Summer Heat!

Who knew when we were busy freezing our booty's off on February that we would ever manage to see summer! It was so darn cold and icy that I thought I was just gona freeze over and maybe, just maybe thaw out in July!  But here we are, in the midst of all the summer rush and it is just awesome.
Here on the Backwards Homestead summer is a really busy time of year. We are haying this week, and with all of the rain we are several weeks behind, which is really frustrating. As the grass matures, the nutritional value declines. Not to mention that that the weeds take the opportunity to grow huge and who wants to eat icky weeds?! Not these animals! I do really like haying time because the fields look so pretty with their new haircuts and they hay smells SO good! Of course, that sometimes changes when we do small square bales. THAT is hard as heck to enjoy in any way shape or form...

Long way to the back of THIS field!

Lee just clicking along

Mmmm Hay! Tractor not to bad either!

But, it is not all good! We did have a mishap. The wheel bearing broke on the tractor. BOO!

Also in the summer gardening is full steam ahead. We also got a late start with all that as well, so the garden is just now starting to bear enough to start canning and pickling. This is really one of my favorite things of summer. I LOVE putting up all the bounty of summer and then popping open a can of fresh home grown veggies when the ice and snow is blowing cold! Last winter was the first year that we really ate mainly out of the pantry. Now I have jar after jar ready, sitting empty, waiting to be refilled with the summer bounty.  Today I will be canning summer squash and making dill pickles. I know, it is not politically correct to can summer squash, but it has been something my family has done for generations and I stand by my ancestors methods, lol Go squash!
I think I should have been born in a different century because I just love canning and all the other old fashioned stuff. Here is a picture of a few jars I did last year, I will get updated ones as soon as I get started!

Summer is also exciting because we usually have new babies on the farm. It is the time for hatching chickies and all sorts of littles! This summer we are expecting our first little of baby pigs. We are really excited and Charlotte is getting quite round. Soon we will have to separate her and Wilbur so the babies can be born safely. Boars are not so sweet and cuddly when their babies are born, and will sometimes kill and eat them. ICK! How rude is that!?! So, to avoid widespread carnage in the hog lot we will give Charlotte her privacy when she gets ready to give birth.

Charlotte and Wilbur! That is Her Royal Roundness in the shelter, lol

Sadly we had to take Mr. Moogurgles off to freezer camp. He was getting just too hard to handle so he and Keg made their last ride a few weeks ago. I was such a crybaby! We take our animals to the local Amish processing facility and I was so shameful in my grief that I am sure they wanted to throw homegrown veggies at me and take my self sufficiency badge!! We do love our animals, so it was very sad to see them go, but such is this lifestyle and not to mention that safety has to be considered with anything we have here on the farm. Having an angry bull charging your butt every day is not too healthy! Still, we are sad and I miss his unruly self. Keg too, as grumpy as we was too!

Flossie, Mr, Moogurgles and Keg

Our meat chickens are growing too, getting nice and plump! I actually had to harvest, butcher, murder, however you look at it, one early. He was getting big and having trouble walking. So, I did the deed. It was hard, but I had steeled myself to the fact it had to be done. He was a little small, as they still have a couple of weeks to go before they are at their prime weight. Here is a picture of the finished product!

On a lighter note, here are the rest of the meat birds, and the Turkeys being spoiled by Katrina. I know they say not to play with your food, but trina has a soft spot for all animals. I wonder where she got that trait?

Last but not least, here is a video of Trina and Madea the turkey. Madea thinks Trina is a turkey, so they scratch together every afternoon.

Well, until next time! If you are reading this, feel free to leave a comment below, I would love to hear from you!

Tuxedos,Strawberries, Window Boxes and A Dog With A Sense of Humor!

Things are pretty hectic here on the homestead. Out youngest will be getting married in July, and things are starting to get real. I have been in denial, since we just had the next to youngest get married last summer! These kids are trying their best to make Pud'nin and I old!
So, with that in mind, Pud'nin had to go get fitted for a tuxedo Yea, a tuxedo. For anyone who knows him, you know that he does NOT wear tuxedos! He rarely wears a shirt that is even in one piece. He is a jeans and sleeveless denim kinda guy. Just goes to show, this Dad will do anything for his kiddos. Even wear a monkey suit! But, I have to say, Pud'nin cleans up pretty good!

Nice!

Shiny shoes!

We also walked around the Mall checking out dresses, went to Hobby Lobby and ate dinner with Mom, Katrina and Joy. THEN, we came home just in time to watch Kaeli play basketball in her Intramural games. She did AWESOME!! My phone was dead, so I didn't get any pictures. If I get a few I will post them so you can see her cuteness. She really was a force to be reckoned with on the court.
It was quite a busy day! Fun in so many ways, but still, by last night I was more than ready to go to bed, lol
Today, was a new day. It was sunny and the temperatures were perfect. Of course the normal chores were still there! Flossie has been losing quite a bit of weight and we were thinking it was Ellie being such a piggy. But we noticed today that her hay roll was packed so hard that she could not tear any off and eat it during the day! I am heartbroken! Of course she still gets a lot of stuff to eat other than that roll of hay, but still, I feel like a bad cow mom! Tomorrow we will take that roll out, and replace it with one that is not hard as a rock! I also have to go get feed tomorrow so I will get her some Alfalfa cubes to help her with her nutrition. Even though she still gets 3 huge coffee cans of 16% feed twice a day, plus about 4 to 5 flakes of Bermuda hay at night, she needs hay during the day!

That is the offending hay roll in the background!

After my morning animal chores, I weeded the strawberry bed. I am a bit sad that it is not spreading like I had hoped. Still a good stand of plants and I cannot wait until the berries are ripe and ready! Freezer Jam here I come!

Oooooh Berries!

The window box that Pud'nin made me for the barn is now up and bloomy! He did such a good job, and it was such a sweet surprise. I love flowers and maybe with it being up in the air little Miss Jayne will not dig all the flowers out, lol That doggy is the flowerocolypse! Here is the flower box in all its cuteness.

Pretty!

We also checked the eggs in the incubator and out of 9 dozen eggs we only had about 6 that were not viable. Woot! So in about 2 weeks we are going to have little fluffballs popping out everywhere. I can't wait. Baby chickens are just too darn cute. We are really hoping that we will be able to turn this into a money making project. Wouldn't that be awesome!?
The seeds I planted are sprouting and looking all healthy and green. I cannot wait until it is time to get the garden ready and start planting. I absolutely love summer and all the fresh fruits and veggies. We are out of several yummies and I need to restock the pantry!

Squash

Peeking out of the dirt!

Now, about that dog with a sense of humor. Let me tell you, just because you feed a dog every day, let them in and deal with their terrible gas, do not think they will cut you any slack at all..they will not. I was sitting out in the yard, enjoying the sunshine under the peach trees. Then, without any warning at all, It happens!! Trina yells for me to LOOK OUT! I turn around, and THIS is what I see!!

WHAAAAT!!

That is exactly what it looks like! Ace, was PEEING in the tree I was sitting by! Of all the nerve! Only I, have a dog, that will literally pee right on me! Luckily Trina yelled, and I was able to jump out of the way of the waterworks. Of course, I did whip around and take this quick picture, because after all. without pictures it didn't happen!
That about sums it up here on the Backwards Homestead. I am so blessed to be able to live out here in the country, surrounded by nature. This life can be hard, and the hours are long, but I cannot imagine living anywhere else.

It Is SUNday!!!

After all of the icy, snowy, freezy weather it is great to see the SUN! Everything on the farm is practically jumping for joy! It is easy to forget how nice it is to be alive, but the animals can help you remember that  sometimes you just have to kick up your heels, no matter how silly you may look to anyone else! I mean seriously,  look at Flossie! That is pure happiness!

After all, a day like to day is something to crow about, lol

 Then, put on your biggest smile!

Because,  there is nothing like standing and feeling the sun on your face. Sometimes you just have to stand still and breathe in the beauty of the morning. The birds were singing and the air is just so fresh out here in the country. We are healthy, happy and blessed. I just had to take a moment to soak it all in, even if it made the chores take a bit longer!

 Not the best picture, but hey, I am old,and not a dress up or make up wearing kinda person. During the winter it is hard for me to stay out of a funk, the darkness, the cold and short days make me an unhappy camper! But give me a bright and shiny day and it does wonders for my mood! It is a wonder my family does not ship sunshine in just to get me to lose the frown!


But I will say, my choice of footwear was a bit off...Maybe I should have worn my boots! Maybe I was just a bit too optimistic.
 

But I will take mud over ice! Any day! Even Eleanor is happy as can be today. She gets to get out of the barn and RUN!  She is learning to lead, and is doing great, it just takes a bit of patience. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day! Here she is waiting by the gate while I am milking Flossie, she knows that is her time to get rubs and scratches. It is also her lead time, and she is getting much better! See how pretty she is standing! Her and Pud'nin are doing great in their training, lol

 See, they are both walking so pretty! Then when she gets to her destination, Eleanor lets it all hang out! Believe me that little girl can RUN! Here she is in the home stretch! Look at that tail!!

But, like all children, Mom sometimes has to get out the Hoof Of Justice.  Here is Flossie letting Elly know that she needs to calm down!  After all, she is a lady!

But, between you and me, I don't think Eleanor is going to listen, she is just too darn happy to be outside! Can you blame her?