Thursday, July 31, 2014

From the Garden



From the Garden (yeah, there's lot of weeds, every week same thing, lol): Lettuce & Peppers I pick this am, Bean Towers, Peas, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Pumpkins (Connecticut, Sugar Pie, Little Max, Green Striped), Winter Squash (Buttercup, Butternut, Acorn), Cucumbers (Picklers, Lemon, Straight Eight), Melons (Canteloupe, Sugar Baby Watermelon, Green Honeydew), Zucchini (Black Beauty, Round), Yellow Summer Squash, Potatoes.



Sweet Potato Grill Pack

Did a little experiment tonight, I've been making Grill Packs for Potatoes with onions & bell pepper and Corn on the Cob ones. Tonight I decided to try a Sweet Potato Grill Pack and it turned out very yummy.

Garden is Producing :)

Me & Wylie took to the garden today. He stayed by my side all day. I pulled weeds like a crazy woman today (it rained while we were in PA and they came up like crazy) and picked peas (4 gallons), green beans (3 gallons), cucumbers, peppers and summer squash. I picked lettuce for the chickens, gave the weeds to the goats & turkeys. Jill gave me 1/2 gallon of milk this am and I need to go milk her again. Life goes on.................





Goodbye Dear Friend


It is with gut wrenching sadness that we say goodbye to our baby, Auzzie, today. You will be deeply missed by the whole family, but most of all by your boys. You brought so much happiness into Jamie & John's lives. You were much more than their companion dog, you were their friend. Fly with the Angels, Hoover! We  you more than words can say. Rest in Peace, Auzzie 2004-2014. Please keep the boys in your prayers.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Minnie & Babies

When I discovered the egg were hatching.
Minnie & Babies in Nest Box
Minnie Moo Moo is one of our original hen that we raised from day old when we first bought the farm. She is the only Barred Plymouth Rock of the original 5 that is still living. Minnie is the most gentle hen I have. Minnie went broody about 4 1/2 weeks ago and I decided to go ahead and let her try and hatch a batch of eggs. She started with a dozen eggs ended up trying to sit on 22 eggs, lol.  On 6/27 the eggs started hatching and we got 8 live chicks. (Only 1 of the chicks is Minnie's and the rest are her hen mates, since they lay in a community nest.)

Minnie & Babies in Brooder
Minnie decided to try and bring the chicks out into the chicken yard when the babies were less than 24 hours old and being that we have predators ( Foxes, Coyotes, Bears, Skunks, Fisher-cats (weasel family) , Racoons and more, not to mention the other 50+ older chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys we have.   I decided to move them to a contained brooder, where they would be safe until they were a little older.


Yesterday, the chicks were 10 days old and big enough to get out of the brooder with Momma.  They are so cute and such fun to watch!  We have spent a lot of time just watching the Minnie and the babies explore the front yard!  It's been such a great experience to see the natural bond between Mother and chicks,  I don't think I will be to using my incubator again very soon!