A New Adventure!

 It seems about time for my yearly post.  I get so busy "doing" that I forget to share.  I am a bad blogger, but that is okay, no one reads it but me anyway.  

Last year we accomplished a lot on the land.  We planted a garden, 8 fruit trees (5 died through various means), and we planted 300 Afghan Pine Christmas Trees (the cows subsequently ate all but 3 throughout the year).  Note to self:  the electric fence is not strong enough, I think we need a stronger solar charger.  

We moved the work shed back to the barn and reconfigured everything to run our new business (PH lost his job due to the "plandemic") from the barn for the physical work, and the front portion of the shipping container has been turned into our farm office.  We do LOTS of things.  Signed up with Angie's List to get business (bad mistake).  We do primarily wrought iron work, fencing & handyman services.  We have managed to support ourselves throughout the past year, so Praise God!

A lot of trash was burned or tossed out, broken down vehicles sold and towed off, food processed, house re-arranged, wood cut and more.

We did manage to survive the Snow Pocalypse in February.  I would say we thrived, or my family did, I was out delivering a baby and got stuck at the client's home for 6 days due to ice and snow.  No heat, or water.  It really was horrible.  At home, they had the woodstove, generator, fuel, food, stored water, etc. (thanks Mom you are awesome!  No, no one thanked me for saving their lives.)

PD#2 is applying to the College of the Ozarks and we completed a school tour in April, and visited our property in the Ozarks, and we made final plans to purchase a cabin to place on the land, it arrives end of August/First of September.  The kids and I will be transitioning (slowly) to living in the Ozarks, completing the cabin, and getting everything situated.  I am sure we will be back and forth (PS#2 and I anyway) to the land here, several times during the year.

We have been cleaning (primarily PD#2 has been) while I have worked out of town and out of state to make extra money, been busy working 3 jobs plus helping to run the family business.  

We also purchased a registered Duroc Sow to breed for 4H piglet sales.  We also have Kune Kune, and some odd ball mixes (given to us) of pigs that we have sold to pay land taxes, and butchered to eat. 

PD#2 was able to go hunting quite often this past winter, and harvested 5 deer (1 buck and 4 does I believe), plus she went on a Nilgai hunt.  She was able to bring back quite a bit of meat this year.  She has signed up for a bear hunt this year as well, but it is on a lottery system so we will see what happens with that...

**While we lived off grid in the shipping container (our cabin-tainer) when we first moved here, we transitioned to our 24 X 32 house that my husband and I built (more him than me, but I operated the forklift to help with the roof, held up my end of boards, and pulled wire through the house).  

This next adventure will be to live full-time off grid in our cabin in the Ozark Hills.  
There is zero way to get grid power there, and I am excited to get back to off grid living, as it was always my favorite to do (it stresses out my friend(s) and confuses my mother, but oh well). 

Back to the cleaning, and packing.  Sorting through what will work in the cabin, and what will stay in the main house (for now).  Thankfully, we have so many items still that we won't have to purchase the, since my main purchases will be insulation, bead board for the walls and parts to install our spare woodstove.  

I plan to share the progress along the way, and my 12 yo son is dying for his own You Tube channel to document his life "off grid".  It will be called "Shady Ridge Off Grid".  He is a loon sometimes.

I will promise it won't be so long in the documenting.  It is exciting and a little scary going off into new adventures.  Check back for pictures!

 

Quarantine 2.0 and a Grandson!

Here we are in the end of May.  Quarantine restrictions are being lifted in many places.  We initially stayed home for 2 weeks totally isolated.  After that I had to go back to work, and the kids stayed home.  

We managed to accomplish a large amount of work on the farm:

1) secured fencing around area by barn for a garden
2) removed 20 dead trees (cut and stacked wood for fire and burned brush)
3) bartered several piglets for tree work and a large water tote (300 gallons)
4) new larger pens for chicken and quail **Business prospect
5) cleaned and organized barn for addition to swine herd
6) Planted LARGE garden
7) Planted fruit trees

We have received about 15 inches of rain the past month.  Our pond is overflowing! It is always a joy to enter into the summer months with a full pond.  We have been letting the cattle and horses in the back pasture.  This will hopefully lower our water bill ( our well went dry, so we had to get on the local water system).  We have been watering a large amount of livestock, the garden, cleaning and doing a lot of laundry lately since we are home more.  

PH has been working out of town since January. Usually 4-6 weeks out then 2 weeks home.  It has been a little stressful due to store and restaurant closures.  He had a horrible experience at a military base out in El Paso.  They have been setting up FEMA camps in substandard conditions.  He has not been happy.  He has been home currently for 3 weeks, which while it impacts income, has been great for farm life.  I and PD#2 have hurt ourselves trying to do things we just are not strong enough to complete.  Even though we are in our 50s now, PH is still stronger than I am. Ha! Ha!  

We have had many new neighbors move into the area...this has caused us to allow the brush on our property to reclaim the land.  We are wanting more privacy, and the Huisache and Mesquite provide this in abundance.  So, the perimeter of the property along the fence is growing up wild again, and we are trying to keep the center tamed as much as we can. We have a large garden and have planted numerous fruit trees, and I am rooting grape vines to plant Wild Mustang Grape vines.  

It is funny about cleaning and organizing, you make a bigger mess!  We are trying to prepare for continued government regulations and additional quarantine measures for the fall, and continued food shortages.  

Planned home project schedules for the year:

January: Car repairs
February: Declutter
March: Garden expansion, planting, fencing
April: Land cleanup (removed dead branches and dead brush, clear some areas for grass growth/pasture)
May: stack wood, plant trees and bushes, chicken/quail pen, expand pig production, send animals to butcher, clean up laundry house area
June: Clean up barn area, burn trash, clean up land and repair fencing, clean front porch, fix screen, work on fuel storage, canning and food preservation, work on landscaping (
July: Succession planting of corn, etc.,, Add additional water collection on barn and back of house, split and stack wood for winter
August: Clean and organize kitchen cabinets and pantry
September: Clean, organize and repair container (level, roof, shower, storage) , Plant fall crops
October: Plant winter rye and oats for livestock, prepare location for Christmas tree seedlings, canning and food preservation
November: Clean wood stove chimney
December: Christmas preparations 

**News to share.  In late December our daughter and her husband celebrated the birth of their son.  He is definitely a cutie!  

Quarantine

Well, thought I'd write about this quarantine. Out here on the prairie it is quiet this morning. The fog is thick, making it difficult to see out into the fields. The sounds of the big rigs out on the highway is a distant hum of tires on asphalt.

Walked to the gate in the fog and mist, the sound of a mini rain storm falling to the ground from the branches of the Huisache and Mesquite trees. Unlocked the gate so that my father in law can get into the property. He is coming over this morning to plow a garden area for me...just in case this thing goes longer, I'd like food to be growing.

On the agenda today is working at the library for a bit to get last minute details of canceling the fundraiser completed, and take in some returned books.

Then back home to finish laundry, and hook up the HAM/CB radioes.

Also on the list this week is to find all the pieces to the meat grinder, get the loft ready for company, fill water containers, install water collection system, move the fridge to cover the front window, clean and organize kitchen/bedroom, plant garden, and care for livestock.

While, I am not worried about illness, I am worried about the government response, and the potential for economic collapse. Thankfully, we are pretty well situated and can be home probably until the end of the year.  So thankful we are self sufficient enough and incoming funds can be kept at a minimum due to having limited bills. 

Our county has no cases of the virus yet.  San Antonio went on "mandatory" lock down at midnight last night.  I do not know how mandatory it is with all the exceptions for work.  I am of two minds.  People should willing stay home to avoid any spread, and two it isn't the government's responsibility to violate liberties.

The talk on the news and online is all of new cases, and few deaths.  No mention ever of the 100,000 that have recovered. They thrive on the doom and gloom it seems.

No N95 masks available, though I find it hard to believe. Neighbors are sewing cloth masks for healthcare workers to wear over the few available. These at least can be changed, washed and sterilized.

Since we homeschool, we aren't affected by the school closures like the majority of others.  Maybe this will open the eyes of people and they will realize that public school is not necessary.

Butterflies, changes and sorrow

The past five months have been packed with changes from all sides.  Last year we really did not focus on the homestead too much.  We were all in different directions.  One daughter was pregnant and I attended her prenatal appointments with her, as her husband could not get off work for each one.  I helped her prepare for her little one.  It was exciting and a little sad as I watched my eldest daughter become a mother.  She opted to use a midwife and to have a water birth at home.  I was very excited and blessed to be included.  I have been attending births for over 10 years, studying and making plans to become a midwife myself some day.

In September of last year my daughter gave birth to a beautiful little girl, Samus Michelle.  She was born at 38 weeks but sadly was stillborn.  This has been very devastating for all involved.  I have discovered after going through it myself that I can bear anything for me, but for my daughter I have grieved more for this promised grandchild then my own that I have lost.

The aftermath of being available for my daughter and her husband had us putting the majority of everything on hold in our own home.

She and her husband have good days and bad as they deal with the loss of their daughter.  Thankfully God has blessed them with their own home, a 1920s Texas farm house in a small town close to family.  Concentrating on repairs and renovations, moving and decorating has helped us all tremendously.

Fast forward to 2019.  We are forging ahead with homestead plans and projects.  My scheduled looks like this:

January: Repair vehicles
February: Insulate loft, inventory food storage
March: Garden expansion, planting and trees
April: Organize and declutter bedroom and complete floors, ceiling (vacation)
May: re-screen front porch, landscape front of house, black out shades for house
June: Clean up barn area, burn trash, clean up land and repair fencing
July: Purchase tractor, repair driveway, cut and stack wood for winter
August: Finish pantry construction, start on kitchen reno (island, paint and backsplash)
September: Clean, organize and repair container (level, roof, shower, storage) (vacation)
October: Plant winter rye and oats for livestock, prepare location for Christmas tree seedlings, canning and food preservation
November: Finish wood stove area, clean chimney
December: Christmas preparations (we are hosting family this year)

We have had several long time pets pass this year.  Shout out to Muffin (12 years), Furry (8 years), Sophie (13 years).

PD#2 is volunteering at the local zoo (she wants to attend college and major in zoology), started driver's training, and is working her way through our homeschool/high school program. Staring dual credit at local college in fall
PS#2 turned 10 and is a hot mess
PS#1 turned 30 and is a hot mess (I see a theme)

Autumn Fires

I am not a really good blogger anymore, life gets in the way.  We are beginning our Fall clean up around here...getting things ready for Winter.  Our wood is on the way from the in laws, so we will be ready when cold weather hits.  We still need to clean the woodstove and chimney.

It has been raining most of the week, and we have received 5 inches total.  The pond is full, the pastures are greening up.  This pushes back our hay purchase, and means we won't have to feed as much hay.  Praise God!

This was a poor year harvest wise, and butchering wise.  We were extremely busy off the homestead, and most of the summer was taken up with my midwife training. 

PD#2 volunteered at the Zoo this summer, so she was away from home every weekend.  We didn't stray too far from home very often, only going to the beach for one weekend, celebrating PD#2's birthday.

PD#1 and her husband are expecting their first baby in a couple of weeks.  We are ready for the homebirth, everything purchased, cleaned and ready to go :) I am very excited to welcome my first grand daughter! They are also in the process of purchasing their first home.  Very exciting news as well!

The kids started schoolwork this week, and we had a very successful first week back homeschooling.  Accomplished much, and we were very productive :) always a positive step.

Texas weather

Good afternoon all! We have been dealing with wide swings in weather lately. From cold and overcast, rainy and temps in the 80s. It is hard to know what to start on. This seems like a very short Winter. I wish it would stay colder longer.

PD#2 and I have planted some garden items. Mainly salad items and herbs, but we did plant a variety of tomatoes. Potatoes are next on the list, and we will be planting next weekend.

All but one hen was killed by coyotes and stray dogs. We have not had that problem in 10 years, but our dog died recently, so he was not around to keep them at bay. A large dog is absolutely essential on a farm to keep the wildlife away from livestock.

A mountain lion is in the area too. He/she is wandering and lingering more than normal. I am worried about my calves, and trying to keep them close at night. A neighbor friend normally loses a couple of lambs each year to this big cat.

Trying to get motivated and find the energy to get outside and work on the property, but it is hard. I feel so blah, with all these gloomy days. Today is sunny, so heading out to do laundry and then back in to do some baking. I will upload more and pictures later.

Winter is here...or is it?

If you are familiar with living in TEXAS, you know that we can be freezing one day, with temps in the 90s the next.  The past week or so, we have had temps as low as 34 in the evening.  It has been great to have a fire in the wood stove again.  Thankfully, the cold spell is ending, because we really need to clean out the chimney from last year.

This past weekend was a heavy baking weekend.  I normally bake more when it is colder, and not 100 degrees out side.  We made a huge pan of corn bread and ate that with some honey from our recent harvest.  Baked an apple pie, chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin shaped sugar cookie to celebrate Autumn.  Also, made gingerbread at our homeschool co-op where I teach home economics.  We used the Laura Ingalls Wilder Gingerbread recipe.  Came out awesome!

Our cows are getting woolly and putting on their winter coats, the horses too.  We really have a lot of farm chores to catch up with, and that we continue to put off.  This year has been a totally unmotivated, lazy year with regards to farm maintenance and improvements.

First fire 2017

Canklefritz

Canklefritz

Casey

Lil' Miss Squirrelly aka Bella

Casey

Apple Pie using a friend's canned pie filling

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

Laura Ingalls Wilder Gingerbread Recipe

2017 Honey Harvest