dog. So they have formed their own little band, although the banties get along with all of my other chickens and can mingle at will.</div>
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I just bought an incubator this fall. I can't wait to hatch some eggs! I will post pics and stories about that when the time comes. Chicken math...you know how that goes! :)</div>
Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-2198317922315681342015-09-22T20:37:00.001-07:002015-11-28T12:58:50.860-08:00A Tale of Two TurkeysHello, blog! I have missed you and am thinking I will try to get back into the habit of posting every so often if I have anything interesting going on around here.<br />
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These are my two Bourbon Red turkey poults and they are are 6 weeks old now. These are supposed to be DH's turkeys, my gift to him, but really
they're more mine. I feed them and everything. He just mentioned in
passing that he'd like to get turkeys someday, so that was all I needed
to hear. ;)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGn_7oKdzM5ccxebE-QfL49MQj5sMswjUxHm6jE9JJrNB2E3hgrW_fRF0G2hv-6HbaV2zjAD_7JM34HK61emTlA5enuRGvMYhN9S829b_vuAfPkyNjoGjm1aFsDcD0fV-gNPTbGBDGVhr/s1600/IMGP0624_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoGn_7oKdzM5ccxebE-QfL49MQj5sMswjUxHm6jE9JJrNB2E3hgrW_fRF0G2hv-6HbaV2zjAD_7JM34HK61emTlA5enuRGvMYhN9S829b_vuAfPkyNjoGjm1aFsDcD0fV-gNPTbGBDGVhr/s640/IMGP0624_web.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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I found out the hard
way that turkeys have a really steep learning curve! These are the only two
survivors. We started with 6 poults and very mysteriously, every few
days, one would just get sleepy and then I'd find it dead the next day.
A couple days later, another, then another... After asking around <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/">www.backyardchickens.com</a>, the best answer we could come up with was a
failure to thrive. I think they were getting too comfortable under the
heat lamp and not eating and drinking enough. It is advisable to put a
chicken chick in with them to show them how to eat and drink, since they
are slow to catch on themselves, so I'll definitely do that next time.
They really don't eat and drink as voraciously as chicks, although most
every other aspect of their care is the same. These guys are about the
size of a banty chicken now.<br />
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They are very nervous and flighty little critters. I had to cage them
within the brooder circle because they kept flying out and couldn't
figure out how to get back in. I got 6 poults for $40 from a local
breeder, which is a really good deal (they go for $10.50 each on Murray McMurray Hatcheries
website, plus shipping.) But I think the time of year now going into fall and winter isn't really the
best. I will have to keep them in the garage all winter or maybe in
the barn since young turkeys are said to not tolerate drafts or
dampness well and our winters are usually pretty cold and wet. They'll
go out on pasture with the chickens in the spring.<br />
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I was hoping to have a couple of hens to keep for breeding and I was
going to get a new tom off of another breeder about an hour from here. I
don't know what I'll do with them now, depending on whether I have toms
or hens there. If I have at least one tom, he will be grown out and
ready for Easter dinner next spring. As much effort as it has taken to keep them alive, I'm afraid I'll be too attached to them at that point. That was the plan anyway.Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5058055141136841308.post-81547282753650148882014-01-11T13:03:00.002-08:002014-01-11T13:08:35.698-08:00Meat Bird Tractor Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqP-JLuStf639fi2RELwVsYwgmucsoS63Vq5ieV0UzGFpgeL5aHh265lWSeSmGnJqehakjb5amegrhdrpxK0lfWj0tHME4ji8Iaz-paQkCzx2y_l0xWQ6DL68-UG8ah_warguOMalxhF0/s1600/IMGP5326_web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqP-JLuStf639fi2RELwVsYwgmucsoS63Vq5ieV0UzGFpgeL5aHh265lWSeSmGnJqehakjb5amegrhdrpxK0lfWj0tHME4ji8Iaz-paQkCzx2y_l0xWQ6DL68-UG8ah_warguOMalxhF0/s1600/IMGP5326_web.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></div>
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I had another member of <a href="http://www.backyardchickens.com/" target="_blank">BYC</a> ask a few good questions about <a href="http://onesunnyacre.blogspot.com/2013/05/my-rockin-new-chicken-tractor.html" target="_blank">my tractor</a>, so I figured I should add that information here as well.<br />
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He wanted to know about coyotes, coons and the cost to build. Here is my reply:<br />
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<div id="yui_3_10_0_1_1389471942757_462">
<i>Opossums, hawks and dogs are the
only predators I've had to deal with at my location in the past 7 years
I've lived and raised chickens here, so those are what I planned for.</i></div>
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<i>A coyote couldn't lift this tractor. It's too heavy. It's only
movable by skidding it along with the pull rope. I can move it by
myself on dry days, but in mud it takes DH and I both to do it. It did
flip in 70 mph storm winds on Halloween, but that was because a freak
storm blew through the N.E. unannounced and I didn't have time to hammer
in the storm anchors (rebar) and I unfortunately had it turned facing
into the wind. </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Coons... I have the bottom half of the tractor outside of the cattle
panels (and underneath the tarp) also covered with 2x4 welded wire
fencing. Front and back arch of the tractor are completely covered with
it, top to bottom. If you have a lot of trouble with coons in your
area, you could cover the rest of the top and door with it too. Or
maybe even go with something smaller like 1x2 cage wire.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I can't say exactly what the total cost would be since I used mostly
salvaged/leftover materials. Two cattle panels would probably run you
$40-$50. The tarp I paid about $20 for. Eight 2x4s...about $2.50
each. 32 foot of 3' high 2x4 welded wire, maybe $30. The door was
salvaged off of my old coop and made with scrap lumber to begin with.
Small galvanized staples, a box of wood screws, door hinges/latch and
some zip ties...about $15. It comes to around $135. After having two
of my layer flocks wiped out by stray dogs, it was a necessary
investment for me. I've had no invaders or losses after that.</i></blockquote>
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<div id="yui_3_10_0_1_1389471942757_473">
<i>All good questions, thanks for your interest.</i></div>
</blockquote>
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Some of you probably recall the storm I am talking about from Halloween night. A cold front moved in quickly after a couple of 70 degree days and caused quite a stir. I had the stomach flu that day and awoke at 4:30am burning up after my fever broke and when I went to open the window to let in some cool air, I spied my 31 meaties all out in front by the road, huddled in a ditch. So out into the rainy, dark night I went to fetch them, two by two. They spent a day in my chainlink fenced front yard until I could construct another enclosure. The tractor took some damage and needs repaired. They were roughly two weeks from processing day, so they finished out in a stationary fenced area over one of my garden plots. I did lose one when the tractor flipped, but the rest were fine. I am just glad I found them before my neighbors had to come knocking on my door!<br />
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A note on how my meaties turned out overall this year: The tractor system was a wonderful success and very ideal for their health and my chicken-keeping pleasure...ha. I am not sure that the hatchery sent me Cornish Cross though. They may have been Cornish Roasters instead, which are nearly identical in appearance, but are from a different, slower growing strain. These birds were very active and ate bugs and grass, scratched, roosted and dirt-bathed in addition to eating their feed. I've <i>NEVER</i> had CX do that before. They had no leg problems or unexplained, sudden deaths. I usually lose 1-3 out of about 40 chicks in the first two weeks. These grew out about 2 weeks slower as well.<br />
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I also tried a new, locally sourced feed mix this year formulated by a pastured CX producer in my area. It contained cracked corn and whole grains of wheat in addition to soybean meal and some other things. It was much more cost effective for me since I could buy it in bulk. I can get it at $26 for 100 lbs., whereas the Dumor 24% chick feed would have cost me around $20 per 50 lb. bag. She said hers still grew out at 7-8 weeks on it, but mine did not. There were too many variables for my flock this year...the storm, the feed, possibly not CX...so I did not bother to extrapolate my feed conversion rate or costs. It wouldn't tell me much of anything useful for comparison anyway.<br />
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Most of my birds averaged around 5 pounds dressed weight (I did not weigh them all though.) I kept a couple a little longer and they were huge. I have one 9 pound (dressed) bird in the freezer that I will look forward to cooking in the turkey fryer for a special occasion or summer barbeque. :)<br />
<br />Journey11http://www.blogger.com/profile/11310182227637215192noreply@blogger.com5