OkieJonesClan . .city slickers going rural . . lol

[OkieJonesClan]

Yes, we are so blessed to have them as friends - they are very like minded and have so many of the same goals.

Most people we know think we are soooo strange. I kinda like the faces they make when they find out some of the stuff we do. heehee

 

[Beekissed]

I tell them about it just to SEE those faces.....but then, I'm easily amused!

 

[OkieJonesClan]

Well, I have been going through and reading some of the old posts. This group is great . . so funny

Lets see, where are we on the SS path . . well, we have finalized our coop plans. I just can't wait . . and we also have a better plan for our brooder. I am so anxous for those little chicks to arrive . . We ordered from McMurray hatchery. Our friends placed the order and our chicks are supposed to ship the week of March 16. Well, they say they hatch chickens on Fridays . . so now little ol' impatient me is wondering will they hatch the 13th or 20th. I am thinking the 20th, but I really really really want it to be the 13th because I am so impatient and want them now!
My kids are all excited. We are getting (90% chance . . on the sexing of the chicks) 1 Buff Orp. roo and 6 hens, 2 Aracauna hens (for my youngest who is 4 and has already named them Tabitha and Claire) My 11 yo DS is getting 2 Speckeled sussex and he is waiting to name his until they are here. My oldest is 13 and he is getting 2 Black Analusians. He says he is going to name them Zoro and Batman even though they are supposed to be hens . My husband gets the roo and he has already been batting around all kinds of crazy names. My daughter gets very upset when her brothers tell her how tasty the eggs are going to be. Eggs, she says are not for eating they are for the chickens! So funny because her favorite breakfast is sausage and eggs.
We are planning our garden. It is cleared, finally . .we cleared 27 trees in a 20' by 40' area. Whew. It was a big job for us city slickers. I learned to use the chainsaw . .that was fun. My hubby was going to put the fence up around the garden today. I am not sure if he would be able to get that finished today or not, our hight was in the low 30's and he is a FL boy, doesn't handle the cold too well.
I am hoping to start some seeds this week and once we get the brooder and coop projects together we are going to start our plans for raising some meat birds and rabits for meat. I am trying really hard to pace myself and not get in over my head and then fail and be disapointed. I hope spacing everything out will work well. I had my hubby promise me he would tell me to slow down if I started ordering meat chicks before the laying hens were laying . . heeheee. Let's see if we can wait

 

[OkieJonesClan]

OK, I have a funny city slicker story to tell . . I just learned to use the chain saw. Well, I can make it run, anyway . . lol
I was triming some limbs of 2 trees I felled last week and thought, "I should be careful of the power cord" That is like reading a story and seeing the very obvious foreshadowing. So, I cut straight through my husbands fav. power cord! Ikes!

So,my very patiend a loving DH replaced the cord and I used it and the chainsaw again today, only I didn't saw through any cords. I did fell 2 trees, though. I also took down a fence (3/4 any way) and put it up again around some grapes, rasberries, blackberries and blueberries that I planted. My mom just kinda showed up with them on Sunday and said "Here, you have space, plant these and I get half the crop". Uhg. So I called and thanked her today because it was motivation to get some stuff done that I have been needing to get done. Moms are great like that
Happy almost spring everyone!

 

[TTs Chicks]

Funny how that happens - the thought runs through your mind and within seconds it comes true

 

[Okiemommy]

Funny how that happens - the thought runs through your mind and within seconds it comes true

That happens to me waaaay too often :/

Glad you didn't electrocute yourself girl!

 

[OkieJonesClan]

Yes, I am glad I didn't get electrocuted myself. My oldest son's reaction was "Wow mom, you didn't even get hurt. I would have been dead if I did that.". He is at that akward teen boy stage where his body is more like a mans and his boy self hasn't figured out what to do with those long limbs and muscles yet!

So, I didn't do much SS anything today. I did laundry, tended to sick kids. My oldest has strep for the 3rd time this winter. Last year it was 8 times. The year before was bad, too. So, we go back in 4 weeks to discuss taking his tonsels (I know I can't spell . .lol ) out. Poor kid is already getting resistant to antibiotics. 3 days on meds and still hasn't turned the corner. Youngest has severe allergies and has broken out in hives everywhere. She is just misserable.

But on a happy note, my tulips are coming up and in just a week and a half my hubbie and I are going to get a weekend with out the kids! Our first since our oldest was born nearly 14 years ago. Very exciting. We are building our coop and working on the garden.

Off to read the posts I haven't read yet.

 

[OkieJonesClan]

So, our weekend "away" was great because we stayed in, planed some things for our property, talked about the kids and set goals for the family for a couple different intervals. We also visited a feed store we have been wanting to go to for months, but didn't want to make the hour long drive. We came home with two gosslings. One we think might be an Emden we named her Thor and the other is either a Toulouse or African and we named her Loki. Both names are from Scandanavian mythology and are the gods of war and mischief. We thought that those names were fun . .hoping they live up to them with our neighbors teenage boys . .

We got lots done in our garden and started preparning the area for the coop. I am so excited about all that we have been learning to do. Off to read other posts now. I hope eveyone is doing well.

 

[OkieJonesClan]

So, to catch everyone up to date . .
I left town for a week on about 2 hours notice (family emergency) got back and had forgotten all my passwords. I have spent the past week sorting all of those out. . heheee

Our gosslings are doing great. I just love them. I did try sexing them and believe they are both female. Goose eggs! I hope, anyway. Our 14 baby chicks arrived last monday and are doing very well. My seeds that I started are going great, not so sure about the onions, but since I have never grown them before they may look just like they are supposed to.
Our water bill for March was $15 and for April it was $14 and change. So cool because the min. bill, if you use no water is $10. Our average bill used to be $35. I am pretty excited about that.

So, a gardening question. I have seeds for pea and bean plants. The seed packages say that an inocculant is recomended. What on earth is that and is is neccessary? And, can I start those in the house or do I need to plant those in ground?

I am off to read all the posts I have missed over the past 15 days. Blessings
Ang

 

[Okiemommy]

I could be wrong, but I think beans and peas are best planted outside first; I don't think they're good for transplanting. I'm not sure what an innoculant is


Thank you btw for the offer on the buckets! I posted a response to you on my thread. I will have to take you up on that offer soon We have some things we can do with those pretty quick. You're planting your onions in them? I would like to hear more about this method.