New Mamas for the Rabbitry

Boy and I went out to get some new mamas for the Rabbitry.

We've added a new Meat Breeder. A Californian Doe that we have named Cali 

And Boy has added another Lop Doe to his Rabbitry for "Pet Rabbit" .

Her name is Mittens

Hershey and Half Pint

These are the two girls we are considering:

First is Hershey.  She is 4 years old and has had 2 calves.  She is currently in milk and giving 50-60 pounds of milk a day (about 6+ gallons)

She is bred and is supposed to calve in August.

Hershey

Hershey, other side.

Back view, Hershey
Udder Picture

Then there is Half-Pint.  She is Hershey's first daughter.  She is "a springer" and will have her first calf in March.

Half-Pint
Geez, it's cold!!

Half-Pint

Back View of Half-Pint
Udder Picture

Both are 100% Jersey and bred to 100% Jersey Bulls.

Herdshare Information....know what this means??

"What is a herdshare?"   In the State of Ohio, it is illegal to deliver raw milk, to advertise that you have raw milk for sale, and to have more than 2 cows, 9 goats, and/or 9 sheep that are lactating for raw milk consumption purposes. These laws are restrictive and make it difficult for a small farm to succeed.  A Herdshare is when you purchase a "share" or interest of a herd of milking cows or goats or sheep. You become a joint owner of the herd of milk producing animals and in exchange for paying a monthly boarding and care fee, you receive 1/2 gallon or share of the fresh milk from your animals weekly. Herdshares are legal in Ohio and are allowing Small Farms like mine to help Support themselves and help families by supplying a good fresh product and by employing our neighbors to help us on our farms.

 "How do I purchase a herdshare?"   Contact the farm via phone or email to check for availability!  Once you have emailed or phoned and confirmed that we have share(s) available, then you must print out the Herdshare Agreement form, sign it, enclose your payment for Herd share(s) and mail or drop off on your first Milk pick up at the farm. 

"How much does a Herdshare cost?"  There is a one-time purchase cost of $15 per share of either the Cow Milking Herd.

"How much per Month do I Pay?" You then pay a monthly fee of $15 per Cow Share or $32 per Goat Share for care, feeding and boarding of your share of the animals which Equates to 1/2 gallon of Milk per Share. The herdshare purchase fee and the first-month boarding fee ARE due at the same time and then each month the monthly boarding fee is due during the FIRST WEEK of each month there after.

"What if I drink more than 1/2 gallon of Milk per Week?"  Then you  would need to purchase more shares.  Example:  If you need a gallon a week, purchase 2 shares, etc.

"What about Milk Containers?"  Milk is placed into 1/2 gallon Reusable Glass Jars and Metal Lids. The Farm has the jars that you will Purchase for your first pick up.  Your first jars and lids are paid with your intitial herd share purchase for $2 per each jar and lid per share.  You will need to bring the clean and empty jars back each week when you pick up your next batch of  full jars so we can keep reusing them and repeat each week. The Jars and Lids are sanitized again on the farm in a dishwasher for everyone's safety.  You will need to bring a cooler with ice or ice packs in it to transport your raw milk. Raw milk MUST remain cold at all times, at about 38 degrees!

SO you realize what this means, right?!  We are about to get a cow in milk!  Weeee!  I left the goat information in there, only because we are debating goats later in the summer.

Good news and bad news....

The great news is the new calf was born on my friend's homestead.  She ended up with a pretty little heifer yesterday...

The bad news...Our lop bunny FINALLY kindled last night and had 3 babies.  a black, and two "broken" (Spotted) black and whites.  She pulled a lot of fur, but lost all three of them.  :(

Baby Bunnies!!

Just two days ago, one of our new Mama's had her kits.  We had 6 little kits, but 2 did not make it.  The other four, however, are doing well.  I just came back in from the barn to give everyone hot water (it's 14* here today with another new inch of snow) and checked on them.  They are all round bellied and plump.  They are all snuggled together and their mama, Rexella< has been continueing to pull fur everynight to pak into the box.  They are all snug and warm in rabbit fur and hay.  I wanted to pull them out and snuggle them, but it is WAY too cold out for that.  It was even too cold for me to uncover them for a picture.  I just took a little peek and then covered them all back up.

Our weather forcast is not looking promising for pictures int he next 10 days either.  BTW, 59 days til spring!

The other mama still has not kindled.  She is doing all the "things" to be ready.  Making a nest in the next box, pulling out fur to line it.  She's 4 days past due.  I'll give her 2 more days until we pull the box back out and try to rebreed her.  It'll be the last go around for her as a breeder, then she'll just become a pet that will likely be sold.

Daisy

Speaking of which, Daisy, our sweet little cross bunny (formerly known as Jacob) went to her new home yesterday.  Lovely friends of ours braved the cold to come out.  The young lady got a hutch and a promise for Christmas.  She wanted a white with brown spotted rabbit for her gift.  It just so happened that we have two white spotted rabbits looking for homes. Daisy and Speckles (Our only Rex (velveteen) rabbit). When we got Speckles, he was advertised as a girl....um...no.  So as much as we love him, he is looking for a loving home too.

With the losses and additions, here is the new Rabbit list:

Lops:
Spot (Buck-Boy's Pet)
Lucie (doe)
Shadow (doe-pregnant?)

New Zealands:
Jack (buck)

Does:
Mopsy (still recovering from the fires)
Mopsy, Jr (AKA Cottontail)
Nilla
Rexella
(4 baby kits)

Sally (Florida White Doe)
Speckles (Rex Buck)

Speckles
Spotted, Single White Male Looking for a Happy Home!

My Tennessee BFF's Blog....

I've been after my Tennessee BFF to start a blog!  She has amazing story telling skills and is beyond clever!!  She has an even more active farm life than we do and I'm sure it will be a blast to keep up with everything going on over there....


...go visit her and give her some bloggy love!  And follow her adventures too.  Right now we are waiting for her VERY full cow to calf!!


Here's the link...or you can always find it over there in my sidebar ====>

Everyone, This is her cow, Flossie.
Flossie...meet the lovely readers of WallaceHomestead!!

http://thebackwardshomestead.blogspot.com/

Lists...lists....lists....

OK...here's another long post...and probably boring...but in my OCD-ness, I have been breaking down the big goals into "manageable" chunks.  (OK delusionally manageable. GRIN)  And these could be broken down more but.....

I have more lists over on the Scraptastrophe Studio blog with the scrapbooking and other crafts, I may mention them here but not in detail, you are welcome to go over there and look at my madness....I'm going to make another "page" for it too, so I can find the list again and mark things off as I go (OCD-ness!)

January:

• Bible Reading Plan
• Month-of-Nothing
• Can 40 jars of something (Chicken is the goal)
• Crop with friends (1/25/14)
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Do Taxes.
• Upstairs Purge & Rearrange
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Start T-shirt Quilt
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date (with KV)
• Concordance A-B

February:

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something (Rabbit is the goal)
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Have Wills completed
• Fondue Night
• Mani/Pedi for my birthday.
• Downstairs Purge & Rearrange
• Shop Inventory Pictures
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Make Homemade Marshmallows
• T-shirt Quilt
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date (w SR)
• Concordance C-D

March:

• Bible Reading Plan
• Month-of-Nothing
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Do "Freezer Meals" with a friend.
• Take Boy Bowling
• Paint Chicken Coop
• Backwards Night
• Pump House Purge
• Household Inventory Pictures
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• T-shirt Quilt
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance E-F-G

April

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Go Hunting for Morel Mushrooms
• Put up Bat houses
• Trip to Tennessee (?)
• Grain Barn Purge
• Set up of Soft Fruit Field
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Concordance H-I-J

May

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something (Strawberries)
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Paint Back Door
• Start Couch-to-5K Challenge.
• Weekend Crop (?)
• Estimate on Pond
• Plant Pine and Fruit Trees
• Put in Garden
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Camping
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance K-L

June

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Go Letterboxing
• Take Boy Horseback Riding
• Day doing ROY B GIV, and post
• Continue Couch-to-5K Challenge
• Farmers Market Open
• Floor on 2nd floor of Barn / Barn Purge
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Camping
• Ice Cream
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance M-N

July

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Race to Save Face
• 4th of July Fireworks
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Camping
• Ice Cream
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance O-P-Q

August

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Hot Air Balloon Festival
• Make Milk Soap
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Camping
• Ice Cream
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance R-S

September

• Bible Reading Plan
• Month-of-Nothing
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Train trip to see Fall Colors
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• T-shirt Quilt
• Camping
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance T-U-V

October

• Bible Reading Plan
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Allume (??)
• Weekend Crop (?)
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Finish T-shirt Quilt
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date
• Concordance W-X-Y-Z

November

• Bible Reading Plan
• Boy's Birthday!!
• Can 40 jars of something 
• Crop with friends
• 1 inch / 2 hours on Milly
• Hot Air Balloon Festival
• 25th: Rudolph Day (Letter & Craft)
• Sew Cute Apron.
• "Ladies that Lunch" Date

So...what do you think???

The Big Scary Goals

Being as how I have a chronic illness and never know from day to day how much energy I might have, you would think I would be a bit more....um....realistic in my expectations.  But well, you know me! There is a wonderful article that I am hoping to repost onto the blog in the next week or so (I've requested permission, just waiting on the the "yes.") In the meantime...

On the days I am stuck in bed, I am dreaming and coming up with bigger and better plans.  I mentally do the jobs so many times that when it comes time to actually do it, it does seem like, "Shouldn't this already be done!?"  Or spending time on Pinterest coming up with things I hadn't actually thought up myself to add to the list.  SIGH.

(First a side note, one of my weaknesses (strengths?) is that I tend to be fairly transparent.  If I am thinking something, I share it.  If things are going well, I share.  If things are NOT going well, I share that. I get frustrated that it seems like "everyone else" has "it" together because I only hear about the "highlights" of life, whereas I tend to "tell" on myself and the stupid things I do.  The bad stuff.  Always asking for prayer because I truly believe that prayer does change things.  Knowing that, this has been a very difficult post to write and I've been working on it for about 6 hours now...I'm giving up some of my biggest insecurities for the whole blog world to know -- much to my husband's chagrin)

I've been asked to share some of my "other" lists. I will post the scrapbooking list over on that blog.  It's in the sidebar ===>

Other plans for completing the 101 list.  And there are some crazy scary ones on there that I am still wondering "what were you thinking?" when I put them on there.  So I'm going to share them, and the WHY I thought I should...

The first one that scares me the most is the Allume Conference.  I read about it when it was still the Relevant Conference.  I can't imagine being invited, and now I don't think it's an invite thing...It's for Christian Bloggers to connect. I love the idea of conference and being a part of "something bigger" and if you know me, IRL, you would never believe that I am an introvert, but I am.  Blogging is something I can do...talking to and with strangers is difficult for me.  I have a hard time getting myself to go to our local "Mom's Night Out." and I know a lot of those ladies.  The idea of going somewhere where I don't know anyone, in a state I've never been to, with ladies who are succeeding at what I would LIKE to do....intimidating.

I had visions of grandeur for this blog...I fall WAY far south of the mark.  But I want to be doing this not for my vanity but to uplift and/or enlighten someone.  And let me totally honest here...I don't want fame or whatever, but I want to make a difference.  I know we are not supposed to compare ourselves to others, but be the best we can be....BUT there are my blogging "heroes" that I always seem to come away from reading their blogs challenged, chastened, uplifted, brought to tears, joyful...and those are the blogs that most of my friends read, share on Facebook, tweet, etc.  I DO want to be "shared", FB'd, tweeted, but I don't want to be "shared" for my glory, but for the glory of my God!  And I am somehow missing it.  I'm praying that somehow my mottled thoughts and silly goals are doing something for Him, and something for someone here.  That the net result of my blogging will someday to hear "Good work, good and faithful servant." (But right now, not thinking that is working...) Being invited to the Conference was my marker that I was "making it".  So...that is in October...Registration in March.

The second scary one is the Couch-to-5K Challenge and the Race to Save Face in July.  The spirit is willing...but the flesh is....weak, flabby, sickly, A HOT MESS!  The Race to Save Face is one of the first fundraisers I have ever heard of that is for Trigeminal Neuralgia Research.  It's right here in my state,  only about 2 hours away.  I make all kind of excuses about how busy I am in the summer....blah..blah...but I don't HAVE to run it.  I can walk it.  I'm putting it out there, this year I.Am.Going.To.Do.This.  Wanna do it with me?  The "training phase" basically starts late May and the "race" is July 14th.  They have goodie bags, and there is a dinner afterwards.  I'd love to actually have a team to go up with....and accountability partners.

I think this is important not only for the vanity reasons of getting in better shape, looking better, being able to say I've done it, but mostly because Trigeminal Neuralgia is considered a rare disease.  There are doctors out there that have only read about it in a text book long ago.  I have lost people in my support group to this disease this year.  I know that one of the problems with getting it young, is that there currently is no cure, so you have longer to live with it and it is a progressive disease.  The medications available are very strong and over time, your body gets used to it and you have to up dosages or add different stronger medications.  And the more you take, the more likely it will be that there will be a lethal cocktail.  I want to do SOMETHING to help find the cure.  I've read that they may be able to come up with one within 10 years.  There are surgeries available (Brain surgery--I am SO not there--yet!)  So while I can, I should.

The last two are somewhat the same.  I love people, even though it is so intimidating for me, I love having visitors.  We have had a few casual get togethers here at the farm, but the big stuff gets me stressed out before I even start and then my "zingers" go into full force (Stress is one of my triggers apparently).  A local campground (across the field from us) has a big firework show and we take advantage of it.  I'd like to invite more friends to come enjoy the farm, fireworks and fellowship.

Also, I, along with a few others are somewhat crafty.  We've talked about having a Farm Open House / Craft Show in the fall to encourage friends and family to "Shop REALLY local for Christmas."  Not only will I need to do 'crafty' things and can for the sale, but also have the farm all "pretty" for guests...

Hmmm, OK...While training for a race and running a farm, farm market, homeschool, and writing meaningful blog posts...and while trying to accomplish the goal of 2400 scrapbook pages (1200 layouts-Oh, wait, 1199, I did one yesterday!) in the next 10 months...all the while praying for no TN flare ups.

Delusional much?

No, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.  Phillipians 4:13

But I think the whole text is important for me to remember:
 ¹¹ Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: ¹² I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So if it be the Father's will, not mine, to accomplish one, all, OR ANY of these goals, I.AM.TO.BE.CONTENT.

AMEN!

Making Plans....

My Man and I have been discussing the "farm plans" and what the spring may hold for us, God willing.

**Milk cow as soon as I can find one, hopefully by March

January:
Rexella (hopefully bred to Jack) due 1/15
Shadow (hopefully bred to Spot) due 1/15
End of Month-start Tomatoes, peppers, brassicas

February:
Purchase Altex Buck (Rabbit) for meat breeding with current Does.
Breed Sally (Florida White), Nilla (NZW) Cottontail (NZW)
(February 3rd Breed Lops for Easter Bunnies)
Set up Turkey Pen

April:
Pick up package of bees to re-hive.
Lops weaned for Easter
Set up Pig Yard
First set of Meat Chickens
Get 6 Turkeys (Ready Late October)
Start Cucumbers, Hard Squash
Tilling Garden and starting new raised beds.
Meat Rabbits to Camp

May:
Garden in
First Set of meat chickens to processor on May 15
Add two Feeder Pigs May 15 (ready mid September)
Rebreed Meat Rabbits
Look for someone to dig pond
Start Second Set Meat Chickens

June:
Farm Stand set up:
Rabbits Due
Put in Pond
Meat Chickens to Camp

July:
Boy goes to Come Back Camp! (Not Freezer Camp!! Grin!)
4th of July Farm Party & Fireworks
Buy Hay

August:
Rabbits to Camp
Start getting Firewood
Last Set of Meat Chickens
Set up Greenhouse (Hopefully!!)

September:
Pigs go to Camp
Breed Lops for Christmas Bunnies

October:
Turkeys go to Camp
Chickens to Camp
Farm Open house / Craft Show

November:
Weldon goes to Camp
Lops weaned for Christmas


December:
REST!

Baby it's cold outside!! Animal Updates!

So it's the second day of sub zero temperatures.  Weeee!  I LOVE my new coveralls that the guys got me for Christmas.  They are pink-alicious!! AND WARM!!  I will definitely never get lost in a snowstorm....Raspberry colored coveralls, Lavendar Boots, and my Sky Blue Grandma Coat. (And don't forget my new "darth vader" ish face mask and -22 degree ski gloves!!)  I AM READY!!!

Time for animal updates.

And so far, so good.  All the animals are surviving.  They are all locked into either the barn or the coop.  We haul out hot water twice a day (sometimes 3 times) to make sure everyone is drinking and to help warm them up.  I have 10 chickens that have decided they are "too good" or "too wise" to hang out in the coop.  These are the 5 meat chickens that really need to go to "camp" and 1 rooster and my 4 oldest hens.  The majority of the occupants of the chicken coop are the 30 "teenaged" pullets that can start laying-any-day-now-thanks! and the ducks.  (I'm to the point of being ready to rehome the ducks too.  They won't go to freezer camp because we don't like to eat them. I'll have to find someone that does.)

We lost 3 of our rabbits before the cold really started.  It's sad because all of the rabbits currently are the ones with names that have been here for over a year and have given us litters.  All the ones that generally remain nameless (because they will eventually feed us) went for their drive in November.  We lost Waldo (AKA Killer) our big New Zealand White Buck.  He was very friendly, and loved to be scratched.  He was the daddy to most of our litters.  We don't know how old he was when we got him, and he started stumbling and not keeping his balance and then we just lost him.  Then there was our Florida White Buck, Lightning.  He scratched his eye and it got infected.  We treated the infection for almost 3 weeks.  One night I brought him in for his nightly wash out and treatment and he was fine...I made a decision that I was going to keep him in the house until he was well (something we DON'T do-keep rabbits in the house) and as I was telling Boy to go get me a cage to keep in the laundry room, he (the rabbit--not the Boy!) thrashed his legs, screamed and died.  It was very upsetting!  He was very docile and sweet so it wasn't the stress of being held...I think the infection took over more than his eye...and at least he died being held and loved.  Finally was the most upsetting, it was my "designer" rabbit that we got "free with purchase."  We bought some cages and she came with the cage.  She was a Trianta rabbit which is a fairly rare breed.  She was gorgeous with bright auburn hair.  She gave us a really nice litter this past summer.  She passed right after Christmas.  And even sadder is that her namesake is one of my Besties.  :(   We also don't know how old she was when she came to us, she wasn't actually sick, so we're going to call it old age also.

So we are down to 11 rabbits, and 1 is promised as a delayed Christmas gift.  My Man has been researching a new breed that we are going to incorporate into the rabbitry.  They are called AlTex Rabbits.  As soon as it is warm enough to bleach down cages, we're going to get just an AlTex Buck and breed him with our New Zealand Girls.  We have two that are currently (hopefully) bred.  We'll see around the 15th of this month if they took (fingers crossed!!)  Bred is Rexella (our new white New Zealand Doe that actually was born and raised here.) And Shadow, The Boy's black lop bunny.  We'll breed our other lop next week for Easter Bunnies.

Weldon is getting BIG!  He is doing just fine in the cold. He has his routines and doesn't like when they are messed with.  The other night I watered him and then had to go get feed from the chicken feed for the "uppity" birds in the barn, and he ran to the door out to the pasture and didn't just MOO at me to get back there to feed him his nightly ration of sweet feed...but seriously BELLOWED the whole time I was walking away.  And didn't stop until I turned around and was heading back to the barn.  Silly Bull!

Our Yellow Cat (Timmy) has taken to disappearing for days at a time, but I have recently discovered that I am pretty sure he actually is living in the loft and usually can't be bothered to get out of the hay to come be social.  Unless I call for him, which means I have some scraps for him and Iona.

When I went out to the barn this morning, I hadn't seen Yellow Cat for 3 days.  I had prayed over all the animals in the barn as I listened to the 30+ mile-an-hour winds that howled all night causing -20 degree + windchills.  I prayed an extra prayer that I would see the cat, so I would know he was not out on a prowl...I came into the barn this morning to find the cat cozily sleeping in the dog house, basically under the Pyrenees.  That is one smart cat.  That is the best place in the barn--under a big dog blanket!!  Iona (the Pyrenees) loves Timmy.  We are so blessed that all the animals get along!!  And I was blessed to see that the cat (and everyone else) was doing just fine.

In the house....it's COLD!  It's a very old, very drafty farmhouse, even with the new siding and putting plastic up on the window.  We have suspected for the last few weeks that there is a blockage of some sort in the chimney as we get smoke every time we open the door to add wood.  And really we don't seem to be getting much heat from it.  So tonight we will have to forgo our woodburner....(softly crying) and go with the emergency back up heat pump (that seems to only work well if it's OVER 30 degrees) and crank up the electric blankets. The fireplace needs to be completely cool when they come to work on it.  I think the predicted NEGATIVE 10 degrees will cool it down sufficiently, don't you??

Cold Weather Fun

On the first day of sub zero temperatures, we saw an experiment online and just had to try it
(Here's hoping it's not ever cold enough to try again!)

Happy 2014!!

Here it is another Happy New Year!  I pray that you will have a great one.

I'm already making lots of lists and plans for the farm for the year. And for finishing up my 101 in 1001 list.  And to be a much better blogger...even if it is only a few lines.

One of the things we are doing for January is a "Month-of-Nothing."  Our grocery bill has been inching up and inching up (ok, maybe more than an inch) with the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years.  Buying fancy stuff that we don't normally eat...some name brand stuff.  But now it's time to go back to reality.  And our freezers and pantry are stuffed with good stuff, so time to use some of it up.

The goal is no more than $25 per week on perishables. (Too bad we don't have a milk cow...I could make that $10!!)  So fresh veggies like spinach, fruit like bananas.  Milk, cheese (except we do have some cheese in the freezer-woot).  And gas for the car.  I like to go to the grocery store.  I like to shop, even if I don't spend, so I am lumping the gas with the groceries so I am not going down just to wander around.

If we choose to have Chinese take-out, etc that comes out of the $25 for the week.

I haven't figured out our menu for the week yet, I'll post that when it gets done (which is another goal--instead of wondering at 6pm what to have for supper)

I also have an "Out-of-Control" scrapbooking goal, but I will post that stuff over on the Scraptastrophe blog.

There are 329 days left of my challenge....I want to finish up strong.

What are you doing for the New Year?

Do you want to see my lists?  Or would that be boring??