Farm Days

These days on the farm have been so incredible. I am loving getting my hands dirty everyday and soaking in the sunshine. I have been spending more and more time at the community garden which is now officially my home away from home.
My favorite part about my second home are definitely the goats.  Oh how I want one. The kids are just about the cutest things I have ever seen.

 

 

 

 



The buck, Boaz, and BB really hit it off. They were tagging each other. It was so funny. Here I am with Boaz by my side keeping a watchful eye on BB.

BB made a new friend with the community farm's farm dog Bello.

One of my main goals for my son is to teach him to love being out in nature and to instill a strong work ethic. The best way to teach him this is by tending the land. The other day I went to the community garden to work.  BB was not exactly happy about that so I put him in the "backpack" as I call it and got to work tilling the earth. He was snug as a bug close to his mama. One of the other members snapped this pic. I am in love with this picture right here. It reminds me of the beautiful, amazing women in Africa that can do just about anything with a baby on their back.

My chicks, can I even still call them that, are huge. Every time I check on them it looks like they have grown. They are now 2 weeks old. I will be sad to see them go but have another batch coming in May. I can't wait!

This week I am linking up with

Farm girl Friday




Small Footprint Fridays

Farm Girl in Progress

This week I am finally feeling like a bonafide farmer. Well not quite but definitely getting there. These beautiful Spring days have been so busy. But I'm loving it!!
Once you have animals as part of your homestead your days start much early then before. Ever since the chicks arrived last week my internal alarm clock has been going off before sunrise. I get up early and check on the chicks. Usually by morning they have finished their food and are famished. I clean their food and water dishes add fresh hay to the brooder and check the temperature. I have been fermenting the chicken feed with whey for the chicks. Each morning I start a new batch of fermented feed by soaking 2 scoops of feed in whey. I have been supplementing with leftover table scraps as well but they do prefer the commercial feed.

This week I got my peas and spinach planted outside and my tomatoes, peppers, and eggplant planted inside. My son does a great job watering the garden for me everyday :)
At the community garden, where I am doing some work, I got "my" row tilled, weeded and covered with goat manure and straw.

But the biggest best thing that happened this week that made me say to myself I am really a farmer was witnessing my friend's goat give birth. It was one of the most amazing things I have ever experienced. I got to my friend Debby's house Friday morning. After about a 1/2 an hour Debby said to me I think the little goat is in labor. In a matter of minutes the goat started pushing. Debby ran inside and got her kidding kit. When she checked the baby goat's presentation was wrong. One of the hooves was stuck. After a quick phone call Debby adjusted the kid. 2 minutes later a little buckling was born. 10 minutes after that another kid, a little doeling was born. I helped Debby dry off the kids and dip the umbilical cords in iodine. It was incredible!

Photo Credit: Debby of SheepGateFarm

The more and more time I spend on the "farm" with my hands in the dirt or caring for the animals the more I want to have my own real farm. I am so motivated to buy land in the country. I will be doing some major penny pinching to make my farming dreams a reality.
This week I am linking up to:



MysimpleCountryliving



www.SmallFootprintFamily.com

The Chicks are Here!!!

Yesterday I got an e-mail from my friend saying that the chicks arrived earlier than expected and if I could pick them up right away. Well being how I am I was totally unprepared lol. I hadn't bought the feed yet and my son broke the bulb in the heat lamp.
So I packed up the gang and drove out east to my friend's house about 45 minutes from my home. On the way I stopped at the feed store and just my luck they were out of chick starter. Fortunately they are getting a delivery today. While I was there I got a bale of hay. Next stop Home Depot to get a new bulb.
When I got to my friends house she had the chicks all ready to go with a small bag of feed for me. She really is a life saver! We cranked up the heat in the car and hoped for the best.
This is my first time raising chicks or even chickens for the matter. So I am just a little paranoid. Every little sound I was freaking out. We all made it home safe Alhamdulillah.
I got 3 Cornish cross rocks and 3 Cornish game hens. Technically where I live chickens are not allowed but since these will be culled before anyone notices I should be ok.
Right now they are staying in my basement in my make shift brooder. I had them in a wooden box that I had got for the brooder but the walls were too high so I couldn't get the lamp close enough to keep them warm. So I moved them into a Rubbermaid tub. I put paper towels over some straw in the bottom. I don't have a proper waterer or feeder now but will get one today. 

Isn't it cute?

Baby chickies taking a nap.

I was nervous at first but now I am absolutely loving having these little guys here. It has been so much fun so far. Better than watching T.V.

This week I am linking up for the Barn Hop at

and I am linking up to the Farm Girl Friday Blog Hop