Productivity is an amazing feeling...

I have had one productive weekend! The new additions - Bug & Spatz - required a new living environment because they squished a baby chicken and a baby turkey. So I took all weekend to build their pen mainly because I ran out of energy to do the physical work. On Saturday, I drove the T-posts and ran one roll of wire. Then I had to make a Big-R run because I needed more posts and wire. The pen cost more to construct than the friggin' goats did! LOL After I returned from Big-R with my fencing supplies and other various sundries I finished the third side of the pen but just plain ran out of oomph to do the rest so I relaxed for the evening. This morning I moved my old chicken coop and took the front off to create an A-frame house for the girls. I also had to make a run to WalMart today to purchase a tarp, carabiners and some bungee cords because the girls needed some shade! So by 3 pm today the girls had a finished home with shade, a tub for their feed and mineral block, and had been vaccinated to prevent goat diseases!

One thing I do wish I had taken the time to buy (and I still might buy it) is this great book called, "How to Build Animal Housing." It looks amazing! I also recently purchased Storey's guide to raising dairy goats and a self-sufficiency book. I am excited for them to arrive!














I woke up this morning with some serious sun burn! I'm still not used to being this far North meaning a higher UV index. I checked yesterday and today's UV index - it was 8 both days. Out of 10! No wonder I burned...I had bug spray and no sunscreen on. I did buy some Banana Boat this weekend though and will be sure to wear it!


I also did some planting of my containers. I planted my little BBQ with cucumbers - the Bush Crop variety. I planted my wheelbarrow with zucchini and I chose the Black Beauty variety. In my 4' by 4' raised bed I planted two varieties of corn (Earliglow & Orchard Baby), two hills of pumpkins (Small Sugar), some Six Nation heirloom dried beans, and a mix of marigold seeds everywhere! They are an excellent bug repellent and pollinator attractant. I have several lilac bushes in my yard and they are blooming like crazy! I picked some and put them in a Pace salsa jar - don't laugh it's the closest thing I had to a vase - and put them on my kitchen table. Gorgeous and they make the house smell great!

I stared a small herb bed near the house and am hopeful that I can keep it growing well into the future. I brought some Libson Bunching onions from my mom's garden and planted small Rosemary and Onion Chive plants that I bought at Walmart. I also planted some parsley and basil from seed. The parsley is coming up well but I had to replant the basil since there has been such cool & wet weather. Here's to hoping it comes up!

I've mentioned  how my dogs are my kids right? I always make sure they are spayed and

up-to-date on their vaccinations. June marks their annual vaccination time. I gave them a 7-way that covers parvo, distemper and Leptospirosis to name a few. Yotee did OK but didn't want to come to me so I could pet him for a while. Lil Guy did great but he didn't want to get his shot which resulted in a cat and mouse game for about 5-minutes. I tricked him by coming in to the mud room then nabbed him! :) Ruby on the other hand did not do too well. She struggled big time, had to be stuck three times and bent the needle but she got her shot! She must have struggled enough to make me hit her muscle because she's limping around and in obvious pain. So I called my resident farm vet (my mom!) and we decided to give her an aspirin and I started icing her neck. She's now resting comfortably!

Next weekend I plan on getting the chicken coop's outside run built! I love warm, sunny weather and the ability to be outside being ultra productive. This evening I let the goats and chickens out to run a bit before they got put back in their pens. As they grazed, I sat back and reflected how peaceful and content I am here. The middle of June will mark my one-year anniversary of being a Hi-Line resident. I am thankful for the chance to work at a job I love and with people who are great! All in all it's been a difficult but amazing year! :)