Monthly Archives: October 2012

Weekend in Paradise

Our connection to place is growing. I and the children have now spent just about 2 weeks straight on the property and been quite content in the process. This was also our 2nd weekend straight on the property and it has been truly heavenly. There is something really great about nice full days spent outside working side by side with your family and loving every minute. This weekend’s agenda included, cleaning out the garage, cleaning out the packing shed, getting the log splitter up and running, getting the tiller attached to the tractor (still not quite done), fixing goat fencing (it’s breeding season and those boys are persistant!)and a few other small chores, like getting the living room ready for painting, wow. Along the way we had a couple good movies, some good food and stories.

Yes we are settling in and it feels wonderful. Soon the snow will be flying and outdoor time will be limited so it is good to get the outdoor projects finished now and the indoors straightened out and beautified. This is probably one of the first years I am really looking forward to winter, minus the snow removal.

Bringing in the Hay

It was one of those amazing weekends with great weather, lovely comfort food and lots of time spent with those we love. As the semi-warm weather continues we are limiting time off the farm to a minimum and spending as much time as possible outdoors to finish up projects for the winter.

One huge project on the list was getting the hay put away the goats would need to get them through the winter. We are so blessed to have a barn already set up for hay storage so that wasn’t too difficult. But with the late season drought finding hay was a bit more difficult then I would have thought. Finally we found a neighbor with some hay available for purchase. He drove his hay wagon over Saturday night and we agreed to unload it, count it and pay him later.

You would be amazed how much entertainment that wagon gave the children. For the 2 older ones, literally hours. Proeun would say, “are they still over at the hay wagon?” already knowing the answer and giving a little shake of his head and a chuckle.
 

But it was not to last. We did have to unload.

Special thanks to my big strong husband who unloaded the wagon by himself. Each of those bales weighed 50 pounds and there were 69 of them! I supervised and watched the children, who loved getting in the way.

Works all done. We finished with a hayride, minus the hay bales. it was a great day.

Picture of the Week–Avril Quilting

Admittedly not the best quality picture photographically speaking but when you are trying to capture a moment before it passes you use what you got.

I love working on projects with my children. Honestly I wish I were more patient and took more time for it to happen but when it does it is so precious. The first of the quilts is almost complete–just the hand sewing of the binding left before it will be keeping us warm at night. Here in the 2nd to last stage Avril helps me tie the quilt top, batting and backing together. She did a beautiful job and unexpectedly the comraderie of working on such a large project together filled my heart with joy. So that is the moment and feelings that this picture entails for me. Looking forward to many more moments like this.

Crowning achievement

 Our first CSA season is done on our very own farm! Wow what a crazy feeling. Bittersweet to say the least. Setting up on a new farm was more difficult then I expected and the weather didn’t help with flooding at the beginning of the summer followed by drought, butwe did it. In the end everything worked out and we have learned so much for next year and are super excited for the next season already.

But first things first. There is a bit of clean up and a few winter projects left that hopefully will get done in the next couple of weeks while it’s still possible to work comfortably outside.

I also am winding down my physical involvment as our due date approaches. But I had one “big” project I had to finish–the birthday crowns from Soule Mama’s The Creative Family. I have been wanting to make some for the kids for awhile. I bought felt like almost a year ago for it. So when Avril was trying to make a crown out of paper last weekend and it wasn’t working out too well I said absentmindly that I could make her one. Not realizing I would actually be making four. Then with the last week of delivery and scrambling to clean up I have been exhausted and this pregnant mama has not felt like sewing. Finally I got them done.
 

Another thing accomplished and they all seemed pleased with them. Avril and Mavis even added their own touches. The purpose of them is to be used only for birthdays to enhance the celebration. I don’t know if that will work out for us or not.

Moving Caleb

When we first got our goats last spring we admittedly didn’t think things through that much. We knew we wanted goats and had an idea how to build housing for them but in the middle of a crazy set up year we didn’t plan on what would happen come winter. We also knew we wanted to use the goats to clear the woods so they would be kept in the woods but didn’t figure out how we would set up fencing in said woods. So the first location for Caleb–our male Nigerian goat was in a relatively open spot that was quite scenic but also a trek from the house. 

As winter approaches and I become more pregnant I couldn’t imagine trying to trek all the way out to check on him let alone clear a path. But how would we move his house?

Luckily my husband is a master at making do with what you have–Caleb’s house was built entirely of found material. So he came up with the idea of using round tent posts, lifting the house on to the posts and “rolling” it to the new location ala “caveman” as he put it. Later we actually saw this technique used with a log cabin on TV, but Proeun came up with it first I promise you!

So this weekend Caleb got a move into a new location.
 

Here they are coming down the trail and making the turn to head off into the woods. Proeun and his dad pushing and Avril supervising making sure to tell them loudly when they were at the end of logs. The other girls safely in the house being supervised by Two and me documenting.
 

After the house everything else was easy.
 

Blackie and Jimmy, the little bucks born to Raven this year on the farm, joined Caleb in the new digs. It will be way easier to keep an eye on them here. I actually took this picture from our deck! Good work honey!

Living Life

On any typical day I will be cooking at least three meals, packing CSA boxes, delivering CSA boxes taking care of the animals, homeschooling and trying to keep house. 

Yesterday I added some extra cooking, granola and roasted almonds,in the afternoon. Then while dinner cooked out to deworming the goats (its been a horrible year for parasites). Proeun called and I actually had to tell him, “Sorry honey I can’t talk to you right now I am deworming goats.” Never thought I would have to say that.

Then after dinner, settle down with a quick story and then bed for the kids. At some point in the day I was comparing my life with what it could be. If I had chosen a more traditional life with a career outside the home, 2 children and a nice little house in the suburbs I probably would have more free time, more down time. But as I was cooking dinner I thought about a quote I read somewhere about dogs and how dogs actually like to have a job to do. I guess I do to. I like to have things to do; and I especially like to be engaged in meaningful actitivies. There are plenty of those on the farm. Small acts like deworming the goats contributes to the overall health of the farm–same with cooking meals.

Another quote I read was that “Children spell love T-I-M-E.” The author went on to say that engaging in daily life with our children is a really good way to fit that in. So yes I am busy, yes my life is full, but it’s just about “Living Life” and loving every minute.

About Farm–Fall Season Walk

One online publication I really love is Rhythm of the Home. It is a seasonal publication focusing on enjoying nature and family and connecting with the people and the world around us. One recommendation that seems to appear in almost every edition is the nature walk. The seasonal walking of a particular area that allows you to really focus both on the beauty of the location and what the seasons mean. So today farm duties were a little slow so I set out with my camera to take a few pictures and share what this wonderful season means on Crazy Boy Farm.

The fields look a little different now. But still lots of goodness out there. Pretty much everything has been harvested except for the greens which are holding up quite well despite the frost. I am loving the potatoes, onions, squash and apples that are daily staples now around the farm and learning all sorts of good ways to cook greens.

The trail out to the field, a pleasure in any season.

My favorite spot on the farm, our own little wetlands. I love the wildlife around the area and the change of scenery. When we were first looking for a property and I was imagining my dream property it included fields, woods, trails and a pond. Well we have everything but the pond, however this comes pretty close.
 

Some things don’t change. Bruce, aka the boss still strutting his stuff for his ladies.

I hope you have enjoyed a little seasons walk through the farm. Lots of good stuff happening.