Abundant Blessings Homestead

First post, new blog

{ 06:08, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { 10 comments } { Link }

Good morning!
Welcome to my new blog!
I have a blog already at homeschool blogger... www.homeschoolblogger.com/abundantblessings

Visit me there too! That blog is more about schooling and family stuff. I would like to use this blog to chronicle our farm life.

My name is Laurie, married to my best friend, Toby (for 15 years tomorrow!), and Mama to our 4 blessings, Rebecca, 12, Thomas, 10, Natalie, 6 and Mary Hannah, 2 (almost 3!). We homeschool and live in the great state of Tennessee!
We do have a homestead, a farm, if you will. We moved here to Tennessee in March of 2004, after years of longing to move to a farm! I was raised on a dairy farm in upstate NY and moved to FL when I was 14 (after our dairy barn burned to the ground and some other difficult times, Mom and Dad decided to follow their dream and move to FL). I met my Honey when I was 19, married him when I was 21. We talked about moving to a farm shortly afterwards. It took 12 years for our home to sell (not just a home...we had 5 acres of land..not much compared to other areas, but this was the southwest coast of FL...most who move to FL want a lot with their home, not acreage...and those who did didn't want to pay the price). So...after that long wait, we finally sold and came looking for our new home. Found it on the last day of a whirlwind two week visit to this area. The Lord gave us this farm...at a price we could afford and in a location we loved. The house is not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. It has character. It was built in 1905...just over 100 years old now. It is small...but cozy. We have plans for remodeling the house. In all of that time (100 years), the upstairs has never been finished off. It is one big open room. Only half is usable space, as the roof slopes down on one side. But, there is plenty of room for 3 bedrooms up there. Perfect for our 4 children! My MIL's fiance is a licensed contractor in MI and is planning to do this work this spring. This will be such a wonderful addition for our family! We all need a bit more space!

For animals on our farm, we have 7 beef cows, 35 laying hens, 3 goats, 6 ducks and 3 cats. Not a huge amount of animals, but enough to keep it interesting. Our recent purchase of a buck, Bill Edward Goat, is in the hopes of breeding our two dairy goats for milk next year. I have been semi seriously searching for a milk cow for some time now. I need a cow as gentle as possible and have about come to the conclusion that I need to start with a Jersey calf. This is not a big dairy area, so not sure how easily she will be to come by! We have never tried goat milk, so not sure if we will like the taste. My desire for goats' milk is for making soaps and lotions and cheeses. If we like the taste, we may skip the milk cow!

Our cows are South Poll cows. They are bred for this type of area...Teddy Gentry (of Alabama fame) has a farm in Ft. Payne, AL, where he has developed this breed over time. They are bred for the temps here as well as doing well as a grass fed animal. We do not feed any grain to our cows. They have done quite well on grass alone and we are convinced of the viability of a grass based farm. Three of our cows had their first calving this past spring. The calves are growing out very nicely, two heifers and one bull. The bull, Cheeseburger, is destined for the freezer next year. He is now 8 months old...time is getting here for a freezer full of meat. The heifers are AnnaBelle and Lurlene. I will tell you about Lurlene's birth in another post.

The ducks were a special project for my son, Thomas and I. We bought them at TSC in April and brooded them in the brooder after the meat chickens were out on pasture. The ducks have provided us with hours of entertainment. I have never eaten duck, and I sure don't plan to start with my babies!
We did a batch of 100 broiler chickens this past spring. They were alot of work, mostly in the butchering stage, but so worth it. The meat is so tasty..and not mushy! Just knowing how the meat was raised and prepared makes it taste even better!
The cats are my daughter, Natalie's pets. She does love her cats! We think one, Belle, may be pregnant. Belle was a gift from her great Uncle Owen in FL last Christmas...along with her brother, Jingle. Jingle, we found on the road one day on the way home from piano..he was no longer living when we found him. Not sure exactly what happened to him...it was a sad day here!

Our laying hens will be 2 years old this May. They were prolific layers for a time..they have slacked off a bit...some due to molting, some due to the cold weather. We don't hang lights or anything for them...we take what they give us. They are in a moveable hen house, with electrified net fencing surrounding them. We move them to sanitize pastures, fertilize pastures, and give them fresh grass to enjoy. They are currently working on our proposed garden area. This spring will mark the beginning of our first TN garden. Toby did a large scale garden many years in FL...this will be our first TN garden...and the first where it is mostly my project. Updates will follow on this one!
That about sums up our farm...it's not too large and not too small. We find great joy in tending to these creatures in our care. We also enjoy the fruits of their labors...and ours!
I look forward to filling this blog with our adventure tales!
Thanks for stopping by!

{ Post a Comment }

Hello Laurie

{ 07:00, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by candy }
Nice to meet you. I am from upstate NY, what part are you from? I just wanted to tell you how much I enjoyed reading your blog.

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{ 07:12, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by 4lilblessings }
Hi Laurie!! Nice to see your new blog!

Lisa

Candy...

{ 07:26, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by abundantblessings }
Candy,
I am from Watkins Glen...prior to that, very young, we lived in Horseheads, outside of Elmira...
anywhere near you?
Just visited your blog! Beautiful photos you have there!!

Blessings,
Laurie

Lisa!!

{ 07:29, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by abundantblessings }
Thanks for stopping by my new blog!!
Enjoyed reading yours this morning!
Have a great day!!!

Blessings,
Laurie

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{ 09:24, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by OurLittleHomestead }
WELCOME to Homestead Blogger--so enjoyed reading your posts :)

Lisa

Welcome

{ 03:40, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by kayinpa }
Welcome to homestead blogger! Looking forward to reading more about your farm life. We lived in Waterloo for about a year. I know where Watkins Glen is!

Edited by kayinpa on Wednesday, January 4, 2006 at 04:41

TN

{ 04:47, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by winterpast }
Where in TN do you live? We love TN and lived there for a short time. It was interesting to hear about the cows you own. I grew up on a dairy fram in NH we had Holstien, but I showed jerseys and ashires also. ~Rebecca

Southern, middle TN

{ 06:44, Wednesday, January 4, 2006 } { Posted by abundantblessings }
is our new home! We are just over the TN/AL border. A bit farther north, and maybe we could be enjoying snow this winter...we didn't get but one day of small flurries last year. Have been told that in recent years, there have been ice storms. That does not thrill me!
We love TN!!!

love your blog!

{ 07:24, Thursday, January 5, 2006 } { Posted by 4lilblessings }
Laurie, I love reading this. Your ducks are gorgeous!

Lisa

Hi There

{ 09:02, Tuesday, January 10, 2006 } { Posted by TheLandIsCalling }
Hey we are in FL looking to move to TN. What fun. I hit the Random Blog and found you. I also have a homeschoolblog. I am 4beachbabies over there. What fun your homestead sounds like. I am adding you as a friend.
blessings,
Andrea