Summer on the Farm

As summer draws to a close, I reflect on our second summer on the farm.  We have a beautiful garden and the Lord did bless us with more produce than last summer.  We continue to build up our soil with decomposing woodchips.  Pushing back the layers of woodchips reveal a darker, richer soil and gets me a little excited!  Excited because this rich soil we’re building will in turn help produce nutrient rich food in the future.  I’m a believer that our food is only as nutritious as the dirt it’s grown in.

Our most recent harvests include black nebula and cosmic purple carrots, butternut squash, zucchini, tomatoes and watermelon.  I have a second planting of beans, peas and squashes coming along nicely.  The days ahead involve transplanting plum and cherry tree shoots.

Our chickens are healthy and giving us enough eggs.  Right now, we have 3 Buff Orpingtons laying.  In the next month, we will add to our egg production as 3 Barred Rocks and 1 Black Austrolarp add to our egg quota.  It was a tough few months as we witnessed the destruction of a predator coon.  Finally, with two traps set, we caught the varmont, but not before it took out more than 15 chickens!  Our future plans involve plenty of electric fencing around the chicken tractors.

In the coming weeks we have some exciting additions coming to the farm! We have a Nigerian/Nubian goat being gifted to us. As you may know, goats do not like being alone. So, our days in the near future involve locating a companion(s). Hopefully, raw goat milk is on the menu soon. Also, someone is gifting us ducks. Our youngest is looking forward to taking care of the ducks. All I can say is, “God is good!” Look how He’s growing our farm! Thank you to our friends who are gifting us with these animals! You’re awesome!

Renovations to the inside of our farmhouse are slow.  We finished removing all carpet in the main living areas.  We are also well on our way to converting a small bedroom into a walk-in closet and dressing room.  In the walk-in closet I have my huge waterfall vanity, a chest of drawers (which was Shaun’s grandparents), an antique metal table (where I take care of laundry), a tall shelf for folded pants, and two rows of hang-up clothes. I love the space!  Having a huge closet/dressing room was definitely a perfect fit for this room!  It just needs a lovely chandelier!

Over the past week we spent a portion of 3 days cutting and hauling firewood.  Who needs a gym with all this manual labor!  We were blessed with free oak firewood.  We found it on a local Facebook Yardsale Page.  The family hauling firewood together brought back sweet memories of when I was a girl.  There I was in the Dry Creek woods with my parents and sister.  Daddy running the chainsaw and the rest of us loading it in the truck.  I’m glad to build similar memories with my own kids.

Thank you for spending a portion of your day with us!  Don’t forget to share and subscribe to our blog.

Have a blessed day,

Shaun & Alisha