March at Vine Living Farm

Life is crazy busy around here and "spring has sprung". We love it though. It's LIVING. It's messy, busy, loud, hectic at times, serene at other times, breezy, still cool at night, clear evenings, less bonfires, but more water play. Shady, hammock book reading, lunches on the picnic tables and lots and lots of BABIES (including the approval of our adoption paperwork and on the waiting list for our home study...ya-hoo!).

We gave in and bought 5 ducklings at Rural King. They seem to have taken on names from Beatrix Potter...Jemima Puddle Duck, Rebecca Puddle Duck, etc. {grin...because we're huge Beatrix Potter fans!}

My laundry room has become a duckling and turkey nursery lately, but I don't mind, thanks to THIS...

my essential oils diffuser. I'm really in love. No really! Who doesn't love a fresh-smelling house especially when adorable, little ducklings and turkeys must invade your laundry room. This has been fabulous to have and we take it everywhere we go, yes, even camping!

Our new kitty. We now own two cats and although we've never been cat fans before, we're so thankful for them as they've been on "mouse duty" in the barn.

Titus is pretty taken with his kitties.

We've had lots of baby rabbits born (12 to be exact) to two mothers within 24 hours of each other. Two didn't make it so 10 little bunnies remain.

Anyone wanting a spring bunny?

Finished a new quilt. Just a scrap pinwheel quilt, but it did turn out nicely.

Some fabrics were vintage sheets and some just left over fabrics from other sewing projects. I am a new fan of using sheets as my backing instead of buying expensive fabric. Just picked up a queen sheet at Goodwill for $3.00 and "bam!", instant backing. SO much softer too!

Bunnies, getting bigger. Our girls are in love I tell ya'. This is one litter...

and this is the other.

Then, let's just throw everybody together for a group shot.

Everybody smile!

This is our buck, Peter. Happy Papa! He was grinning from whisker to whisker the day the babies were born. He's such a sweet boy and the kids just love him.

Mopsy, one of the mothers.

Rob's car had to be taken into the shop, so this is the rental they gave him. Poor guy!

Our biddies. So happy to have eggs again.

There's nothing like a fresh egg. Nothing. Golden, orange yolks fresh from the hen house. We found a great feed store here in town that sells Kay Organics. Non-GMO feed for all of our animals. Score!

Our Americana rooster

We have a total of 3 roosters

Just taking a swim on this spring morning. Tis the life of a duckling.

I was finally able to get Echinacea growing. So excited about this tray of starts. I do grow all of our own starts and this one especially make me smile. Time to transplant!!

Tractor Supply  had a bunch of fruit trees in last month so we caved and bought a few...cherry, 2 apples, Navel orange, lime, lemon and a weeping willow. This peach is one from a tree I have been waiting to transplant for about 4 years. The Saturday we actually put them into the ground, I had to pinch myself again that we're actually here. (I have to pinch  myself from time to time...still.)

I've been having laundry line withdrawls, so Rob put this up for me a few weekends ago.

A go cart a neighbor gave to us to work on. Needs a new brake system. Lincoln and Titus are helping.

Some campfire cooking

What our afternoons are like (with some neighbor boys)

Isaac on our hay

Roses blooming

Lincoln's strength never ceases to amaze me...he's still just 7 and can lift things that I can't. My "man child"...tee hee

We didn't have bluebirds in the city where we used to live, but we have them here and they are such a delight! A family of bluebirds moved into the bird house Rob and the kids bought me for my birthday last year. We've had fun observing them.

Garden Phlox are in full bloom here in our little town and they're so beautiful along the roadsides. The kids tease me that I pick too many wildflowers, but I can't help myself. One of my favorite things to do.

Molly-Moo is a few months pregnant now and Mabel is currently undergoing some AI this week and next. She'll calve in early January. Four cows (Lord-willing) by next year! We'd better finish our pasture!!!

More laundry line drying.

 

Stay tuned for pictures of our latest little additions...they go by the name of "Fern" and "Wilbur". Betcha' can't guess what we've added to our little homestead?

 

Just Do It

 

You know, Nike had a great slogan when it came out, "Just Do It".

 

I was up in arms the other day, trying to juggle everything when I fell face-first on our bed and claimed that I needed a vacation. Yes, the sunny beaches of Mexico were what I was envisioning. Just a quick get-a-way and I promised I'd be right back {grin}.

 

Since getting the internet, I have noticed some things, I DO LESS! It's true. I love having the internet at home, but find myself flocking to it so often that I get engulfed in it and the time flies by and I haven't gotten anything done! Pre-internet, I read more BOOKS and got more done for sure. Rob laughs because when I have a problem, I simply scramble for the computer to solve whatever needs solving. It's a dirty, nasty, little habit I tell ya! I'm relying on a device that doesn't always have the answers and steals away my TIME. Time that I could be throwing seeds into trays, fixing our nesting boxes or mucking out an area for composting.

 

It's such an art learning balance, especially with homeschooling. We've had a week getting back into the swing of things, seeing what needs finishing up before summer gets here and I'll admit to hiding in the closet with chocolate (once, okay, maybe twice...ah-hem) to take a breather and refocus.

 

I love our life here. I love the messes, the animals, the kiddos, the loud, crazy times that I know I'll miss when they're all teenagers getting ready to leave the house. I love soaking in snuggles from a certain 3-year-old, cuddling my "baby" and playing dollhouse. When I get overwhelmed I think about getting rid of it all for a swift second and think, "nah". I still wouldn't trade our chaotic life for the world! Seriously. I could never go back. I could never have a quiet house, void of animals, laughter, even arguing, chicks in my laundry room, baby rabbits in the living room (because we just had 2 litters born this week and they are stinkin' cute!).

 

In the times of being overwhelmed, I need to "just do it". Get out in the garden and not search for the latest ways of doing it. I don't know about you, but digging my hands in the soft, dark earth is my escape. Really. If I don't have dirt under my fingernails, I've missed out. It's my "go to".

 

Let that be our goal this spring to "Just Do It".

 

Be inspired and then, go get your fingernails dirty!

 

Go ahead now. Git goin'! Shew!

 

I mean it, get off your couch and get goin'. Start with some seeds and get you some chickens. You'll never look back.

Skills for the Modern Homesteader

As the New Year has begun, if you're the least bit interested in homesteading, hop on over to Jill's blog, The Prairie Homestead, for a neat list of things to try this new year (I love this list and just had to share!). If you're a nerd like me (clearing throat...I know you're out there!) and you like surveys or checklists, you can print this fun list out for your fridge and check off the things that you conquer (because I did NOT do that).

 

 Remember to start slow, not overwhelming yourself. Even if it's just a loaf of bread. I remember flopping so many times that my husband actually brought me home a bread maker hoping it would help my endeavors. Hey, I had to start somewhere!{sheepish grin}

I love Jill's blog. I especially love her honesty and how raising young ones and homesteading is hard work, but so rewarding. I recently bought her book The Natural Homestead (and yes, I printed the entire sucker out and put it in a binder I had laying around, because that's how I am). It's fabulous. As we've been looking into milking supplies for "Molly", I've been bookmarking the pages for dairy cows (natural teat dips, udder balms, etc.) and am anxious to make these lovely, natural concoctions. Well worth the expense!

 

 

 

What are some of the homesteading skills you'd like to try this new year?

 

Adding a New "Maidservant"

She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens. Proverbs 31:15

 

Although  I have this fun fascination with all things non-electric and sustainable (and I know that these things don't "fancy" everyone), I do like my washer, dryer, dishwasher (still currently broken, however), electric oven, electric lighting and my hair dryer (I have extremely curly hair and although I don't get to "do" it everyday, with curly hair, a hair dryer is lovely.) I like to call these contraptions "my maidservants". {smile} I use them and as a young mother, I don't know what I'd do without them! Maybe someday when our children are grown, I'll invest in a hand-crank washing machine or something fun.{grin}

 

Our Jersey cow, Molly, has just about 5 weeks until she calves. Although we're definitely nervous rookies at this, we're very excited. We've already begun trying to throw around both bull and heifer names, secretly hoping it's a girl so we can keep her.

Rob and I were online last night doing our research on electric milking machines, trying to decide whether or not to hand milk or invest in an electric machine. After months of discussion and asking our good friends that run Jersey Acres, we decided to go with a milker. I'm pumped (get it?)!

 

The process of hand milking takes anywhere from 30-40 minutes for a rookie milker and less than that for someone who is used to milking and who's muscles have "warmed up" to the process. However, I have personally milked cows with an electric milker and it takes no where nearly that long...5-6 minutes maybe. There's always the clean-up afterwards. To hand milk, you're simply cleaning a few buckets, jars, and a funnel, essentially. For an electric milker, there is definitely more work in involved at the kitchen sink as one is washing equipment.

 

As we went back and forth, we decided that it's best that the milking outside part be as quick as possible so that I can get back inside to help with little ones, monitoring chore training, etc. I'm sure Rob and I will alternate milking, but at this particular stage in life for us, the milker fits us best. It's definitely an investment.

 

My mind is churning over all the dairy recipes we'll be making and not needing to pay for it. We do pay for hay, kelp, minerals, and some GMO-free grain, but those costs are covered with the little bit that I'm able to bring in from our milk co-op. So, essentially, no cost.

 

If you've ever considered obtaining a dairy animal for your family, I highly recommend these two blogs for some great information on how to milk, keep it organized, recipes, milking schedules, and more!

 

Reformation Acres...From the Cow to the Table

The Prairie Homestead...How To Milk Once a Day