Michigan Thread - all are welcome!

[chickflick]

Ditto

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Evening all!

I have been m.i.a for about 2 months now! Wow, I was almost 900 posts behind. Lots has been happening in people's lives since I have been gone. Some new members, some that no longer seem to be here. This is truly an ever-changing family.

Quick update - we finally closed on the house we were selling and got moved over Thanksgiving. I thought I had done a good job of downsizing, but wow did we still have a lot of stuff! Sort of overwhelming. I was also diagnosed with pneumonia the week before we moved so much of the burden was on my husband's shoulders. It is a blessing to be able to live on the farm (10+ acres) that my grandparents farmed since 1931. We have been busy fleshing out the plan for bringing it back to an active farm (and thus have been following the MRTFA/GAAMPS discussion closely). We still have lots of work to do, much to unpack and sort. Moving into a house that has sat empty for three years has had its own challenges. The first week we were here we had to repair the refrigerator (kept getting puddles of water in it), the dishwasher (no water in it!), and had to have my car repaired. Last week we replaced the pump and this coming week the electricians will be here to update the electrical (still have a fuse box). We will eventually need to update both kitchens (yes, I now have a canning kitchen - woohoo!) and both bathrooms. All three barns need major repair/renovations (one will probably need to be pulled down and replaced). Charley's uncle has committed to coming in the spring and doing the initial plowing for the garden. Of course, a major priority it to have a coop or tractor ready by spring so we can start acquiring chickens...soon to be followed by rabbits, a couple of hogs, perhaps a beef calf....

One question, have any of you filed a dba for your venture? How did you decide on a farm name? We have been waffling back and forth and I am leaning toward going ahead and filing tomorrow. We may not have moved forward enough in 2013 to file as a farm with the irs, but we will in the future.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

The best thing for hawks obviously is a covered run, but in the meantime you could try scaring him off with some loud fireworks. You can't hurt hawks or owls, but you can scare the pantaloons off one and make him THINK he's under attack!

It has worked for me, but i haven't had any actual attacks, just close fly over's and i stopped one mid swoop once and jumped in front of my girls to protect them; very scary and they aren't afraid as one might suppose. Won't do that again without protection!

 

[jorey]

I was outside when a hawk was overhead Studley crowed and everyone disappeared. Trees, coop, and under deck. Never seen them run so fast other than for food.

 

[Hillbilly Hen]

Simple Life, I wish you well with your new adventure and I hope you are feeling better.

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Dog to the vet cost a lot and didn't give us any answers. It did however rule out many things like Cushing's and cancer that were at the top of the list; also liver failure, diabetes, infection and anemia. But unless we do more tests we have no idea what it might be. He will continue to drive me crazy with continual drinking and having to go out potty 7 -10 times day or night.

Tap - we had a similar issue with my rottweiler. Her kidneys were failing and thus not cleaning the protein from her system. Her instinctual reaction was to drink more water to dilute the protein. We would come home and if one of the kids had left the toilet seat up she would have drank the toilet dry (in addition her own bowl of water). We managed the problem by putting her on a low protein food and eliminating all people food from her diet. She would occasionally get a small bite of something but not very often. She lived another two years (to just shy of 14 years old - almost unheard of in a dog her size). It sounds like it might be worth a try for you. Good luck....I hate getting up during the night to let the dog out on these cold nights!

 

[fuzzybutt love]

We will eventually need to update both kitchens (yes, I now have a canning kitchen - woohoo!)

Wooo! good for you! I will live vicariously through your canning adventures then Do you like to cook from scratch? Ha ha ha. I am thinking to do all the dirty work in the back kitchen if you are hosting a party, then bring the food into the clean one and make it look like you are just that good. I love artsy things in general, boy are you going to be busy! It's bad enough to make one set of decisions, you got the whole house! Oh, the possibilities !!!

What else besides chickens are you going to do on your farm?

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Simple Life, I wish you well with your new adventure and I hope you are feeling better.

Thanks! While it is sometimes overwhelming we know that we will be living in this house forever and it will all eventually get done! I am definitely on the road to recovery, just still tire very easily.

I forgot to also mention, yesterday while in the back part of the pasture, I was enjoying the bluebirds that were congregated in the tree next to me when suddenly my son points and asks what type of hawk was flying over....it wasn't a hawk, it was a bald eagle. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but there was no mistaking it!

 

[Living the Simple Life]

Quote:Originally Posted by Living the Simple Life
I LOVE to cook! It is also handy to have an extra oven for big family dinners

In addition to chickens, the kids want to do rabbits and hogs for 4-H (the also do still projects). I would eventually like to get a small dairy cow and am seriously contemplating goats as a means of pasture restoration. I am really fascinated by rotational grazing - sectioning off the pasture and moving different species through at different times. There is a lot of interesting reading on it. I am also planning to use some of my Christmas money to get the book "Plowing with Pigs". We are also looking for garden on a large enough scale to have a farm stand.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

goats may restore pasture, but only thing i know to contain them is a hot wire! (at least ours) DH tried a few for pets and one in particular was an escape artist. Jumped 8 feet straight in the air over a fence; had to make it 10. Pushed on the fence to make it curl up, and went right under. Bashed the gate until it broke, .......you get the idea! See those smiling eyes? There is a reason! They are cute, and if you get them make sure if you have boys they are neutered early. Ours were, but i think that goat was done too late, he did everything an intact goat did .

Girls are pretty safe, and you can milk them! But don't keep they boy around, you can rent one for to get them pregnant and save the hassle!