NH Homesteader's journal

[NH Homesteader]

I am going grocery shopping today and part of my mission is stocking up on coffee, breads I can put in the freezer, peanut butter... All that kind of stuff, because shopping with a baby during flu and snow season is not awesome! I have lived here my entire life and never minded driving in the snow, but being home for the past 2 years, I have been able to avoid sketchy driving and now I hate driving in the snow! I'm pretty good at it, but I hate it!

I am going to cook up a whole ham from the freezer this week and cut most of it up and re-freeze for pulled pork, etc. Also have to cook the last of last year's turkeys. Trying to make some space for the upcoming butchering session!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Well the friend isn't calling until next week about a butcher date. I had a bad spell today about the whole pig thing. Over emotional pregnant lady has appeared, oops! DH has a coworker who might be interested in her, otherwise this dude has until Tuesday before I get mad lol.

I just feel like every time we have to butcher a pig it ends up being a nightmare to actually get it done. I told DH I would like him to consider..... Which he's not going to like.... But consider raising goats and sheep and poultry and trading meat for pork. All our friends raise pigs! And none of them want to deal with ruminants. Because I am home alone a lot and the pigs are not working out for me. I am physically capable and comfortable handling sheep and goats by myself, but not pigs. I can feed them and whatever, but that's about it.

But at least once this one is gone I get a break. And maybe I'll feel differently by fall.

Anyway. Got Lilly dewormed and her hooves are trimmed. 3 more hoof trimmings we'll get to this weekend. DH just went to work but they only have about 24 hours worth of water so he will likely be home tomorrow night through Christmas. That would be AMAZING!

 

[sumi]

Goats don't sound much like fun sometimes! lol All this kicking and peeing Mind you, I used to work on a dairy farm and the number of times I nearly got peed on and kicked…

 

[Mini Horses]

The moment you hang halfway into an old outside privy with a handful of chick food as a bribe, making kissy noises and saying in the sweetest possible voice "Come HERE you little sh**s!" while trying not to breathe, you got to ask yourself…

Loving this!! Had to have been a moment you hoped no one wandered by to witness.

I hate finding dead animals. I seem to always be the one who finds them too.

Only one I had no issue with was ....... dead black snake hanging across a hot wire!!! Fence was shorted and after walking entire length for cause, found it near the barn. removed and wire back on!! TOO bad snake!

 

[NH Homesteader]

We've never had issues with birds in the cold so this is a first for us. But since the roo died our first cold snap and she just flopped over during our 2nd one, I would say don't buy them from Murray McMurray if you live up north! My husband doesn't know yet, he's going to be bummed. They were a big part of his breeding plan.at least his Cornishes are doing well. We've pretty much named the roo Gengis Khan. @tortoise won't be surprised lol!!

Thanks FEM, I'll bookmark that for when we're ready to order some. Not this year I don't think.

 

[NH Homesteader]

No real updates yet I'm afraid. Working on it!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Good, tired. Likely stuck at the hospital til tomorrow because little miss was so early. DH is home feeding critters and playing with the poor neglected doggies! He might stay home tonight with DD and the dogs.

We got over a foot of snow yesterday and in comes the cold... Brrrr good time to be stuck inside!

 

[NH Homesteader]

I'll hug a goat tomorrow, it is still too cold today! Lol

Baby likes to scream at her crib and make mom hold her. Sleeps great when she's being held though! 3 hours at a time. Going bassinet shopping tomorrow after her first checkup, lol. She's doing great, especially since she's technically a preemie! She does need help staying warm, so can't blame her on the cuddle time

 

[NH Homesteader]

Waiting to get confirmation but we may have a butcher date Friday. Fingers crossed ! Also have several people interested in renting our chicken processing trailer this summer, which is pretty cool. It's like free money, I know and trust the people.

Fiber class was fun, baby was only mildly distracting. All the moms got googly eyes! And I survived my first solo outing lol!

Tomorrow is a stay at home day. Maybe I'll actually do the dishes? DH is going to work a half day or so, they asked him to work tonight but he said no. I asked him to not work overnights until at least next week. They might be done blowing snow soon anyway, we've had a lot of natural snow.

I'm feeling pretty good. I just feel like my brain is on half power and I get tired easily but hey.... Not half bad for 5 days out!

 

[NH Homesteader]

Lol it's actually a 2008 but only has like 30,000 miles or something. It's a crossover SUV with AWD, so I could put goats in it but I'm not going to!! Not for a while anyway... Lol maybe baby goats...

I can't wait. We've been driving junky vehicles for so long, and sharing a vehicle most of the time. Now he gets the Jeep and I get the new ride... And we'll probably sell the farm truck and buy a trailer since both vehicles can tow a small trailer.