It's not all fun & games!!!

This is a tally so far. We're not done yet, but I wanted to get this logged.

This year's additions:

• 7 baby bunnies (1st litter)
• 5 baby bunnies (2nd litter)
• 10 more baby bunnies (3rd litter)
• 21 White Plymouth rocks for meat
• 2 barred rocks
• 2 easter eggers
• 2 Rhode Island reds
• 2 silkie bantams
• 3 turkey poults
• 1 rouen duckling
• 5 chicks hatched by Floppy
• 5 chicks hatched by Goldrush
• LOTS of seedlings

This year's losses:

• 1 adult doe rabbit obtained August 09 (she refused to breed)
• 7 baby bunnies (1st litter; 1st time mom, and she killed them)
• 5 baby bunnies at birth, 1 several weeks later (2nd litter)
• 1 silkie bantam (pecked to death)
• 3 turkey poults (mycotoxicosis)
• 1 rouen duckling (didn't take to eating or drinking in the first 24h)
• LOTS of seedlings

This year's miracles:

• We had TWINS hatch in Goldrush's batch. TWIN CHICKS!!! This is a Very Rare Thing!!!
• Hubba got an assistant manager
• Hubba allowed me to bring a new kitten onto the home
  

This year's obstacles:

• A death in the family
• A family member that cracked some vertebrae in his neck & spine
• A family member that cut off his thumb
• A family member that escaped murder in a home invasion
• A sewage flood in our home
• The ENTIRE five of us coming down with the stomach flu within 38 hours of each other
• Hubba lost his assistant manager

This year's WAY behind projects:

• New rabbit hutches
• Weeding the garden
• The garden
• Butchering animals
• Schooling
• Painting
• Fixing the chicken coop & run

This year's accomplishments:

• New flooring downstairs
• Front porch restained
• I have ended my daycare business
• I have a part time job that will net more take home pay in about 1/5 of the time
• I have another part time job as a greeting card rep that I do about once a month for one store & quarterly for another
• I stayed out of the mental institution just one more year

Update- Early May 2010

The weather here lately has been such a roller coaster. We can go from low 60's on day with sun & a breeze to 30's with snow & rain from one day to the next. It makes gardening..... interesting, to say the least. I'm very far behind on my gardening.

I attempted to sex the bunnies again on Mother's Day- 5/9. I had Sebastion help me out for a 2nd opinion. We *believe* we have 3 girls & 3 boys. They have to be separated by the weekend, as they turn 8 weeks on Friday. I'll be calling someone who goes to our church & asking if he used to sex his bunnies when he raised them & if he's any good at it. I'm hoping he'll be able to come help me out. My plan is to do it again on Wed, separate them & pray for the best. It seems to be getting a little easier to sex them, though I've never done it before. So I could be wrong, LOL.

Floppy has been a GREAT little Momma hen. The 5 chicks turned 2 weeks this past weekend. Momma is beginning to get a little antsy. She's almost ready to be reintroduced to the flock. It cracks me up to watch them. The babies like to ride on Momma's back. They are eating, drinking & scratching. All things a baby chick should be doing.

I'm counting down now to my chick order arriving. They should be here next week. 30 meat chickens (20 are ours), 6 layers & 3 poults. Speaking of orders, I'm also anxiously awaiting a call from the processor any day now or within the next month. The beef should go to the processor within the next 5-6 weeks and as early as next week.

Log

• Today Mary was butchered. She is currently in the fridge in a bucket of salt water.
• We begin our 1-week countdown either tonight or in the morning, re: broody hen & eggs. Hoping we have babies soon!
  
• Water pipe was fixed on Wednesday which means we officially have water outdoors again. No more hauling jugs of water to the garden plots.
• Peas were transplanted to the garden last Saturday, April 10th.
• The baby bunnies were 4 weeks on Friday. They are fat & healthy. Nest box was removed on Friday, and they began eating pellets & drinking from the waterer the Friday before that.
  

It's a beautiful time here, with the exception of us all being sick. But the world keeps turning, so we do as well.

A bit of an update

Baby rabbits are now 9 days old (confirmed 6 kits). They should be opening their eyes tomorrow or the next day. They are HUGE compared to when they were born. They have their fur, and they are so soft. 1 black one & 5 white with spots. Momma's doing very well this time!!

Tina Turner was re-introduced to the coop the evening of the 20th. The next day the other hen(s) were still pecking at her bum, so I rubbed vicks on her, and we haven't had any issues since. Since she was on antibiotics, her eggs are not being consumed by humans for 3 weeks. I am, however, feeding them to the pup so they don't go to waste. They are still being logged in the amount of food we raise. LT is thoroughly enjoying that treat.

We've been planting seeds like crazy. Hubba bought more plant & aquarium bulbs for my grow light set up, and we'll be borrowing 2 more light fixtures for them. I'm just running out of room. On a good note, everything that has been planted & should have germinated by now has.

My redneck greenhouse is holding up well. It was more or less a test to see if the plastic would hold in this Wicked Wyoming Wind. I don't have any use for it for still another couple-few weeks. I wanted to get it done ealry, so if it fell apart on me, I would have time to come up with another plan.

Hubba started buying 2X4's to build the greenhouse. When we moved in all of the old windows & doors from the house were under the porch. Our plan is to clean them up, paint them & use them for a greenhouse.

Prolapsed vent, redneck greenhouse, pregnant rabbit(s) & May 21st....

Prolapsed Vent.....

A few days ago I had an egg that was bloody. Occasionally, we get eggs that have a streak or 2 of blood... no big deal. Last night when I let the girls out to range the yard, there were drops of blood on the patio.... So I began checking rearends. Tina Turner was bleeding. I came in & jumped on google, and everything about bloody bums pointed to prolapse. Tina is my most standoffish hen. She just doesn't like people much & prefers to run from us. So, I had to bide my time until they roosted for the night.

I started scurrying around the 'stead- finding the chick waterers, antibiotics & kennel crate. I added the antibiotics & some raw apple cider vinegar to the water. I dug through the fridge for soft food & found some leftover brown rice. I mixed the rice with some dairy kefir. I put shavings in the crate & laid towels over the top (to keep it dark in hopes she won't lay, which can further aggravate the prolapse). I had just turned my heat lamps off earlier in the day, but knowing she would be alone & have only her own body heat, rather than the help of 9 other chickens, I set one up aimed at the crate, in hopes she'd stay warm through the night.

Once they were all in, I closed the inside door to the coop, and made my move. She didn't like me touching her, but once I had my hands around her wings, she calmed, knowing she wasn't going anywhere.

This morning when I check her at 6:15am, she seemed to be doing alright. I need to bring her in later, wash her bum, "put the vent back in place" & rub honey on it. Wish me hope. This is my first chicken "crisis." Prolapse if left untreated can be deadly in chickens. If left with population, the other chooks can let cannibalism get the better of them & peck at the vent until the affected chook bleeds to death.

Definitions of prolapse on the Web:

• slip or fall out of place, as of body parts; "prolapsed rectum"
• the slipping or falling out of place of an organ (as the uterus)
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Prolapse literally means "To fall out of place". In medicine, prolapse is a condition where organs, such as the uterus, fall down or slip out of place. It is used for organs protruding through the vagina or the rectum, or for the misalignment of the valves of the heart. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prolapse

The redneck greenhouse....

Hubba has been saying for quite some time that he would be building a greenhouse for me..... Well, he hasn't even started, so yesterday I took matters into my own hands, and I produced the redneck greenhouse!!!




Pregnant Rabbits.....

Yesterday I also placed nest boxes in the doe hutches. Everything I've read says to place the boxes just a few days before EDD. I'm still pretty sure only one is pregnant, and she started pulling fur almost as soon as I placed the box.

May 21st.....

Last but not least, the lady from the feed store in Rock Springs called me to let me know that she had an estimated arrival date for the new chicks & poults!! May 21st. She was trying to order early, so she could get them early, but they wanted to send partial batches throughout the next couple months. She told them "No. I have people coming in from out of town, and they need to be here all at once." So May 21st, was the soonest they could ship everything she's ordered. She's a wonderful lady & very receptive to her customer's needs.

Planting seeds

Sunday, 3/7

36 Genovese basil seeds

Tuesday, 3/9-

Tomatoes:
5 each- Tumbling Tom, Orange banana
6 each- Black Moor, Isis Candy
7 Rhoades Heirloom
3 Cherokee purple

Broccoli:
6 Calabrese
12 Romanesco

Wednesday 3/10

Flats of
Buttercrunch lettuce, Baby's leaf spinach, Giant Noble, Bunching onions (24), mesclun, Rocky top mix lettuce

Saturday 3/13

Flats of Yellow of Parma & Red of Florence onion

I built an indoor greenhouse yesterday, so I'm hoping this will extend my season. A little later I'll get today's seed flats into the greenhouse.

Tuesday 3/16

Thyme (sprinkled in 4-4" pots)
Thai white ribbed eggplant
Catskills Brussel Sprouts
Green Macerata Cauliflower
Early Purple Sprouting Broccoli

Monday 3/22

More basil (sweet leaf) & parsley

Tuesday 3/23

Peppers- Purple Beauty, Rainbow Mix, CA Wonder, Sweet banana, Jalapeno
Big Mammoth sunflower (24)

Saturday 3/27

Peas- Little Marvel, Alaska
Tomatoes- Omar's Lebanese (Keenan's pick), Mountain Princess (Tristen's pick), Gajo de Melon (Sebastion's pick), Green Zebra (my new pick for this year)

Sunday 4/11

Alaskan peas transplanted to garden
Tomatoes- 15 each- Fuzzy peach, black krim, Amish paste, yellow pear

Garden plans 2010

Garden plans 2010 (seeds to sow/number of plants desired)

Tomatoes:

Black Cherry- 5/3
Cherokee Purple- 3/2
Rhoades Heirloom- 7/5
Orange Banana- 4/2
Black Moor- 6/4
Isis Candy- 6/4
Yellow Pear- 5/3
Amish Paste- 15/10
Thessaloniki- 5/3
Black Krim- 5/3
Omar's Lebanese- 8/5
Big Zebra- 8/5
Mtn Princess- 8/5
Gajo De Melon- 8/5

Tumbling Tom- 5/3 (Container)

Peppers:

Rainbow Mix- 15/12
Jalapeno- 15/12
Banana- 15/12
CA Wonder- 15/12

Cucumbers:

True Lemon- 12/8
Tendergreen- 12/8
Marketmore- 12/8
Bush Champion- 12/8

Beans & Peas:

Ky Wonder Beans- 20/15
Jade Bush Beans- 20/15
Pinto Beans- 20/15
Royal Burg Beans- 20/15
AK Peas- 60/45

Squash:

N Eng Sugar Pie- 8/5
Luffa- 12/8
Zuke- 12/8
Crookneck- 12/8
Patty Pan- TBA (waiting on a swap)

Melons:

Sugar Baby W- 10/6
Katanya W- 12/8
Far North M- 12/8

Carrots:

Chantenay
Little Finger
Nantes

Corn:

True Gold Sweet 100/75

Other:

Copenhagen Market Cabbage
Pak Choi
Rutabaga
Evergreen bunching onions
Broccoli Calabrese
Romanesco- TBA (waiting on a swap)

Herbs (Some will be in containers):

Oregano, Dill, Parsley, Sage, Cumin, Stevia, Feverfew, Echinacea, Cilantro, Lavender, Basil, Chamomile, Borage, Thyme

Greens (Containers):

Rocky Top Lettuce
Butter Crunch Lettuce
Black seeded Simpson
Giant Noble Spinach
Baby's Leaf Spinach

Perrenials/Trees: grapes, strawberries, raspberries, elderberry, cherry, apricot, plum, blueberries.

Seed swap list

Seed swap list:


Have:


All are from Baker Creek & from last year unless otherwise noted, stored in cool dry conditions


Tomatoes:


10- yellow pear
5- Amish paste
10- Thessaloniki
10- black krim


Peppers:


5- Gourmet rainbow mix (RH Shumway)
20- Jalapeno early (Ferry Morse, organic)


Cukes:


15- Tender green burpless (RH Shumway)
25- True lemon (Gourmet seed international, “non-treated”)


Beans:


20- Jade bush (unknown company)
20- Kentucky wonder (Territorial seed, 2008, still viable)


Squash:


20- dark green zuke (RH Shumway)
5- New England sugar pie pumpkin
8- Luffa gourd (fedco)


Melons:


20- Muskmelon (RH Shumway)
10- sugar baby watermelon


Herbs (these will be measured in pinches- at least 10 seeds- unless otherwise noted):


broad leaf sage
cumin
borage
feverfew
cilantro


Lettuce (measured in pinch, at least 10 seeds):


Rocky top mix (garden girl, pkd by baker creek)


5- Pak choi, white stem (RH Shumway)


I also have the following to share as they shipped from Baker Creek, all for this year:


5-Mountain Princess tomato
5-Omar's Lebanese tomato
5-Gajo de Melon tomato
5-Big Zebra tomato
5-Marketmore cuke
25-True old sweet corn
10-Basil- genovese
Pinch or 2-Chamomile- German
pinch Lavender
5-CA Wonder Pepper
20-Alaska garden pea
5-Crookneck early golden summer squash
5-Far North melon
5-Katanya melon
A couple good pinches-Little finger carrot

I also have a whole pkg of cilantro that BCS sent me.


Wish list (looking for organic and/or non-gmo seeds from this year or last year stored in cool dry conditions):


Mint
Purple Beauty peppers
Sweet chocolate peppers
Little Marvel peas
birdhouse gourds
Benning scallop squash (I did get the patti pan, but am still interested in the one here if anyone has it)
Chantenay red core carrots
Stuttgarter onion
Red of florence onion
Catskill brussel sprouts
Early purple sprouting broccoli
Green macerata cauliflower
Romanesco Italia broccoli

Gardening in February in the Rockies, ordering birds & compost

2/15- I attempted to save some Royal Burgundy Beans from last year's garden. They don't quite look like the original seed that I planted with, so I've planted 6 seeds to test their viability. I want to know now if they are viable, rather than waiting until the last minute & having to order seeds. Ordering seeds at the last minute can mean a couple of things. Reputable companies selling non-GMO, heirloom seeds may be out of stock. It also means "Oops, it's too late to plant them." Planting in the Rockies is a very skilled task. Our season (zone 4/5) is short. They give us 100 days, but that is not always the case. Last year our night temps didn't get above 42 until mid-July. Considering that and the fact that I'd never gardened outside of Georgia, the garden did extremely well. The Lord blessed us, not only with a decent bounty (considering the obstacles), He also presented hands on learning for us. I believe we learned a LOT last year & that we can do better this year.

Along with beans, I also planted some lavender, "peppermint" (true mint will not come from seeds) and some parsley. I had 6 herb plants that were neglected while we were away & I've got those soaked down (and drained) and in a clear rubbermaid container with lid (greenhouse), hoping for their survival.

2/16- Compost has proven difficult for us, thanks to frigid temps. It's hard to turn the frozen pile in the winter, and it gets so cold that it doesn't seem to cook itself into the wonderful richness called black gold. I've taken a 3.5 gallon icing bucket from the bakery and filled it about 2/5 full of dead bean plants (from my saved seed), egg shell, coffee grounds & filters, and banana peel. I was also able to sweep up some shavings & rabbit poo from the barn floor to add. I made sure that all pieces of material in the bucket are cut very small. No more than an inch long and about 1/2" wide. I've poured water over it all, mixed it up & it has a home in the coldframe, where the temps should keep it from freezing. Not the intended use for a coldframe, but I wanted to test this thought out.

I also had to make food for my chickens. The feed store is closed on Sundays and we ran out of feed. I couldn't go Saturday as I was waiting to sell a few more eggs to have the funds to get the feed. With our emergency trip, funds are tight for us right now. On Saturday, I wasn't even aware til later in the day anyway, that we'd used the last bag. I was going to go yesterday, but when I called they were closed. I called again today, to make sure they were open today, and they are..... But not until 5pm. Frustrating stuff. But..... They had Gourmet- apple cores & peels (were in freezer for apple juice jelly- guess I'm not making that anymore), arugula, flax seed, sunflower seed, cooked pintos, popcorn, blueberry yoghurt, some dry oats and raisins. Sounds appetizing, huh? No matter, they enjoyed it.

I also cut the hole in the top of my barrel so I can try to get it set up in the next couple weeks. A bit late, but apparently our winter will slam us in March. We've had an extremely mild winter thus far. I didn't get that worked on more, because between that, digging out (frozen) soil, messing with the compost bucket & other outdoors chores, my fingers hurt from the cold. I forgot to grab my gloves. Yes, I should know better. Hush.

I have found another gardening tool, speaking of frozen soil. I brought the bag in & took the hair dryer to it. Worked quite well, if you ask me. You don't have to ask, though, I just offered that bit of advice up *grin* .

Last month I ordered more layers, more meat birds & (drumroll, please)



(picture from Dunlap Hatchery)

POULTS!!!! SQUEEE!!!!

Everything should be available for pickup in May. If I remember correctly I've ordered the following (I don't have my sheet in front of me at the mo):

2 Rhode Island Reds (eggs)
2 Easter Eggers (eggs)
2 Barred Rocks (eggs)

10 White Plymouth Rocks (for meat. And I actually ordered 30, but only 10 are mine)

3 bronze & white poults (I can't remember but it's 2 of one breed- I think white, and 1 of the other breed)

I've never done turkeys before. I know they only do straight run, & being in city limits, I really can't have a Tom. Therefore, I'm hoping at least one is a hen. I do have (a) home(s) for any that are Toms. I have some learning for sure, but just like the chickens & rabbits, I'm willing. And I'm doing a LOT of research.

I planted a dishpan of 8 garlic bulbs today, too.

I think that's all for now.

Welcome to my online mini-homesteading journal

And that's all it will really be. I don't promise to be exciting. This is simply a place to log what we are doing to self & support locally on a small in-city-limits lot. Most of my posts will be short & to the point. If I've bred a rabbit, or need to add my monthly measurements for eggs, produce or remember what orders I've put in where & when to expect them, I'll be posting it here.