Farmer In Training

So much stuff has happened over the last few days. I'm talkin' some pretty fantastic stuff. Our farm is in progress, and with each new adventure, we're getting closer and closer to reaching our farm goals - one beautiful step at a time.

Two weeks ago, I ordered a fresh batch of baby chicks. They arrived four days ago, and are absolutely perfect. The hatchery I went through requires a minimum order of fifteen chicks during the winter months, so I decided on a mix of Easter Eggers, Black Copper Marans, and Olive Eggers. Knowing that I'll be collecting a basket of eggs in a rainbow of colors in a mere six to seven months makes me wanna squeal with excitement. It's ridiculous. The number one goal on my first year list of farm goals is officially crossed off!

Luna loves her chickies.

In other insanely exciting news: WE HAVE GOATS! We visited a cute little goat farm earlier in the month, and picked out two beautiful baby girls. In the last two weeks, we've been getting everything ready for their much anticipated arrival on Saturday. Number four on my list of first year farm goals - check! Chickens are the gateway drug into farming, and goats are the next dangerous step. 

The owners of the goat farm are wonderful people, and were kind enough to deliver them to our house. Thankfully they only live ten minutes away from us, because I'm sure I'm gonna have a LOT of question in the future. They showed us how to trim hooves, how to check for worms, discussed feed with us, and taught us that the key to a goats heart is through animal crackers. Our girls were pretty suspicious of us until we gave them animal crackers, and pets - now they're glued to our legs. And to think, I was worried they wouldn't like us :P

Cupcake is a ten month old, blue eyed beauty that can't get enough of my behind-the-ear scratches, and pets.

Jellybean is a nine month old, petite, daddy's girl, and proclaimed animal cracker addict. 

 ♫ Everywhere her daddy went, the little goat would go ♫

Honey: "You mean you got MORE animals?! Wait... does that mean we can eat their food?

It was so beautiful out yesterday (high fifties) so my husband and I spent the entire day outside. We spent the majority of the afternoon in the goat pen, socializing with the girls. To stretch our legs, we decided to take a walk through the woods. On our way we passed these in-need-of-serious-repair, rustic raised beds. I decided they have a few more years left in them, and could be a great spot for herbs.

The view looking back, en route to the woods. I love my chickens.

Though we missed not having the dogs with us on this particular walk, it was nice to be able to take in the sights, and fresh air, rather than keeping track of five mischievous, and disaster prone doodles.

I. Can't. Wait. For. Grapes. OMG.

After a long day on the farm, at dusk we decided to unwind with a glass of wine, and a dip in the hot tub. And what to my wondering eyes did appear around the side of the house? Our orange short-hair stud muffin of a cat, O'Malley, and this GORGEOUS creature. I guess things were getting pretty serious with these two, as he decided it was finally time to bring his lady to meet the parents. She's beautiful, and a cuddler. We approve. So much so that she's welcome to live here should she choose. We love animals too much, and just can't turn away strays (if she is in fact a stray, and not a neighbors pet lioness). We shall call her Priscilla.

UPDATE: We ASSUMED the cat was a female. I've seen some beautiful male cats before, but c'mon! As fate would have it, this majestic feline turned out to be MALE - that makes four out of five male cats at our farm now. Nevertheless, we still proudly support the young love of our stud muffin, O'Malley, and his smokey quartz be-furred lover, Rupert.