Summer is here!

Everything is so green and beautiful. Every day brings another surprise bloom in the flower beds, something new to appreciate and enjoy - things I didn't plant yet there they are!
The garden is looking great! Corn, peas, onion, lettuce, beans, cucumber, pumkin, watermelon, and sunflowers are all peeking through the soil, growning from seeds we planted. Califlower, celery, zucchini, tomatoes, peanuts and canteloupe are growing bigger from plants we planted. Yet to come up are potatoes and asparagus! So many fun things to look forward to. I managed to get some seeds in for my herbs as well. I'm sure not everything will come up so great, but it's a terrific start! Just trying to stay ahead of the weeds for now!

Beautiful Day

It is such a beautiful day today! Thank you, Lord! The sun is out and even if it is a bit chilly, we will love this day. The farm is so relaxing and pleasing to the eye. Every tree has leaves, even the Chestnut Tree. The grape vine is alive and budding, the field Dan and Dad cleared is greening up nicely and Tucker just ran off three big deer from right beside our property. The chickens have (finally) started going in and out on their own, and love to roost on the set-up Dan and Abby made them. Bill and Grampa Chaffin made the girls the most terrific nesting boxes! The chickens are now 8 weeks old and in 3 months, we should, hopefully, be seeing a few eggs in those nests. Odd-Ball is the baby bunny, and female and very cute and sweet. I'm sure if we can't find a home, we'll end up keeping it - but, I'd like to TRY to find her a home....
Our "eyes bigger than stomach" garden is coming along. We have planted early corn, Silver Queen corn, and popcorn. Pickling cucumbers, pumkins, and cantaloupe. Bush beans, peas, and onions. And lots of small sunflowers, that I am hoping to sell in bunches. We still have plenty to plant though......
Dan has pulled out all the fencing and posts (with a very little help from me, and more help from Abby) and stacked it away and is getting the pasture ready for whenever we get the fencing and the cows. Am investigating raising the cows on grass, and supplemental alfafa, instead of grain. This will raise a leaner, more healthy beef but will probably not be able to raise as many at one time. Reports tell me that when you feed beef this way, it has the same healthy values as eating skinless chicken breast or fish.
I feel like I'm in school. Everything is a term paper, with all the research!

Surprise for Mom & Dad

Surprise was the word for Mom & Dad! My sisters and I have been so busy lately, LYING to our parents in order to throw them a surprise birthday party, but it worked!
Of course M&D knew I was lying (yeah, I could never get away with that for very long) but thought the surprise was that my sisters might be in town. They never expected such a large gathering of friends.
With lots of help from friends, the party came off beautifully!
THANK YOU to everyone!

It was so much fun having my neice and nephews here to see the farm (I missed Emy so much!) helping to feed the chickens and rabbits, looking at the baby bunny, driving the tractor - the only thing missing was a bonfire!

Now back to regular life. Dan plowed up a HUGE garden area that I need to get started on, we need to make a chicken tractor and get the meat chicks started, and finish up school.

Tractor!

Dan has been doing a ton of research on the purchase of a tractor and implements. It's about the same money as buying a car, only we never did this much research and thinking on any car we ever bought! Yesterday, Dan called me from the station and we chatted about what Abby and I were doing, and plans for the day.(no mention of the tractor) Fifteen minutes later he calls me back, and say's he just bought a tractor! He got a bit of a deal and is signing the papers today. In case this means anything to you, it's a Kubota B7800HSD, and he bought the front bucket, brush cutter, and roto tiller. We are just going to buy a riding lawn mover instead of the finish mower attachment, so Abby can help with the mowing. I remember I was 12 when I was using the riding mower when we lived in The Lake of the Woods. However, I don't think she will be mowing like I did in a 2 piece bathing suit!

Earlier this week, Dan's dad came out and helped him get a good start on the chicken coop. It looks terrific! Very sturdy, with room on top for hay storage.
Abby is making a sign for the 'Chick House'. Our chickens will have a very cozy and safe place to live.

The chickens are growing, and getting their wing and tail feathers. One of the Black Australorp is very bossy, and will be either a rooster or a top hen, I think. We should be able to start telling the boys from the girls in a few weeks. Betsy has chosen to adopt the runt of the litter (that's how I chose Sam, too) She is a Rhode Island Red and seems to have very small wings and isn't getting the feathers that the others have. I mentioned that would be one to end up getting culled (dinner!) and she was very offended. She says she wants to keep it in her room! (won't happen...)

Today, Abby and will go outside and mark where the gardens should go. Room enough for a big vegetable garden, Abby's corn, and a big patch of mini-sunflowers!

Our Easter

Easter was rainy for us, and sad that Dan had to work. But we still had a great day. Abby, at almost 12, still wanted to color and hunt eggs, "just for fun." Dan hid them in the backyard before he left for the station, and of course we can't find two! One even has a dollar with it.
We picked up Betsy for church and Abby & Bets went to services together. I have to admit, I missed going to service as I was teaching the three-year-olds. I wonder how things went over when my threes went home to lunch with Grandma and shouted, "Jesus is alive! Woo-hoo!"

After church, we got a bite to eat and as we were getting ready to leave an old couple were seated next to us. When I went to pay the bill, the gentleman turned to Betsy & Abby and asked, "Did you girls go to church today?" They got to talking and found out that this couple goes to Grace as well. His wife has had Alzheimer's for 10 years and he was telling me about how he took her out of the nursing home and cares for her himself. (this guy is in his 80's at least). Anyway, after he told me about the 10 years, he says to me "look at her" and I do, thinking this is so sad, she doesn't function with him at all, then he says "Doesn't she look great?!" and he smiles. Thinking about it, I could cry. He loves her so much.

Later, we went to Easter dinner with the Nye's. My mom-in-law made a wonderful dinner. We celebrated Bill's & Betsy's birthdays and enjoyed being together. Visited Dan at the station and headed back home to check on my chicks! (they were alive & kickin after 11 hours alone, yea!)

NOW it's a farm!

I just don't think it's a farm until there are chickens!
Yesterday, Abby and I went with friends and we picked out 15 chicks. We have 9 Rhode Island Reds, 3 Black Australorp and 3 Red Sex Link (dumb name).
The R.S.Link is a cross between a Rhode Island Red male and a Leghorn hen.
Six of the Rhode Island Reds and the three R.S.Link are pullets (female). The other three R.I.R. and the Australorp are 'straight run', meaning they could be pullets or cocks. Usually, they say, you end up with about 50/50. I am hoping to get 2 or three males, and then I can pick the best one to keep as our resident rooster. The others will be dinner. My goal is to end up with 11 or 12 layers, plus our rooster.
It's been tricky keeping the temperature at 95 degrees for them. I woke up a few times last night to check on them, and this morning (thank you, God) they were all still alive! They are very cute. Right now Abby's rabbits and the chicks are in our garage because today we had a concrete floor put into the barn! It looks great, and it will be much easier to keep animals clean in there now.
Friday, Dan is going to pick up the materials needed to make the chicken coop. I think he is going to start Sat. He's working hard so he can have that day home at Chestnut Hill. We named the farm that because we have a chestnut tree up on the hill (well, a rise anyway)in front of our house. Dan wasn't too into the naming of the farm, but Abby felt it was imperitive that the farm be named. She liked Chestnut Hill, so there you go. She's also trying to name the chicks - I think that is hard, so many of them look alike!
Have a Blessed Easter!

Abby's quote/Betsy's home!

Best new quote from Abby: "I'm so glad I have a handy daddy!"
Handy Daddy took Monday off and wired up and installed flood lights in the barn. Yea! Now we don't have to take flashlights with us if we are down there after dark. He did a terrific job.
The second best thing he did was build a very sturdy and perfect stand for the rabbit cages. Now they are safe above dog level. Abby is feeling much better about that. Tucker is ok with the rabbits, as he is experienced in dealing with them. (neighbor's bunnies on Cheyenne)

Betsy is HOME! Well, she's not at home right now......she is off enjoying seeing her friends on her birthday. It's great to have her to hug and talk to in person! And she's 20! That blows my mind.......... One daughter out of her teens and the other not too far away from her teens.

Hershey & Little Bo Peep

Yesterday, as Abby put it, we got "our 3rd and 4th animals."
4-H friends of ours, who have been raising and showing rabbits for 12 years, are getting out of it and selling some of their rabbits. Abby and I went over and picked up a buck named Hershey and a doe named Little Bo Peep (Bo for short). They are both Dutch Rabbits. They have a color on their heads, white across the saddle and the color again on their ends, with other white markings. Hershey is chocolate brown, and Bo is black. They were mated last Wed. & Thur. and Abby will let them "get frisky" again today and tomorrow in the hope that we will have bunnies in 30 days! Abby is very excited to have them and especially loves Hershey. She will take Hershey to a local show on April 9 and get some experience showing him.
Abby said to me that she is so excited now that we are starting to do some "farm stuff!" - I agreed!

SOLD!!!

Yesterday Dan & I closed on the sale of our Westerville house! Yea! We are very thankful that the Lord brought the right buyer at the right time. Although we would have liked to sell it before now, this is the time when we are really going to start doing things around the farm and the Lord knew that the whole time. The new owner, Erin, is so cute and sweet and nice and I'm thankful for that for my neighbors' sake. I told her she was getting the best neighbors as well.
Time for Dan to decide which tractor he wants to buy, time for me to decide about the size of the garden, time to build the chicken coop and buy those little chickies. I'm hoping my father-in-law might have some time to come up and help me get this garden going this spring. (hint hint)
Thank you to all my Family and Friends who have been praying with us about the sale of our house!

Our First Farm Auction

Saturday Abby and I went with our friends, the Mikulec's, to the Danville Auction. Held twice a month, it is owned and run by an Amish family. Abby got her first experience seeing the way they dress and act and there were plenty of horse drawn buggies to see. We weren't there for all of it, but the auction begins with tools and farm equipment, then straw and hay. Farmers wanting to sell, pull in with trailers loaded to the sky with square bales of straw or hay. Farmers needing some, come with empty trailers or truck beds. (that will be us very soon!) Then everyone can warm up because, it's into a building to bid on all the delicious (and fattening) home-made goodies - straight from the amish ladies' kitchens. Noodles, pies, cakes, cinnamon rolls (this is where I caved in...$1.25 for a plateful of huge rolls, slathered in creamy icing) and also farm fresh eggs. From lots of 4 dozen to 32 dozen. This seems to be the place where all the locals go on Sat. morning. Rows and rows of people, enjoying company and not being quiet for the auctioneer - it's not that kind of place. Slightly dark, lit only by gas lights, warm and fragrant from all the baked good and very chatty & cozy. Oh, I forgot to mention the home-made doughnuts (caved then too... It's called a cheat day, I believe). After all the baked goods are sold, most of the people head home to enjoy their good deals. The farmers in need of any animals stay and mosey on out to the barn. At auction on this day were, many hens & roosters, two half-grown turkeys, 5 or so bigger goats, a baby white goat and approx. 6 (cute) dwarf baby goats. Lots of rabbits and a crateful of beautiful doves. Next time, we might see some calves. We are eagerly awaiting the next auction and can't wait for Dan to go with us!

BUDDY JR.

Buddy is our outdoor (haha) cat. Our supposed Barn Cat. Buddy doesn't really seem to like being out in the cold and snow, so has spent 90% of his time in our basement. (he joined our farm family the end of Dec.) We would like for him to be upstairs with us, warm and cozy, but Buddy doesn't really enjoy Tuckers efforts to play with him - or whatever it is he wants to do with the cat. (it doesn't help that Tucker has been raised on "Get the Cat" and now we are confusing him by saying "Be Nice to the Cat". ) There seems to be a lot of growling, hissing and swatting when they share the same air. Anyway, Buddy Jr. has a reputation for catching, killing and apparently eating birds. We had high hopes that out here in the country, he would exchange his desire of 'fowl' for one of 'rodent'. Lucky for us, the weather has warmed up a bit, and he is spending more time outside. Of course, I have let the dog out twice when the cat was right there by the door. That had the same ending each time - CAT IN TREE. I don't worry about that though, as Dan the fireman says, "I've never seen a dead cat in a tree". Buddy Jr. was out yesterday for a while, and it was starting to rain so Abby went out to call Buddy. Yes, he comes like a dog when we call. As Abby saw Buddy running up to the deck, she excitedly came yelling and jumping into the house to tell me, "Buddy caught a mouse! Buddy caught a mouse!" (you can now understand the sort of thing that excites us these days!)

so blessed!

So here I am, and I really don't know what I'm doing with this thing - I named my whole site 'so blessed!' but was trying to name my first blog that - how well suited though! We are so truly blessed! I still can't believe we are here!
The snow is now melting, as we are having a "heat wave" of the high 40's. I loved having the 4-6" of snow on the ground though. Abby and I had so much fun going out and looking for tracks! We haven't seen any deer in our field yet, but found deer tracks in our backyard area. A few days ago we saw three wild turkeys moving across our backyard. They left the most interesting tracks as they were dragging their long, feathered tails through the snow. (Corey is probably thinking, why didn't we shoot them?) We see big bunny tracks next to several sets of small bunny tracks - so cute! Tucker likes to eat what they leave behind - not so cute!
I may not be getting to the gym very often, but I am still getting a workout, as our small house is best heated with the wood burner. Abby and I are always hauling wood and collecting sticks. I have found out I can split wood! well, some of the wood. Nothing will bring me back to earth about my strength and ablilites faster than when I slam that 8 pound maul into a piece of wood and feel the vibration of impact climbing up my arm to my shoulder! (That one goes in Dan's pile!) If I carefully choose the right size, shape and desity of the wood I want to split - I can do it. I'm getting better all the time, and I like it! It's probably a bit like the feeling Brad gets doing demo. It's a bit destructive....