# HomesteaderWife - Tales from Wolf Branch [10/14 - What's Goin' On!]



## HomesteaderWife (Oct 2, 2015)

*10/14/2021 - - - Sheesh, been over a year since I last posted here and updated I believe. I am leaving the original wording of the post from when I initially made it, just to follow along with our adventures from the beginning, but please check recent pages to see how we've come along!*

Hello there Backyard Herds! My husband and I have a little homestead called Wolf Branch. I have been a blogger for about 3 years now online at Mother Earth News!







***Please Note! I do not get paid to write these articles so I hope this does not count as advertisement. I just want to share these with the good folks of BYH!***


I wanted to write up a small journal not only for personal benefit (such as note/date keeping) but also to provide ideas or help as we go along. I am going to try and answer some of the newcomer questions as best as I can, by typing it out neatly in a little biography-style fashion.

My husband and I live in the east-central area of Alabama, and have been married since December 2014. I grew up with half of my younger years spent at my grandmother's 43 acre farm, while my husband grew up in a small town on the land we now call home, with mainly poultry and dogs in his life. We call our plot of land "Wolf Branch" due to the rumors of wolves being in the area (someone has already caught a black panther on their game camera in the area!). The land is about 20 acres, give/take.

Wolf Branch is not just our own family farm, but a homestead in progress. I was tired of working just to make money to have a job, and my husband just finished up schooling after getting out of the military, so we now are our own bosses. The things we do here and the crafts we make with our own hands are our only income. And we manage to make enough every month to get by, by the grace of God. Therefore, this home is not only a lifestyle, but a source of income as well. We are currently milling up our own lumber to build a cabin, and are working on the foundation right now. I can't wait to post photos of it!

We currently have 4 dogs, 5 chickens, and 2 ducks at our farm. We also grow our own garden from seed each year, and I have just got into canning a lot of it. Next year, we will be enlarging our garden to include all the more veggies. Hopefully, this winter will allow us to hunt a little and bring in some wild game meat to store! We do really love to fish, so we do occasionally ride to a local pond and catch a few catfish to bring home and process. In time, we do hope to raise our own meat and process it ourselves. Our goal is to be as self-sufficient as possible!

We currently have a 1954 Ford tractor that does some of the hard work around here, including dragging logs to the mill. We sold my beat up little truck to pay for part of it, and the other part of the price we actually did some labor to make up for. The tractor is my husband's "toy" while the four-wheeler is my helper around the farm. We also own a Norwood LM29 sawmill, that we mill up our own lumber with and lumber to sell. These are three key items to help our home function.

As for cooking- we finally invested in a beautiful little wood stove that will be in our cabin. We will be growing a lot of corn next year in order to help make our own corn meal and grits. We also are going to build an outdoor kitchen to make syrups and be able to cook outdoors during the Summer.

Finally, both of us have been inspired to life this way by our grandparents. My grandmother was my idol, and my husband's idol is his grandfather. We both changed our lifestyles to take on this dream, and don't regret it thus far. It is hard some days, but I would never have life any other way. Thank you for visiting, and I can't wait to share the continuing story of Wolf Branch!


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 2, 2015)

Can't wait to hear more!


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 2, 2015)

Looking forward to sharing some trapping stories come November!


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## goatgurl (Oct 2, 2015)

will be watching for your next adventure.  really like the chickens


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 2, 2015)

I just wanted to share an old post from my BYC account that people may find interesting. When we first got our young chickens, we cleared off a small plot of land and made our own fence posts to surround it. We also built our own log cabin chicken coop. Below are some photos, and I will explain a little of what we did!

First Step: Clearing the land and marking off where the pen will be built. Then we took a few scrap pines that we cut while clearing the land, cut them 7' tall, and de-barked them by hand with a draw knife to make fence posts. These are not temporary (we will be building a new coop once we have our cabin built, so they can be closer to home). Then we put wire around the pen and secured the bottom to keep predators out.

Second Step:  Building the log cabin chicken coop with more scrap wood that would not have been used otherwise. I home-made the chinking materials to make sure it was well insulated. Tada! Time for the chicks to move in. 

Then came ducks and bunny rabbits, so we had to build houses for them. The ducks got their very own little house made from scrap lumber we milled up ourselves, while the rabbits moved in to the bottom of the log cabin coop. Our pen now houses the rabbits, chickens, and ducks all in one space. Everyone gets along, and it's always cute to let the bunnies out so that they can play tag with the chickens!


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## Poka_Doodle (Oct 3, 2015)

Cant wait to here more about your chickens, how many do you have?


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 3, 2015)

Poka_Doodle said:


> Cant wait to here more about your chickens, how many do you have?



Currently we have 4 hens and 1 rooster.


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## animalmom (Oct 3, 2015)

Very nice chickens!  The two of you sound like your hands are full with projects that benefit you and to this I say loudly, BRAVO!!!!!

I think that self-sufficiency is a young person's game.  We both were city folks, saw our first cow in the zoo type people but we seem to be doing ok with our projects even though we started real late in life, like well after retirement.  We are good on growing our own protein (rabbits, geese, chicken, goat) and after much trial and failure I think I'm getting the hang of growing vegetables... just not enough to do much besides eat in the summer.  Loving the life we now live and wonder how we managed before.  God is good.

Everyone can be more self-sufficient and maybe I can pick up some good tips to help our efforts from your journal.


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 3, 2015)

Just some photos today of the land we are building our cabin at, and other cute photos of some of our animal friends. I am also going to include some photographs of different art projects that we sell, made from recycled or home-milled lumber.


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## goatgurl (Oct 3, 2015)

if i had a bunny as cute as the one in the picture with the hen i would never have fried rabbit again.  he's just to cute.


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 5, 2015)

My husband and I recently purchased the Ford tractor from our preacher, and worked part of it off by helping to build a corn crib. I wanted to share photos of the progress, because this was our first major lumber order as well. All exterior wood, and the wood for the floor of the loft, are all from us. The building is almost finished, and I will post some photographs once it is completed. We were very proud to mill this up for a good friend, and to have many compliments on the boards thus far. Most of the wood was 1 x 12, and about 10-12 ft long.

It was a HUGE battle to get some of these logs out that made this wood. The tractor definitely earned its keep though, by proving itself over and over while dragging these logs down to the sawmill. As I mentioned, this is basically my husband and I that work this alone, with occasional help from his brother. We've not only fought to pull out and drag these logs- we've also had a hard time loading them onto the sawmill using a hand-cranked winch. The track of the sawmill has been bent and snatched out of alignment a few times because of the weight of the logs rolling onto it. We've had blades come off while cutting due to the knots and toughness of some logs. We have even had a log that was so large, we could not load it onto the sawmill (but it won't go to waste- it will be cut up for stools and chopping blocks).

Please let us know what you think of the quality of some of the wood!

P.S. This building will be what he stores all of his seed corn it and his corn for meal/flour/etc. They are also adding on a porch in order to be able to sell produce and other goods like a small business at his farm.)


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## Ferguson K (Oct 6, 2015)

Nice work!! My husband and I are working on becoming our own bosses. One day.


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## samssimonsays (Oct 6, 2015)

Wow amazing things !  I applaud you for doing this! I can't wait to see what's to  come!


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 6, 2015)

Sort of a quick, record-keeping post here. Last night when we put all of the animals up for the evening, we found the first duck egg in their little box. When I let them out yesterday morning, I didn't even notice it. But it was a wonderful surprise for my husband and I! We have never used duck eggs to bake or cook with, so I am curious to compare them to our chicken eggs.


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## Baymule (Oct 6, 2015)

i like your home milled lumber. I had a thought for a business. If you live near a town or large subdivision, you might look into cutting trees in peoples yards. The trees have to come down in sections, which requires climbing the trees, roping off the sections and cutting them about 8 to 10' feet at a time. You could get some good lumber that way also and not have to cut the trees on your own property. Around here, taking a tree out of a yard costs about $500 and up, depending on the size and closeness to the house or other buildings. You would have to have insurance and all that stuff, but it is good work and might make you enough money to be completely self sufficient.


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## Poka_Doodle (Oct 6, 2015)

Okay, as promised here is the link to a great recipe that works great and included a thing most of us have to much of :
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/7494/zucchini-cake-i/


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 14, 2015)

The construction of our cabin continues- and we needed a way to haul 30 boards measuring 2x6x12 all the way out to the site on a trail that is only accessible by four wheeler. No vehicles or tractors! So how to haul them?

My husband's grandfather suggested a sled of sorts to haul these long, heavy boards to the build site. We decide to use some of our scrap lumber that had no current purpose to build this sled. I got an idea in my head and put together two small round logs, and three flat pieces. We nailed them together to make an 8 1/2 foot sled that can carry four to six boards at a time, depending on the freshness of the cut. Boards that had time to dry are lighter to carry, so we could load six on. Boards that were just cut still have moisture in them, and we can only load four. But it's better than carrying them one by one a half mile back in the woods!

I'm including some photos of the quick project, which we hooked to the back of our four wheeler and have been using all day to finish taking all the boards out which will be getting us started framing out the floor and supporting it.

Scrap wood always finds a use here! We not only sell a bit of it, but also use it for art projects, animal coops/boxes, and now a sled! 

As a side note, I am about to start a new art project with my first squirrel hide of the year. Going to try to make dreamcatchers with the fur and see if they might sell. I'll post photos later on of that!

Thank you for reading, and God bless!


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 14, 2015)

great idea!


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## goatgurl (Oct 14, 2015)

looks like that's going to work


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 15, 2015)

It actually worked out pretty well, and all our boards are moved out there! I was very happy to see the sled hold up, and now we have it out by the sawmill to haul future boards out with.

Here's a quick photo of the first squirrel hide dream catcher, which didn't bend into a great circle the way I wanted, but I still have one more to make. Does $5 sound fair to sell them for at a craft show, or should I ask less? We will see how it goes!


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 17, 2015)

Just finished up the second squirrel hide dream-catcher. I have some strips of fur saved as well to wrap around walking stick handles. We have an art show to go to on the 31st so maybe some of the new crafts will sell. We also may have a job coming up to build a dog house using milled up wood- fingers crossed. I am also happy to report that yesterday we finished framing the floor of the cabin and will be ready to cut floor boards next!


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## animalmom (Oct 17, 2015)

Your dreamcatchers are intriguing... please let us know how they/you do at the art show!


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 17, 2015)

The cycle continues. As one squirrel hide is now used for art, the time has come to harvest another by God's grace. I walked quietly a few minutes ago into the woods with my shotgun and listened closely. The squirrels began to chatter and alert one another that something was off, and I set my focus onto the first one I heard. Climbing a small hill, I got a bit closer and watched the squirrel, praying, "Let me hit that which I aim for." I don't know what it is, but the moment I raise my gun, my heart stops. There is a nervousness, but an excitement, and it brings an adrenaline rush! With one shot, the squirrel fell out of the tree. The first of two traditions came- a loud yell of pride! Then the second- putting the shell between the squirrel's paws. And after a thankful prayer, there is now another squirrel to be processed for meat and fur!


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## Poka_Doodle (Oct 17, 2015)

Hmm, squirrel for dinner, interesting I have had jackrabbit and a lot of other game, just never squirrel. My grandpa would serve it if it was 7 years ago.


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## Baymule (Oct 17, 2015)

Smothered squirrel...... gravy and rice.....  

Good shot!


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 18, 2015)

Thank you @Baymule!


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## goatgurl (Oct 18, 2015)

yea for fried squirrel, gravy and biscuits.


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 20, 2015)

This is the frame that is now complete for the floor of our cabin! Today we are cutting up floor boards, so I will update again once those are finished and nailed on. I am so excited to be milling up all our own lumber, and getting this house built. We managed to get all the bracing done in a day's time. Hopefully, we will be done by next Summer and ready to move in for good. I'm looking forward to building a nice sized bookshelf and some shelves to store all our canned goods on. I just finished canning some applesauce, and can't wait to dig into that to celebrate the house being complete!

We have two craft sales coming up, and I can't wait to see how they do. We will be taking some new handiwork there- homemade cane fishing poles.

Thank you for all the readers and the responses!


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## Poka_Doodle (Oct 20, 2015)

Cool.


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## Baymule (Oct 20, 2015)

Where are y'all living while you are building your cabin?

What kind of chickens do you have? I had a thought for a craft-make earrings from the flashy chicken feathers. Some breeds have really beautiful colored feathers and would make nice earrings or to hang on your dream catchers.


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## Mike CHS (Oct 21, 2015)

You guys are really doing a great job there.  Has your milled lumber had time enough to dry out?


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 29, 2015)

@Mike CHS  - Yes, the lumber has had a good deal of time to dry out


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 29, 2015)

I'm so proud to update that one of our three young hens finally started to lay beautiful olive-colored eggs a few days ago. We are now getting 1-3 eggs per day (chicken & duck). I'm praying for our other two hens and the other duck to start laying soon, but I can't tell you how excited I was to see a second egg in the nest after "Fat Momma" (now "Fat Olive" ) laid her first egg. We are so proud to have these beautiful girls!
The light pinkish egg belongs to Louise on the far left, and the hen next to her with her head out of view is Fat Olive, our new egg layer! Her egg is the pretty green one on the left.



 

Unfortunately, it has been almost two months with our new female rabbit and she has YET to have a successful breeding or pregnancy with our two males. We are going to try again today, and hopefully see some results.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 12, 2015)

Things at the farm have been at a stand-still with two weeks of straight rain here. No work on the building the house- just a lot of small busy work. All of our hens are now laying, but the oldest just started going through molt so she looks pretty sad! We've been having problems with our rooster though. We raised him from a chick and he has been the sweetest, most well-behaved rooster until a few days ago. My husband kept worrying that he would be like all the roosters he had growing up- trying to flog him and unable to turn your back on them. I grew up with 3 roosters on the farm, and NEVER had problems from any of them. But about three or four days ago, our rooster came up behind me and grabbed the back of my leg. I shooed him off, only to have him come back and flog my leg again. I wondered if it wold be continual or if it would stop..Needless to say, he lost his marbles today and came after me a few times in a matter of minutes for no reason. I can't go in the pen and turn my back on him. I told my husband from the beginning that if this rooster did in fact have an attitude problem at some point, we would be rid of him. Unfortunately, he is either about to be sold or supper. I hate it, but he has become a problem.

We have another art sale coming up soon, and I have many homemade crafts that I hope will sell right before Christmas here. My last sale did alright- enough to cover the booth and the gas getting up there. Not a lot of business, needless to say!


But even though we have been at a stand-still on building, have a meany butt rooster, and haven't had much luck with an income...God gives us many blessings I smile at. My husband and I have been married almost a year now, but it feels like a much longer time, and I thank God for him every day. I am thankful for our egg-layers, giving us a dozen eggs or more a week that we can sell or share. We have watchful, protective dogs that never let a stranger go unannounced. My uncle was recently hospitalized with severe complications, but we give praise because he is out of the hospital and home, and didn't have to have surgery. And most of all, yesterday we were thankful for our military veterans. My husband was (always will be) a Marine, and I am thankful for what he did that protected my freedoms, before I even knew him. I think it was a hard day for him, without saying it, because his best friend took his life a little over a year ago (this was the young man who actually convinced my husband to join the Marines with him). PTSD is real and alive, and unfortunately medication cannot always repair the trauma these boys go through and remember forever. I take this time to show my support to all veterans. God bless you, and may you never fight the battle of PTSD alone. 

It's a muddy, but beautiful day here. But the message of this post is to be thankful for the blessings you have around you. Be thankful for a new day, health, happiness, husbands & wives, children, parents, friends, a job, animals & gardens that provide for you, freedom, shelter, water, food, protection, talents, transportation, the seasons changing, and the salvation we've been given.

I wish you all the best,

-HomesteaderWife


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## Baymule (Nov 12, 2015)

I hope the sale coming up is better for you than the last one. How did your dream catchers sell?

Sorry the rain has slowed you down, but sometimes you just have to take the time for other things. That mean rooster would make some yummy chicken and dumplings.  Sorry about your husband's friend.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 16, 2015)

Baymule said:


> I hope the sale coming up is better for you than the last one. How did your dream catchers sell?



They haven't sold yet! The sale actually did _terrible!  _I didn't even sell $10 worth of stuff, so needless to say it was a bust. But I am trying to keep positive, and advertising some things in the local paper right before Christmas. Maybe it will do better!


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 18, 2015)

Man- I was so excited this morning as I let all of the chickens out. I had always heard about chickens having the ability to lay a double-yolked egg, but have never actually seen one in person (even though my grandmother raised chickens when I was young, and I would always help her collect eggs!) They say the probability of finding one is 1 in 1,000 so I feel pretty darn special. I haven't cracked it open but my goodness...compared to the size this hen normally lays (a large size, but not _THIS_ big),_ I KNOW_ this has to have two yolks! Just wanted to share this crazy photo!


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## Latestarter (Nov 18, 2015)

I'll bet momma hen was pretty danged thrilled too... to get that OUT!


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 18, 2015)

Latestarter said:


> I'll bet momma hen was pretty danged thrilled too... to get that OUT!



I think the first think I literally yelled when I saw the egg was, "How in the WORLD did you get that out?!" She already amazes me with the size of the eggs she lays, but this was ridiculous!


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## Mike CHS (Nov 18, 2015)

Poor thing -  I'm guessing she was doing more of a bragging song than usual.


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## norseofcourse (Nov 18, 2015)

Wow!  Take a video if you can when you crack that one open - there's also the very rare occurance of an entire EGG inside another egg.


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## goatgurl (Nov 18, 2015)

good luck with your sales.  ds#1 and ds#3 both make jewelry and sell at craft shows and their sales are way down right now too.  people just don't seem to have the extra money to spend


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## Latestarter (Nov 19, 2015)

It's because we as a nation are experiencing such a strong economic recovery... Don't you hear/see/read the govt reports on the state sponsored (owned) news?


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## goatgurl (Nov 19, 2015)

now @Latestarter do not make me climb up on my soap box!!  sometimes it is hard to get me back down again


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 21, 2015)

Well, I have begun an application to be a potential online blogger for Mother Earth News, which I am really excited about and praying for. Though it would not be a paying job, it would help bring exposure to the website we are currently building for ourselves. This may mean an opportunity to sell crafts and furs online! 

I am sincerely thankful to those who follow this thread/journal and help support us. I will be sure to link to our website once I get it up and running!


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## Baymule (Nov 22, 2015)

that's great! I hope you get it!


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 25, 2015)

norseofcourse said:


> Wow!  Take a video if you can when you crack that one open - there's also the very rare occurance of an entire EGG inside another egg.



It was a double yolk but not a whole other egg


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 25, 2015)

Baymule said:


> that's great! I hope you get it!



I got it! Thank you so much for your best wishes! I'm very excited- I'll be writing every other week. I'll make sure to post links to them! I'm super excited. Thanks again!


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## Baymule (Nov 27, 2015)

That is great news! I am so happy for you and can't wait to read your first post.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 28, 2015)

Thanksgiving was a great day to spend time with our family and enjoy another beautiful day. There is so much to be grateful for EVERY DAY, not just one day out of the year. We gave thanks for many things, including our egg layers, our watch dogs, our house being worked on, and some good squirrel hunting lately! We send best wishes to you all, and hope that things are going well for all of you kind folks on BYH. I will update again next week as we start back building on our cabin. Also, we are going to try and start bartering for items in the future, so we will post about how and what we traded.

I am also going to be working more on our website, that way we may be able to sell art (and fur soon) to folks who live long distance. Thank you for all you folks do here on BYH, and have a blessed day.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 28, 2015)

Just got our first raccoon of the year after some careful scouting! We noticed some scat that appeared to be raccoon, having some seeds in it. I suggested placing a trap here and we've checked for the past two days. We just found a raccoon in it! Can't wait to get this skinned and tanned. Hopefully we will be selling some tanned furs this year- I am very excited!


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## Baymule (Nov 28, 2015)

Coonskin cap!!!


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 29, 2015)

Baymule said:


> Coonskin cap!!!



I have been seriously considering this, but I told my husband I want to make a cap out of whatever I trap when I set my first foot trap. I am hesitant to use this fur for a hat because my husband and I both agreed that we need to wait til later on to start trapping again. It's been so warm here lately that even though the coon had bushy, thick fur...it was shedding!


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## Baymule (Nov 29, 2015)

What a let down. When you peel the hide off and see blue patches, you know the fur isn't prime.


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## sadieml (Nov 29, 2015)

I have a soft spot for raccoons.  We really love 'em .  Their fur is beautiful, but I'm sure I could never kill one.

About that egg, my Nannie had a hen that consistently laid double-yolked eggs.   And 2 Easter eggers, back in the 70's.  They were pretty rare then.  We would ooo and ahh every time for the first few months she had those EE's.  Also, twinning can be hereditary, so if you have a hen laying double-yolks, whe might do it all the time.  How long have you had her?  Is this just a fluke, or could it be her norm?  It really is exciting!


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## Devonviolet (Nov 30, 2015)

HomesteaderWife said:


> It was a double yolk but not a whole other egg
> View attachment 12571


Hi HomesteaderWife.   I've just recently become aware of you here on BYH. I've been enjoying reading your journal. I was holding off on commenting until I got to the end. However, just HAD to comment on your humongous double yolk egg. 

We have a turkey hen (Edith - named by our DD, so we wouldn't butcher her ), that we inherited when we bought our homestead last October. She laid eggs this summer, but stopped when she molted in Early Fall. She recently started laying again. After the first few eggs I found a HUGE egg that turned out to be a double yolk egg.




The "large" brown egg next to it came from one of our Red Sex Link hens, that are proving to be egg laying machines! We seem to be getting almost an egg a day from each of them, in spite losing daylight hours. For now, our remaining hens aren't laying.  We're hoping to get more eggs after we put lights - on a timer for 16 hours of light a day.

Here is a photo of 2 of Edith's normal eggs with her humongous egg!





Keep up the good work, you and DG are going a great job. 

Edited for clarity: DG was _supposed_ to be DH!


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 30, 2015)

sadieml said:


> Also, twinning can be hereditary, so if you have a hen laying double-yolks, whe might do it all the time.  How long have you had her?  Is this just a fluke, or could it be her norm?  It really is exciting!



It has been the only double yolk egg so far from her, so I don't think it will be all the time! If it was, that would blow my mind. Finding that one egg was bad enough, I'd be losing my mind is she laid like that all the time!


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 30, 2015)

Devonviolet said:


> Keep up the good work, you and DG are going a great job.



Thank you for sharing those photos- I was shocked to see that a turkey could do the same! I have to ask, what does DG mean? I finally learned that things like DH meant dear husband and such but this one stumps me. You'd think I would know internet slang by now but I am lacking!


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## Devonviolet (Nov 30, 2015)

HomesteaderWife said:


> Thank you for sharing those photos- I was shocked to see that a turkey could do the same! I have to ask, what does DG mean? I finally learned that things like DH meant dear husband and such but this one stumps me. You'd think I would know internet slang by now but I am lacking!


LOL!    I'm posting on my phone, and the keyboad is so tiny I often hit the key on either side of the one I want.  DG was _supposed_ to be DH!


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## Poka_Doodle (Nov 30, 2015)

My Kindle has been known to make spelling mistakes too due to my laziness of slide type


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## Latestarter (Nov 30, 2015)

Gosh... my problem is no typing skills whatsoever... I hunt and peck with 2 fingers on left hand and one on right. and they are short, stubby (ok... fat) fingers. So I'm forever turning on caps lock when I need an "a" or adding all sorts of extra letters or spaces into words and having to go back and delete out or correct... I know an old dog can learn new tricks, but I'm not a dog, and at almost 60, I figure it's not worth wasting the effort at something that matters so little in the big scheme of things


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## Devonviolet (Nov 30, 2015)

Latestarter said:


> Gosh... my problem is no typing skills whatsoever... I hunt and peck with 2 fingers on left hand and one on right. and they are short, stubby (ok... fat) fingers. So I'm forever turning on caps lock when I need an "a" or adding all sorts of extra letters or spaces into words and having to go back and delete out or correct... I know an old dog can learn new tricks, but I'm not a dog, and at almost 60, I figure it's not worth wasting the effort at something that matters so little in the big scheme of things


  I used to be able to type 75 wpm - well, with a few errors. . Then, I got out of the workforce, due to Lyme Disease. So, I wasn't typing as much & my speed went down. Then, we went from using a full size keyboard to hunt & peck, on a tiny touch screen keyboard, with hand tremors, I went to a _BLAZING_ 10 wpm - that's if I am lucky, and if I don't drop my smart phone, like I just did.    . . . And_ don't EVEN_ get me started on all (I'll) the crazy changes SPELL check makes to the meaning of what I am trying to say . . .


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## Latestarter (Nov 30, 2015)

Like "I'll" for "all" above?  Have you ever visited any of the sites that quote the funnier things spell check and auto correct have done to some folks wording? Every time I go I LMAO!  I mean tears streaming laughing...



Spoiler: If you don't like sex jokes or vulgar language, don't click the links



http://www.damnyouautocorrect.com/
Or perhaps: http://fyouautocorrect.com/top?p=1



Edit: Looks like you saw it and corrected it


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## Mini Horses (Nov 30, 2015)

So, today, one of my hens  (narrowed to one of two of them) laid one of those humongous eggs....wow,  I kept thinking there must be a duck around here!   Like yours, double the size of her normally large egg.   NO way it will fit into a carton, haven't cracked it yet but, sure it's at least a double yolker.   In past years, I have had a hen lay a triple yolker!   Small yolks, big egg, like this one.      I was looking for the one who was "walking funny" after that drop!   

When I first found it, on the ground by the hen house, not inside in nest, I didn't have time to check it out.   Crappy drizzle rainy day, had just had a knock on door, and sheriff was there --
asking "are these your horses in the road?"    Well, yes....those ARE my ten mares!!!!!!!!!!    They were in the edge of the hay field across street.   Told him I'd run to barn, get a feed bucket and get them back!  I did & saw he nicely waited in case there was help needed.   Like a pied piper, we all went back to a field  ---  and I went to find the fence failure & repaired it!!

Animals always keep you guessing!  (and busy)

Typing -- I'm with ya'll.   I used to be really fast and accurate.  Now, well I need to proof read more before I hit "send"  , even in slow motion.


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 7, 2015)

A GREAT UPDATE! I now blog bi-weekly online for the popular site Mother Earth News. 

My Mother Earth News Bio Page
http://www.motherearthnews.com/biographies/fala-burnette-alabama-crafter-and-homesteader.aspx

My First Article
http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...earned-from-childhood-on-a-farm-zbcz1512.aspx

Our Website
http://www.wolfbranchhomestead.com/


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## Latestarter (Dec 7, 2015)

Started reading and found this: "But *she* also spent a great deal of *my* time on *her* grandmother’s 40-acre farm an hour out of town, and it was there that *she* learned what the work of her hands could accomplish."

Mixing first person and third person... can you edit?


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## Latestarter (Dec 7, 2015)

Also, at the bottom of the 2nd article: 
"_Fala Burnette is a homesteader _*with her husband*_ at _Wolf Branch Homestead_ in Alabama._* She*_ is currently building a small cabin using lumber _*she milled herself*_ and raising chickens, rabbits, and ducks. In Spring 2016,_* she*_ will start growing a large crop of heirloom Indian corn that _*she*_ will save to sell and make cornmeal with."_

Shouldn't it read "they?"

Sorry if I'm being picky...


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 7, 2015)

@Latestarter  I am glad you mentioned this. The person posting all my articles that is the blogging head changed a lot of the things I wrote up for the application including these things. I will write her and let her know about this! Thanks

EDIT: Just sent an email to try and get changes made. Thanks again!


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## Latestarter (Dec 7, 2015)

Pretty bad when the writer has to correct the editor aye? <snicker>


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## Baymule (Dec 7, 2015)

That is a good article. It made  me remember spending time with my grandparents. Now I am the grandparent and I love having our grand daughters over.


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## Poka_Doodle (Dec 7, 2015)

Love that article


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 8, 2015)

@Latestarter - Indeed, but the woman was very kind and changed it this morning for me. 

@Baymule - I loved my grandparents dearly, even though they were separated. My grandfather lived one state over, but my grandmother was close by and I loved visiting with her! She set such an important example and was, and always will be, my inspiration. Now that you are a grandparent yourself, do you ever find yourself doing anything the same way your own grandparents did?

@Poka_Doodle - Thank you so much! I appreciate it alot. I was very nervous in applying for the blogging position, and sat there for hours debating about what to write as my example/first post.


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## Latestarter (Dec 8, 2015)

Excellent articles!  And they make sense grammatically


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## Poka_Doodle (Dec 8, 2015)

I hope you don't mind but I used it as a source for a current writing project I am working on


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 8, 2015)

@Poka_Doodle - What are you writing about hun? I am more than happy for you to use any of it with source credit! Thank you again for reading it over


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## Baymule (Dec 8, 2015)

My Grandmother canned, made jams and jellies, and was a good cook. None of that transferred to her daughter.  I can, put up in the freezer, dehydrate, make jams and jellies and I am a good cook. My daughter takes more after her Grandma than she does me, but she is a good cook. My Great Grandmother and my Grandmother made home made eggnog. I make it too. My Great Grandmother was crafty, made pillows, she smocked, and made hook rugs. I was about 6 years old when she showed me how to hook a rug. Many, many years later, my Grandmother gave me 2 badly damaged hook rugs my Great Grandmother made. Because she had taken the time to show a little child what she was doing, I was able to restore the rugs and they are now in my guest room. My Grandfather taught me how to hunt, skin and clean game, and how to track. He taught me how to swing an axe, put tin on a roof, peel pine poles for fence posts and what the different trees were.


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 8, 2015)

@Baymule - I really love that you shared all of this with me, because it is interesting to hear that other people learned such valuable things from their grandparents and great-grandparents. I must ask about your grandfather teaching you to make fence posts, because this is something I tried recently. We took a few nice pines that were cleared and cut them 7 foot in length, and I then debarked them by hand with a draw knife. It was a lot of work, but we used them to enclose our chicken pen. Do you treat them with something, or do you put them in the ground as they are?


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## Baymule (Dec 8, 2015)

My grandfather had a vat made of metal barrels cut in half and welded together, I think it was 4 halves. He mixed Penta (I don't think you can buy it anymore) and diesel. He soaked the peeled poles for a couple of weeks. He had an expanded metal rack that hung over the vat. He took the soaked poles out and put them on the rack to drain and dry, and loaded the vat up again with more poles. He put cinder blocks on top of the poles to hold them under the solution. If you put them in the ground as they are, they will rot in a year or two.

My Grandfather also taught me about pitch pine. That is pine cut when the sap is leaving the pine needles and going into the roots for the winter. The sap is in the trunk of the pine. Here, the time to cut them is October. The sap crystalizes and acts as a preservative. It also makes it flammable and when split in small pieces, is great for starting fires. I have seen my Grandfather split pitch pine logs into fence posts and put them in the ground. And yes, he taught me to use a drawing knife too! My Daddy took truck loads of pine poles home with us and after I got home from school, I peeled pine poles. Then we took them back to my Grandfather to go in his vat. Oh, the vat needs to be under a shed, to keep rain from getting in it.


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## goatgurl (Dec 8, 2015)

excellent articles homesteaderwife!  good luck with it.


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## Poka_Doodle (Dec 8, 2015)

HomesteaderWife said:


> @Poka_Doodle - What are you writing about hun? I am more than happy for you to use any of it with source credit! Thank you again for reading it over


Its about an explosion, I am using the part about doing it well


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 9, 2015)

Poka_Doodle said:


> Its about an explosion, I am using the part about doing it well



Explosion?..


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 11, 2015)

Wow, I can't tell you all how excited I am! We just got an email from Norwood sawmills today (the company we purchased our own sawmill from) and we won 3rd place in their 2015 photo/video contest under a category for videos of sawmills in action. My husband was running the mill one day, and I took a video of him working which I decided to submit in their contest. Our 3rd place win gives us $100 credit towards a purchase from them (which will cover a good deal of the cost of buying our next box of 5 blades). We are more than happy to have this, and it's so great to be able to save that much when we go to buy blades again. Thank you Lord for such a blessing!


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## Southern by choice (Dec 11, 2015)

Very cool!  Smart thinking Homesteader Wife!


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 11, 2015)

I'm also pretty excited too about calling a local deer processors today. The woman took my information and said they normally throw their hides away, but she would get them to save a few for us in the freezer. I've never tried tanning a full deer hide before so this will be new for me. I've tanned squirrel, and now rabbit, but I want to learn more about tanning with deer. I'll need a lot more alum and salt... oh my.


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## Latestarter (Dec 11, 2015)

Use your brains instead of alum and salt... If the deer processor is saving hides for you, ask them to save the head for you as well so you can use the brains.
http://www.native-art-in-canada.com/braintanning.html


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 11, 2015)

@Latestarter - I thought about that after haha! I am going to ask them about it when we go to pick up the hides, as I have been wanting to try brain tanning but it slipped my mind. I'm not good with talking on the phone, I get tongue-tied and forget what I am trying to discuss! Thank you for reminding me about this.


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## norseofcourse (Dec 11, 2015)

Congrats on the contest win!  And good luck with the deer skins.  Have you read about the kerosene/baking soda method?


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## Ferguson K (Dec 11, 2015)

Congratulations!!! That's awesome!


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 11, 2015)

Thank you everyone! It was so nice to hear from the company today about the contest, and it was great to talk to the deer processors too. @norseofcourse - I have not heard of that method. I've heard of quite a few including eggs and oak bark, but not that one!


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 11, 2015)

The winning video of my husband milling up lumber, then him and our preacher nailing up the boards to construct an antique corn crib!


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 19, 2015)

I am excited to update today and say that I am about to get a new bunny over the Christmas holidays. I have been telling my best friend that I would gladly trade her a female rabbit for a few eggs and some squirrel meat. I messaged her today and mentioned it again, and she replied, "If you could stop ruining surprise Christmas gifts that would be great"

She sent a few photos of the new bunny, and this is a HUGE solid black Lionhead mix and she is 9 months old. She will be a wonderful addition to our farm as we continue to try and raise rabbits for meat and fur (we have had two females who weren't having any babies, so fingers crossed that this one will be a successful momma). I'm so thankful my friend is working out this trade with us! 

Also, I will post tomorrow once I get my next article up on Mother Earth News. It's going to be titled-  "5 Easy Squirrel Calls"

Thank you so much everyone for reading this journal. Have a blessed day, and MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!


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## animalmom (Dec 20, 2015)

Looking forward to your new article!


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## Baymule (Dec 20, 2015)

I raised show rabbits many years ago. The show quality sold for $20-$35 and the culls were butchered and sold for $3 frozen. Did I mention _many_ years ago?  I had more rabbit recipes than you could shake a stick at. Basically anything you use chicken for, substitute rabbit. But I got real creative with rabbit sausage, rabbit chili and bunny burgers.  Good luck with your rabbits. They make good small homestead animals.


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## Poka_Doodle (Dec 20, 2015)

Exciting news


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## samssimonsays (Dec 21, 2015)

Ah! Yay! Merry Christmas LOL


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 23, 2015)

My second article/blog on Mother Earth News was just published, and I FINALLY found the link to it- phew!

This was interesting to write, because it covers 5 different squirrel calls you can make fairly simply with items found around your home. I made a short example video to go along with it, which is included with the article. I wanted a way to help attract squirrels back to the area and get them a bit more relaxed after taking a shot, so a bit of brainstorming led to five pretty cool ways to mimic the sound they make called "cutting". The best part is, anyone can do it. It isn't some fancy call you have to buy online- it's a quick, hands on project.

From a very rain-soaked day in Alabama, I wish everyone here an early and very merry Christmas. May your holidays be blessed and joyful! 

*5 Easy Squirrel Calls*
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/5-easy-squirrel-calls-zbcz1512.aspx


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## animalmom (Dec 24, 2015)

That was interesting!  I've heard that sound before but never associated it with squirrels.  Most of the time the squirrels are either chattering or scolding the dogs.  I'm enjoying your articles, so please keep up the good work!


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 4, 2016)

I wanted to make a brief entry here and talk about something that amazed me today. I believe this entry may have an impact on a few folks in the future who are looking into their own sawmills. I am not going to sponsor any one particular mill brand, but if you look back in my posts you will see which one we own!

But before I do, I need to give a bit of background information. My husband and I invested in a portable sawmill a few months back- I've mentioned a little about that sawmill here, but not much. He had an old classic car that he bought while serving in the Marines, and while he was overseas someone tried to steal it while it was in the shop, so for over a year after he came home, it sat in one spot and never ran. After a very long time, we finally found a buyer, and that money was then used to purchase the sawmill.

It was a PAIN to set up ourselves, and took us a long time, but it saved over $1,000 by assembling it at home instead of having them ship it already pieced together. It took a good deal of time to learn what we were doing, too. My husband and I now can work smoothly together on the mill- the two of us usually work alone unless more strength is needed, and then his younger brother steps in. We cut down our own trees, drag them with our tractor to the mill, and make our boards.

The point I want to discuss is that I am absolutely stunned by the way this is paying for itself so quickly. If you EVER consider investing in a sawmill, I want you to look at some of the numbers below. We haven't even owned it a year! It is hard work, but very rewarding.

$1,000+ lumber order for a customer
$200 from selling SCRAPS (pieces of lumber with rough edges for $5 or the outside cuts that have rounded edges with bark for $2 a board)
$50 + from artwork made with scrap lumber and sold at local arts and crafts festivals
$350 in SAVINGS - We just cut up 70 boards for our cabin's flooring and started nailing them down. When we went to the hardware store to get some more nails, I looked at lumber prices and we saved about $350 by milling our own boards. This DOESN'T even count the boards that we used to frame out the floor and support it.
Our main goals in purchasing this were cutting our own wood to build our cabin and having a source of income by selling lumber too. We've estimated that after milling all of the wood for our cabin, it will have more than paid for itself with the money we saved from not going out and buying lumber. If times get hard, used sawmills generally sell for only a bit less than what you buy them for new. The wood is absolutely beautiful, and there is a story to tell when you look at those boards as they start framing out a building. Scrap pieces are frequently used here at  home to build things such as ATV sleds, nest boxes, and even frame out a car port. The costs to run the sawmill, buy blades, and put gas in it are nothing compared to what we have made and saved from it so far.

As said, I felt really compelled to discuss this because of the fact our trip to the hardware store today really opened my eyes to the price of lumber. I am including a few photos of some of our boards, scrap wood projects, and more. Thank you for taking the time to read this, and please leave any feedback!


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## Latestarter (Jan 5, 2016)

I almost bought one years ago after purchasing 18 acres of raw land up in Maine. I never did, and ended up selling the land (for a nice profit... which I then blew, but that's another story). Since that time I have considered purchasing another, but won't do so until I have land with trees to use it on, and truth be told, now that I'm older and by myself, it may never happen. Perhaps you should consider doing an article for your blog?


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 5, 2016)

@Latestarter - I wrote this week about "Repurposing Scrap Wood" which they should have posted in the next few days. But I am going to write about the benefits of having a sawmill in the future. The only reason I was hesitant to is that a representative from one particular brand/company actually wrote something like that awhile back on their website. And as I mentioned I don't want to point fingers and say one brand is better than the other! 

It is good to have all the trees there you want to use. Some of our logs have been VERY heavy, to the point a vehicle could not drag them. But our old tractor is able to pull them with a bit of effort. I can say that it is seems like a two person job sometimes, especially when it comes to milling the logs up. We have our own jobs, my husband and I, when working on it:

*My Jobs - *watch out for my husband as he cuts trees, hook the chain up and unhook it to drag logs, use the winch to roll the log up, measure out where we will cut, get him lined up to the right place to cut, fill the water tank, and make sure the log dogs (supports to keep it on the mill) as far enough down that the blade won't hit it which I still monitor even as he is cutting
*Husbands Jobs- *cutting down trees, cutting them into size for the board length (always gives himself about a foot extra to square the boards later), operates the tractor when pulling logs, helps guide the log up to the mill, operates the mill and cuts logs (most of the time! I get the itch to cut occasionally), and moves boards to stack them

I don't know if this is much help, but if you're looking to mill up for small projects, try an Alaskan chainsaw mill if you haven't already. One person can do it, but I will caution that it takes a toll on the chainsaw and the chains/blades after a time. You cannot use a regular chain for it, you need a "ripping chain". BUT we have successfully used one to build dog houses with before we got the mill. For what it was worth, it did a good job!


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2016)

I love reading about your homesteading. Your home will truly be your home when you move in it. Every board will have a story to tell, all the love and hard work that went into building it.


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2016)

I love reading about your homesteading. Your home will truly be your home when you move in it. Every board will have a story to tell, all the love and hard work that went into building it.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 5, 2016)

Just wanted to share a photo of the floor boards going down today. This is what we have already from a day and a half of my husband and I working together to cut boards, haul them out on our sled, and nail them down!


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## Latestarter (Jan 5, 2016)

You know... looking at that pic where I can get a better size aspect, I have to wonder... Did y'all plan the structure with expansion later in mind? If you're "typical" homesteaders, you're gonna have 23 kids    and need to add on some space to house everyone. For just the 2 of you, I'm sure that will be a comfortable "tiny house" space.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 5, 2016)

My third article has been uploaded at Mother Earth News and is available for anyone to read! Thank you to all of you who take the time to read these brief, bi-weekly blogs. 

"Repurposing Scrap Wood'
http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/repurposing-scrap-wood-zbcz1601.aspx


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 5, 2016)

@Latestarter - We have some space cleared off on both sides where an expansion would be possible, yes. One day we will start a family (hopefully not 23- goodness gracious) and if room is needed, we can make that work out.


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## Baymule (Jan 5, 2016)

Just build a 2 story-you'll get around to using the 2nd story!


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## goatgurl (Jan 5, 2016)

great articles HomesteaderWife.  my sil wants to get a saw mill when he gets out here to live.  I'm going to make sure he reads your blogs and watches the videos too.  sounds like youall are making progress


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 5, 2016)

@goatgurl  - Thank you so much! If he has any questions, send them our way. We would love to answer them, and give honest input and thoughts about our experiences with the sawmill. We are making pretty good progress- we nail down the last of the boards tomorrow for the floor then start cutting out boards to frame the wall with!


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## animalmom (Jan 6, 2016)

I am in awe!  You and your dear husband make an excellent team.  Our country needs more of the two of you and less of the current crop of whiny cry babies in the colleges and universities.

Do post lots of pictures of your progress and do keep us updated when you have a new article out.  Please and thank you.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 10, 2016)

I recently mentioned we were bringing home a female rabbit after Christmas and have yet to post photos! So here is our new girl, Miss Attitude. 




 

 

We also just brought home a male Muscovy duck (who my husband named Donald!) We are hoping to start breeding Muscovies in the future. I have to admit I am surprised- he is like a big, shy puppy!


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## Poka_Doodle (Jan 10, 2016)

Hey, is Donald the real Donald Trump? 

Miss Attitude is really cute


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## Baymule (Jan 10, 2016)

Muscovies are the ultimate farm duck. They brood and raise their own young. Drakes can reach 9 pounds, 7 for the ducks. Plus they have the added bonus of just being so cool!


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 24, 2016)

This morning, I wanted to share something I have written personally (not for the Mother Earth News blog). These are my personal thoughts that I hope will benefit someone down the road.

https://wolfbranchhomestead.wordpress.com/2016/01/24/our-dear-friend/

I also wanted to share a bit of exciting news with everyone about our progress here at Wolf Branch. We are about to start framing the walls of our cabin when the weather clears up (only have a few more logs to cut up in order to get all of our framing). After this, we put on the tin roof and the outside boards. Once this is done, we will start living in it and working on the inside of the house! Hopefully, it will just be a few more months before it is time to live in it.

We are looking to be bringing a young female Nubian goat home in March from some friends of ours, so we have to work on a pen at the same time! We hope to be breeding goats in the future. Also, we have been praying hard that our female rabbit is pregnant. I am not that good at palpitating her stomach, but she does look bigger. IF she did take, she will have kits by the first week of February.

Once the cabin is finished up, we are going to try and start our own business milling up lumber for people and selling heirloom crops. We are going to plant Hasting's Prolific corn this year, and really hope that it does well. 

We hope everyone is having a blessed, joyful day. Stay warm!


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## animalmom (Jan 24, 2016)

That just made my Sunday!  Well put @HomesteaderWife!


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## Baymule (Jan 24, 2016)

I  enjoyed your article and I agree wholeheartedly. I got goosebumps when you told of your friend's last words to you was telling you to get back in church. That was a wake up call indeed!

I am so happy for your news of up the house. Will you be using new tin on the roof or used? I have scrounged used tin and use it on my animal shelters. I drop a roofing tack in the hole and glop it up good with asphalt roof patch.


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## Baymule (Jan 24, 2016)

I  enjoyed your article and I agree wholeheartedly. I got goosebumps when you told of your friend's last words to you was telling you to get back in church. That was a wake up call indeed!

I am so happy for your news of up the house. Will you be using new tin on the roof or used? I have scrounged used tin and use it on my animal shelters. I drop a roofing tack in the hole and glop it up good with asphalt roof patch.


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## Baymule (Jan 24, 2016)

I  enjoyed your article and I agree wholeheartedly. I got goosebumps when you told of your friend's last words to you was telling you to get back in church. That was a wake up call indeed!

I am so happy for your news of up the house. Will you be using new tin on the roof or used? I have scrounged used tin and use it on my animal shelters. I drop a roofing tack in the hole and glop it up good with asphalt roof patch.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 24, 2016)

@Baymule - Yes, I haven't really shared that outside of a few family members and my husband. But I feel it is an important part of my testimony, because it was something that haunted me until I understood the significance and the blessing that was hidden in that sad time. To this day I still have a hard time believing that it happened, honestly....but I remember my friend fondly- she was such a sweetheart.

We are saving up to buy new tin for the house. However, we do put used tin on animal shelters like you mentioned. Works just fine- and I actually need to get some more saved up for building a little house for our new goat when we bring one home in March


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 25, 2016)

Part of our goal is to be more self-sufficient by using material already around us. To make a long story short, we've recently ended up with scrap parts from a field dressed deer (not one we've killed, as we are waiting to make a plot next year). I've already harvested sinew from the back parts of the legs, but wanted to share something else kind of interesting. So out of these scraps, we got about half of the hide. I stretched it, then later tanned it. It did not turn out as well as I hoped, BUT..I've managed to make something cool already.

I still have enough hide for about 2 more pouches and even a homemade cat toy. But my first project today was making a pouch for my .410 shotgun shells. I have an old hunting vest I used to keep them in, but they would all fall out every time I leaned over to get a squirrel. SO...I figured I would put this hide to use and sew it up with some twine and make a little belt for it from some scrap leather. Here is what the finished product looks like!

Photo 1 (left) is of the hide while I was working it. Photo 2 (center) shows it while I am wearing it, with a little stick whittled down to keep it closed. Photo 3 (right) is the bag hanging on my hide breaking stick. This is my first attempt at really making anything with a hide so far, and it's crude but useful!


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## Baymule (Jan 26, 2016)

We bought new tin for our barn. I called around and found my best deal. So far, for the barn we had to buy _new_ 29 2x6x20' for rafters and the tin. The telephone poles and all lumber came from my scrounge pile.  I love building something from scraps and used materials.

Your deer hide bag looks good. I was a Cub Scout leader once upon a time and for a project, we tanned deer hides. I got hides from a custom slaughter house and had the boys stake the hides out, scrape them, salt them and after they dried, we worked them over the swing set bars to soften them up. The boys had a great time. But I had more fun than they did!


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 26, 2016)

Finally got Article #4 on Mother Earth News posted- I figured I would finally write a little about the sawmill experience (while also putting up a list of some of our current savings).
http://www.motherearthnews.com/home...-and-cons-of-a-portable-sawmill-zbcz1601.aspx

Once our cabin is done, I will be doing a cost comparison using all that we milled up....seeing what lumber prices are and figuring out how much we saved by milling our own lumber. Let's see if that sawmill pays for itself in a year! Not counting all our scrap wood being advertised- we put a few bargains in the local trade paper to see if we can get some stuff sold. Need to make enough to cover tin for the house SOON!

Thank you everyone for reading- I appreciate all of you who take the time to read here and respond. I just honestly started this as record keeping for myself...but oh goodness I've had some good conversation here too.


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## Baymule (Jan 27, 2016)

Since your house is small, go up a little higher, at least for maybe a sleeping loft. Just an idea.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 27, 2016)

@Baymule - we are going to make space for a small loft, but if God blesses us with little ones in the future, we have enough room to add on!


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## Baymule (Jan 31, 2016)

Make sure you have a covered porch on that house. Some of my favorite memories are of sitting on a grandparents porch, shelling peas or butterbeans. It was the polite thing to do, grab a pan, set a spell, visit and shell peas.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jan 31, 2016)

@Baymule - Oh yes we are going to have the front porch covered! All of our animals will be centered around the front of the house, as will our outdoor cooking area, that way we can sit and observe and eat outside if we like!


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## HomesteaderWife (Mar 16, 2016)

Man, it has been awhile since I have updated here and covered what all has been happening.

Firstly, we finally have a mate for our two Khaki Campbell girls! He is very protective of them, but is so easy to handle that it makes me really appreciate and love this duck breed all the more. Since the girls had names inspired by those cute little yellow guys from the Despicable Me movies ("Chiquita" and "Papaya"), he naturally needed a matching name. So, we introduced "Minion" to the girls about a month ago, and they've been enjoying each-others company with no problems since!



 

We are now getting ready to cut 160+ boards for the walls of our cabin after finally getting them all framed up. My husband has been working hard to haul the logs out, and I really enjoy helping move them out of the woods and down to the mill. We should be moved into the cabin before Summer! Below are some photos where you can see where we started framing, and we've got one of the carpenter bee traps we made hanging up _just in case_ they start becoming a problem out where we are building. What a beautiful view from the doorway as the sun sets! God has blessed us so much in this journey of hard work- it is worth it at the end of the day! It's hard to believe how far we've come.


 

 

We also introduced a new animal friend to the farm this past Saturday- a little female goat named "Linda" who we hope to breed and get milk from in the future. She is a silly little thing- and a BIG helper so far while we are clearing out brush! 


 

Finally, I've got lots of new art projects we are taking to a sale this weekend (and two major sales coming in May). New walking sticks, signs, some hand-made dreamcatchers, carpenter bee traps, and even "lucky rabbit foot" necklaces. Please wish us luck- the money earned will be placed towards needed supplies for our cabin (tin and nails mainly)!


 

Last thing here to update, but WOW the sawmill is definitely paying for itself. When we square off logs, we get alot of outside pieces that are flat on one side and round with bark on the other. It stacks up quickly, so we advertise it for sale in the local papers for $2 a board. In the past two weeks, we made enough from selling scrap wood to pay our bills! 

I am so thankful to everyone who reads and responds here- I really enjoy sharing, and hope that maybe some of the things here can help or inspire others. In the beginning, I was honestly frightened of the concept of changing my lifestyle so much. Now, I've learned how rewarding hard work can be, and I've grown so close to my husband as we work together to build our home.

We hope everyone is having a safe, healthy, and blessed day as you read this!

_-The Burnette Family_


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## Latestarter (Mar 16, 2016)

It's good to see that you've got the wall framing up. I'd honestly be a little concerned though if you're using green timber... Aren't you worried about shrinkage/warping and mold? Typically wood is cut and dried down to <10-15% moisture content before it's used.


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## HomesteaderWife (Mar 19, 2016)

@Latestarter - We give our lumber a bit of time to dry, but we aren't worried about shrinkage much. As for the warping, we stack it a particular way on level ground so that the Pine has no problems with that. (Most lumber dries for 2 years unless sped up with a kiln and even then it takes a good while) My husband and I talked about it but we will see how it turns out! 
*- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
*​I wanted to update and give praise because our sale today did extremely well! Our gas to get there was covered, and we made enough for our bills. A lot of faith-based art sold right before Easter which means so much to us. Our prayers were answered, as it did not rain and the sale went much better than any of the past ones combined! We got to spend time with family afterwards as well, so it was a wonderful day.

God bless you all as we come into the Holy Week!

_-The Burnette Family_


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## HomesteaderWife (Jun 25, 2016)

I realize I have neglected my journaling for a few months now, and there is so much I need to keep record of!

April 21st through the 23rd, our garden was planted. We have had great success out of it, with tons of cucumbers and squash thus far. I've canned 4 nice quarts so far of kosher spears and bread & butter slices. We also have tomatoes, okra, and peppers planted. We have about 250 stalks of Hasting's Prolific white dent corn planted, and will be selling the seed for it later in the year (please comment or message if you may be interested, and check out our thread on The Easy Garden to see photos of it- http://www.theeasygarden.com/threads/heirloom-hastings-prolific-corn-al.19410/). It's been 64 days since the corn was planted, and it's already 8ft to 10ft tall with tassels coming in- I cannot believe the plant is as tall as it is! We grew Bloody Butcher last year, and it was only around 6ft if I remember correctly. It amazes me, and I feel so small standing next to the stalks!

We had one of our hens (appropriately named "Fat Momma") who started getting broody about a week ago, and we have 9 fertile Khaki Campbell duck eggs under her. We are hoping for them to hatch out, as we have really grown to love the breed. I must admit, before we got our two females and our male, I did not particularly like ducks. They completely changed my perspective- Khakis are very sociable and easy to handle. They aren't flighty, and they get along well with our chickens. Needless to say, I hope these eggs hatch out, and I don't think we would have the heart to sell any of them 

My husband and I are getting ready to cut beams for the roof, and we have money saved for our tin already. We've been slow in our progress, as we've had a few jobs to do with our family's pool-work business (it's Summer, so there is lots to do.) Once everything slows down in the winter, and the house gets close to being finished, we will be running the sawmill for income. The sawmill remains one of our best investments thus far!

Our art sales have slowed and not done so well, so we are going to reduce all of our prices at the next one and start over from scratch making nothing but walking sticks I do believe. They seem to sell better than anything, it seems. We've been blessed to sell a good deal of them, and even had a custom order a few months ago that turned out really nicely. 

That's all I can really think to update so far, and thank you to those of you who happen to read, like, and comment here. It's such a joy to have people stop by the journal! May God bless you all, and take care!


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 9, 2016)

I haven't updated in awhile but here it goes....one simple thing I have to post about but it's a huge blessing.

Our hen had 9 duck eggs under her- she rejected 3 bad ones. I went out and was feeding her this morning when she sat up and I saw an egg that looked crushed under her. I lifted it up sadly and was about to count 4 when...._peep peep_....I turned it over and there was a beak!

By God's grace we actually had a successful hatch. Please pray with me for this little one to grow up strong, and that maybe the other 5 will hatch soon and be healthy too. Momma hen seems content with the little one under her, now out of the egg, so I really hope she keeps protecting and caring for it so well.

Such a great morning!


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## TAH (Jul 10, 2016)

Congrats on the ducky. How is the duckling doing today? Did you get a buddy for your adorable little goat yet?


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## Goat Whisperer (Jul 10, 2016)

Congrats on the duckling! I love watching them in a group. Hopefully you get some more hatching soon.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 10, 2016)

Well, the duckling did not make it....the hen smothered it and I found the poor thing this morning....there are still 5 other eggs under her that look good and should hatch in the next few days (hopefully). I was very sad, but still feel blessed nonetheless.

Miss Linda the goat hasn't had a friend yet- we are working on a larger pen before we get a male so they won't be cramped up, but I do know where we are getting one from. She's been very content, going on walks and out to eat every day. She especially likes going out to the garden and eating weeds while we pick!


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## TAH (Jul 10, 2016)

Sorry about the duckling. 
Like her name.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 14, 2016)

After losing our first duckling, please be praying over the last 5 that are under our broody hen. 4 of them have already begun to pip their shells (when we candled them, the 5th one was still moving but must have been one of the last eggs put under her). None of them have broken through and shown their bills yet. We are hoping for babies in the next few days. We've come to love our ducks, so this is exciting for us!

I didn't update last time, I believe, but we have a new article up on Mother Earth News about the corn we are growing called Hastings' Prolific. This was very important to us, because there are so many rumors about how this corn develops, so it made it hard to know what to expect when growing it. So we have been keeping record of how it grows (including the fact one stalk is 14 FEET TALL!)
http://www.motherearthnews.com/organic-gardening/hastings-prolific-corn-part-1-zbcz1607.aspx

Our garden has been booming this year, allowing us to give away some produce to family and sell to people. We've had folks come from an hour and a half away just to get blackberries and cucumbers. I have tons of whole pickles, spears, and pickle slices put up. Tried my hand at making relish and salsa as well. Our jalapenos started doing well so I have canned some slices of them too. Next is to pull off some smaller ears of corn that can't be used for seed and roast them up. If we have enough we may freeze some and dry others out to make cornmeal. All depends on how the ears look and how much demand for seed there is. 

I really enjoy it here on BYH- thanks for all of your help, and prayers.


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 15, 2016)

The "chuckens" are here! It was like Christmas morning! 4 of 5 have hatched out (the 5th is still moving around in the egg, no pips yet)


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## TAH (Jul 15, 2016)

What a good thing you walk out to see.


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## frustratedearthmother (Jul 15, 2016)

How cute - and I'm voting for that pic to be a "Caption Contest" pic!


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## TAH (Jul 15, 2016)

Oh yes that pics is for sure caption worthy!!


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 18, 2016)

The babies went for their first swim today, and our hen was relaxing and taking a dirt bath while I watched over them. She's been a very good, but calm mommy.


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## TAH (Jul 18, 2016)

What little cuties. What a good mama.


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## Poka_Doodle (Jul 18, 2016)

How cute


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## HomesteaderWife (Dec 12, 2016)

So WOW- I have not written anything here in a good long while. There's so much to update on.

Our duckling grew up big and healthy- 3 boys and 1 girl! 

My husband and I celebrate our anniversary today, and I was surprised a few days ago with an early present...a cute Kiko/Pygmy billy goat! "Triscuit" is now enjoying the company of our female goat, Linda, with fingers crossed for babies in the future for them. It was so amazing to walk out and find the new little guy with a red bow on his collar! We are living in our cabin now, and its such a great life! We have an old antique wood stove to help heat and cook. We just finished making our own table, and next step is to add a porch! Lots of new art projects and hide tanning going on that we hope to sell next weekend. I am making this sort of short, but I promise photos here soon. It's always good to write here.

-HomesteaderWife


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## Baymule (Dec 12, 2016)

So glad to see you on here again! I can't wait to see pictures of your cabin. How proud and happy you must be to be living in it now.

Happy anniversary! What a great gift, nothing says "Honey I love you" like a goat!


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## TAH (Dec 13, 2016)

Congrats on the new goat! 

Can't wait for pics!


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## HomesteaderWife (Feb 17, 2017)

Okay, SO...I have neglected to post photos for a very long time now. And I know everyone here really seems to enjoy photos, especially of cute critters! I'm going to post a few here just to update and share!

To start off, we have not had snow at all this Winter here in Alabama. Our coldest day brought some ice and that was about it. Here's a photo of our Labrador enjoying that! You can see our cabin sort of in the background. STILL  UNDER CONSTRUCTION!


My husband surprised me with a male goat for our anniversary/early Christmas! Triscuit is a happy little guy, and Linda has taken to him well. Fingers crossed for baby goats this year! Triscuit's photo is on the left and Linda is on the right. Sorry- neither wanted a photo taken!
 

The baby ducks grew so big! This is a photo of two of them now- Squash is saying "hello!" while Nellie looks on!


Annddddd last but not least, we recently added some newbies to the chicken flock. Someone was giving them away because they were both roosters, so we ended up with the double trouble brothers- Edgar and Darles Chickens. They are both Golden Polish! Though the hens still don't like them after a month or so, they're maturing well and Edgar has started crowing finally. Darles is on the left and Edgar is on the right!
 

Thanks for stopping by friends! Keep your head up!


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## animalmom (Feb 18, 2017)

Handsome chicken boys!  I'm sure your hens will warm up to the guys when the guys get a wee bit more mature.  Good to see you posting again!!!!


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## Baymule (Feb 18, 2017)

Good to hear from you! Are ya'll living in your cabin yet?


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## HomesteaderWife (Feb 19, 2017)

@Baymule - Yes we are!


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## Baymule (Feb 19, 2017)

HomesteaderWife said:


> @Baymule - Yes we are!


Well, of course you know we want pictures!!!


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## Bruce (Feb 19, 2017)

YAH, pictures!!!!!


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## Latestarter (Feb 20, 2017)

Pictures are always a good thing... I routinely catch flack as I'm no photographer...  Doesn't mean I don't like to see them...  Thanks for the update.


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## HomesteaderWife (Mar 26, 2017)

So here we are again- the hen that's in my profile photo who was responsible for hatching five baby ducks is back on the nest again. Like I normally say, I make these brief kind of for personal record-keeping! My timing puts Fat Momma to be hatching out babies before Easter!


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## HomesteaderWife (Apr 12, 2017)

_It's an early Easter gift we just can't keep to ourselves!_


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## Mike CHS (Apr 12, 2017)

Perfect timing.


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## Poka_Doodle (Apr 12, 2017)

Adorable!!! Jealous of your timing.


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## lcertuche (Apr 17, 2017)

Howdy, I'm from Arkansas.  I used to have a bunch of game hens and they were broody practically all summer. The price of chicks and the bother of raising chicks broody hens are the way to go. The chickens I have were bought as chicks last spring and only started laying a couple of months ago. I'm looking forward to more stories from Wolf Branch and your homesteading adventures.


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## HomesteaderWife (Sep 27, 2017)

I've been absent from here for a very long time. Time has slipped by with so much going on. We have lost a lot of animals in that time, and currently stand with only five chickens and four ducks. It's been heart-breaking. 

There's been positives in the time as well- we finally found a large wood stove, are almost finished with our porch, we are decorating the inside of the cabin, we've built our own bed, and so much more.

The garden was pretty much a bust except for cucumbers and jalapenos. Our sweet corn failed, as did the Blue Hopi corn. The only thing that really took off in the heirlooms were the birdhouse gourds- we have quite a lot of them we are waiting on to harden. And they're still going! 

This year's canning included mainly LOTS of pickles. There are jalapeño slices, of course! That's about all, haha.

Did a lot of scouting this year for wild American persimmon trees and found a few that are dropping now. I'll prepare next year early to harvest them and dehydrate the pulp- I hear making "fruit leather" from it is a tasty treat. We have also gathered a lot of seeds from the ground in hopes of one day growing some more trees. 

A lot of work around and outside of home. A fair share of struggles here and there. But you know, in all of it, we are blessed and can't complain. For every bad, there's five good things (if that makes sense!) God takes care of us! We pay the bills and save enough to get the necessities. I'll be back here more regularly now that things have settled down some.


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## Mike CHS (Sep 27, 2017)

HomesteaderWife said:


> A lot of work around and outside of home. A fair share of struggles here and there. But you know, in all of it, we are blessed and can't complain. For every bad, there's five good things (if that makes sense!) God takes care of us! We pay the bills and save enough to get the necessities. I'll be back here more regularly now that things have settled down some.


.

That last paragraph pretty much sums up most lives of those who frequent this forum.  I'm glad to see you back and really happy to see you doing well in spite of the bad.


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## Bruce (Sep 27, 2017)

Sorry about your loss of animals!! 
I think a lot of our gardens this year did similarly to yours. Too much rain here. We FINALLY got ripe Sungold cherry tomatoes starting 2-3 weeks ago, should have been happening mid to late July. It has been hot the last week or so, WAY hotter than usual so even the full size tomatoes FINALLY are starting to get red. But it will cool substantially starting tomorrow so the tomatoes will slow ... until the first frost kills them.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 29, 2017)

Well, Fall is here, and a lot has happened yet again. The cabin and our wonderful porch is all completed, and we saved up enough to get the larger wood stove that was much needed. We are clearing around the house for an addition that will eventually be living space, and the old part will become the kitchen/library/relaxing space. We are also going to build a work shed in time, where we can get the four-wheeler fixed up and store it there. We can do our skinning and tanning without the "help" of the yellowjackets here too.

Speaking of skinning- I am still really happy that one of the local processors (well, not local, it's a 30 minute drive to the nearest one) allows us to pick up deer hides and legs and heads for free. Now this may sound gross, but my little crafty head sees beauty in all of this. Hides can be tanned fur on or off to make leather. Legs can be used to make bone knives, the fur around it makes good walking stick handles, the hooves are removed for decorations/necklaces/and such, the tendons can be harvested for sinew, and the pups get a nice chew. The head can be cleaned for a nice skull display. We recently picked up 4 hides, 10 legs, and a head to start the season off. Please keep in mind CWD is not reported in our state, but I still take precaution when handling the deer.

We had a little scare with one of our last four ducks, who randomly had swollen legs and could not stand or walk. He got babied for about four days, and with some good rest he recovered! The chickens are helping me with my little compost pen where we grew a ton of gourds this year. Hoping to plant some carrots here next year? 

P.S. Pumpkins are pretty darn expensive- we carved gourds this year for Halloween!

The last thing I guess to update about is that we have a big craft sale coming up December 16th. I have so much stuff in the works to really try to make some money for Winter bills and needs. I'm really praying it is successful- we could really use it. Hmm, I guess that's about it for this update. Thank you to anyone who may read this.


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## Baymule (Nov 29, 2017)

I have another idea for those deer legs. I have seen them made into gun racks. The legs are bent up and dried to hold a rifle and mounted on a nice piece of wood. Screws go in the leg from the back side of the wood.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 29, 2017)

@Baymule - I did look into that, because my husband absolutely loves his grandfather's gun rack that is made like that. People that make them usually taxidermy strip it down to the toes to clean them. It may have to be a Christmas craft for him if we get a deer here soon


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## HomesteaderWife (Feb 6, 2018)

I am going to keep my update brief, as we have been more quiet about this. We had a fire on New Years Day, and lost our cabin and most of our things. However, we did not want to ask for help and wanted to rebuild ourselves in order to find strength and hope in the dark times. People have asked about "go fund me" and we have declined, as again we really just wanted prayers as we worked forward. We've been blessed by family coming forward and insisting on helping, along with two churches our family attends sending help as well. We have clothes, food, tools to rebuild, and money for bills. We are safe and strong. In short, we are in the process of rebuilding an actual log cabin, and we have had time to heal and carry on. It's heartbreaking- so many family treasures and handmade gifts my husband and I made each other were there. But we are rebuilding in the same place, and the lesson we learned is- "You can't rebuild while sitting there being sad. A new home cannot build itself." It was an accident which we believe was cause by wind- it happened so fast. We weren't in there, thus why I said we were safe, because it was so bad we couldn't have done anything. So I've been absent for awhile amongst this all and my time will be scarce as we move on, but please just keep us in your prayers. We are not in need, in fact we are "rich in spirit" so we are doing okay and blessed. Thank you everyone and I wish you all well.


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## Mike CHS (Feb 6, 2018)

You almost don't want to "like" a post like yours but I love the spirit behind your post.  You and yours are in our prayers.


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## Pastor Dave (Feb 6, 2018)

x2
How devastating. Prayers for your needs, strength, and many blessings as you move forward and rebuild.


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## HomesteaderWife (Feb 6, 2018)

Thank you @Mike CHS and @Pastor Dave for your prayers!


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## Baymule (Feb 6, 2018)

I am so sorry. Fire takes everything. I admire your spirit and attitude, but what a price to pay. I know you will rebuild, better than what you had to start with. I hope you check in from time to time. I loved reading your story as you built your home and I miss you being on here. Prayers.


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## Latestarter (Feb 7, 2018)

Sorry to hear. best wishes moving forward.


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## HomesteaderWife (Sep 4, 2018)

It's been a long time since I have posted here, as there isn't much to say. We are still rebuilding, and only have one chicken along with our four dogs. However, because this particular site is about herds...man I just really wanted to share something.

As a youngster, I was always around horses at my grandmother's farm. I remember in either the late 90s or early 2000s when Monty Roberts, the horse trainer, came through Alabama doing demos. I was so upset I hadn't gotten to see him, but my aunt did, and she brought me back a book called "The Man Who Listens to Horses". His principles of non-violence later became a staple of my work in animal shelters, and the way he studied the body language of horses was also useful for teaching me to observe the body language of other animals in order to bond with them. It was through this that I worked with 100% feral cats and found homes for 5 of them after begging the shelter director to let me give it a shot. It was through studying their body language that I was able to handle dogs at a vet clinic that other kennel workers were scared to associate with. Needless to say, Monty's work had a big impact on what I did.

Monty's in his 80s now- I still get his Ask Monty emails. Maybe some of you are familiar with who he is- maybe not. I am no longer around horses, but I enjoy the videos and questions/answers. I realized that I haven't been writing alot for Mother Earth News in the online blog area, and it hit me. I had a unique opportunity to share Monty with the readers- no one had even mentioned him on their site yet. I put on my big girl britches nervously, knowing this would be the only chance I had, and got the courage to send an email asking for an interview. And though it wasn't directly speaking to Monty, I was able to ask some questions through his daughter. Either way...I'm really grateful and excited! 

*An Interview with Monty Roberts*
https://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/an-interview-with-monty-roberts-zbcz1809


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## Mike CHS (Sep 4, 2018)

Thank you for posting that.


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## Baymule (Sep 4, 2018)

Great article. What an accomplishment.


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## Wehner Homestead (Sep 7, 2018)

Wow! Your journal has shows that you have had quite the journey. I look forward to following along and seeing the positive progress!!


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## HomesteaderWife (Sep 7, 2018)

@Wehner Homestead - Thank you so much for stopping by to give it a read. We've had so much happen over the years and we're recovering from a lot of bad luck, so sometimes this journal re-motivates me!


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## HomesteaderWife (Sep 7, 2018)

In other recent news, which I think I may have touched on before, we are coming up on year 3 of visiting local deer processors and picking up unwanted hides that normally get trashed. Not only green hides, but heads and legs as well. These are valuable raw materials to me! We've made a lot of things for personal use, and also sold a good handful of tanned hides. To give you an idea of how it helps support us, one finished hide covers the cost of the gas to pick the hides up and the materials to tan 5 or so of them.

For my personal reference, but also to share, here are some recent projects. I'm no expert at crafting, but I think up a lot of nifty things. The two things I am showing were made from scrap pieces of deer hide after I made my husband a hide quiver for his arrows.

The first is a hand muff for winter time. Hunters use them alot to keep their hands warm in the tree stand and keep them dry from snow or rain. It's a larger sized one as it will be my husband's hand warmer (with a twine rope around it to hang from his neck)




 

The second set of photos was what started as me searching my scraps for pieces to make my own hand muff, but realizing the piece was NOT going to work as it was too small in equal width. I folded it back up to put away, then realized it looked like a mini quiver. It's also nifty and sized well enough to hold a little BB gun or child's .22 rifle
As we do not have children, and don't know of anyone with youngsters who would enjoy this, I am hoping to sell it?


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 29, 2019)

Sheesh, it has been a real while since I have updated anything. Over a year actually, and I am a bit ashamed to admit that. Alot has happened in the past few years, from losing the cabin and having to rebuild, and the numbers and types of our animals changing. A dog attack signaled the loss of almost all our animals. So this year we started over, adding a few rescued hens and two new Khaki Campbells. We lost two of the four hens, which brings us down to rescues Piper and Prue joining the already marvelous Chicken Hawk ("Hawk"). Tater and Tot are our ducks.

The cabin has been slow- but putting up massive logs with no other heavy equipment than an antique Ford tractor is rough. Required alot of brainstorming to do it. Future plans still remain- family, raising and training working oxen, maybe establishing a little Khaki breeding operation one day, expanding the garden. Working with heirloom seeds. All in good time. 

Getting into decorative cookie making here lately- played around with a few recipes and finally got the right sugar cookie and royal icing recipes. Only have made them three times now, but feeling good about how it is coming along. Also in the line of recipes, I worked on a simple "sun tea" recipe so we can make sweet tear in the heat of the summer without needing a fire/stove.

Hoping to tan more deer hides this year- got to tan a piebald Whitetail deer last year and felt extremely lucky to do so. 

In other news, the Bone Needle article we did for Mother Earth News is on the front home page of the Mother Earth News website today. I was shocked but very honored to see it in such a prestigious place. It came at such great timing, as I just added new ones to bring it to 9 for sale on Etsy.

Oh yea, the Etsy store has been officially running as of this year. Got some newer crafts there, but alot of the stuff I make and paint is larger and therefore requires tricky shipping. I might get into adding the pallet crosses soon once I make more. One sale thus far and still tickled about it. Hoping it goes better with holidays fast approaching. Still writing here and there, and working on side ways to potentially support the homestead.

Thanks to anyone who reads- I appreciate you stopping by. I am trying to get active here again!

 - Rescue "Big Red" (rest in peace girly)
 - Rescue "Prue"making a goofy face
 - Attempt #2 at sugar cookies, penguins!
 - Attempt #3 at the cookies, meant to look like mini pies!
 - So proud to have tanned this piebald whitetail for someone last year
 - A fresh big glass of Southern Sweet Sun Tea
 - Bone needles lined up for listing photo
 - Tater (back) and Tot (front) as youngsters


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## Mike CHS (Nov 29, 2019)

That is some major changes but congratulations on keeping your good attitude.


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## Baymule (Nov 29, 2019)

Glad you checked in, I always enjoy reading your posts.


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## HomesteaderWife (Nov 30, 2019)

Thank you @Baymule 
I try to keep this going for personal record keeping and reflection, but it is nice to have folks read.


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Dec 1, 2019)

Miss @HomesteaderWife,

Just caught up on your journal.  You and your husband have certainly had quite a few adventures in your 4 years of journalling.  I am looking forward to reading more posts.

Senile Texas Aggie


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 21, 2020)

Been a good long while since I've updated here - it's sad, but we don't have herd animals anymore so in a way I almost feel like this journal just doesn't fit anymore. We've got three chickens and two ducks, along with our dogs. But things are well and can't complain to be living the good life. 

Bone Needle article came out June/July in Mother Earth News and I (not intending to sound in any way to brag) am just extremely humbled and proud to see it. I never thought something I wrote could be featured in there, and am so thankful to be able to share a unique how-to with readers. I hope it will inspire people to be more resourceful with their hunt. I was guilty years ago of being outspoken against hunting because I grew up under the impression "every hunter is a trophy hunter and they waste everything but the head" as that is what I was taught. I grew and realized as an adult that so many people hunt for meat to feed their family. There are some who even go to tan their own hides. But for those who take it to the processor - maybe they'll ask to save the legs next time or the hide, and reduce waste by putting those things to use.

Cabin #2 is nearing final touches after alot of setbacks. I remain, even though we lost the first cabin we built to fire, very grateful that we had eachother first of all. We weren't hurt. I also remain grateful for the fact our tractor and chainsaw were not there- they were the keys to rebuilding. We lost items- not memories. We lost money - not the ability to work. We lost a home - not eachother. So bullheaded as we are, we started over. 

Lost the family dog a few weeks back after a long bout with his illness. My husband grew up with him, and I was lucky enough to know the old fella for a few years. I love looking back at pictures I took when we were first clearing for the first cabin, my husband tightening the chainsaw chain while the loyal Labrador looks on. He was out there with us all the time. I laugh thinking of how many times we'd be watching deer run away from the stand, only to look down and realize his little content wagging self was right under us. He'd never see us leave, but he could always find us and knew exactly where to look up.

Just set the sawmill up a few months back on an actual solid concreted in/bolted in track and it cuts great now. My husband also built a log loading deck next to it for smoother transition onto the mill. This remains a great investment we made after marriage, as it paid for itself quickly in lumber value and continues to run. 

Other than this long update, not sure what else to add so I will share some fun thumbnails of photos from the past year.

*Last pickup of hides/tanning. Made a lot of tanned/smoked hides and some awesome crafts from it including bracelets, a new bag, and some little buckskin pony dolls. Saved the tails for some odd crafts/fly-fishing lures later. My husband also got a little lace maker for me, so I was able to turn small scraps of hide into big long laces.*


    

*Read The Man Who Listens to Horses by Monty Roberts all the way through finally - very much enjoyed reading about his origins.*



*Made a bunch of pine needle hand brooms from dried needles one day. Was proud and humbled to see the bone needle article in print.*
 

*Prue the hen with her extreme stink-eye. Our little Heeler dog enjoying a cool day at the garden.*


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## Bruce (Jul 21, 2020)

I'm VERY glad to catch up and you don't need herd animals to be here and have a journal. I have 2 alpacas, 20 laying hens and 3 house cats ... not exactly a lot of "herd" either. You have a lot of interesting things going on ... and sad ones. I'm sure others will continue to be interested in what all you are doing!


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## thistlebloom (Jul 21, 2020)

I agree with Bruce, your posts are very interesting and I enjoy your creative use of the things around you.
Your little heeler looks like my little heeler, Wren. We got her at a year old from a farm because she flunked herding.

Oh and congratulations on having your article published! That's great!


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## Senile_Texas_Aggie (Jul 22, 2020)

Miss @HomesteaderWife,

Good to see you back on the forum!  So sorry about your losses!  I am glad neither of you were hurt, and that you were able to pick up the pieces and start again.  Don't feel bad about not having animals to talk about.  We enjoy reading about whatever it is you are doing!  So welcome back!

Senile Texas Aggie


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 22, 2020)

Thank you everyone. This has definitely become a place to, if nothing else, look back on how we've got along over the past years and see out adventures. Thank you again for the kind words, all of you.


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## Baymule (Jul 22, 2020)

You are a member of the BYH Family, herd or no herd. So you are stuck with us and we always treasure your posts.


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## Jesusfreak101 (Jul 22, 2020)

Okay seriously that is some awesome craftsmanship in both your parts first the cabin second the items you created. I recently tanned my first rabbit hid and made small coin purse from it. (Young rabbit lost to heat, I got the hid the dog and cat shared the meat)  and just because you don't have the animals doesn't mean on that you aren't welcome second you have the knowledge still and need to share it. Plus clearly as baymule put your stuck with us .


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## HomesteaderWife (Jul 23, 2020)

Glad to be stuck here @Baymule - I always feel welcome on BYH of all the sister sites. 

@Jesusfreak101 - love the coin purse! Rabbit is so dang thin to work with that it's really hard to not tear. I've got a wild rabbit from last year I tanned to go on the wall in the cabin and it ripped almost at the end of stretching delicately. I sewed back up and you can barely tell. Would love to see any other fur crafts you make!


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## Jesusfreak101 (Jul 23, 2020)

Thank you and it did tear i just accounted it to being my first and the fact it was a younger rabbit. I will show yall if i make any more lol it probably be awhile. I mostly been quilting and make Christmas presents and such.


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## HomesteaderWife (Oct 14, 2021)

*October 14th, 2021*

Well sheesh, here it is over a year since I last posted an update. Lots going on, and I get myself in a distracted mess usually. I find myself making the text a bit larger just so it's easier on my own eyes, and hopefully anyone else reading and their eyes. BackYard Herds will soon again be a place I rely on for help, sharing info, and so on. We are looking to begin again with goats possibly this year or early next year, and then Fall of 2022 will be getting our first calves to start training up from steers into good working oxen. I acknowledge I'll never know enough, but I sure know I have a great place/resource here at BYH. Thanks for all your help over the years, you all.

Been working slowly on YouTube, but maybe one day it will pick up. Not much to do on it here lately, as most folks wanted to know about tanning and crafting, which I have no resources for yet. Had a few old raccoon hides put up that I made bags with this year, and I braided some deer leather lace for the strap. Pretty proud of how they came along. Husband and I are rebuilding his Grandpa's old shop to keep his memory strong and alive, and we want to turn it into a little woodworking business. The old Norwood LM29 sawmill we bought in 2015 is still making it along just fine, and it sure has helped us out over the years.

Old "Moose" the 1954 Ford tractor gave up the ghost this year, and will need to be restored. Someone did a really poor job on caring for the exhaust, and to fix up the part where it has come apart would be a big task. We invested in a larger tractor that's become a good workhorse for us, but nothing can do justice to the sentimental value Moose has for us. That tractor has helped build two houses, just for us!

Last September, we found a pretty sorry looking hen in the parking lot of the grocery store, and brought her home and named her "Wally" (can you tell not so subtly where we found her?) - just a few weeks prior, our duck Tater lost his mate, Tot. He was very lonesome, and after quarantine of the new hen, we paired them together and they've been bonded ever since. Never thought I'd see a chicken so spoiled, she makes you come in the pen and shine a flashlight for her before she'll put herself on the perch. Tater and Wally are buddies for life now. We lost one of the old gals, a Dominique named Prue. Phoebe passed shortly after they were first given to us. So now it's just Piper and Chicken Hawk together. If Chicken Hawk wasn't so mean to Wally (who mind you, is like 3x her bantam size) which in turn made Tater protectively run for Hawk and grab a beakful of feathers to tell her to leave Wally alone....they'd be together as a whole. But Piper and Chicken Hawk are content to themselves, and Wally and Tater are a happy friend family. 

Let's see, other plans? Well, we are finishing off our work season and about to come into Fall and Winter months of really working hard around here. A bit of clearing for the cattle and goat plans, possibly a new setup for adding a nice new group of ducks. The planned areas host some nice firewood and milling trees, so it won't go to waste. No craft show this year, they cancelled it due to COVID variants though it was held last year. Etsy it is, until maybe just maybe we get a booth at the big flea market a half-hour away. But we're like 40-some-odd down the waiting list after putting our names in for it in July. 

Losses over the past year, include my husband's Grandpa - what a kind man the world lost. Last year we lost one of the elder rescue dog twins, followed by Tot the duck two weeks after (then two weeks after that, we found Wally). In-laws lost a good Labrador that was here since before we were married- gonna miss him. Many a time we'd be in the tree stand, wondering why the deer coming down the hillside spooked. Here he comes to the foot of the stand, wagging and looking straight up like "what are you doing tall people?" - he was a great squirrel dog. In August, the other rescue twin dog passed away. We've got the Heeler and the Husky now.

Gains, well Wally to start! Then there's Pizza! Big, very pregnant feral cat showed up and we finally managed to work with her enough to get her trapped and get her in a confined and safe space. Built a rocky relationship up until kitten time - she was very patient, very understanding, and we bonded well over tending them together. She really appreciated having "mom time" breaks of letting me play with the kittens and socialize them while she relaxed and napped. Mom got spayed as they weaned, and everyone got loving homes, including little Mozzarella who lives with us (and I finally gave in and made her an Instagram account, sharing photos of her and Pizza). Can you believe they're all harness and leash trained? Even Pizza. You'd never think she was 100% an aggressive feral. The day the elderly dog passed this year, she got into my lap for the first time on her own. She stood up on my chest and looked in my eyes like she knew. A very in-tune-to-emotions cat and I'm proud to say she's our newfound companion. Got the tractor this year, might be having to "gain" a new motor in the vehicle (-insert sarcastic eye roll-)

Not many photos on hand but I'll add some eventually. Thanks for reading along thus far.


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## Baymule (Oct 14, 2021)

I'm so glad to see you here. Life has had it's ebb and flow for you over the past year. Thanks for posting and updating us, been wondering about y'all. Hope you stop in more often, I love hearing about your adventures.


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