A warm day

After over a week of highs that were less than freezing, we got 2 nice days last week. Logan and I decided to spend some much needed time with the goats.




I got a couple more videos that I'll try to post over the next few days. Sorry for the big gap in posting. I find it very hard to function when it is so cold. Even the normal chores are hard, and I had to bring warm water out to the animals 3 times a day. I've been feeling overwhelmed with having to do everything inside and out with very little help. Somehow, it all seems easier when it is warm. I'm so glad we moved south.

Aerogarden

I'm sure everyone has seen ads for these things. I wasn't going to get one, but my Step-mom did and never used it. So, when I was up there visiting for Christmas, she gave it to me. Thanks Marilyn. I figured why not give it a try, especially since it is so bleeping cold out there.

Logan and I started the pods last Saturday. It is really easy to set up. You fill the bottom with water, it takes about a gallon, add 2 nutrient pellets and put the pods into the holes. You then push the button for what you are growing and it does the rest. It takes care of the lights and tell you when to add water and nutrients.

This is what it looked like right after we started it.

2 days later we had germination.

4 days later.
Today, 1 week after starting.

I'll keep you posted on how things go. Oh, we're growing salad greens. The pods are a bit expensive, but the ones I'm using were given to me with the Aerogarden. I'm not sure I'll buy more, but I guess we will see what our harvest is like.

Public Service Announcement

This is just a friendly, neighborhood public service announcement. This is the time of year to check your bug out bags.

• Replace any expired food
• Change out the water
• Check any clothes to make sure they still fit, especially if you have kids
• Update any copies of documents you have
• Review the contents and make sure there isn't anything you want to remove or add

Don't have a bug out bag you say. Why not?! This is the perfect time of year to prepare one. You never know when something may happen, even if you are just bugging out to your basement during a storm. It is always good to be prepared.

If you don't have a bug out bag yet, here is the post I wrote 2 years ago about what is in our bag:

http://farmdreams-christy.blogspot.com/2007/12/bug-out-bag.html

I've made a few changes since then. I've added these for food:
http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_FM%20R240_A_name_E_MAINSTAY™%202,400%20Calorie%20Food%20Bar

And these for water: http://beprepared.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_WS%20P100_A_name_E_Datrex%20Water%20Pouches%20-%204.2%20ounce%20Pouch%20(purchased%20in%20case%20of%2064)

I figured this way I wouldn't have to change everything out as often.

If you are just putting your bag together, here is a good chart showing what is included in kits you can buy: http://beprepared.com/article.asp_Q_ai_E_518_A_name_E_Kit%20Contents$20Chart

It is also a good idea to have a smaller kit in your car. How many times do we hear stories of people getting stranded in remote areas in their car? I've got supplies in case I have to spend 2 nights in the car with Logan. Let's hope I never have to use any of it!

3 Year Anniversary

It’s hard to believe I’ve had this blog for 3 years! This blog has seen me through a lot of changes. I also can’t believe that some of you have been with me from the beginning. Are you gluttons for punishment or what?! You saw me through the beginning of the dream, when living on a farm was just a wild idea. You saw me through the year of trying to convince Mark I was serious. You saw me through the awful year of trying to sell the house and get moved. The times when I literally felt like I was sufficating living in suburban hell. You were there when it almost all fell apart and we almost had to move back to Delaware. And you’ve been there for my first year on the farm, all the ups and downs. I owe so much to you guys. You helped me stay strong during the bad times and you’ve helped me celebrate the good times. I honestly think without you I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Just for fun, here is the first picture I ever posted. It was in a post about nature deficit disorder.




I was feeling nostalgic and starting looking back through old posts and I realized a few things. I used to really wax philosophical on this blog! I feel like now I just do drive by posts; "here’s a few pictures of the animals, we are fine, bye." I kind of miss that old, philosophical me. I also realized I’ve let a lot of things go that I used to do. Things like sewing, crochet, baking, writing, painting, and photography. . Between the farm, Logan’s activities, and my online teaching job I feel there is little time for me anymore. In the evenings, by the time we get home from Logan’s activities, I take care of the animals, make dinner, and do the dishes, it is usually 9. I then still have an hour or more of work for my classes. I need to get better about doing more during the day, and doing my work during Logan’s activities. I’d like to free up that time from 9-11 in the evenings.

In the spirit of nostalgia, I thought it would be fun to revisit some old posts. Give my new friends a chance to know me as more than just the woman with the funny goats and a hawk problem. Here are a few of my favorite posts from the last 3 years. Some of these are favorites not because of what I wrote, but because of the discussion in the comments.

http://farmdreams-christy.blogspot.com/2007/04/my-ishmael.html

http://farmdreams-christy.blogspot.com/2007/04/unschooling-answer-to-comment.html

http://farmdreams-christy.blogspot.com/2008/02/in-defense-of-food.html

http://farmdreams-christy.blogspot.com/2008/11/we-got-chickens.html

http://farmdreams-christy.blogspot.com/2009/04/boy-and-his-goat.html


I hope you all will still be here next year when we celebrate number 4!

Goals for 2010

I need to write my goals down for the coming year. I’ve been unfocused and goal-less for the last 2 or 3 months. It has made me restless and irritable. I’m the type of person that needs to be working towards something.

Personal:
• Sign up for an exercise class - either dance or Tai Chi
• Explore Buddhism more fully
• Learn Small Circle Jujitsu
• Crochet a sweater
• Find people to help me with my goals, I’m tired of going it alone most of the time
• Make new friends and strengthen my current friendships
• Help Logan with his goals anyway I can (even if it means going outside my comfort zone)
• Get back into photography
• Volunteer with Logan again (I miss doing this)

Farm:
• Figure out my overall focus for the farm (this will be a future post)
• Expand goat herd – I’d still like a couple of pygoras
• Plant more berry bushes
• Plant more fruit trees
• Improve garden soil
• Research and decide if I want to do bees
• Plant medicinal herbs and learn to make more herbal remedies
• Do something with Sweet Pea’s fleece
• Have more success in the garden this year

Prep:
• Expand food storage
• Build and use more efficient solar oven
• Become more confident with my rifle
• Learn to shoot a pistol
• Set up another water cistern
• Explore alternative energy sources
• Start canning again (I didn’t do any in 2009)
• Start sewing again (Again, didn’t do any in 2009)
• Learn to pressure can

I really neglected my prepping in 2009, getting the farm established was the focus. I’m glad I learned so many of the prepping skills in the 2 years before we moved here!



Logan wanted to share his goals too.

• Learn to do a 540
• Beat an established grappler in a fair match, maybe at a tournament
• Learn to do a round off, back hand spring
• Win a sparring match at a tournament
• Learn to do a num-chuk routine
• Compete in another combat robot competition
• Learn pressure points
• Finish weaving place mat
• Learn Bollywood dancing
• Learn to do a flip turn
• Learn to do back stroke
• Milk the goat

My first trip away from the farm

I haven't been away from the farm overnight since we moved here over a year ago. Mark and Logan have, but I haven't wanted to leave the animals. I decided I wanted to go to Virginia to see family for the holidays. My grandparents are still alive but their health is starting to suffer, so I wanted to see them. I arranged for a neighbor to come in the mornings and Sandy to come in the evenings. I divided up the chores between the 2 times so no one had more than about 10 minutes worth of stuff to do.

After a great trip, we arrived home yesterday evening. I told Sandy not to come yesterday so I could do the evening chores and check on everyone when I got home. I went down to put everyone to bed and everyone seemed fine. But I noticed all the waters were empty. Not good. The neighbor doing the morning was in charge of filling waters. But I gave him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he filled them the morning before and decided there was enough water left yesterday morning to get them through the day. I decided I'd take care of the water in the morning since it was already after 9 and all the animals were asleep.

This morning, the neighbor must have been confused about when we were coming back because he came by before we got up and let the animals out. I thought good, I won't have to fill all the waters and can concentrate on cleaning the extremely dirty stall and the coops. When I got down there, all the waters will still empty and the chicken's food hadn't been filled! The chickens are locked in the new coop and can't get out to forage for food. They are reliant on us to feed them. When I went into the coop to feed them, they attacked me! They were clearly very hungry. Now I'm wondering if the neighbor ever filled the food or water. Luckily, I got big water containers and filled them to the top before I left, so at most they should only have gone a day or 2 without water. But the chickens could have gone the whole time without food.

I appreciate that he was willing to help out, but you need to be able to rely on people to do what they say they are going to do. Especially when animals are involved! I'm the type of person that takes responsibility very seriously. If you ask me to do something I will do beyond what you asked. If you wanted me to feed and water your animals, you'd probably come home and find I cleaned the barn too ;). It is just how I am. It is really hard to learn that others don't take their word seriously.

Luckily, it is winter and not summer. They could have died without water for 2 days in the summer. I was planning on going to my family reunion in July, it is every other year and family from all over the world go. I don't want to miss it, but I can't put my animals in danger either. I will be looking for a new morning person and setting up a redundancy system where waters get filled twice a day. I hope I can find someone I feel comfortable trusting to take care of my animals. I trust Sandy but don't want to ask her to come twice a day, that seems like it is asking too much of someone. Thanks Sandy! The animals appreciate the care you gave them.

Update: Sandy filled the food and water for the chickens in the coop when she came in the evenings. It is clear the neighbor never did the whole time. Thank goodness I had Sandy coming in the evening!!! Thank you again Sandy. I really owe you!

The best Christmas present ever!

Turns out Lisa was right. The hawk did come back a couple of weeks ago. This time it got my sweet, wonderful Calendula! We were upset about Dusty because he was fun and roamed the street. Even all the neighbors liked him because he would visit them. But he wasn't friendly. When I found Calendula's feathers, I was seriously pissed! She was MY chicken. She was devoted to me. I nursed her back to health. I picked maggots out of her 6 or 7 times. She ran to me whenever I went outside and rode around on my shoulder.

I decided right then that I wouldn't lose anymore chickens. Mark talked to the neighbor that day about building us a coop on the side of the run-in. He built our house and the run-in originally so he seemed like an obvious choice.

The coop got done Tuesday and it is beautiful! We had it built in a way that if we want in the future, we can wall it in and have another stall. The chickens are all safely tucked in. They aren't thrilled with being locked up, but they are safe. I let them out when I am out with them.

This coop is my Christmas present from everyone. They are all donating money towards it. It is the best Christmas present ever, but my rifle last year is a close second.