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Meet Gideon (left) and Rossi (right).
As some of you may remember, we’ve been looking for a new dog for quite some time. Our two current dogs are more than 14 years old. One is blind in one eye, mostly deaf, and no longer able to squat when he poops, or, often, even able to make it outside from the garage. The other is getting cataracts, is about 10-15 lbs overweight, and has bad hips. She has a difficult time getting around, and mostly guards her food bowl, which explains the weight gain. We still love them both, but they aren’t much good for scaring off the coyotes at night or protecting the property while we run to the store (or up to Spokane for an overnight errand). Read the rest of this entry »
This is the center of the gravel driveway.
Well, after about 2 1/2 months of no rain, we’ve had more than 2 inches in the last few weeks. Aside from the wet, the weather has generally been in the 60’s to 70’s during the day, which means that lots and lots of cheat grass (Bromus tectorum) and storksbill are germinating like crazy. Areas of the pasture that were totally brown a few weeks ago now look like a golf course. Read the rest of this entry »
We bought a new American Black Belly ram last Saturday. We also bought two additional ewes. So we now have 8 females and 1 male, and hope for lots of bouncing baby lambs around mid March next year. We’ve named the ram Pasco (after a local town – we’ve decided to name new sheep after streets and towns in our area).
Charlie, the Tom Turkey, quickly figured out there was another set of rather large testicles in the barn yard, and he wanted to make sure that Pasco knew who was in charge. My husband shot this video. Note how Pasco eventually puts the ewes between himself and Charlie. Wuss. I’m sure he was thinking, “man, that friggen turkey is crazy”. Read the rest of this entry »
Finally! We found our first duck egg on the morning of the 20th. I had hoped they would start laying around the 9th, but the information you read on when ducks start laying is always given as a range. It depends on the size of the duck and the time of year. For our Ancona ducks, it turned out to be almost exactly 5 months (they were born on April 22nd or 23rd). The next day, we found two eggs. And so far, that’s it in terms of who’s laying, but we have gotten two eggs every day since then. Read the rest of this entry »
Lots of codling moth larvae holes (I didn’t spray anything this year), so not much good for eating, but with the bad parts cut out and the good parts run through the apple grinder and juiced, they will make a fine Perry Cider.
A friend of mine (who I swear is a sister from another mother we are so alike in thought) was lamenting the frustration of wanting every seed to germinate and every seedling to survive, and then the angst of having this not be the way of nature. I would add to this the wish to harvest every single thing you have grown and savor its fleetingness or turn it into something lasting. I mourn every tomato and green bean that has been nibbled on by a slug, even though I have too many tomatoes already, and the green beans are small and not-so-tender and pretty much done for the year. I kick myself for every overgrown cucumber I missed, even though both the chickens and the goats love them, so they don’t go to waste. Read the rest of this entry »
Some from old hens, some from new.
I successfully incubated and raised up 15 new hens this year, and I’ve been waiting and waiting for them to start laying eggs. I have two customers who buy three dozen eggs a week from me, and in an effort to keep them supplied so I don’t lose them as customers in the winter (once the farmers market ends and I don’t have another outlet to sell eggs), I’ve hardly had any eggs for myself these last few months. So it was with real joy that I found my first “pullet” egg on August 9th. I had expected, based on previous experience, to find new eggs sometime around the 19th, so a few of the girls are ahead of schedule. Read the rest of this entry »
Mary’s four babies, born July 21st/22nd (night)
So, with Mary the rabbit having babies, I thought I’d do a brief post on what I’ve learned about raising rabbits for meat…so far. (I’ve only been in this since mid April). Read the rest of this entry »
I’ve become like a crazy cat lady, except for I’m a crazy turkey lady. I stand in the poultry pen and talk to Charlie, and tell him to show me what he’s got. And he does. So fun.
Thelma and Louise, seeking refuge on the top of a plastic 55 gallon barrel. I put them up there with a handful of food so they could eat in peace.
We reached down and grabbed a pair last night, and butchered 13 roosters. I’m actually very proud of this. Taking the step from believing in eating local and raising your own food, to actually dispatching a living animal is a significant one. This was not my first rooster rodeo. We probably butchered our first roosters 7 or 8 years ago. But there is always that moment of pause, as you stand with a living breathing warm-to-the-touch bird in your hands, where you think, “can I really do this”? Read the rest of this entry »
No, God no, not me! It’s Mary, one of my rabbits. All of our rabbits were free. The last two (a boy and a girl) came from a coworker of my husband’s. When they were brought to us, they were in the same cage, and both were consenting adults, and I thought, “better write down the dates, just in case”. So I’ve been watching her closely. Read the rest of this entry »
MilesAwayFarm
Miles Away Farm Blog 