Changes

This next year promises to be very new experience for our family. We've sold our farm and we are moving out of state, the whole family thinks it's time for something new. So we have been extremely busy for the last few months getting everything together, the farmhouse packed up, animals slaughtered out that we didn't need, and getting trailers to haul the animals that we're going to keep.

We have found some place that is bigger than what we have now and also has the small town feel that we enjoy. I promise we are not ignoring you, dear readers, and not purposely keeping you out of the loop but packing up a farm is a job on its own and keeping up with all the farm chores that we still have to do. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas just in case that I don't post anything before then. I promise when we get to where we're going I will update the Facebook page with new pictures, until then have a wonderful day.

Apologies

Apologies dear readers,
It's been a while sense I have posted.
A quick recap of the last few months, we got the greenhouse up and have been getting some good fruits and vegetables out of it. I have some seriously excited farm kids because of some little growing pumpkins.

The farm kids have decided they are going to school this year away from Mom. As much as they love me they ARE all growing up and wanting to make friends. I don't blame them really.

The piglets are growing up so fast and we have a few pigs ready to go into the freezer. Along with ducks and chickens and turkeys.

Canning season is fast approaching us and I will be even busier then ever until breeding time in November of course. I have been canning BBQ sauce and pickles but the real fun will begin soon enough.

We have some blackberry bushes blooming, but they won't turn in time before the frosts hit.

The guys got the lumber mill up and going fairly well, they were going really steady until the tractor blew a tire and now that's on the to find list.

The boys turned 15 this year and are ready to get permits to start their driving training. They decided they wanted to go to the fair for their birthdays so we decided to hit the rodeo up while we were there. Ladybug seen the barrel racers. Poor shimmer is being put through his paces. For a twenty something horse he is keeping up pretty well.

We have gotten 90% of our firewood for the year so we are doing really well on that end.

I have been crocheting up a storm lately, we WERE expecting a new little farm hand, but I got overly stressed and it just didn't work out. So once the doctor gives us the all clear we have decided to try again.

I know there is more but I don't want this post to be ten pages long.

Until next time.

New page for the family and farm

The homestead has an announcement to make, we have decided to move on. The farm is up for sale and we are in the process of looking for a new place to live.

We as a family feel that is time for us to explore new areas. It's going to be sad to sell this place because there has been a lot of blood, sweat, tears, fights, and swear words here. But there has also been a lot more happier moments. This has been Ladybug's only known home. We have grown so much as a family here. We learned knew things about ourselves.

We don't know yet where we are going, but as soon as we get there you will know. Until then we will keep you up to date on the goings on. (Like the new babies, but that's another post).

Be blessed!

End of another year

Wow, I'm a little late in getting this post written up.

All of the snow has melted off and it has all turned into ice patches or mud. It of course freezes every night and turns it into frozen mud but this last week it's been warming up so much that it turns into nothing but a slippery mess.
Ladybug ended up getting sucked down in her wellies and when I went to grab her out ended up knee first in the muck. Mud and water all in the wellies, it was terrible. Score one for klutz mom.

This last year was a pretty good one for us. We grew as a farm but more as a family. My teenagers actually WANT to hang around with us. Shocker isn't it?
In the last year we have gotten cows and a horse, made bacon seeds and ended up adopting an abandoned rabbit, restocked the ducks and built shelters. Went on a "vacation" and a vacation. I will say I won't miss Arizona.

We have lost some animals to critters and gained some helping hands. We were able to get a few things done that we had wanted to and had to push a few things back.

There has been a lot of growth and even more learning. We have watched frustrations turn to pride and we have watched humbleness get learned the hard way. There's been scrapes and scuffles but at the end of the day we all need each other. We have had more connecting with each other and less technology. So all in all I think it's been a learning experience for everyone this year.

Here's to another learning year for us.

P.S.
We have three adorable baby bunnies now from Lily and James.