It is very beautiful outside – no rain, just sunshine. We are filling the bee feeders and getting them ready for what could be a very cold, long winter. Every day above 50 we fill the feeders to make sure that they will have enough stores to get them through until Spring.
The chickens are molting. Very sad. We usually sell between 10-16 dozen eggs a week and now we’re lucky to get 2 . . . and we’re not even getting farm fresh pastured poultry eggs ourselves!!! During the summer when we were getting 4 dozen a day, we ate a lot of angel food cakes, egg dishes and boiled eggs – it was marvelous. Hopefully it won’t be long before they have new feathers and start producing again. The hens and roosters in the brooders are doing fantastic. Not one has met with any mishaps. 4 more months to eggs.
The loving, gentle Houdini goat we have is now staying in his pen. Pat had to change the 6 wire electric fence to field fence with a hot wire on top. No other goat that we’ve ever had has gone thru it – until this one. He won’t stay in. Those ladies next door are far too appealing to worry about danger of shock. I’m not sure how many of the ladies are now bred. We meant to breed them to him – all except 2 of them – but in our timing. We attend every birth and assist if necessary. We need to know the exact date. So, we’ll be watching them all for signs in 21 days to see if they come into heat again. I sure hope so . . .
I am tagging all the goat milk, honey and beeswax products that we make to get them ready for a 3 day boutique that we attend every year at the Drawbridge Inn on Buttermilk Pike called Keepsake Christmas. This is it’s 24th year and it is an amazing show. No booths – just an entire hotel area full of different seasonal sections. Decorated with everything that is for sale. What awesome artwork and decorations are put up for display. And it doesn’t cost anything to get in! It’s my favorite show that we do. Although I love the educational aspect to sitting in my booth talking to people about the health benefits of our farm products made fresh for them with our herbs, honey, beeswax, goat’s milk and no chemicals, preservatives, etc. – it’s pleasant for people to shop without being bombarded with vendors at multiple tables/booths. They can wander at leisure and ask questions from the workers there – but don’t have to if they don’t want to. Very relaxing shopping.
We’ve sold all but two of our puppies and Jessie gets to rest for at least a year and a half – if not forever. We love our dogs and don’t want to breed just to breed. We love our Northwest Farm Terriers!
I must get to homeschooling, getting product ready for the show, making some bread and some cheese. It’s never ending – but what a blessed life I have! All the best food, entertainment (ever watch goats in the cool air – frisky and fun), and peaceful atmosphere. I never want to be a city girl again!
To Your Health,
Marilyn