prairiegirl...ramblings from our little farm
- Thread starter prairiegirl
- Start date
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
prairiegirl... have you ever checked into SHE (Sidetracked Home Executives) by Pam Young and Peggy Jones? I've been doing this since 1981 and it has truly helped me keep on track, especially during canning season. Well, except for those beans in January.... 
Here are some links
Pam & Peggy's site...
http://www.shesintouch.com/
And this one that does a good job of explaining the system.
http://shesorganized.organizedhome.com/
Here are some links
Pam & Peggy's site...
http://www.shesintouch.com/
And this one that does a good job of explaining the system.
http://shesorganized.organizedhome.com/
- Thread starter
- #53
prairiegirl
Lovin' The Homestead
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 220
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 79
Hi there. Hope some of you might still remember me. I've been gone for awhile. I never imagined it possible, but last year was crazier than ever. I had to adapt and micro-managing every minute was how I spent each day. Enough of that! A long story, but one that we lived through and hope we are better for it.
A New Year ...... A New Beginning for us.
It's been a cold, snowy winter for us. Trudging through the deep snow is hard (good exercise - LOL) and it's better than knee deep mud. Chores are easier as we dried our milk cow the first of the year. I enjoy the rest from milking and taking care of all that milk, but we sure do miss it. DH is having a hard time adjusting to "store" milk. He's so cute about it.
Our oldest grandson (I sure miss him) is in kindergarten this year so I only have the youngest grandson 3 days a week. He keeps me hopping that's for sure. Our youngest DD just started back with classes this week. Yesterday, she had to wake at 3:00 a.m. to get to clinicals. It made for a long day for her.
This week I got the Christmas things packed and put away. That led to major cleaning. I have only the kitchen left to clean and the downstairs will be done.
I've been sewing and quilting and that makes me happy. I made quite a few Christmas gifts for family. I made 4 fleece blankets and now everyone wants a new one. I make them extra big with two layers. Then they are all stitched. They are heavy, soft and very snuggly warm.
Today, I've done some laundry. My very sweet husband surprised me and did all the morning chores so I didn't have to go out. He's the best! That gave me time to work on my flannel quilt for our bed. I started it over a year ago and then put it away over the summer. I just got it back out and hope to get it finished and on our bed soon. Again my sweet husband surprised me and got me a new sewing machine for Christmas. I've wanted one for a couple of years. We got our rent check for the farm field and he used some of that.
Anyway, I've missed you all and I see many new SS friends. I hope to be back for good. I can't promise to post everyday, but I do hope to share some recipes and tips we've found.
And, I'm looking for some time saving tips from all of you sufficient folks.
Take care and stay warm.
prairiegirl
A New Year ...... A New Beginning for us.
It's been a cold, snowy winter for us. Trudging through the deep snow is hard (good exercise - LOL) and it's better than knee deep mud. Chores are easier as we dried our milk cow the first of the year. I enjoy the rest from milking and taking care of all that milk, but we sure do miss it. DH is having a hard time adjusting to "store" milk. He's so cute about it.
Our oldest grandson (I sure miss him) is in kindergarten this year so I only have the youngest grandson 3 days a week. He keeps me hopping that's for sure. Our youngest DD just started back with classes this week. Yesterday, she had to wake at 3:00 a.m. to get to clinicals. It made for a long day for her.
This week I got the Christmas things packed and put away. That led to major cleaning. I have only the kitchen left to clean and the downstairs will be done.
I've been sewing and quilting and that makes me happy. I made quite a few Christmas gifts for family. I made 4 fleece blankets and now everyone wants a new one. I make them extra big with two layers. Then they are all stitched. They are heavy, soft and very snuggly warm.
Today, I've done some laundry. My very sweet husband surprised me and did all the morning chores so I didn't have to go out. He's the best! That gave me time to work on my flannel quilt for our bed. I started it over a year ago and then put it away over the summer. I just got it back out and hope to get it finished and on our bed soon. Again my sweet husband surprised me and got me a new sewing machine for Christmas. I've wanted one for a couple of years. We got our rent check for the farm field and he used some of that.
Anyway, I've missed you all and I see many new SS friends. I hope to be back for good. I can't promise to post everyday, but I do hope to share some recipes and tips we've found.
And, I'm looking for some time saving tips from all of you sufficient folks.
Take care and stay warm.
prairiegirl
- Thread starter
- #54
prairiegirl
Lovin' The Homestead
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 220
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 79
keljonma, I just peeked in at the link you shared and I see some good stuff. Thanks for the links and info. I need all the help I can get.keljonma said:
prairiegirl
- Thread starter
- #55
prairiegirl
Lovin' The Homestead
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 220
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 79
I'm glad the weekend is over. I'm ready for a new week as I spent the last 2 days in bed with a stomach virus. Glad that's over.
It's just one of the many "bugs" going around here. Our oldest DD and my DH are finally on the mend from the pneumonia.
I ran a couple of errands in town early this morning. My youngest grandson was with me today and he stayed home with my daughter and had his nap while I was gone. So, it made for a long day - a lot of reading, playing and a cartoon here and there. He just left so I fixed a cup of tea and thought I'd check in.
I'm trying to muster up some energy to get the evening chores done, supper fixed and maybe a bit of sewing before my DH gets home.
I'm making great progress on the flannel quilt. I just have the very outside border to attach. Last summer I found a brand new Queen size comforter at a garage sale for $5. I thought it might be good for a quilt someday or someone always needs an extra blanket in our family. I'm using that to sandwich the quilt. The top is pieced flannel and the backing is a plaid flannel. I plan to tie this quilt and not hand quilt that's why I can use the comforter.
The gas prices aren't budging are they? Still $2.74 here. It costs my DH $20 a day to travel to and from work. We are very thankful he is working, but we'd appreciate a break.
I'm off to get supper started. I have the weekly menu planned, but DD requested Sausage gravy with biscuits. Nice easy meal and it is one of her favorites, so that's what we'll have.
Done rambling for today.
Stay safe and stay warm.
It's just one of the many "bugs" going around here. Our oldest DD and my DH are finally on the mend from the pneumonia.
I ran a couple of errands in town early this morning. My youngest grandson was with me today and he stayed home with my daughter and had his nap while I was gone. So, it made for a long day - a lot of reading, playing and a cartoon here and there. He just left so I fixed a cup of tea and thought I'd check in.
I'm trying to muster up some energy to get the evening chores done, supper fixed and maybe a bit of sewing before my DH gets home.
I'm making great progress on the flannel quilt. I just have the very outside border to attach. Last summer I found a brand new Queen size comforter at a garage sale for $5. I thought it might be good for a quilt someday or someone always needs an extra blanket in our family. I'm using that to sandwich the quilt. The top is pieced flannel and the backing is a plaid flannel. I plan to tie this quilt and not hand quilt that's why I can use the comforter.
The gas prices aren't budging are they? Still $2.74 here. It costs my DH $20 a day to travel to and from work. We are very thankful he is working, but we'd appreciate a break.
I'm off to get supper started. I have the weekly menu planned, but DD requested Sausage gravy with biscuits. Nice easy meal and it is one of her favorites, so that's what we'll have.
Done rambling for today.
Stay safe and stay warm.
hwillm1977
Almost Self-Reliant
Gas is the biggest drain on our budget... here we pay about $1.04/liter... which converts to approximately $3.90/gallon. The boyfriend and I work in cities 80 miles apart, and the house is right in the middleprairiegirl said:
I've wanted to make a quilt forever... do you have pictures of your flannel quilt?
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
Hey PRarieGirl.....welcome back! Last year was a whirlwind...I agree! Im still sitting here thinking..." wow. 2009 is over? THAT was fast" Then looking back and asking myself..." what did I get done" Ummm, not enough! 
The quilt sounds wonderfull! I started a hand sewn, patchwork, flannel quilt...Ohhhh, way back in 1990. Guess what, its in a box somewhere...and unfinished. :/ I keep saying I will get it out, and finish it...as soon as I find the time.
I can't waite to see your quilt...I just love flannel!!
The quilt sounds wonderfull! I started a hand sewn, patchwork, flannel quilt...Ohhhh, way back in 1990. Guess what, its in a box somewhere...and unfinished. :/ I keep saying I will get it out, and finish it...as soon as I find the time.I can't waite to see your quilt...I just love flannel!!
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Hi there! 
I was reading through all your calf adventures. We're just starting back into beef, after not having any cattle for 10/11 years. We sold off our last pair of Limosines in spring of '98, and didn't get our jersey and holstein/hereferd cross until Feb/March of '09.
We start with bottle calves, too. We like having 2 around the same age, so that when we have one going off to butcher we have another ready to go to sale.
Right now we're caring for 4 head...we have 2 bottle babies coming up, and 2 that we hope will be ready for this fall sale/butcher. We like to raise them up through the summer and one winter, and sell or butcher in the fall before their second winter.
Our eventual goal is to have 8-10 head out there all at different ages and to keep replacing the ones sold/butchered with new bottle babies.
We bottle feed for about 6 weeks, too. We keep water, hay and calf chop free choice infront of them at all times from about 1 week of age. I think of the two we are bottle feeding now, our little black heifer is going to wean herself off first. She drinks a whole bottle in the morning, but at night she's only wanting 1/2 a bottle. Worried us a little bit at first, was afraid she might be coming down with scours, but nope, she's just eating up the hay and chop we have out for her.
Gas is $2.69 here right now, and our local news said gas is supposed to go up again. Ick.
Looking forward to reading more about your farming adventures!
I was reading through all your calf adventures. We're just starting back into beef, after not having any cattle for 10/11 years. We sold off our last pair of Limosines in spring of '98, and didn't get our jersey and holstein/hereferd cross until Feb/March of '09.
We start with bottle calves, too. We like having 2 around the same age, so that when we have one going off to butcher we have another ready to go to sale.
Right now we're caring for 4 head...we have 2 bottle babies coming up, and 2 that we hope will be ready for this fall sale/butcher. We like to raise them up through the summer and one winter, and sell or butcher in the fall before their second winter.
Our eventual goal is to have 8-10 head out there all at different ages and to keep replacing the ones sold/butchered with new bottle babies.
We bottle feed for about 6 weeks, too. We keep water, hay and calf chop free choice infront of them at all times from about 1 week of age. I think of the two we are bottle feeding now, our little black heifer is going to wean herself off first. She drinks a whole bottle in the morning, but at night she's only wanting 1/2 a bottle. Worried us a little bit at first, was afraid she might be coming down with scours, but nope, she's just eating up the hay and chop we have out for her.
Gas is $2.69 here right now, and our local news said gas is supposed to go up again. Ick.
Looking forward to reading more about your farming adventures!
- Thread starter
- #59
prairiegirl
Lovin' The Homestead
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2008
- Messages
- 220
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 79
hwillm1977, with two of you working that distance, I'm sure your weekly gas budget is way out there. Thankfully, I'm at home. I encourage you to give quilting a try. Start with something small. Maybe a table mat or table runner. I really enjoy the handquilting at night while my DH watches tv.
justusnak, you know I always think we don't accomplish much, but in reality we do. I'm sure it's the same for you. I think our problem is that we never get done. There's always something that needs to be done. What colors flannel is in your quilt? I love flannel.
Quail_Antwerp, sounds like you have a good thing going with the calves. I think that have plan and getting it into action makes raising the bottle calves run much more smoothly. There's always the things we can't control, but those problems are easier to address with a plan. It took us awhile, but we are finally there. At least that's what we tell ourselves. We just lost a calf the first of the year. The vet thought it was selenium difficient and so do from what I've read. We treated the calf too late. That disease was new to us, but we are looking at what we can do to avoid it.
Right now we have 3 calves from last September. I'm not ready for more as my DH is gone from 4:30-5:00 in the morning until 6:30-7:00 at night. I have my hands full with what we have.
Do you sell your beef to others or is it for your own family?
justusnak, you know I always think we don't accomplish much, but in reality we do. I'm sure it's the same for you. I think our problem is that we never get done. There's always something that needs to be done. What colors flannel is in your quilt? I love flannel.
Quail_Antwerp, sounds like you have a good thing going with the calves. I think that have plan and getting it into action makes raising the bottle calves run much more smoothly. There's always the things we can't control, but those problems are easier to address with a plan. It took us awhile, but we are finally there. At least that's what we tell ourselves. We just lost a calf the first of the year. The vet thought it was selenium difficient and so do from what I've read. We treated the calf too late. That disease was new to us, but we are looking at what we can do to avoid it.
Right now we have 3 calves from last September. I'm not ready for more as my DH is gone from 4:30-5:00 in the morning until 6:30-7:00 at night. I have my hands full with what we have.
Do you sell your beef to others or is it for your own family?
Quail_Antwerp
Cold is on the Right, Hot is on The Left
Right now, since we're really just getting started, we're raising our beef for our own freezer. We hope to be offering grass fed beef in the future, that's one of the goals anyway.
The reason we want to sell one, butcher the other, is because the one we sell will hopefully pay for the butcher cost and pay to buy 2 more bottle babies. It will be another year or two, I think, before we see much of a profit margin on the beef, but worth it in the end.
The reason we want to sell one, butcher the other, is because the one we sell will hopefully pay for the butcher cost and pay to buy 2 more bottle babies. It will be another year or two, I think, before we see much of a profit margin on the beef, but worth it in the end.
