Happy Mother's Day

Well it's hard to believe we are already in May. I have been offline for a spell due to our Internet service provider not providing in our area anymore with out replacing the service with something to replace it.
We are now back up and running.
Hope you are all being good to your Mom's, I mean where would we be without them. In my case, my Dad was both Mom and Dad, so lucky Dad gets two day's of appreciation. Thanks Dad! Your the bestest!

As for me, I got exactly what I wanted for Mother's day. My gardens are done, the coop has had its spring cleaning and we made some great improvements and I got to go to breakfast with my favourite guy who also happens to be my best friend and hold the keys to my big ol' heart.

 I guess I should mention that we have changed up our flock a bit and decide to mix it up. We decide it would be a lot more fun to have a few breeders and the rest a great big Heinz 57. Lots of colours and different personalities, different coloured eggs etc....

So, Here goes the new introductions.

This Is Lucy, I know we introduced her before but she has really made her way up in the flock.

She is one of the main hens in the coop.

This is Pooks, she has been with us for awhile and is one of my fav's

We sold most of our Buff Orpingtons to make room for the new additions.

Which leaves us with just two Buff Orp hens and one very large young cockerel.

This is Boss man, he is only six months old.

he will be the main Rooster for this flock.

Next we have two sweet little Lavender Americana's.

We haven't named them yet, we are not sure of their sex. If the are both pullets they will be staying for sure.

We went to a buy trade and sell this year in spencerville and I picked up these two little sweeties

Barred rocks are great layers and they make a great colour addition.

They blend in with Lucy and don't make her feel like she is the only one.

Also in Spencerville I picked up some arcana hatching eggs.

the eggs are blueish green in colour and I thought they would all be the same colour of chicks

But.........

Multi coloured chicks.. my favourite!!!

This should add some colour!

Also in the brooder are some babies from Lucy and yellow foot.

We sold yellow foot who used to be our man of the coop.

Our Baby pen is occupied by some rather yucky little creatures,

which I will never take on again.

Eating, pooping, ugly little creatures.

Meat chickens!!!!

Aren't they ugly little things??

They are 4 weeks old and have at least another 5 weeks to go,

if you don't say on top of their pen it gets nasty really quick.

I will NEVER do meat chickens again!!!

We still have Mama Chantelcer

And Eggbert

As well as some other chanties that we are saving for dinner.

They are great meat birds.

We picked up a special little friend for my niece, who I named for the time being

Poof!

She is a little Polish pullet and the only one of her kind in our coop.

Shortly she will have a new home.

Last but not least.

We picked up this little couple from the auction

My Honey likes this breed a lot. they are little and easy to manage

but most of all, they are really really friendly.

I think we are planning to add to these two.

I'd like to have a couple more hens for him.

Their names are Spunk and Pea hen.

It seems I have been waiting forever for spring to really get here.

Like Mother nature couldn't make up her mind.

Finally winter is over and the sun and warmth have returned.

Time to put my Husband to work. Because that's what we have them for!!

Am I right Ladies?

I happen to be one of the luckiest women in the world when it comes to great, handy not to mention loving, sweet, hansome.... Oh sorry, got carried away. Wouldn't want anyone to think I was pouring on the sugar,

But really he is pretty great Husband!

So I tell him what I want.

I want a raised garden bed, big enough to hold all the yummy stuff my chickens and I would like to munch on for the summer.

And Bingo

This little garden holds cucumbers, garlic, spinach,

Turnips, beets and of course tomato's, both cherry and beefsteak.

Next I said, I would like to have raspberries so I can make jam.

and voila!

Also, I needed to fix up the side and front gardens for squash and pumpkin and potato's

and the front garden for sweet peas and bean bush.

Potato mounds

Squash and pumpkin.

Beans and peas

And finally, the end of our day was spent cleaning and fixing up the coop.

The coop was all closed up for the winter and needed to be aired out.

To keep it dry and comfortable we like to have as open as possible.

We had to add a little more chicken wire to this pen,

these guy can really fly.

Since they are a little smaller than the rest of our crew,

we thought they would like a little ramp to get down into the lilac's

They love being in the dirt.

Well that was my Mother's day, hope you enjoy yours

Untill next time

Happy homesteading!

  

A little wish for land

A little bit of land is all I ask.

Just a small place to call my own,

where I can put down roots, so deep

so deep,

that great-grandchildren still will

call it home.

Is it so much to ask?

a lane of trees,

bringing birdsong and colored leaves,

a grape arbor, the roses beyond,

sweet lilacs holding in their arms,

the lawn.

Tulips, and yellow daffodil,

spattered up and down the cellar hill,

sweet gurgling brook, fresh and cool,

the brush beyond

sheltering grouse and sage,

A LITTLE BIT OF LAND

and shy sweet deer.

Oh aching heart, hungry hungry soul.

What little bit to make a grateful

whole.

Is there no spot in all this universe?

a little valley, with a cabin home,

a bit of garden I can call my own,

I would not bruise the land, or tear

it apart,

but keep it beating with a happy

blooming heart.

Each bit of soil, which God had

surely blessed,

would be a cozy home for seeds to

rest,

and grow and nourish, comforting

all men,

with fruit and shade, and food for

every soul.

A little bit of land, to call my own,

within its small confines, a loving

home,

and fertile soil

no matter the toil,

I would so grateful be

if God would take a little chance on

me

and give me a small plot of lonely

sod

that needs a gentle hand, and God.

—fennie Senrud Hutton

The old ways

In this day and age, it's hard to believe that once upon a time things were much simpler.
A day when wars were fought on battle fields, when a truce was called just to buried their fallen.
When people had a common regard for hard work and weren't afraid to get their hands dirty. A time when they traded eggs for a bit of milk and neighbours would come with the true intention to help in times of need, with no other agenda. When the most wonderful memories were of a hard days work and a cool glass of iced tea on the porch after dinner, watching the chickens peck and scurry around the yard and the scent of clean laundry hung out in the breeze.

The food was truly home made and greatly appreciated. Children learnt many different skills, how to build a barn or how to run a household, instead of how to use a cell phone or how to shoot to kill in a video game.

Yes there was downfalls to those times and yes it was hard work. But weren't people happier? None of the hustle and bustle of angry people driving to work, living each day in a job that gives no satisfaction. People these day have become petty and mean, children have become cruel and unforgiving.

Working away from your home and children, missing all the best young days of their lives because you can't afford to not work. Back then your land was truly your land and no one could tell you what you could and couldn't do to it or on it and you took pride in working it, in your animals in your food and raising your children to be proud of who they are. these days by the time you get yourself home after a long day at work, most of us are to tired to deal with families, so we pick up that take out and don't take the time to inquire about every ones day.

Families gathered together more often and appreciated each other, never taking for granted the days they had together or the skills they could teach each other.

People were less rude, less in a hurry, less greedy and definitely less judgemental of each other.

I know technology is a good thing in some ways and I know that if it was taken from us most would be lost. But I truly believe technology has made us lazy. We let TV and video games raise our children.We can't live with out our cell phone or computer. Very few sit as a family and eat a meal and talk about the days events.

And we should! We really should take the time to appreciate each other, to learn about each other, as families.

To learn the pride of a hard job done well. To be able to count on your neighbours for help when you need it. To know that family will always be family no matter what the situation. to be able to take pride in all that you do, be it your family your home, your job your life, and on your last day on this earth to know your can be proud of who you are and who your children will become.

I truly believe we could learn so much from those days long ago.

 I really wish we could live that way again.

It may be just a dream of the past but I believe we would all be much happier and healthier and the generations to come would be better off.

Until next time

Happy homesteading!

Spring!!

Now that Spring is really here, the birds are singing , the geese are back and the days are longer, our happy little family of birds are enjoying the sunshine and fresh air.

The big guy is being nosey and checking in on the babies and their Mama.

We finally came up with a name for our newest addition to our flock, she is a barred rock x polish mix and as sweet as pie. We named her Lucy!!!... And Lucy as sweet and cute as she is, is a leader! A leader who leads the flock to places the flock should not be!

Yesterday, while I was at work my Hubby had to chase the flock back into our coop and out of the farmers barn. Lucy was sitting on the seat of the tractor, while the rest of the flock

clucked and peck on the ground below her.

Like I said, she is a handful but I think she just might be my favourite.

After playing in the coop, I decided maybe today would be a good day to bake the things that I enjoy the most. So, traditional Scottish shortbread cookies,

 Braided egg bread,

oatmeal cookies

and traditional Scots buttermilk bread, which happens to be my Hubby's favourite of the many kinds of bread I make.

Last but not least, I though some homemade raspberry jam would go great with

all this yummy bread.

So after all the baking was done, supper was made and everyone was full and content, I thought I would take the babies we have inside and introduce them to Mama and her babies.

Mama was not sure what to do with all the extra babies in her coop,

now she has 28 babies to deal with. Ha! busy Mama. She kinda looks a little overwhelmed

and confused.

Since we got rid of the big bad bully of the coop, we moved the older babies

to his pen. There's lot of room to play in the big old pen.

 And that's all that's up here on the farm!

 Happy Homesteading!

                                                              

I think Spring has Sprung

Today on our wonderful farm, there has been some pretty great indications that spring is
                                                                        here!
     Most of the snow in the yard has melted, Robin's in the front yard and mud everywhere!

It does mean that spring, if not here now, is just around the corner!

WOO HOO!!!!

Your time is up old man winter!!!

That means that letting the chooks out to free range and planning and planting the gardens are not far away. I can't wait to be outside in the sunshine. I'm sure my Hubby is NOT nearly as excited as I am.It does mean a lot of work for him. Luckily I am not as picky and demanding as some think I am! :)

Besides, it keeps him busy until football starts. Chicken and garden season first, Then football season. After football season, more chicken season, a little more garden season.

I have such a great Hubby!

So with that here's a little update from the coop!

Mama has hatched herself 8 beautiful little chicks.

and they are a handful.

                  She is often clucking and tucking them back under her when they misbehave.
                                               She is a great Mama and they are all doing great!

       We also have a new addition in the coop, she doesn't have a name yet and she is a little different

          but she seems to be getting along with the gang just fine.

           She is a barred rock X polish mix

             and she is pretty sweet.

She has quite the personality, she is a very funny girl!

                                                          And she likes to be up high.

We took the big Meany (The chantie rooster hates me) out of this pen, with the other hen and filled

this pen with babies.

                                      She is with the babies we have left from our last hatch

         and seems to be happy, even though she gives a peck and gets a peck once in a while.

She seems to fit in just nicely!

So that's all that's up at the Adams Farm.

Happy Homesteading!

                                          

This just in!!!

My broody little hen is now a proud little Mama, as of this afternoon she has two beautiful little chicks under her.

See the eggs shell just in front of her..? She pushes them out from under her after each chick hatches.

 And under her (not the best picture ever taken) without making the chicks to cold.

Now, there is way more eggs under her than she began with, as the other hen in the coop

kept adding to the pile. We are not sure how many she will manage to hatch so for now, we will just leave her be. We did however put a heat lamp in over her, so there would be less worry of her getting up in this damn cold weather. Hopefully it will warm up this week like the weather man keeps promising.

While in the coop checking on little Mama, the little Chantecler that we have in the other coop with the Orps, decided that he was much smarted than all the others and was not going to be cold tonight.

He sat right uner the light and made himself comfortable.

He is just cute as can be.

So that's it, Broody hen is now a Mama!

and everyone is happy as can be.

We will keep you posted.

untill then..

Happy Homesteading!

Pretty little Broody Hen

Well I guess we misjudged the date of her hatching those little eggs. 21 little chicks hatched from the bator on the 29th of February and she is still sitting.

So last night we went in and candled a couple of eggs, just to make sure all was well. We had to remove a couple that our other hen has been laying next to her and she just dutifully tucks under her. It seems that everything is fine the eggs are to term and still wiggling around. So we will leave her to her well done job and see what comes of it. It should be any day now!