One year

This month marks the one year anniversary of buying my (our) cozy little homestead in the woods.

This realization hit me earlier this month.  It's gone by so fast and I am in awe of all that has taken place over the year.

I also think back to all the stuff I wanted to do and it was months ago when I decided to do X and Y and either I haven't started or ran out of steam.  Oh well.

Things have been busy around the homestead.  Mostly outside stuff.  We figured we had better take advantage of what nice weather we had.  That is why I've been so quiet the last couple months.  The weather has gotten colder.  Time to start hunkering down.

Let's see if I can recreate what we've been up to.

Back in September my DH ordered 20 yards of dirt for the garden.  It was decided that the best place for a garden was in the meadow to the left of the house.  It's not really a meadow but a open side yard that doesn't get used.  It gets plenty of sun (we hope). 

 All three of us moved dirt that weekend.  A raised bed frame was built by DH while my son and I moved dirt.

Twenty yards of dirt is a LOT of dirt.

To keep from feeling overwhelmed I didn't look too much at the pile that seemed never-ending.  After DH finished the frame he helped my son and I move dirt.

A view to see how deep the dirt was being spread out.   It rained a bit that day and we still moved dirt.  The truck had quite the workout that weekend.  Some friends had railroad ties and said we could have them.  Then a trip or two to town to Menard*s.

Completed size is 22 x 32. The depth is one foot.  Now we are all ready for next spring. After this project was complete I immediately began dreaming of what things to plant next year. 

September we realized that a mama deer was including our back yard in her "rounds." She also has a set of twins that look to be about a year old.  She's pretty tame. She has gotten as close as five feet to us when we toss bread out to her.

October we decided to get serious about snow removal and purchased a snow plow for the ATV.

Bring on old man winter! Rawr!

We have had some snow already, but none of it stuck.  For now, this beauty is resting in the garage.

On October 3 my sweet little baby roo did his first crow.  I loved it!

A few days later I stood out in the rain and got a little video of him doing his song and dance.  I enjoy seeing him. I joke that he looks like he's doing a drunking Irish jig.

On October 11, 2013 the first egg was laid.

One of the most perfect things I've ever seen

I am in awe of this egg and each egg we have received since.  It was confirmed that our "Red" was the first to start laying.

In October we also lost a few Wynadottes.  Very sad. :-(  It's not easy to lose chickens.  It's accepted that it's going to happen but it's still not easy.

We also added four adults to the flock.  Saw and ad on craigslist for one year olds for sale.  I'll admit, they are a motley group but they've integrated into the flock very nicely and everyone gets along.  I have some pictures from when we first got them but nothing recent.

The grey one is "grandma/grandma pucker/big fat mama." She's a riot to see run.   The other one is "No Tailed Red."

This girl is "Blackie"  She lays pretty blue eggs. 

This is "Red with a tail" and the Barred Rock is "Junior"

I know, real imaginative with the names. It works.

The end of October we purchased 14 Guinea Fowl.

*sigh*

It really is a funny story when I think back on it.

We got them Oct. 30 and brought them home.  The next day when DH got home he opened the pen to pull out one of the chickens and he closed the pen.  The Roo and one of the guineas tussled and managed to pop the pen door open.  The Roo and one of the little ladies ran around for a bit but we caught them.  The guinea, on the other hand ... we chased the guinea for more than an hour before giving up and going trick or treating.  When we got home the guinea was up on the roof of the coop.  DH snatched him/her and got it in the coop.

The next day right before DH came home from work, the guineas managed to pop the door to the pen -- AGAIN -- and made a jail break. They were out in the woods heading for where ever.  There was no way we were going to catch them.

Yeah ... twelve of those guineas are now in my freezer.  Made for an interesting Friday night. Yes, I'm laughing as I think about this.

The remaining two are over at my neighbor's.  She has a flock of guineas and what were we going to do with just two guineas?

Another outdoor project is done but I'm going to save that for another post.  I think this has done a fairly good catch up.  Also, I have a loaf of bread in the oven and I don't want to forget it!