Friday is Chia's big day. We will make the trip down to the breeders where she will meet her Beau, William, once again. Hopefully she cooperates this time around. She will be staying until it is obvious she has been bred.
It is an almost 2 hour trip, so the first half of the day will be spent on that. Then in the afternoon, we will be meeting up with a local who is searching for a bantam cochin to accommodate their ladies.
We have no purpose for ours and a barter was quickly made. She gets the cochin from the hatchery order we received, and we get some Triple Crown (thornless) blackberry plants.
I LOVE bartering for goods. I had no use for the rooster and contemplated taking him to auction so we could keep the rooster population down. I am much happier with Triple Crown Blackberries. Much happier.
So that brings me to a change in my Stark Bros. order. We enjoy picking blueberries from the Blueberry shack each year, plus the cost is very reasonable. So we decided to change them out for something that is not easily found local and when found can be a bit pricey. The change in the order was removing the blueberries and one peach tree. In their place we added 2 pear trees (a bosc and a bartlett) plus a nectarine tree. What an orchard it will be!
So now on just over 1 acre, we are able to produce 5 different tree fruits, 2 different grapes, some blackberries, and grand ( 30 ftX45 ft) vegetable plot. Plus raise our own meat chickens, egg layers, and hopefully soon goats milk for yogurt and cheese. Our farmer friend will be taking the pig to butcher in a few weeks so the freezer will be filled with all natural, chemical free, pasture pork! Plus we may be receiving some beef from a steer he is taking down in a month or two. That should make the Captain happy- that beef lover.
Of course there will be plenty to barter with which has been produced by us. We have even discussed a possibility for a small market stand next to the driveway with any extra fruits or such, next year. I bring this up since The Captain asked "What are we going to do with all those pears and plums from 2 trees?. Of course I reply "Have I ever failed to amaze you with my resourcefulness? Of course not. Just wait and see. When the time comes, they will not go to waste".
6 years ago, I would have not imagined what we have made possible with this small plot of land. Nor would I have thought I would be successful at it, which has come with many trial and errors. Many have shaken their heads and doubted me. Or even thought it was out of place here in the suburbs. But look at us now. We've come a long way, baby.
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie
We have no purpose for ours and a barter was quickly made. She gets the cochin from the hatchery order we received, and we get some Triple Crown (thornless) blackberry plants.I LOVE bartering for goods. I had no use for the rooster and contemplated taking him to auction so we could keep the rooster population down. I am much happier with Triple Crown Blackberries. Much happier.
So that brings me to a change in my Stark Bros. order. We enjoy picking blueberries from the Blueberry shack each year, plus the cost is very reasonable. So we decided to change them out for something that is not easily found local and when found can be a bit pricey. The change in the order was removing the blueberries and one peach tree. In their place we added 2 pear trees (a bosc and a bartlett) plus a nectarine tree. What an orchard it will be!
So now on just over 1 acre, we are able to produce 5 different tree fruits, 2 different grapes, some blackberries, and grand ( 30 ftX45 ft) vegetable plot. Plus raise our own meat chickens, egg layers, and hopefully soon goats milk for yogurt and cheese. Our farmer friend will be taking the pig to butcher in a few weeks so the freezer will be filled with all natural, chemical free, pasture pork! Plus we may be receiving some beef from a steer he is taking down in a month or two. That should make the Captain happy- that beef lover.
Of course there will be plenty to barter with which has been produced by us. We have even discussed a possibility for a small market stand next to the driveway with any extra fruits or such, next year. I bring this up since The Captain asked "What are we going to do with all those pears and plums from 2 trees?. Of course I reply "Have I ever failed to amaze you with my resourcefulness? Of course not. Just wait and see. When the time comes, they will not go to waste".
6 years ago, I would have not imagined what we have made possible with this small plot of land. Nor would I have thought I would be successful at it, which has come with many trial and errors. Many have shaken their heads and doubted me. Or even thought it was out of place here in the suburbs. But look at us now. We've come a long way, baby.
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie
4 comments:
Congratulations on bartering! Fun! How old is Chia? I had my two Sanaans bred in late Oct/early Nov. They were gone for a month because the older one refused to let anyone see her be bred. I am trusting that it happened and if a kid is produced I'll be extactic!
http://pithycraggle.blogspot.com/2008/01/today.html
If you scroll down you'll see the girls!
They are full American Saanens (sorry about the misspelling above) and I love them. My oldest is Maya (4 yrs old) and we are battling some hoof rot (not fun) but Sassy my younger girl (1 year old next month)is doing great! How big is chia? What all does she have in her? Has she ever kidded before? Has she ever been hand milked. I couldn't see an udder real well from the angles of your pics. I hand milked Maya for 6 months last year. This will be Sassy's first kid, I'm nervous but excited. I just got the girls last June so this is all a new adventure!
Bartering is great. We have a bunch of property space not used. I am converting one of my gardens into an orchard over the next few year. I have some apple trees, but this year would like to get some plum trees. My son (15) works at a tree nursery and green house in the summer, and I get the family discount, so plan to take advantage of that while he is still there. He also comes home and waters and fertilizes the tree that I got last summer. We are getting laying hens in spring. I had to get a coop ready for them. Currently we do chickens, turkeys, beef with family, at the farm and we get milk and eggs from my sisters' farm. It sounds like you are making the most of your place. Here with the weather so cold, we are limited in some things we can grow.
Tammie keep up the great work. You're an inspiration to me, especially since I'm in the middle of trying to close on a house thats on about .86 acres. I worried that the things my fiancee and I want to accomplish couldn't be done on what we would have but you give me hope and plenty of ideas. If you're ever in the Southern Illinois area give us a holler :)
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