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Jun 2012

An Early Weekend Morning

This past weekend started earlier than we had planned. I set my alarm for 6:45 a.m. so I could do some journaling on my own, but Val had another plan for us when she woke up at 5:30 ready to start her day. I could have dwelled on how early it was and how I wanted to sleep (and I probably did for just a minute or two) until I really focused on all the goodness around me on the homestead that early in the morning.

{Photo Source}

The sun sits low to the Earth giving us a different view than we are used to.

The air is a cool relief from the summer warmth of mid-day.

The dew lays sparkling on the grass like diamonds.

The animals are waking and the chickens meander to the back porch to click, click, click their feet in hopes of finding a snack.

The ducks take a morning dip in the makeshift “pond” (the purple kiddie pool).

The dogs shake with their collars clinking and scratch once or twice at the door to let us know they want to go outside.

I may hear some noises from the barn too – a crow of a rooster or a “baa” of a goat.

Soon after savoring some moments to myself, the hustle and bustle of the busy morning will begin. Children will want breakfast, chores will need doing, and DH will prepare to get to his office as soon as possible to start his work for the day. Then diaper changes, getting dressed, planning some fun in the sun, hopes for a family siesta in the afternoon but first…

coffee.

Category: Animals, Homestead, Moments Leave a Comment

May 2012

Make Way for Ducklings

Jennie

What a joy it was to watch some of these dent their shells, and then break out into the world under their Mama (Nancy) just a few short days ago!

You see, we had another duck sitting on a nest (Minka) and we were sure we would have many ducklings by now. But for some reason, Minka kept rejecting eggs. Eventually she was sitting guard on one lone egg and for MANY MANY days over their hatch date, so we took it from her. It appeared not to be fertile. Poor Minka! We hope that she will lay another nest of eggs once she is all rested up again.

We waited on Nancy’s nest with a little less excitement in hopes of not being sad or disappointed over ducklings or no ducklings, but she didn’t disappoint.

She has 16 ducklings following her around!

Category: Animals, Homestead Leave a Comment

May 2012

On the Homestead

Jennie

The homestead is bustling and I can feel the energy shifting here. It’s a busy time of year on a farm – starting seeds, babies being born, and preparing for the next things.

We are awaiting ducklings.

We picked up new chicks from the post office today. We will be raising these for meat birds.

I also got Americauna chicks for colored eggs. Val is loving climbing in the brooder to hold them.

Our egg production is up! Silly hens love laying in the goat hay.

Val even loves farming in the house these days.

Our baby goats are getting big but still love cuddling Mama Fawna.

And proof that we have a third cat. This is Barnella who came with the homestead and she’s getting a tad more social. A tad.

Spring is in full swing! How are you preparing for summer?

Category: Animals, Homestead 2 Comments

Apr 2012

Introducting our Homestead Livestock

Jennie

I have wanted to write this post FOREVER, and now it’s finally here. An introduction to our animals on the farm where we have 3 dogs, 3 cats (Barnella that came with our homestead isn’t pictured because she was hiding), 4 ducks, 4 goats, and 30 or so chickens.

As you will see from the pictures we will have more introductions to make as the Spring moves along. We also plan on raising pastured chickens for meat and raising and releasing pheasants for the DNR.

Foghorn, the rooster with his hens. This group visits my porch often expecting scraps.

Kona, the Seal-point Siamese

The big white puffy puppy is Gandalf our Great Pyrenees. He likes to pull our half-blind Beagle, Lizzy off her rope so they can run wild together. As in, run a mile away to our neighbors house. I guess it’s a good way to meet people around here!

Tripod, the three legged Beagle. True story! He’s a sweet heart, but he wouldn’t look up at me for a picture. He usually doesn’t look sad.

A nest of duck eggs awaiting the mama to lay them all so she can start sitting on them.

Left to right: Fawna the Mama, Juno the Trouble Maker, one month old twins – Gregory and Mecca

Juno actually not causing trouble. Gregory and Mecca look on.

Our first babies birthed on the farm – the best gift of spring!

This is Minka, our female Muscovy sitting on a nest of about 18 eggs.

Gandalf protecting us from…..our Lilac-point Siamese cat named Wheezer

Left to right: Our “teenagers” Nancy and Donald and our big male named Draco in our swamp

Val says, “There they go!”

My farm hands – AJ and Val

One of Val’s favorite Spring hobbies lately

Beautiful buds in our orchard. I hope the next homestead post is full of seed starts and green leaves!

Our homestead seems to be filling out nicely with the livestock and the products we are getting from it. I can’t wait to see how it evolves. I hope you check back in to see what Summer has to bring.

Category: Animals, Homestead, pictures 8 Comments

Mar 2012

Hiking the Homestead

Jennie

Our new favorite family activity is to the load up the kids in backpacks and go hiking on the homestead. My husband knows a lot of our property because he has walked it quite a few times already, and he hunted in the back part of the property that I don’t see often.

We have a little Maple bush, a Cedar grove which is a great place for shade from the hot sun, a few hills which Val has named Pinku and Peegu, and some swampy areas too.

Two of our dogs followed us along on our hike.

Val even decided at one point of the hike that it was far too hot for her dress.

I am so thankful for the warm days we have been having so the whole family can enjoy time outside together exercising, talking, and thinking in the moments of quiet in the woods.

Category: Animals, Homestead, pictures Leave a Comment

Mar 2012

Sunday Inspiration

Jennie

Have you ever seen something so inspiring? I walked into the barn just a few days ago to two brand new goat babies. Born into this world completed unassisted, just by pure primal knowledge of the mama. She was cleaning them up, birthing the placenta, and eating an after-labor meal. Such a beautiful gift to our family.

We now have a boy goat named Gregory and a little girl goat named Mecca (Val helped name both of them). They are walking around, tripping over their own legs sometimes, and even bouncing at each other a little bit. Mama is doing well, but in typical goat fashion she is being stubborn for us too. Hopefully in the next days, we’ll all be in a rhythm because as it is with all new babies…. it’s so very inspiring but so exhausting.

Inspirational Links ~

::You’re Not a Perfect Parent

::3 Tips for Creating More Space in Your Life

::Back in the Driver’s Seat

::WISH Summit Calls

Category: Animals, Homestead, Inspiration Leave a Comment

Feb 2012

Snowstorm Bob 2012 and local photos of the snowfall

Jennie

Our barn in Snowstorm Bob

Our plow truck in the process of being cleaned off

Until… more snow fell off the roof.

Snowfall in Wallace, MI and it’s still snowing!

Snow in Ingalls, MI

It’s the heavy kind of snow that is sticking to trees and power lines – Wallace, MI.

A beautiful snow covered yard in Stephenson, MI.

Thank you to all of the people who shared snowfall pictures! The rest of my day will involve cooking in the crockpot, baking some grain-free and sugar-free cookies, drinking tea, and hopefully playing outside with Val. But that’s after James figures out how to get that plow truck out of the snow pile!

Category: Homestead, pictures Leave a Comment

Oct 2011

Life Updates

Jennie

There are so many changes around here that I’m not sure I can even document them all (or remember it).

::”AJ” was born on October 9th after a quick labor but a transfer to the hospital. It was a successful VBAC so I still feel accomplished. :) Hopefully soon I’ll get back on the blog to post the birth story.

::Four days later we moved from our rental to our homestead. I am so grateful for family and friends because I went from sitting on the chair, to the bed, back to my chair while they hauled things to the trailer. My chair was the final thing to be moved. The bed was the first thing to be moved in so I could bring AJ in and lay down.

::We got 4 laying hens from my mom and added them to the 2 hens, 1 rooster, 1 drake, and 3 ducks we had.

::Then we got 6 more laying hens from my sister-in-law.

::Just because the barn was too quiet, we got an Alpine/Nubian goat named “Juno the Goat Goat.” She needs a friend, so at the end of this week we will get a bred Nubian named “Luna.”

::Lots of random little projects like getting fences, building goat runs, fixing our kitchen sink which turned into trying to fix the drain field which turned into fixing the plumbing in the basement. My poor DH!

::Our essential spaces of the home are set up -the kitchen, pantry, living room, and mostly the bedrooms. Our dining room is still in progress because DH is using that space as his office until he can remodel a room upstairs.

Some days it’s all a little overwhelming with the projects we see before us and two little ones who need our attention, but when we sit and think about our place and our life it’s really rewarding too.

Category: Animals, Homestead, Motherhood, pictures, Pregnancy One Comment

Sep 2011

A glimpse at the homestead

Jennie

The countdown for buying our homestead says “TOMORROW!”

I can’t put into words how excited I am about the transaction and the transition to our new life there.

Yesterday we spent most of our afternoon and evening on the farm with the owner who is handing the place off to us. He gave us the grand tour with lots of information about the buildings, how things work, advice, and it made me fall in love even deeper with the place. We have an antique apple orchard on the property with some trees being a 100 years old! There are eating apples, baking apples, apple sauce apples, pickling apples, cider apples…. There’s an asparagus patch. There are lots of deer and a big fat gray barn cat that will be staying on the property with us. Love, love, love!

View of the orchard from the back porch. That’s the cider tree with bright red apples.

Val loving the back porch and red apples fresh from the trees.

Playing in front of the barn.

Sunset from the back of the property. About the time a big buck came running by!

Category: Homestead, pictures Leave a Comment

Aug 2011

Welcome to my Home Wednesday ~ Countdowns!

Jennie

Recently, J put up countdowns on our whiteboard in the kitchen so we check it with excitement every morning. Today it reads… 30 days until we close on our homestead. 52 days until baby is expected. Oh my goodness!!

There’s still so much to do. Our house needs a new roof, the walls need paint, and all of our things need to be packed. And the baby will be here soon afterwards, so I need to pack by bag making sure I have all of the things I need for birthing and the first few days/weeks at home.

More canning needs to be done, jelly needs to be made, and the garden need attention. I think more freezer meals need to be made so I don’t have to worry as much about cooking with a brand new baby and a toddler adjusting to her new role as big sister.

It’ll get done, but some days my nesting instinct sure makes me believe I can be super woman and do it all RIGHT NOW.