the funny farm, i am back

[the funny farm6]

And I now have 2 pairs of lavender Orpington, and a pair of mottled Japanese bantams. (And 4 quail).

 

[the funny farm6]

My friend also brought me another pair of lavender Orpington. 4 mos old and unrelated to the other 2 pair. So excited!

 

[the funny farm6]

Went to a swap yesterday and brought home 2 pair of buff Brahma bantams, 2 pair of old English bantams, and 2 trios of mottled Japanese bantam. I do love my chickens! Off to menards to get coop materials....

 

[the funny farm6]

we have 5 acers. right now maybe 1/3-1/2 of it is cleared and useable.

I have harlequins, mother is black and white (magpie) and father is brown and black (Japanese). this is the first litter to make it, the first 2 were killed by coons. there aren't any in this litter, but they do produce chocolate in both magpie and Japanese. I sell a few for pets and the rest for butcher. I hope to start to tan the hides, I would love to make a blanket. I also have a pair of Netherland dwarfs but they aren't old enough to breed yet. I got them because the big rabbits are too big for my grandson to hold. half of what the babies sell for will go to him. he also has a pair of chickens (buff brahma bantams) that he can handle and half of what their chicks and hatching eggs sold for went to him. he is three and loves to come see his chickies and bunnies.

out back where I have been putting in a small orchard, so far I have 4 pear and 2 cherry. out front there are 2 pear and a peach that came with the house. in the next few years I would like to add some bees in the orchard. and thinking of putting my small coops or rabbit cages between the trees.

on the road we were "Midwest regional" we traveled Iowa, south Dakota, Nebraska, Illinois, Wisconsin, Missouri. I will add some pictures in a few... it was fun, but not something I would ever want to do full time again. I don't like to be away from home so it really wore on me, and the stress caused several health problems.

 

[the funny farm6]

all of these are untouched and just as I took them.

 

[the funny farm6]

 

[the funny farm6]

I made 2 of these cages and have another started. I put a feed sack over the top for a water barrier. Now if the rain will go away long enough to finish....

 

[the funny farm6]

wow, so it looks like my last post was from 2012. honestly didn't think it had been that long. back then I had 4 teen girls. and my little farm was doing good. my husband worked for a private boarding school for troubled teens. he loved his job and working with the kids. a little over 2 years ago, it was shut down because the owner is a giant moron and her was left without a job. [he had been there 10+ years] so he took the opportunity to go to school and get his CDL [he has many family members in the industry and kinda grew up in it]. by this point all the kids had graduated and moved out. so I was here alone. finally I sold all the animals and went on the road with him. and did that for a little over a year. but my health on the road wasn't the best, and I missed my farm and animals. so about 3 weeks ago, he was offered a local job, and took it. it pays less than what he made on the road, but I just couldn't go anymore. slow but sure starting the farm back up. seems all those who said to let them know when I start back up have forgotten promises of help. lol. I kinda figured that though. needing all new fences, pens, and cages. we have new neighbors who are giant pains in my butt. the only animal we had left here was my old semi feral Catahoula. and about 2 months ago someone poisoned her. we have been told it was this neighbor. he owns all the ground around us and we are being told he wants our land [4.8 acres] because it is the only part on this side of the road he doesn't own. for the right price he can have it... we have 2 grandbabies now. 1 girl and 1 boy. born within 6 days of each other. they couldn't have planed that any closer if they tried. after having 4 girls the grandson is the apple of my husbands eye. they are 2 years old now. and so much fun.


got to go, a friend is bringing me some chickens today.

 

[the funny farm6]

I got a surprise this morning. My daughter knew I was (kinda not real hard) looking for 2 puppies for outside. And she just dropped of 2, 3/4 husky and 1/4 lab puppies. Not my first choice of breed and was planning to wait till I replaced some fencing. But they are here. Cute little buggers though. I did find a 5 month old Rottweiler pup someone was rehoming. He is a giant goofball. But with hubby working nights I wanted someone to keep me company and keep the robbers and boogeyman away. Lol. Still looking for a house cat and some barn cats. The mice are horrible.

 

[the funny farm6]

Made some money yesterday. I had been making chicken potholders when I was on the truck. And now that I am home I have been making wreaths. I sold 10 potholders yesterday for $50 and 2 wreaths for $15 each. So $80 to go in my farm fund. And have someone wanting $40 in wreaths on Saturday. Woohoo!