FarmerChick--Farm Journal

[FarmerChick]

I feel you on the rain issue but hey, keeps you from having to irrigate your crops, right?

How much milk do you have to have every day to make all your soap orders? Oh, what do you wash your eggs with?

Hey Lori
we never irrigate crops. I just water some of the small specialty gardens near the barns....other than that the acre fields are on their own. I can't afford to water. Not happening for me yet and doubt it will, getting near 50 years old now and won't be improving the farm system etc. at this point...I am looking to downgrade..HA HA HA

I am still milking goats cause the kids are on them and should get another month after they are sold...then I let them dry up, breed again and starts over....If I need more milk there is a local goat farm that is a dairy type and I buy from them.....exact amts. can't say cause I make different loads of batches all the time.......something I just "do" over the last 10 years...exact measurements, nope..HA HA HA

 

[FarmerChick]

Wow, Karen you are a mad woman. Glad to hear the fishing trip went well. I hope Tony and Nicole are doing well. 100 dozen eggs a week holy cow. You are my hero!! Glad to hear your new mud room is being put to good use. I can't wait to see some pics. Have a great week. G

Hey Gina
yea the egg sales here are fab. Most farms went up to $5 per dozen but we did not increase price. We are $3.75 and making a killing at that.

Chicken feed went up ALOT by the ton, but dropped back down. While surely it will go up again long term (what won't) but we don't feel we should increase prices now (just cause we can by the economy)

So customers are flocking to us! And I am making great money.


I love the new addition to the house. Nicole has her big tv/playroom, and being new she feels a need to "keep it somewhat clean" --LOL---good training for her.
And the mudroom, well need I say more....I LOVE IT! HA HA


Hope you are doing good!!!!! Anything new happening for ya?
Any camping yet?????

We are planning a week beach trip in June or July but early June we are heading up to Virginia just to get away...short trip and just 4 days but needed..lol

 

[lorihadams]

We are heading to the beach soon and I am trying to find someone to watch the animals!!! Ugh....

I put an ad on craigslist for egg cartons and now people are calling me for eggs!!! I may have to get more layers!!!

I want to get goats and try my hand at soapmaking....maybe next year.

 

[FarmerChick]

OK---update

super duper busy season as usual....but seriously looking at finances and bills and going to cut back everything and slow my butt down!!!!

Get this----
My contractor who built my nice new tv room/mudroom/big pantry addition-----well he has been having med problems. Goes in TOMORROW for a heart cath cause he FAILED his stress test bad. He has a major heart problem. He feels fine but the Dr. told him he is a walking time bomb....UGH-UGH

Joann and David are great neighbors!!! I feel for them!!! He is such a hard worker and is worrying about down time from work....made me think big time.

Time to get off the roller coaster of the money pit and enjoy life. David realizes too that time could be short and it has him thinking also..........we all know the drill when it happens!!! All work no play makes for a miserable life. For some.....


So I am re-arranging all slowly and doing what I must to seriously change the pattern of my years.




but that takes time...HA HA HA



BUT in general...all good

all critters doing fine.
Tony wants to buy a new bull again, they don't like this new one they bought either....why?? who knows..HA HA HA
something to do, go to the sale, sell and buy???? UGH





Tony traded some of our sausage for a rabbit Sat. at the market. I haven't had rabbit in years...it was yummy. Gotta think back on my old rabbit recipes. The rabbit seller is a nice guy and is doing well in Charlotte. I am surprised any of the city folks would be eating rabbit??? LOL---but I am glad he is doing well and trading rabbit for sausage helps me big time for a change.



off to get laundry out before the rain comes.....

all going well in general so I can't ask for more (or can I?)--LOL

 

[FarmerChick]

WHEW....it is getting hot, hot, hot and I love it...LOL-LOL

But AC is on....Boo....but I want it......I can't stand being too hot!



All going well.

Going to sort baby goats soon. Put all going to sale in their own pasture, get them off the moms. Keeping Rosie ( the mutt doe that Nicole loves....lol).....and 2 or 3 other very nice does. Rest go to sale....and yes I want that check!!

Will be breeding all does this month.....Kids will pop out in Nov/early December....perfect weather for NC to have kids again.


Everything sure is green! That rain just helped spring here big time.

Trying to get some hay cut...ugh...calling for storms on Thurs and Friday which means I can't put hay down. Just waiting for that perfect 4-5 day forecast of dry weather!

No problem though. I would rather just hold all hay til early fall cutting instead of losing these fields. I have tons of hay in the barns so no problem even if I didn't cut fields this year. So that is reassuring that I will not be short any good hay this winter.


Fields producing well. Made tons of money off the turnips and greens. So simple to grow and such a profit to be made..HA HA

Making tons of soap batches...my goodness everyone wants soap and lots of it...HA HA...business is booming!

BUT today I must not make soap....gotta mow! I need to mow the world before these weekend rain possibilities come!
Have to mow around the barns etc.


Have a groundhog and her baby at the red barn. I like to watch them come out and eat. They live in the back branch in the woods behind the fence. Tony wants to shoot them but he isn't allowed...they are my pasture pets..HA HA HA---they are huge and fat and big and fun to watch!


My resident hawk is fun to watch too. It hangs out on the fence post and stomps and chows down mice in the fields....I love watching that hawk. I know there is a pair and would love to see baby hawks. They are nesting in my farthest pine trees at the end of the fenceline....I can just see some antics with my binoculars.

oh well...just checking out wildlife.


I must be feeding 50 stray cats or who knows how many...seem to be going thru so much dry cat chow...everything eats it, even those stupid possums...LOL.......one nice black cat comes around. He is friendly and I like him and Nicole calls him "our cat" so I guess he is now.


nothing much more...just tons of farm work and all...the usual stuff.

so busy it is crazy!!! too much, getting too old for this hard work..HA HA HA


but I love it.



pool looking great. filtered all day yesterday, have to wash off the ladder and put it in the pool now and get in and vacuum...should be up and running for swimming by the end of the week. I sure love my pool, wish I could use it more. But just jumping in after mowing is a great relief anyway..HA HA


so off to do work now.....


oh and this wood floor I put down in the house....yikes, it is hard to keep clean. seems I am vacuuming every other day....LOL-LOL....seems all bits and pieces stand out like mountains on this flooring!!!! hmm...carpet hides more..HA HA but it is OK........I need to go buy a little cordless type vacuum I can just great and swipe over the floor easy then just pulling out my monster vac!


so will be off to the store to find one soon.



everyone have a great day! I know I will!!!!

 

[Aidenbaby]

Some people use those swiffer mops/brooms for their floors. Instead of using the disposable pads, they use rags and just barely dampen them. It may work for you.

 

[TanksHill]

Hey Karen glad to hear all is well for you.

Yes you should slow down and smell the flowers but it's nice to know business is good.

We are heading to Yellowstone in two weeks. I can't wait to go. The drive should be long enough to relax. We are staying on a lake / marina out the west gate. Driving into the park to see the sights. DH and kids looking forward to doing some fishing. I hope to take a gazillion pictures.

I have bamboo floors. One good thing is they are very easy to clean. Yes the dirt seems to pile up all over but easy to remove. I usually vacuum and use a microfiber mop with what ever wood floor cleaner is under the sink.. My friend used vinegar and water on hers. I must say better than carpet no matter what.

I am still managing to sell a few eggs here and there. Just enough so the fridge does not overflow. Nothing like yours mammoth sales.

I have a pair of hawks that live across the road from me. The like to fly in the winds and drafts at the top of my hill. Which puts them about 50 yards over the house at most times. a couple years ago they had a baby. I think. There were three for a short time. I watched them playing and I think teaching the younger how to hunt. Very beautiful.

Glad to hear all is well. Take care. Gina

 

[lorihadams]

Hey honey, glad to see that all is going well with you guys. We have the baby pool, with a slide! Does that count? The kids have been in it every day this week and I have been tempted myself...

 

[user251]

hey farmer chick, how in the world have you been? i missed your posts while i was away, im glad to see every thing is going well for. i hate you are so busy but i would rather be busy than bored. i agree about the a/c its a love hate relationship i love the cool air but i HATE the bill. i guess we should go and jump in the creek and cool off.

 

[2dream]

FC you are one busy FarmerChick. LOL
At least your busy makes you money. I am busy but its not making me money. I guess if you don't look at the whole picture and count my time you could say I am saving on my grocery bill by having all that fresh stuff I hope my garden makes this year.
I wonder sometimes if its worth it after working all day. But that first picking and cooking usually makes me believe its worth it.

Is Tony still feeling ok? Sounds like he is but wanted to ask and know for sure.