Catch-up, politics, rock bottom rant

After doing a bit of soul searching, I decided that I need to commit to updating my blog or abandoning it. So, I'm going to commit to writing at least twice a week. I've been coveting the Wednesday knitting/writing updates on blogs that I read, and I long to participate fully in homesteading discussions, so I guess that I need to stop being a blog vouyer and get on with it.

Since I've last written, dear daughter was born, Thanksgiving came and went, and I bought a cow milk share.

I purchased and read "Nourishing Traditions." I'd been sitting on the sidelines of the raw milk debate for a few years. After watching so many 6 year old girls start puberty early (yeah, seriously), I stopped drinking cow milk. I have sensitive skin, so I started buying hand-crafted, hypoallergenic soap a few years ago at a farmer's market, and once I discovered the healing properties of goat milk soap, I decided to make my own. Last year I talked hubby into letting me buy goats, and hopefully we'll be able to breed them this year and have own own milk to drink and use for soapmaking.

It's funny how food and health decisions become political decisions. I'd not intended to find myself looking for loopholes in our food safety laws, but here I am, growing food, keeping bees and chickens, hunting, and raising milk goats. If I could keep a cow here I would, but we don't have the space yet.

I don't intend for the blog to become a political rant, but I do have to say that I was a bit peeved this morning as I listened to "Morning Edition." Several philantropists in Ohio plan to give away money in hundred dollar increments to people that they find to be in greatest need during the holiday season. One lady was interviewed and discussed how she eschewed seeking full time employment to complete her nursing degree, and as a result, she relies upon meager grants and student loans to provide for her and her children. She cried, literally cried, because she couldn't afford tv for her kids. If she is awarded the money, she said, she'd pay her cable, internet, and phone bill. Yeah, the government provided food assistance, she said, and yeah, the kids are clothed, but she can't afford cable tv. CABLE TV??? Since when is television an American right? I can't help but think that we really haven't reached "the bottom" because as long as people still have cell phones, internet, and cable, we're not that bad off. Stuff is bad, really BAD, when they dig up their front yard, get a few pigs, and string up clothes lines in the kitchen to reduce the power bill. Cable? Apparently we have a long way to go before we hit the economic rock bottom.

Transitions, transitions

Today was my last day at work. I'm nervous about the birth and labor (typical first time mom stuff), but I'm excited to be able to stay at home and really dedicate time, effort, and energy to the animals,gardening, food preparation, and my crafts.

I've spent a lot of time lately reading various blogs. Soulemama, Sew Liberated, Craftmama, Farmama, Heavenly Homemakers, Clover Lane, Thy Hand Hath Provide, and others have really inspired me.

How do those women DO it all, though? It's all I can do to wake up and get in a good cup of coffee before I 'm exhausted! Then again, I've felt that work has been getting in the way of my life for quite some time, so I finally have the opportunity to create a life that is closer to where I am philosophically and spiritually.

So, here I sit on the cusp of a new phase in my life. I have lots of cyber models to aspire to. Hopefully I can do my part to transition my family to a lifestyle that is sustainable, wholesome, and in line with our values. :-)

What was I thinkin?

I decided, in my infinite wisdom, to check on the bees today. Yeah... All 6 of them. Well, I'm 5 months pregnant and it was about 90 billion degrees outside, and I decide to put on coveralls and a mask and go out and play with bees. Sometimes I have to wonder about myself.

Tomorrow, we're having a yard sale to purge some of the multitude of stuff that we seem to have crammed in our house. I'm totally looking forward to the purge and have managed NOT to have developed an irrational far of parting with my things. Then again, most of the stuff that I'm selling is books, so I'm really not too connected with what I'm selling. I hope to make a few bucks, and intend to donate the books that don't sell to our local library. See-- it's win-win!

American Farmland Trust: No Farms No Food - Friends of Farmland

American Farmland Trust: No Farms No Food - Friends of Farmland

Garden-- put up or shut up

Well, the garden isn't going as well as I'd like this year. I'm engaged in an ongoing battle with the moles and voles. They are, btw, winning. I'd made glorious plans to process and can tomatoes by the case to use as tomato sauce and for stewing, but it doesn't look as if I will get enough from the vines for that purpose.

The cucumbers have been doing well, but we're in desperate need of a good rain. It's been dry here. The Roma II beans that I planted haven't come up, but the Kentucky Wonders seem to be doing fine. I'd wanted to put up some Romas, but I guess I'll have to settle for good, old fashioned string beans this year. I'll have to plant more KY Wonders if I plan to have anything to can this fall!

I still love the goat milk soap that I made a few months ago. Next time I plan to add oatmeal and a bit of lavender.

Goals this summer/harvesting season is to put up/preserve:

-peaches (canned in light syrup)
-pears (stewed)
-apples (apple butter, stewed)
- potatoes (put up one bushel)
- cherries (dry)
- corn (freeze)
- Dixie/Pinkeyed purple hull peas (freeze)
- garlic
- Kentucky Wonder string beans
-tomatoes (stewed, sauce)
-cucumbers (bread and butter pickles, dill pickles)
- harvest honey

So far, I've:
- canned 18 pints of peaches
- frozen 32 quarts of corn
- dried and stored 10 lbs of garlic
- harvested 75lbs of honey

I have a long way to go!

Brocolli, lettuce, and Lowe's

The day started off innocently enough-- I spread a bit of grass seed in anticipation of the goats arriving in a few weeks. I took an unfruitful trip to Tractor Supply to pick up a few things for the fence. Following that trip, I took another long trip to Lowe's to pick up materials for the goat pen. I have come to believe that Lowe's is the new Wal-Mart. I won't go back unless I HAVE TO.

We worked the bees today. I was right about there being too much moisture in the hives. I hadn't realized that B put plywood underneath the hives to support them. Unfortunately this caused moisture build up, which caused mold.

Tonight was the first night of chicken integration. The hens weren't huge fans of the chicks being in there, but they all settled into a tenative arrangement that suited everyone.

Spring is in the air...

Cast of characters

So, I took Murdoch, one of my Barred Rocks, to the vet today. She'd been limping around for days, and I was worried that she'd broken her foot. Sure enough, she'd broken her foot and got an infection to boot. My poor mother thinks that I have officially gone coo-coo nuts for taking a chicken to a vet. "If it were me," she said, "I'd kill it and bury it far away from the rest of the chickens just in case she has something communicable." Well, let's just say that we'll have to sell a TON of her eggs to pay for the vet bill. I don't have any regrets, though. I bought her, so it's my responsibility to take care of her. I just wish that the vet would've informed me that the antibiotics would cost more than the rest of the visit combined.... Ah, well.

Profound insight

I was inside kneading bread when my soon-to-be 14 year old son informed me that I need to quit my job and become a full time farmer. He went on to tell me that I am happiest when I am working in the garden, cleaning up after the chickens, and working outdoors. In his humble opinion, I am not staying true to my life's purpose, despite the fact that I am very good at my job. I told him that we're not in a position for me to quit my job and "farm" our 1/2 acre, but he said that he intended to "talk to Dad about it" for good measure.

In many ways, he's right-- I LOVE being outdoors. I am happiest with a hoe in my hand, a task (or 10) on my list, and sunshine on my back. I get more done in 2 days each weekend and feel more energized than in a few hours at my "successful" job.

Some of my Facebook friends are also "farm-minded" but are financially unable to farm full time. It makes me think of how much of a commitment and sacrifice it is in order to farm and to truly make a good go of making a living from the land. Somehow it seems unfair-- the paradigm is shifted and weighted heavily toward jobs that require post-high school training (college, etc). However, we have educated ourselves from jobs that would provide infinite fulfilment. I can think of 3 or 5 folks who long to live on farms but don't have the land to do it. So, they're stuck in white collar jobs because the benefits are necessary to raise their families and to provide them with a reasonable standard of living.

So, today I'm thinking of my son and his profound insight (on his birthday!) and the hope that he won't have to make choices to provide for his family at the cost of his "right-occupation." I pray that he finds both peace and sustenance in his future job(s). I plan to move toward a more balanced means of employment. Let's hope that it comes before my son leaves for college!

The New Girls

We picked up our replacement pullets from our poultry supplier, Wesley. I found Wesley two years ago on Local Harvest when I first decided to have a layer flock here at our house. We now have 5 Barred Rocks (2 years old), 3 Black Austrolorps, and 5 Buff Orphingtons. It is SUPER cold here, so we have 2 heat lamps going out in the Fort Knox chicken coup. I'm glad to have them. They are 8 weeks old and hopefully will start laying in late spring.