Sunday, October 2, 2011

Weekend at the Homestead


It's another weekend here at the homestead.  Figured I would give you the nickle tour of the place on a Saturday afternoon.  


Sam is on the prowl, trying to figure out what I am up to.  He keeps the coyotes at bay, and all the female dogs in a 2 miles radius pregnant.  We plan to bring him to the vet to be "tutored," but don't tell him.


Goats.  From left, Ms. Priss, Tweedledum (we are thinking is carring 3 babies), and Tweedledum (maybe 2 babies, but C-section scars still on her side from Feb.)


From left, Ms. Scarlett, Jumper (not preggos, not happy), and Pow-Pow (she had 4 babies Feb, hoping for only 2 this time).  


The only time the goats are quiet.  Feeding time.  


The first raised bed.  Got winter rye in this one starting to sprout.  Hopefully I will get better with this.


Greenhouse.  Cleaned out the inside, and the raised bed inside is almost ready for lettuce and cabbage.  Will be installing glo lights for longer grow time this weekend, and cleaning up the garden area of debris.  In front of the greenhouse is hay we cleaned out of the barn to spread out.  This slowly composts over the winter and keeps the moisture in the first few inches of the soil.  Otherwise the ground dries up fast.


My first garden if you remember from my first few posts.  We plan to clean it up, let the chickens run free over it, plant more grasses, and make it the only grassy area on the property, and fence it in as my wife's quiet area.


Today's haul of eggs.  We share them with the neighbor we like all the time.  She offers to pay us, but we can't take their money.  We would rather make sure our eggs get eaten, then go to waste.


The chickens.


Another shot of the chickens.  That's the Great Sand Dunes National Park in the background.  I figure if the chickens have a nice view, their eggs will be filled with hope and change, and unicorn tears. No, but it is worth a try.  Note the lack of trees, which means I either need to drive 20 miles to the forest for wood, or buy it.  However, it makes patrolling my property easier.

13 comments:

  1. good looking animals and a great greenhouse!

    thanks for the tour, i'd pay a dollar!

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  2. You sure do have a great looking place. I like how you can see so far. I have a good view of the mountains but it's not 360. When I have too many eggs to use I fry them and feed them to my dogs. They will all die of heart attacks I guess but it's their personal choice, I don't make them eat the eggs.

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  3. Thanks for the tour, nice place. Wish I had animals.

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  4. yo dude - i feel cheated! i want to see more for my nickel!!!

    but i did love seeing the animals and the greenhouse - awesome work!

    and i feel terrible for Arsenius's poor dogs - imagine - having to eat those extra eggs?!?!?! when i was growing up - my dad put raw eggs on the dogs' food!!!

    anyway buddy - more pics please!

    your friend,
    kymber

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  5. That's a good looking place you got and good looking animals too. Thanks for the tour.

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  6. Love the view. It has been years since I was at the sand dunes. I really love the vally there. And, wish we could have some animals here in Lakewood. But we need a bit more room. Kathi my wife would love your green house. Thanks for the tour.

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  7. Jambalony, I'll accept US dollars, and no Loonies or Toonies.

    AH, I have tons of rice and have explained to the wife about rice and eggs being the dog's diet, so the eggs will go to use.

    Stephen, thanks!

    kymber, when the goats kid and I start planting, I will show more pics of the place. And when snow starts to fall.

    No problem MDR, I like to share off the hard work me and the wife have done.

    Flier, anytime. Let me know when you are in the area.

    Thanks, Matt.

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  8. Thanks for the tour, Bug. Nice looking place. If I saw it right you used RR crossties for your beds. I'm no expert by any means, but I read recently about using them for gardens and how the creosote and other chemicals leach into the soil and veggies. Just fyi. I wouldn't want you to grow an extra toe or turn big and green when you're angry...or something like that. Have a good 'un.

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  9. Hillbilly, they are used crossties. I have read that after so many years the chemicals leach out. But I am kinda careful about it and may use landscape timbers for the rest of the raised beds.

    But thanks for your concern. I have eaten veggies out of it and now turn big and purple when I get gassy.

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  10. Your new job must be cutting into your posting time. I'm still awaiting the continuing saga of life out there and what's going on around your place.

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  11. Great place!! I need trees though, at least one or two.

    When do we get more Katrina stuff? You were helping with my research! Hehehe..... I know your're busy.

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  12. AH, just posted on on the snowfall last night.

    Lila, getting to it. The past few weeks I started a new job in a newly created position, so I have been working on that all the time. We also have goats kidding this week or next, the house, greenhouse and barn need to be winterized. It's a busy time, and we are swamped.

    But I haven't forgotten about finishing Katrina. I'm getting there.

    Thanks, guys and gals.

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