Frustratedearthmother's Journaling Journey

[NH Homesteader]

Gah! No sick people allowed! How is he today?

 

[frustratedearthmother]

@treerooted - Let's see if I can get anything to grow in our growing season. It's not usually that the season is bad - it's that everything ELSE is bad! Like chickens digging everything up - or a gate is left open (I'm good at that lately!). Or it will be 85 (predicted today) one day and 40 the next (predicted Sunday).

@NH Homesteader - He stayed home today. He's coughing and hacking and has a sore throat. Thankfully he's not feverish today like he was last night. Hope this is a short-lived illness and NOT CONTAGIOUS!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Wow it's going to be 46 here Sunday. Heat wave! Darn chickens like to ruin things for you, don't they??

Hope DH feels better, and that no one else gets it!!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Of course the forecast has been 'revised'. It will get down into the 40's tonight...supposed to be 44 tomorrow morning. I was all excited thinking maybe I would butcher that young boar I want to get gone. He's not too big so I don't think I'll have any problems doing him myself BUT - it's gonna warm up fast tomorrow and I don't think I can get him finished before the temp rises too much. High of nearly 70 tomorrow so I'm hesitating. SURELY we will have cooler weather eventually. I'd like to do it on a day that the temps will stay maybe high 40's low 50s....good working outside weather. But, if I keep waiting for the perfect day it might be a long dang time before that critter gets gone.

I'm about to go out and put together a pen to keep another chicken breed in. I've got barred Hollands that are a pretty rare breed and I'm getting low on them. I've got about a half dozen hens and one young roo so I'm going to separate them and see if any of those gals are laying and maybe hatch a few if I get any eggs. I do pick the wrong time of the year for these projects, lol.

Still have some plants to get in the ground and I'm still babying this shoulder so I'm really not seeing any tilling in my future. My soil in this particular garden spot can be turned with a garden fork so I'll probably just do that.

I've already been out and separated the pens where the bucks and young boars are. It was only a matter of closing a couple of gates. I might put the other young boar in with them until I find a way to get him butchered.

So much to do.... better get to it!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Busy, busy day...

Got a pen shored up to keep my Barred Hollands in. Looks like I have more of 'em than I thought. I thought I was down to about a half-dozen hens and after I started catching 'em (and counting 'em) I've got more. I was surprised, but they all look alike and they are scattered around all over the place so it was hard to really see how many are out there.

Spent some time gardening too - yay! I didn't get it all done cuz I'm moving pretty slow with this shoulder...but I did make progress. I think I've got a couple dozen more plants to get in the dirt tomorrow. It'll happen. I'm pleased to announce that the peas I planted last weekend are peeping through. Since these are coming up - I'll probably plant some more tomorrow. I do love me some fresh peas! Noticed that my turnips are making an appearance too. Haven't ever grown turnips before so this might (or might not) be fun.

Today I got collards planted, two types of broccoli, curly kale and lots of leeks. It takes forever to plant leeks from started plants cuz they put about a zillion seeds in one pot and to plant them you've gotta separate all those itty, bitty plants and get them in the dirt one by one. ARGH! Tomorrow I'll get the cabbage in the ground. Wish I could have found some napa cabbage plants... guess I can dig through my seeds and see if I have any. I broadcast some lettuce seeds last weekend too so I should check and see if any of those have germinated.

And that's it in today's gardening report.

Oh, got the little doeling her Lutalyse injection - she was NOT amused.

 

[NH Homesteader]

This whole planting in November thing is so weird to me! Lol the ground is starting to freeze here.

Sounds like a super productive day! Does the lute injection hurt (I mean, as far as injections go)? My goats never even flinch for their CDT shots, it's bizarre.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

This whole planting in November thing is so weird to me!

I'll bet it is, lol. We will see if it is a waste of my time or not. I've had mixed luck with fall/winter gardens The best one I ever had was many years ago when we had a really cold winter. I couldn't tell you how many times I had to cover everything with a heavy layer of hay to keep from losing it all - but I had the best broccoli and cabbage crop I ever had.

We are having some pretty gusty winds...last time I checked the weather station we had a 20+mph gust. It's supposed to get stronger as the night goes on. Wish it would stick around a bit longer. I mean gee whiz - it's almost Thanksgiving - it should be cooler.

The lute injection has to go in the muscle so she didn't like it - but she doesn't like much of anything except food. I really do NOT like my nigi goats. Okay - that's not exactly fair. I like the buck's personality - he is the perfect mix of nice and not too nice. The original doe is way over the top tooo friendly- she doesn't even think she's a goat....doesn't go out to pasture with the others and if I'm outside she's my shadow. Her kids are crazy though - not been a friendly one in the bunch - they're gorgeous - but crazy. I'm over 'em...gonna stick with pygmy, Nubian, and Kinders from now on. Haven't really passed judgment on the mini-nubs yet. They're ok, not too crazy, but not too friendly either. Want to see what their udders look like before I decide. The worst thing about my Nigi buck is that he might make tight pretty little udders - but he also makes tiny little teats. I do NOT like that and will probably not breed him to anything else. Maybe I should just sell him. Case of great breeding, great herd name, beautiful buck - but not producing up to his potential.

 

[NH Homesteader]

I don't love nigies either. Most of mine have been standoffish and disinterested. Except I had one who was annoyingly clingy like yours. She was a 4H goat though. Small teats aren't a good thing! Sell him and get a kiko! Lol

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Sell him and get a kiko! Lol

I like the way you think! I need to get back on the hunt for one.

 

[baymule]

Go ahead and butcher your pig. You'll be happier having him in the freezer.