I feel like a broken record when I say that life has been very busy lately ... I really feel that our life up here is even more hectic than it was when we lived in the city, and that is very frustrating for me. To be honest, I'm looking forward to being snowed in!
Speaking of snow, a week ago yesterday we had about 8 inches of the stuff, but by today it was reduced to slimy mud. Not only did the snow melt, but what frost we had came out of the ground and we really have a mess. After a quick walk outside you suddenly discover how many inches you have grown with the help of mud sticking to your boots! We live about 2 miles down a gravel road, and when I took Jonathan to his vacuuming job I discovered the main road is worse than what our driveway used to be! Late in the summer, construction crews removed what tar there was in order to widen and redo the road, and now it's a huge sloppy mess. I'm glad I don't have to travel that road very often.
Last week's midwife conference was a real blessing to me. I was able to get to know some very special homeschool graduates, and hear how they desire to please the Lord in their vocations. I'm sure not all of the girls attending the conference will become midwives, but they will be better prepared for their own deliveries and helpful to others if called upon for assistance. I could tell I was missed at home; this week is being spent trying to catch up and clean up!
I have added some new culinary skills to my list: Cooking ruffed grouse and wild turkey. Both are very flavorful and easy to cook. Crockpots are wonderful for making any meat tender.
On Saturday our friends the Hendersons came to join us for fellowship. Our 4 boys always enjoy having their 5 boys around for a fun time. Their big trek was to head to our pond and trap muskrats. I'm not sure they actually caught one, but they sure had fun trying. The best part was they left with our billy goat; we have a pleasant break from the bellering and his odor! I remember when we first got Ned last May. He was such a nice goat, and I had always thought that billy goats had a reputation for being ornery and stinky. Well, I think he is only a year or two old, and suddenly has matured and the stinky part has come to pass. Hendersons will bring him back in a month, and hopefully he will have accomplished his mission with their goats. Then it's our turn with our goats.
The boys have moved the goats and chickens into the shed that they built just down from my clotheslines. I am so proud of the way Jonathan designed and figured out how much lumber he would need; and then with the help of his brothers, built the shed. Talk about a homeschool project! We are very thankful for life in the country, as they have learned so many life skills.
Deer hunting season opens on Friday, and we are looking forward to the venison. I'm not looking forward to the mess of butchering deer on my kitchen table, but that's the way it is. I think I better place "cleaning freezers" on my to-do list for tomorrow!
6 comments:
Lynn, it is always good to hear from you. As far as busy goes, I a not sure if that ever goes away when you try to do it the way you are. If you ever figure it out, will you let me know how?
Hi Lynn! Good to hear the latest from you! Every time I read what you've been up to, I feel absolutely lazy. :) I have a question for you about the goats and chickens....I had heard that they shouldn't be housed in close proximity because the chickens get "catch" something. Correct me if I'm mistaken, but is that true?
Hi Marci,
I'm hoping someone else will figure it out for me!
Emily,
You have enough on your plate; #1 is to get that back healed up once and for all. I'm sure you are just as anxious to have that happen.
I haven't heard that keeping goats and chickens together is not good, but we do know we can't keep our turkeys and chickens together. The boys are in process of trying to make a warm area for the turkeys. They seem to do better in the cold than the chickens.
Our chickens are in and out of the goat pasture and shed all the time. They have been since 1997. When we moved from Florida, to Ohio, the vet came out to do the tests we needed to transport them over the state line. (The only place that even made us stop to be checked was Florida and that was as we were leaving the state) She said that sometimes if chickens are around livestock, the livestock will show a preliminary positive TB test. I believe that either our cow or goat showed this. The state vet then had to come out and do a test. It was negative and he agreed with the statement our vet made. The ony problem I can see is if you have hay in feeders and the chickens get in that and poop or whatever. However, my animals are so picky about their hay, they would not even eat it if that happened. Also, they usually eat up there hay as we give it to them.
As far as chickens and turkeys I think that maybe long term it would not be good, but again, we raise our broilers, layers and turkeys in the same brooder together and often they are in the same moveable pen for awhile. We have never had a problem.
Sorry about the long post.
Thanks for posting, Marci. You are a veteran at raising animals, and I certainly trust what you have to say. We learn so much the hard way, and it's great to learn it ahead of time from a pro!
Lynn,
I want you to know that you are an encouragement to us that aspire to do what you're doing! You are amazing! ANd you're accomplishing so much and gaining so much wisdom and expertise- one day we'll be turning to you to ask questions.
From a fan in Texas!
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