Pondering....

        We have become a society of me first! We have taught our kids that we owe them, that everyone is entitled to the same things, even if they do not work for it! I do not understand how the idea that we all have the right to work toward success has become the right to success, whether or not you work for it! How can our children learn to achieve if they never fail? Children have been taught they will be taken care of ,even as adults,even if they sit at home and do not even TRY to work or look after their selves! If something happens in our country, if we lose the success and wealth we have, how will they survive? A lot of people these days have no clue on how to make it in today's world,let's not even think about making it in a trying time! Everything is based on convenience, and quick fixes. If we lost our sources of power, if the government failed, how would your family make it? Could they cook with out power? Do they have things to cook? Could they have sources of heat? Do they know how to protect themselves? It is time to wake up! Learn to depend on ourselves not everyone else. To be responsible for our own actions, not blame everyone and everything else but ourselves! Do not get me wrong, I do believe in helping others, I do think we should help feed and clothe those who are less fortunate than we are, but I also believe you should TRY to help yourself too.It worries me that there are a large group of people with blinders on!We need to equip our children with the ability to succeed in all types of situations! To teach them not to take things for granted, to give a helping hand when needed and to accept help when they need it! To not blame everyone else for their issues! Let them realize that everyone has successes and everyone has failures, it is how we learn, and how we gain experience that we need, to lean ourselves and to help those who are going through similar things. Always be willing to learn, to help others, and to teach others to help themselves!

LEARNING A NEW WAY OF LIFE

Hello Folks,

I'm the new farm hand at Simply Our Farm.  We've had a productive couple of weekends here.  I've been learning many new things, like how to dry apples and then how to make delicious home made apple cider from the peelings and cores.  I helped freeze onions and fresh pumpkin puree, and I helped can beans and make and put up applesauce.  I've also worked outside helping :) with things like gathering the chicken eggs, corralling the ducks at night, as well as hauling and stacking firewood, building new nest boxes and roosts in the chicken coop, repairing the roof in the goat pen, and putting up a fence for the pigs. 

I've found the work challenging at times and very tiring but also very rewarding and it's fun as well!  I've discovered that although I go to bed pretty beat, I sleep soundly and I wake up rested and refreshed.  I'm already looking forward to what this next weekend has in store. As the weather gets colder I wonder what changes winter will bring. What are some of the challenges and rewards you've experienced during the winter months?  Any advice for a rookie??  I'd love to hear from some of you.  Any words of wisdom for me?





  

Saving money, and making our own

   I think everyone is trying to cut back,save a little money,and cut cost wherever they can. Over the past year, I have learned a lot about this. When we started canning our own food, raising animals for meat,eggs, honey,dairy and other needs,I looked into learning other ways to save.We now  make our own laundry detergent,dishwasher detergent,cough syrup,sinus medicine,apple cider vinegar,mint and  vanilla extracts.  We also make our own pancake and baking mixes, instant cocoa,apple cider as well as a few other things. Not only does it save us money, it taste better, and is better for us, less chemicals and preservatives , and we know what is in our food. We are soon going to be making our own flavored creamers, and shampoo and whatever else we come across that looks promising!  If you are looking for a way to cut cost you should give some of these a try. We even make our own creamed soup base! In the next few days I will be adding a section with a few of these recipes, if there is one you are interested in, please leave me a comment below, and I will add those first! They are quick, simple, and most ingredients you have sitting around the house! I also would love to hear your honest thoughts on how they work for you, once you give them a try! Happy saving!  

A New Journey Begins...

A New Journey Begins...

Hi folks, 

I'm the new farm hand at Simply Our Farm.  I'll be sharing my thoughts and experiences with you from time to time as I learn my way around. Yesterday was my very first day.  I had a terrific time!!  We spent the the afternoon working on the enclosure for the new additions due this week. Look for the pics coming soon! :)  Clearing out weeds, briers, and undergrowth, putting up fencing and spending time together outside was somehow very satisfying.  The time just flew by and although the work was physically hard it was rewarding in a way that I haven't experienced in a long time.  Being out in the sunshine on a gorgeous fall day, having good conversations, working with our hands, and seeing our progression...  I loved it!  Yesterday I learned firsthand just how healing (mentally & physically) hard work and sunshine can be...  We are missing so much by spending most of our time inside attached to our computers, ipods, phones etc. 

I enjoyed meeting the animals and watching their antics, especially the goats.  Seeing their interactions and how they pushed to be the first to be petted made me smile inside.  They are so sweet and they really enjoyed their treats.  I loved the way the ducks waddled around the yard always staying close together and looking out for each other.  Gathering fresh eggs from the chickens was something I hadn't done since I was a child visiting my grandparents farm.  It brought back so many fond memories...  Wow!  What a special afternoon!

After driving home and eating a bowl of homemade vegetable soup with a slice of homemade apple pie for dessert as my dinner, I had a wonderful, relaxing shower and turned in early.  Slept soundly for 9 full hours and awoke refreshed and feeling wonderful!  Can't wait for next time!  

I look forward to sharing my experiences with you as I learn my way around a farm.  No two days will be alike and that's part of the fun!  Wonder what I'll get to do next?  Should be good for a few laughs if nothing else...  Stayed tuned; more to come soon!  Have a great week!  

The Farm Life

   It is immensely satisfying to have a farm! Even a small one like ours. There is something about getting up, and doing the morning chores that helps to ease my soul! I know that sounds a little crazy, however when I head outside in the crisp morning air, to refill the duck pools,water troughs, and feed buckets for the animals, it makes my day a little better! I love watching them, their antics and their interactions fascinate me. I love gathering the eggs, seeing how many we have, checking to see if my Goldie is still broody and sitting on a WOODEN egg!! It is great to go let out the ducks and see how many eggs we get from them, to see if another one  of the ladies has started to lay! I guess it may be the routine of it all, or the fact that with each animal and their gifts we get more self-sufficient. It is awesome to go to the canning cabinet, or outside to the chicken coop to gather supplies for supper, rather than going to the grocery store.  The greetings of the goats when you go outside, their faces happy to see you, and pushing and shoving to see who can get that first pat of affection, can not help but make you smile! 
    The things you can learn from your animals are endless. The other night, we went out to pen up the ducks. We free roam them during the day, but pen them at night to protect them from predators. Usually, they are near the pen, if not already in it, but this time they were not. We looked around and all of them were up by the turkey coop. When we tried to herd them down to theirs they would not go, they kept returning to the turkey pen! Upon, closer examination, we discovered one duck had somehow gotten IN the turkey coop, and could not get out. The other ducks would not leave her! They stayed as close to her as they could, only after we got her out did they head to their pen! I loved that,no duck left behind!! They would not abandon her. From how our hen mothers her chick, protecting her from the others, but also making her be a little independent, is very informative. I learn from my animals everyday! 
     Yes, it IS a lot of work! There is always a fence to mend, a shelter to build, a coop to clean out, or an area to winterize, but you feel a great deal of satisfaction when you are done. To know you are contributing directly to your food sources, to know they are treated humanly, and are happy, mean a great deal! The work makes you feel like you accomplished something, that you can directly see the results from. I never thought I would be doing this, but I am so thankful and blessed this is where I am!I think the way things are today, people try to get by with less and less work, what is easier and how can they do less, but for me the extra work is worth it. It is fulfilling, and makes you appreciate your food and life! I love my little farm!

 

Less is More

 It's funny to me how time changes things, when I was younger I dreamed of having a great job, lots of money, a big house, nice cars, and all the trimmings.. That was how success was measured, that was how I would be happy. The more stuff you have, the more money you make, the happier you would be. Well, now.. all I can say is NOPE! Now, I dream of a smaller home, less stuff, making less money, less bills and making do. The more I downsize, the more I depend more on me and less on fast food, big stores, large electric companies, the more content I get! My dream would be to have a small house run on solar panels, with a wood stove, OK the one thing I would have to keep is the indoor plumbing...lol.  I think, if I had to, I could  do without the lights, the television, the microwave (we actually did this almost a year ago, and truly have not missed it) but I need my hot shower, and all the other conveniences of running water..going outside in sleet and snow for a  bathroom run would NOT be fun!

Modern technology is not a bad thing, I do not mean I want to go back to pioneer days completely, but I do think a lot of the older ways of doing things are better and sometimes,healthier! Since, we have started raising our own food, I know we feel better and have more energy! Yes, it takes a lot more time and work, but it also brings about this level of satisfaction that I cannot explain. There is nothing like frying some farm raised bacon from the freezer, scrambling a couple eggs from the chicken coop, and toasting a couple slices of fresh home baked bread, spread  with some of your own goat butter!Then pour yourself a glass of cold fresh goat milk.. and it is a meal you cannot compare. 
Now, I do not miss satellite television, I enjoy sitting on the porch with a hot cup of coffee, watching the interactions of the farm animals, the simple routines of feeding and milking and gathering calm me, I do not sit and dream of that big house or new car, I dream of a small tractor, or the time and energy to put up a new fence for that new animal addition. I do not need more things, I need less, and the more I downsize the more satisfied I get. You can't take it with you, right? So what is the point? More things, mean more bills, and more work for more pay to buy the more things.. Less bills, mean less stress, and less stress means happier..and isn't that what we all want and need?  Like I stated earlier,technology is not a bad thing, and neither is owning nice things, I just think we all need to take a closer look at what is important to us!

A new favorite...Goat Milk !

Well it has not been that long that we have had fresh goat milk...and it is even better than I had 
imagined!
I have known the great benefits of goats milk for a while but honestly had not put them to the test, or tried goats milk before getting my own goats. The goat milk is rich and delicious on its own, the health benefits of raw goat milk is amazing, but there is so much more that the goats milk can be used for.
Last night we have made goat cheese for the first time. It was a pretty basic recipe, but that  has made me want to try to make more cheese. Maybe we will try mozzarella next.  We mixed the cheese with herbs and it turned out so good! It was rich and creamy and delicious. We also made butter that was awesome and so easy! This has made me so glad we got the goats, it made me love them even more (if that is even possible!)They are such sweet, friendly creatures!
Next we are going to try our hand at making soap with our own goats milk and own our bees wax from Ric's Bees!!
It is so exciting to  know that the cheese you use,you made  and produced , from milking the goat, and actually making the cheese to testing the final product!! It makes everything you do more exciting and worthwhile.There is nothing quite like creating something from start to finish! It is rewarding, and taste so much better!If you have not tried raw goat milk, I recommend that you do!I think you will be pleasantly surprised! I was!

I am an addict!

Help! I think I am addicted to farming! The more we get into this, the more excited I get. In the beginning, it was a small raised bed garden, then we discovered the joy of canning...so you KNOW the garden had to get bigger! Then, what started with a few small chickens for eggs has blossomed into so much more!

The couple of bantams we had led to regular sized chickens. I mean bigger eggs for baking and such made sense, right? That went so well we decided to get some meat chickens, to have our own fresh, farm raised chickens...yep 25 of them! FYI, it takes a while to process 25 chickens the first time! Thank goodness for a friend who coached us through it all! Then we decided, hey we should get a hive of bees! They would make the garden do so much better, and the honey?...Bonus!! Next, we looked into goats, they were so cute, and if we got a small breed of dairy goat, we could have fresh milk, cheese, butter and soap.Aa couple wouldn't be too much trouble. Well, say hello to our 8 goats! Yep, you heard me right, 8!! My girls are awesome, they are so sweet, the milk is awesome and I am so glad we got them. 

So they led to, get ready for this, turkeys! Yes, turkeys. We are now the proud owners of 3 full grown turkeys and 1 turkey poult, that is about 6 weeks old! Not to mention, one is sitting on a few eggs, ok 14 eggs, but who's counting! I love the gobble noise they make, and I enjoy watching them! Not to mention I hear the eggs are good for baking! I can't wait to try them!

So, that should be it right, well um..no! This weekend we are getting another new addition that I am so excited about, and hopefully another type when spring rolls around! I will fill you in later on another blog. The point is, its addicting! A lot of work? Yes! But it is worth it! The hard work, to see the fruits of your labor, the knowledge and entertainment you get from all the animals! Knowing what your eating, it's great! Some people think I have gone off the deep end, but the more we do, the more I want to do. I enjoy building the pens, putting up fences, canning my own tomatoes and gathering my own eggs! It is such a great feeling to pull a chicken from the freezer for supper and know the work that went into it, and it tastes amazing! It is addicting, satisfying, and I love it! Where will this all lead, I have no clue...but keep an eye out, you never know what's next!

The Simple Life??

Why do you homestead? Many people say when asked, that they want to go back to when things were simpler. That is why most say they want to be more self sufficient and homestead, to live the simple life. Well we have been gradually moving to a self sufficient lifestyle and building our own homestead. We have chickens, goats, bees, turkeys, a garden, a greenhouse. We have cut down drastically the processed things we buy, we don't go out to eat as much and have really made a good homestead that is ever growing and we absolutely love.... but the simple life?? I don't think so.
Life is much better back to basics, but never simple. Simple would be getting hungry and going to McDonald's, instant gratification.  Or even simpler, popping a TV dinner in the microwave. But now we don't even have a microwave. Simple would be hanging out inside watching TV surfing the web on a rainy lazy afternoon. At a homestead there is no such thing as a lazy afternoon. We have to take care of the animals, all of them, and in any weather, rain or shine. There is always a fence to put up or repair or something to fix or make. Simple would be buying your veggies at the grocery store. At a homestead you have to plant the seeds, water, weed them everyday(skip this even for a few days and you suddenly have a forest), and then when they are ripe pick them. Then you can cook them. Or preserve them so you can have those fresh veggies in the winter months instead of doing the simple thing and going to the grocery store when they are out of season. 

Let me explain however that this is not complaining about this lifestyle. Like I have said before, There is nothing more satisfying than having a deliciously prepared meal that you grew, raised, processed, harvested and cooked completely on your plot of land with your own hands. I, however do not want people to underestimate exactly how much work this can be. But all the hard work makes the benefits that you reap all the more rewarding. 

You know exactly what is going in your food so you don't have to worry about the next recall in the supermarket. You know how the animals were treated, their environment they lived in, the food they ate. You know what seeds you used and what, if anything, went on the vegetables and that no pesticides or herbicides were used. There is also nothing more delicious than eating food you grew and raised. Eating this type of food also gives you more energy and makes you feel better. You get to experience the outdoors more and the bond you make with the animals is so rewarding. 
So the next time someone asks if you would like to live the simple life, think about it before you answer.

Learning to Relax

         I live a busy life, between work,family,and the farm, it seems as though something is always going on. I have a "to-do list" at all times, and it never seems to end, it just keeps growing! If I get 10 things done, I remember 10 more things I need to add. My friends and family joke that I cannot sit still, and that I am not happy unless I am doing something, and sometimes I think there is a lot of truth in that!If I spend too much time, relaxing, watching TV or reading, and forgo the list, I feel as if I have wasted the day. I get frustrated with myself, even when I am sitting down and resting a bit I have that list going through my head, thinking of things I should be doing. Don't get me wrong, there are activities and chores on that list I do enjoy, tending to the animals,canning etc, but it's not the same thing, Why can't I just relax and not feel guilty about wasting my time?Does anyone else feel like that? I know that my list will never get done, there will always be something more to add,something that comes up, I guess I just need to figure out how to take a day off...from chores as well as work!A task easier said than done, I do not think it is in my DNA! So, I guess I need to try to figure it out! The nearest I get to unwinding, I think is when I go camping, there is just something about being out in nature,sitting by a campfire,in the cool night air,that just seems to soothe my soul! Unfortunately I do not get to go like I use to,too many responsibilities, but maybe I need to plan a trip soon to recharge my batteries!Life in this world is so fast paced,we all get caught up in it,but take a moment to  relax with something you enjoy.. I think if we all did this a little more, we would all be better off, Sometimes I lose sight of this, but it is something I plan to work on! Happy relaxing!!