Gardner’s California Homestead

[GardnerHomestead]

She doesn't need to see you crazy. She just maybe doesn't need to see her dog again. Free ranging dogs get hit by cars all the time after all, and one person's pet on the wrong property is a predator to another, just like flowers and weeds.
My parents used bear spray when they had a recurrent issue with a free ranging dog killing stock. It made the dog temporarily blind and painted it's face bright red. Odd thing, the owners magically kept their dog in after that.

You are right, and honestly the only thing that saved her dog was the fact that mine was still in sleeping. He doesnt like other animals coming in the yard and i told her that. If hes out there when he breaks in again, the dog wont come back out. I hope she gets it. I really do. But just yesterday i saw one of her dogs, not the guinea killer but she has 4, running down the road. Im not usually someone who calls animal control but it might come to that if i see it near my fence.

 

[GardnerHomestead]

Some pictures i was going to add to my post and forgot:

Oreo and his son playing

Our hike out to a local dam.

Farm babies:

Orpingtons, leghorns, easter eggers

Baby Jalepeno

 

[GardnerHomestead]

Well somehow the gophers got into one of my raised beds. im wondering if there was a gap that we didnt nail down the mesh correctly, i will have to empty the bed and fix it, until then that horrid gopher got 2 tomato plants and seemed to damage my jalapenos but not completely eat them? i hope his mouth is on fire .

One of our hives swarmed, we tried to retrieve them but no luck. Since it is swarm season no queens are available locally so we are watching them closely and adding extra brood as necessary while they make their own queen. Fingers crossed on that, our other hive is doing well. We have not pulled honey for the year as my husband wants to try one pull instead of two, so we are adding supers as they fill. Our waiting list is long and i hope we have a bottle left over to keep for ourselves lol.

Since i have been working from home and my kids are officially on summer vacation, its freed up alot of time to clean up the yard. there are so many weeds on this property from years of just letting everything grow wild. so we started on one patch and rototilled it under. planted clover on one side and marigolds. also rototilled, laid weed barrier and mulched an area in front of our house where my "little herb wall" is. ive got rosemary, dill, thyme, oregano, already planted there, added some parsley and basil and some flowers. came out nice. hoping this will save me alot of time and effort weeding.

Parts of the Bee garden are coming in nicely, despite the bipolar weather, except my morning glories that are being eaten alive by pincher bugs. going to make a trap sometime this week to kill them.

We were able to get away for the weekend which was really nice and went camping for the first time this year. All the campgrounds are still closed but luckily we dont like to stay in those anyway. everyone had a blast, our pup learned how to swim and our seven year old learned how to ride a bike without training wheels

We sold off the last of our lavender orpington chicks, except one that looks like it has a neurological disorder and walks in circles most of the time, she will have a permanent home here. The hatchery chicks are getting big and got moved out of the brooder to a grow out pen. The last of our goat kids were sold last weekend. AND! Introducing Kevin Bacon: TADA! We have never had a pig before but so far he is alot of fun. fattening up on goats milk and eggs currently.

 

[GardnerHomestead]

A few years back i found a couple black kittens at the park when i was there with my kids. They were friendly and very skinny, gave one to a friend and kept one. Shes developed into a killing machine, her name is Noodle. I put a bell on her certain times of the year to preserve the local bird population. When we install our swamp cooler during the summers there's a space in the window the cats jump through to get inside. Their own personal kitty door. Last night noodle jumped through with a gopher in her mouth, clearly proud of this gift she brought us. i told my husband it was his turn to get rid of it since i have gotten rid of the last like 5. He tosses it back out the window. i tell him shes just going to bring it back. sure enough she gives us the stink eye and goes and retrieves it, brings it back. So not learning the first time he throws it farther. I stuff a pillow in the space as to not wake up to a dead gopher on my pillow. Sure enough about midnight i hear her under the bed (where i cant reach her) crunching on this gopher. Ugh! i cant sleep til shes done. So gross . So the next day i give him whats for, and he said he will close up the space the next day after work. Well before he can do that, that night she brings in a field mouse and drops it on the bed for me. Except its ALIVE, i jump up from the bed, shes staring at me like i should be grateful. the mouse takes off down the hall. Luckily the pup catches it and swallows it whole. There is now a piece of plywood firmly in the kitty door. Noodle now has to eat her prizes outdoors.

 

[GardnerHomestead]

I had two guinea eggs in my incubator from the late pepsi, ( with whom we replaced with Cherry) i was sure they werent gonna hatch, being due 3 days ago, but lo and behold this morning i wake up to cheeping, This is the first guinea i have ever hatched, so cute. And even cuter were the guinea fowl parents (Cherry + Cola) that were standing outside my window listening to the peeping. They have never come into our main yard before, so im guessing they heard their baby and came to investigate. Now since there is only one i need to either pick up another chick for a companion or put this little guy under my broody hen. She didnt have a great run last year and lost all her chicks to various things. so im not sure if i wanna risk it

 

[GardnerHomestead]

Hive inspection was done yesterday, the swarmed hive has made a new queen and she is laying. when the queen left that hive got very aggressive and we couldn't come within in 30 feet of it without being stung. They have calmed way down now and went through almost the whole inspection without being bumped. The other hive is not as laid back. I bought a couple leghorns to put with my single keet.

The young chickens from the hatchery are getting big. I ended up with 1 olive egger, 3 easter eggers, 2 leghorns, Our pup got ahold of the "special" chicken. She was injured and inside for a few days for cleanings, and to keep her away from the flies (the flies are so bad) but seems to be on the mend.

Kevin got moved to his new pen. Hes 70 lbs now, gaining 30 lbs in a two week period loves getting hosed off and stealing flip flops if you get to close.

Summertime is in full swing, was able to pick 47 lbs of cherry plums from my husbands grandmas tree and canned 43 jars of jelly. Aphids got to our young plum tree this year. We do have some peaches though. The apple is to small to do much yet. Hoping next year we will be able jelly from our own trees, but im so thankful for people who dont want their fruit. They always appreciate some of the finished product though lol.

The doelings that we retained this year are so sweet, enjoying them while they are this little. Mama is still letting them nurse, they are nearly as big as her lol.

 

[GardnerHomestead]

And of course just some pretty things growing around here. This quarantine has made me realize how much i love being home. Everything i could ever want is here and i think sometimes that gets forgotten when we get so busy. Trying to wrap my head around supplying more veggies next year, when the garden is going we dont buy any vegetables, so maybe 2-3 months out of the year. i would like to plan better to can the extras so we can extend that. Planning on a fall garden this year as well. I have added to the existing herb garden this year to include, basil, thyme, oregano, parsley, dill, rosemary and mint.

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Love the pictures ..we got a good laugh at the pig being carried, love the goat pictures and your jelly looks really yummy...thanks for bringing the sunshine in on a rainy day, you made us smile
As I was posting this you put up more ...you really take nice pictures ! Thanks again !

 

[GardnerHomestead]

Love the pictures ..we got a good laugh at the pig being carried, love the goat pictures and your jelly looks really yummy...thanks for bringing the sunshine in on a rainy day, you made us smile

Kevin doesnt go where he doesnt wanna go lol. We wont be able to do that any longer. Hes staying right where hes at til "the end".

 

[B&B Happy goats]

Kevin doesnt go where he doesnt wanna go lol. We wont be able to do that any longer. Hes staying right where hes at til "the end".

At least you can get close to "Kevin" our two " pork chops" are still keeping a safe distance from us at the moment, but they still have some time to "warm up" to us ...till they go to freezer camp...