Farmwife's Journal - May 25th

Ahhhh...rain!  What a blessing! :)

We get so busy working outside this time of year that when it rains we have to stop for a minute to figure out what to do with ourselves.  Once I've changed gears, my mind is swimming with indoor projects.

Before the rain came, we spent two days weeding.  Both of our strawberry patches were very overgrown with weeds.  Here is a picture of the smaller one.  I forgot to take a picture after we were done, but as you can see, it was quite a job!  Thankfully our very large patch was not nearly as bad.

 The rain gave Jonny a chance to sew up a hole in his favorite sheets.  It was his first time using the sewing machine.  I gave him a few simple instructions and left him alone.  He did a great job! :)

Ben was able to spend a large part of the day working on his model ship.  It looks great! :)

One of Emily's good friends, Serena, came for a visit for a few days.  Their birthdays are a month apart (one in May and the other in June), so they like to celebrate together.

If you ordered chickens for pick up in July, they arrived on the farm this past Tuesday.

Here is a picture of a fawn we found on the side of the road. Its twin was on the other side of the road. The kids were dying to bring them home, but Mike told them that their mother would be back for them. We checked on them that evening and still no mother. But the next day they were gone. So cute!

2012 Farmer's Market and Tour Schedule

This year the market will run from June through September, which is two months shorter than normal.  This will help reduce the stress that comes from trying to get plants growing in the spring during our fickle Minnesota weather, and will also allow us to have more time for starting school in the fall and harvesting everything in the garden.

Our opening day is Friday, June 1st.  We are very much looking forward to seeing you all again! :)  We will start sending out our weekly emails next week, so you will know what we will have available at the market.

This year our family has decided to schedule tours a little differently. Since the market can get overwhelming for our family during busy times, we are going to start doing tours BEFORE our market opens each Friday. The tours will run from 11-12pm and the cost is $5.00 per family. You are welcome to come any Friday or every Friday, we just ask that you call ahead and let us know if you are planning to come.  We just want to be ready for you when you come. The only Fridays that we won't be doing tours are our butchering days. There simply won't be time those days. But with that said, if you only come to the farm once or twice a year to get your supply of poultry, double check with us if you would like a tour, maybe we could work something out. We love to spend time with those customers we rarely get to see! :)

See you soon! :)

Goat Watch ;)

Millie is getting big and will be having babies pretty soon.  She is either due tomorrow, or she is due on the 8th next month. The first time she went into heat when we had Mr. Billy she was bred, supposedly, but then she seemed to go into heat again, but it could have been a "false heat".... so, she's either due now or in a few weeks.  Either way, she is getting big!  ...and these pictures don't even show how big she really is.... she's HUGE.

So, we are going to set up a poll on the blog here and you get to guess how many you think she's going to have!  Our family did that for Belle.... and Mom won!  She guessed twin girls.  So they got named after her: Mindy & Marie. :) 

Hope to be announcing kids soon! 

Goat Kids!

Belle had her kids on Mother's Day!  She had twin girls.  :)  Sooooo adorable!

Ben bottle feeding one of the kids

Upcoming Home Remedies Class

This Saturday we will be having our first Herbal Home Remedies Class.  I still have three seats available.   If you want to know more about how you can use natural remedies (ones you probably have in your kitchen right now) to treat your family, you should attend our class. 

Natural remedies are safe and effective.  There have been very few times over the years that our family has resorted to drugs for treatment.  With four children from 19-10 years old, I can tell you, from experience, that you can be successful using natural remedies.  One of the greatest benefits is that they do not compromise your FUTURE health, like so many drugs do.  Natural remedies build up the immune system, and I know that that is one reason why my children are rarely sick.  We do not stock any drugs in our home.  Our cupboards are full of tinctures, salves, herbal powders, essential oils, and other natural treatments. 

It's my goal that through our class, you will become confident enough to begin using these remedies on a regular basis.  Join us Saturday for three hours packed full of information!  When you leave, you will take home bottles, jars, and bags of the herbal preparations you'll need to treat yourself and your family.  It is our goal to make this investment worthy of your time and money!  Hope to see you there! :)
Check out our "Classes" page at the top of the screen for more information.

Happy Mother's Day, Mom

Happy Mother's Day to my fabulous mom! 

I'm so grateful for you and all you do for us.  You make our home and farm run smoothly and we couldn't do it without you!  Thank you for all your hard work even when you don't feel like it.  Thank you for taking such good care of your family... cooking us delicious and nutritious meals, keeping the house immaculate, doing SO much for us (I could go on and on and on).... and doing it all with a smile.  I enjoy all our time together.... whether it's going out for coffee, weeding in the garden, or talking and talking with you about every subject imaginable until way past bed time. :)  Thank you for training me, instructing me, encouraging me, and working so hard for me.  You are appreciated more than you know, you are my very best & closest friend, and you are my role model.  Thank you for being an example of the Proverbs 31 woman in real life.  "She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.  Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.  Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all."  -Proverbs 31: 27-29. 

Thank you for being a godly example to me of what a wife and mother should be, it is my goal to grow up to be like you, mom!  I love you so much.

Happy Mother's Day, you're the best!

Farmwife's Journal - May 8th

Happenings:

Oh happy day!  Mike and the boys moved the chickens out to their movable chicken tractors last week.  Now they will eat their fill of fresh bugs and grass while they enjoy the sunshine.

Jonny is taking them out of the crates and putting them into the pen.  Mike and Ben got the waterers and feeders set up.

The man of my dreams turned another year older last week.  He continues to master the art of looking twenty years younger than he really is, although his gray hair is beginning to give him away. :)  Among other things, we took him bowling.  Of course he whooped us all! :)

Emily got this cute picture of the goats.  They look as if they are in a dirt pen here, but they actually have access to a wonderful pasture.  But once they saw Emily, they just had to come say hello. :)

Here a great shot of Belle's pregnant belly!  From the top you can see how wide she is.  She's due any day now.  We are watching her close and looking forward to some cute little kids and more goat milk! :)

Princess loves to be out in the pasture with the sheep.  As you can see here, wading in the pond is a highlight for her.  She gets so muddy which makes Em and me sigh and roll our eyes because we feel like we are constantly grooming her.  But she has so much fun in the pond, we just can't say no. :)

 Emily took these cute pictures of the ewes and lambs.  The lambs are growing so fast.

Here you can see the mamas and babies together.  The moms are still showing the marks from their shearing last month.

Yes, the grass truly is greener on the other side of the fence.:)

In these pictures, I am washing spinach.  We have been picking it for the past couple months, and it has been wonderful!  We have an abundance, as you can see.  Washing it all was quite a job!

Here are my two sailors!  They are ready for their maiden voyage on the "USS Monitor", as they call it.  This is their new boat.  They have been working for their grandpa to earn it.  The boat holds a lot of memories for their dad and grandpa.  They got it last night and could hardly function today because of a condition called "boat brain"! :)  Finally Mike took them out late afternoon.  They are both wearing one of their grandpa's sailor hats from when he was in the Navy.  Looking so cute and feeling ten feet tall! :)

Kittens!

I've been anxiously waiting for Lady to have her kittens for.... a long time.  Finally, last Monday, she popped!  I got to experience my first "real" cat birth.... surprise!  Lady has had lots of kittens, but it was the first time I really got to be there, she usually has them overnight.  Anyways, she had four... two boys and two girls.  Three are orange, and one is black... that one sticks out like a sore thumb, but he is ADORABLE!!!!  =)  They are doing great.  So cute!!!  And Lady is doing amazing, she is such a good momma.   ;-)