A Simple Prairie Life

Okay, apparently I was the last to know about Eyes of Wonder.  I will try to be more on top of things next time. LOL

Not an exceptional harvest, but we were excited to have fresh tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet onions, and eggs.  **Not picturered-3 strawberries and 1 blackberry, ha!  ha!  I have bowls in the freezer, so I just fix them as I pick them and toss them in the freezer.  Maybe someday I’ll have enough to actually make something.

I found this the other day while I was doing chores.  How perfect it is!  I felt bad for the little bird who worked so hard to build it, but apperently forgot to attach it to the tree.  ~Smile

This is our miniature peach tree.  Due to weather it has yet to be very productive, but at least it’s pretty.  My herb garden consists of:

Pineapple Sage (this smells absolutely amazing, I want to make an ice drink out of it as soon as I figure out how), Oregano, Chives, Lemon Balm, Rosemary (in a pot nearby), Rhubarb (not an herb, but needed to get it in the ground somewhere), Thyme, Peppermint (in a pot nearby), and Basil.  I also have chamomile, echinacea, and parsley planted in a different area.I also ordered a miniature lemon tree, lime tree, two grape vines, and a blueberry bush from Gurney’s this spring.  Everything is doing great so far.  Winter will be the true test.  The lemon and lime trees  will have to be moved inside.  A friend of Randy’s has offered to give us a large green house structure.  We will just have to purchase the plastic.  I am so excited!  Now to find a spot, hmmm.

I just received an email from the President of the Texel Sheep Breeders Society.  He would like to come to our farm for a tour and an interview for the website and newsletter.  Whoa!  I’m excited and nervous all at the same time.  Our sheep lots and pasture area are no where near where we would like them to be.  However, we are thrilled about the opportunity, are going to do what we can to make everything presentable, and hope for the best.  Let’s just hope the boys and girls are on their best behavior while he is here. LOL

We (verbally) have one sold for butchering, so we have him separated and eating “the good stuff.”  She’s excited to find lamb, and we are excited at the opportunity to provide someone with quality meat.  It’s more than just a little sad, but we are trying to block it out and do what has to be done.  “We take care of them, so they can take care of us.”  Right? 

We have family flying in from the Carolinas Thursday, so we are excited to see everyone and have the whole family together again.  Another busy weekend ahead of us, but looking forward to it.

Have a wonderful Tuesday!

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted.  Didn’t want you all to think I forgot about you.  We have been so very busy around our little homestead.  We have new sheep that must be quarantined in separate pens for two weeks to avoid any sickness spreading throughout the flock.  So far they are doing absolutely wonderful.  We have a ewe, Minnie, a ram lamb, Cash, and a yearling ram, Merle to go with our other ram, Toby.  A few country singers were our inspiration for the names.  LOL

Friday, Dad and I took a ram lamb to the vet for doctoring.  When I returned home a friend, her daughter, and little cousin came over to spend the afternoon and go swimming.  The girls were wonderful, and my friend and I had a great time chatting, swimming, and enjoying the sunshine.

Saturday morning was spent building new pens in our lot to start drying off our ewes.  We have Texel sheep who are heavy milkers, so we will be separating one or two off at a time, milking them out, and keeping them off food and water or minimal roughage and water to ensure their milk supply dries up and they remain mastitis free.

Saturday afternoon we baled and hauled in barley straw from the field before more rain moved in.  Sunday morning we wormed sheep and milked out our first victim of weaning and drying off.  The first two ewes are our favorite little girls, so hopefully everything goes well for them and us.  Sunday afternoon we took our llama, Hank, over to a wonderful couple from our church to have his hooves trimmed.  They even offered to shear him while we were there, so Hank got the spa treatment.  They show llamas, so Hank got to chat a little with llamas for the afternoon instead of just sheep.  If you’ve never heard a llama talk/cry you must visit a llama farm someday.  It’s the sweetest thing I have ever heard.  LOL 

Once we dropped Hank off at home we headed to the field to pick up the remainder of the barley straw.  232 are safely tucked away in the hay shed at Grandma’s until we need it this winter. 

Dh and I rushed home that evening for a quick swim before starting our evening chores.  By the end of the evening we were exhausted and not ready to start another week.  However, at 4:15 sharp the alarm was buzzing and I was up and beginning my Monday.  It was raining, thundering, and lightening this morning.  All the windows in the house were open; a cool breeze was blowing through the house, oh how I wanted to curl back up in bed with my husband and sleep. 

The garden is producing tomatoes, cucumbers, and turnips.  Life is good!  I lost both my squash plants and my zucchini (was able to harvest one zucchini that was delicious).  I suspect squash bugs, but am worried about grub worms below ground.  The only time in my gardening life I would pray for squash bugs : )    The chickens are praying ‘grub worms.’  They know they will be released on the garden if this is in fact the case. 

We did have corned been and zucchini along with fresh sliced tomatoes and cucumbers for dinner last night.  It was nice to have something other than ham sandwiches : )

Hope everyone has a wonderful week.

We are in the midst of harvest at our house.  My dh and I help my parents and grandma get their wheat harvest in.  I usually drive the grain truck and take care of the chores at our house.  My dh drives one of the combines with my brother or Dad in the other.  Last year we used a grain cart behind the tractor, but this year the crop is so poor it isn’t needed and not financially feasible to run it.  I did receive my first combine lesson.  There is definitely a lot to know and remember, but the other day I saw a little girl (maybe 14?) driving a big, fast combine and was determined to learn how to drive our old John Deere combines.

We have two baby chicks so far.  We pulled the babies and the mamas, but are contemplating putting the mamas back with everyone else and just leaving the babies in a separate pen since there are two of them.  They are eating and drinking like crazy, so apparently they are both healthy.  Now let’s just hope they are hens and not roosters.  I don’t think my shins can handle anymore roosters on this farm. LOL

Tomorrow my dh and I are headed to Sedalia, Missouri in search of two Texel rams.  It’s a long drive for one day, but our other option was Michigan.  Our in-law are there, but it was still just too far and too hot to haul something that far.  So the “Show Me” state it is! 

Last night we got a break from the field.  We ran to our neighbors and picked up 28 tomato cages they wanted to get rid of.  We finally go to swim in our pool again.  It was so relaxing!  Then I made stir-fry that was really nice and light on a hot day.  I also managed to bake bread, so we can pack a lunch for our trip and started the crock pot with ham hocks for collard greens.  Mmmmm.

I promise to take some harvest pictures.  It’s just an incredible time of year where everyone pulls together, works hard, and is just a little nicer to one another.  It’s like Christmas in June!  Last night on the way home I saw a giant John Deere combine with an American flag on the back of it blowing in the wind out in a wheat field.  Does it get anymore “All American” than that?  If I see it again tonight I’m taking a picture.  It was just one of those scenes screaming to have its picture taken.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week.  Hopefully the next time I blog my sheep flock has increased by two in size.

This was my project over the weekend.  My dh finally released his old Caterpillar work boots to me and this is the end result.  Incase you can’t see them very well; there are hens and chicks planted in the boots.  I got the idea after perusing the photos on Long Creek Herbs.  A very cute place I would love to visit someday.

After a day in the heat the pups were ready for a nap.  When we first got Ash (the blue heeler) I wanted her to learn to stay outside, didn’t happen.  When we found Koal on an Alabama roadside and decided to keep the timid little guy I said, “no way am I having two dogs in the house, they will learn to stay outside.”  Well, below are pictures of how well that worked out for me, but now I can’t imagine leaving them locked outside.  Enjoy!

This is Koal.  The chair looks kind of funny because it was pretty dark in the room and the flash reflected off the leather.  I wasn’t even sure you would be able to see the little guy.

This is Ash.  They have been digging holes in the backyard to keep cool (even though they have a pool, dh says they know they aren’t supposed to swim with out adult supervision, ha! ha!).  We are thinking Ash fell in one of her own holes and hurt her leg.  Oops!  She’s getting better, but any other time that oversized tennis ball would have been toast.

Wheat harvest is underway and the wheat is doing better than expected.  Let’s pray it continues on well for my parent’s sake.  They have had some terrible luck lately, so I hope things turn around for them soon.  Farming is never predictable unfortunately.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend.