TALchemist - back and moving along

[TAlchemist]

i have always been technically inclined....i love to do carpentry, design, small engines, big engines, cars, computers, anything. i have rebuilt a 1978 Datsun 280z <alot of welding on that one> my tiller the tractor and i got a few other tillers i am working on in spare time. i love building/fixing i also love to do metal working and old fashioned wood working. i have a wood lathe and most of the hand tools i need, i still want some extras and more metal working tools.....i really want a milling machine and a metal lathe....oh and a plasma cutter i really want that

on the reds, i have trouble thinking that my reds are smaller than whites, my does are 12-15lbs each and at 12 weeks the kits have average 6-8lbs. i coulnt beleive how big the little wiggly babies where. my buck is 12lbs as well.....i thought they where small dogs when i first saw them from a distance.

 

[HandledWithCare]

i have always been technically inclined....i love to do carpentry, design, small engines, big engines, cars, computers, anything. i have rebuilt a 1978 Datsun 280z <alot of welding on that one> my tiller the tractor and i got a few other tillers i am working on in spare time. i love building/fixing i also love to do metal working and old fashioned wood working. i have a wood lathe and most of the hand tools i need, i still want some extras and more metal working tools.....i really want a milling machine and a metal lathe....oh and a plasma cutter i really want that

on the reds, i have trouble thinking that my reds are smaller than whites, my does are 12-15lbs each and at 12 weeks the kits have average 6-8lbs. i coulnt beleive how big the little wiggly babies where. my buck is 12lbs as well.....i thought they where small dogs when i first saw them from a distance.

My white doe looks like a large dog! Haha no but she is longer and a big more "massive". Just notice the reds being slightly smaller. The whites I have look like a young Flemish Giant. She's still under 8 months too so she'll keep growing, Eek!

Haha but anyway, the babies seem even bigger when you have a litter of Dwarf Hotots born on the same day. Theirs just a bit shorter and about twice as wide as my pinkie. The French Angoras are the biggest breed we have and their babies are HUGE! When she had her last big litter they barely fit the box. It's funny the size difference in the massive ones and the teeny dwarves.

 

[TAlchemist]

one of my big plans is to expand the rabbitry once i get to the land, besides some meat birs in tractors. i plan on having my NZR buck get crossed to a few (2-3) flemish giant doe's so that i can start a breading program for extra bone growth and size for my dog.

she is on the raw diet and i would love to grow 75-90% of her diet on my land. since the cross will be larger but have a lower meat to bone ratio it should be better to her, since she needs the bones. it will also make processing easier since i wont have to fully process them. and i can grow them out larger/older for fur by using grown food to offset the cost of extra feed.

i will keep pure NZR's for my food breeding program, although once i get goat/sheep i may modify that and just keep the dogs rabbits...they make such wonderful fertilizer factories i think if i find i like the goats/sheeps i will find it easier to breed a few of them and process them instead of 20-30 meat bunnies.

 

[baymule]

OK, it is official......I have barn envy.

 

[HandledWithCare]

one of my big plans is to expand the rabbitry once i get to the land, besides some meat birs in tractors. i plan on having my NZR buck get crossed to a few (2-3) flemish giant doe's so that i can start a breading program for extra bone growth and size for my dog.

she is on the raw diet and i would love to grow 75-90% of her diet on my land. since the cross will be larger but have a lower meat to bone ratio it should be better to her, since she needs the bones. it will also make processing easier since i wont have to fully process them. and i can grow them out larger/older for fur by using grown food to offset the cost of extra feed.

i will keep pure NZR's for my food breeding program, although once i get goat/sheep i may modify that and just keep the dogs rabbits...they make such wonderful fertilizer factories i think if i find i like the goats/sheeps i will find it easier to breed a few of them and process them instead of 20-30 meat bunnies.

I've just started building my herd of milk goats--Nigerian dwarf, they're about the size of my rabbits haha! I am going to plant Timothy and build two fences around it, growing a meat steer on it, one a year and let one pasture grow tall, cut enough for the goats and rabbits while the cow munched on the "leftovers" on each pasture. In summer here grass grows SO fast. I think I can keep him fed and happy on it but if need be I can always plant more elsewhere as well. I can't wait for homegrown beef!

 

[TAlchemist]

once i get moved into my land <barn fixed up to live in> then i will be adding extra rabbits and chickens. while i look for some goats, i may start with going to an auction or looking for a local to buy a few freshly weened goats...muts will be fine for this stage. i will set them up with a moveable pen <most likely the panels> and raise them to slaughter age and process. i figure i will learn enough to maybe be ready for a few specific goats then or at least better prepaired for what i will get.

also ordering turkey/duck chicks to expand my flock. i am thinking of trying 6 burban red turkeys <try to keep a male and 2 hens, the rest for next years thanksgiving > and i really want some muscovies or kacki cambels.

i really want to work hard on planting fruit though, lots of trees and vines. i even plan on letting apples go to seed and grow till first fruiting. then i can cut down all bad tasting ones for timber and keep the tasty ones. also i want to try my hand at grafting with some of the seed i grow as root stock, i wanna learn everything i can and try everything i can.

 

[TAlchemist]

now my mom is trying to show me other options for land, i dont know why since i have a contract (or i think i do????) and she is showing me much larger cool land it would require more work and time since there is nothing there but 20 acres fully wooded......

on other news i am working on my design to build a top bar bee hive. i love they way they look and i am not intrested in maximuzing honey i just want ease of use and better crops....plus some honey

 

[TAlchemist]

well, almost another payday...only 5 paydays till i get my land. so far nothing is looking bad, everything looks good. i guess i will know more concreate by middle of Sept. it is starting to get scary...scary that it might fail or fall through...or scary that it will work and i will have alot of things that need doing....

not to mention i seemed to have found someone in my life....and she seems to like/accept my plans for moving and building a farm/homestead. so many changes at once, it can be scary.

i am now planning and getting ready for my fall garden. also my small rice pady as green rice grains....maybe i will get some rice.....cool. and the rains we have gotten have really got my peppers going again.

i finally found the Fels-Naptha soap to make some laundry detergent. just in time since i am almost out of my store bought stuff...i look forward to making my own and using it

i think i will change the title of my journal to "5 paydays till Land!"

 

[Denim Deb]

Hope you get it.

 

[TAlchemist]

well now it is 4 more pay checks...or 6 weeks i think....so close yet so far...i hate waiting with no concrete data yet.

my citrus tree collection is all budding extra leaves and lots of flowers now. i have a lime and orange that are going nuts. my coffee plants have doubled in size since i planted them....did i mention i have nice sized collection of potted plants that are from a slightly warmer climate.....2 persian limes, 2 meyer lemons, 1 clemanes orange?, 1 banana tree, and 2 arabica coffee plants. i have hopes that i can keep them alive and once i get my land i will make a nice permanent home with a removeable greenhouse for winter.

and i found that when we had a big run of dry and heat the chickens lowered their egg laying...and one hen went major broody on me. now they are all laying good again, so back to full egg production. i was getting woried that i wouldnt have enough for my own consumption for about a month. it is much better to have extra to share