We're hanging out here at the FarM, getting into the swing of things. T has been super busy with trim in the house, finishing up odds and ends, and generally getting stuff done.
On the house side, the trim ROCKS. T and Papa have done an awesome job, and it looks amazing. The loft also rocks. Papa found an old 20' cherry picking ladder that we (and by we, I mean T) cut down for the ladder to the loft. T built a platform for just outside the loft gate, and it's pretty much the best thing since sliced bread. The girls' think so too!
The remainder of the ladder went into my laundry room. We line dry most everything, it's very rare that we use the dryer. I pretty much love it.
T, awesome T, fixed up this old wine rack (on the left) and mounted it on the wall for our hats, gloves, and other miscellaneous. While Banks is upset that he lost his cushions to lay on, I am ecstatic that I no longer wear dog fur on my head.
In other news this winter, A and I built one (1) snowman with one of our few measly peasly snowfalls. It was tons of fun though.
The kids and I have been attempting to take Tally for walks, this dog makes the Energizer battery look fatigued. J was present, but tied to my back.
Speaking of J, he's growing like a weed. Here's his GQ pose:
The kids have started up swimming again. J too!
Thanks, Aunt Jenny, for the swim trunks!
The FarM is still hangin', laying mostly dormant while waiting for summer. We've got some awesome things cooking - pigs, turkeys, and 'lil chicks. More Muscovies too, if we can find them. Oh, and Grim? He's leaving in May for a few months to git some trainin'. He's super excited, can't you tell?
Punzi and Chop got a Christmas present too, invisible fencing. They are responding to it great, and we love that we can let them out and not have to chase them a mile down the road (and 4 miles back). While the fencing isn't quite invisible (I wasn't going to dig 10 acres, sorry), it does go around the perimeter of our property and we feel pretty good about it.
Punzi and Chopper, I'm not so sure. I don't think Chop has left the barnyard since we've hooked them up. Punzi went on a walk with me the first day around the perimeter (I suppose it's called Training). Got shocked twice, and the 2nd time ran back to the barn and wouldn't come back. The next day she walked with me for a very short time before giving up, laying down as the Queen of the Hill, where she could keep her keen eye on me as I walked. Thanks Punz.
We're continuing to live and learn out here. I tell ya, the things about farming you don't know before you do it! For example. We ordered a different breed of turkeys to raise for Thanksgiving this year. Last year our turks grew fairly little, the Toms dressed out in the lower teens the the hens around 8#. They tasted good, but we wanted to go a bit bigger, so we researched and put on order a bunch of 14 poults of Bronze Breasted turkeys. While realizing that the way we feed them (mainly on pasture, with natural food sources) will lead them to grow a bit slower, we set a March delivery. Then, I read today that another person had these turkeys grow to 60lbs in 8 months. Yikes! A bit big, I believe. While T was excited and wanted to grow an 80lber I also read about, we think that most people probably won't want their Thanksgiving turkey to take up the entire table. Now, the poults will arrive in May and we'll have awesome Thanksgiving turkey. I'm just glad I read about that one, rather than us having to live with 700lb of turkeys on the FarM!
