I need to get a wood stove

Towards the back of our property they have been clearing an area to be able to put in a new electric transmission line. This runs all along our property and along most of the neighbors. I have to say I am not particularly happy with this but because of a right of way given to NYSEG back in the 60's by my in-laws and all the other previous owners of neighboring properties there is nothing I can do about it.

The picture doesn't do a good job of actually how big of an area that was cleared. That whole empty area though was all wooded. Quite a few years ago we cleared some of our property and fenced it in for a pasture for the heifers and this transmission line will run right over it, in fact I think a pole has to go right in the middle of it. I went down one day when they were cutting down the trees and found it depressing how quickly with that monster of a machine the can cut and move those trees into piles. It looked as easy and quick as me plucking weeds from the garden.

Now that it is done we are trying to look at the positive side of it. I have always wanted a wood cookstove and now might be the time to get one. There are large piles of logs all along the sides of the clearing so we might as well put them to use. Because of the area it will take to put in a wood cookstove( the clearing needed away from the walls) I might not be able to get one in the kitchen, unless we want to give up using a table. We are definately going to get some sort of woodstove though so the logs just don't sit and rot and save on our heating bill also.

Then my husband said if we can get the rest stumped out( they stumped a side of it for a road) and after a few years for the roots to rot so it can be plowed there can be 6-7 more acres of hay or cornfields.

So I will keep thinking positive things about it even though I wish it was still a wooded area.

Making Jelly

I was able to get the night milking off last night so I made some jelly. Now with the dandelion jelly I made this spring I also have grape, cranberry cider, apple, cherry, and peach wine. I also made some blueberry( not in the picture) but it did not come out quite like I wanted, it is almoat like I could spread it out and let it dry and it would make fruit roll ups. Last year the only jelly I made was the dandelion so the family should be happy with the selection they have this year. I still have more grape to make and we are going to make some apple cider so I will use some of that for jelly also. I will be doing applesauce tomorrow and then I have to can my pumpkin and then my canning ought to slow down and be about done.

With all the rain lately the cows have had to stay in the barn cause the pasture is so muddy. I don't know if they are happy about it or not. When it is raining when we are done milking they are happy to go in the barn but I am sure they would like to get out there during the sunny spots. We had a new calf yesterday, it has ben some time since we had one, it is like feast or famine. We did have a heifer that couldn't freshen by herself and had to have the vet up. It was coming backwards and she must have tried all night cause it was already dead when the vet got here. Unfortunately I think the stress the poor girl went through she died also. She just wouldn't eat afterwards even when it was brought right to her. It is sad but sometimes I know it happens.

I am hoping the sun shines soon again I have some painting to finish up on the outside of the barn. I started about a week ago and ran out of paint so I hope I can get it finished before it gets too cold. Nothing like the last minute but I have been so busy I never made it to it. Looks like maybe Friday, I hope so!

Time for corn chopping

Well the corn chopping has began. We have friends and neighbors who are helping us and it has been a huge blessing. The picture above is a picture of the corn field out behind the house, it was taken about a month ago. You can just barely see the cows at the end of the road in the picture, I think they were trying to figure out how they could get in the corn field. It has been a good year for us with corn, field corn and sweet corn.

My cat, Horatio, hangs out in this corn field about all day every day so since they are chopping this field now he is under house arrest. I wouldn't want anything to happen to him. He is not too happy about it though and is always trying to escape. I catch him peeking out of any window he can get into and when I know a lot of people will be coming in and out I have to put him in the bathroom. He will be very depressed when we finally do release him and his cornfield is gone.

I put up a lot of bags of frozen sweet corn and so did some of the relatives. The neighbor said we planted enough sweet corn for everyone on our hill. We tried to make sure everyone knew to pick some cause there was a lot and would hate to see it go to waste. We definately willl have plenty to make it through till next season. Hope it does as well then!

Getting canning and freezing done

It has been quite some time since I have posted on my blog or even read some of my favorites I like to read. I have a lot of catching up to do but the garden and farm keep me busy. We are now milking 84 cows. I never had plans to be milking that much I was quite happy with no more than 65 but the heifers keep freshening and now 84. Hopefully dry off time for some of the others will be soon and I can cut a little time off of the milking time.

I have been getting canning and freezing done. Yesterday was the first of the corn, it is finally ready. I put up 30 bags last night and hope to do a lot more of that tomorrow. Today will be shredding and freezing zucchini. I love zucchini brownies and bread and hope to make them throughout the winter. So far this garden season I have made dandelion, cherry and blueberry jelly, canned pickles, relish, beets and banana peppers. Also at the beginning I got some peas frozen but not enough going to plant way more next year. The tomatoes are ripening and I will be canning them and making some tomato and pizza sauce. My pumpkins look like they will be ready early and I read an article saying it will be an early apple season this year so I want to be ready for that, I want to make a lot of applesauce and I love apple bread and hopefully some apple pie filling. Whew, I better get to reading a couple of my blogs and get to that zucchini.

It has been some time

It has been awhile since I have posted. I am also way behind on reading the blogs that I like, I am trying to catch up on them. There is just always so much to do the computer definately takes the back seat.

Calves seem to be popping out almost every day. So of course now calf feeding time takes longer especially with all the bottles I have to do. We seem to be getting about 50% bulls and 50% heifers, I can live with that especially now because the bulls don't stay too long and that means less bottles to make.

We made it to pick cherries before they were gone and I was able to get some jelly made. The peas got picked and frozen and I have been picking cucumbers and zucchini. Soon it will be time to make pickles. I still want to be able to make it to pick some blueberries.

With all this sun and hot weather, hubby has really been at the hay. We usually make wrapped bales but with this stretch of no rain we are trying to make the dry hay we need and save the wrapped ones cause never know when the rain will come again, although I wish we could get a good rainy day right now. At least with the dry hay I don't have to help wrap it after night milking so that saves me time to do other things. The grass is about dead though so I guess that saves me time mowing the lawn. I love to go bare foot though and miss the soft green grass so for now it is flip flops.

Hope everyone is staying as cool as possible, we are surely trying. It is only bad when I get to milk and rub up against the sweaty cows. I tell them I am glad I am not a cow right now, poor girls!

Hay season has started for us finally

We have finally started our hay. We put in twice as much corn as we did last year and hubby finished planting that a few days ago and was ready to start mowing hay when the rain came. We needed the rain though so it was welcome. Today though he mowed a small field next to our barn and so hay season begins. Hay season always means late nights and quick dinners for us. We wrap a lot of our hay for baleage so usually after milking is done at night I go help wrap the hay. Alot of times we are finishing up around 10:00 or 10:30 so that is where the quick meals come in if you are even in the mood for anything at all or we grab a sandwich around 4:00 just before I start milking. Hope we can really get at it though because the corn planting put us behind a little and the fields are ready.

I did take advantage of a rainy day and made homemade spaghetti sauce and homemade bread, I love it! Sorta of like a goodbye to big meals for a while or until another rainy day comes. I even made a quick batch of cookies.

The garden is doing well and I am thinking this year will be a much better year than last year which will mean lots of canning and full shelves of home grown food. I am keeping my fingers crossed. I am a little disappointed with the strawberries I put in though only about half of them are growing but I guess I will stick some more in next year.

My son just loves the new little girl goat that we got. She ( he named her Shannon) slips right through the gate when she sees someone coming and comes to see us. My son loves running around the backyard with her. She follows him around when he is doing his chores also. Her brother stays in his pen and doesn't seem interested in following her, I think he figures he will get more milk while she is gone.

Well computer time is limited these days and I am pooped, the days go by so quickly with all I have to do. Enjoying it though and I hope everyone else is also!

New critters and lots of gardening done

It has been quite awhile since I have been on. I just don't have too much time for the computer lately. In fact I only got this time because I was going to weed the strawberries but it started to rain so here I am. My son is loving it because what used to be my computer time is now his.

I have most all my garden all planted but with a new garden spot this year and the old one I still have lots of room so I am going to find some more to put in. I wasn't going to do beets this year but they are going in now. I just can't see letting that space go to waste. I am not sure what I am going to do with the rest quite yet. If all goes well with the weather and we have a much better year this year then last I told my husband I should be able to can and freeze alot and still have a produce stand ( lol). My husband has most all the field corn pllanted and this year he put me in a lot of sweet corn. It will be a busy canning season this year. The DR mini tiller my husband bought me is great and is going to save me huge amounts of time weeding.

We are starting to have some more calves, we have had 4 in the last 6 days and it will only get busier from here. I have some new goats, 2 does and twin nubian kids, and I also have some new chicks. I was going to get an incubater and hatch my own but my neighbor has a huge one and he is doing quail and pheasant eggs and is doing some of my eggs for me. First we sent him a dozen eggs and got 7 chicks and now he is incubating 42 eggs for us. So this year I can save the expense of an incubater. He also brought me two baby guniea hens, he knew I wanted some more ( we have 2 now) and when he saw a sign for them for sale he got me 2. Lots of new crittrers around here. Of course a couple barn cats had some kittens also, we will be looking to get them a home if possible. Anyone need a kitten?( ha ha)

Well like I said it has been awhile being on the computer so I am going to catch up on reading some of my favorite blogs.

Busy, busy but enjoying it

I haven't been on the computer too much lately, there is just so much to do that I had to cut out the computer time. Lately my computer has been giving me fits also. A few days I had a new post ready to go, picture and all( and with dial up that takes awhile) and I got kicked off. I was so frustrated and it was too late to try again. Hopefully I can get some new pictures on soon.

After the cold(and even some snow) days we got about 4 days of rain but I have finally got some plants in my new garden. I put in broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce and some more strawberry plants that my neighbor gave too me. My new rhubarb and berry bush are doing well and so are the peas. My husband got me a DR mini tiller so hopefully I will be able to use that between the rows and really cut down my weeding time this year.

Yesterday we had a new calf. It was a holstein heifer calf. It has been quite awhile since I have had to bottle feed a calf, I was enjoying the break but soon there will be a lot more. There are quite a few cows bagging up and our busiest calving time is always around this time into July. I should be able to have lots of new baby pictures soon. Talking about babies, our baby goats are growing like weeds. I picked them up the other day and can't believe how much heavier they are and we have finally agreed on names for them, they are Maverick and Marissa. Their mom is March so we decided to keep the names all starting with an M.

We also sent away some chickens to be butchered and in the freezer. Now we only have 2 roosters crowing around here instead of about 10 of them. It is quite a bit quiter now. We are hoping to incubate some eggs soon instead of ordering new chicks this year.

There is just so much too do lately. I like being busy and love the warmer weather but some times I just need another set of hands or a longer day. Hope all is going well with everyone else. Well off to get the laundry done so I can spend my time tomorrow in between chores weed whacking.

My ducks are missing

Baby goats and their mama

I have been so busy lately it has been awhile since I have been on the blog. I attempted a couple of nights ago but my computer is being a pain. I wanted to add a few pictures from around the farm but I can't seem to get them uploaded so I tried just one and it worked. I figured I would put the baby goat pictures on. The one right up close is the little boy and the black one by mama is a girl. The little boy really liked his picture taken, I was hoping to get them all together better but he just kept wanting to hog the spotlight. We haven't decided on names yet, we all want different ones, but hopefully we will agree soon so it isn't the boy and the girl.

We used to have 9 ducks but that was a little too many for my backyard so we gave 5 of them to a friend and kept the 3 female blue swedish and the male cayuga duck. They did very well with just the 4 of them and I was glad that we kept them. Well a couple of days ago when I went out to feed them there was only one there. I thought maybe her friends might of just wandered over to the neighbors pond and she did not follow along so I would wait and see if they returned. Well the next morning there were no ducks. There were no feathers around or anything that would show a struggle or what you might think would be there if something decided to eat them. I can't believe they would leave we have had them for a year and we checked the neighbors pond and no ducks. I feel bad now that I didn't do something with the last one the morning I saw her. I almost put her in the coop with the chickens. We have roosters that wander around and they are fine. Poor ducks, I just wish I knew what happened.

I have been picking rocks in the new garden and still have a lot to pick. I think when I turn my back a new one grows. My husband ordered me a DR mini tiller so hopefully the weeding will go a lot easier this year cause I will be able to use that between the rows. Good news though the blackberry bush I planted has sprouted some leaves so now my son believes that I didn't plant a stick. I got my strawberries planted but I keep finding a cat that does not belong here sitting in them. So as soon as a get some time a fence will be going around them. Time is in short supply lately. Tomorrow is appointments and Thurs. we are taking some chickens too have butchered and put in the freezer. I just need a few more hours in the day.

Dandelion jelly, peas and broken tractor

It has been busy the last few days. Yesterday I was out whacking some weeds with the walk behind weed whacker. To do the lawns and such around the farm, it takes about 30 minutes on the riding lawn mower and 2 days with the walk behind weed whacker. There are so many spots with ruts and equipment and so on that a mower can't go. When we bought the farm from my in -laws yard work was not top on there list. I have been working at it each summer to clean up and try to make it look nice and increase yard space where the mower can go. It is coming slowly but surely.

While I was whacking I realized all the dandelions I was whacking so I stopped and picked some and last night made a batch of dandelion jelly, made the hubby happy. It is going to rain for a few days so I told him I would get more made when the sun is back out. I am kinda glad that it is raining, we need it, and I can get some indoor things done that have been neglected because of the sunny days. I just can't stay in when it is nice out.

My peas are up in the garden, I am excited because it was taking quite a while and I was getting worried. I keep watching the thornless blackberry plant I bought and planted for some new sign of life. My son says it looks like I planted a stick, I don't think he believes it is a berry bush so I am hoping for some leaves soon so I can prove it to him that I don't plant sticks.

The hubby is taking our tractor to a neighbors to see if they can fix the pto. We have put so much money in to repairing that tractor, the last visit to the shop cost $ 10,000 - I almost had a heart attack on that one ( the time before was $2300 and the first time $8000) I am getting to hate that tractor. Well when he told me it was broke again I told him there was no way it was going to the shop. I told him put it in the field and it can grow daisy's. That is when he called the neighbor and they are going to see if they can fix it. We had bought this tractor a few years ago off a man we didn't know but seemed honest, well I guess he was not so much.

Well I have the place all to myself cause my son went with the guys and that tractor so I am going to get to work, I love when I get to do my cleaning with no one in my way. That doesn't happen too often.

Our goat had her babies

They are so cute! These are my first baby goats. I was all done milking the cows and was shutting evreything up including the goats and heard the little ones. I am glad it was going to get a little chilly tonight because if it was warmer I would of left her door opened and I wouldn't of known she had them.

She had a boy and a girl. I liked this picture cause they look like they are kissing. I am so glad she didn't have any problems. I was nervous she might and like I said these are the first for us. We are used to helping cows have their calves but never goats.

Another R/W lineback heifer calf !

Mouth and her baby

I thought the possibility of getting more than one red and white lineback was probably not going to happen but we have had five now and this is the latest one and it is a heifer. We have had 3 bulls and 2 heifers and quite a few black and white linebacks also. Our lineback bull was quite a worker and good at his job, wish he was still here.

Late this last fall the dry cow lot got quite muddy so my husband pushed some of it up in a pile and figured when people stop this spring for dirt for their garden he would use this pile. Well Mouth and her baby decided this was a good napping spot also. They stayed there all afternoon till we went to get them and bring them to the barn.

I like to read Jackie Clay's blog, Ask Jackie on Backwood's home magazines web site and after reading it today I am a little bummed. She showed 2 pepper plants she started one in pro mix and one in miracle grow mix and the one in the pro mix was way bigger. I started my seeds in the miracle grow mix. They are growing but now I am wondering if they would be bigger if I started them in something else. I just might have to make a trip out and get some more started in something else to see how they do. Maybe I will just get some of that dirt Mouth was laying in. It would be interesting to see the difference.

Well with it being chilly out ( snow covered many things this morning- BURR!) I am going to go put a roast on. Roast beef, mashed potatoes, corn and dinner rolls sound so yummy. Maybe I will even whip up a dessert and make the family happy.

The planting has begun

Lets see, we have planted two pear trees ( one bartlett and one ambrosia), rhubard, thornless blackberries and peas. Most of these I won't be enjoying for years but I am glad that we have them planted. Each year we have decided to keep adding new things. I am not sure what we will add next year but I have lots of time to think on it.

The raised bed is already for the strawberries now we just have to wait on the weather. I told my husband we should build another raised bed next to it and I could plant something in that. He told me we are not running a CSA and I should slow down before we have way too much. I just love gardening, I can't help it. We are doubling the garden also this year.

We also have added on to the building that is out in the dry cow lot. My brother in law built a new deck so we took the roof off the old one with the posts and attached to the building and closed in a couple sides now they is some more room for the cows to get out of the rain or sun. The dry cows and heifers haven't made it out into that area yet but we are working on it. Seems like before you know it time is gone and we haven't gotten everything done. Only a couple little things to do now then out they go. I love watching them when they first get out, they are like little kids going out for recess.

Unfortunately tomorrow is banking and shopping and all the errands to do, blah! I hate when I have so much I want to get done that I have to go to town for the day. Hopefully I can stock up and get things done that I won't have to go for awhile.

Digging in the dirt

Today I was able to get out and start digging in the garden. I have been waiting for this day. I didn't do a lot ( afternoon milking comes too fast) but I did get a row worked up and will be planting peas in it hopefully tomorrow. Our raised beds are built and hubby says he will fill them tomorrow and I will plant the rhubard. We were out getting the cows in and decided that in one part where the cows go that no grass grows has the very best dirt and that is what will be going in the beds. It is already pre-fertilized for me.

I got an e-mail saying my pear trees have been shipped. This is my first at planting fruit trees ( well trees of any sort really) so I hope I don't kill them. My youngest son just loves canned pears.

I see a few dandelions popping up. Most people think ugh but last year I was flipping through my Encyclopedia of Country Living and came across the recipe for dandelion jelly. I figured what do I have to lose since they are all over the lawn so I made a small batch. At first I was quite skeptical especially when I was cooking the blossoms in the water. It didn't smell like anything I would be eating but after it was all through and the jelly made we actually liked it, especially my husband. He told me I have to make more this year than last year, he loves it on toast. So it looks like I will soon be doing that. I told my sister in law I would be stealing them from her lawn because her lawn gets to where it is completely yellow and she doesn't have any animals. I wonder what people think when they drive by and I am sitting in the lawn cutting the tops of dandelions with scissors?

I even mowed a part of my lawn today that gets thicker than the rest and was able to give fresh grass clippings to the chickens. The quite enjoyed their treat. We do have some chickens that roam free in the day but I cannot let them all because the road is right by the barn and some people drive like mad on our road so chickens in the middle of it wouldn't be good. The few that roam now have to be hurried out of it at times.

Can't wait for tomorrow to get out there and get more of my to do list accomplished!

Happy heifers and cheerful chickens

Well with the nice sunny and warm days we got quite a bit accomplished. Today it is chilly outside so I will try to accomplish some indoor tasks or maybe I will just be a bum in between chores. I haven't done that in awhile. Maybe I will catch up with some of the shows I DVR'ed from RFD.



I finally got the chicken coop cleaned out and with the wet ground keeping me from it, it was quite overdo. I thought it might of turned into a 2 day job because I started sorta of close to afternoon chores but I didn't think it was going to take me as long as it did. But hubby came out to check my progress and helped me get it finished. Now the girls are happy. I still have 2 smaller coops to do that aren't as bad.



We also got one of the older calves pen all cleaned out and moved 5 of the smaller calves to a new larger pen. They are all happier also. Now I have to clean out where the 5 small ones were. A never ending cycle. Probably this weekend. My husband said we are going on a cleaning spree this weekend too and get things cleaned up around the barns. I also will have to mow the lawn. Our backyard gets very thick and if it hadn't rained I would of mowed it today.


Well off to be a bum because no rest in store for the weekend. I love it though, being outside and working, especially when it is sunny!

Some pictures

One of our steers

The sunrise

As you can see I got some batteries for my camera, I bought them cause I was getting a headache trying to remember where I stashed the other ones. These ones are in the open with a warning to my family about finching them. I told them if I had to hide them again then none of us would have any.

I got off to a early start this morning becasue there is a lot to do. I took a break to take a picture of the sunrise ( the best I can do with my camera) because I love when it has a purple hint to it. Purple is my favorite color.

Then the other is one of our steers in his new abode. He posed quite nicely. The old gals are behind him checking him out. Today we have to move another set of calves to a new bigger pen for them.

Right now I am just waiting for another load of laundry to be done so I can hang it out. Since I had a little time I thought I would check out my blogs. I love hanging the clothes out especially sheets when you can put them right back on the bed, they just smell so nice. I also got my flat fixed on my cart so it will be cleaning up the yard piles today and possibly the chicken coop. The ground out by the coop is almost dry still just a little spongy but I think it will be fine to drive on. The coop cleaning is a little behind schedule so the ladies will be estatic if I make it to that.

Well I must be going, lots to do! Hope everyone is enjoying the spring weather.

Nice weather means busy, busy

With all this nice weather I have been so busy but it is a good busy. At the end of the day when I see what has been accomplished I am happy. I started with all the yard clean up. We have a weeping willow tree and it seems that is a clean up project every year and then it was going to be the chicken coop next. We put a tarp over part of their outdoor enclosure so they could have some shade and then it was time to get the lawn tractor and cart to clean out the coop after I pick up the weeping willow tree piles. Wouldn't you know flat tire on the cart- Darn it! I hate when I am in the mood to do something and then I can't. So that is on the to-do list.

Then I thought it was so nice and now I have some free time I would take some new pictures. I got most of them taken when my batteries died. My rechargable one bit the dust awhile ago and I am using disposable right now because I really want a new camera. But my pictures were taken and I would put new ones in to put my pictures on the computer. I have to hide my batteries around here or people finch them and I never have any but of course I cannot remember that safe hiding spot I put them in, I hate when that happens. Sometimes I find Christmas presents a couple weeks after Christmas, my memory is just awful. So no new pictures. So get batteries or find them is on the to-do list. That list is getting so long.

I read though that the scent from fresh cut grass from mowing the lawn helps your memory function and I was commenting earlier to the hubby how the yard looks like it is almost time to mow ( I like it to keep it short and like to mow often and he says I need to give it more time). So if I go mow the lawn maybe I will remember where those batteries are!

We did fully accomplish without any snags moving our 4 steers out of the indoor pen they were in to an outdoor one. The are getting to big for the inside one and now they have a building outside with an area to be out in the sun and run a little. They were quite pleased. The milk cows can come up and peek at them now and the steers had to learn a lesson about electric fences. Well it took a couple a little longer then the others but I think they got the drift. Nothing from this job ended up on my to do list, Yippee.

I hope everyone had a nice Easter! We did! I got to play with my grandson( he is 9 months old) so that was fun. Got lot more things popping in my head to go add to my list.

Finally - I am so excited

Well we had a calf today and finally we got a red and white lineback heifer - Whoo hoo! We have been hoping to get one for awhile now. I don't have a picture because they brought her down when I was milking. Now what to name her?

When the cows get names I try to make their name rhyme with their mothers or somehow related to their mothers name. I just don't remember things like I used to so I need some cheats to help me out. Like this calf, her mother is Tomato, her sister Ketchup and her grandma was Hamburger. Maybe she will have to be sesame seed or something. We have Purdy who had Gertie, Birdie and Fergie. Annie had Fannie, Molly had Dolly then there is Cookie who had Crumbs and Chocolate Chip, Baby Cakes had Twinkie and so on. Sometimes we also name them for the time they were born. We have Kringle and Mistletoe, Valerie(valentines) and Geri because she was born on labor day and the first thing that popped in my head was the Jerry Lewis telethon. Then sometimes the names are just random like my son named an almost all black holstein Casper, who would have guessed. We also have Thelma and Louise because they were inseperable when they were little.

It was sleeting and snowing tonight,Blah! It is hard to believe that tomorrow is going to be so nice after this kind of weather but it is supposed to be. Well want to get some of the housework done so I don't have to spend any time indoors tomorrow.

It is going to get so nice out - can't wait

They are predicting highs starting Wed. to be between 60-80 degrees. I can't wait, I have a big to-do list started for when it is nice. First thing is to get hubby and get my raised beds built. I will definately be outdoors for days, I love to be outdoors! I still have not seen a robin here yet but I am sure on those days I will and I am sure the tulips will pop up finally.

We had another calf last night. I had the 4 AM watch and lucky for me when I got up there, there she was. No assistance needed. Our holstein cow, Chloe, had her. The calf is a holstein/jersey cross and is all dark brown. We usually only have the jersey bull for the heifers but we had a holstein bull that was not doing his job very well so until we could get a different one we let the jersey bull in with the cows so we will probably get quite a few crosses. I don't mind crosses, we have quite a few, but I was hoping to get some more full holstein cows. Maybe the next one.

Well after my check I was headed back to bed but had to walk through the barn where all the little ones are and they all started blatting at me. I thought what the heck and got those calf chores done early and they all happily went back to sleep but not for me I was wide awake so I will probably be to bed earlier tonight.

Some of our critters

Murphy

Gus and March

Well the day after my gloomy one was much better. The sun was out and my mood was so much better but I was still a little tired feeling. So I decided to take some pictures of some of our critters.

Murphy is one of our roosters that one of our hens hatched. He is pretty friendly to us but of course to the other chickens he feels he is the king. He is one of the chickens that when it is cold stays in the calf barn. They have a coop in there but in the day they run free around the barn and when it is warm they run outside. Well he has a couple of sons that run with him and sometimes I find them jammed in between hay bales hiding from "the king".

Then there is Gus and March our nubian goats. I can't wait because March is due to kid at the end of April. These will be our first baby goats. We are hoping to expand and get a couple more female goats and hopefully March will have some. Knowing my luck though they will be boys. We have a friend keeping an eye out for us, in fact tonight was the annual lamb and goat sale and she went there so she said she would see what was there. Hopefully she can find one but right now they go high and we don't want to spend a fortune. I will keep my fingers crossed.

I was trying to take a picture of one of my cats Horatio but he would not cooperate and I did not like any of the pictures. He is my favorite, momma's baby! He was a kitten in the barn and at first wouldn't even let us get close to him but I was persisant and eventually he became my buddy. He is a long haired cat and as a kitten he looked like a ball of fluff running around. Well he got so friendly he would come under the cows when I was milking and want to be pet. I couldn't shoo him away for anything and I thought one of us will get kicked if he does that under certain cows so we both gave Dad the puppy dog eyes and he got to come in the house. Now he comes in and out but doesn't bug me under the cows anymore. Maybe I will get a good one when he is in the house, I was trying outside.

Well the hubby made a deal with me that he would take my egg washing duty tonight if I would make him some bread. There is an italian herb one that he just loves but I make it in the bread machine so I think I got the better end of the bargain. So off to making bread.

Oh a day in the life of a cat

Looks so stressful, doesn't it


I don't know if it was the rain and gloom after such nice sunny days but today was just not my day. I had no energy and seemed to have to drag myself through every chore. I just did not feel like I wanted to do anything, I was just wanting to be done, wanting a day off. Day off, what is that? - a luxury that are few and far between at least at this farm and usually is gained only when you are vomiting every half hour ( if it is happens every 3-4 hours then there is still time in between for milking the cows).


My mood was even gloomy. We have a chicken that everytime I go to collect eggs under her she pecks at my hand terrible which usually I handle quite well. Not today, when she did it I felt like ripping her out of that box and plucking every last feather off her and putting her in the oven for dinner. Dinner, cooking- ugh! I just had no energy to even think about doing that today. Tonight my family would be dining on cereal so the chicken lives to see another day, lucky her.


It was becoming a long day that I kept hoping would soon end but it just dragged on. All I could think about was I wanted to have a day like my cats' day where the only decision I would have to make is when do I want to get my butt off this couch and go get something to eat.


Half way through milking tonight I did start to step it up a little and gain a little energy because I kept thinking it is almost over with, pajama time is near and MOVE OVER CAT! I even mustered up enough energy to cook dinner ( and no not the chicken!). So instead of rice krispies and lucky charms my family got ham, potatoes and corn although I think my son would of been happy with the lucky charms. So maybe it looks like tomorrow will be a better day, maybe more sun, more energy, a better mood but for today sorry for whining and thanks for listening ( the way that sounded it popped in my head that I should of said- Don't worry we'll leave the lights on) .

Geese in the back yard

Well the sun has left for today and it is raining but I didn't expect to get those nice sunny and warm days every day especially this early. I think this will be a good day to do some baking. I have spent most all my time outdoors lately I think I will bake some goodies for the family today.

We had another calf today and it is a heifer - Whoo Hoo! It is not a lineback one but it is a holstein. Usually if we get a full holstein calf it is a bull and the heifers are the cross breeds. She is little compared to those monster sized bulls we have been having. The barn is getting full of calves and we really haven't started the time when we usually get most of our calves. I will have to end up tucking some away in my son's bedroom if this keeps up.

The seeds that I started are up and I will be so glad when it is time to put them outside. Tomorrow is supposed to be rainy too so I think I will start another batch of seeds.

Yesterday I was making butter when out of the corner of my eye through the window I caught a glimpse of the geese in my back yard. I was wondering if they would venture out of the cornfield and down to the yard and visit the ducks. I have to say I am not real happy about this. I didn't mind the geese when they stayed in the field but in my yard is another story. The ducks already make kinda of a mess out back by the chicken coop and we don't need the geese to help. I don't think I will have any grubs or bugs out there thanks to the ducks but I hope the grass will grow back this spring. I should of grabbed my camera cause they are pretty but I was in the middle of the butter making so I just watched them as I worked.

Well off to baking before afternoon chores come.

The energizer chicken

A few chickens soaking up the sun

The energizer chicken

It was such a beautiful day today that I let every animal out that I could, opened up every barn door or window possible and even opened up a couple in the house. I love when you can let the fresh air in, not that I stayed in at all today. I made sure I found lots of things to do outdoors today.

It was so funny, when one of our black australorp chickens got outside all she did was run around. She made laps through the front and back yard for hours. Everytime I turned around there she went running by. All the other chickens were sunning themselves or picking in the grass but not her she was like the energizer chicken she just kept going ( as you can see in the picture, she would not even pause long enough for a pose). I think she overheard our conversation about putting some of the chickens in the freezer so she was determined to slim down and toughen up. The other chickens were probably laying there chilling out enjoying the sun thinking that girl has gone mad! In fact I took a little break today and sat on the back porch watching her thinking the same thing.

It was so nice the last few days even my neighbors honey bees have spring fever. There are no blossoms for them yet so they have been hanging around our big bin full of ground corn. Everytime I go to get feed for the calves and heifers I have to walk through a whole bunch of them buzzing around. They get in my buckets and follow me for a bit. All I think is Nice Bees please be nice. I try not to dump any feed on them because I get my honey from my neighbor so I don't want to kill the poor things. My son says it freaks him out to go out and get the feed and have to go through the bees so he doesn't like to do it by himself when they are there.

Well there was a glitch in the tractor today and the hubby is out there working on it and it is getting late so I think I will go see if he needs a hand ( which usually means I just sit there and talk and usually to myself cause he is to busy concentrating on his stuff to listen to me). Hopefully more sun tomorrow!

Another Fuzzy

Well we had another Fuzzy calf and again it is a bull and this one was black/white. I don't have a picture of him because we went up to clean the barn and wasn't expecting to find a calf. The man who buys our bull calves must be getting close to maxed out and I don't know what I will do with them when he is. I hate to send them to the auction because some people told me they have gotten a bill from that. We have not yet but you just don't get much from them from the auction these days. You know I always think too that a person will spend up to $500 on a puppy that will be just a pet ( don't get me wrong I love my dog) but don't want to give anything for a bull calf that will eventually fill the freezer or breed a lot of your cows). Go figure. I do hope that we can continue to find someone who wants to buy them directly from us so we won't have to send them because soon I will have bull calves in every corner of the barn. Out of our last7 calves only 2 were heifers.

It was another beautiful sunny day and we had someone working on the plumbing so we did not have water in the house today so this was a good day to get the scrubbing done in the milk house. It was funny, I like to use bleach when I am cleaning the milk house and my husband didn't know I was out there doing it( he was in the cellar helping with the plumbing) so I came in just as they were testing the water and they both were worried because that couldn't figure out why it smelled like bleach since they hadn't used any. They were relieved to find out it was me. Thank goodness the plumbing went quite well and the water is back on. The time we were changing the sink in the bathroom because this is an old farmhouse every time I turned around they were sending me to the hardware store for more parts. The house is about a hundred years old and I think the plumbing is too. The guys at the store were getting quite a kick out of all the trips I was making and they lasted 2 days. I was putting in my lunch requests cause as much time and money I was spending there I figured I ought to get a lunch break.

Tomorrow another sunny day predicted, can't wait. If only it wasn't so mushy out so I could clean out the chicken coop. Maybe soon - I hope!

It's a boy

We had a new addition last night, a red/white lineback bull calf. He was born late last night so we left him with his momma until morning milking. Well as you can see when I headed up to get him and take his picture he had left his momma and crossed over to go to the side with the milking cows. He probably figured the mother load of milk was over there instead of with those dry cows he was hanging out with.

We love when we get linebacks just to bad he was not a heifer. This is the second red/white one we have had and they were both bulls. We raised one of our black/white lineback bull calves to breed and that is his daddy, Fuzzy was his name. In fact when we see lineback calves we all say It's a Fuzzy! Well our chances of having anymore Fuzzies is getting slim because Fuzzy is no longer with us. He was very proficient at his job and was determined to breed one of our holsteins that was quite a bit taller then him. When we brought the cows in that afternoon Fuzzy had injured the part of him that makes him a breeding bull. It looked awful, it was swollen and huge! The vet said maybe give it a little time to see but it never got better. I wonder if maybe the cow had kicked him or he fell and it got stepped on but we do miss Fuzzy. So the cows that he bred are almost all had their calves. We did get 3 black/white heifer lineback calves and then about 4 bull ones besides the 2 red/white ones. I think there is no more chances for red/white ones. When we sent the last red one away my son was quite upset so I think he has convinced his dad to keep this one. I am glad my son will be happy but this one will not be able to breed any of the younger cows just the old gals so I have a feeling I might have to take care of this one and it won't be anything more than a pet for quite awhile. Kinda hoping my son will change his mind. I have enough calves to feed already. Wonder what he will name him.

Almost can't close the freezers

I read on someones blog where she is not going to go to the grocery store for 6 mos. I decided that I might try that for May and June and see if I can do it. I mean those are 2 very busy months and it would save on impulse shopping. Today we got beef back from the butchers and I practically had to sit on the freezers to get them shut, they are full and that was after I gave some away. We have 2 chest freezers and 2 frigerator freezers and I couldn't put another thing in. Some of this is pork and some of the last beef we got. So with full freezers that helps out the no grocery store challenge. Now each time I go to the store I just buy extra of some things even though I don't need it. Maybe I can make it last longer than 2 months. With gardening, hay season, new calves and lawn care, a little extra time from not having to go to the store will be welcomed. I am a diet soda addict so I better stock up so I won't have to kill anyone from lack of caffine.

Well unfortunately things popped up and I never got my seeds stared but tomorrow I am definately going to do it even if it means locking the doors and taking the phone off the hook. I will just throw some sandwiches out the window at lunchtime and noone would need to come in, right? There are bushes out there(hee hee).

I just hope we don't get too much rain tomorrow. My brother in law heard it could be quite a bit. Of course it runs down hill to the barn here and if it gets too hard the drops are full and we are doing an awful lot of sweeping to try to get it out. I don't have time for that, I will keep my fingers crossed but it is already so mushy and wet out now.

Little excitements, seed starting and new outlets

The sun is out and the temperatures are in the 50's, it is so nice. I like that when I go out to milk cows I don't need thermal clothes or 4 layers on. It is also nice to open up the big door when we are milking, I love when it is natural light to milk with. I was also able to open the big doors on the calf barn so they can get sunshine too, I am sure they are pleased about that.

They are predicting rain though for the next few days though and kinda heavy on Sat. I guess. So the pond that has developed in my back yard will probably turn into a lake( because there is still quite a bit of snow to melt also). Well I guess I will have lake front property then. I just hope that the geese that hang out in the corn field don't decide to come swim in the back yard, oh the lake I mean, with my ducks. Last summer it rained so hard there was quite a large stream running down the hill in the yard and the kids were having a great time using it like a slip and slide.

I am also excited because we are getting some electrical work done in the house. We bought the farm from my husbands parents and it is an older house that needs some remodeling so as milk prices allow( which isn't too often) we try to do some. I am finally getting a bathroom light with a switch-Whoo hoo!!! I know most people have those but when you don't you get excited over little things like that. All we had was the one that his parents had which was a flouresent light sitting on the medicine cabinet. I had to use a flashlight to find things in the closet. Well as I type the light is going in. Also most of the rooms only have one outlet in them. A 100 years ago they didn't have all the computers and stuff so I guess one was sufficient. So before today I had a whole bunch of extension cords in my craft/computer room to plug everything in to the outlet. Anytime I needed to use something else like the sewing machine something else had to get unplugged. All the cords ran under my computer chair so if I forgot and moved the chair I would unplug the computer, how frustrating when you were right in the middle of something. But Whoo hoo again now I have 2 more outlets with 4 outlets in each and no more cords under my chair. Yippee how these little things excite me.

Well today I am starting some of my seeds. Another thing that excites me, boy it doesn't take much does it. I have been busy lately and haven't got the chance but now is the time. I also bought some of those water walls that go around the plants. I have never tried them but I have read about people who have used them and like them so I got a few and I am going to try to plant some tomato plants a little earlier in the garden this year so I need to get those seeds started. Only a few this year and if they work I will do more next year.

Well off to start my seeds and get out and enjoy this sunshine before the rain starts.

Say what

I read somewhere recently ( I can't remember where because that would mean the memory section of my brain was fully functioning and it is not much to my dismay) about farmcation. People pay money to spend time at a farm and help with chores and get home cooked meals. Well my first reaction was Say What, people paying me to help with my chores Wow! If someone was going to help me do my chores I would make them a home cooked meal for free. I mean I already have to make them now I just make a little more. But really I guess sometimes we take for granted even though it is hard work at times how nice it is to be able to have land and the farm. Even after the most frustrating day I would not exchange it for a life in the big city. I know there are people who love city life but there are probably many that would love to have the country life. Of course you take a litlle less for granted when it is 60 out and not 2 !!

Ahhh the snow is melting

It is getting so nice out. Todays high was almost 50. I know we will still have more cold days before it is all over but I will take these nice ones when we can get them. We still have a lot of snow but it is melting away. There was a huge wet area in the back yard where a small stream popped up and was running in to it and another one out of it on the ohter side. I had to go through it to get to the chicken coop ( or I could go all the way around but didn't feel like carrying buckets that far), well when I did the water was up past my boot. I did not expect it to be that deep. Well later I see the ducks were swimming in it and floating down the stream. They are definately happy for the snow melt.

This wet spot is exactly why I am moving my garden this year. Last year all the rain streamed right into my garden. So today I let the chickens out of their coop to soak in some sun and started spreading some of their poo on my new garden to be spot. I went to home depot to buy a garden cart so I wouldn't have to lug my buckets anymore and I bought another packet of tomato seeds. I just need to stop buying seeds if I don't get to plant them soon I might find myself buying brussel sprouts to plant and I don't like them at all. I really hope the garden does well in this new spot.

A girls day out

The girls (and 2 guys) got to go out and play in the snow today. They were pretty excited. It is funny to watch them they are like little kids, they run around till they exhaust themselves then they want to come in, eat and take a nap. This is the first time out this year for them. I am glad it was nice enough for them to get a little "recess" time.

Please hurry spring

I just am getting cabin fever awful, I want to be outside so bad. At least it has stopped snowing and the sun is shining. It is going to be in the 40's for quite a few days and hopefully all this snow will melt away. Of course then we can wallow in the mud. I read somewhere once- What are the four seasons called in New York?- Winter, still winter, mud and construction. Oh so true!

With this spring fever I have everytime I am out and see seeds I get more. Really too many if I don't stop but I am wanting to be in the garden. My husband says if I don't stop we will have to turn the whole yard into a garden.

We had another calf and whoo hoo it is a heifer and I didn't have to do any night checks on this cow, in fact we were expecting two different cows to freshen before her. On a sad note though, Corin, the cow we waited forever on then she had the huge calf, well she won't get up. After she had the calf she was up a licking it and doing great. We left for a couples hours that day and when we came back she was flat out with milk fever. The vet came and gave her calcium in the veins and she spunked up but didn't get up. She dig drag herself into a stall and one day we went up and she was two stalls down so she had to get up for that. She is really spunky and alert and healthy looking but just not getting up. The vet saw her again and said maybe it is a muscle now and with some pain killers and time she will get up. We keep trying to help her but she just can't get it. I was telling her one day if she didn't get up she would be hamburger, not like that would work and I didn't really mean it but my son in hopes that she doesn't end up on a bun has taken over her feeding. He is so good he is up there watering and feeding her faithfully. Maybe with all this attention she just got lazy and is enjoying it. Hopefully she will soon, the vet seems to think she will so we will keep trying.

Well think spring!!! I figure I better go throw all the seed catalogs away, for my own good, because I do still have away to go before I will be digging in the dirt.

Becoming self sufficient

Last night none of our dinner was bought from the grocery store ( except the ketchup, my son puts it on everything). My oldest son helps out a farmer who raises pigs so that is where our ham came from because we got a pig from him. We have friends that are potato farmers and we give them eggs for potatoes so hence our potatoes came from there and we froze the corn from this summer. The milk is from our own cows and I even make the butter from that. This doesn't happen all the time but that is what we have started working towards and it just seems nice when it happens. Hopefully our garden will do well this year and we will have lots of canning to do and we grow our own steers for beef and have chickens for our own eggs. Being self sufficient is hard work at times but when you know where your food came from and exactly how it was grown and what went in to it, it is well worth it.

Finally....A calf !

Well today when we went out to do morning chores and milking we went to check on Corin and the calf was coming. She needed some help again though. We have a large stall they can calf in and even if she could push this one out herself she had her butt jammed right up against the bar so it would of never come out. It was a big one my husband said it must weigh between 110 -115 lbs. I told her she baked it to long. Of course it is a bull and this time I didn't have the camera with me. He is all black I will have to get a picture after he is dry and all licked off. Well at least I don't have to do the checks anymore but I see we have 2 more bagging up but they should deliver fine by themselves.

While I am sitting here on the computer on the table next to me is the soap I made about 2 weeks ago drying. It is the first time I have ever made homemade soap and it smells so nice I can't wait till I can try it. The next batch I think I will make some with milk. I can't wait till spring till our Nubian goat has her baby so I can try some goat milk soap.

These are our first goats so I hope I do OK with them. Right now we just have one male and one female but if all goes well this spring I hope to get a couple more females. Baby goats are just so cute so it will be fun when they come.

A snowy day

Well it has been a snowy couple of days. When it was all over we had about a foot but the wind was bad and we had some big drifts. Trying to drag myself and 5 gallon buckets full of feed and water through them wore me out. My husband had it all plowed out for me by afternoon chores though and he even made me a nice wide path to the chicken coop.

I decided to go out today and get some snow pictures. The cow is Titan our lineback steer. He must like the snow cause he was pretty covered and was out in it everytime I went by him. He posed very nice for his picture too. It is funny sometimes when friends are with me when I am over there feeding his group they say aren't you worried about the horns but I tell them when you get close to him the thing you have to watch out for is his tongue. If he can he will lick you all over and on cold cheeks it is rough. Of course he is trying to get some pets and his ears scratched. He is such a big softy but still we do watch the horns, wouldn't want him to stick us just playing.

Since I was out and had the camera I figured I might as well go check on the calf status again. Well my son was up there helping his dad clean the barn and before I even made it all the way to the barn he told me there was no calf so I got a picture of him instead. He was soaked I think when he wasn't busy he was jumping in the snow piles.

Today I got some butter made. With the snow it ended up to be a good day to do it. I used to make a small batch almost everyday after I skimmed the cream off the milk. I used to go around shaking it in a mason jar while I was getting my son up for school. Well I don't know why it never dawned on me before but I got smart and now I go out in the morning before the bulk tank is disturbed and skim about of gallon of just cream off the top and make a big batch using my kitchen aid. So much easier and I get a couple of pounds of butter so I don't have to make it so often. Now I have to decide what I want to make with the buttermilk.

The ducks like the snow

Here are our ducks out in the snow, they won't come out of it. They are actually walking away from me here but you can't see their feet when they walk so it looked like they were swimming on the snow. This is when we only had 3-4 inches but it has been coming down and no plans on stopping till tomorrow. 10-20 inches is the predictions for when it is over. The wind is terrible glad I am not one of the ducks but they can get out of it if they wanted. In fact I saw them sleeping in it all covered with snow and that was the picture I was trying to get but they heard me coming and started swimming(ha ha) away. Hope they come out of it later.

Update on Corin - Still nothing! My husband keeps telling me that it will happen tonight though. Well I have heard that a few times now. I think she is just keeping it squeezed in and won't let it out. Maybe she likes the side of the barn she is on now better then the side she will be going to after she has it. This means another trek up to the barn tonight in the wind and the snow- BURRR!!!!

Still nothing

Here is Corin with baby on board still but doesn't that look just say - Look lady I want it out of me more than you do!! This is going to be her third time calving and usually we don't worry about the "old timers" too much but her last time she needed a little help and her very first calf did not make it so this is why we keep on a checking. This time when I went to check on her I decided to take the camera so that pretty much killed the thought of seeing a calf when I got up there. Probably 10 minutes after I left the barn she probably spit it out. Hubby is up there now cleaning the barn so he is on watch for awhile. The milk cows on the other side of the barn are probably hope she keeps it in there forever. She tends to think she is the queen with other cows and tries to rule the roost. We have a few queens and they are battle for the crown at times. It is funny the different personalities, the queens, then the ones that just don't have a bother in the world the come in get milked and go about their business like same as always. Then my babies (which my husband says is about all of them but I am the calf lady and I raised them). Some of them won't leave the barn till I scratch and pet them. We have a holstein named Cookie and I have to literally push out of the barn so I can get her out of the way to let the others in. Then the ones that when you unhook them they are outta ther in a flash, some times when you just want to get done you really appreciate those ones but we don't have to many of them. We have 3 that are usually in the last bunch to get milked and they keep coming back in you can't get rid of them. I have learned to keep them hooked in till everything else is done so they don't keep bothering me. My father in law helps milk and he gets a kick out of how many have to stop to see me on the way out.

Well I have to go make biscuits before I go milk the cows because dinner tonight is chicken and biscuits- my favorite- Yum!!! Cross your fingers for a calf so I don't have to trudge up there tonight, I will leave the camera in the house and then there is sure to be a calf. After all this I hope it is a girl!

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The chicken coop

Like I said I am not very good at this computer stuff so I wanted to try to add a picture. It really wasn't that hard but with dial up( blah) it took a little while. I added a picture of the chicken coop cause I said I was going to clean this out today since it was going to be sorta nice out. Well it didn't happen. It was windy today and I didn't want to lock the girls out and if they wanted to get out of a little gust they couldn't, I wouldn't want to ruffle there feathers too bad. Will try again next nice day which from the forecast might not happen too soon looks like some snow might be coming again.

But because it was so sunny out I did not want to stay in the house so I cleaned some calf pens out instead. The calves are probably happy for the wind. We are still waiting for our one cow ( Corin) to have her calf and wanted a nice clean spot for it. Her bag looks like she could of had it 2-3 days ago. Hopefully tonight before the lows start to drop.

The sun is shining

The sun is out and it is so nice. The chickens even got to get let out to get some sun. Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer then today and it might be the day I have to get the coop cleaned. I have to have a nice day when I can shoo them all out to get it cleaned. In that coop we have about 75 chickens with a total of about 100.

All this sun just makes me want for spring so badly. I have started getting my seeds and can't wait to get them started. This year we are going to double our garden so hopefully I will be super busy when it comes to canning. We also are getting a couple pear trees, some blackberry bushes and some strawberries. My son says he wants a lot more canned pears cause we ran out to soon. Of course it will be awhile before they come from our trees. We have decided to add some more each year so hopefully we don't have to purchase much of the things to can. I also am putting in some rhubard this year

The dinner last night was delicious!! The guys did a great job and I never needed the frozen pizza. My husband even suprised us and had ordered a cake for dessert. It was nice to be able to just sit and chat while someone else was doing the cooking.

Just checking

When I come back to my blog I don't see the first post so I am just writing this to see if I can see this one. See I said I wasn't very good at this computer stuff.

Just Starting

I love reading farm and homesteading blogs, an addiction really, so I decided to make one of my own. Being the female part of our dairy operation( me, the hubby and my son) I seem to always get called the milk maid so it seemed fitting to name it that. I love the nicknames that I gain. A neighbor that I never had met stopped to see if she could get manure for her garden which of course we have ample supply so she came several times for it. Well she saw me out once and told her friend with her that there was her manure lady and she had to come to talk to me. She does know my name now and she is such a nice person but I figured manure lady shouldn't be the title.
Well I am not the greatest at the computer so I hope I don't do to awful at this. I am mostly on here to read e-mails, get recipes and of course now feed my addiction to blogs. Now I will probably want to upgrade my digital camera won't the hubby love that. Well he encourage me to start my own blog so it will be really his fault if I do .
I guess for now that will be it, we have a cow that is expecting anytime so I had better go check on her and we are having company tonight for dinner so I have to get the inside stuff done so I can get to my outside chores earlier. One good thing though the men said we get a break and they are cooking tonight ( I have a frozen pizza on stand-by just in case).
I hope this goes well, toodles for now!!!