October 9, 2010

Farm and Home Update

Why do I always think things will slow down when the garden is laid to rest for another year? It never slows down around here.

Photobucket
There's always child-rearing, goat-wrangling, chicken-raising, basset-bathing, some-sort-of-canning thing to be done around here.

Oh and there's that one little addiction (or two) that I have found myself tangled up in lately. In case I haven't mentioned it, I make soap. If you have never made soap and don't want to be addicted to soap-making and think about all the things you can put in soap and dream about soap, stay away, stay far, far away! Don't say I didn't warn you if you try it!

Photobucket
Okay, just a little peek at my latest. More peppermint.

Photobucket
I was so hooked on hot process then I went and made a cold process batch and I haven't made hot process since. I also have the stuff to make orange lip balm...yummy!

Photobucket
A friend brought me more pears. I gave her soap, lip balm and pear honey to take home. I tried to give her a rooster. I have 5 that need new homes.

Photobucket
I'm steaming my pear pits and peels to make pear jelly.
Pear butter is on my list for tomorrow after church.

Photobucket
And I have already made another batch of pear honey.

Photobucket
And look! I'm spoiled! I didn't even have to wait until Christmas. Thank you honey!

The goats are busy this week. Dute-Dute is here for a visit! Once you see him, you will totally agree that the name fits! Dute-Dute is a full-blooded Nigerian Dwarf. He's a year old and he thinks he is HOT STUFF! Nellie and Nannie do too. Lucy is not quite sure what to make of him yet. She's still innocent! When he's done "visiting" he goes back to his real home. He may be little but he's stinky!

Photobucket
He was a bottle baby and loves to be petted and loved on. Luke shared his Graham cracker with Dute-Dute.

Photobucket
Look how small he is compared to my girls.

Photobucket
He is THE MAN and he knows it! Miss Bella, my milk doe, will be going to visit a Nubian buck next week and hopefully I'll end up with another doe or two to milk from her.

Photobucket
I can't wait for little Dute-Dute babies in March-April of next year.

We've been cleaning up around the barn and rearranging some of the stalls and large chicken cages getting things ready for colder weather. I've got the brooder all ready for the 42 eggs in the incubator that should hatch the 12th. The 500-gallon propane tank got filled up last week. We realized how precious having our pantry stocked and plenty of propane for back up heat really was when we went through an ice storm and 16 days without power a couple of years ago.

It's busy here and there are times when I feel like doing this...

Photobucket
but I love it and I wouldn't have it any other way!

13 comments:

~ H said...

Oh the joys of winter prep. I am trying to get things set up for our chickens in the barn. I just wish Rodi (the hubby) wasn't recovering from knee surgery. It really stinks to have him on 30 days of leave and not be able to use his farming skills. Continue posting... it is inspiring.

Patrice said...

It never seems to slow down. I keep waiting! Secretly, I might actually like it this way, but only if I can squeeze in a nap every now and then.
Have a great Sunday.

Anonymous said...

It certainly does sound like you've been busy. I'm still trying to get brave enough to try soap making. Dute Dute certainly does seem like he is full of himself.

Teresa

nono said...

Ahh I love the looks of that peppermint soap. How do you get the red specks in it?

Sue from Ky. said...

KFG, your life is like a mirror image of my own. I do a lot of the same things you do on a regular basis. I have about 2 lifetimes on you though. It is awesome to see and hear you speak of the goings on around your place. I feel like you are telling my story many times over. It's is so fasinating to learn that others are living their lives somewhere out there in the world,in such a similar way as your own.Ain't life grand?

Kentucky Farm Girl said...

Yes it is sawn61!

Mariliz, I'll tell you the deep hidden secret of those red specks......red sugar! The kind you buy in those little bottles and sprinkle on cookies. I used those and the peppermint essential oil. I just happened to be picking up the coconut for my pear honey and saw it in the baking section. I grabbed some green for mint or rosemary soap too.

Liesl said...

Those boys of yours is just too cute! I am very excited 'cause we are getting more goats in this week,last night a friend brought me 8 lovely ducks!

Kent Island Red said...

You are one busy lady! I know what you mean though, the word "bored" is NEVER in my vocabulary!

Love the peppermint soap, too.

Michelle said...

Dute Dute might is the cutest little man! I hope he does his job and you get some babies out of the deal. Love to see all of your canning.

LindaG said...

I would love to come to your house and learn soap making. The lye part scares me though. So, I need to find someone to sell me their home made soap.

I want to get a big propane tank, too, when we get to our retirement property. They do have natural gas out there and he might want to replace the gas line to the house instead. Have to think on that.

I could learn to make jelly and butter, too. We haven't committed to goats yet, but you never know. Still have time to think about it.

Hope you're all having a blessed Sunday!

Jen said...

Looks like live is great. The soap looks nice and the jelly looks wonderful. Love the goats. I remember thats ice storm, we were without water and power for a week or so... crazy.

Nancy said...

What precious little boys you have. They look like they enjoy the country life. No better place to raise children. Yours look so content.

The soap is lovely. I can almost smell the peppermint from here. I hope you will post your soap making directions some day for CP. I really want to try that.

Lovely post. Thank you for sharing. :)

Kentucky Farm Girl said...

I sure will Nancy. I like the instant use of the hot process but cold process makes such pretty blocks of soap. It's a hard decision each time I go to make soap!

ANNOUNCEMENTS

For those of you who are new followers/readers, don't forget to check out the forum and join in on our discussions there.

My Country Blog of This and That Forum

I love each and every comment my blogging friends leave for me!


All images and graphics on this page were made by me with the exception of that little rooster! He came from Beth Logan's Checkered Chickens at pccrafter.com. Photos were taken by me and graphics were created using Photoshop CS2.
If you see something you like please ask for permission before using it!
Thank you!