Weaving and Eating Cookies while Helping Local Kids

Who wants to weave and eat homemade cookies while helping foster kids?

Now, that I have your attention, let me tell you about the beginners weaving class at the farm.

Hosted by Morgan Crouch, this event will teach you how to create a wall hanging such as this:

Such a gorgeous piece of art. 

But you’re thinking, I’m not crafty. Well Morgan is one of the most patient people I know, and she won’t let you give up.

Morgan taught me how to make a wreath, helped me make a board to display my children's art and has taken our family's photo on several occasions.

“I have always loved creating things because it’s a way for me to take ordinary things and use them for something beautiful, like God does with us,” she said.

She recently re-taught herself to weave.

 “I use to weave little potholders when I was 10! I am loving playing with all the colors and textures,” said Morgan.

She explained once you learn how the basics work the possibilities are endless and not very complicated. (Now were talking because I am not crafty, but I want my project to be something I can display!!!)

The class is this Saturday from 5-8. Registration is required. Your $35 dollar fee includes all supplies. A portion of the proceeds will go to SMILE FOSTER CARE CLOSEST, an organization that provides for the material needs for foster kids in our region.

So come relax at the farm, eat some potato chip cookies (trust me they are so good!) and learn something new. Also Snoop Hoggy Hog and the gang want to see you!

Oink!

And keep an eye out for future classes and mini photo sessions by Morgan Leah Photography!

Three short farm stories

It’s been awhile since I’ve written a blog. To be honest, it’s been pretty quiet around here. In my mind, I thought maybe I have grown as a person. I’m not as flinchy, and things are going smoothly.

I guess the universe thought it was time to knock me down a peg or two.

Bringing back 90s slang

Michael does a majority of the chicken work. I work on the fun stuff… collecting eggs or making chicken treats.

The other day I went into the coop to get the eggs. I have a bad habit of not looking into the nesting boxes. Sure enough one of the dark brown chickens was in there doing her thing, and I grabbed on her. She squawked and my natural response was screaming Doi! Super awkward sounding. And I haven’t said that since maybe 8^th grade. But she scared me so bad. Lesson learned. Always look into the nesting box. 

Cash you scared me!

 

These eggs are so good.

 Snake it to you make it

We were practicing softball in the backyard. I went to the creek to retrieve a ball. (I’m not the best catcher.) There was the most interesting root in the creek. I decided to poke it with a stick. 

This is not the exact root that scared me. I couldn't find it when I went back to take a picture. So maybe I did poke a snake. 

But as I started to poke it, I realized just how long it was. A snake! It looked like a milk snake. AAAGGGHHH. I gave a big Charlie Brown scream. But I settled down and realized… just the original root that I thought it was.

Pigs need spa days too

Pigs need their nails clipped just like humans. It was time for Snoop to go to the vet to get his trimmed. We don’t have a horse trailer, and he’s not huge. 

So we borrowed Bailey dog’s crate. I figured since Snoop loves me he would go right into the crate. Guess he doesn’t love me that much. He squealed and oinked at me. I threw some bananas in there and still nothing. 

Now, it was Michael’s turn to try. He pushed up his sleeves and did some pig wrestling. 

So much shrieking, from Snoop I think, but Michael got him in the cage. Snoop was still fussing. Then silence and then chomp chomp. He found the banana and was fine. Had himself a nice spa day.

Michael versus pig.

Snoop is heavier than he looks.

Ok once he found the banana.

Strapping him down.

On the same day, we had to take these two to the vet.

Peaches was over it. 

Birdie just wanted cheese.

We are excited for spring! The potatoes and onions are in the ground. The back porch has been cleaned. And it’s staying lighter later.

Cool rock

Fairy garden

Wildflowers

Deer!

Oink oink

Lazy

Getting the gardens ready

Please don't freeze.

Hoping we get fruit this year. Last year was horrible!

Hiking around the property.

Jars of Clay Predicted My Future

Meet Birdie. Even she can't escape the wrath of mud.

If you went to youth group in the 90s I can only assume you listened to:

·         DC Talk

·         Newsboys

·         Audio Adrenaline

·         Jars of Clay

All fantastic bands that I listened to their CDs on repeat.

One of my favorite Jars of Clay songs is “Flood.” For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, here are the lyrics for the first verse.

Rain rain on my face
It hasn't stopped
Raining for days
My world is a flood
Slowly I become
One with the mud

When I was 15 I thought it was so poetic. Now I am 36 and feel like I am living this song. The farm is a gigantic mud pit.

Pictures don't do it justice. 

It's like gloopy quicksand.

And there is even hidden mud pockets. 

I’ve stopped washing my house floors because of the mud, the animals have muddy feet and the laundry is piling up from playing and working outside.

We recently acquired a new pup named Birdie. She is super sweet and adjusting to her new life. But even she fell victim to the mud. She was running and slipped on some mud and yelped! So sad. I almost fell too since I was wearing Crocs instead of mudboots, but no one seemed alarmed. Next time I’ll yelp louder.

We wonder how big she'll get.

Peaches is our welcome cat. Despite her face, she's super friendly to all the animals. 

Snoop has been doing ok with her.. as long as she doesn't bite his tail. 

She's settling in.

And we love her. 

And when taking down the Christmas décor, the UTV left huge tire tracks in the yard.(I'm posting a few shots of my decorations because I liked them this year and intended to blog about them, but I ran out of time so tada.)

But today, the sun shone brightly and maybe we can go a few weeks without rain. Although, rumor has it snow may be coming soon.

Now I need to go through all my old Christian alternative favorites and see what else may be in store for me…

Are farm fresh eggs really better?

I have never had farm fresh eggs until we got our own chickens. A few weeks ago a few of our birds started laying eggs.

Our first egg

I pretended to be excited, but to be honest, I was nervous.

Have you seen the merchandise with exclamations of “my pets poops my breakfast.” This is the thought I had when we got our eggs.

Thanks Fuzzy for breakfast!

The other crazy thing I discovered was you didn’t have to refrigerate the eggs. What kind of sorcery was this! It went against everything I thought I knew about food.

But according to my backyard chicken book (and my husband because he does a lot of research while I just like to wing it) its fine to keep the eggs on your counter due to the bloom, which is a natural protective layer that coats the egg. It seals the pores to reduce moisture loss and prevents the development of bacteria. So when we’re ready to eat the eggs we clean them by rinsing them off and they are good to use.

Artsy egg shot

Real life egg shot...Getting ready to eat our eggs for the first time.

I talked to my friend Erin Wingfield about her egg experience. This longtime chicken lover has a lot more knowledge than me about farm fresh eggs and why you should try them.

Erin Wingfield, chicken enthusiast and great dresser!

“There really isn’t a comparison between farm fresh eggs and store bought eggs. Farm fresh have a much richer taste,” said Erin. “Not only that, they have way more nutrients in them because pasture raised chickens have healthier diets.”

We like to feed our birds any vegetable and fruit scraps, as well as things like sunflower seeds.

She explained eggs with light orange yolks most likely come from chickens without as much access to the outdoors (or even no access at all). These chickens are caged indoors under artificial lighting, or roam around a dimly-lit or darkened barn with no windows.

A deep orange yolk means the egg is from pasture-raised hens. This color egg yolk indicates a well-balanced and healthy chicken diet and an egg with excellent nutritional value. And while both farm fresh and store bought eggs have cholesterol, backyard eggs contain lower amounts. 

Internet photo I found because I wan't smart enough to create a visual for you.

“Backyard chickens aren’t for everyone, but they are really fun if you decide to get some,” said Erin. “They have their own personalities and are so funny to watch. Just make sure to do your research – chickens eat and poop a lot.”

And like my children, Erin’s kids like to play with the birds, including her youngest daughter Everly.

Everly hanging out with the chickens. 

Our birds are well loved. 

They like a good snuggle, but they are fast. 

You get a bird, and you get a bird.

I told my dad to catch a bird, and he did it.

Play time with the chickens.

If interested in trying some farm fresh eggs, please let me know. I can give you a few to try now. And in the spring Madi and Abby will be the “Chicky Sisters” and sell eggs.

Here we are dreaming about selling eggs. Just kidding. Just a shout out to Emily Bartley photography. She always makes the farm look amazing!