The Good Ole Summertime

  Whew!  Summer is so busy here at Buzz and Bleat Farm.  Our goat kids are nearly eight weeks old.  Know what that means?  Almost time to start milking twice a day.  I love my goats.  I love my goat milk.  But milking twice a day is very restrictive.  

We have been blessed/cursed with a lot of rain this year so far.  It is great for the garden but seems to be even better for the weeds.  We plant a huge garden even though there are only two of us.  I can and freeze most veggies and fruits and give away the rest.  Last year our squash was so abundant that we donated 93 of them to the local food bank.  

With feeding ten goats, cleaning two barns, taking care of a huge garden, we were both starting to feel our collective ages.  We decided it was time to bite the bullet and buy a tractor.  We have a couple of tractors already.  But one is a 1946 restored Farmall Cub 

and the other is an old AC that has seen better days.  Neither is equipped with hydraulics nor a PTO.  Since we need help with the heavy lifting we searched for a used small tractor with a loader.   Finally we found one.  

Other things keep me busy.  Still making my dolls and I am working on order number 72.  We also picked cherries.

When we bought this home, we did not even know that there were fruit trees on the property.  Well we have two very prolific pear trees, a peach tree that died last year, and a cherry tree that has seen better days.  When I say "better days" I am not exaggerating.  It looks as if it has been struck by lightning. 

 

But it still produces cherries, which until last year was a yummy meal for the birds and other critters.  Last summer we picked a few and this year I got enough for seven half pints of jelly.  

While I had the canner and jars upstairs I thought it would be a good time to can some pasta sauce so I got a couple of bags of tomatoes from the freezer and cooked up 5 pints of sauce.  Now, don't get me wrong.  I love to can.  But the mess...I could do without that!

I made some soap as well.  This latest is my all time fave.  I made some pretty soap called After the Rain.  It is a pretty soap, perfect for gifting.  It reminds me of the smell of the damp earth after a spring shower.

Some floral soap called Wildflower Field is a mixture of all the different floral notes you get if you are immersed in a field of multi-color wildflowers.

There is also a light evergreen scented soap I call In the Forest that reminds me a bit of those evergreen forests in Colorado.

 And my fave, a cinnamon and citrus soap with ground coffee and oatmeal that I am calling Morning Gardener.  I love the spicy scent of cinnamon and chai coupled with the sweet, refreshing scent of orange.  

My laptop, which was over eight years old, decided it was time for a newer model.  There was such a comfort level though.  It is kind of like starting a new job without your familiar coworkers.  I am sure I will get the hang of it, but for now it is a little slow-going.  

Stay tuned for the continuing saga of growing old on a hobby farm!

Playing catch up on the homestead...

 You know what they say about the best-laid plans?  I had high hopes to write on my blogs every day, but somehow, life just got in the way.  First, the most exciting news of all!  We have baby goats.  Our does, Laverne and Shirley, were bred in October a week apart.  We bred them then since gestation is five months for goats and we wanted babies in the spring.  I was so nervous, just waiting their arrival.  Of course, I had heard horror stories about tough deliveries, and all the things that could go wrong. 

Our does are twins.  They are Oberhaslis, a somewhat rare breed in the US.  They are an alpine dairy breed that are known to be mild-mannered and good milk producers. I never really thought about goats but my husband always wanted them.  So my son bought us three, the twins and a buck named Mr. Bill.  I have fallen in love with them and they are always very entertaining.  

On March 21, we fed the goats as usual.  Laverne just wasn't herself.  She was big as a barn but didn't want to get up and eat.  I knew it was close.  I had some work I had to do so right after lunch I told my hubs that I wanted to go check on her.  We had put her in the stall that we had designated for birthing earlier that morning.  When I walked in she was hanging around against the wall and all of a sudden her water broke!Talk about timing!

My husband is good at so many things.  But I guess birthing goats is not one of them.  He told me he didn't know what to do and wasn't comfortable doing anything.  So I sent him to the house for towels while the contractions started.  

My poor girl was in so much pain and was screaming because she just couldn't get the baby out.  Though I was nervous, I helped her deliver a healthy boy!  It was exciting and scary at the same time.

I was beside myself witnessing the miracle that I had just witnessed.  My husband said, "She's not done."  And I, the now accomplished midwife, said, "Oh, I think she is!"  And at that moment, Laverne had another contraction and delivered a little doe.

Meet Jack and Jill, my sweet little buddies.  They are mischievous, yet sweet, love attention and animal crackers.

Meanwhile, Shirley who was bred a week after Laverne wasn't looking too pregnant.  She didn't bag up.  She didn't get big.  For a little bit, I was starting to wonder if she would have a kid or not.  On March 30, three days after the date I had calculated as her due date, we fed the goats and headed off to a local flea market.  Shirley was cranky and was butting at the babies, so we locked her in the birthing stall while we were gone.  On the way home, I checked our camera that we have in the barn.  You really can't see the birthing stall very well, but I could see a tail wagging.  Shirley had given birth while we were gone, and by the time we got home, her baby was dry and nursing!

Meet little Butterscotch!  She is a lighter color than the twins, but then, so is Shirley.  She is also bigger than the twins.  She is happy, spunky, and always into some kind of mischief.  

We feel so blessed to have these babies.  My wallet says we should sell them but my heart says they need to stay here with us on the homestead.  They provide us with love and entertainment every day, which explains why I am no longer offended to be called the Old Goat Lady..haha

Till next time....

Portable Goat Fence

 When we first got our goats, the small pasture was enough for the three of them.  Then our boy, Mr. Bill had to be separated, since, being the horn dog he is, he would not leave the girls alone.  Goats can be bred very young but most times it isn't successful and can actually hurt the moms if they are too young or too small.  Bill went to a smaller pen.  We have since enlarged Bill's pasture as well but there is an area outside of the pasture that is full of sweet clover and grass.  We normally would mow it down but decided that it would be so much better if we let the goats graze there.

We run an electric fence that operates off of a solar unit around the pasture as well as a wire around the bottom of the fence that goes around the garden.  I found this fence on Amazon that works off of the same unit and encircles the clover/grass area.  It is mobile so if there are other areas that need to be cleaned up, you can move it.  You just have to have electrical power to it.  The thing I like most is that it is complete.  There are no extra posts to buy, to extra stakes.  The only thing you have to furnish is the power.

I know it is kind of difficult to see, but it does a great job of keeping these babies in and helps get some of the property cleaned.  We were lucky, as you can see in the pic with the guinea, we were able to open the gate and just run the power around it.  That way they can go into the barn if they want and have access to water.  Our goats have always been pretty easy to keep contained.  If you have little escape artists, you may want a taller fence.

Getting ready for a snow storm tonight.  It is always fun taking care of the livestock when it is freezing out.  Last year we broke down an purchased electric waterers for the chickens and the goats.  It was just too hard to go break water every day.  We don't get a lot of snow in Missouri, but we do get somer really cold temperatures.

Did I tell you I'm ready for Spring?

How is it going?

 January is winding down and that is just fine with me.  We have had cold temps followed by spring-like weather, then just so Mother Nature can remind us it is still winter, we have cold temps again.  I miss the smell of green grass, the sight of blooming flowers, and the feel of warm soil beneath my feet.  But just like anything else, I know it is coming so I need to get prepared.

All of our medical stuff is in the rearview now so I am ready to move on! I'm like "okay already!  Lets get this party started!"  I love going to the stores this time of year as the seeds and seedlings start showing up.  Spring is a time of planting, new goat kids, and baby chicks.  Our nannies are getting rounder by the minute, our hens are starting to resume laying, and I saw some surprise lily leaves poking through the ground out by the goat pen.  Though it is January, life is still good. 

My Etsy shop is still going steady but has slowed down since the holidays.  I am working on getting a new pattern completed and finishing up all of the things I have started...so many.  This includes a bunch of ornaments that are only partially completed, an ottoman that is half-painted and unupholstered, and working on more wood slice ideas.  Keep ya posted!

Tonight is bee class.  We started beekeeping in 2020 and have really struggled.  We have only one hive right now and they seem to be thriving.  We intend to purchase at least one more hive this year, and if possible, split the one we have.  Hubs got stung the other day when he was nosing around the hive on a warm day.  It was kinda his own fault since he had no protective gear on.  It is easy to get a little lax when the bees are as docile as ours are, but getting stung in the face is not fun.  

I am so happy that I have a basement full of canned and frozen food from our garden last year.  It was so bountiful!  We also enjoy honey and eggs and soon we will be getting goat milk.  With prices like they are, growing your own food is so worth it!  And you know everything that you are eating.  Even if you have a small yard or an apartment balcony, you can grow some things.  

I did a bunch of seed saving this year.  I hope that the seeds produce so that I can continue to grow produce without having to spend the money on seed packets.  

I know it is January.  It may be cold or snowy where you live.  But it isn'gardeningt too early to start thinking about gardenting.  Give it some thought! More later on starting plants from seeds instead of seedlings.  

Have a good week my friends!

Wintertime Blahs

 I love the changing seasons, but of all of them, I love winter the least.  Maybe it's because our winters were so long when we lived in Colorado.  Or maybe it's because everything lacks color.  Here in the Ozarks, we don't get a lot of snow, and that's okay by me.  But one thing about snow, everything looks so fresh and clean.  

So our does are pregnant!  I think I told you that.but missy Laverne is starting to look a bit round in the middle. I will have to try to get a pic of that.  In other areas of the homestead, the chickens are slowly starting to lay again, the bees are still raiding the bird feeder, the dog is sleeping 18 hours a day and Smokey is checking out any Amazon boxes.  

I finally have all the Christmas stuff down and need to get them back into storage and out of my living room.  We are heading for some precip and some more winter-like temps later this week, so maybe I will get some more done in my Etsy shop.  

My sister and her husband moved nearby a few months ago.  They purchased 120 acres.  Hubs has been going there and getting firewood because they have piles and piles of downed wood.  Storing it is sometimes an issue since we don't have a shed or barn to put it in.   If we don't keep it covered, well it gets wet and doesn't burn very well.  So while we were in Menards a while back, they had this bicycle tent on sale for $14.99.  It is perfect for storing wood up by the house.  It is narrow and just the right size for a couple of stacks of wood.  

Hopefully, it will get us through a couple of seasons until we can afford to build something more permanent.  

January so far has been a lot of medical stuff.  My eye shot. (Macular Degeneration) Randy's check-up with his Urologist, mine with my primary care.  And I am having cataract surgery later this month.  Nothing important but we feel staying on top of our health is very important.  This year our Medicare went down in cost and the advantage plan that we have went down in co-pay.  Yay!  Because with the cost of everything else going up, we needed a break .  Several of our doctors are in Springfield which is 75 miles from here.  Twice in the last week,we have made that trip.  300 miles!  We always shop for the lowest price in gas but sometimes it's unaffordable.  I use points from my grocery buys at a Kroger affiliate.  Last time I went I saved $.40 a gallon!  I also use Upside, an app that lets you get money off select gas stations and restaurants.  If you want to earn some cash back, give it a try.  I've been doing it for almost a year and have saved some money.  Who doesn't like that?

You'll get up to 25¢/gal cash back on gas in addition to this bonus I'm about to give you. That's up to 40¢/gal total cash back!

Use this link or enter my promo code 9HTAHN to get an extra 15¢/gal in free gas the first time you use the app: https://upside.app.link/9HTAHN.

Have a great week my friends!

Happy New Year!

 I just don't know how it is possible that 2022 is over and a new year begins,  I guess once you get to a certain age, life just speeds up. It seems like life on the farm is so busy that sometimes I wonder how I managed life when there were three kids and a full-time job.  My sister-in-law said it best, "We just don't get started like we used to."  And I guess she is right.

This year for the first time since we moved to Missouri, we had company for Thanksgiving.   My sis and her hubby were here and it was so much fun to visit and just enjoy the company.  I was so proud since I fixed candied sweet potatoes (from the garden) green bean casserole (from the garden) and pumpkin pie also from the garden.  We had deviled eggs from our chicks and pear jelly from the orchard.  There is such a sense of accomplishment when I go to the basement and pull from my stockpile that I raised and preserved myself.  

The holiday season brought community celebrations which is one thing I adore about living in a small community.  My sister and I were able to shop at several craft fairs for unique gifts as well as attend community chili dinners and parades.  Our town has a night parade that is lit up on each float, musician, and horse.  Though we normally go to visit my inlaws at Christmas, this year we stayed home because of the extremely cold weather.  A loss of power could have meant suffering animals, frozen pipes, and more.  We luckily did not suffer any outages though, so all was well.

In late October, our two female goats, Laverne and Shirley came into heat, so we bred them to Mr. Bill our horn dog billy goat.  By now, we are pretty certain they are both pregnant so we will be expecting babies in late March or Early April.  I am excited, scared, and cautious, I am reading every piece of goat literature I can get my hands on.  I think Laverne is starting to show a little.

Our chicks are on hiatus and are currently not laying much if at all. We have a bantam rooster who doesn't like me and today waited until I had my back turned to come after me. He may be small but he is ferocious.

Then there are the bees.  If you know me, you know that beekeeping has been a painful and expensive learning experience for me.  But this last hive of bees is thriving.  Our temps last week were negative double digits but today it is nearly 60 degrees out.  When I walked out to the bird feeder, this is what I saw:

It seems that the bees gather the protein dust from the seeds in lieu of pollen since nothing is blooming right now.  

The other things that are keeping me busy these days are my freelance writing, my Etsy shop, and baking cookies.  I am obsessed with royal icing and made so many sugar cookies!

Do you make resolutions?  I kinda do.  I mean it's more like goal-setting for me.  For example, I want to make it a point to write every day.  Write something.  In a journal, on a blog, something.  By doing this I hope to improve my skills and maybe even someday get published.  

I want to devote more time to my Etsy shops.  Creativity is something I think we all have in us somewhere.  I love designing and making, but sometimes put it off because I need to do something else that may generate more income.  

And to add more balance to my life.  Play more.  Fish more.  Go sit with the goats. Do the things that bring me joy with the people (or animals)that make me the happiest.  

May 2023 bring you joy, health, and love.  Happy New Year my friends!

Waste not, Want not

 That's what my Grandma used to say, right?  My kids have always made fun of me because I reuse and recycle as much as possible.  I hate to waste food.  Of course we have chickens and goats, so there is not that goes to waste here.  But I do have a couple of strategies that I use on a regular basis.

One of my faves is Clean Out the Fridge Veggie Soup.  I hardly ever buy anything additional for this soup.  I just pull from the refrigerator, freezer and pantry.  When I have fresh veggies, either from the garden or a veggie tray, and there are too few to serve as a side, I just throw them in a zipper bag and stick in the freezer.  I just add to it as I go.  Nothing cooked, just fresh.  If I have celery or onions, or whatever that I know are no longer as fresh as they should be, I chop them up and add them to the bag.  

Today I pulled that mixed bag, some frozen carrots and green beans from last season, a can of corn, some small potatoes from the garden, and some cabbage that I had sliced and frozen.  I just dumped it all into the Crock Pot and added some crushed tomatoes, a half jar of tomato juice that was in the fridge and a container of chicken broth.  I always keep chicken or veggie broth on hand, since I scoop them up when they are on sale.  Add some seasonings and let it cook!  I will be smelling this all day long!  I will serve with some warm bread and honey butter.  Yum!  I am getting hungry just thinking about it!

Do you save food that might otherwise be thrown away?  I save stale bread or the heels in a zipper bag and put them in stuffing.  I save tortilla chips that are smashed for Taco casserole.  Overripe bananas get popped in the freezer, peeling and all.  When I want banana bread, I simply thaw and squeeze out the banana pulp.

Of course, not everything can be saved.  Food that is moldy or starting to show signs of rot finds its way to the coop.  Just think of the money you can save using veggies that you normally throw away.

Not long ago, I went to my favorite grocery store that marks down produce when it nears expiration.  You really have to be cautious and have a plan in mind if you purchase some of the items.  For example, I found a huge bag of carrots for $.99!  They were not moldy or soft but were nearing their expiration date.  I got them home, cleaned and sliced them, blanched them,, and used my food sealer to make individual packages and popped them in the freezer.  Since I didn't grow any carrots this year, it will give me variety without it costing me much money.

What are your money saving tricks?