C&D Farming..oh what a life!

[chickens really]

Hello Denise.
I definitely don't want to be like your farm. I'm not getting my new baby anymore. Decided a piglet isn't for me. Too stinky and they root too much. I could only imagine how my yard would smell next spring after the frozen pig poo thaws..
maybe you should have certain days that customers can come. Have them only come Wednesdays and Saturday as an example? And only between 9:00 and 1:00.
Your health is more important than anything else you are doing.

 

[bethh]

Hi there...since threads can go on for ever, I’m going to take my time explaining how we became hobby farmers. My husban has farming in his background, but he didn’t enjoy the cruel part. I was raised in the wealthy suburbs south of Pgh and always wanted many animals. Always wanted to do 4h...but apparently they don’t let mutts in the fair. . I married young and had IVF treatment to conceive my son. I broke my back in four places giving birth, due to an unknown spinal disorde. My ex left me. My parents had retired to NW PA and I needed their help. I was in a wheelchair at that point with a baby. Things gradually got a bit better, but I wore a leg brace for 10 years...let’s back up. I met this wonderful man, Chris...when not even my relatives thought Id ever find love. My back never got better, and other parts of my health got worse. My shi tzu became my service dog for seizures. I had tremors bad, and seizures at least four a day...full blown epilepsy. Other health stuff too. I had an inHome health aide for a couple months so Chris could leave my side a bit. But, then i got on medication and things started to turn around! We were Having a lot of fun in the garden...we sell our produce in our own farm market at the end of our driveway. I always needed a cane, but it was ok. We were out raking apples and I hurt my ankle. Bad. After months of drs..it turned out I tore my perineal tendon. Had surgery. But..it turned out to be a gift from God! You see, I had 7 mths of intense PT...they didn’t only work my ankle, but my whole leg...which was my bad leg from years ago. I became stronger than ever! During my PT, Chris knew my love of animals and, we gradually started up the farm, one type at a time. And now we have rabbits, chickens, roosters, ducks, goose, pot belly pigs, Hampshire pig goats and three wonderful dogs! I gained 20 lbs... I was 105 and a wreck of bones...now I’m strong, I feel better than I have in 25 years...and couldn’t have done any of it without my husband, who knew what I wanted and gave it all to me, and God.

My son, Ben is now 21, a junior at Slippery Rock University. He's majoring in sports medicine and is interning for the football team this second term also as their strength and conditioning coach. He is a fitness fanatic. He has his own website for training. He works out at least 2 1/2 hrs a day plus running several miles. He ran his first marathon in Aug. 4hrs 11 min. He runs an ultra marathon...which is 59 miles near Niagara Falls in February! He’s nuts! he also continues to makes deans list and got a 4.89 last term! I’m very proud!

I taught Sunday school for 16 years and it was a great Blessing in my life to know all those wonderful children. Chris is a retired contractor, Blessed to retire at 40. We own 35 apartment units and an old movie theater that he turned into space for car storage. Vehicles are his passion. He builds them from the frame up...until we started farming...now he just tinkers with them, but once more of my buildings are done, I won’t need his help. I do the farm work, he’s does the building.

As of today we have 13 chickens, 18 pullets, 4 cockerels, 1 rooster. 20 rabbits and 6 baby bunnies that are sooo cute! One bunny pulling fur! 27 ducks...and 14 eggs...two ducks are going broody or about to...they keep running back to check them...I haven’t quite decided if Im going to let them set. But, I’m leaning towards yes. I’m a sucker for ducks. Plus, we’re coming up on the time when people will be buying ducklings, so maybe I’ll sell some? We have 1 goose. Had two. I’ll tell that story soon. We have two adorable pot belly pigs. Portly and Jumbo, and they came by their names honestly! . They are very clean pigs and smart. I let them free range much or the day when it’s warm and they like to follow me around. I have two goats..one Pygmy mix, Stormy. One Nigerian Dwarf mix, Busty. Chris named them..lol. They are both pregnant and I am wayyyy too nervous. But, admittedly I have reading too much and overthinking everything. But they are very sweet goats and I just love them to bits. I’m both scared and excited for their kidding...Jan 28 and Feb 1. And then 3 dogs..one shi tzu..Muggs , a French Bulldog, Grover and English Bulldog, Ruby. They are qui funny...skittish, fun-loving and fat, all in that order!

We have 35 acres up in Kane, PA...my Dad loves to call it a farmette, just to tease. Our house looks like a giant barn...it was a barn at one point...Chris torn down the barn..kept part of the foundation and built way up around it. So now our house has garage..then barn, then house, with more garages and basement underneath, all in one building. We have a giant S shaped pond that Chris dug out with his backhoe for our last name. I just think that is sooo cool. Oh, almost forgot ano cool thing..we have a full sized..1/4 mile race track! He went to our local race track and got the exact specs....then came home and built it. It has high lines and low lines...meaning steep banks, and flat spots with embankments that, if going fast enough, you could fly over! It’s a blast! The guys have had many races with up to 5 cars at a time. Chris and I just go together. But, dirt track racing is much different than most think, and 45 mph is very fast...took me a long time to get up that fast! Heck.. I don’t go that fast on the real roads!

ok, that’s it for today..that’s our background, so maybe some more of what I add will make sense? per not, but I’ll do my best!

What a roller coaster ride!! Isn’t it wonderful to look back and realize the low places were such blessings. We just celebrated our 35th anniversary. Life is a blessing. Sometimes you just have to look hard to find it. I should be writing this in my own journal!

 

[Bruce]

Also, as of late, I’ve had about 4-5 ‘incidents’ with my health...2 seizures and 2 passing out and once, we’ll, we don’t know what that even was. So, clearly, I’m working too hard, not sleeping enough,9 not eating enough, etc...

OK young lady, time to take care of yourself!

instead of taking calls in the middle of the night about rabbits. He’s right about that.

He sure is. Why is the phone even on in the middle of the night? It needs its sleep too
When I was growing up and to this day: NO calls before 9 AM, NO calls after 9 PM. Of course one can call a business before 9 AM if they have hours listed that suggest they are open sooner. If you have a friend or relative that you know is an early riser, before 9 is OK as long as you both agree.

Here is step 1 of spinal growth. Figure out what hours are reasonable for people to call. Exclude those hours where you are doing your morning and afternoon animal chores (unless those are all day). Some people might need to call after they get out of work but I think come dinner time, the store is closed, no calls.

DO NOT ANSWER THE PHONE outside those hours unless it is a personal call, friend or family. DO NOT!!!! The people can leave a message. If they are interested they will call back during business hours which you will list in your message and any "social media" pages you have for the business. And DO NOT call people back outside of your business hours or they will think they can also call you then.

Pay attention to these lessons or @Baymule will show up at your place and grow you a spine

 

[rachels.haven]

My mother has, sells, and eats $300 registered, tattooed, pedigreed rabbits. She bought hers for about as much.
Yes, rabbit people "have" to have certain things (brats), but you need to stay sane and healthy. Take care of yourself as well as you take care of your beasts.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

I'm sure Chris and Ben don't want you back in a wheelchair again.....put your foot down on the farm tours and take care of yourself before your health concerns end up making you have to get rid of all your animals... a "broken " Denise can't take care of them ! ...DON'T MAKE ME COME UP THAT WAY to knock some sense into you..........

 

[Bruce]

And she'll do it too!!! Get Barb and Bay together and you don't have a chance. Better straighten up fast and put your health first young lady!

 

[Duckfarmerpa1]

Ok, ok, ok..yesterday I ate myself so much I thought I was pregnant?? . Geez that would be awful at this point in life! Chris says he’d shoot his foot off then mine too.... Our neighbor actually stop by to tell us that he had people stop at his place to ask where is the petting zoo? Ughh!? Sooo....clearly, some things need to change...but, people work..and they cant get here to pick out animals during the day...so right there we’d lose sales. I’d be ok, if they came and then left, but everyone wants an super long explaination of how to care For the new animal..beyond my print outs....like if they just starting to breed rabbits. I explain, I’m no expert, etc... Then they usually want to see the barn hutches for ideas...

i did take down th3 road signs that said we had rabbits..because we ha$ random people stoppin* just to take a look and waste my time.

I take the phone to bed to use the alarm clock. We lose power, kind of...a lot. Ilkie to get really early to get a bit of time to sit before I have to get started....

ok, I promise, to feed myself..at least I’ll try to feed myself before the animals,,.im going to try to sleep. More
too!

 

[Bruce]

It's a start!
OK so now you put up some more signs at the points of interest.
Start with "Barn tours $10/person"

Petting zoo Your customers are talking and they seem to have the wrong impression of what you are providing!

 

[chickens really]

I don't understand why people think your a petting zoo? Don't you need a permit and liability insurance to be having people running around daily? I'd be concerned about disease transfer and would not permit people past a certain point.

 

[GardnerHomestead]

I live on a fairly busy dirt road, people walk it alot and it goes to quite a few mini ranches up the hill. i cannot tell you how many people will stop their car, or stop walking to watch my goats/chickens play. Some will pet the goats that come up to greet them. We are going to install a camera system just in case. Most of them are fine but Not all people have good intentions. i keep my gates locked and do no invite any of them onto the property usually. My theory is its better to be safe than sorry.