Christmas Babies

Look what Tim found, or more accurately I should say heard, when he left for work this morning! At first we thought we had triplets, which would be a first for us. We realized that they were in fact, not triplets, but that our only two remaining goats, who are mother and daughter, gave birth on the same night. What are the odds?

There are two boys, on the right, and one girl pictured on the left. The dark one is simply adorable!

So much cuter than any baby pig. Kellen and I have an ongoing discussion about who reigns as the cutest baby animals on the farm.

Sure they are cute, but goat kids rule! I will concede one thing though, baby goats are much louder than baby pigs.

Much to my surprise, Lydia named them right away. They are (from right to left) Brownie, Henry, and Tanla. Guess animals are more fun to name when they are little and cute.

Now, these little cuties have quite distracted me from my substantial to do list this morning, but I am not complaining. Thanks Lucy and Marble for my early Christmas present.

Retro

The kids' chocolate covered pretzels remind me of the '80's. Really there are pretzels under all that splatter. Now if chocolate just came in Day Glo colors.

He is a Little Fruity.

I sent Nolan to the freezer to looking for coating chocolate while I was cleaning up some dishes. With my back turned to him, I heard him ooohing and aaaahhhhing, so I assumed he had found the chocolate. When I turned around he had a huge grin on his face. The bag he was holding however, was not full of chocolate.

The exciting find was a bag of frozen blueberries. He had stopped looking for the chocolate and was begging me to eat the blueberries. This is the most fruit eating kid I've ever known.

Our Early Christmas Present

 There are so many things to love about homeschooling. One definite advantage is you can go places during the week when the rest of the world is in school, often at a significant discount. We took advantage of one such offer last week at Great Wolf Lodge.


I've looked at visiting there before, but the rates were a little beyond my comfort level. But then they had Homeschool Week the first week of December. The discount was significant, and we were able to get a room for all six of us and two days of entertainment for a little more than the normal cost of a hotel room. Merry early Christmas kids. We are headed to the water park.

We were duly impressed with the lobby, not to mention the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff who cheerfully fixed a date mix up on my part, but the water park blew us away.

There was so much to do, plenty to keep the big kids and the little kids happy while wearing the parents out. Everything was clean, and the staff was attentive and friendly. There were only a handful of families there, and some of them were friends of ours. Could it be any better?

In the evening there was a story, songs, and snow in the lobby for all the tired swimmers.

We had so much fun. I hope they offer homeschool week discounts next year!

Thing One and Thing Two?

I remember when we started adding animals to the homestead. The kids could not wait to name them. They would fight over the names. Then when baby animals would come, the kids would want to name them all. We'd remind them that you don't name what you eat. They got around this little rule by naming the animals things like Dinner, Barbecue or Chops. I remember when Lydia wanted to name every female animal Sally. She had a stuffed animal named Sally, and at least one real chicken and goat by the same name.

Perhaps the thrill of having animals has subsided. Maybe the kids have run out of ideas. They no longer want to name the animals. This poor guy, who we bought last summer, has been stuck with the name Dude Man Piggy. I suggested the name as a joke, but the name stuck. 

Dude Man Piggy

We kept back two gilts from the last litters to replace our older (or non productive) sows. These gilts are now bred, and they still don't have names. I've been calling them Black Gilt and Red Gilt (she really is a very dark red and was a brighter red when she was younger.) These poor girls need names. The other sows are Charcoal and Sassafire. The kids aren't throwing out any suggestions. How about you? Do you have any ideas?

Red Gilt

Black Gilt

I was so excited for Thanksgiving this year. Tim was off Wednesday. I lucked into being off on Thursday after two years of working Thanksgiving day. It was the first time we were both off for two days in a row together (that didn't involve a Dr. or a hospital) in longer than I could remember.

We were keeping Thanksgiving small and simple. Well, as small as it gets around here; the six of us, my brother and his kids, and my mom. That makes eleven.

We did have a couple of very enjoyable days. Wednesday we got things done. We prepared for the next day's feast. We worked on some projects around the farm. Thursday we feasted and lazed around watching the parade, playing games, and relaxing. Thursday evening we took the kids to The Pottery Place to paint ornaments. The trouble started later that night.

We ate dinner rather late, after we got back from The Pottery Place. Around midnight Tim started waking up in pain. We assumed it was indigestion from all the rich food and the late dinner. We tried to sleep. We both had to work in the morning.

I left for work about 4:30 AM. Tim still wasn't feeling well, but he got up and went to work about 9. It was then that he realized his pain might be more than indigestion. I was home by ten, and Tim was on his way to the ER.

A few hours later I was on my way to the hospital, and Tim was getting prepped to have his appendix removed. Things went amazingly fast through the ER and OR.   Twenty four hours later we were on our way home. Tim had one less organ, and a slightly larger belly button.

His pain has been minimal, and he has been resting and relaxing for the most part. Jake and the kids were here until Sunday. We ended the weekend with a campfire, and Mamaw and Jake took the kids to a movie. (Glad Jake took some pictures this weekend. I never got out the camera.)

This year has been incredibly frustrating, but I am trying hard to look at the good. This holiday, we did have two days off together without any medical issues. For that, I am very thankful. Tim's appendix acted up in this calendar year, when our insurance deductible has already been paid. Despite everything, we did have a good and relaxing Thanksgiving.

Is it too much to ask to be done with doctors and hospitals for awhile? Or perhaps to just not have any new medical issues come up? Please.

All He Wants for Christmas...

Nolan age 7.

We Won!

She began her life here on the farm as a cute tiny piglet. Kellen picked her out to keep as breeding sow. He named her Ashes to go along with the theme of pig names we had going at the time. There was Charcoal and Flame also. All was fine and well until last spring when Ashes didn't farrow.

A full grown sow on a farm only has one purpose, to make piglets. She had been with the boar, but apparently had not been bred. We decided to give her another chance. In with the boar again, and she didn't even appear to be coming into heat. She didn't get bred, again. It was time for her to go.

Taking the feeder hogs or steers to be processed really never bothers me. We know from the time that they are born, that is what they are for. When it is time to get rid of our breeding stock, especially one that was born here, it makes me a little sad. We know the breeding stock. We've named them. We've talked to them.

As we tried to load Ashes the first time, I was feeling a little sad about it.  That feeling didn't last long.

She knew us, and Lord knows that big 'ole sow knew what a feed bucket was. I never had any trouble moving her from one pasture to the next as long as I had a feed bucket. The first time we tried to load her from our back pasture. There are no chutes or gates there, but we figured she'd follow us. And follow she did, until I got to the ramp to the trailer. From that point, she was having none of it.

In frustration, we put her back in the pasture. She followed me just fine then.

About a week later, that big girl put her back legs through the shed floor. I still don't know how much she weighed, but if she was under 600lbs I'd be shocked. I found her one morning with two legs dangling through the floor.

We tried to give her footing to pull herself out, but she couldn't do it. She had her knees wedged between the floor boards. It took a whole morning, a car jack, the tearing off of the shed walls, and all the muscle power Tim and I had to get her out of the hole.

She was weak, and for awhile we were afraid she had broken a leg. It took a good week or so of tending her before she started to get up and around on her own.

Once she was getting around well we moved her to the pig barn where there are chutes and gates designed just for loading pigs. In the meantime, the freezers had gotten pretty full, and we weren't in a hurry to get her to the processor. Another month or so of feeding her, and it was time to try again.

Getting her down the chute was no problem. She went right up to the trailer gate, and would not go any farther. We pushed. We prodded. We smacked. She sat on Tim's feet. We ran out of time, and had to put her back in the pen.

We tried again about a week later. Pretty much the same story, only with quite a bit of anger and drama on the human side of things. And no, I still don't find it a funny story. 

After the anger and tempers cooled, a new plan was formulated. That pig was going on the trailer. There was no sadness any longer. I was ready to shoot her myself, and have the mother of all hog roasts.  Tim had a better plan.

We left her in the chute. Tim fortified the gates between the chute and the trailer. We put her food and her water in the trailer. She had no where else to go.

Now, I'd like to say that the next morning we found her in the trailer happily eating her grain. Nope. She hadn't touched it. Kellen showed her the grain, and she would follow him to the gate, but not go through. None of us ever saw her go onto the trailer.

After a couple of days of this, Tim walked out the door with a very determined look on his face. He took Kellen with him. I'm not exactly sure what happened over the hill there. I heard the electric fence was involved. All I know is about 20 minutes later, this is what I saw out my kitchen window.

And we all cheered!

Fall Clean Up and Planting

On Veteran's Day, Kellen and Lydia joined their 4-H group to help clean up a flower bed in Huntington and plant new fall flowers. How appropriate that they happened to be working at a monument to Veterans.

The younger kids and I joined them briefly. They had cleaned up all the summer plants, pruned the roses, and pulled out the weeds. Then they planted Violas for a bit of cool weather color.

The kids worked hard, but I think they all had fun. Lydia told me the next morning she was sore. I told her she must not work hard enough around here. Thanks to the Williams' for providing the opportunity and the help, and thanks to our fearless leader, Annie for taking on this wily bunch to complete the project.

 

No Turkey About It.

How does a food become so intertwined and connected with a holiday? We all have our family favorites that are must haves for holiday dinners, but everyone has turkey at Thanksgiving don't they? This year we will be among the small percentage that doesn't.

Since we began raising our own meat, Thanksgiving has posed a bit of dilemma. We raise a variety of pastured, healthy, and delicious meats, but there are no turkeys on the farm. Can you have Thanksgiving without turkey?

In the past, our answer has been no. We've purchased a turkey (after all they are so cheap this time of year,)  and served it along side venison, lamb, rabbit, beef, or pork depending on what we had available from the farm. This year, we are changing our tune, and saying, "Yes, you can, and we will, have Thanksgiving without turkey." There are a few reasons behind this change of heart.

The first reason happened accidentally. When Kellen and Lydia had their Ham, Bacon, and Egg project pigs processed, we wanted to order the loins in boneless roasts. Apparently, there was a breakdown in communication between us and the processor. Oh, we got boneless loin roasts alright, but the processor kept them whole. Do you know how large a whole feeder pig loin is? Each hog has two loins. Out of the four loins we received, the smallest is seven pounds. It only makes sense to use those large roasts for a feast like Thanksgiving.

Beyond the gigantic pork loins, we have several freezers full of delicious, healthy pastured beef, goat, and pork. We have ducks and chickens that are just about ready to be processed. Do we really need to buy any other meat? But there is the argument that turkey is so cheap right now why not stock up on something we don't have?

Well, this is where I must admit that I have become a bit of a meat snob. It has been a gradual change. One that I didn't even realize was happening, but there is a huge difference in taste between factory farm raised and small farm raised meat. I don't want the factory raised stuff, and I don't know of anyone local with turkeys ready for Thanksgiving.

So you realize that I haven just written this whole post to justify to myself that it is ok to not have turkey at Thanksgiving. That is how connected turkey is to Thanksgiving. Next year, maybe we need to raise turkeys. Or the hunters in the family need to go get me a local turkey!

Love, Encouragement and Good Timing

Yesterday morning was rough here on the farm. In fact, it was one of the worst mornings I can remember in quite some time. It is a long story which parts of do not need to be shared publicly, and parts may be shared at a later time when I might possibly find it a funny story.

Suffice to say that it was very frustrating, tempers flared, and words flew. Afterward, I pulled myself and the kids together to go to a local homeschool group meeting.


During the announcements I really wasn't paying much attention. I was off in my own world in my head. I did notice a friend pull out a large wrapped box, and I wondered if I'd missed someone's birthday or other special event. As she was talking, she started to walk toward me with the box in her hand. That was when I started to listen, and realized that she was talking about me and my family.

She, along with several other crafty friends, wanted to do something special for us just to say they love us and are praying with us through all the hard times. These ladies are amazing, and their gift of love and encouragement couldn't have come on a better morning for me.

Look at their amazing handiwork. Each square is different and unique. There are apples, music notes, flowers, squirrels, and as they told us, lots of love and prayers knitted into this blanket.

Thanks so much Crystal, Jamie, Annie, Glenna, Jean, Patricia, and Maria. You're amazing!

Cornish Cross 101

 We first started raising chickens a little over five years ago. When we purchased chickens, we would simply buy a straight run of a dual purpose birds, like RI Red, or Buff Orpington, and when the cockerels started crowing into the freezer they went.

In the spring of 2010 we went in with some friends to raise our first 100 Cornish Cross chickens. I feel like I'm still learning how to raise these birds, but here are some of the things I've learned about this cross breed.

Cornish

They are a cross breed between the Cornish and White Plymouth rock chickens. I was a bit confused when I read that because the only Cornish bird I know is the Cornish Game Hen you get in the grocery store. How could such a small bird be included in a cross that yielded quick growing, large meat birds? With a little research, I found out those game hens are 4 weeks old! 

Plymouth Rock

The Cornish is a large, but short stocky bird. The Rocks are large bird on a taller frame. The cross is a heavy large bird.

They are bred to grow quickly and produce a lot of meat. They are not meant to survive to reproduction, and can have a lot of health problems because of their size, especially if left to grow too large.

They are the bird that most large operations use for chicken production. They grow fast. The Cornish cross can produce a 4-5 pound finished product in as little as seven weeks. The dual purpose breeds we've used before can take up to six months to produce the same sized bird, and the meat distribution is different. The crosses have a lot of white meat, another reason they are used in commercial production.

Left- 6 month Golden Comet. Right- 11 week old Cornish Cross

Raising these birds begins like any other chickens. They are cute and fluffy. Their growth rate is noticeable after the first week.

One Day Old Cornish Rock Crosses

One Week Old Barred Rock and Cornish Rock Crosses. Note: they were about the same size at hatching.

The feed needs to be a high percent of protein. We prefer to use non-medicated feed, and started our first batch of these birds on Purina flock raiser. They grew well, but their droppings made wonder if the feed was properly digested. It reeked beyond normal chicken smell and was very loose. Later, a friend recommended a recipe online for broiler feed, and we worked with our feed store to have them custom mix the feed for us. The good news was it seemed to agree with the chickens better. The even better news was that it was about half the price.

These birds are not natural foragers. They are perfectly content to lay as close to the feeder as possible for the entire day. Our first batch of birds we had in with the hens. We figured that in the morning, the Crosses would learn to go out the door and down the ladder with the rest of the chickens. It never happened. I brought greens  to them. They really didn't seem to care.The pictures below are from the first batch of birds we raised.

2 weeks.

4 weeks.

5 weeks.

7 weeks.

Since then we've converted rabbit hutches and made a tractor to get the birds on grass more. It has helped, and they will go and forage and eat bugs and scratch like I expect a chicken to, but they never stray too far from the feeder.

Converted rabbit hutches

Chicken Tractor

Since we've changed feed and got the birds out on pasture, the growth has slowed some. I am ok with that because I think it is healthier for them, and we also see less of the health problems that are attributed to their sudden growth.

The good points about these birds are they grow quickly, and are meaty birds with a lot of white meat. Those bonuses come with some drawbacks. They are prone to broken legs, often at the hip. I have yet to have one recover from a broken leg. They also are likely to keel over of a heart attack, especially in the heat, or a sudden upswing of temperatures. In the cold they will smother each other.

If you raise these bird yourself, on pasture, their flavor will far surpass any chicken you buy at the grocery store. But, I think the slow growing dual purpose birds have a lot more flavor than the Cornish Crosses.

There are good and bad points to raising these birds. You can't beat them for quick growth and meaty bodies. If you are growing them for sale, the large breast and mild taste are what most people expect from a chicken.

I've begun to read a bit about another cross breed, the Colored Ranger, that is supposed to be a better cross for foraging. Their growth is a bit slower than the Cornish Cross. I am considering trying a batch of these in the spring. Anyone else tried this cross breed? What did you think?

Who is the Momma?

I have so enjoyed watching all the ducklings grow this summer.  Mamaw and I were just talking the other day about how interesting the ducklings are. The come out these cute fuzzy little things. You watch them and they seem to grow so slowly. This particular brood seemed like they would never feather in. Just when you think they may never change, you turn around and seemingly they have doubled in size overnight.

This is the oldest of this year's broods with their momma. They crack me up. Many of these ducklings are larger than the hen, yet she leads them around. She still watches and protects them. At night the "little" ones all snuggle in a circle to keep warm, but momma is not far off, ever keeping a watchful eye on her offspring.

Have you guessed which one is the momma? It is the one with the white head. You know the one giving me the suspicious eye as I take photos of her babies.

Second Salt

Kellen and Lydia Salting

Bright (well maybe it wasn't so bright then) and early  this morning we headed down to the meat processor's for a second salting on Kellen and Lydia's Ham, Bacon, and Egg hams. It was a quick and easy process. They simply needed to scrape off the salt from the first salting, and then re-salt their hams. Now, the hams sit and cure until January. I can't wait to see how they turn out! 

Kellen's Hams

Lydia's Ham

Autumn Sunrise

I remember when we first moved here, I was daily in awe of the beauty of our surroundings. Six years later, I admit I often take that beauty for granted, especially in this last year and a half that has been so hectic and stressful.

This morning I got out to do chores a bit earlier than normal. The schedule for the day was jam packed. I was in a hurry, and little stressed about getting everything done on time. Then, I happened to look up from the task I was completing to see this beautiful sunrise.

I stopped and soaked it in for a moment, feeling exceedingly grateful for this beauty we have been given, and appreciative of the moment to enjoy it. There was just a touch of sadness at all the moments I've missed as I've been caught up in the worries of this life.

I only lingered a minute (and then another to grab the camera.) The moment didn't make me late. It didn't interfere with my well laid out plan for the day, but in that moment my focus was changed. I wasn't consumed by my over scheduled day. I was awed by the beauty around me. The beauty is always there, but I don't always choose to look at it.

With that little change of heart came peace, and that underlying peace made the day go much more smoothly. The tasks got done in a timely manner without me being irritable and stressed.

I am very thankful for this morning's beautiful sunrise, the moment to enjoy it, and the gentle reminder that it only takes a moment and a small choice to turn my heart and my focus where it needs to be.

Ham, Bacon, and Eggs

Who is ready for breakfast? Kellen and Lydia are working on the ingredients to make one heck of a breakfast from scratch. Well, perhaps before scratch. They are participating in the Ham, Bacon, and Eggs program this year that is available to local 4-H and FFA students. They each took a hog to Rolfe's Custom Meats last week. The guys there got the hogs ready for cutting, and Saturday Tim took the kids to get to work on the bacon and hams. The leaders and the butchers showed the kids how to cut the ham and bacon from one side of the hog. Then the kids cut the other side.

Lydia cutting the bacon.

After the cutting is done, it time to begin the curing process. Then we wait. There will be another ham salting at the end of month, and several other steps between now and the end of February when the curing process will be complete.

Kellen salting a ham.

Around that time the kids will start collecting the "perfect" dozen of eggs. They will be looking for uniformity of color and size.

The ham, bacon, and eggs will be judged the first week of March, and the project will end with a breakfast where the meats and eggs will be auctioned.

I just love this project, and am so excited the kids are participating this year! The kids are excited too, and enjoyed the cutting of the meats. Kellen was particularly impressed with the large saws that the butcher uses. I can't wait to see how the projects turn out! 

No News and the Same News

Two weeks ago we had a visit with our local retina specialist about Kellen's eye. After visiting him before, visiting the best of the best specialist in Philadelphia, and visiting the infectious disease doctor, the consensus was that the lesion behind Kellen's eye was not cancer and it was not any of the long list of infections or parasites that can be detected by blood work. They all agreed that the next step was to try a round of steroids in hopes that would shrink the lesion behind the eye.

Today the doctor found that has been no change in the lesion or the pocket of fluid from it behind the eye. There had been no significant change in Kellen's vision either. We decided to continue the steroids another two weeks, and check again. At that point, if there has been no change, he will wean off the steroids, but other than that there is no planned course of action. The doctor mentioned freezing the lesion, but also said it is in a very difficult spot for that procedure.

Many of you have also asked how Tim is doing. They got the cancer with the surgeries, and then interferon chemo was recommended. The first month was intense, and I'm so glad it is over. He is now on a lower dose treatment that he is supposed to take for a year. It makes him feel weak and tired, kind of like what you feel like with the flu.

So far we've seen a pattern of him feeling pretty decent for a week or two of treatments and then gradually he feels weaker and weaker. Then his weekly blood work will come back showing his white cell count to be too low for treatments. He'll take a week off, begin to feel better, and then start the cycle again.

It does seem like he is more tolerant of the treatments as he goes on. The down part of the cycle takes longer to come, but it still does. It is very frustrating to us both.

And I wonder if it is really the best course of action. I've always had an interest in alternative/natural medicines and treatments, but never took the time to become more educated. When Tim got his diagnosis we were in crisis mode, and there was no time or energy to research or consider other treatments. We just did what we were told.

A ways into the chemo we started watching documentaries like Food Matters, and reading books about the Gerson Therapy. We started discussing these alternatives. Then we got Kellen's news, and were back in crisis mode again just treading water. 

(Anyway, those two paragraphs were a complete rabbit trail, but this is my blog and rabbit trails are allowed.)

So, we really don't know what is going on with Kellen's eye. The good news is it isn't getting any worse. The bad news is it isn't getting any better, and no one seems to know how to fix it. Tim is doing about the same. The bad news is he still feels sick a lot of the time. The good news is it takes him longer to feel really bad.

Personally, I'm tired of doctors, tired of medicines, tired of not having answers, or fixes. I am just tired.

Definitely Purple

Last week I was walking by the garden, giving it my normal quick glance as I went to feed animals when I noticed something purple sticking out of the ground. My first thought was that the kids had stuck some toy into the ground and forgotten about it. I went for a closer inspection.


As I got closer, I realized it wasn't a toy. In fact, it was connected to my sweet potato vine. I'll admit to being a bit confused momentarily. What can I say? My mind was a bit occupied this summer, but after a second I remembered that I did buy purple sweet potatoes back in the spring.

This is our second year growing sweet potatoes. They have earned a spot near the top of my list of favorite garden plants. They require less work to plant than white potatoes, and once they are in and mulched they are virtually care free. The only maintence they needed this year was a bit of hoeing, and that was only because the neighbors' dog kept digging up the hill. There is quite a bit of labor involved with the harvest. We harvested on Saturday.

Even though I knew I bought purple sweet potatoes, I never expected them to be such a deep and beautiful color. We roasted them with some onion, potato, eggplant, and fresh herbs tossed in olive oil and salt and pepper. It made a delicious side dish.

I'm not sure what color my sweet potatoes will be next year, but I do know that there will be sweet potatoes in the ground here again!

I Don't Know, But It is Bad.

Awhile back the girls and I were on our to Farmer's Market. They were playing school, and Lydia was working with Vivian on her math skills. Vivian was counting with her fingers, and in the process had her middle finger up alone. Lydia gasped and said, "Vivian you can't put your middle finger up like that."

From the front of the van, I am wondering how Lydia knows what that particular gesture means, and what she is going to tell her little sister about it. Vivian is unfazed, and simply asks, "Why can't I?" Lydia answers, "It is bad. It means a bad word."

Do you really think Vivian was satisfied with such an answer?  She kept pushing Lydia, and I kept quietly wondering how this was all going to turn out. Finally, Lydia looks at Vivian and says, "I don't know what it means. I just know that it is bad. Don't do it."


Vivian was finally satisfied with that answer, and so was her mom.