Taking Care of Business Day

Today was a long day on the road, but productive. Bruce and I drove to Pickens today to order a package of bees. We decided to just get one this year. We have two strong hives and will probably split one if not both, depending on the equipment we can afford. It is not a cheap endeavor, but it is so worth it to see nature at its core, and the honey. We use honey for tea, lemonade, hot cereal such as oats, and cornbread regularly. I made a loaf of bread with it a few months ago. I really haven't tried other recipes lately. I have given away two very, very small jars to a couple of friends who are suffering from allergies already. Of course, any further honey will cost them. I have not bought any white granulated sugar in months! I have bought a bag of raw cane sugar for those in the family who have to have a little sweetener now and then.
We found an "oops" paint at a local home improvement store for $5. It was a beautiful pale green. That saved us about $25 (it was a more expensive brand).

We are getting ready to order some more hens, yes, hens only. I am waiting until late summer to order the broilers / freezer fodder. I have ordered 25 brown egg layers. The company will be sending five each of five different breeds. Please don't let them send any turkens...seriously those things scare me! They look like they have a horrible disease. Of course, they would be easy aim for butchering-sorry. (This picture is from polishfarms.com.)

We bought our rabbit wire so that Bruce and Jake can finish the cages. There are several advertisements online for New Zealands for sale. I will be calling on those next week. The boys better finish the cages soon. If I waited for the cages to be finished first...I have, and that was over a year ago. Time for a new strategy, don't you think? Besides, poor Rebel really needs to be up with everybody else. Bless his little lonely heart.

We also stopped at a local feed store and got some Kennebec seed potatoes. We will be tilling the "secret garden," as my mother calls it, and get those in the ground soon.

The only thing that did not get done, that we really needed to do, was get the part for the greenhouse waterline. We need to make sure the water heater elements are working too, but I have my doubts. Yes, my mother asked us to make sure we turned off the power supply to the water heater in the greenhouse, and Bruce said he did, and being an adult I didn't double check him...my bad...

All in all it was a productive day, getting supplies and taking care of errands.

Is Spring Coming?

I must suffer from SAD...you know, the label we give people who are grouchy and reclusive in the winter...seasonal affective disorder...now the days are getting a little longer, the sun is getting a little warmer and I am feeling a bit more alive.

It has been a nice winter really. We had two good snowy spells, one actually on Christmas. There has been a good number of rainy days. Now, of course, I have to find some rock for the driveway, soon!

Okay, catch up time. The farm still has one goat, Suzy...I am still contemplating her residency though. We still have Rebel and the one angora rabbit, who is nameless. We have 14 hens and the one rooster we kept around is the "rare" breed McMurray sent us, which is the dominique (the black and white striped/checked looking one). We really thought it was a hen too because it's comb was so small, well, he is so small, no wonder the other roosters were so mean to him. Then we heard him crow. Nice surprise. We aren't getting many eggs, but I have not used the artifical light or anything, just let nature do what it does. And we do have an egg eater...she will be found and dealt with harshly. We did sell a total of 4 dozen eggs over the last few months. Hopefully production will pick up now.

I am just now beginning to get outside and work a bit. I pulled some of the weeds out of the asparagus bed and around the garden fence row. I have my garden plan and most of my seeds ready and waiting. I have few to get. But I still have quite a bit of cleaning up to do, as you can see. Fence posts ready to put up and all those weeds where my cucumbers are going.

Bruce and Jake folded back the shade cloth (just halfway) to allow some sun in the greenhouse. It was 80 degrees in there shortly after they did that. YES! We moved some tables around to open it up a bit and now it is time for the cleaning of pots, cleaning of tables...well, once Bruce repairs the broken water line...This year I will just be growing our food, including vegetables and herbs, and a few neighbor's requests in the greenhouse. This is my true first trial year. I might try to sneak in a few flowers just because.

That is where we stand as of today, Valentine's Day 2011. I am sorry that I have not posted anything for five months. I am guessing the next few months will make up for it; I feel a lot of energy in the air.