Things around the homestead are getting a little calm and content. The weather is beautiful, just high 70’s and sunshiney, a light breeze blowing. Just perfect weather if you ask me. We spent most of the day yesterday just doing a few chores, napping and getting our heads back in the game. Today is work day and go to town day, so that means we are getting back into our day to day routines. Almost to the point we were at in the Moby some six months or so ago. Not quit, but close.

Went out this morning to let the goat boys outta the paddock and to say hello to the ewes. Had their buckets of chow and minerals ready, they each get a handful of feed with a dusting of their minerals to share in the morning. Goats get different minerals then sheep do, and they can’t mix them because the sheep can’t have copper and the goats need it. I hope to devise some sort of way to give them free choice in their minerals without one stock getting sick, but since it just started this weekend with us, we haven’t quite gotten a system yet. Besides its a nice way for them to learn that we are friendly and swell and to make up with the sheepies for bringing goats back into their little paradise.

I was glad to see that all the hooved stock where fine to gather around me on one of our big hillbilly tables out in the middle yard. There was no head butting or evil stares. Everyone was just interested in their bucket, some head and neck scratching and just plain visiting. That was nice. We want to build a little hay station in the paddock… with room for the salt lick and their bucket of soda bicarb for any upset tummies and of course, a rack for hay. It’s going to be pretty cool, with a little roof to keep most of the rain and snow out and two little side spots for the salt and soda bicarb. Probably even a little sign too! We like decorations and all.

I think I have scored a wonderful find on Craigslist this morning… will be driving out to pick it up this afternoon… 50 feet of picket fence with two gates and posts and some spare pickets for $50. Considering that just one panel new and 8 foot long is nearly $30, I think that is a sweet deal. I want to put it up in the courtyard to keep the hooved critters out of the flower garden area and also give us a double fence to the street, just in case. I don’t want a guest or such to accidently leave the courtyard gate open and have sheep or goats out on the busy road. That just sounds dangerous to me. And we would like to have a little flower garden area to enjoy as well!

But aside from that, I think it’s time for us to just chill out on projects for a few weeks, and concentrate on getting some work cards done. We spent the last three weeks in hard labor to get the farm cards narrowed down for the party, so it’s only fair to take turns. And probably spent a little more cash than I really should have, to finish things up. So it’s time to just clamp down on the spending, make do and use up for a few weeks. Get caught up in orders and other work projects for awhile. Oh yes, and knit and read and nap! (gg) Isn’t that what beautiful fall weather is for? I have one sock bootie done and the other is about one third done!!!

I am sad to report that all our fancy eBay eggs have been pretty much a dud. We got two banties and two quail out of the whole batch of 48 eggs. Pretty poor ratio if you ask me. To be fair, I am pretty certain that we bought them at the worse time, during a dreadful heat wave. And I think it cooked most of them. he couple that made it, it was amazing that they even hatched. We had about 7 hatch, but most died upon hatching. We only got the two banties and the two quail to make it and one of the quail is very frail still. Banties are doing fine, thankfully.

We had one of our cuckoo Marans go broody, but she’s just not really good at it. She keeps trying, but then, well, she will leave the nest after a few days. She sat a clutch for 5 days straight, and we thought she was doing great, but then she gave up. 16 eggs! So we popped them into the incubator, and they are doing fine. And of course, yesterday, we found her sitting and protecting one eggs like nuts and she’s still on it today. I almost want to wait and see if she is still trying when the first clutch are getting ready to hatch and then slip 5 or 6 under her to finish up! I wonder if she will raise them if they hatch for her? We have this wonderful prototype hutch that we can slip her into, that the babies might stay put in… will have to wait and see.

The chicken nuggets have an appointment with destiny. Half of them are going to finishing school in about 2 weeks. September 23rd. Friday. The skinny ones will wait another week or so. I don’t have room in my freezer for 26 chickens I don’t think. I’d like to score a used freezer off Craigslist but that will have to wait a bit. We have a small stand alone one that is about 7 cubit feet, but would like either another smaller one or a larger stand up one. Not sure yet. We’ll just have to see what 12 of them look like I guess! It was very nice talking with the fellow from the processing place. He was very helpful. It’s $2.50 a chicken, and $2.00 if you don’t want all the giblets and such. And extra 50 cents if you want them halved, quartered or cutup. I think we will pass on the giblets and do half whole, for roasting and the other half quartered. Since it’s just the three of us, we won’t waste much or have to double meal up a chicken and such. Just a little easier for us.

Well, I could talk chickens all day, just love them… but in reality I need to get to work before we leave for the big city. I need to get two work cards done before I go… catch up on all my email and customer service needs and prepare some wholesale information for Rob on the rocks… Rob is my partner in crime with some of the empire product lines… I have about 2 and half hours… better get cracking!

I’m just glad to get to a point here at the farm that we are getting into some nice routines. It’s long overdue and needed!