Farmfresh
City Biddy
Our butcher shop always has us pick up hams and bacon AFTER the fresh stuff. Those parts take extra time to brine, and smoke. We ALWAYS have a day given when they will be finished however. No sneaky stuff from our shop.
LovinLife- Happy New Year's all!
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LovinLife
Lovin' The Homestead
Not much going on around here. Just tendin' to some spoiled rotten cows, chickens, ducks, cats, and rabbits. I now know I can't kill a rabbit...I just know I couldn't. I'm sure I could kill a chicken and think I will be stocking the freezer before winter so I don't have to feel the chickens all winter. I have a lot of bantam breeds. I have some cochins and japs and I'm wondering if they are too small to even bother with. And they are also over a year old so even if I wanted to have some small bird on the rottiserie, could I cook them that way because they are so old?
I don't know what's happened with me lately but I'm really thinking that farming is not what I want to do. I feel so tied down. I'm getting the itch to travel and explore the world. I'm not sure that it's something that is even possible for me but with all the animals I know it's not. I'm not sure how I can even take a vacation without paying through the nose for someone to come by everyday. I'm also spending a fortune in feed. I'm thinking of giving it up.
I don't know what's happened with me lately but I'm really thinking that farming is not what I want to do. I feel so tied down. I'm getting the itch to travel and explore the world. I'm not sure that it's something that is even possible for me but with all the animals I know it's not. I'm not sure how I can even take a vacation without paying through the nose for someone to come by everyday. I'm also spending a fortune in feed. I'm thinking of giving it up.
tortoise
Wild Hare
Sometimes downsizing lifts that "stuck" burden feeling.
Maybe there is a 4-H family nearby? They could show one of your animals and in exchange they "petsit" during a vacation? I am so lucky to have a 4-H family as neighbors. I bartered helping their oldest daughter with her 4-H projects in exchange for reliable vacation and sick-day care for my animals. They usually came over every time they saw me out in the shed so it saved tons of work. 3 teen girls plus me made quick work of a rabbit shed!
Eat the nasty young bull, get back on GF and maybe things will sort out for a while? I'm sold out at the moment and not too thrilled about it. I have a chronic illness and was so worn-down, it was the right thing to do. But have been in remission for several months and dreaming again.
XOXO
Maybe there is a 4-H family nearby? They could show one of your animals and in exchange they "petsit" during a vacation? I am so lucky to have a 4-H family as neighbors. I bartered helping their oldest daughter with her 4-H projects in exchange for reliable vacation and sick-day care for my animals. They usually came over every time they saw me out in the shed so it saved tons of work. 3 teen girls plus me made quick work of a rabbit shed!
Eat the nasty young bull, get back on GF and maybe things will sort out for a while? I'm sold out at the moment and not too thrilled about it. I have a chronic illness and was so worn-down, it was the right thing to do. But have been in remission for several months and dreaming again.
XOXO
Farmfresh
City Biddy
It is called the "end of summer blahs" and we have all been there before.LovinLife said:
Clean those little birds, but hook them up in a soup or slow cooker. They will taste just great! Take this time to consider how much you REALLY need to be self sufficient. Perhaps you can do some farmin' and still be able to go walk about every now and then.
For example... there was a time when I had 50 laying hens and was selling eggs. Today I just keep 4 to 6 laying hens. Plus I now raise 30 to 50 meaties each year. I am tied down for the months that I have the meaties, but it is WAY easier to take care of 6 hens - or find a friend to watch them - than it was caring for 50.
Besides that winter is coming soon. Winter seems to be a time that I recharge my batteries for the coming year. I hope you can do the same.
lorihadams
Always doing laundry
I agree...hubby is getting irritated that we can't travel during the summer months because of milking the goats but I told him that when they have babies nursing them we could get away and leave the babies on the mamas to take care of the milking for us 
That made him happier.
We downsized a lot and we don't feed our animals a lot in the summer so when winter hits us the feed bill automatically goes up some but that is to be expected. I think everyone gets to feeling like they want to just stop at some point. It's normal. We usually try to downsize our flocks for the winter to compensate for having the meaties to deal with. We are down to 7 chickens (with plans to get some more in the spring) and 4 ducks (with plans to hatch out lots of babies to sell in the spring) and then there are the goats.
We try to take lots of short day trips...Saturday we went to Natural Bridge Safari park for the day. It was a long day but we had lots of fun. We drove over the blue ridge mountains so we could see the leaves changing...2ish hours one way, all day at the park, then 2ish hours back home. We left at 8am and got home at 7pm. I was able to milk the goat and stay on schedule with everyone. I filled waterers the night before so all I had to do when I got up was feed and milk and then we left.
Virginia has so much good stuff to do....maybe you just need to take a day trip somewhere and get away for a bit?
That made him happier. We downsized a lot and we don't feed our animals a lot in the summer so when winter hits us the feed bill automatically goes up some but that is to be expected. I think everyone gets to feeling like they want to just stop at some point. It's normal. We usually try to downsize our flocks for the winter to compensate for having the meaties to deal with. We are down to 7 chickens (with plans to get some more in the spring) and 4 ducks (with plans to hatch out lots of babies to sell in the spring) and then there are the goats.
We try to take lots of short day trips...Saturday we went to Natural Bridge Safari park for the day. It was a long day but we had lots of fun. We drove over the blue ridge mountains so we could see the leaves changing...2ish hours one way, all day at the park, then 2ish hours back home. We left at 8am and got home at 7pm. I was able to milk the goat and stay on schedule with everyone. I filled waterers the night before so all I had to do when I got up was feed and milk and then we left.
Virginia has so much good stuff to do....maybe you just need to take a day trip somewhere and get away for a bit?
FarmerChick
Super Self-Sufficient
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Boy oh Boy have I been right where you are....and I gave it up. We income farmed for about 15 years. quickie was acres of produce for sale, 100 acres of hay, 30 black angus, 125 hogs at any given time to rotate for processing for sausage to sell, 400 chickens selling eggs, 120 Boer goats which we sold meat kids and then I used the milk for soaps etc.
Man oh man did we get burned out for sure.
I made the decision and it was hard. It was over about a 2 year period I was getting more and more ill about farming and my tie down and my animals needing tons of attention and my daughter getting not as much attention. Plus hubby works a real job and he was physically getting torn apart inch by inch and yup, me too. Could not sling 70 lb bales of hay like I used too...lol
And right now I am the happiest I ever been! 
hubby was reluctant to close the farm also. took a while to sell animals, sell some farm equip, etc etc and more etcs lol
but truly in the end I just panicked every day was I making the right decision? Over and over and over again and NOW at this time, I know I made the right decision.
I am back to having time to travel, shop a bit, do kiddo things, actually relax, and I took life into a full meaning of having fun!
I still to a ton of SS stuff!!! I do it just a bit different now. I buy my goat milk from a young farm couple down the road now to make my soaps. I buy tons of produce at farmers markets giving the sales to my friends who are still selling. I had time to fix the house, paint rooms, fix up the landscaping...all things neglected cause the animals etc took over my life.
I can't believe I can now go and spend 10-12 days on a trip! WOW I sure could not do that before LOL Day trips were great but at some point I started wanting real vacations and relaxation.
But for everyone there is change in life. I realized it WAS truly time for a change. So take your time, sit and think, and truy follow the path that is calling to you. It is way easier to go with the flow of your thoughts than to fight against them...I found that out LOL
best of luck on what you decide.
Man oh man did we get burned out for sure.
I made the decision and it was hard. It was over about a 2 year period I was getting more and more ill about farming and my tie down and my animals needing tons of attention and my daughter getting not as much attention. Plus hubby works a real job and he was physically getting torn apart inch by inch and yup, me too. Could not sling 70 lb bales of hay like I used too...lol
And right now I am the happiest I ever been!
hubby was reluctant to close the farm also. took a while to sell animals, sell some farm equip, etc etc and more etcs lol
but truly in the end I just panicked every day was I making the right decision? Over and over and over again and NOW at this time, I know I made the right decision.
I am back to having time to travel, shop a bit, do kiddo things, actually relax, and I took life into a full meaning of having fun!
I still to a ton of SS stuff!!! I do it just a bit different now. I buy my goat milk from a young farm couple down the road now to make my soaps. I buy tons of produce at farmers markets giving the sales to my friends who are still selling. I had time to fix the house, paint rooms, fix up the landscaping...all things neglected cause the animals etc took over my life.
I can't believe I can now go and spend 10-12 days on a trip! WOW I sure could not do that before LOL Day trips were great but at some point I started wanting real vacations and relaxation.
But for everyone there is change in life. I realized it WAS truly time for a change. So take your time, sit and think, and truy follow the path that is calling to you. It is way easier to go with the flow of your thoughts than to fight against them...I found that out LOL
best of luck on what you decide.
savingdogs
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Maybe you just need to downsize......I know what you mean about the cost of feed going up! That made us cut our numbers. We decided to give up ducks. For us, we will never give up having lots of dogs so I will never "get away" without having someone come and take care of the pets, so it really makes no difference.
Maybe you just need a vacation!
Maybe you just need a vacation!
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LovinLife
Lovin' The Homestead
I'm glad to hear you are in remission! The three cow we got plowed through the overgrown pasture we put them in and I think the bull eat more than his fair share! I would love to stock the freezer with him and at 18 months of age it's a perfect time for him to go to freezer camp. The only problem is DH won't let me. I may try to talk him into it exp now that I KNOW the girls are bred.tortoise said:
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LovinLife
Lovin' The Homestead
FF- I think I will see if I can give some of the bantam hens away then dress the rest. I hope you're right about getting a recharge over the winter!
Lori- You're right about VA being an endless resource of fun stuff. We have the beach, the mountains, Smith Mnt Lake ..... I just get stressed with having to pay for gas. How was the Natural Bridge Safari Park? Is that the one you drive thru and feed the animals out of the car? We've been to that one and it was a good time....loved the buffalo!
Farmer Chick- I can't believe you had such a big operation
I can't imagine how you did it! I'm glad you made the right decision. I try to go with the flow of my thoughts but I'm more like a ocean of thoughts with tides that flow in and out and huge waves that come in and make my thoughts change directions completely...but I think when I find a good one it will stick!
SD- I DO need a vacation! I need to get away from the house and have a change of scenery entirely...I'm thinking about breaking the bank to do it!
Lori- You're right about VA being an endless resource of fun stuff. We have the beach, the mountains, Smith Mnt Lake
..... I just get stressed with having to pay for gas. How was the Natural Bridge Safari Park? Is that the one you drive thru and feed the animals out of the car? We've been to that one and it was a good time....loved the buffalo!Farmer Chick- I can't believe you had such a big operation
I can't imagine how you did it! I'm glad you made the right decision. I try to go with the flow of my thoughts but I'm more like a ocean of thoughts with tides that flow in and out and huge waves that come in and make my thoughts change directions completely...but I think when I find a good one it will stick! SD- I DO need a vacation! I need to get away from the house and have a change of scenery entirely...I'm thinking about breaking the bank to do it!
lorihadams
Always doing laundry
You need to go to a spa for a weekend.... hubby gave me a gift card for a one hour massage and I still haven't used it...
