Welcome Zilwaukee!

He was born on Friday the 13th of March to Willow :) He will be our official weed eater! Here he is just hours old! Cute little guy with a lot of spunk!

It is getting into kidding season here in the next month . I went out to check on my girls and boys and took the camera along to capture their winter selves

Purebred Nubian.. TIPPY

Grade Nubian and my baby :) WILLOWBEE

 American Alpine... IVY

American Alpine... LEANNE

And the boys  Purebred Nubian  EXCALIBUR and 2nd pic American Nubian...SILVERADO

Hoping to get a website going soon so that I can list all of my goats and the kidding schedule. I can put Kid information on it and what kids are for sale. All 4 does are bred. I am only keeping 2 doe kids so I should have some great one to pass on to another farm.

Blessings

Melanie

Isn't it fun to be getting all the seed catalogs in the mail while there is a foot of snow on your garden!! Gives us time to dream and plan doesn't it?

I love looking at the pictures that they have in the catalogs. I prefer seeing 'real' pictures to those that are like illustrations. I tend to pitch the ones that don't give me a clear picture of what that seed will become if I am a good gardener and God does the rest!

My favorite seed place is Jungs. I have bought seeds from them for 2 years. www.jungseed.com I have bought a wide variety of seeds from them, some I have liked and others not. I think I even got strawberry plants, and potato starts there. Now I tend to buy my potatoe starts and my onions, as well as any plants, tomatoes and strawberry locally. I shy away from Walmart and those but lean toward a green house type of place. A small mom and pop shop.

What are your favorite seed catalogs? Do you tend toward heirloom seeds, or go with the hybrid?

I enjoy trying to do heirloom with corn, so that we can harvest the seeds to replant next year. Keep the process going. I should try it with green beans too, I tend to have a lot of them left over after harvest!

So what is on your garden plans for the year? I need to get thinking and pondering mine. Since I still have a zillion quarts of pickles, I think that cucumbers may be a one or two plant season this year!!

Blessings

Melanie

Prior to that I just got them at good ole local stores.

Some day I will get time to be creative with a blog.. or maybe not. For now I will just use the lovely templates they give us for a variety. I needed to show winter!!

We finally got a significant amount of snow. We haven't had enough for the kids to play in so far this year, but that all changed yesterday! They were out for 3 hours sledding. Today it was still snowing. I will have to get out to get some pics taken.

I am down and out with a head cold that is moving to my chest. The baby and little girl are sick too, so it has been pretty crummy with that here. We have had 2 no school days.. but so have the public schools because of weather so really it isn't too bad.

I have been sewing some and planning some things to work on. Starting to just think about the garden this year. Waiting for Kids to start coming in March. All 4 of the does are hopefully pregnant.  Will be fun to have Kids around again, and this year baby is big enough to go outside more so I will be able to participate better in the morning and evening chores.

Will post some pics soon of our goings ons around here:)

Melanie

I just added 5 items on my etsy site. A few snowmen small bags, a lovey loop blanket, and a raggedy ann pillowcase. Come on over and check them out.. My sewing machine is humming..

www.countrymommyto6.etsy.com

Melanie

I sure wish I could do something fun and creative with this blog.. but I just don't know how to be computer savvy. I need to send one of the boys to take a class on computers so that they can set up a website and nice blog for me.. someday..

I have been busy sewing for Christmas gifts. The latest were a comforter and pillow for DS 6 curious george. He REALLY wanted the new curious george with a squirrel and flashlight but they are no where to be found. So I told him I would have to look after Christmas and maybe they would get some more in. He has some real small beanie type ones though that this blanket will probably still work for.

The day after Christmas sale at Joann's fabric was a great one this year with flannel and fleece. I was able to go as Dh was home that day. His only request was that I make him some flannel pillowcases for Christmas :) So these are the ones I chose. Doesn't match anything we own, but thought he would enjoy them

Melanie

I see a lot of the country is getting snow.. and believe me my boys are ready for it. We got maybe an inch a few days ago, and it has been now raining all day long. Gloomy yuck!

Jaja brought ski's and poles for the kids to use around the farm to play around with. DH said it was basically giving them a car without wheels. No ski boots or the right things for them, since they were a thrift store find.. but hey.. they sure can have fun trying. So they are anxious to see if they can pull themselves around. Even tried icing down a hill for them to sled down. I personally will take the rain as I HATE driving in the snow and become a hermit

More later..

Melanie

I just opened up a little shop on etsy. com the store for all homemade items. I figured I would give it a try. I just love to make things and this way I can share a bit of my creativity with others.

Come and visit me at www.countrymommyto6.etsy.com

Blessings

Melanie

We have had a lot of loss of livestock and pets on our farm in the past 3 years.  We were finally able to see one of them come full circle to fulfill their purpose to us. We bought a young steer 2 1/2 years ago, and raised him up. Named him Brutus and he was a gentle hereford steer.

1250 lbs after  we raised him up on hay, corn and grass. He produced 660 lbs of beef for our family. Our upright freezer is stuffed full and our chest freezer has a lot in it as well.

Seems strange to name your cows, but we really don't feel sad as he did what he was suppossed to do. He was a nice cow, but we are carnivores and let me tell you.. he has provided well. We are truly blessed.

Melanie

I just fell in love with this fabric from Windham called Paper Dolls http://www.baumtextile.com/cgi-bin/fabricshop/gallery.cgi?Category=321 

This weekend I cut the dolls and clothes out, ironed on a double sided stabilizer and put a heavy muslin on the backs. I found some clear velcro dots to adhere to the dolls and the clothes so that they can still better. I haven't attached them yet. I am using these for a gift for my 4 year old daughter and 5 year old niece for Christmas. Such cute material!!

Now it is much more cost effective to buy paper dolls, but the little tabs tear off so easy, and these can be like an heirloom to pass down to my grandaughters later :) Something fun to make besides.. Aren't they just precious! I wonder if they would sell at the craft show we have in town this Oct? They would be fairly pricey with the material, stabilizer, backing and velcro dots though.. something to ponder..

blessings to you

Melanie

I know we aren't the only family struggling financially this holiday season. As we get closer to Christmas I need to start thinking of ways to give gifts without a financial strain. One way I have been able to get a gift so far for each child is through paperbackswap.com. I used my credits on their to get a used book for each of the kids as well as some Christmas books. The books are typically in great condition. I have gotten all christian series for the older ones. For the oldest a Frank Peretti series called veritas (2 hardcover books). For 11 year old one called Door Within Trilogy I have gotten the first 2 hardcover books. I got a series called Tribulation Force in graphic novels for my 9 year old. A devotional Bible study for the 6 year old, and a couple Raggedy Ann books for my 4 year old. So they each will get a gift of a book or 2.

I was thinking on giving them various coupons as well. To come up with some individual ones that suit them and their likes, but also some that they each get.  Some examples:

An ice cream cone from The local ice cream place

A new book

1 hour of a board game with Mom

Make your favorite cookies

Choose dinner one day this week

Get out of school for the day (with homeschooling this is doable)

Buy a $10 item at the store for you in 2009

A T-shirt of your choice

Any other suggestions on the coupons?

And then for extended family and friends it gets tougher.... I am hoping to make some things with material I already have on hand. But I need to get a move on with it for sure!! For DH's Dad, he has diabetes so I think I will make him some sugar free cookies that he can stick in the freezer for later. For Grandparents I think I will enlarge some photo's I took on a nice Nov day of the kids. I was going to have pictures professionally done, but that just wasn't going to work out.  So I took the digital camera and got some nice shots of all the kids together and I think with that I should be able to get some nice 8 by 10's reproduced at Walmart or Walgreens for a reasonable price. I could have the pics each draw a picture or make something out of clay as well.

What are your low cost ideas this Christmas? To keep the finances under control, to not get too worldly with the gift giving yet still be able to celebrate the joy of giving, and to make some memories?

Blessings

Melanie

I made this table cloth today for our Thanksgiving feast. I am not sure yet if I am going to back it and quilt it or just leave it as a top. I got the snowballs from a swap on one of my quilt groups and the side panels are from fat quarters from different swaps as well. Really helps me to get a variety of fabric without having to buy the variety. The boys are afraid to eat on the table topper! I told them if they don't use my creations what is the point in making them!!

Melanie

When we were on vacation this summer we spend some time at my Father in Law's house. My MIL passed away 9 years ago, she was a seamstress and reupholsterer in her day. There was still material around so I chose some to take home and incorporate into a quilt here and there. My daughter was given a box of 'scraps' that she pretends to iron, and can cut up.. all came from Busha's house (polish for grandma). Well one day she decided to cut up a bunch of fabric and handed it to me and said Mom make me a blanket with this. So I had her sit with me and design where each piece went. I of course had to work some wonders to get it into a rectangle and then put an old baby blanket on the back for the backing. It is a baby doll blanket and she was so proud of it. I hope this is just the beginning of her taking an interest in sewing and quilting. I didn't have the interest as a youngster though my mom sewed clothes for us often. I just never was interested until we moved to the farm!! Seemed to go along with the whole farming paradigm. So here is my daughter with her first creation... (and a couple of hams in the back!!)

Blessings

Melanie

Our Farm name is Jubilee Farm. Well it seems that it should be Jubilee Rescue Center or something. The amount of animals we tend to take in for this and that reason!!

We have 2 lamancha's that someone couldn't sell at fair because he wormed them too close to fair. They were slotted for sausage (the kids named the pepperoni and salami) but that hasn't happened yet.  Our dog Luke came to live with us because his owner was moving down south and he couldn't take him with him. We have 2 young calves that came because someone didn't have a home for them. I got our horse on freecycle to come and retire here. We got a pig a couple of weeks ago that had a hernia and wouldn't live long enough to get to the weight they like to sell them at, so they gave it to us and DH is using that for his sausage too. And just last week DH brings home a cat Lucky who via this person and that person ended up at a trucking company that he works with and they asked him if he wanted it because the owner was in jail! Goodness and now Lucky is the lucky one hanging out in the house and everything!! So if you have any unwanted pets or farm critters I think we are the local hangout for those kind of animals!! Praise God we live on a farm where we can manage to help people out and take some of these animals that otherwise who knows what would happen to them. Always room for one more on the farm!!

Blessings

Melanie

The homeschool law states that we need to study the fine arts including music. So to meet that requirement partially I have the boys attend an art class for homeschoolers at our local art center. (Well local being 20 miles away). They get exposed to a variety of mediums and ways of making art. I wish it was a bit more indepth on the art appreciation aspect, mainly because the boys won't study it with me nor do they find an interest in it. They do love the art portion though and I am thankful for a teacher who volunteers her time to teach the students so they only pay a donation to the art center and a one time supply fee. So far this year they have done some 3-d drawings and some pastels. Today they start working with clay and sculptures. It pretty much takes most of our afternoon as we have to drive there and the class is 1 1/2 hours so I run errands in town while they are there. Only the 2 oldest boys are going this year, and it every other Tues.

I will have to take some pics of their work to preserve it and to share with you.

Melanie

I was blessed with a full weekend of sewing!! Back to the quilting and sewing now that fall is in full swing. I love sharing my creations here so here are the things I was able to work on this weekend.

My 11 year olds Safari Quilt. I basically pieced and completely the whole top this weekend. Many many hours involved in it, but I think it turned out beautiful!! Now the hard part to do the quilting in time for Christmas!!

I made some stocking blocks for an exchange on one of my groups. I am making several different ones of these and hoping to use some for a wallhanging or lap quilt for my Grandma's for Christmas.

And some Jacob's ladders for a monthly lottery on a yahoo group. I love entering the lottery just for the opportunity to make various blocks!!

So now I still will do some more stockings and need to order the backs for the Safari quilt and a Dog quilt (that I still need a picture of) so that I can quilt them for Christmas. Lots in the works and the sewing machine is HAPPY!

Blessings

Melanie

A couple pics of the team from my previous post.

Melanie

Corn is all harvested, estimating 8000 lbs of corn

1/10th of it has been shelled and ground. We used an antique sheller that DH rigged up a motor to. We worked as a team to get it shelled. The boys all husking the cobs (some of them didn't get completely husked in the harvest) put them in a bucket for me, I put the cob in the sheller, it spit out the kernels in a bucket and the cob in another. DH packaged them up and took them over to a friend's house where we used to buy corn. He bought some soybean meal to add in with the 1200 lbs of corn that was shelled, then it was all ground together for a 15% protein level for the goats and the chickens. The cows can handle pure corn without the extra protein but the other animals just need a bit more.

Our horse is adjusting. I am calling him the Old Man now!! Seems to be tired out after he gives us rides. He isn't always agreeable about it either, but I figure he has only been here a couple of weeks so he is still adjusting. He doesn't like little kids around him. Isn't too found of my daughter and her high pitched voice, kind of strange.

I have Willow my registered Nubian in a pen with my purebred nubian for breeding. I don't think she has come into heat yet, but being with him will speed up the process. I appologize to her each time I go up and see her that she has to be with that stinky buck!! People say a Buck in rut stinks, and they are NOT KIDDING!! And we have 2 of them!! Glad they are up by the barn and not nearby the house where they used to be.

The friend who processed our corn had a piglet who is 50lbs but has a hernia. I guess the hernia ends up killing them and they don't grow up to full size. So he was looking to get rid of it, and he doesn't butcher pigs (he doesn't even eat at home really) so of course DH said he would take it!! Not enough going on around here, now he is going to butcher a pig this weekend. He has been wanting to make sausage so that will work out nicely for him. It is pretty small I hear. I have opted to not see it until it is on my table as food. I won't let the little ones see it either. DH just brought it home yesterday and it is going down tonight, so it won't have to be here long. I just figure if it is only 50 lbs it is probably pretty darn cute. The farm way of life.. where do you think baby back ribs come from anyhow!! Free meat is free meat in this economy let me tell ya!

Our Indian summer has come to an end and we are heading into Fall. The colors are gorgeous and the air is crisp. I need to make an apple pie here soon!! I love the fall and the crispness in the air. We have to pack up all the summer wear and get our winter things out of the attic.

Is just how we got our new horse Chance. I saw him on freecycle and emailed the gal and it all worked out for us to get a great horse for free.

He is 24 years old (so not a spring chicken), old trail, show horse. He is a racking horse. Great chestnut color with a lighter mane and tail. Very gentle, nice horse. He has come to live out his retirment on the farm. We are trying to get him back into shape for some riding of him. The kids especially will be good for him as they dont weigh as much. DH and I have ridden him just a little too. He is a giant for sure!! But we are giving him a second Chance out here on the farm!!

Be blessed today

Melanie

To my precious 4 year old daughter!!

Melanie