June 14, 2014

Around The Homestead

A few updates all rolled up into one post.

Corn Update

Truckers Favorite field corn interplanted with cowpeas & pumpkins

I think this is the prettiest corn we've ever grown.

Baby Chicken Update

Mama and Lone Baby Chicken are doing well.

This is the first time I've had a chick be so well received by the rest of the flock. No one pesters or even pays any attention to the chick, even Rooster Man! Plus, I have another broody hen. I gave her half a dozen eggs.

And, I have another broody hen. Due to hatch June 25.

This is the first time I've had more than one broody hen in a summer!

Fencing Update

View from the back side before the gate was installed.

After finishing the chicken coop Dan wanted to take a break from building. The current project is fencing (again).  First thing done was to finish putting up the privacy fence on the other side of the house. On the Master Plan, this is on the right side of the house for the area labeled "bird garden".  This will hopefully be an outdoor relaxation area since we have no back yard. It would be nice to sit out and enjoy the weather some times!

Solar Cooking Update

Cooking freshly harvested potatoes for potato salad.

A 100% solar cooked meal: chicken, carrots, turnips, and potato salad.
Everything but the carrots are homegrown (we've already eaten all of ours)

I'm using the solar oven every day unless it rains or rain looks imminent.

Screen Door


Sam takes a peek out the screen door. The cats like looking out

Dan finally got the screen door hung on the back porch. I am really, really happy about this. Since my non-air conditioned back porch / laundry room is also my summer kitchen (when I can't use the solar oven) plus my canning kitchen, I need all the access to cooler air I can get. We hung the kitty door bell on it because the kitty door (under the bench on the left) is one-way only these days, out. That's because all three cats like to bring their catches (usually live) onto the back porch!

The door still has to be painted, and we'll need something to protect the screen from claws, but at least it's up.

Parting Shot

I just did a pig update, but couldn't resist passing on this shot.

Cooling off. 

For some reason his water dish is preferable to the little mud hole we made. What a pig.

Around The Homestead © June 2014

16 comments:

Michelle said...

That pig is CUTE!

Frugal in Derbyshire said...

Lots of projects coming together and little steps towards self sufficiency. How satisfying! There's something about having mums and chicks around that brings hope. My hens are VERY broody. I am told it is because they aren't the commercial-type layer breeds. Love the views of your homestead because I'm nosey that way!
Gill

tpals said...

You sure know how to end a post with an Awww! pic. :) I've put a patch of Trucker's corn in my garden for the first time. It's germinating well for 2 year old seed.

Mama Pea said...

Loved this update post. So much going on. Your place just keeps looking better and better. (I can also see the tremendous amount of planning and work that has gone into it. Your stand of corn looks field sized. Waldo has got to be the cutest pig ever!

Farmer Barb said...

Oh, WILBUR! Pigs are funny. They do what they want. you might want to think about a little training while he is a LITTLE pig.


Just a thought.

Leigh said...

Michelle, he's quite a little ham. :)

Gill, thanks! If I have another hen go broody I'm going to experiment with breaking it by giving her plastic easter eggs filled with ice. The dunk method didn't work for me!

Tpals, I'm so glad to hear that about the Trucker's Favorite. Did you refrigerate the seed? Corn has such a short viability that I make a point to plant at least a seed crop every year. We really like this variety.

Mama Pea, it's very encouraging when things go as planned. Not so much when they don't!

Barb, the gal we bought him from mentioned training too, but mostly to stop them from jumping up. We figure he'll outgrow the water dish soon enough, LOL

Renee Nefe said...

In the book I'm currently reading it explains that the cats bring you the catch to share with you. The cat in the book is told they can have the mouse, the cat seems to shrug and carry off the mouse to eat it.
I think the doorbell is a good plan.

Congrats on your second broody hen, more chicks will be fun. Especially if they are accepted. I have a friend who I'm worried that her old gals won't accept the new chicks as she hasn't done anything like you have. We'll see.

I'm wondering if Waldo's water dish were to move slowly to his mud pit if he would decide it's big enough for him.

Laura said...

I hate it when Art plays "catch and release" in the house... I have 3 Lavender Bantam Cochins - the two hens hatched out 8 chicks (too stinkin' cute). I put them in an unused rabbit cage on the ground and left the roo out. He bailed in there one day, so I thought I'd leave him. Not good. He started attacking the chicks, eventually killing one. He's back out now, but not happy... Little Rat!

Unknown said...

Ah maybe he feels the water's wetter? Ha....

Kris said...

What a lovely post - so newsy and uplifting. And who could NOT resist that little pig in his pan? LOL

Woolly Bits said...

Waldo in his dish - I love it! he looks very happy:)
and I'd love to have a screen door like that in summer - everybody leaves the door open and flies etc. come in all the time:( but I am sure the screen wouldn't last long here, with the scratching dog!
seating areas are nice, we made several - but hardly ever have time to sit out and enjoy... the downside of a large garden = enough space for sitting areas and not enough time to do so:) and if I do I have a bad conscience because I don't do what I should be doing....

Harry Flashman said...

That's some pig!

I'm looking for a spider in the corner of his stall.....

Unknown said...

I want to focus on everything but Waldo but he really does steal the show. Miss Tilly does the same my end. Ill write about completing a project or the garden and every comment is focused on her. So, love the corn, my hubby is fascinated by your solar oven so keep those pics of meals coming. Dan is a treasure.

Leigh said...

Renee, I think our cats bring the stuff to the house so it can't get away and they can play with it!

Introducing newcomer chicks to a flock is more often hard than easy, in my experience. This time I'm amazed no one is fussing about it. I'm curious how they'll treat the 2nd batch of chicks.

Laura, that's been my experience with roosters too, although I can't claim massive amounts of experience. This rooster is the first one who is taking the new chick in stride!

Nancy, your guess is as good as mine!

Kris, thanks! Who would have thought a little pig could turn out to be such a ham!

Bettina, I hear you about the flies! Also about not being able to enjoy a good relaxation. On the other hand, you could take your handwork outside!

Harry, LOL. He's certainly worth of such a spider.

Lynda, he's definitely a scene stealer. :) The pig, that is.

Sandy Livesay said...

Leigh,

Now that's some really healthy looking corn.

Do you cats leave the chickens alone?

I haven't tried solar cooking, your solar cooked meal looks delicious. Do you enjoy using the solar oven? How difficult was it to build?

Your pig he's just adorable....what a ham!!!!

Fiona from Arbordale Farm said...

Waldo is very cute.