Instructions to my Mom

Hey Mom, we're going out of town to visit Jeremy's family, and, well, would you please take care of the animals for us? They won't be any trouble, I'm sure. Here's how to do it:

Firstly, you'll want to wear a jimmy jacket with the hood up. No worries! It'll just keep you a little safer...

Chickens Vs. Guineas

So we have a few issues with the guinea flock, this time around.

They are mean.

They are a gang.

And there is too many of them.

Chicks & Needs

I think I have a problem.

Around the Farm ~ Spring

I took a week off after Easter. I wish I could say I did something huge, but I didn't. I just rested. Read a book. And slept quite a bit. So, I figured I'd start back with a little up-date with the happenings around the farm yard! (And by the way, doesn't our front yard look like the perfect place for a milk cow? We'll have goat milk, I know, but...BUTTER. Not anytime soon, one day, I'd really like to make some of my own butter.)

Sunny & Hens

Since we reduced our flock of chickens, our hens and now two roosters are turning into a nice little flock. Sunny is in charge of the hens though. And he is a good rooster. He takes care of his ladies.

Eowyn's Chicken Chores!

Eowyn needed something to do this weekend, so I sent her out to the chicken coop to clean out the nesting boxes and lay down some more hay. She was excited about making new nests for the hens, and she did a really good job.

Goat Wrangling

Twice in the past week, I've had to wrangle the goats back into their fence. Twice! They like to get out after they've eaten and while the chore person is looking the other way.

Around the farm in the fall

The other day, Jeremy and I (and Esmond) explored the property we live on. Jeremy was actually trying to walk me into labor, but that didn't work.

The older kids were running around too, but they have their own haunts to play in. We walked around taking pictures and enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

Birds of a feather....

Our birds have begun calming down! At least, as far as 24 birds can calm down. They wander all over our front yard, and the guineas even wander in the horse pasture behind our house. But come evening time, when we walk out the front door, they all gather around and escort us to the garage-turned-barn. In the mornings, we let them out after the goats have finished eating. Otherwise, the chickens will jump on the goats' backs and try to get into their food bowl.

Chaos with Wings

All this talk about cooking and sourdough, we've been missing some of the animals!

Our goats are shiny and healthy, and growing! They have eaten so much of the brush in the fence that we can see through it to the other side now. We're planning on seeding the strip of grass with an alfalfa mix I read about somewhere....oh dear, I need to find that again. They still yell anytime they hear us outside. When I'm hanging laundry on the clothesline, I try to be as quiet as possible but inevitably they hear or see me and start yelling. They are so loud!

On the farm this week

Here's what we've been doing.

We feed the animals, twice a day. And we did have a set back with our brilliant chicken plans. You know, how the chickens were coming in to eat at night and it was all working out so nicely? Well, the kids threw a loop in our perfection.

Living with Goats ...and Guineas...and Chickens

It's been about 2 weeks since we brought Sissy and Pippy home. We've had to deal with some things, but mostly it's just been fun.

Getting started on the farm

It all started when spring came around, and almost every time we came in from playing outside, someone had a tick on them. I've had to get 4 ticks off my baby this summer! Not to mention the ones that weren't biting yet. So far, I'm the only one that has not been bitten. And I do not handle tick bites well. Once I finally get them out, which is all kinds of stressful for me, I burn them in a little bonfire of matches. Not my finest moments, I'll admit. I have very ugly feelings toward ticks...I wonder if I should explore that?

So, what do I do to get rid of ticks? (*Cue maniacal laughter while waving a burning torch madly throughout the yard.) Guineas!