Meat! Oh yeah.

Today we finally got time to deal with the old hens. We processed eight of them, and also two rabbits. Dan was just refreshing his memory for when we do the whole batch of bunnies, which should be soon. We were so thankful that our good friend Lisa could come over and give us a hand with the slaughtering and cutting up of the hens. We haven't, up to now, butchered enough to remember what we're doing, so we were really glad to have a knowledgeable person present.
One of our old hens weighed in at seven and a half pounds before processing, and we found a strange surprise inside her. Over a pound and a half of yellow fat in her abdomen. Yucky! That's what gluttony gets you I guess. She's always been the "boss" and the first one to get anything good. Also, just as I suspected, she was a faker. She had no eggs in her at all, but usually spent some time on the nest each day and left bragging about...nothing. She never left an egg behind, just faked it. She did dress out nice and plump though.
We found a lot of egg yolks inside most of the hens. I forgot to take a picture of that, but I have a whole bowl full in the fridge, and I plan to feed them to my family for supper with some fried potatoes. Does anybody do that? I really don't know if I'm crazy for doing this or not, but I'm going to try it.



In this crock pot there are all the hearts and gizzards as well as the backs, ribs and necks, and the two rabbit rib cage sections. There are also garlic, onions and pepper corns. It smells wonderful in here! I'm getting hungry.




The rest of the meat; breast sections, legs, wings and thighs, fit into eight quart jars, and I canned them. I think some of the meat floated up and pushed the lids up a bit, releasing some of the broth. Bummer, because that stuff is good. I'm looking forward to making a good soup soon so we can try the chicken. It looks like it got nice and tender from the canning.

Tomorrow it's off to get my newest goat! Milking tomorrow night if all goes well! :) I'm also learning to draw blood so I can do that myself. It really pays for me to learn to do all I can since there's not a large animal vet anywhere within a 3 hr. drive of where I am. This way I'll be able to send blood in to the lab myself to test for disease or pregnancy. These tests are very inexpensive provided I can draw the blood and send in the paperwork myself.

Wishing all of you a wonderful weekend! Happy homesteading, homeschooling, homemaking...Happy "home" and all that means for each of you!

Growing Young Animals and Old Hens

I was away for a day, and things really seemed to grow in that small amount of time, but then again I was really busy for a couple of days before that. I guess I failed to notice the progress that was happening last week. The garden has grown a lot, and the bunnies and chicks have too. Here's a picture of the bunnies. They're almost ready to begin weaning. The does will be bred again this week, after the bunnies are five weeks old (on Wednesday). A week later the weaning will begin with the heaviest ones. By the time they're seven weeks old they'll all be weaned and the does will have 2 weeks to rebuild their reserves and grow their new litters. By the first week in August each doe should have a second litter.






I forgot to take a picture of the chicks. They're now over two weeks old. They've graduated from the small cardboard circle I created in the brooder house. Now they have the whole thing to roam in, and I made a wire screen to put in the doorway so they have fresh air and can see out when it's warm. They seem very happy with the arrangements. They love to look outside and are very lively, "flying" onto the tops of the feeders. It's really entertaining to watch them.

We lost one of our old hens today. Actually we had to "put her down" as she had a prolapsed vent beyond treating, and was egg bound with broken bits of egg coming out. Because they're getting old, we're having some egg problems. I don't know if this happened really fast or we didn't notice it when it started. I feel pretty lousy thinking we may have missed some earlier sing that things were going awry. However, it's possible that it happened quickly and there were no earlier signs. Since the chickens are older and have been through a few molts, they're laying larger eggs. Sometimes this fouls up the works. Also, sometimes two eggs may try to come through at the same time. If an egg has a wrinkle or a flat side it may be that two eggs collided on their way out. Sometimes the larger eggs begin to have thin shells and break easily. This happens because the hens have the same amount of shell material to cover the larger eggs. A large egg with a thin shell might break just inside the vent causing all sorts of trouble.

Umm...that's not what I meant to talk about in this post. I apologize if that was TMI.

Any way, I hope the rest of our old hens make it for a few more weeks until we have time to butcher and can them. I hope to have some really great canned chicken to use this winter. These old hens have over an acre and a half to range in and look very healthy. People comment that they're the prettiest flock of chickens they've seen. Unfortunately that's probably because some of them aren't laying anymore. Most of them still are laying though, and they do look real pretty right now. I'm not at all grossed out by the thought of eating these old girls. I love their summer diet of plants and insects. It makes me happy to think of eating some great soups and casseroles with this meat and homegrown veggies. :)

Next post: garden pics, I hope.

Merry Christmas and Happy 2011 To All!

Especially for Erin, here's our Christmas tree. :) We always try to get a tree from an area where it's going to cause a problem later, so they're not always the loveliest trees. This one is a balsam fir. The kids helped Dan find it on our property in an area that would need clearing in the future. Many of the ornaments that go on the tree were made by Dan's grandmother. She made one each year for all of her grandchildren.







These are some of my favorite ornaments because all three together remind me of one of my favorite Bible verses. "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13:13




In other "homestead" type news, I've been hanging laundry outside! It's been a lot of fun, really. I've missed being outdoors since there's no garden to work in and my goats are STILL not here. (They've been hard to breed this fall, so I don't know when I'll be getting them.) I don't make a point of going out as much as I did before we started school this fall. Now when it's near 20 degrees or warmer, I hang the laundry outside. It is amazing to me that it really does get dry, even if it's frozen when I take it down.

This is how I make it work:
First of all, I read that if you soak the clothes pins in salt water before using them in the winter, they last longer and don't freeze to the clothes. I haven't done this yet, but I think I'll try it because if it's cold they do freeze to the clothes.
I hang them out and let them dry (or "freeze" dry). When I take them off the line, if they're frozen stiff I drape them over chairs until they thaw a bit. If they feel damp (which they usually do) I put them in the dryer for 5 minutes. If they can fit into the dryer without thawing, I skip draping them over the chairs.
Oh, and most importantly, I wear some water proof gloves when I'm working with the laundry outside. My grandmother always (and my mother for a time) hung laundry out in the winter, and never wore the waterproof gloves. I still remember my mothers hands from that time - they were so raw!

I live right off of a main highway, and in the summer people often comment on the fact that I hang my laundry out to dry. I'm not sure what they think. I wonder sometimes if they're thinking I must be trying to save money. Someone "anonymously" bought us a turkey for thanksgiving this year, so I think maybe...
...anyway, so now when I'm hanging laundry in the winter, I wonder as each car goes past, "Are we going to get a charity batch of Christmas gifts because I'm doing this?" It's kind of funny, really. I'm out there just enjoying creation and the feel and smell of the fresh air, having a great time with God and feeling so amazingly blessed, and people are potentially feeling sorry for me. Probably they're thinking my dryer is broken. Nope, but my spirit is healing a bit each load of laundry that goes up! :) Ok, that sounds strange, but for me, it's true somehow.

Happy holidays from all of us!! Hug someone you love!

Canning Venison

This past weekend, Dan and I canned venison. It was my first time canning meat, but was actually very easy (though time consuming), and the results are delicious!


First, sweet-talk your hubby into helping. :)
Gather everything you need before you begin, preventing any last minute scrambles. You will need a pressure caner with rack, straight sided (wide mouth) pint jars, lids and bands, a jar lifter, magnet wand or tongs for lifting lids out of hot water, a wide mouth funnel, kitchen timer, plenty of wash cloths and kitchen towels, canning salt and some MEAT!
You may have read about canning meats, and (if you're like me) it may have scared you silly. Don't be afraid! This really is easy. The family I learned this from has been preparing and eating venison this way since they were itty bitty, and I've had my share of it as well. It is well worth the effort.
Wash all equipment in hot soapy water, using regular dish washing liquid. This includes the jars. Soak the jar lids in hot water until ready to use.
Pack your cubed meat into the jars leaving one inch of head space. We didn't pack ours quite as full as we could have. I was a bit afraid of packing them too full. We used all of the meat that people would usually grind into burger. I love all venison as long as it's NOT burger, so this works out well for us.


Add 1/4 tsp. canning salt to the top of each packed jar, wipe rim with clean, damp cloth, cover with lid and screw band finger-tip tight.


These handy little wands with magnets on the end are great for picking the lids out of the hot water.

When the jars are packed, load your canner (with approximately three inches of water in the bottom). You want enough water that it won't evaporate, but you do not want to cover the first layer of jars. Some people put a second rack on top of the first layer of jars before adding the second layer. If you don't have a second rack, just stagger the jars so each jar on the second layer is resting on two jars from the first layer.


If you have two canners, yay for you! You can make a double batch!


Now for the hard part. ;) Drag you rocking chair right into your kitchen, and grab a really good read. You're going to be here a while!


Leaving the steam escape valve open, exhaust you canner for about six to eight minutes. This means that steam should be coming out in a steady stream without breaks for about six minutes before you close the valve and begin building pressure in your canner. When the pressure gets to 10 lbs., set your timer for 75 minutes. Now settle in with your book, and keep watch over your canner, keeping the pressure as near 10 lbs. as possible. Don't allow it to fluctuate too rapidly, as this will create a vacuum that will such the liquid out of your jars.
At this point you may be wondering, "What liquid?" It's magic, I tell you, magic! The meat has a LOT of liquid in it without you having to add any. It makes it's own heavenly broth as it cooks in the jars. That broth is one of my favorite results of this whole process.
It may take a minute or two for you to get the pressure to stay relatively steady. Just adjust your flame little by little until it levels off. When the time's up, turn off the heat and wait. And wait...and wait...(I'm not very patient, especially this close to the end. I just want to see the results!)...until the pressure is at zero. You don't want to release the pressure quickly for two important reasons. First of all, the steam is HOT! And very importantly, if you do, you'll cause liquid to be sucked out of your jars. This could definitely interfere with your jars sealing properly, and you'll loose all the wonderful broth. And it is wonderful, I tell you!


We had to break into a jar when it was still warm. Oh, it was so good! The broth was wonderful, perfectly salted. The meat was oh so perfectly tender. Pressure canning absolutely transforms tough meats! You just won't believe it...until you try it! :) Enjoy!

Goat Feeding Tutorial

This post comes hot on the heels of the previous one, so be sure to go back to see an explanation of why this is here.

Here's a fairly easy method to estimate hay needs for goats. I used it to estimate how much hay to get to last our animals 6 months (October through March). I'm starting out with 2 Dwarf Nigerian Dairy goats that will be bred when I get them.

You'll start with the estimate that your goats will eat roughly 5% of their body weight in hay per day. You will need more than this, however, since there is waste. How much waste depends on the feeding system you have in place. Using a hay feeder that keeps the goats from laying on the hay and keeps the hay off the ground should result in 10 to 20% waste. You could estimate 15%.

I'm estimating my goats to weigh a combined total of 160 pounds when I get them. My equation will look like this:

160 (pounds) x .05 (percent turned to a decimal) = 8 (pounds of hay per day)
8 (pounds of hay per day) x 180 (days in 6 months) = 1440 (pounds of hay for 6 months)
1440 (6 months hay) x .15 (percent waste turned to decimal) = 216 (extra pounds needed for waste)
1440 + 216 = 1622 pounds of hay needed for 6 months

I've been extravagant with the amount of hay I purchased because the does will be in kid and we will have two breeding pairs of rabbits who also eat hay. I also didn't realize that the alfalfa bales would weigh so much more than the timothy.
So, now I have 25 bales of timothy hay at 50 pounds each = 1250 pounds
15 bales of Alfalfa hay at 100 pounds each = 1500 pounds
Total of 3050 pounds of hay. According to "the formula" this should be way more than we need.
I'll keep you posted.

I also wanted to say a word about the hay I chose and why. There are a lot of different ideas about what to feed goats even among experienced goeat farmers. One practice is to feed only the leafiest alfalfa that you can find. Proponents say that this is the best food for goats, they grow quickly and are well maintained on this hay.
The other practice is to feed only grass hay. Some say that the animals need the longer fibers in this hay to develop and work the rumen properly. They feel that the slower but steady growth is better for the goats in the long run, proving to make their frame stronger, be more gentle on their internal organ development and create a stronger, more disease resistant animal.
I've listened to people talk about these ideas, and read a ton about this. I have no experience with it at all so far myself. Because I don't know yet how I feel about this, I decided to go with a middle of the road approach. Feed some of each. My plan is to give them a limited amount of the alfalfa (say, about four pounds between them) and them fill the hay manger with the timothy free choice. We'll use the alfalfa for the rabbits too. They will probably eat a few pounds a day among them all.
The feed I chose is based on some information I read at this very informative website http://fiascofarm.com/goats/feeding.htm . I did, however, run into something that said to NEVER feed your goats equine feed mixes just a second ago. Ok, so opinions very a LOT. The site above, which I've gone to for info a lot in the past said that you should use equine feeds since they contain selenium and copper, which the goats need. Pregnant goats especially need selenium, as a shortage can cause spontanious abortion.

Ok, that's all for now!

Oops! I forgot to report on cost here. This information will be accurate only for my area of the country though. I'm far from the city and also far from the farming communities here in MN. I chose to go through a trusted distributor, so it's coming second party and I'm sure more expensive than if I could get it straight from the person who cut the hay.

Timothy 50 lbd. bales $4.95/ea
Alfalfa 100 lbd. bales $11.95/ea
bedding straw $5.95/ea
Purina Horse Chow #200 50 lbd. bags $12.95/ea
egg mash 100 lbd. bags $17
scratch 100 lbd. bags $14.50

Hay Delivery Day

It was hay and feed delivery day yesterday. The kids and I helped unload and stack 60 bales of straw and hay and 600 pounds of feed. The bales ranged from about 50 pounds for timothy to over 100 for alfalfa. For some ungodly reason, we stacked the alfalfa last. Oh my, was I ever ready to die! For some reason, after we were all finished, I snapped a picture of my self after we were done. I was so embarrassed when I saw that picture! My face was SO red from the exercise and heat. The hay delivery dude saw me like THAT!? It's a good thing I've already got a great guy and don't have to impress anyone else!


Here's the hay on the truck.


We found a snug little cave where something had made a home in the straw.


Here's one pile of straw.


Alfalfa on the right and straw on the left.


Timothy (and there's more!)

I also got some 16 percent protein horse chow for the goats. All that hay and feed sure makes the barn smell wonderful! I just love the smell of horse chow. It's grains mixed with molasses and minerals, and it smells so sweet.

One on the things I'd like to do with this blog is help others to see how much it costs to raise livestock of different kinds and what can reasonably be expected as a return. Of course, there are returns that cannot be measured financially, like fresh air, exercise and satisfaction. However, I know that for myself, I tried so hard to find some clear information on how much it might cost to keep the goats, and how much feed and hay I would need, and it was oh so hard to find anything. I finally found an equation that would help me to get a rough estimate on what I would need for hay. I hope to share what I'm finding and what I discover along the way with anyone interested in trying to figure it all out. So, my next post is going to be a description of what I've purchased and the cost, and an equation to help anyone else who's trying to figure this all out. As I go along with all of this, I'll report on the outcome of the decisions that I made. See ya next time!

Chicken Update II

The chickens seemed quite happy this morning. The hens were busy fighting over their favorite nest box, piling into it in 2's and 3's. It's funny to watch them in their "motherly" nesting mood. They almost seem broody as they sit to lay their eggs. I observed them while sitting, and they certainly don't seem to be bothered by mites or lice of any kind.
I made a permanent door in the fence to let the chickens out to free range. It's patterned after the doors and latches we created for the rabbit hutches.


Here's the new door closed.


Here's the door opened.


It is held opened by the same latches that hold it shut. Here's Molly trying to show the chickens the new door. It took quite a while to convince a few of them that it was safe to go through that hole.


The happy chickens free ranging to their heart's content. As long as that's NOT the gardens or potted plants!

I have so many things I want to post about! I have a series of photos of our crazy border collie/lab, Katie that I want to share.
I also want to take you on a virtual tour of the barn.
I have another recipe and a meal to show you.
I want to share some sweet things my twelve year old has been up to.

So, stay tuned for more!

Chicken Update

Before the chicken update, I just have to share my laundry pictures. I'm so excited to have my clothes line fixed, and praying it holds this time. Since I have my clothes line, my 5 year old decided she needed one of her own.



I found this one in the lilac bush near mine. :) So sweet! It's being used again today. My 7 year old hung laundry on it while I was hanging a load today. This time it was clean and part of the load I was hanging. The clothes in this picture aren't clean. Dani explained to me that she wanted some laundry to hang on it, so she got some dirty clothes wet so she could hang them. :) They just do the cutest things!



After spending about an hour and a half today just watching my flock (which I should do much more often) I have found out what's going on. Today it all became clear. The incessant scratching (which I noticed for the first time today), the broken feathers and bald rears, the general ragged, fluffy appearance of their plumage...MITES! So that's at least part of what's going on. After about an hour and a half of observation, I've figured out that they must have pulled their own feathers out. They're not picking on each other at all, only themselves.
Dan always says that it's my job to see anything unusual about the animals because he doesn't notice things like that. Well, I've failed my job! This seems like something I should have picked up on sooner. But, now what? As soon as it dawned on me that mites were the culprit, I added sand and wood ashes to their favorite dust bath spot. I really have no idea what else to do at this point. I'm going to do some research to see if I can find any answers. If anyone has any suggestions for me, I'm oh so ready to hear them! Thanks! :) And hugs to all you smart homesteader types!

Aphid Eating Insects and Garden Progress

I never was able to find neem oil for the plum tree, and my husband brought me back to reality when he reminded me that we didn't plant the tree and we have no idea what kind of plums they are or if they'll ever mature in time to eat, SO DON'T go overboard. When we plant the fruit trees you can learn all about the possible pest problems and organic measures of control. Ok, yep, thanks hun. Point well taken, and now I get to see what God's own design for nature does with the aphids, which is actually way cooler that getting rid of them.

For instance, there are these ugly little insects eating the aphids. Will they do anything to the tree after they're done with the smorgasbord? Stay tuned, and if I notice anything I'm sure I'll let you know.

Then there are these lovely lady bugs. It's fun to go out and see them doing the useful job they do just by eating! I know they're not going to do any damage, so I welcome them. They seem to be out in the morning and gone soon after.
And this very welcome creature. These three insect varieties are really working wonders! The aphids really seem to be disappearing, and it's interesting to watch, to use as a science lab for the kids, and to photograph! So, I guess it's been a blessing in some way.

Here are the onions as of a week ago. Did I plant them too shallow? Are they ok sticking out of the ground so far? They've grown a lot since this pic and stick up even farther now.

Baby spinach!

Baby pea pods, even baby plants are darling! All squeaky clean with no blemishes!



Wild raspberries will soon be ripening in our yard. It seems that things in general are slower in our yard than many other places. I've seen a lot of ripe berries other places. I've also heard that the blueberries are already ready, so if you want to pick I guess it's time. What a great year for it too, no bugs!!

The apples are really growing fast now.

And, I've got blossoms of the tomato plants! Yay!

I guess that's about it for now. I have to go and provide taxi service to all my kids. Yesterday I locked the keys in the van at Holiday, and had to walk all over town, then borrow a car and drive home then back to town to get the van...BIG fiasco! A 2 hour trip to town became a 4 hour trip. I got nothing done and so here I am, ready to do it all again minus the keys locked in the car.

schedule:

9:00 leave home

9:30 drop little girls at Bible school

10:50 pick eldest up from friends house

11:00 drop eldest 2 off at swimming lessons

12:00 pick up all the kids from various activities (at different places at the same time) Ok, the big kids might not be thrilled with how long they will have to wait for me. I, on the other hand, will be kid free for 50 whole minutes!! ;)

My uncle collects Farmall tractors. These are some of them.



Inside one of them was this little surprise.

Mama Robin has been hard at work!

Here is the cool "thingy" that attracts the flies before the apples form, keeping them from laying their (eggs?) in them. It's a red plastic ball that gets smeared with some VERY sticky stuff. My uncle scrapes it off when it's full of flies and adds more sticky stuff. I'm not good at remembering the names of things, so I don't recall what the sticky stuff is called. It comes in a can that looks like PVC cement, and has a brush attached to the lid to apply it with, just like PVC cement. But it's not. It's something else. Sticky something that works! Uncle said that two years ago he was embarrassed to even give the apples away, they were so full of brown spots. Last year, when he started hanging these sticky balls up in the trees, he had beautiful apples. Very few of them were damaged. I'm definitely keeping this in mind for the future!

And last, the tree that grows Dr. Pepper! I took this picture, and went to find my uncle to see what the cans were all about. I thought he was going to say there was something in the cans that either repelled or attracted something. Nope. He just wanted to say he had a tree that grew Dr. Pepper! He was also wearing a Dr. Pepper hat and T-shirt. I think he likes Dr. Pepper!

My Uncles Garden

As I've mentioned, we had a wonderful visit with my aunt and uncle this past weekend. I loved seeing his garden. It is so far ahead of anything I'm growing! He said they put lime in the garden this year and it's made a big difference. I guess so, but any time I've seen his gardens they've been beautiful.

The potatoes are very bushy! They're eating some of them already!

The broccoli is forming heads!

The peas have a lot of flowers.

This is a coffee plant. My uncle has three of them. He's kept them indoors in front of the picture window for 2 winters, remembering to mist them with water often. My sister also has coffee plants that are about the same age. Hers are about a foot tall as compared with his three or four foot plants. He really has a green thumb. I hope it rubs off on me!! Any way, these plants are supposed to grow coffee beans in the next year. He plans to roast them. Yummy!

These are his replacement chickens. I got my new laying hens from him when he decided to start over. They're Rhode Island Reds. He likes them a lot as an all purpose bird. His family eats them once in a while and likes the meat, and they lay really well.

I've got a few more fun pics from this visit to share, but for now I'm done. The uploading is just too slow. You can look forward to a great tip on keeping your apples healthy as they grow, corn that's HIP high by the Fourth of July and a tree that grows something very unique.

Today I worked quite a bit in my gardens. I got a few tomato plants that the Hovland Garden Club was "giving away" if you made a donation. No one was taking them and they were looking a bit worse for the wear. I had a pumpkin plant that was in sorry shape. It was obvious that it would never grow a pumpkin, so I took it out of the garden by the house and put in one of the tomato plants. We also just finished another 4 square feet of our other garden, so I put two more there. I thinned out all the carrots and beets and filled in the bare spots in the garden with radishes and turnips. Lastly, I planted two small rows of spinach of two different varieties. I plan to shade them from the sun and see if I can get some more spinach before fall. Oh, and I weeded, of course! I really have to get out there with my little hand cultivator and go after the edges again. The grass is doing it's best to take over! The little girls took all the thinned out carrots and had a tea party with them. I didn't know that baby carrots were meant to go with tea, but you learn something every day! :) We ate the baby beets, tops and all, steamed for supper. The leaves were tender, but the little "beatlings" were...well, a combination of chewy and crisp that squeaked in the teeth. Not the best, but they didn't go to waste.

We're having fun, the girls and I, spending some time together without the big kids. I miss them, though! It's awful having to find so many things that are lost around the house without Molly. That girl somehow knows where everything is! If I need it all I have to do is ask her. Without her I'm a little lost myself! And without Sam, there's just no music! It will be nice to have him around filling my life with sound again. There hasn't been any drumming going on in two days. I sure never thought I could miss that!! :)

Stuff

Okay, I just want to post! I don't have anything to say, though, really...

I planted some more of the garden. I really only have one section left that's ready to be planted now. It's pretty small this year. I've actually done more than just plant things and walk away, which is a big improvement over last year. I've weeded twice, and watered it every day!
I've planted:
-onion sets
-sugar snap peas
-snow peas
-carrots
-spinach

I'm not sure what I will finish with. I think maybe garlic, and...hmm...beets!? Yesterday, I read a blog post in which someone said that beets taste like dirt. Someone left a comment agreeing that they do indeed taste like dirt. I must like dirt, because I like beets. And beet greens. I wish I could eat some right now. Wilted, with butter and salt. Yummy!

Yesterday I finished cutting out all the pieces for the 2 remaining rabbit cages, and started to make door latches for them. I still have 6 latches to go. The wire for the latches if very stiff, but I think I'm winning the battle. I do have sore hand muscles, though, which is a new thing for me.

Now I have to go and do laundry. About 15 loads of it, I think. So, that's it for today!
Wouldn't these posts be so much more interesting with PICTURES!? Yes, I would like a new camera...but I would like a lot of things...and I don't need a lot of things...so I'm just going to wait, pray about priorities, and see what happens. Now off to the never ending laundry pile! Have a great weekend!

Tadpole Update, Visual-Spatial Learners and Random Stuff

I wanted to post a quick update on Hattie's tadpoles. I had read online that after they hatch they don't move around for up to 5 days, but it was hard to believe they weren't dying. Sure enough, however, after about 4 or 5 days they did begin to swim around. We changed the water, removing the dead ones in the process, and fed them some goldfish flakes. They have really grown a lot since then. Soon we could see eyes, then nostrils, and when they swim upside down we can see their intestines. In time we expect to see their hind legs developing. It's been a lot of fun watching them grow. I just tried to upload a new video of them 3 times, but it wouldn't work. Bummer...

We're winding down our school year now. I think everyone is feeling relief that we'll have a break from the "classroom" for the summer. That reminds me, if anyone who reads this has any advice/information on whole word reading, or visual-spatial learners, please send it my way. I have a hunch I'm going to need it. My youngest, it is clear, isn't going to be learning by the same methods that have worked with the other 3. We used phonics very heavily with the others and they seemed to quickly get the idea and then were off on the reading adventure and learning to spell by the same methods.

My 5 year old is on the young side for reading, so I'm not overly concerned, but she's been learning (or being taught, I should say) her letter names and sounds since she was 3. She's been pretty extensively exposed to them through a variety of methods at least 3 times each. She has finger painted them, glued dried beans on them, molded them out of play dough, printed them, watched videos of them, sung them...and still she doesn't know all of her letter names. She knows even fewer sounds. Today we were attempting to sound out some three letter words (such as bed, had, gum, run, dug). She was getting upset because she didn't know them, and I was trying to show her how to sound them out. She looked up at me and said, "Mom, I don't get it!" It's clear that indeed, she doesn't. The curious thing is that she can read some words. I don't know how, because she clearly has no idea what sound the individual letters in the words make. And I have very little by way of ideas, as of yet, for helping her. She told me that she knows the word bed because it looks like a bed...hmmm.

I have found one book and some websites that may help me. It's clear that it's going to take more time and effort than it has with the other kids. I'm encouraged by some of the great strengths that her learning style may have, though. I've read more than once that VSL's (visual-spatial learners) learn skills in sort of a hap hazard way, being advanced in some ways and slower in others. They may not build skill upon skill in ways that other learners do, but once they "get" it, it's there permanently. It often seems like turning a key. One day it isn't there, the next it is. Okay, yes, I can see that with her. There have been times when that's happened already, and it really took me by surprise. So, I guess I won't be able to "measure" her progress like I've been able to with the other kids. It will be somewhat of an exercise in faith for me. It will take more persistence that I'm used to having. I'm not exactly known as a patient person. I like to "see" progress, and I like to see it now. So, please keep me in prayer! Thank you! Okay, enough about that. Sorry for the long post, but I guess I'm using it to "process" what I've learned today.

As far as the little homestead goes, things are moving ahead at a snails pace. We've planted onions...yep, just onions. They're beginning to come up, which is exciting, but I sure do need to get the rest of the seeds in the ground. Peas, I think, will be tomorrow. Dan says he's going to get some planting done when he gets home from work tomorrow as well. We've built a second rabbit cage just like the first, and have 2 more to go. We finished the new chicken run. It turned out quite nice, but it was a lot harder working with the fencing that I'd expected. We chose horse fence, 10.5 gauge woven wire, 2 x 4 inch squares, 5 feet tall. It's very rigid and heavy. It is really hard to get a nice tight fence, and to get it to follow the uneven terrain without leaving gaps is quite a challenge. However, it was great preparation for putting up the fencing for the goats. That will come after the rabbit room is all set up in the barn. So, yep...things are coming together slowly but surely.

All the children are enjoying the summer weather. We've slept in the camper (right here at home) once, and are planning a trip to visit my family, especially my grandparents, at the end of the month. The kids and I will be staying for a while, helping with their garden and visiting with them. As they get older, I know my time is limited. I really want the chance to know them better before it's too late. I also want the children to have some memories of them.

Okay, that's enough...for now!

Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats

This past weekend, after the conference, we went to Heidi's Mini Acres to see her goats and ask questions. We decided that we will probably be getting 2 bred does early this winter. These are some of the Jr. Does she has now that will be ready for breeding in the fall/winter (photos "stolen" from her site). They would kid sometime next March or April, I believe.

Aren't they sweet? We saw her MANY kids, born this month. They are the cutest little babies! They're usually around 2 lbs. but one sweet little runt was only half a lb!

I'm really looking forward to this experience. I've got a lot to do so we can welcome them home with style this winter. I've got a bunch of clearing to do for the fence, and posts to pound in (hopefully by my self). Dan will help me stretch the fence after I'm ready. I've also got 2 pens inside the barn, a hay rack and a milking stand to help build. And hay, feed and minerals to find and purchase. Also hoof trimmers and dis budding iron, and probably a plethora of other things that I haven't thought of yet. If I keep going, I'll be overwhelmed again. I keep telling myself, "One step at a time!" After 5 years of debating the pros and cons of goat ownership, it's really about time! I can't wait for that wonderful, all natural, organic, fresh milk to be mine! Yogurt, cheese, kefir, here I come!! ...I think.

Right now, our little homestead is rich in one thing...EGGS! They're coming out our ears...or at least our fridge! I could use an idea for something really delicious, rich and absolutely sinnful to make that would use a LOT of these eggs! I think this weekend I'm going to try my hand at my first home made angel food cake. Not exactly rich and sinnful (more like angelic), but something I've been wanting to try for a while. Maybe the rich and delicious suggestions should use the yolks. I'll have a dozen of them to find use for after making the cake, I think.