Greenhouse For My Herbs

I was given a greenhouse! William is building a greenhouse which will be used for plants for the vegetable gardens. The greenhouse given to me will be used for all the new herb plants for my herb garden. I am so excited! A neighbor stopped by to ask if we would go look at her pregnant ewe that is sick. After checking her out, treating and vaccinating her she seems to be on the road to recovery. Purchased the supplements  for neighbor to give ewe and showed her how. Also have and will continue to go check on ewe each day. Neighbor was so happy we helped  that she ask me if I wanted the greenhouse. Of course I said yes! She only used it a few weeks before going back and getting a much larger one. This one is 10x20 and is perfect for herb plants I have started to grow in until its time to plant in the herb garden. I can also use it next winter. I had been trying to wait patiently for William to finish building his greenhouse and knew I would have a small space for my herbs as he has over a 1000 tomato seedlings he is growing. He sells tomato and pepper plants every spring. Now we each can have our own greenhouse. What a blessing!

While treating the ewe we moved her from where she was laying into a shelter. I was walking backwards in front of the ewe while William and neighbor were walking on each side. Of course we all forgot about the big tub of water in the pen. And of course I fell backwards right into it. It was a early chilly morning so I got a nice cold bath to start my day. It was about an hour in wet clothes before I could come back home, have a hot shower and dry clothes. Hope I don't get a cold from it but if I do it was worth it.

Thank you for the prayers and thoughts for Megan and grandson. Things are still stressful but there is a light at the end of the tunnel peeking at them. Please continue your prayers and if you will add my stepdaughters husband to your prayers. He just found out he has cancer. He has a large mass on the left side of his large intestine. It is going to be a rough road for him and his family.

Precious and the twins are doing wonderful. The little doeling is already a handful. She slips underneath the gate of the stall and explores while Precious is having a fit because she can't get the doeling to come back where she belongs. When she is in the stall with momma and brother she hides behind the water bucket or underneath the hay where momma can't see her. Precious will cry and call her but little one will just lay still and not answer. I have to go out and get her so Precious can see she is okay. I have a baby monitor so can hear when Precious is upset which means little one is up to mischief. Have more photos of them that I will post tomorrow. Just too lazy tired tonight. I also have photos of our new addition to the homestead. Think you will be surprised we got it. I was at first as we talked about it for 2 days before deciding it was the right thing to do. Am glad we did as it fits in perfectly and I am already in love.

Was asked about menus and know I have been slack in posting but so much has been going on the past few days with family and homestead. Think it will be easier for me and you if I just post a weeks menu each Monday. I can also post recipes at the bottom of menu posts. Thank you for being interested and asking. I will also be posting a  list of the new herbs seeding I have in case anyone nearby might want some. Hope you are counting those blessings. I know though all that has happened this past week God has truly overflowed my cup with blessings.

It's Twins!

Precious had twins at 1PM today. Easy labor and delivery and all 3 are doing fine. The brown one is a buckling and the white with black feet and eyebrows is a doeling. Within 30 minutes they were up nursing and checking things out. No names yet as I was up all night keeping check on her and my mind is numb at the moment.

Simple Day on the Homestead

I am linking up with Our Simple Farm Simple Living Wednesdays and with Pretty,Happy, Funny, Real over at Like Mother Like Daughter
(Pretty)
 Precious is in early labor. She has dilated about 3 with a discharge and her udder is so huge she can't walk without having her hind legs spread way out. I had her in the new maternity pen but just came in from moving her to a closed stall with lights and the birthing kit. This will be her second kidding. Last year she didn't know what was happening to her and just dropped on the ground screaming. I ran out to find her terrified and the kid having a hard time getting out. I had to reach in and move Little D around. It took Precious several minutes after Little D was born to realize what happened and that she had a kid. She ended up being an awesome mom. This time around I think she knows what is going on and though she is nervous think she will do lots better with this delivery. So I am just waiting by the baby monitor between trips out to check on her. Not sure if she will kid tonight or tomorrow but will make sure I am ready if needed or at least there to take pictures!
(Happy)
Today was a good downsizing day. We sold 8 ducks, 6 roosters, and a goat. The guy that bought them is also coming back to buy 2 pigs. That only leaves us with 4 baby pigs to sell and we will be out of the pig business!! So happy about that.  Sold 4 rabbits the other day and 7 roosters a couple days before that. Slowly getting things downsized and it feels good. Finally have 1 rooster for each pen of hens. No more fighting roosters. No more mad hens having to run from so many roosters. And no more hearing over 30 roosters crowing at 4:30 every morning!

Also did the monthly grocery shopping today and ended up spending $155.15. Prices sure have gone up since last month. I try to stay at $150 or less. I didn't even need to purchase meats this month as I have plenty left from the sales I got last month. Since the goats are dry we are having to buy milk and with the Farmers Market closed I am buying some fresh veggies though I have lots canned and in the freezers. Since we don't have goats milk right now I have been buying Nestles instant hot chocolate. I like hot chocolate made with milk but don't want to use too much store bought milk as its so expensive. After making the hot chocolate with hot water I add flavored creamer. Right now I am using French caramel. I buy the big canister of hot chocolate (makes 39 cups) for $4.58 and the powdered creamer is $2.38. The hot chocolate lasts me a month and the creamer about a month and a half. The rest of my grocery list was mostly staples with a few "treats".
25lb sugar
1 gallon of vegetable oil
5lb cornmeal
2 lb butter
4 lb pinto beans
5 gallons orange juice
4 oz vanilla
12 bars of soap
box of laundry detergent (usually make own but this was a good sale)
bottle of bathroom cleaner
gallon of maple syrup (a purchase that lasts us about 7 months)
5 lbs of american sliced cheese
1 lb shredded cheddar cheese
1 gallon of milk (will go back to purchase more as we need it. Like it as fresh as possible)
4- 2 liter sodas ( a treat as was on sale for 84 cents each and these will last us a couple months)
8 cans of catfood (whiskers had plenty of cans left from last month)
8 cans of dogfood (Rusty had cans left from last month)
Box of Cheerios ( love cereal for bedtime snack)
Bag of Fritos ( a treat)
Head of cabbage
Lettuce
Radishes
Carrots
Bananas
Bell Peppers
1 package of steaks ( on sale and couldn't pass up)
5 lbs brown rice
5 lbs white rice
1 lb coffee beans
1 box of onion soup mix ( use it when I make hamburgers)
1 box of tomato/ herb bouillon

I buy in large containers when I can so it will last longer. I buy a couple of things extra each month to stock for emergencies. We try to keep enough supplies to last us 6 months if something were to happen. My grocery list didn't contain eggs as we have plenty of fresh ones here on the homestead. It didn't contain bread as we get a excellent deal at the bread store. Much cheaper than I can bake it though I still bake biscuits, cornbread and sometimes sourdough bread. I cook from scratch most of the time. By making sure to keep full pantry, and things frozen and canned from the garden as well as buying extra meats and things when on sale really help keep our food bill down. The only thing we will have to purchase from the grocery store the rest of the month will be milk. I will cook at least 2 meals a day and will try to remember to share my menus each day. I tried this before but got busy on the homestead and didn't follow through. Several have ask me to post menus so they can see how I spend what I do and have filling meals each day. I promise to try harder this time.
 Today:
Breakfast was egg and bacon sandwich on whole wheat toast with juice and hot chocolate
Lunch was leftover salad
Supper was buffet at Western Sizzlin ($16.92 for the both of us. We try to treat ourselves once a month to a meal out)
(Funny  as in funny that this should have been finished days ago!)
The greenhouse should be ready soon. I have so many new herb seeds to get started. Am excited about this years herb garden. My nettles, oregano, lemon balm, and pineapple sage is already coming up. I cut some of my rosemary and lavender yesterday and have it drying in the dehydrator. We are enlarging our vegetable gardens this year so am planning on what will be planted in these. I enjoy canning,dehydrating, and freezing things and want this years gardens to keep me busy doing these things.
(Real)
 One of my daughters and a grandchild are going through some stressful things at the moment. If you would, please keep them in your prayers. Have a blessed night and don't forget to count those blessings!

It's The Weathers Fault

 That I haven't been blogging!
This time of year I should be sitting by the fire drinking a cup of tea or hot chocolate, looking at seed catalogs, and taking a break from outside chores. Should be is the key words. With no winter weather to speak of its too hot to sit by the fire or take a break from outside chores. After morning feedings I have been repairing fence and even put up new fencing in the maternity pen. With all the rain we've had I have forgotten the real color of my rubber boots. The goats are getting tired of the mud too and are walking around the edge of the pens instead of the normal paths they made. Daffodils are in full bloom around the homestead. Even the yellow bell bushes are blooming. Am afraid February will bring a burst of winter and kill all the buds and blooms.

Andy (Nigerian Dwarf buck) has spring fever. He has been ramming the gate to his pen till he bent the latch enough to open it and get out. That wasn't good enough for him. He then rammed the gate to the girls pen doing the same thing so he could get in. The only thing was when he got in he left their gate open and Tinker and Bella thought that meant they were off guard duty and took off on an adventure. It had been a week since I was off the homestead and rode with William to Lowe's. Hadn't been there 5 minutes when our neighbor called to let me know Tinker and Bella were heading  across the busy road to the woods. We hurried back (thank goodness we were about 3 minutes from home) to see what was up. Right before we got home saw the two of them sniffing around the edge of the woods. William got out to walk them home. All I had to do was tell Bella to go home and she hung her head and took off home. Tinker is stubborn so William had to  walk her. Bella was waiting by the gate when we got home. Andy had really messed the latch up so it took William a few minutes to fix it so we could close it secure. Sweet Hillary was inside the pen with the girls taking her guarding job seriously.

 She never wants to leave the pen. Bella has all of a sudden gotten the roaming fever and Tinker follows along.

 They are resting from their adventure,being scolding and put on runners. They weren't in the mood to smile for the camera.

 Not sure what she is thinking. Have been spending extra time with her and even taking her for walks around the property line. Talking to her. Will see if the wander bug will go away.. sure hope so.

Have gotten busy planning and ordering more seeds for the herb garden. William is building a greenhouse and that will enable me to move my seedlings there and hopefully have extra plants from many different herbs to sell as well as go in the herb garden. Also starting some seedlings for the veggie gardens. If I can't enjoy winter guess I might as well get a head start on spring.

Goodbye Cabana Boy and Love Around The Homestead

Saturday we sold 7 roosters and one of them just happened to be the young cabana boy rooster that Tessa the turkey was hanging out with. She wasn't very happy for a couple of hours but as soon as Fred saw EJ was gone he started puffing up and strutting around. I opened the gate and he walked out of Elvis pen without even a goodbye or thank you. He walked right over to his and Tessa's pen and waited on me to open the gate before walking right in and strutting his stuff. Didn't take them but a short time to forgive, forget, and fall back in love. They seemed very happy to be back together but unfortunately this afternoon I had to move Fred back to Elvis pen. Seems he got a little too frisky and cut Tessa under her wing in the process. When I went out to feed she was bleeding and his leg was covered in blood. I didn't know what was wrong. After checking things out it was easy to see what had happened. I cleaned Tessa's wound and put antibiotic on it. Also gave her something for pain and put pro biotic in her drinking water. Fred was pacing up and down the fence wanting to get back to his lady love but is going to have to wait a few days to let her heal. She is now resting under a heat lamp with Fred roosting where he can keep an eye on her. Poor Tessa never knew love could hurt so much.  Why, you ask are there no photos ... my camera batteries died and I didn't come back inside to recharge them.

More on love in the air... The rabbits are all paired up and  happy. Am listing what buck is with which doe more for my lack of being able to remember once they have their babies.

This is the one photo I got before camera died
Angel and Smut

Rocky (New Zeland) with Prissy (New Zeland)
Jack Sparrow (Rex) with Dreamer (California Giant)
Dutch (Dwarf Dutch) with Sara (mini rex)
Smut (Rex) with Angel (Rex)
Harry (Lion Head) with Porky (New Zeland)
Lionel (Lion Head) with Princess (Lion Head)
Cinnamon (Rex) with Freckles (Rex)
Chipmunk (Mini Rex) with Sweet Roll (mini Rex)

Hopefully all 8 does will have healthy babies that will be ready for new homes at Easter. Last year we sold all our baby bunnies to Tractor Supply and could have sold more if we had had them. Not sure if we will be selling baby chicks this year as we need to raise some for laying hens to replace the ones of ours that are getting old. Anyway, looks like love is in the air for most of the animals here on the homestead. Spring should have baby goats, baby bunnies, baby chick, baby ducks, and baby geese running around. I just love animal babies!!

Great Pyrenees

Gypsy is loving her new home and her new owners love her! The young lady working on the farm that will be training Gypsy is from Nome, Alaska! Had a wonderful conversation with her as we walked Gypsy around the farm. I have talked with Laraine a couple of times to see how Gypsy is doing and things are great. Gypsy who chase chickens here is already helping put up their chickens each evening without barking or chasing them. She is out learning about the farm and her new duties during the day and until the goats arrive she is enjoying sleeping indoors at night. She guards her new master at night.LOL The minute I saw Laraine with Gypsy I knew they were perfect for each other and had no problem leaving Gypsy.
As for Bella, I have no idea what has gotten into her. She is usually quiet, well behaved, and excellent guarding the goats. Lately she has kept me busy. She finds the strangest ways out of the goat pen only to run around to the gate and wait to be let back in. Tinker use to be the escape artist but has settled down and behaving. Of course Hillary is so happy to have a home and be off the streets she doesn't want to get out. You could open the gate and she will go to the gate and just stand there. She loves being with the goats and doesn't bother them at all. She will bark if anything or anyone not suppose to be there steps on the property. She will bark to let me know Bella is trying to escape. She will bark if one of the goats is where it shouldn't be or something is wrong. Bella use to do all these things but has suddenly after turning 3 to be a puppy again. Right now she is on a runner inside the goat pen. I let her off while I do the morning and evening feed and when I am working in or near the pens but the rest of the time she is on the runner. This too shall pass. Over all having Great Pyrenees to watch over the goats is perfect. If a animal or human comes near the goats they will put themselves between whatever and the goats. They won't bark and chase what/whoever but will just quietly stay in front of the goats. If a dog or animal seems threatening to the goats they will quietly round the goats all together and then walk around the group of goats keeping an eye on the threat. If the threat comes for the goats then the dogs will bark and attack. Their instincts are to protect the goats in their care even if it means they have to be in harms way. They will also start barking an alarm so we know something is wrong. It is a different bark from seeing a squirrel or neighbors dog. Its an alarming bark that makes you know right away something is wrong. We had a small pack of stray dogs come through our property once. Bella and Tinker had the goats all in a huddle and were running around and around them keeping them together. When the dogs got too close they sounded the alarm and Tinker went after the dogs while Bella kept the goats together. It is truly amazing to watch how they care and protect the goats. It is also beautiful watching them when a doe kids. They stand outside the birthing stall watching real quietly. Once the goat has kidded and everything is cleaned up, I open the stall and let them come near me while I hold the kid or kids so them can sniff them. That takes a few minutes and then they understand they have a new goat to watch over. They are so loving and gentle with the kids. You will find the kids climbing on and sometimes sleeping next to the dogs. They won't let the kids wander away or if they do they stand over and bark until you take the kid back to its mom where it belongs. If you have goats or sheep I highly recommend Great Pyrenees

or Great Pyrenees mix. Tinker is Great Pyrenees/Antonin Sheperd

You won't be disappointed.

New Home For Gypsy

This is Gypsy. She is 11 months old and came here while I was visiting in the mountains. William thought she would fit in with Bella and Hillary our other Great Pyrenees and Tinker(Great Pyrenees/Antonin Shepard). 4 guard dogs and 8 goats don't work too well. Gypsy is still a puppy and wants to play, chase, and chew. She is learning to behave with the goats but we just don't have room or really need a 4th guard dog. I finally decided to place an ad in Craigs List and was swamped with emails and calls. Took a little talking back and forth but have found Gypsy a new home. She is going to be living on a farm about 70 miles from here in Siler City. The farmer has a young college student working for him and she has been wanting to train a Great Pyrenees for their farm. They had one for a couple of years but someone stole her. Gypsy will be perfect for them as she is still young enough to train easily and is already use to being with goats and other farm animals. We will be taking her to her new home on Tuesday. That way I can see where she will be living and how she likes her new home. Really like Gypsy but am so happy she will have a home where she will be able to guard her own herd of goats and have a young lady to take care of and love her.
As soon as we finish repairing and replacing fence we will be moving the pregnant goats into a different pen. Those will be for Hillary to watch over. Bella and Tinker who are inseparable will stay in the main pen guarding the rest of the goats. After the kids are weaned Hillary will go in the buck pen to keep an eye on them. Feel like its a game of musical goats around here. Hillary is older and obeys commands so well. She doesn't mind when you move her from one goat pen to another. Bella and Tinker aren't happy when you move them or their goats. You can tell we are well trained by the dogs can't you... (smile)