TexasMadness
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Location: Austin, Texas
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Goings on at the farm
We finally got a bunch of fall crops put in - kale, broccoli, cabbage, lettuce, parsnips, beets, turnips and radishes. The summer stuff is slowing down but we are still getting okra, eggplant and peppers. I hope the tomatoes will perk up soon!
Outside the garden, we are having some livestock issues. We've decided to reduce the sheep flock and just cut back to the 2 'pets'. I've already sold 4 and have 4 more to go. Not sure if we can sell the one-eyed wether so we may have 3 pets...hopefully he can be tamed somewhat.
The sexed ducks we got from the feed store turned out to be straight run so we have nearly a dozen drakes that we need to find homes for. Good luck there...I'm fine with selling them for food but Mom's not there yet.
The goats are doing great. We've sold half the babies (last year we had them all sold by this age) and hope we can sell the rest except maybe one we all really like.
We also have new 'WWOOFers'. It's a lesbian couple from New Jersey who want to stay for a year! They are both chefs and both very interested in learning everything - and they are quick to pick stuff up. We are very excited about them staying here.
The land across the street is for sale and we wonder what might be put up there. There's no "house" to speak of, just an old shack and some trailers (which I guess they will take with them?). It does have water, septic and electric so it wouldn't be hard to turn into a living space. I think the owners prior to the current ones did live there but the current ones just use it as a country landing. Hopefully we'll have nice neighbors!
Lots more but that's the bulk of the news!
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10/3/2011, 7:48 pm
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Queenyforever
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Re: Goings on at the farm
Wow...sounds like you got your hands full with the garden and the critters.
Do you think this economy is hampering how fast your critters are selling or not selling?
Good luck on getting new and GOOD neighbors...
---
“Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up.”
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10/3/2011, 8:58 pm
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TexasMadness
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Re: Goings on at the farm
I'm not sure if its the economy. Our area hasn't been hit as bad as others. I am sure the drought is affecting things. I actually had a sale - complete with deposit - fall through because the woman's hay source stopped producing and she was terrified she couldn't find food for the winter. We all are - we've built extra storage and are packing it full with the last of the local hay. We may be buying from all over the country at exorbitant prices if we don't sell all the animals we need to!
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10/4/2011, 1:58 am
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Firlefanz
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Re: Goings on at the farm
TM, that sounds rough. Hope you can sell all the animals that have to go. I totally understand the feed problem - that's a most important reason for downsizing.
Best of luck!
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10/4/2011, 7:36 am
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Queenyforever
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Re: Goings on at the farm
TM I shall be keeping you in my nightly meditations that you either can rid yourself of the extra critters or find food for those you have no choice but to keep..
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“Freedom and democracy are dreams you never give up.”
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10/4/2011, 8:34 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Goings on at the farm
Mercy, Texas! Some good, some not so good! I hope you can get sold what you need to, for their sake as well as your own!
Sounds like the new ladies there are going to do very well.
Too bad we live so far apart, I'd buy some of your drakes. We'd probably end up with some wild hens here, with all the ponds and such. Get them tamed enough, keep them around for production and eggs! LOVE to cook with duck eggs!!! We've still not gotten our chickens! guess that will happen next Spring. (sigh)
Also hope that whoever purchases the land across the way keep things on a natural level as much as possible, and they are good neighbors.
Good luck with all the issues you have going on! Like Queeny, I will keep you in my daily thoughts!
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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10/5/2011, 4:21 am
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TexasMadness
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Re: Goings on at the farm
Ducks eggs are now my preferred egg. They are rich and creamy and make everything taste wonderful!
If we can even get just a little rain, we will have pasture for all our animals. Right now, it's just not growing back after grazing so we don't want the animals to ruin it so we are keeping them in the woods as much as possible. RAIN!!!! (there is some in the forecast for this weekend...)
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10/5/2011, 1:07 pm
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Saijen SilverWolf1
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Re: Goings on at the farm
I used to love when my ex and I raised ducks.
We'd miss a few hens for a while, and pretty soon, they'd come waddling back from being out in the brush behind our house, sitting/hatching, with a brood of ducklings in tow. They're just too cute. At the same time, we'd grab what eggs were layed there in the duck yard for eating. I could only eat about one for breakfast rather than the usual 2 chicken eggs. Makes awesome cakes, cornbread, etc, too!!
I SO hope y'all get some rain. Not just for you and the farm, but for my daughter in Killeen and my sister in San Angelo. It's just horribly dry down there, and some of the photos I've seen are really disturbing. I hope for the entire state, y'all get a good long, soaking rain! Nothing to cause flooding situations or anything bad...just a good, steady rain!! *crosses fingers!*
--- "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you"
~~@Saijen@~~
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10/5/2011, 4:34 pm
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Queenyforever
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Re: Goings on at the farm
HOPING for rain....cause I heard on the news that they were possibly forecasting another 9 years of this drought like conditions for Texas.....
Grim predictions say 9 more years of Texas drought possible...LINK
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10/5/2011, 7:12 pm
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muladzh
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Re: Goings on at the farm
It makes me feed kind of bad - today it was raining hard, all day, and is likely to like this often, until May..
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10/5/2011, 11:57 pm
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