Pioneer Chicken - April Happenings

[babsbag]

So sorry you lost your beloved kitty. It is never easy to say goodbye.

I have had cats my entire life; I'm 57...and since I retired I have fostered 4 litters of kittens and I said I would NOT keep any. My "old" cats are between 2 and 16 years of age ( 4 of them), my "new" cat is now 7 months...guess who kept one? Animals have a way of weaseling into our lives and for me cats are the biggest weasels of them all. My new Bug looks a lot like your Rosey; she was very pretty.

 

[Baymule]

So sorry about your Kitty.

 

[Poka_Doodle]

So sorry, lost one of my 4 year old cats to Feline leukemia in July and have lost 6 foster kittens top Pan Leukipinia (not sure if I got the spelling right) so I know the feeling way to well

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

I have really cut back in my herd due to my training to become a doula and starting school. Down to four with one buck left to sell. It makes me sad, in a way, because I'm not going to have kidding season around the time it usually happens in February. I'm already missing that I don't have pregnant does to care for either and won't be having to keep an eye on a bunch of trouble-making, adorable, fluffy little goat kids. I'm hoping come July, I will have (at least two) cute kids plus lots of fresh milk.

The chickens are laying fairly well being that it's winter and I'm happy to gather six to eight eggs per day.

Honestly, I'm not feeling like much of a farmer these days. And I kind of miss that. But right now I need to focus on my schooling (I'm planning to become a midwife so I'm working on the basic courses for the next year and a half before hopefully transferring to a nursing college). I'm already thinking that once I've finished and graduated with my schooling, I'll get myself a few more does, a good farm dog, and some other critter/s that'll make it seem more like having a farm again.

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Hey y'all!

It's been a while! After a year in college, I've decided it's just not my thing. I spent most of last year indoors studying and absolutely despised it. I'm currently working part time as a nanny which I'm really enjoying. I would love to be able to have a job working on a ranch or be self-sustainable but I'm just praying about it and keeping myself busy. There's plenty to do around here, that's for sure.

For the past two weeks, I have been working hard to use up the milk that our Nigerian Dwarf is giving us. She is the first ND I've had who's given me so much milk- and for a first freshener too! She's giving me six to seven cups a day. I'm so thankful that after all those years of research, learning, buying, and selling has finally paid off! Anyway, I haven't been able to make cheese since I'm out of rennet and finally ordered some yesterday because it is difficult keeping up with it all! LOL I've made English muffins (twice); five batches of pancakes; pretzels; Irish Soda bread; Rice pudding; and dinners using milk. Needless to say, that's only used a few cups over a gallon of milk. I still have at least another gallon to use up and Tana is still gaining on me! Time to make mozzarella and pizza when I get the rennet. Ah, well, I'm happy to have this problem. It's a good challenge. I'm hoping to start making soap too. By the way, do any of y'all have a cream separator? If so, what brand and how do you like it?

We have about twenty chickens now and since this is the year to buy our replacement flock, we have fifteen young chickens as well. Several hens have gone broody too (one of them, Keets, hatched fifteen chicks, raised them and now she's broody again. So much for her laying eggs for us. Silly girl!) This her with her first clutch which are a little over two months old now.

Merrylegs & Pussywillow

Our garden is growing and we should be harvesting tomatoes and peppers soon. It looks like we'll get another good harvest of grapes and blackberries too. I'm thrilled! I love the hard work that we put into gardening and then all the reaping we get to do afterwards. It's such a blessing.

In addition, I have been elated that there are still yellow-bellied racers in my area. I hadn't seen any for a few years. I think they're just beautiful. This one is a juvenile.

I currently have five goats: one registered buck, Gus; one registered doe, Tana (she kidded prematurely- I'm pretty sure my Lamancha doe rammed her ); one mostly- Lamancha, Belle, and her two kids which will be wethers, Elkanah and Sinai. They are the sweetest things. I'm so happy and pleased with my herd right now. I hope to add another doe or two in the coming year.

Sinai

One of my goals for this year is to get more involved with horses and learning about their care. I'm so happy I got to ride three times in the past month; so in love!

 

[Latestarter]

Sounds like you're leading a pretty full life. Sorry college didn't work out for you... it doesn't for many. Nothing wrong with that. Some folks aren't meant for that route. Some folks just pick the wrong major...

 

[babsbag]

@Devonviolet should be getting her cream separator any day now. I am hoping she will update us when she has a chance to use it.

You can make soft cheese without rennet. You can order cultures from New England cheese company. There are very good and easy. You could make yogurt too. Goat milk yogurt isn't very thick so I usually make keifer so I can just drink it. Ice cream is good too, sometimes I add a little whipping cream to the milk, but not always.

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Sounds like you're leading a pretty full life. Sorry college didn't work out for you... it doesn't for many. Nothing wrong with that. Some folks aren't meant for that route. Some folks just pick the wrong major...

Thank you for the encouragement! That means a lot to me especially since I tend to feel that others scrutinize my choice which sometimes makes me question my decision to stick to farming and that it's the right thing for me but I love it and could do it everyday. College? Not so much. I know that I would be miserable if I continued just to get approval from others.

@Devonviolet should be getting her cream separator any day now. I am hoping she will update us when she has a chance to use it.

You can make soft cheese without rennet. You can order cultures from New England cheese company. There are very good and easy. You could make yogurt too. Goat milk yogurt isn't very thick so I usually make keifer so I can just drink it. Ice cream is good too, sometimes I add a little whipping cream to the milk, but not always.

Thank you for the information! I will check that out. Would you mind sharing your recipe for ice cream? Do you use cream? I know there are recipes that mostly use milk. I tried it a few times; it was all right, it didn't fully have the ice cream texture, of course.

Ah, I've made yogurt before and wondered if I was doing something wrong because it never quite thickened like the store-bought greek yogurt we buy. I did have keifer at two different times but I never figured out how to make it last in the winter months when I wasn't milking my does. Would do it again though...

 

[Baymule]

About the college.....I have a daughter with 2 Masters Degrees and working on her PHD, she is a college professor and loves her work. Her husband is a 6ty grade English teacher and loves his work. They don't love their student loans so much, but pay them faithfully. They are middle class, working hard, 3 kids, paying the bills.

I have a son who holds 7 licenses for crane operator, the really big construction ones. He didn't go to college. He worked at crap jobs for several years until he got on with a company that would send him for the classes he needed to be licensed. He makes more than my daughter and her husband put together.

You will find your way. You will find what you want to do. There are three ways to go about it.
#1. Get a job making a lot of money that you don't like, but can use the money to do the things you like on your days off.
#2. Get a job you love, but don't make much money and can't afford to do the things you like to do.
#3. Get a job you love and make enough money to have the things that make you happy.

A friend of ours, a medical technician, now works as waitstaff because she can make $1,000 to $1500 a week in Dallas. She is saving her money so she can buy a house with a few acres so she can have some chickens and a garden. That makes her happy.

What makes you happy? Can you make a living at it? What does it take to make a living at it?

 

[Pioneer Chicken]

Hi y'all!

Seems like I'm making it a habit to give an update once a year. Hope to post a little more often. : )

Our Nigerian Dwarf, Tana, had four boys four weeks and two days ago. They are the cutest things and oh-so-lovable. <3


I was impressed with Tana's FF udder and production last year but this year? WOW!


My mom's bunnies are due any day. Two are pregnant for sure, though she's thinking all three are. One is grumpy (not her normal behaviour) and one is grabbing all the hay she can.