Just Not

It seems that I am just not keeping up with the blog.  Most of the farm activity is posted over on Facebook or Instagram.  It's quick and easy to post updates there.  The blog requires a bit more time.  And let's not get started on Twitter.  Mini updates are harder than blog posts. 

Buck, Buck, Buck

It's been a bucky type of year for us so far.  Most of the babies born on the farm have been boys.  While we love these guys, they don't produce milk very well.  So, that means we have several available for sale.

This year's main squeeze, Dancer, is available.  He's triple registered and quite a showman. 

Also available are several of his sons...  Tanker, Rocket, Boots, Pyrite, Brownie, and Rocky.  Pyrite is a wether.

In addition, Popeye and Mocha are available. 

Interested buyers should contact us via email.  Our sales policy will be posted soon.

Crafting Scents

Essential oils are a big thing today.  Everybody is doing it.  Mmmm, the wonderful scents that remind us of delicious foods, fireside fun, and sometimes acrid events. 

Healing properties, soothing elements, pain relief - all are part of the mystical powers of essential oils.  Yet, very few scientific studies are done to verify the claims.  Do we rely too heavily on scientific studies anyway? 

And, does it even matter?

Does using oils comfort you?  Do they relax you?  Do they help you focus?  Or, are you one of the few that have severe allergies and want to ban their use by others?

I have become disillusioned by the artificial - strike that - synthetic air freshners.  I have searched the web and pinterest seeking a natural air freshner.  Hmmm.  Open a window.  Yup, that works superbly in Spring and Autumn, not so much in the sweltering heat of Summer or the shivering chill of Winter.

So, I am crafting my own essential oil scents.  Keep up with me as I blend and try.  #faithsfarmfreshners #loveit #hateit

Lab Rats Wanted

As we develop products utilizing our goat milk and other natural farm ingredients, lab rats are needed.  While we do NOT use actual lab rats, we do use human volunteers.  It makes no sense to put our products on rats that will never use them.  Seriously, ever seen a rat take a shower and use soap?

Being a Faith's Farm Lab Rat isn't a comfy job.  It's not a free ride.  It might result in an irritating rash.  It will take time out of your already busy life.  

So, what are the job requirements?  A Lab Rat must assume the risk of using an untested product.  (Duh, that's the whole point.)  The Rat must provide feedback on how the product performed and under what conditions the product was used.  The Rat will also be expected to ruin the product and tell us how that was accomplished.  The Rat must also keep the product within a small testing unit.  (Please don't share it with everyone you meet until product testing has been completed.) 

The product will be provided to you at no cost in exchange for detailed information on how the product performed for you.  Anyone interested in being one of our Lab Rats, please contact me directly.  Let's do this!

Farm Report 18 Apr 2016

Spring rains are here.  The garden and pastures are excited.  :)  The weeds and grass are soaking up the moisture and inching their way skyward.  Sigh.

It has been a busy start to this two thousand and sixteenth year.  The goats basically exploded on us.  What was I thinking?  Oh, right.

The asparagus is doing well this year.  I've already canned 4 pints.  I'll probably have enough to can more tomorrow.  I am watching the grape vine pretty closely.  I stand amazed (AGAIN) at God's handiwork.  It's up to Him to provide the increase.

Miss Sunny - the broody hen is still at her nest.  She still mutters at me when I bring her food.  I tell her each time, I'm not gonna get your eggs.

Such is the simple life on the old homestead.  What joy, what joy!!

Farm Report - March 3, 2016

March third.  Already.  Two thousand sixteen.  How'd that happen?  I may have blinked.

Polly and her new baby are doing well.  Peso's eye is slowly beginning to look better.  I'm thankful that no one else is having a problem.  That indicates that she probably poked something in it.  Rosie and Opal are so rotund.  And. Adorable.

The chickens seem happier now that we reduced the flock.  They consistently leave me 9 eggs.  Most of them are 3 years old so I'm really pleased with the eggs.  Waiting on someone to go broody.

The cows eat a lot of hay.  Benny does not like being away from the fold.  However, we don't want to take a chance on him getting Ceana preggers.  We are gonna try and find two or three steers this weekend.  They'll give Benny some company.

Some of the trees and flowers are starting to do their thing.  Love the hyacinths so much.  The grapes may or may not survive the scalping I gave them.  Sigh.  Blackberries are leafing out already.

Finally got the seeds started.  Hope I get something out of them this year.  Last year they were eaten by the mice.  Growl.  Almost time to uncover the asparagus.  I've noticed that my plants are about a week to ten days behind the ones in town just 8 miles away.  I have to keep myself from putting things in the garden just yet.

All dogs and cats seem fat and happy!

Measures

1 oz = 8 dram = 29.6 ml = 6 tsp = 2 Tbsp = 1/8 cup
1/2 oz = 4 dram = 14.8 ml = 3 tsp = 1 Tbsp
1/4 oz = 2 dram = 7.4 ml = 1 1/2 tsp
1/8 oz = 1 dram = 3.7 ml = 3/4 tsp

Note: ml have been rounded to tenths.

Crazy Blogger - Yup

Even though I have had a blog presence for almost 10 years, I have never been consistent with my posts.  I wasn't consistent on my personal blog nor have I been on this farm blog.  Many times, life gets the focus and writing becomes an after thought.  However without my miniscule  writing I would have forgotten so much.

The older I get the more my memories get lost.  I'm wondering if my hard drive is full and some of them are getting over-written.  Perhaps the case may be made that there has been some file integrity loss due to excessive wear on some of the components as well as utter neglect of others. 

So, here I am again, trying to commit to daily posts (except Sundays - I need rest then).  I'm not doing this as a way to earn money.  I'm not trying to change the world.  I'm just sharing my little slice of life. 

So Much...

So much happens in our lives and we loose track of time, things, people, ideas, and dreams.  Since my last post, I have doubled the size of my goat herd, nearly doubled the size of our cattle fold, and aged.

I have made quick judgments that had to be adjusted.  I've made new networking contacts.  I've gotten older.  I've come to realize that stuff is not nearly as important as living life now. 
This is a hard lesson for someone who enjoys solitude.  Somewhere along the way, I have accumulated so much stuff.  I no longer have a desire for stuff.  (I do want more goats though.)  People are important but not things.  It doesn't matter how much stuff you have if you have no one with you.  Money comes, money goes.  Vanity.  God is important.

So much...

So much to learn.  So much to do.  So much to share.  Missing Dad so much.  Wanting God so much more.  Overwhelmed by the thought of so much more God.  So much loosing out on the blessing because I'm distracted.  So much busy-ness.

So much...

So much sweetness in a grandchild's hug.  So much joy in his laugh.  So much pain in a wounded heart.  So much sadness in the loss of a friend.  So much mercy in given forgiveness.  So much grace in God's salvation. 

So much...