Bees are a buzzing!

We have jumped into yet another adventure. Well I should say Chuck has jumped right in. We have been wanting to raise bees for years, but for some reason always felt like it would be so difficult.

Well since we seemingly have nothing to do (yeah right!) we thought that this year would be a good year to learn.

We ended up finding a GREAT resource for us northern apiarists, Nature's Nectar. Turns out we have been buying honey from them for years at the local co-op! After giving them a call we learned about another great resource, Gale Woods Farm. Through Century College they offered a two day beekeeping class. So between the books we have been reading, the class, and Jim at Nature's Nectar, we are on our way!

On April 22nd we picked up the bees (we had already picked up, assembled, and painted the hive). Kid1 and Chuck headed out to the back of the property (close to the forest, and a pond) to set up the bees. A month later everything seems to be going the way it should. Chuck has been checking on them weekly and is amazed at all the progress they have made in the hive. The only bummer is that we likely wont get much honey- this being a new hive with new bees. But next year watch out!

Walking the goats

Everyday kid1 and I try to take the goats for a walk. The goats of course love it, they get to eat all sorts of good things and the kid loves finding flowers to feed the goats. I often wonder what the neighbors think when they see us walking with the goats!

The three ladies all grazing by each other

Kid butts!

Just love this one (look at the length of those ears!)

Two kids running!

Always seem to taste better the harder it is to get

Action shot

Finding a flower and trying not to let the goats get it.

Sparkle

I can not believe that it has been a month since this little kid was born, and I have yet to mention it! This is miss Sparkle (named so by the eldest child). She was born on the afternoon of March 26.

In May Almond (the mother) will be 2 years old and this is her first kidding. The farm that Almond came from did not leave the kids on the mom, instead the farmer milked mom and bottle fed babies. Many goat farmers believe that this makes the kids friendlier (at this point I have no opinion on this). As much as I want friendly kids, I also want less work. As it is I am still bottle feeding the two orphaned kids and see no reason why a kid can't be friendly and cared for by mom. Who knows though I might change my mind with a few more years of experience.

 Almond ended up delivering Sparkle when we were not home she did clean her off and seemed aware that she was there. I however had a funny feeling that Sparkle had not nursed yet. I move the two of them into their own quarters and watched as Almond seemed to not notice Sparkle, concerned we milked Almond and then tube fed Sparkle. I ended up tube feeding her a few times, and they stayed locked up together for the next couple of days. All is well in motherhood now and Sparkle is growing like a weed.

I have started locking Sparkle and the two orphaned boys up at night and milking Almond in the morning. Almond is quite the dancer when it comes milking time, but I am being patient as I know that she would rather have her kid nursing then me milking her. At the moment all of Almonds milk is going to the two boys- who are also growing like weeds!

About 3 days after Sparkle was born Chuck and I de-horned her. A horrible process by which the horn buds are removed via a disbudding iron. It is not something that either of us enjoyed doing but know how important it is for Sparkle, and for the person who will eventually own her.

And that now concludes our kidding season, Friday it turns out did not get pregnant. Next year we will hopefully have 3 milkers!

Food Tyranny

Since Jen is taking jabs at me for not posting, I figured I would contribute. This is a  quote from C.S. Lewis from over 50 years ago. But, the words hit home just as much today in regards to the current war that the gov't/big-ag is waging against fresh, real, raw, locally grown, respectfully raised, non-laboratory food.

Of all tyrannies a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under robber barons than under omnipotent moral busybodies. The robber baron’s cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
--C.S. Lewis

Thanks, Chuck

Raising egg layers

It's been said to me on more than one occasion raising chickens costs more than you get from them. Having raised chickens for the last 6 years we can honestly say that this is true, to a point. Lets focus on egg layers, yes we do spend more money to feed and house them then the amount of money we could make selling their eggs. And buying the eggs from a grocery store might be cheaper (of the non-organic variety), but the health benefits from getting eggs from your own flock FAR out-way the cost of keeping them.

I have written about the benefits of farm fresh eggs here, here, here, and here. Chuck even wrote about eggs, and you can probably count on one hand how many times he has written a blog post (*smiling*). You might say I am a little obsessed. To top of my ranting about how great farm fresh eggs are, the USDA keeps recalling or telling you to avoid eggs on the market that have suddenly become toxic. You know the saying 'you get what you pay for' well when you pay under a dollar for a dozen eggs you are buying crap.

While doing a little research for my upcoming workshop I found Bill Marler. Now Mr. Marler is no farmer nor do I think he considers himself a foodie. However, Mr. Marler knows probably better than anyone that our industrial food system is failing. You see, Mr. Marler is a food poisoning lawyer, and he raises his own egg layers! Back in March he wrote a blog about how glad he is to have his 'girls.'

Right now we have a flock of 6 hens, most are older, and we get 3 to 4 eggs a day. It takes a few days of saving up before we use them, but they are getting us by. We have chicks on order from Sand Hill Preservation Center, hoping to get them this week!

Raising your own hens is becoming quite the thing to do- so when are you going to jump on the band wagon? This Saturday I will be talking all about raising your own chickens (and other backyard birds), so if you are thinking this might be something you would consider I would urge you to join us. There are so many exciting things I can't wait to share with you!