Mama Hen

I have the Head Stanchion built. My mom and I built it yesterday. Didn't do to bad if I do say so myself!! Hubby even approved. I did notice I need to fill in some of the wide spots so she doesn't try to stick her head in the wrong way. We got momma and baby in the barn and locked in the stall last night. Separate but close enough neither was to bad freaked out...

SO fast forward to this morning... I had feed and everything On the off chance I would be able to actually milk her.. LOL Yeah okay I was just going to plop down beside her and start milking.... Uh yeah only in a dream world where every animal is tame enough and understands that you need the milk from them.. I really didn't expect to be able to milk her this morning so wasn't severely disappointed. I did get her in the stall and latched in. She calmed down with the food. But when I went to touch her udder she brought the back leg up quick!! Notice the smug little baby peeking for the other side with the Milk Goatee!!

These short legged little Dexter's can pack a heck of backhanded sort of kick!! LOL One of the other cows got me a couple of months ago when I was petting her down the side. I avoided being kicked by Daisy today though because I was watching for it. I left her in while I did the other chores in the barn and she ate the grain I had for her. Which was Beet pulp and oats with a little corn. I am not sure yet what I will be using all the time kind of playing with the mix at this point.. She is bigger then the Goat First Fresheners. lol All the ones I have milked I either had from birth or had been milked before. Then I put them up on the stand and hold in place with my shoulder if I have to. Some Goats lay down on you or climb the other side of the Stand with their back legs!! Quite the Sight to see LOL! Cows aren't quite as agile as goats Thank Goodness or I would never milk them! There is a big difference in a goat that's weighs 150-200lbs and a small cow that weighs about 700-800lbs... If she keeps kicking I may have to get what they call a kicker. It Keeps them from being able to kick.. Another thing I am not sure what to do about is the tail!! That thing HURTS!!! One more in favor of the goats! lol

I left her in the barn with baby Velvet and some hay. She will get use to being in there and then I will let her out in the barn yard and then eventually out with everyone else again. When she quits rolling her eyes when she is in the head stanchion it will be easier. Right now she isn't convinced its a good thing besides the fact that she did get treats!! At the same time we will be taming Velvet the baby and working with her to get her use to being handled and she will be one we use for milking also. Now she isn't so sure about us because we did separate her from momma last night and then we were back this morning... Another great adventure here on the farm!!

For those of you wondering NO BABIES!!! I did feel some movement on my big white goat Gina. She may have another 2 weeks. Ethel just defies all! Brat! It will have to be soon she cant go on like this!! It will probably be Saturday when we are gone to get the new sheep!! I don't think they will have any problems but I still like to be there!!

SO that's what is happening!! We are suppose to get more rain tonight and its going to get cold again! Shiiivver!!

It's White Outside

It's only FROST ... no snow.  Still beautiful, though.

I did get to start on the projects yesterday while Little A was napping and then again last night.  I hope to work on them some more today during nap time.

Yesterday, I was going to call about my Nutrimill...But instead, I got an email from the company telling me it was shipped.       There was a problem with the switch, so they replaced the motor section, and the cup.  It should be here by the end of the week.

Oh...I got a phone call on Sunday telling to be on the lookout for a BLESSING.  That should be here by the end of the week, also.

WOW!  God is so good!

I've had some requests, so, I will be posting a recipe / recipes this week.

Little A will be here soon, so I'd best get going.

Hope ya'll have a great day.

In Him,  Jill (the big sister)

In everything give thanks.

THis Little PIGGY.....

Built a house of straw..Or hay I should say!!lol

This is the nest that they had slept in last night. They make nest really well! Oldest DD said it looked like a giant birds nest!

Billy the little pig has hay stuck on his head!! He was the one I was most worried about because he is small and was shivering some but has warmed up now.

Thats me in my Layers of clothes. You would never now I had 3 shirts and 2 pairs of pants on under that!! lol!Here they are digging where I had moved the fence back! They found green under the snow!! Smart little fellers!

Hoping...

to get back into routine.  The long Holiday ~week~ has thrown me for a loop.

Now we can get back to schooling, etc.     This evening, I have a few projects to get started on ... so does N ... you know ... Holiday stuff. 

Last night, after dinner at my dad's, we stopped by to see Harrison.  He looks much better than he did Friday.  Kim was exhausted.  No sleep for 2 nights.  I'll check on them later this morning.

Little A will be here soon. 

Gonna go make sure N is awake.

And ... Thank you, again, for your prayers for Harrison.

In Him,  Jill (the big sister)

In everything give thanks.

Just little flakes then this by 7pm tonight. If it didn't get dark so early it wouldn't be so bad!! I would never make it living farther north!! I would go crazy from cabin fever! LOL
SO anyway we got out to get ready for the cold have the well house all insulated and ready. Then we move on to putting out hay..... Tractor's Block heater wasn't working!! the tractor wouldn't start! So we go to get the part(by now its dark!) and its a Special Order!!! Soooooo We did something I do NOT recommend except in Dire circumstances... We hooked come-alongs and chains and pulled one very Large hay bale off of the top of the stack and rolled it ever so gracefully into the back of the truck! It tipped and went sideways!!! But it was in there ! Then we took it to the barn and pulled it out of the back of the truck the same way pretty much. The goats and sheep have hay and I threw some to the cows and their babies as they were staring at me through the panel looking soooo Hungry!

We got all the animals settled and I am now 50lbs lighter then when I went outside... Nope not a new diet just shed the clothes to keep me from freezing!! To go out and keep everything tolerable it takes a fair amount of clothing. We all have rubber boots. The girls don't have the insulated ones because they are still growing and wear insulated socks with them. Then we have leggings and then sweat pants and a skirt over it all. It blocks the wind. Then we have a long sleeved shirt and usually a hoodie plus a hat. With something to cover our chins. About the only thing you can see of our face is our eyes and nose and we cover our noses sometimes when its real cold.. Then we have a coat to cover it all. I usually wear latex gloves under my work gloves to keep my hands from getting wet because that makes me cold quicker then anything. I also make sure I put lotion or something on my face before I go out too. Because I get wind burn so easy!! SO its layers up on layers!!! Hence the 50lbs!LOL It takes about 20 minutes just to get ready to go out. Okay I will quit whining about it now and post a pic of our older dogs!

They are kind of camera shy! I have to turn it on behind me and then take their pic. If they see me turn it on they get up and walk away which is exactly what they are doing in this pic!!! Sam is the first one and Dinah is behind the gate. She still looks a little rough due to the trimming she had. The little ones are cute and have lots of personality! I think they will be good dogs!

Good Night Everyone!!

What’s Been Coking in my Kitchen?

 

 

While I was cooking up my soups Leanne and Sierra made a triple batch of apple cinnamon muffins. I bought a 20lb box of organic Fuji apples on my last Azure order and have been working to use them up. We have eaten a lot of apples, made 3 apple pies and now 3 dozen muffins. The box is almost gone now..  

 

I don’t have a recipe for her coffee creations printed down yet.. maybe someday! 

That is all the cooking for today!!  Hope you all have had a pleasant and blessed Sunday on your homesteads!

Thank You, Friends

for all your prayers on behalf of Harrison, Kim's son.

He is coming home today    with orders to rest, continue respiratory therapy, lots of fluids, etc...

This hit him so fast.  Thursday, he was outside running around with the other children.  He asked me for the inhaler ( we are all loaded with athsma).  Friday morning, I spoke with Kim and she told me he was using the nebulizer.  After 4 treatments in 12 hours and needing more ... that's when it was time to go to the ER.

We thank God for the wonderful medical team at the Children's Hospital .. And for God and His healing touch.

Thank you again for your prayers.

Jill (the big sister) 

Patiently Waiting.

It is Simply life......

.

No babies,... Stinkers! The pic is 2 of the sheep that are having the bloody show and their udders are big and tight looking for sheep. But they keep going!!

One goat has completely lost her ligaments and I can put my fingers completely around her tail bone!!! That's GOOD! Its usually mean 12-24 hours Max! Wooo Hooo Ligaments are right above the tail and they will loosen when they are going into labor or getting ready for labor. She has a tight udder too! The other goats ligaments are loosening but not completely gone and her udder is getting bigger but she may have another week.

We have new dogs!! They are Komondor and Collie/English Shepherd mix. The dad is a full blooded Komondor and the mom is the mix. They were started on a farm with almost as much of a variety as we have and all birds are free range. SO that's good!!!

Hubby fell off of the scaffold at work Wednesday! NOT good!! His shoulder and head took the brunt of it! Good thing he is hard headed!. His arm and shoulder is sore but I think its nothing more then strained. He was thinking it was broke but its getting better.

Thanksgiving was good! Way to much food!!! Girls are at my parents for the weekend. They have been there a lot lately. But This is probably the last for a while as they will probably be getting ready to move soon. They are going to his parents next weekend.. They will be ready to be home for a while!! lol

That's it for right now......