ELeVan ~ Honaker Farm Journal

[elevan]

Today is supposed to be the hottest day of the year. 96 without a heat index...that will push us over 100. And our county isn't in the heat and fire advisory that the western counties of the state are in.

Just came in from releasing the poultry from their coops and making sure that everyone has plenty of water.

The new ducks shot out of their coop like a bullet and ran straight for the pond.

I had to rescue one of Cinni's keets as it had flipped the feeder over and was under it. I removed the feeder from the enclosure since Cinni dumps it every time. She insists that her chicks / keets will learn to scratch and peck and is almost insulted by being fed in a feeder.

Daisy (goat) was following me around the whole time wanting loving. I'm pretty sure that she's pregnant then. She always turns into a love bug with she's gestating.

Let the chickens / guineas / other ducks out of their coop and found that one of my Golden Buff girls was dead. I'm really not surprised she's not been doing well with this up and down heat. But it's sad the same.

I'll take out a frozen bottle of water to the rabbits in a bit when the temp hits 80. They seem to be fine up until that temp.

I worry that with today's high temp that we'll lose some birds or even rabbits due to heat. I hate losing animals. I also hate the heat. Thankfully it's one day and tomorrow we'll go down to 85, which is still pretty hot but it's more tolerable.

Stay cool everyone!

 

[jodief100]

I love the pics! Jerry is so wonderful!

Nice score on the ducks. I was thinking abotu getting some keets but I need to get the !@#$ coons under control!!!!!

I wish I coudl create recipes like you do. I am still working on getting my Goetta recipe fine tuned and am having no luck at all.

Lucky you for the heat, we are having 99-100 all week.

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Sorry about your buff My chickens are all feeling it here, lying out in a dirt bath in the shade.

 

[elevan]

Ugh! They changed the forecast. We hit 99 (no heat index) at 4:30p today. Tomorrow is supposed to be 95 with a 40% chance of rain, Sat 93 with 20%, Sun 92 with 40% and Mon 89 with 20%

I only hope that we actually do get the rain.

Had a slight change in plans for the day as I had to take K to the doctor. Turns out he has a double ear infection and viral laryngitis.

I got my Lemon Thyme Marmalade done before taking him to the doctor, but now I have to get up the energy to make the Sundried Tomato Jam. Just the little bit I've been outside today has completely zapped my energy.

I don't even wanna make dinner...maybe I'll spring for a pizza...

 

[elevan]

HOT HOT HOT

And it's baking day. If I didn't KNOW that I'll have customers wanting baked goods tomorrow I wouldn't turn on the oven. I guess I'll crank up the AC and be as quick as possible about it.

I've also got a little bit more canning to do today too.

Gotta get motivated. But it's just too dang HOT.

 

[Symphony]

HOT HOT HOT

And it's baking day. If I didn't KNOW that I'll have customers wanting baked goods tomorrow I wouldn't turn on the oven. I guess I'll crank up the AC and be as quick as possible about it.

I've also got a little bit more canning to do today too.

Gotta get motivated. But it's just too dang HOT.

Are you enjoying our Heat Wave?

 

[elevan]

Got my canning done. Now I'm dreading starting the baking. Thankfully I'm only taking one baked product but it's muffins...so it's done in multiple batches into the oven.

And I'm gonna have to go out and check critters shortly for water. Probably a good idea to spray down the pig's pen. I'm sure the rabbits' need a new frozen water bottle to provide them with AC. So I'm dreading going outside...

We're at 95 right now and the rain got pushed back to tomorrow. As long as it doesn't rain from 9-12 tomorrow then I'll be happy.

Oh, and I'm out of bananas so I'm gonna have to sub something for my Banana Chia Muffins cause I'm not going to the store. I'm thinking maybe Strawberry Chia Muffins... :/ we'll see how it goes. I could do chocolate too. They're a big hit at the market. Gluten free and made with duck eggs.

I've got the boys doing their own laundry They loaded their clothes into the washer and I poured the soap and turned it on. Then they took them out of the washer and put them into the dryer. I should have taken a pic of K upside down in the washer to reach the clothes on the bottom When the dryer was done I had them take their hamper to the dryer and pull all their clothes out and into the hamper. They are now in their room folding and putting away. At age 6 and (almost) 8 I think they're doing pretty good. They always want to help anyway so this way they're kept busy and I can get things done.

 

[currycomb]

i found my bunnies actually like ice cubes in their water bowls instead of the bottles. have one that pick the cubes up with her teeth and then lays on them. another swims in his bowl. all the others lay against the cold bowls, then have cool water to drink as the cubes melt

 

[elevan]

Executive decision - the oven is not being turned on today. I just came in from filling waterers, soaking the pigs pen, replacing a frozen water bottle in the rabbit hutch and putting out a wading pool with cold water for the ducks to play in. And checking on all the critters. I am a hot, sweaty mess with a heat headache. Nope, no way is that oven coming on. So, I just have to make some labels and I'm good to go tomorrow.

Snickers wanted loved on. He practically crawled into my lap like he did as a kid. Only he's almost fully grown now. And it's a 100 degrees outside! And he is covered in fur! But I gave him the attention he wanted despite it all, because I love my "Nickies".

The chickens had managed to open the can of cracked corn that the lady who gave me the ducks had given to me. So the chickens were quite pleased with themselves. The can is now tied shut.

I left the field with the ducks all happily splashing in a wading pool. There probably won't be a drop of water left in it tonight

I may have 2 more broody guineas. One seems to be setting in a corner of the fence that is weed covered near the rabbit hutch in the back yard. The other is in the coop in a corner under the roosts...it seems like such an odd spot with all the activity there but this is the second day she's been there. I am going to be taken over by guineas!

Well, in writing this and drinking 2 bottles of water while doing it my headache is starting to ease. I've said it before and I'll say it again - I hate this type of heat. Give me 72 degrees year round and I would be quite content, but I would take cold weather over extreme heat any day. Remember that this winter when I'm complaining about snow and cold

Well! It's starting to look dark outside like it might rain...that would be the icing on the cake after all that! Grrr...

I still have to water container plants this evening so rain right now would relieve me of that chore.

Ok...ok...I'll quit complaining now and try to get motivated to make those labels so I'm ready for tomorrow. Am I done yet? Did I mention that heat zaps my energy and makes it so I have very little motivation to do much besides sit near the AC?

 

[elevan]

Woohoo! Never been happier to have my house and cell phones ringing at the same time. It was a "Code Red Alert" put out by my county whenever there is important info to get out to the public. Severe Thunderstorm Warning. Heavy rain, damaging winds and hail. I can do without the damaging winds and hail but the rain is much appreciated.

Here's my rain dance :bun