Well, so much for using this blog to keep great daily records….. LOL!
Between the demands of outside work, Ryan’s driver’s ed, and homeschooling, I have been on the computer very little. Things are starting to actually shape up around here.
The fence was finally finished and the goats moved into the main pasture (finally) around the 23rd. I still need to finish their shelter, but that has been put on the back burner for now. I did get Bernice, the mama goat’s, hooves trimmed. The girls are next.
We were blessed with 60 laying hens. Their owner hurt her back and could no longer care for them. We gave a family down the road 30 of them and got the remainder settled into the barn. Hopefully we will find someone to take another 15 of them. It is great to have fresh eggs again! I will make a concerted effort in the future to be sure I have a new laying flock matured and ready to lay before being forced to “retire” my old layers. I am in the process of building them a coop that I can move around with the four-wheeler. It should be pretty cool when it is finished (if I do say so myself). Hopefully, that will be sometime this week.
We did go to Freeport and pick up 10 of those honey supers. I got them painted and on my hives right away. Hive #2 is thriving, but is very aggressive. Beginning to wonder if they have become Africanized. Hive #1 is doing fine.
The farrier came finally and trimmed Emily’s hooves. After a cancellation and a couple no-shows, her hooves looked like they would fit perfectly into a pair of elf booties. Poor thing.
She desperately needed them done, and I was thrilled to finally find a farrier that is not odd or crotchety that is accepting new clients. He will be back in 6 weeks.
She was not happy about having her hooves messed with, but we bribed her with the much-desired animal crackers. She is a sweetie, but was a pill that day. She does NOT like the camera, but wants the cookie. LOL!
Down in the garden, I repaired my leaning grape trellis and planted 4 more grape vines, moved my blackberry bushes and compost piles, replaced my 3 winter-killed blueberry bushes, and built a raised 4′ x 20″ strawberry bed out of TREX lumber, a la Square Foot Gardening. Hopefully, I will be able to get the new strawberry plants in there tomorrow.
By the way, this week I have done ZERO housekeeping! NONE! I am sure there is going to be hell to pay the next day it rainy day. Do I care? Nope. <grin>
