Wednesday, March 26, 2014

Crazy Weather No Sign Of Spring

All it seems to do is snow. The temps have been still so cold. -25 to -30 degrees in the mornings and a high of only - 15 during the day.
As for snow, it has been stormed at least twice a week having  only children happy ( to have no school)
Today is another.....
We are expecting the the storm of the year today. Lots of snow with some places in our province getting as much as 50 + cms and 110 km winds. WOW
We are expecting for our area, about 20.+ cms with 80 to 100 km winds.
There is so much prepping to do when a storm like this comes our way. We spent last evening getting the barn ready, and making sure there is lots of staples in the house and dry firewood. We have the tub filled with water and 5 gallons buckets of water on hand.
The gas cans are full for the generator, and the tractor has lots of fuel. So I can say we are prepared.
Hubby and my Dad headed off to work this morning but I am sure they will back home early afternoon once the storm is underway.

Enough talk about the weather....

Let's talk barn babies.....
On Sunday morning Cinnie our toggenburg milking goat had her baby. We first thought it was a girl , but she was still very wet when hubby took a look. We called her Clover. BUT...... To our surprise Clover was a boy.....with a closer better look... I'm disappointed :( but he is still cute....

Our incubator has been producing  as well. Lots of little chicks day after day. The girls are having fun with them, and enjoying naming then all.

Little Frappy our toggenburg doe kid is still in the house. We are taking her out to the barn to meet with her new family a little every day. Cinnie is still giving her a hard time but we are hoping she will finally take to her. It has been so cold that we couldn't send her out yet.
Yep...you know your a real farmer, when you have farm animals living in your dining room.
Phoebe is doing really well with her calves, and she is giving us plenty of milk.
I have made butter, and whipped cream so far with the lovely cream I'm getting.mmmmm.....

In gardening news....
We have started our veggies in the house on my livingroom window sills. There is so much snow in front of and around the green house, and it has been so cold that I decided to try to start them in the house this year. I have both green,and red bell peppers started, brocolli,cauliflower,kale, oregano,basil, sage,and thyme.
I need to do a few others next week along with the tomatoes,and melons


Mom spent last week in the hospital she was dehydrated once again and needed a little IV boost.
She is back home again and feeling better.
I was able to get a little break and get some housework done throughout the day.

Well time to restock the fires, and get breakfast on. Potato patties, eggs, ham, and biscuits.
I also need to get a roast of pork into the slow cooker for pulled pork for supper. I am making pulled pork sandwiches with creamy potato and ham soup for supper. ( we had a ham on Sunday night for supper, and have been picking off of it since for sandwiches for the lunch boxes. But I will take the rest today and chop it in the soup and through the bone in for extra flavor.
Warm and comforting on a storm day :)
Have a wonderful day and stay safe and warm.
 I hope to get some pictures posted up soon as well.

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

Here We Go Aagin

Old man winter is going to gift us with yet another major snow storm again tonight. We are under a blizzard warning with 40+ cms of snow on its way and high winds.
We worked last evening after Hubby got home from work to make sure everything got picked up and the shovels are out. The silage is covered up for the cow.
It is suppose to start last into the day today.
I guess this will be our annual St. Patricks  day storm. ( it always seem never to miss us every year.)
Well the kiddies will be happy to have a snow day.

It is not hard to see all the signs for bad weather ahead.  Jill's cat Buttons has been going crazy around the house. Running all through the house. Last night he managed to tip over Jill's Beta fish tank AGAIN..... But this time it was at 2 o clock in the morning, and water everywhere. She got up and saved her fish. But she was not a happy little girl.
After school today she is going to have to move the tank to the corner in of her room, where the cat can not get.
Then I came in after the bus went this morning and Buttons and Franny had got up on the Kitchen table and knocked off my fruit bowl, and tore off the table cloth. What has got into these animals..... The weather....it also has warmed up out doors and it is so nice out....so calm....the calm before the storm....

Last Thurday we went on a day trip to the big city to go to Costco. We stocked up on our staples, and went to a few more stores before heading back home.

We stopped along the way home and picked up a baby month old goat. I was wanting another Toggenburg doe kid, and I finally got the chance to get one. With Cinnie getting ready to pop any day now I should be able to slip this one in with her too. ( well I'm hoping anyway)
But for the time being she is staying in the house. ( yep you read that right, I have a baby goat living in the dining room)
She is getting all the milk she needs from Phoebe.  I milk Phoebe then I was diluting it at first because I thought it might be a little rich for her. She had done well never getting the runs from the milk. She is now getting the raw milk not diluted. She is also getting a little bit of grain and water.
Over the weekend I am hoping to try  and move her into the barn, with a heat lamp, and maybe a sweater, and lots of straw, if Cinnie dose not go by then.

The calves are doing well, as is Phoebe. She is a great Mom, and dose not mind to be milked at all.

Jayne ended up with Gastro over the weekend, but was feeling better Monday for school.
Justin called me Monday morning from school and he had it..... So he has been home all week with it now.
Mom ended up with it too, on Sunday she is still not feeling to good and only taking it slow.I sure hope the rest of us don't get it.

The freezers are sure going down quick now. I went out to the building that has our big deep freezers in it on Saturday, I brought in a couple of weeks worth of meat to put in the smaller freezer in our back porch. I did a check to see how much more meat we have and there is enough for about 6 to 8 weeks worth.
The veggies are going down quick too.
We had fried chicken for Supper Sunday night from one of our meat birds. It was really good with mashed potatoes and gravy.
Monday night we had a pork roast in the slow cooker with apple sauce. We served it with salad and baked potatoes.
Last night we had shepreds pie with biscuits.
Tonight we are having boneless steak in the oven in gravy with pork fried rice from the pork that was left over on Monday night. I also made rolls this morning.
I am debating on taking out a small turkey to have tomorrow night. ( I have this thing with cooking a turkey when it storms.... Seems like the right thing todo.)

Well I better head back over to Moms to see if I can get her to eat a little. Take care and stay warm.

Monday, March 3, 2014

The Good And The Bad

Today is my only boys 16th birthday. I can't believe it.... It was just like yesterday I was rocking him to sleep.
We are having lasagna and garlic bread for supper with my parents and Birthday cake of course.

Now for the bad.....
Yesterday we were out doing up the barn work before getting ready to go to the next town to visit with friends. We seen that Phoebe was leaking milk, and was in labour. We moved her in cancelled our trip and got ready for a new calf.
Well after a very long night and nothing we called for the vet. Poor Phoebe aborted.
HB headed to the big dairy farm on the next road and got a bob calf to put in her.
It was her first and they will be more :(