Tuesday, January 29, 2013

It's Started!

Believe it or not, this is the beginning of our planting this year!  I've never started onions from seed and have been reading about it for a few weeks now.  I decided with the beautiful weather we had today that it was a good day to start.

These onions will (hopefully) grow into the sets that we'll transplant in early spring.  We'll still buy several sets but I decided it would be good to know how to start them from seed so I can have a bigger selection of varieties.

These onion seeds came from MyPatriotSupply.com.  They have an excellent germination rate with their seeds so I knew it would be my best bet for a successful first try.  Currently, they are sitting on the corner of a cabinet where I normally proof my bread.  Once they germinate, they can move to a cooler area of the house where I can find some light or provide lighting for them.

These warm days are very deceiving but I'm still hoping for some cold weather so we can tap our maple trees in a few weeks.  I made a small amount of syrup a few years ago but I'd like to try again for at least a quart after boiling.

Hope you all are well and looking forward to the season as much as we are!

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Vet Visit

We had a visit from the friendly neighborhood vet today.  Our cow "Steak" had some complications from a failed banding and it wasn't looking very good.  TH had given him some antibiotics last week but decided it would be best for the vet to come on out.  It was our first time with the new vet in town but she was very good and we hope for Steak to be back up and at 'em soon.

I took the two princesses over to the barn as they had never seen a vet in person.  She had to go out to her truck to get some supplies and as she walked by, Princess #1 asked why she had blood on her.  I let her know that vets have to work very hard and sometimes get dirty doing it.

All the other animals are doing well.  We did lose a hen a couple of weeks ago to old age.  She was the last one of our original 10 chicks we bought a few years ago.  She had stopped laying months ago but we were letting her enjoy retirement.

The goats are as ornery as every.  I try to sneak out and feed the chickens when the goats go over the hill and can't see me coming.  While it is possible to feed the chickens with the goats present, it is much easier when they are not around.  Bunny is our largest goat and the one that insists on jumping on me to try and knock the feed bucket out of my hand.  She's a handful at feeding time but sweet all other times.

I'm still making my final decisions with the seed catalogs.  Baker Creek is going to be getting most of our business and I'm hoping to get a vegan cookbook from them as well.  No, we're not going vegan but I am wanting to incorporate more veggie-focused meals to our diet.