Organizing the Barn

We go through phases of organizing, and reworking layouts in the barn.  We knew we needed to get it cleaned up as it is spring and that is when we usually get a bunch of baby animals.  One stall in the barn contains most of our storage containers with clothes etc in them, and it was just cumbersome to find the right container.  So one rainy day we pulled everything out and started from scratch, trying to reuse some of the materials.  The shelving that was torn out was too deep, so we built the shelving that worked better with our containers.

This was the end result on one side of the stall.  It makes finding the correct container a lot easier.  We don't have a garage, so the barn is it for storage outside the house.  The containers keep the mice out and help prevent things from molding as the barn is slightly moist with the dirt floor, and random drips.

This is the other side of the stall where we built a couple of shelves to hold some  beekeeping equipment, and my two helpers.  Mia also helped out and learned how to use my new impact driver, which I love.

We also built a frame for the Sheetmetal feed bin that Craig had built for us.  The bin is probably large enough to hold 700-1000lbs of feed, I probably should have given him smaller dimensions, but we have it now.  Our frame might collapse if we ever put that much feed in it.

Finished organized corner.  Mia and Lily worked to clean out the chick nursery in the right side of the picture.  We are still looking at trying to pour a concrete slab at the far end of the barn, but the biggest obstacle is finding a home for everything while we work on it.  It would make things a lot cleaner down there, and provide a place for the kids to rid scooters in the winter and allow me to work on the cars easier etc.

2014 Baby Animals

  

   

We got are first pigs this year, here is one.  Her name is Bacon.

Here is me and Porky.

And the black one is Ham, here is the big, bad, coyote with the pigs.

Lily petting Ham.

Eating like pigs.

Evan with one of are one week old calves.

This is Burger.

Lily with Oreo.

The new pig house.

We moved the pigs into some pasture next to the cows, they love it.

September on the Homestead

Butternut growing like crazy.

Helping with Grace.

Armed with Zucchini!!  Look out!

Getting over abundance of food. 

Snacking on some green beans.

Canning green beans.

Having really good zucchini sticks. 

A really good harvest.

Ethan working on his birdhouses.

Lily petting the cow.

Evan cutting up wood for kindling.

Evan helping Dad build the gate for the cow shed.

Cow shed progress.

Painting the cow shed barn red.

Honey harvest.  It is interesting that the honey seemed to be darker this year.

Lily is helping feed Gracie a snack.

She only missed a little bit.

June / Father's Day

June started off with lots of work in the garden.  However we apparently have not taken any pictures of the garden, so I will have to try and work that into July.  Here the boys are taking a break on the deck.  We work them hard  ;-)

 Can't complete the month without a cow picture, here is Carmel.  I finally got her to eat some hay out of my hand the other day.

We setup a small area with electric fence for the calves to keep them separate from Carmel because the smaller guy, Reese, seemed like he was eating too much and starting to bloat.  We wondered if it was peer pressure to keep up with the big girl.  The boys have both been shocked numerous times by the fence, but they are learning.

Mia took a couple of chicken pictures.  Here are the chicks in their outdoor run.  Just today we put them in with the older girls, which will probably cause some stress over the next couple of days as they establish the pecking order.

I was so impressed with my breakfast one morning I took a picture of it.  Jennie made these delicious little sandwich's, I call them Breakfast Sliders.  She put an egg on some slices avocado, and then in the whole wheat rolls. This was quite a treat as we have been mostly gluten free for a month or so.

Evan and Lily playing Fathers Day morning while I slept in.

I finally had to sneak out of the bedroom to see what was going on.  I hid under the ironing board until Ethan kicked me by accident.  Then I was scolded for sneaking out as they were busy trying to get breakfast ready.  

Here is the spread.  On the right we have bacon (Yumm) then chocolate mini donuts with sprinkles, then eggs, then pumpkin donut holes, then large chocolate donuts.  All were dairy and gluten free.

Lily enjoying a donut!!

We then headed off to Champoeg park for a small hike.

We had a picnic lunch there after spending some time at the welcome center.

Hiking along!!

Ethan carried Grace for the whole hike.  He was pretty tired when we were done.

Artsy photos.  The guy that gave us the tour of the 1860's kitchen garden told Mia he liked her hat.  She was not sure what to say.

Ethan & Grace

Jennie has started soaking some of her seeds and nuts, apparently it helps in digestion.  Here are some of our first cherries.  We have since picked all that we could reach, and the rest were left for the birds.

The girls playing in their sleeping bags.  While the boys were away camping with Grandma & Grandpa, the girls wanted to camp out as well.

The pool was finally setup, and the kids found some mud to squish between their toes.

It will take a few days to fill the pool.  I am afraid to run the water too long for fear of running our well dry.  So we fill it three times a day for 45 minutes or so.

Cleanup time.

Momma and Grace self-portrait.