raising and growing . . .

There's starting to be a welcomed hint of Fall in the air the past few days. And milking time in the morning feels slightly chilly, the kind of weather that makes you want to curl up with a blanket outside with a hot cup of your favorite morning drink.

Speaking of hot, morning drinks, I have converted to drinking Tea in the morning instead of coffee. About a month ago I decided that the levels of coffee I was drinking was a little too high. And it seemed like after I had already had a couple of cups, I still wanted more coffee to drink. Over the years it has really bothered me to be "addicted" to something and feeling like I needed it in order to function. I sort-of felt that way with coffee. So, I decided to stop drinking it for some time to remind myself that it (the coffee) was not in control of me, instead, I was in control of whether I drank it or not. I had a small, annoying headache for a day or two, and then a week or two of not having the energy I have after having a few ounces of caffeine, but now I am back to feeling normal, without the need to have "another" cup. And the Tea in the morning has been nice.


Our home business of providing eggs for folks has picked up, and we have gained a couple of steady customers. It is interesting to have people come to the farm for food and be a store of sorts for their shopping. And a couple of weeks ago I sold some chickens we raised, and word has been getting out that we have poultry for sale. One couple, who has made it over now a few times to buy eggs, are now wanting to get eggs, chicken, and some other raw unprocessed items that we are raising and growing here. It gets me motivated thinking about possibly having a healthy, grocery type of store here on the farm!

These are our new, two week old chicks already outside in the movable chicken house. These birds will be on that grocery store shelf in six weeks.


Another big change has happened around here with the animals that live with us. We have recently found homes for all nine of the coon puppies our hound had, and have acquired three more horses to the place. It is beautiful to see horses on the pastures running together and it has been a great time for the children to each have a horse to ride. Two of them are on a semi permanent loan and one of them is a visiting horse being weened from her foal.

And our garden continues to grow . . .