I Feel Like I Have Failed

That's right, I have failed. Failed at being a farmer. This year has been the hardest on me and our farm and I feel like it's my fault. This year we have lost 3 calves. One got stuck in the mud before I could find it and it froze to death. Something killed one, and I have know idea how the other one died. It just did.

I haven't had one successful litter of rabbits. It's always been something that I did. I kept checking on them to see how they were doing, therefore the mother killed them. They do that when they are bothered. One time, I calculated the wrong date and didn't put the birthing boxes in the cages in time. This time, I put the boxes in too soon and the rabbits pooped in them therefore they had their babies outside of the boxes.They all died. It's stupid mistakes like that.

Two days ago we had a chicken massacre and not in the good way. 14 of our chickens got slaughtered by something. We think it may have been Jack(our new St. Bernard), but he was down by the house almost all day. More likely though, he's the one who done it. We are down to 6 fryer roosters and 7 hens. Hens who are not laying their eggs in their nest so I'm not getting ANY eggs. I have looked all over and can't find them.

Nothing has happened to the goats, so far. But, I'm still holding my breath with them. The way things have been going, I'm just waiting.

We had to put down one of our horses a few months ago because she broke her leg. I have no idea how she broke it, but it was beyond repair. I didn't put it on here because, once again, I felt like a failure.

Our garden produced all of one batch of green beans and 3 cucumbers. The rest was either ate by deer or dried up. We were lucky enough that Hubby's parents had an abundant supply of green beans this year because they were hauling water to their garden with a giant tank in the back of their truck. 

These, and I'm sure other things that I have forgotten about, have happened to our farm. And because of all of them, I feel like I have failed this year as a homesteader.  It also makes me look at how I done things this year and wonder where I could have changed things. As I look back, there are many places that I could have done things differently. The cattle, well, there's not really much we could have done with them. These things happens sometimes. It doesn't make it easier, they just happen. The rabbits are going to get a better hutch. One in which they will have plenty of room and a permanent  brooding box built on the back that can be blocked off for when they're not ready to have babies.That way, they won't poop in it. The chickens are getting a new coop as I type this. Hubby is still making it. Pictures to come.  The goats, well, we will just see. As for the garden, we will start all over again next year with a smaller garden that we can actually take care of. 

We have our plans. I just hope things work out.

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl, failed, but learning.

Thankful

I love this time of year. All that it stands for and most of all,for all the food we get to eat. hehehehehe. You know what's so funny about cooking Thanksgiving dinner? After I cook it, I usually don't want to eat it. Hmmmmmm. Maybe I'm on to something. "Hey Honey!!! Want to have a  small, skinny wife?" another hehehehe Ya, not going to happen.

Anyway, we are having a few people over to our house for Thanksgiving. I always tell people if they don't have a place to go for dinner, they are more than welcome to eat with us. Me and Hubby is going to have a turkey dinner even if no one else comes to visit. We use to go to his Grandma's on Thanksgiving but she passed away a few years ago. My side of the family has their Thanksgiving dinner on Friday. I would rather eat as to go shopping anyway. :)  Then, since we like punishment, we are going to go to my cousin's house on Saturday(3 hrs trip one way) for my mom's side of the extended family's Christmas party. Whew! I'm tired just typing that. But, I love getting together with all of my family and friends. 

So if I don't get to get back on here this weekend, I just want to wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving and to let you know that I am thankful for all of you out there in Blog Land. 

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl, thankful. 

Question of the Day

Have you ever wondered what,"Once upon a time," meant?  And, how do you get "upon" a "time?"

This question just let's you all know how much my mind has been wondering lately. :)

SFG, question askerer

Oh the Horror!!!!!!

Okay, I have to take a deep breath before I tell you all this horrific story. Around this time of year, with it getting colder, small, creepy critters tend to want to come in the house. I don't like them, but I can handle mice, flies, and the occasional beetle. I can't however, handle spiders. I know, I know, they are more scared of me than I am of them. Wanna bet? I also understand that spiders help catch flies and undesirable insects. I still haven't met a insect that I hate worse than a spider.

Anyway, back to my story...... This morning I got up and put on my house coat and wondered through the house. I let Skeeter outside so she could do her business.  I turned the t.v. on just to see if the world had come to an end while I was asleep last night.  And being a little hungry, I was trying to decide what I was going to have for breakfast. I didn't want anything big and heavy, so I decided on cereal. I got my bowl, filled it with cereal, and went to get the milk out of the fridge. As I was opening the door, something caught my eye. On my shoulder was a giant field SPIDER!!!!!!

I. FREAKED. OUT. I grabbed my clothes and tore them off  like Hulk Hogan in the wrestling ring. I ran through the house into my bedroom,(why my bedroom? Have no idea.) and turned around looking at the door, panting. ( I'm actually glad that I wasn't expecting the cable guy at that time. Could you imagine the story he could have told about seeing the fat girl running through the house naked, screaming?)

Now, as I stood there, I realized I had a live spider in my house. It needed to be killed. I started looking for what I could kill it with. Fly swatter? No, to small. The spider was, after all, the size of a dog. So I look around. I spied in the corner of the room, an old tennis racket. That would work!!! I grab the racket and the fly swatter (for back up) and crept back through the house. I was on a mission. I could just hear the theme of Mission Impossible running through my head.

I spied the clothes lying on the floor. They looked so innocent. No one would know what horrors they contained.  I force myself to creep up to the clothes. I FORCED myself to take the tennis racket and move the clothes. The spider jumped out onto the top of the clothes.  Once again, I go screaming through the house, still naked.  (I'm so glad I live far enough outside of civilization I don't have to worry about people looking in my windows.) I'm back into my bedroom, facing the door, panting, again.

Okay, SFG, you have got to calm down. You are on a mission and you have to achieve victory over the monster spider! I creep back out to the kitchen. I see the spider is still on my clothes. It's just waiting on me.  Oh gosh!  Okay, okay, now what? I can't just hit it with the fly swatter. What if I miss? What if it jumps on me?  Throw a shoe at it! I frantically look around for a shoe. I see one by the door. I grab two, you know, just for back up.  I creep back towards the enemy. It's watching me, I can tell. I throw the shoe, and then the other one. I think I wounded it! I pounce! I'm beating my clothes to a pulp with the tennis racket and the fly swatter all at the same time. Die spider, die!!!!!!

I jump back, panting, and looked. In the middle of my clothes there is a small stain that was once the dreaded spider. "Take that spider!!!!!" I yell at the stain. At that time the cat rubs it's tail against my leg. I scream, run into the bedroom, turn around, and look back at the door, panting.

I think I've had enough for today. I think I'm just going to sit on the couch all day and drink hot chocolate. I can't take much more stress.

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl, spider hunter.

The Things I Do For My Dog

I can't believe I did it. I actually went out and got into Jack's dog house.  Let me start from the beginning. Jack has been outside since Friday. I couldn't take him in the house anymore. Don't get me wrong, I really like him. He's a good dog!  But, you can only walk over a huge dog so many times.  Anyway, he seemed like he enjoyed being outside. He didn't like being away from us though, but he's getting use to it. We have french doors and he can look inside the house anytime he wants.

Anyway, this morning it started raining. The poor feller didn't know what to do. He has always been inside when it rained. We have a HUGE dog house for him right next to the door to our house, but he didn't know what to do with it. I threw some doggy treats inside just to get him to go in. He wasn't afraid to go in or anything, I think he just didn't know what to do.  So I, wanting to help all of the poor, ignorant animals out there, crawled back into his dog house and called him in with me. (Yes, the dog house is big enough for a St. Bernard and a million pound human to sit or lay comfortably) He got all excited and bowled me over when he came in. After a little wrestling match, he finally settled down and went to sleep inside the dog house with his head on my leg. I stayed in the dog house for about a half an hour and then I tried to get out. You know, it's easier to get into a dog house than it is to get out of one. Especially when you have a huge dog wanting out at the same time.  Let's just say that is wasn't pretty.

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl, sucker.

What's Up Jack

This is what my life is filled with right now. He is an 11 month old baby. He still acts like a baby too. We are still trying to teach him things that a 200 lbs baby should not do. (He's not up to 200 lbs yet, but as he get's older he could be.) Things like jumping up on you, running into your legs, not moving out of the way when you are trying to walk around him, leading on a lead rope, etc. You understand. Oh, and one other thing, not giving handshakes. Some people think this is cute, but when your paw is as big as a horses hoof with sharp claws on it, it can hurt someone. My step daughter got it on her cheek just last night. Not good.

 Anyway, I know some people just don't understand the difference between having a lap dog, and having a "horse" that thinks it's a lap dog. It may be cute when your little chihuahua jumps on your leg so that you will pick it up. It's another thing when the 200 lbs dog jumps up on you and you fall into the mud. It's cute when a pomerainan gets sooooo excited that it's tail and butt are wiggling like crazy, another thing when the big dog knocks the lamp off of the table with his tail. Cute when the small dog follows you everywhere you go in the house. Not as cute when the big dog does it. For example...As many of you know, we are living in a house that in not finished. When I say,"Not finished," I mean we have studding for walls and sheets for doors. So, the "horse" has pretty much the run of the house. Wherever you go, he goes too. You turn around, he is there. You do the dishes, he is there to see if ya need any help. You go to bed, he sleeps on the floor. You go to the bathroom, well, let's just say you haven't lived until you are setting on the toilet and a dog is looking you in the eye. "Whatcha doin?"

 Our hope is to make Jack an outside dog, but he has been inside his whole life. He doesn't have the winter coat of an outside dog. It will come in time as we keep him outside for longer periods of time. He also has separation anxiety. He has never been alone. When Hubby took him down to his dad's house to show them our new dog, he kept him in his truck while he went inside. He left the windows down a few inches so that he could get fresh air. When Hubby came out of the house, the window was shattered and Jack was out of the truck. He came around the side of the truck like,"Hey, everyone! Look, I got out of the truck! Aren't you proud of me?" Hubby, not so much.

 Anyway, all this has happened in just 24 hrs. I can't wait see what the next few years will bring.

 So until next time,

 Small Farm Girl, what did I get myself into? lol

New Kid On The Block

So what are the goats looking at?

Why, they are looking at the new kid on the block! Meet Jack.

SFG, dog owner. YEA!!