Homestead Update #19

Chickens

First up, as always, the weekly egg count! From 6/21-6/27/2021, I collected 36 eggs. The heat and humidity will slow production down. I'm mostly concerned about keeping the chickens cool. The best way I know to do this is to let them out to free range. They'll find spots to hide. I also check their water to make sure they have fresh, cool drinking water. I always take one waterer out and put it outside the coop so it's easy access.

Other than that, there's not much to report back as far as the chickens are concerned. They've been enjoying some free range time, mostly in the evenings. Although this past week they were able to free range during the day. Buddy is really getting to be a big boy! He crows a lot and I've noticed he's trying to...ahem...assert his dominance, let's say. HEHE. I love having a rooster on the homestead again!

As for the things I reported on last week, there has not been another siting of the fox. I've had the game cam on every night since that first siting and nothing. No critters. Nothing. So that's good. I know the foxes are around but hopefully the food they're getting at the business down the road is keeping them satisfied!

Garden

Not much to report on in terms of the garden. It's growing like crazy! The plants aren't as big as I'd hoped. Not yet anyway. I did end up purchasing more plants! Y'all. I think I'm done. I planted the last of those plants (too many to count) and I kept thinking to myself 'why did you buy more plants?!?!'. So. There. I've said it. I'm done planting. Oh! And my Meyer lemon tree arrived! I thought I ordered one but when it didn't come in the shipment with all the other plants, I thought I didn't actually order it. And then it showed up on Saturday!

The business end of things

Now, here's where I spent most of my time last week and I'm really excited to share some of the details with you! If you recall, I did some reorganization. Except it wasn't really reorganization, but an 'ah-ha' moment! I realized that I really want to be on the homestead all the time. I want to be raising my own food, planting flowers, making and doing. I love going 'off campus' as I like to call it, but I really want to bring people here and show them the homesteading life. So. Why haven't I been doing that? I mean, I've tried. I've scheduled classes, but then I don't put any time or resources into talking about and booking those classes. I've been so focused on booking other things and ideas that I've neglected my little space. So that changes starting today, dear friends. And let me say it again, I will always travel off campus to meet you.

But this nurturing of these 'on the homestead' classes is actively working towards fulfilling part of my dream. It hasn't been easy. I've cried so many tears over making my business successful. I'm not there yet, but, boy, do I want to try! So. I hope you'll join me, dear friends. I hope you'll champion my little business. I hope you'll share with your friends. I hope you'll ask your local business or library to book a chicken librarian class. I hope you'll join me on the homestead!

So, if you would like to see what I'm currently offering, head on over to the shop. I've been working hard at cleaning it up and scheduling some 'on the homestead' events. There will be a lot more as we move forward, but I have a nice little start. Oh. And if you are interested in taking a class or two, I highly recommend you sign up for my newsletter. Hint, hint, hint. There will be some special things coming but it will be for newsletter subscribes only.

And finally, I'm working on new kits. I don't want to reveal too much but they will be coming soon. What kit would you like to see listed in the shop? I'm really excited about them. They'll be ones that I haven't ever released before!! Stay tuned!

the rest of the story

Oh friends! What a great week. There was some down time for drinking iced coffee on the front porch, watching chickens, and for just 'being'. That time is so important. But there was also 'nose to the grindstone' time and I got a lot done with the business end of Chicken Librarian. I'm excited about the future. We'll see where things end up, as far as the business goes. I also made some desserts. You can find the recipe for the cherry cake here. I made another cake from Honey and Jam--that lemon butter cake and then topped it with the blueberry sauce that I made over the winter. There were two get togethers with friends, both old and new. That was nice. Both nights went way later than my normal 8:30PM bedtime. haha.

I got a half bushel of peaches and put them in the freezer. I ended up with 3 gallons of peaches in the freezer. They'll be turned into a Maple Bourbon Peach Jam just as soon as I have time. And maybe some ice cream. I really should make a peach pie, but I'm running out of time before I head off to TN this week. Speaking of, I'll be a little absent here while I'm gone. I've got a huge list of things that I need to get done while I'm down there. Mostly finishing up my stockpile shopping. For the year. That's right. I hope to take the time while in TN and things are conveniently located, and finish our stockpile shopping.

The Mister and I had a family meeting this past week and set our goal and budget for the rest of the year. For now, we're going to try to stick to $500 per month for groceries, supplies, animal food (not chicken feed), and gas. Oh. And 'fun money'. This budget does not include our monthly bills or any unexpected expenses, such as vet bills, car repair, or any other big purchases. Once I get back from TN we will implement this budget. And we'll work off the Dave Ramsey method where anything leftover at the end of the month will not be 'extra' but will be put towards next month's cash spending. For example, if we only spend $400 in the month and have $100 leftover, we only get out $400 for the next month and use that 'leftover' $100 to count towards the overall $500. We'll see how we do with this until the end of August (since July won't be a full month of spending).

One way we'll keep within that budget is eating from our reserves. The garden should start producing soon enough and we'll have some fresh veg to go with things in the freezer. And after my big stockpile run a couple of weeks ago, we have lots in the freezer. And we're getting back to meal planning. That is really the key to saving money! I need to inventory the freezers, which I'll do when I get back from TN.

You do not even want to know what's on my shopping list for TN!! I'm hoping to mostly find things at thrift stores and yard sales. I would love to add to my crafting stash. I have a list of things I've been thinking about. I also want to get a bike helmet so I can ride my bike on the road. There's stock pile stuff such as butter and block cheese (until I get enough cheese in the cheese fridge and then aged, I like to keep block cheese in the freezer). I am also looking to thrift some clothes. I'm hoping I have time to can some beans. I'm out of black beans in the pantry and rather than purchase more cans, I have dried beans. I think my Mom would enjoy doing this with me so maybe we'll take one day to cook and can the beans.

So, if you remember from last week, we got to take the house back over and I had a major to-do list for getting things back in order. I'm happy to say that I got everything done!! Well, except move the beds to storage. I knew that wouldn't get done right away. No biggie. I can deal. As long as I have my office and craft space back (which I do!) then I'm happy. Once I get back from TN I need to finish getting our big furniture items from my Mother-in-Laws. If you remember from last year, I cleaned out the barn and brought most of our stuff down. We went through it and tossed stuff, donated stuff, and then dusted everything else off and found a home for it in our home. I still have a couple of bigger items left there. My grandparent's stereo which I want to use as the console table in the living room. Our washer and dryer. And maybe a couple of other things. I'm excited to get everything put in it's place!!

The List

And finally, an updated to-do list. It looks pretty much like it did last week. I haven't had much time for the bigger projects. I'll start tackling it once again when I get back from my trip.

The List:
1. garden: finish putting rocks around sage, hostas, currants, asparagus, and horseradish
2. make soap
3. make mozzarella for the freezer. Set up cheese fridge, make cheese for aging (parmesan, cheddar and then go from there).
4. chicken coop expansion: put metal roof on run;; install curtains, cut second window in back of coop, finish barn quilt, install barn quilt, put up barrier around base of run to keep shavings inside.
5. make and dry pasta
6. do something with cherries
7. process strawberries; now I need to make jam
8. plant more bulbs in the flowerbed along the back porch, define the flower bed
9. finish installing gutters along front flower bed
10. clean and organize the pool house
11. Finish commercial kitchen makeover.
12. clean house as outlined above

What have you been doing this past week? Tell me all about it!!

'til next time
-k
xoxo