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Vining Our Way to Deliciousness

August is jam, and cobbler month….which means one thing on our homestead……

……the blackberries are full, ripe, and sweet.

With the lack of water this summer, it is surprising to me how many berries are hanging on these vines. Although a bit smaller, they are unexpectedly abundant…and very well protected. Of course, the ever-present thorns that make one think twice before sticking in a hand to pluck that juicy, sweet-but-tart, purple gem are fiercely on guard…there are other soldiers in the vines battle to keep it’s bounty…….

…..and as I diligently pursued the prize…hornets, wasps, and bumble bees buzzed around me, and within the vines. There was this one spot where the berries were big, beautiful, and oh so juicy…but after three attempts, I chickened out to the relentless, overwhelmingly loud message of, “DO NOT PLUCK THOSE BERRIES!” from the hornets that had claimed that particular territory. They were beautiful berries…..

…..apparently, they did not belong to me!! Hahaha In any event, the pot was filled….

…..and filled pots lead to…..

,,,,blackberry deliciousness!!

I hope you are able to enjoy something sweet, yet tart on this late summer day. Thank you for visiting the blackberry bush today!! I hope you have a most mahvalous morning, afternoon, and evening.

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Blackberries, Blackberry Cobbler, building a new home

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The Skies Have It!!

If you are living anywhere considered within the western states….I think it’s safe to say, basically….you have been on fire, or benn breathing the results of the many, many fires filling the air with the smells of a huge campfire….

http://viewer.smoke.airfire.org/run/standard/PNW-4km/2015081600

The blue skies of Oregon…

…have turned into a blanket of grey….

….and although the picture doesn’t show it well, the smoke lays lightly low within the trees. Thankfully, for our homestead, the fires are not threatening our surrounding forests. Our hearts and prayers go out to those who have been evacuated, or may soon have to leave their homes.

The sunsets have been erily beautiful.

The smoke has also created a cover for airborne predators….the kind with sharp beaks and talons….the kind that pluck young, feathered friends up off the ground, and carry them away. We’ve had two attempted hawk attacks on our young flock within the past three days. Thankfully, the juveniles are getting their feet accustomed to the great outdoors in a safe environment….

…this is what you call the awkward, in-between stage!! hahaha!

In both instances, the hawk did not perceive the chicken wire are a barrier and rammed right into it with talons blazing. One tussled with the wire mesh, trying to find an opening, or create one….the other immediately flew up into the tree adjacent to the flock’s enclosure. In both cases, the hawks flew in with a stealthy silence, minus a forewarning shadow due to the haze of smoke. Outside of their enclosure, these, Littles ,would not have stood a chance…..

The good news……

…..my blues skies of Oregon have returned…

….Mama Chardonnay, hatched two little chicks (they’re still playing hide-n-seek at this point)….

…we harvested the most delicious watermelon EVER!!……

…and these little beautiful Chardonnay gems from our new vines, give us hope for the future. I can’t wait to grow enough to actually make our own mead wine. Next year??

Hey, thank you for visiting today!! I hope your day ahead, or the one behind is or has been MAHVALOUS!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, building a new home, Chardonnay Grape Vines, Hatching Chicken Eggs, Hatching Chicks, Smoky air, Watermelon

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Poop Happens

Some days….my life seems like it’s all about the poop. Seriously….when you have multiple animals, you’ve got to stay on top of it…hahaha!

I recently discovered an amazing way to stay on top of the incredible nightly chicken house poop accumulation. No joke….they sleep and poop, poop and sleep….at the same time….in huge amounts. I try not to capture the results of their evening….activities…..when I post pictures because…welll….who really wants to see that??!! (Sorry about the picture above.)

I’ve tried to manage it all with pine shavings, works pretty well….straw (never again will I use straw) Creepy Crawlies….YUCK! …. and dusting the floor with DE (livestock food grade diatomaceous earth.) Shavings, and straw are very labor intensive when it’s time to clean, and there is a point where the production of ammonia is just inevitable….so whether it was on your schedule that day to muck out the hen house….if you start detecting ammonia….cleaning day moves to the top of the chore list. DE floor dusting (very thin layer) actually worked pretty well….it dried out the droppings pretty well. The most difficult things with this method were the “splat” factor, resulting in the need scrape the floor a bit. Other than that, things generally cleaned up with a shovel and a broom.

Then….I found this……

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/460352393133899588/

Amazing idea!!! So, Tony decided to build it!!

It didn’t take too much convincing……

Although our local farm store did not carry the Sweet PDZ granules that the Pintrest poster spoke of….this product…

…has very similar ingredients, and works amazingly!! Seriously…I feel like my life has been liberated from the drudge of the frequent mucking out of the chicken house!!! I’m a happy, Tami!!!

Literally, I take a cat litter box scooper, and scoop the poop right out of the poop tray!! The effort is so minimal its amazing (ok…I know I’ve used that word several times this post, but it actually is AMAZING!!) The beauty of this product is that it has the benefit of DE which will eliminate any fly that lands in the poop box (DE dries out their exoskeleton, and dun, dun, dun, no more fly) yet, it is not as lightly powered so there is not near as much dust. I’m so excited!!

So now, besides cleaning out the nesting boxes, and adding clean bedding….my mucking days are over!!! YES!!!

Oh, wait…. <sigh> ….. I forgot about the kids’ house!!!

Hahaha…well once the barn gets built….the tractor will help with that chore…I hope!!

Thank you for visiting the hen house today!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, Chicken House, Chicken Poop Boards, Stall Dry

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Tracks in the Mud

I hope all within the United States of America had a wonderful Independence Day weekend……Happy Birthday to our beautiful country!!

What do you think made this…..

…..impressions in the mud surrounding the pond? If you guessed racoon for the tracks on the right, I think there is a very fair bet that you are right!! The tracks on the left, however, are not as apparent. These tracks were part of the results of our great expedition in search of creatures unknown….creatures who make odd, foreboding sounds in the forest….creatures that….oh well, if you don’t know what I’m talking about…take a look at my previous post.. What Was That??!!!

We searched high and low, with Penni ‘s nose leading the way, but found nothing. Nothing, that is, until we reached the pond. TRACKS!! Due to the unusually high temps surrounding most of the month of June, and into July…and the lack of rain….our pond has receded a lot already this year, leaving a good muddy base to capture a picture of those that visit for a quick refresher.

Tracks are very difficult to capture in time…especially when one is using a cell phone as camera…but these are big impressions….and without a marker….I think they appear bigger in the picture than at the site, but they are large, none-the-less, large….and probably somewhat spread out due to the soft mud.

Captured from http://www.bear-tracker.com/coyote.html This is a really cool site to check out with a lot of good info.

The picture above, captured from http://www.bear-tracker.com/coyote.html is the closest example that I can find. Both have suttle nail impressions, indicating a canine paw rather than a big cat paw…..

From http://www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html

…..such as the cougar track above from http://www.bear-tracker.com/cougar.html. You can see how much wider the “palm” pad is from the cougar track, as compared to the coyote track.

Although, I’m fairly certain the sounds just before dawn on the early morning of July 2, 2015 are not related to the tracks we found in the mud of the pond, I am reminded that this place wherein we have created a home…a small farm…is actually home to so many others. We are truly living within a forest, and the creatures of this forest are sharing their home with us. Most of the time, although on the same land, we live in very different worlds….however, I suspect that they know our activities much more than we know theirs. Also, we have water around us…in the pond, and in the creek…..with the unusually early, dry conditions this summer the critters are getting thirsty….something to remember.

Thank you for visiting the forest today. Have a great day!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, Cougar Track, Coyote Track, Coyote Track in Mud

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A Study in White

Time for a study in color. Last year’s choice was … A Study in Purple This year we are looking at….

In nature, the color white is found quite prolifically, especially in springtime. In psychology, the color white has many meanings…. “In color psychology white is the color of new beginnings, wiping the slate clean, so to speak. It is the blank canvas waiting to be written upon. While white isn’t stimulating to the senses, it opens the way for the creation of anything the mind can conceive.” The article from this website also suggests, “Too much white can cause feelings of isolation and emptiness; it can be too pristine and immaculate, making you feel as though you can’t make a move for fear of upsetting it or creating a mess.” (more…)

Category:

Boudin Bakery, building a new home, Color Psychology, Penni the Great Dane, San Francisco Sourdough, White Flowers, Willamette Valley Pie Company

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The Full of Spring

Springtime in Oregon is gorgeous!! The greens…..

…are so vibrantly green.

The wild flowers bloom with ease……

….and beautiful abundance….while some……

….had a little help being seeded into this Oregon soil a couple of years ago. California Poppies were just too beautiful to leave in CA…we brought a few seeds along for the ride.

Welcoming of new life……

…is always a happy, springtime folly.

The sun…..

…the rain…..

….the long shadows…..

….all lend to the beauty of this alluring season. Oregon is beautiful in the spring.

Although work on the farm amps up as the sun lingers longer in the sky…..

Thanks, Justin, for helping out this week!!! You are awesome!!

…..there is always time for a roll in the tall grass…..

….day dreaming into the blue sky…..

…..soccer tournaments.

As springtime takes it’s journey into summer, there is much to anticipate…..

……and possibly our first year of ripened fruit…..

….and hopefully, a worthy suitor for our majestic princess, Penelopi … aka, Penni.

Yes, spring is a wonderful season in the pacific northwest. My heart and prayers go out to those in the southern states getting hit so hard by the recent drenching, flooding rains. Please stay safe out there!!

Thanks for taking time in your busy day to visit the farm today. I hope you have a wonderful day!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, California Poppies, Great Dane, Penni the Great Dane, Springtime, Springtime in Oregon, Wild flowers of Oregon, Wild Lilies

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Welcome to my Chaos!!

Yesterday, was a day of chaos reminiscent of a black & white silent movie. Things were moving in fast forward, and none of the participants seemed to care. Not one paid attention to the part I played of the ever-present traffic cop, standing in the middle of the busy intersection, blowing my whistle for everyone to just STOP!! They didn’t; they kept on in their chaotic quest to…do whatever it was they had a mind to do.

Goats were running a-muck…outside of their two acres of enclosure.

They have been pushy lately….well one has been pushier than the others….this guy…..Lott…

….has been trying to breach the boundaries of the gate…not the fence line, the gate. He sees me leave…and I think his goat mind goes to…”well, I must leave also.” So he RUNS to the gate to get there before I can get through and close it so that he can put himself in the gap and just push forward like the stubborn goat he has become. Yesterday, he and Montana worked in unison, while gentle, little Clark …

…stood close. They saw their opportunity…pushed behind me, and they were out. I held the gate open so that Clark would not be left out of the grand adventure.

Trying to get them back into their enclosure was a comical scene…two goats would follow the goat treats,

while one preferred the leaves of the oak tree just outside of their enclosure….

…I’ve truly come to understand the saying, “Stubborn as a goat!!”

While the goats were in the chicken’s realm…

…..the chickens were in the goat enclosure.

Then, mama hen, Kermit, at some point in the afternoon, decided that it was time to do this…..

…..okay, that is fine except…. it was very close (well maybe not as close as I originally thought) to the point in the day when the hens and Benedict start to gather before they move into the chicken house for the night. My mind went to that automatic door, and what if those little chicks could not get back up onto the porch. What if one, the littlest one, was still outside when the door closed, and she ran under the house where I couldn’t catch her?

I decided to corral Kermit and the chicks back into their house. The porch is elevated…one chick could jump up onto it, the other two fell short. It took about twenty minutes of getting Kermit on the porch, followed by one chick, while the others called to Kermit, who then jumped off the porch followed by the one chick who was on the porch…gather up the babies and put them on the porch hoping for Kermit to follow, only to have the babies jump off the porch because Kermit wouldn’t cooperate…then placing a plank hoping for the chicks to walk up to the porch….NOT……trying to teach the chicks to walk up the plank…running around to catch the rogue chick that runs the other direction….corralling mama hen to get back on the porch….and FINALLY, timing it all where chicks and mama are in the same place at the same time…and then all walk through the chicken house door!!! OMGOSH!!

Finally, everyone was where they should be…..

It was time to feed Penni, so into the house we go…and see this….

…..one of our neighbor’s peacocks…..the other one is running around on the roof. And the chase begins…

…..but then, finally, there was calm….and a beautiful sunset.

Oh wait…I still had to close the goats in for the night………..

Thanks for visiting the farm today. As chaotic as it can be, there is peace.

I hope you have a wonderful, wonderful Sunday on this Memorial Day weekend.

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Buff Orpington, building a new home, Chickens, Free Ranging Chickens, Goats, Meat Goats, Spanish Meat Goats

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The Boys

Last night’s sleep was pretty restless. It felt like I wrestled all night with the logistics of the kids’ arrival. Then, I had this dream…..

It started out with Tony and I wrestling with the thought of where to store the hay…yesterday we purchased, loaded, and hauled 10, 80 pound bales of Willamette Valley Grass Hay from our neighbor who is in the hay business….anyway…back to my dream….

….so we were trying to decide where to store the hay….time was running out, we had to go pick up the kids, but I hadn’t cleaned out the x-large dog carrier yet, nor put a layer of straw (or pine shavings) inside of it for them. It seemed like nothing was in place…the gate to their “base camp” had not been hung, they had no water, and everything was still in the back of my SUV. We had no time left we had to go. I was flustered. So we get there and the rancher already had the goats boxed and ready to go. They were boxed up in a moving box. He said, “Just leave them in here, and when you get home, put the box in the barn, leave, and then check on it in about a half an hour. So we did. When we went back to look, there was like this beautiful, glowing light in the barn (old chicken house) and lots of little animals….hedgehogs, burrowing prairie dogs, a small cat like cuddly thing that turned out to be a baby mountain lion (in no way did it look like a cougar cub), various miniature birds that looked like hawks, and seagulls, and two tiny, tiny baby deer…..spotted, and only about a foot tall. But there were no goats…not one!! I thought, “hmmmm…I need to get them some water” … and then my alarm went off.

Hahahaha….that was too weird.

Welcome little ones!!! We picked up our two….no, three little kids from the rancher at Cozine Springs Ranch ( http://www.cozinespringsranch.com ) – never go to pick up animals with extra money in your pocket…hahaha…our plan was for two! The fact is, we couldn’t split up the twins…they were bottle raised together, and are very sweet. The brown one was raised with the herd going out to forage with mama from the beginning. He will be a good teacher for the two bottle fed kids…they have a job to do.

We carried the two bottle fed babies into their new enclosure, but the brown kid wanted a different kind of entrance. He needed to feel out the territory first….then once he had feet on the ground…he checked out the hay….kept walking and started munching on a patch of grass….YES!!! Exactly the job we need them to do.

Their names…..introducing….. Lott (as in Ronnie); Montana (as in Joe); and Clark (as in Dwight)…in that order! Hence the need for their stadium…Candlestick Park II…in case you haven’t guessed, or just plain have no idea….it’s all about the 49ers…as in football that is.

So there you have it….our introduction into the world of goats…livestock….growing this farm. Will it be sustainable?? At some point will we start producing income, instead of sinking more money into it?? Will I ever have to mow again?? There is one answer for everyone of these questions….only time will tell.

I have found that this breed is nicer looking in person (or in goat in their case, LOL) and not as photogenic. They are a rugged breed, the Spanish Heritage Goat….built for ranging outdoors most of the time, and in their enclosure only when they want to be…but not yet…they are too little, and fluffy, and cute. How was their first interaction with Penni our Great Dane….that’s tomorrow’s story.

Thank you for helping us welcome the newest members to the farm, today.

I hope your day was wonderful!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

49ers, building a new home, Cozine Springs Ranch, Goats, Rasing meat goats, Spanish Goats

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Benedict’s Bungalow

A few posts ago, I hinted…well maybe more than hinted….on the flock’s new house. it has been a work in progress….work a little…..NOT…..work a little….NOT, and finally it is finished I had very little to do with this construction project beyond design …. Tony did 90% of the work, my son…..maybe 10%. So, although the new little shelter should be called, Tony’s Place, (or something like that), it has to be….Benedict’s Bungalow!!!

It started with a moveable foundation, built on skids. The one part I did help with was the building of the trusses for the roof.

Every hen house deserves a nice porch to sit out on while enjoying those long, summer evenings!!

YES!!! We are wired for electricity!!! No more flashlights, or construction extension cords draped across the ground from the shop. Hey…we have to have….

……Christmas lights!!!

Insulation for our fine feathered friends!! They deserve this…they work hard for us.

I think I could live in this little house!!!

I think they are enjoying their little house!!!

The flock is really enjoying this set-up of their roosting boards. There seems to be a lot less picking on each other, and there is enough space for those ladies lower on the pecking order to find a peaceful resting spot.

The new 16″ x 16″ nesting boxes.

I think the girls are happy….I know they are! With more light, peaceful nights, and these amazing nests…we are getting between six and nine eggs a day now!!!

And with this automatic chicken door….. I’m a happy camper too!!! It raises and lowers with the light of day, and as night descends. Now that I trust that the flock understands that this is their home, and they haven’t missed getting into the house on time for two weeks…I am not running out every night to check on them. I’m trusting that everybody has made it in… it’s very liberating, actually!!! 🙂

So, I leave you with this….the next time you crack open an egg…..think about the hen that gave you that little gem, and thank her. If you think it’s easy work….just listen to our morning……they do carry on!!!

Thank you for visiting the flock today!! I hope your time here was fun!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Buff Orpington, building a new home, Chicken House, Chickens, Rhode Island Reds

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T-I-M-B-E-RRRRR

The sound of a chainsaw screaming in anticipation of the job ahead….that was the sound this past week. As most of us, west of the Cascades, have experienced, winter has already turned to spring. I don’t know what happened with that old ground hog’s prediction this year, but for those of us in Oregon, and California (I’m pretty sure Washington, as well) those 6 more weeks of winter did not hold true… at all. My condolences if you live on the east coast…….

Service Dog Project – Ipswitch, MA http://www.servicedogproject.org/ …… snowed over for weeks now!!

Although we are still getting into freezing temps through the night, the days are very mild…perfect for timber work….as necessary, and cyclical as the annual, “mowing of the grasses” season. It’s important to rid the forest of damaged trees, they become unstable…the “widow makers” of the forest. In turn, we resupply our firewood supply for the winter….ideally, we’d be cutting for the winter of 2016-2017 right now, but we are a little behind and are still stocking for 2015-2016. We’ve got to pick up the pace a little as our season to fell timber stops with the “burn ban” that occurs every year in July….maybe earlier this year if the rains stop sooner than what is normal. With the weird weather pattern we’ve had this year, I hope the rains don’t stop too early, but I worry.

In an effort to not add to the particulars and such in our gorgeous, clean, Pacific Northwest air, Tony and I decided a long time ago that instead of burning, we would chip the branches that we couldn’t really use for firewood.

It’s better for the environment, and provides us with some beautiful mulch for the garden. This pile is from one tree….there are a lot of needles as this tree was very full….the aroma is amazing.

Like the best Christmas Tree smell, ever!!!

When the chainsaw, and chipper’s jobs are completed, it’s time to split the wood into wood-stove-useable size logs. Since we don’t live in -0 temps, and our house is pretty energy efficient, we don’t need huge logs to keep the house warm. Plus, smaller logs are just easier to handle…and look really pretty when they burn.

So Gorgeous!!

Seriously, when logs like these are burning hot, like this, we barely use our heater at all. It a wonderful thing!!!

When you think of splitting wood, what pops into your mind? Is it the iconic lumberjack, or cowboy wielding an axe that he purposefully hammers down onto an upright log, as the wood splinters from it’s stronghold, and falls to the ground? Sexy…yes….impractical for my man’s back….also yes!! This is how Tony (or any of us for that matter…mostly Tony) splits our firewood, and I have to say, there is something very relaxing about watching it break apart in slow motion, really…if you can get past the noise. Listen for the cracking…..

This tree that gave us the batch of logs, from the video below, had it’s top crown broken off in a wind storm this year. The wood on the inside of the tree was wet from water being absorbed back inside the tree’s trunk from the top break. It was good to fell this tree.

Amazing how much moisture this tree absorbed.

The beginnings of a rotting, live Douglas Fir.

In other news……I have a question. With all mature hens in the flock…which one of the girls laid this tiny, tiny egg??

Only about the size of a walnut.

Thank you for taking the time to visit the farm today. I hope your winter quickly turns to spring. Keep watching…….it’s on the horizon.

Take care of yourselves out there!!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, Chipping, Service Dog Project, Splitting wood

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We’ve Left the Farm…

…it wasn’t easy to do. The decision was the result of a few months of thinking, planning, and visiting options for the furry four legged, and feathery two legged residents of our little community. The circumstances driving us away were/are important, equipped with their own unique pulls. So, during this past week, we made the final arrangements for the animals, packed up, and left the farm. To say it was a little emotional for me would be like saying, “The sky is blue” … a bit obvious. I haven’t left, left my new home for 3.5 years….except for a short trip to Disneyland a few months after we had moved here. Our beautiful piece of God’s great creation has become my most favorite place to be in this world….sorry Walt. Really, why would I want to leave it?

For my Bay Area peeps… Can you tell what area we were flying over?

So, is this the end of our Oregon story? No!!, because you see, although we did leave the farm, it was only for the weekend!!! Hahaha….gotcha!!! Since this blog is about the journey of moving from our life-long lives in the San Francisco Bay Area to a small town in Oregon, and how our lives change, grow, and expand, I thought it was only natural to write about the experience of my first time visiting home. It was all so familiar, yet all so different.

Leaving is a struggle, it turns out, I don’t really like the “leaving” part. My mind is filled with, “What if’s” and “look at those big brown eyes,

she’s not going to understand why I’ve been gone so long.” The longer the delay, the bigger the, “What if’s” become. In contrast, the logical part of my mind works on the premise of the “to-do” list….the preparations so that leaving is actually possible. It’s a little different now….it’s not just about packing….and it is helpful in keeping the “What if” bugs out of my head….they are definite energy zappers. Studies show that, approximately, only 8% of the things we worry about are likely to occur, or actually impact our lives in some way…..Who studies these things??!! Good to remember…..did it help…..well, I didn’t worry about the flock much at all while I was gone…LOL….they are pretty self-sufficient….with a little help…..

……like a quick, temporary fix to the new chicken house. Wait….What??!! I didn’t mention the new chicken house…….well, it’s not quite finished, but it has an automatic door that open and closes with light and darkness., hence nobody needs to do that for them. I just looked around and grabbed what I could to make their lives comfortable. I hope they were!

Thank you for stopping by and visiting today!! I hope your day is amazing!!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, California, Homesteading, Oregon, San Francisco Bay Area, Silicon Valley

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Breaking Bad – Black Walnuts

I’ve been meaning to update, Harvesting Walunts, for a while now. To say that removing the nut from the shell has been a lesson in frustration would be an understatement. OMGoodness!! Breaking into that black walnut shell is like trying to break into Fort Knox. For whatever reason….the nutty gem within is highly, highly protected…I mean beyond what seems reasonable….seriously!!

If you think I’m joking, take a look at this……..

Jimminy Crickets….unless you have teeth like a squirrel, or jaw strength like a Great Dane (more about that below)…I’m not entirely sure we were meant to actually eat these nuts. I mean think about it…if you were reliant on the calories and nutrition that black walnuts can provide, by the time you broke open enough for a handful size serving, you would have expended more calories than the walnut provides. There’s got to be a better way than my finite mind can fathom.

The results of about 45 minutes of effort resulted in this…..

The 2nd clue that this was not going to be an easy process. See all those dents in the wood…those are walnut shell impressions from banging it with a hammer!!

The black walnut’s chamber of secrets!! It’s a matter of digging out small pieces of nut.

My question is, “Why is the meat of these walnuts so protected?” Look at the damage to the wooden board that trying to break into this shell has caused. Is it worth the effort to gather those small pieces of nut?

The comparison of nut to shell. This is the result of shelling four black walnuts. The nut is sweet, and very…nutty. Quite good, actually, but I think next year…I’ll probably just leave all of them for the squirrels. Obviously, they are more equipped to eat these nuts than I am!!

Now, if I can just invent a tool that breaks the shell as efficiently as this girl…maybe I’ll harvest more this coming fall….

In all likelihood, I think I’m sticking with the good old English Walnut…look at the difference three nuts yield, besides that, there’s no danger of being impaled by flying walnut shells!!

Quite the difference!! I don’t think I’ll be harvesting many black walnuts in the near future.

Thanks for visiting the farm today. I hope you have a wonderful Sunday!!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Black Walnut Tree, Black Walnuts, building a new home, Cracking Black Walnuts, Harvesting walnuts

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A Purple Sunrise

Our morning sky has literally been on fire…completely stunning. I wish I had a passenger with me during a recent morning drive, just to take pictures of the horizon to the east. I’ll do my best to try to explain it to you.

Okay, let me walk you through this. In lieu of a picture, let your mind meld into my description, but first, clear your mind…..now close your eyes….do you have them closed??

HA!! Show of hands!!!! How many of you actually closed your eyes? But seriously, I wish you could close your eyes and still read this post. It does help with imagery. Come with me, and experience my morning.

So, you’re walking out your door, and there is darkness all around you.

Glancing upwardly, you see a vague bluing on the horizon, indicating that the sun is awakening, and starting to rise. Turning your head slightly east, the warmth of pink, orange and yellow have begun to sneak through the spaces in the sky that the tall trees have agreed to share (oh, and our power pole….but I don’t really see that 🙂 .)

As you leave for that day’s work, excitement fills your mind. You ponder the masterpiece that awaits you, as you approach the open horizon of your flatter scaped neighboring farms. The beauty of the sunrise is never disappointing. The Master Painter, creates an astonishing symphony of colors, shades, and textures…new every morning. You realize that, oddly enough, you are thankful for your morning drive out of town….that this time on the road is much more than mundane travel. It is a visit to the largest canvas ever painted.

I cannot capture the brilliance of the scene.

Moment by moment, color is encroaching, and the sky is a smoldering fire anticipating the fullness of it’s flame. All of a sudden, the horizon has opened revealing ….. a fleeting creation that speaks to one’s soul. The eastern mountain range presents itself in the opaqueness of a deep blackish-bluish-grey. A lighter grey, fluffy, ribbon sprawls horizontally across the base of the mountains, yet an intermittent, lighter ribbon dots across that same range in a slightly higher position. As your eyes move up through the darkness, complete awe fills your mind….your eyes have landed upon the majestic silhouette of one of the many volcanoes that watch over the entirety of the Willamette Valley and beyond.

A bright light appears, outlining the volcanic mountain range, and just above it, the brilliance of the sunrise reaches forth presenting in yellow, into orange, into deep reddish orange, into the darkest hue of pink, melding into a deep, dark red which very quickly turns to a sonnet of purple hues that reaches, literally, into every orafis of one’s heart, mind, body, and soul. In the silence of the sunrise, the Creator, Jehova, loudly pronounces His majesty. I am in complete awe, and gladly paying close attention to His dramatic proclamation. My day is now in motion.

Little by little, the sun has arisen. The beauty of the early morning has waned, yet there is great anticipation….tomorrow, there is another sunrise!!

A sunrise from the past…..since I can’t take one of the future..LOL!

Thank you for visiting my beautiful Oregon today. Although we left the forest to experience a larger piece of the Pacific Northwest, I hope you found something beautiful to take with you.

Please have a wonderful Sunday!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Sunrise

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To Breed or Not to Breed

I realized the other day that it has been quite awhile since I mentioned our Great Dane, Penni, in a post. That is really unacceptable, as she is the pearl…the gem…she brings a, well,….regal quality to the landscape.

If you have been visiting our farm for awhile, you know that Penni is mother of all things chicken….hatchlings, to be more specific. Every new chick hatched on the farm (or not) is required, by the overseer, to pass the sniff-lick-slobber resiliency test by the queen herself. Once completed, Penni is bonded to the chicks, and keeps a very close eye on them….

I promise to watch over you… I may chase you, but I will protect you!

…the downside of this is like any mommy, she becomes very protective of her chicks, and will let the other dog(s) know in no uncertain terms. This is a very natural response, however harsh it may seem.

We’ve come to a point of “decision” with Penni. She is not spayed, and is a wonderful example of a classic, old school Great Dane.

Yeah, she thinks she’s a mountain goat!

By this I mean, she envelopes all the qualities of Danes before there was the trend to breed taller and taller dogs. This trend, and acceptance by the AKC, bothers me so much. I don’t believe that this adds to the health of the breed, I think it weakens it. I have seen danes with such long legs that they look spindly, the rear end is often higher than the shoulders, and the dog’s gait / strength appears off, weakened. I don’t like it at all; our Great Dane babies are not Irish Wolfhounds or Deerhounds…they were not originally bred to be as tall as those.

I think this breeding taller trend is what has also sparked the other current trend of breeding European Danes into the American Dane’s bloodlines. This, in my opinion, is a good, healthy trend, as it is bringing sturdiness back to the breed. Okay…I’m off of my soapbox now!!

My beauty!

Our pending decision…to breed or not to breed. I know…this is a dirty word to many….I usually think that way too, and am a huge advocate of spaying and neutering. In fact, this is the first animal I have ever had (besides chickens haha) that has not been “fixed” … she is the only four legged beauty that I have ever considered breeding. Physically, she is amazing, strong, and adheres to the standards of the American Kennel Club ( http://www.akc.org/breeds/great_dane/breed_standard.cfm ) ….mentally, she has a great, loving temperment….not at all aloof (although a common quality of the breed) and is very intelligent. Yes, I said it….I do believe that dogs think, and are not solely reactive…especially Danes.

Seriously…can’t you see the problems of the world being solved right there in that chair!!

FAQ’s:

Why would you breed her while there are so many in shelters and rescue? Beyond Penni’s safety and the safety of the pups throughout their lives, this is my biggest hindrance. I have worked in shelters or with shelters most of my life…this is an issue that I have not been able to justify yet, hence, Penni has never been bred. However, we have the acreage to take back any of our babies that may need to be rehomed.

Penni at 8 weeks old

Is Penni OFA certified? This is an expense that we will put out if / when we decide breeding is what we intend. She will be certified in heart, hips, knees, elbows, and thyroid… if and when.

Those are some great hips on that girl!!

Do you show Penni? No, Penni is an amazing family member. Although I thought, at one point, to show, I have not gone that route with her.

What’s the real reason you are considering breeding, Penni? If her OFA certifications are favorable, her classic dane stature, strength, beauty, and demeanor would be great characteristics to pass onto the next generation. If I could provide a few other families with a forever sweetheart like our girl, it would be a great gift….I know I’m romanticizing this very important decision…believe me, I’m looking at the issue with eyes wide open!

Reason for discussion? Penni will be three years old in April…at this point, she has been through five heat cycles. I will not breed her as long as we still have our 15 year old little Karli with us, as I will not subject Karli to that level of stress. For Penni’s safety, I don’t want her to go through too many more heat cycles if we’re not going to breed her…..hence, before her next cycle, I want to decide what to do. There are risks associated with the fluctuation of hormones in our furry kids that are unaltered.

Karli & Penni

Bottom line, there is much to consider…financial, emotional, intellectual, and social issues surround this decision, let alone the health and safety of our girl and her pups. Penni is depending on us to make the right choice. Beyond that, a suitable male would need to be found….not an easy task. I know this is a very controversial discussion for many…I highly respect your opinions, as I hope you will mine.

Thanks for talking with me today. Animal management (livestock or pet) on the farm always requires thoughtful consideration. It is never a light-hearted choice.

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

American Kennel Club, Breeding Great Danes, building a new home, Great Dane, Penni the Great Dane, Spay and Neuter

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Back to Business

Seems as though the holidays are over…the tree is down, decorations put away, lights on the house coming down today…..however….we are still munching on these….I couldn’t let my son down….I had promised to make these for him since Christmas…..besides….it truly isn’t Christmas until my Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are made (a tradition from my childhood…thanks Mom!!! 🙂 )

I can’t really call these Christmas Cookies…I made them on New Year’s Day. Haha…better late than never.

….and these….

Beautiful chestnuts!

…well, we’re not really still munching on the chestnuts. Sadly, this was a bad batch, and had molded on the inside. We were really disappointed, especially, Tony, as he bit into a mold pocket…YUCK!!! Chestnuts became a tradition during the very beginnings of our life together, as Tony’s family usually had them as part of their Christmas tradition. I love this tradition. The last two Christmas’, however, we have gotten bad nuts, unfortunate as their season is very short. If you remember, we planted our own chestnut trees last fall…

…but with the deep freeze and copious amounts of snow last winter, followed by a really dry, dry summer…the jury is still out as to whether or not the nut bearing grafts have survived. We did not expect nuts this year, and we did not get any…spring will tell us the true story of the damage they received. I would so love to harvest our own chestnuts in the fall. Keep your fingers crossed…we certainly are!!!

Chickens and chow mein!!

The flock celebrated their first day of 2015 with leftover chow mein and fried rice. They were in heaven!! Grabbing a noodle, I’m sure their chicken minds went to the free range find of the coveted earthworm!! To say they were entertaining would be an understatement. One would grab a noodle, and with a quick look around, would take off running in a guarded attempt to get the noodle-worm down without having it stolen by another hen. Once gobbled, it was an all out sprint to get back to the noodle pile for another prize. So funny!! As always, our rooster, Benedict, was the ultimate gentleman and held back while the girls consumed. Once in awhile he would poke his head in, and using a very mannerly approach, would take a noodle from the edge of the pile. The hens were much more demanding. They could take a few lessons from their mature patriarch.

As we get back to the business of the farm for the year 2015, we welcome the newness, and the potential. We’ve identified lots of goals, and in turn created lists of tasks that promise to keep us quite busy. I look forward to sharing these times with you!

Thanks for visiting the farm today!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami

Category:

Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Buff Orpington, building a new home, Chestnut Trees, Chickens, Rhode Island Reds

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A Great Day for a Story

I’m sorry for my absence lately…it has been a very busy season for me…..as is for most of us.

This post is dedicated to my Aunt H, and Uncle D. We have not been able to enjoy a Christmas together since I was very young, so I thought I’d bring a bit of my little family’s Holiday Season to the both of you.

You have both had some health challenges this year, and are in various stages of healing, and waiting for the next medical procedure. I know the Lord has strengthened you both through all of this, and will continue to do so. I am amazed at how, Uncle Darol, bounces back with seemingly (of course this is my view from a distance) little struggle, and how, Aunt Helen, presses on through the pain, and difficulties she faces every day. You both are incredibly strong, resilient, and great role models to me in the depth of your faith in our Lord, Jesus Christ. I wish we could have been closer in proximity through the years, and one day we will be….we will once again eat together at Grandma and Grandpa’s table.

We’ll pass around the football, the pie & coffee, and break open walnuts before dinner with Grandpa…then sit down to a competitive game of dominoes. Yes, we will have those moments of my early childhood back again….in God’s great timing…we will gather in His presence, and we will enjoy the fellowship of our family once more

This is Christmas on our farm, 2014.

The arrival of the elk herd kicked off our holidays!! They were amazing!!

Thanksgiving came in like, “Speedy Gonzalez”…it was here and gone in a flash. The day was quiet, and lovely. My mom spent the afternoon with us, and, unfortunately, the only picture taken involved food.

A few days later, Tony was diagnosed with Pneumonia…probably one of the reasons our Thanksgiving day was so low key. Thankfully, he got better quickly!!

As the days went on, and Christmas approached…we started to decorate. Putting lights on the house allowed us a chance to knock down some huge wasps nests that enjoyed our roof-line over the summer months.

One of the three large cones within one huge paper wasp nest.

We picked out our Christmas tree from a local tree farm…

She was full, and beautiful!

Okay…why did we go to a local tree farm to cut down a Christmas tree when we have a forest full of trees?? The only answers I can give you are….#1: someone, who shall be nameless, has a fear of spiders…#2: the tree farm shakes the bejeebers out of the trees they sell, hopefully eliminating those eight legged monsters….#3: we like to support our local farmers…#4: because $20 for a 7 foot tree is such a HUGE bargain (coming from the SF Bay Area where this tree would have cost us $125.00 plus, to get it from a local farmer and not a parking lot.) We love a bargain!!! Here she is!!

Here she is…no tinsel though…we have cats!!

We enjoyed our small town’s Winter fest, with the lighting of the Courthouse Christmas Tree…

And the arrival of Santa Claus by the fire depts.’ ladder truck…preceded by a Harley entourage!! The line to see Santa was pretty long…

It was a really nice evening with local vendors, and the little shops downtown all open for business. There were carolers, free cookies and hot cocoa…and of course, Pressed Coffee and Wine Bar was a welcomed place to land for a hot snowball and good music.

Tony and I took a drive to Portland, and landed at the infamous, VooDoo Doughnuts! Our first time, but it won’t be our last!!

Do you see the Chevy’s Fresh Mex Restaurant chip bag in the background….another stop on our day, leaving Portland. There’s a story about Chevy’s (not for today), but if you’ve never tried their salsa…you haven’t yet lived!!!!

We always include our animals in our Christmas celebrations…..the flock was no exception….

Fourteen stockings for fourteen birds….Christmas Day, the flock received….

WHY…do chickens moult in the late fall, early winter??

….shredded cheddar cheese for a breakfast treat, and Santa brought a big molasses chicken scratch block.

Me thinks Santa done good!!!! (Forgive me Ellen, the Grammar Cop…..hahahaha

Below are some of my favorite images of Christmas this year…

The bird house barn…I like to imagine that the scene from the cookie tin next to it, depicts what’s going on inside the barn!!

One of my most treasured decorations since 1986.

My mom’s little Chiweenie…Chique…all dressed up on Christmas Eve!!

If you remember this past August, we lost our old friend, Tucker, after 13 wonderful years. His stocking joined the place at Christmas where we honor our beloved furry family members no longer with us.

Our beloved furry family members no longer with us…but always in our hearts!

Christmas was full of joy…food…lots of food….gifts….and skeet shooting!!

WOW…I’ve really got to work on my technique…haahahaha

Daddy and daughter had the best overall percentage of hits…but boyfriend, well, let’s just say he’s had a little practice….hahaha! He’s got a good eye!! Me, I need to practice…you too, son…hahahaha!!

After all the antics of the day….Hank had had enough…..

…..enough ignoring him…..he was hungry!!! With only about two moves left in the game…Hank handled the situation!!! Look at that face….hahahaha!!!

From our family to yours…we hope you had a very Merry Christmas!! Our thoughts and prayers for a wonderful, energetic, truly amazing, and joy filled 2015 go out to you. Happy New Year to all who visit this farm, may your lives be richly blessed!!

Thank you for visiting today! Your friend on the farm,

Tami

Category:

building a new home, Chicken House, Chickens, Christmas Tree, Elk, Skeet Shooting

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The Littlest Hen

The morning was filled with the warmth of summer in late July. Anticipating the freshness of the day, the flock was noisy, calling for their freedom. I pulled opened their door, and quickly, hens rambled outside. Opening the “people” door, I heard that familiar little sound. Although, somewhat muffled, it was undeniable. Peering into the brooder, my eyes landed on the source of the high pitched “peep peep peeep”……

…she would have been easy to miss, as she quickly hid in the warmth of Mama Chardonnay’s wings. Out of seven eggs, she was the only one to hatch.

The baby chick quickly grew, and became her mama hen’s little shadow. Chardonnay shared all of her food with the chick, always allowing her to eat first. She has always been such a good Mama Hen.

Mama and Chick catching some rays.

She grew, and grew.

Corn has always been one of her most favorite things.

Free ranging everyday, she diligently followed Chardonnay, listening, watching, imitating, and learning. She became well integrated into the flock, and was rarely chased or pecked at by the older hens.

As is the danger of growing up in the middle of a farm – forest, predators are a real threat when feathers cover your body. The flock works hard to safeguard themselves against these threats, and they do very well. Sometimes their efforts, and our efforts are not enough. Something attacked our littlest hen.

The undeniable evidence.

I found the evidence yesterday morning…I’m not sure if it happened Saturday evening, or Sunday morning. Usually, I count the flock to make sure everyone made it into their house for the night…I didn’t do that Saturday night. I don’t remember specifically seeing her come out of their house on Sunday morning, but nothing alerted my conscious thoughts to her absence. In any case, she is gone…I wish I knew what got her!

It’s that circle of life thing. The flock knew it and were on high alert all day, hiding underneath things..running from cover to cover to change locations. They felt the loss, and the danger. This is the life of a free ranging chicken. There are real dangers, and in spite of that, there is real freedom….and sometimes, if I catch it just right, I think I can see them smiling!

Sorry little girl!!

There are definite life lessons that occur in nature, look for them, they’re there.

Thanks for walking through nature with me today.

Your friend from Oregon,
Tami

Category:

Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Buff Orpington, building a new home, Chicken House, Chickens, Free Ranging Chickens, Hatching Chicks, Hawk attack, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Oregon, Rhode Island Reds

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That Certain Age

Within these past several weeks, I turned that certain age. I’m not giving that age up, but most people who grew up with me, or have known me in these adult years have a good idea what age I am. This is that year in which I am forced to reflect on my life a bit. It is that age I have kind of dreaded…that I have watched my brothers reach and surpass, and when brought to mind, prayed for, earnestly, keeping in mind that lightning rarely strikes twice the same way…but knowing that sometimes it does.

There is just enough irony in life that the nagging of the unknown around that certain age sometimes settles in the way the fog lingers over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Sometimes the fog looms, and my fears grow. I pray, I hug my dog, I take a walk, or busy myself with simple chores that take me outside and into the grandeur of the land around me. Other times I write…I write to you whom have become part of this journey…I write those stories that are the “maybe someday, somehow” unpublished pieces…and I read…I read the words of many others who have stories to tell, who ask nothing but to be read. They are out there…stories…wonderful stories baked in the lives of so many…when the fog settles in, these things help me to remember that the truth of this certain age is not necessarily the truth of that same certain age of another.

I am that age…the age when my father died.

My dad was a young man…he seemed older to me, at the time, than I feel now, but since I am that same age I realize how young he was, really. He died suddenly, his body failed him. That’s what bodies do…some earlier, some later, but they all fail. That Sunday morning left ripples, waves in my life lasting the entirety of these past 23 years.

So this year, the year of that certain age, I’m focusing on health…this little homestead helps with that, along with you, as I read your words and learn from your wisdom and recipes…and from new friends who have recently introduced me into the delicious world of squash, beyond zucchini…. 🙂 I’ve never been to this world before. Then there’s this TVP, Textured Vegetable Protein…..hmmmm, that’s a maybe.

Mostly, I know that this body will fail at some point. Greater yet, I am assured of this….

John 10:27-29 (Jesus is speaking at the temple during a dispute at the feast of dedication)
27 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. 28 And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand.

….my salvation through Christ is rock solid, nothing can snatch me from His hand!! When I actually do reach the age in which my time is done, I know where I’m going. That assurance makes being this certain age a much happier place to reside. In the meantime, life is good……

GREAT DANE PUPPIES TO HUG!!

That’s my Penni in the orange collar.

BUBBLES TO POP!!

HANK!

GARDENS TO GROW!!

CHICKS TO HATCH!!

CRAZY CAT PICTURES TO TAKE!!

AND THEN THERE’S SOURDOUGH….SAN FRANCISCO SOURDOUGH!!

AND DISNEYLAND!!

AND THESE GIRLS!!

My sweet girls, Penni and Karli !

AND THIS FAMILY!!

AND THIS LAND!!

AND YOU…all of you..who walk through this forest, and visit this farm. Who’s words inspire, teach, encourage, and fill my kitchen with wonderful fragrances from delicious new recipes. As my thoughts turn inwards…you help me to look out from the window of this certain age, and I, once again, move away from my apprehension. And since the SF Giants are one step closer to getting into the World Series….October is looking pretty darn good!!!

Thanks for sharing this certain year with me!!

Your friend from Oregon,
Tami

Category:

Bay Area Fog, building a new home, California, Giants, Great Dane, Harvesting, Hatching Chicks, Hiking in Oregon, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Penni the Great Dane, Rat Terrier mix, SF Giants

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Nope, Not Moulting

You may remember this guy…..

Benedict….our Big Daddy Rooster!! Patriarch to the Middles, and the Littles (aka the Muppets.)

….big daddy, Benedict….our gentleman rooster. Always polite, never asking of his hens without the traditional dance. He doesn’t eat of the discarded kitchen goodies until his family has had the chance to partake. This boy keeps his eye on the sky and warns the flock of any impending dangers…Yes, he is the stud of the farm.

The past couple of months, Benedict has become somewhat of a bully to a few select hens. Oddly enough, these are hens of his roo-hood…the full Rhode Island Reds, all of them…except mama hen, Chardonnay. He will literally chase them down, not necessarily to mate, but often times just to, well…stand on them. Really, at this point, I know the difference..hahaha! Their backs are bare, or in various stages of feather regrowth.

Poor little Reisling’s bare back…FYI she had just gotten up from a dust bath, her back looks dirty.

I’ve read about this. Their feather loss is not due to molting, there are even thick wing feathers that have been broken off, not pulled out. And I’ve witnessed it…I’ve seen the intentional chase..mount..stand, just standing, no rooster duties going on. Sometimes, Claudio, our Buff Orphington hen, gets in the act with Benedict, and will run over and start some weird kind of hen attack…plucking at the other hen’s feathers while Benedict stands on them. Is this common behavior??

Benedict and his harem…including the 4 bare backs.

As the colder weather approaches, I’m a bit worried about these girls. At the advice of our local feed store, the flock is now getting supplemented with Purina Flock Raiser which is higher in protein and fat than regular chicken feed (Purina Layena.) It seems to be helping with feather regrowth, and since the cold weather is currently knocking on the door, I’ve made this their primary food. As the feathers attempt to grow back, those thick shafts stick out, and it seems much more painful for them when Benedict does…whatever it is he is doing. I’ve become, Alpha Rooster, and chase him away from these girls when he pursues them…he does seem to be listening. I’ve read about hen jackets that are made for this reason, however, you run a greater risk of a mite infestation with the jackets….I don’t think I want that…but I also don’t want my girls to be cold. The only thing I know is….there’s a lot I don’t know!!!

HEY!!! Get off the porch!!!

Thanks for checking in on the farm today. When I tell the flock that you’ve been here…they get very excited!!!

Your friend from Oregon,
Tami

Category:

Bare Backs on Chickens, Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Buff Orpington, building a new home, Chicken House, Chickens, Free Ranging Chickens, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Muppets, Oregon, Penni the Great Dane, Rhode Island Reds

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An Incredible Find

Have you ever seen the artistry in the routine? Birds nest….an incredible, yet routine event in their lives…

The Muppets hatching.

Chickens do not really build a nest, they find a cozy, quiet spot. Many of the flock will then lay their eggs in that same location, resulting in this…

Six nesting boxes….this one was the hot spot today!!

….that was all from one morning. Where is the artistry in a nesting box full of eggs? If you look closely, each egg is very different…size, shape, color, decorative “freckles”…they are each very unique….

That’s one big egg!!!

That being said, I think the true artists reveal themselves every spring with the creation of an incredible piece of workmanship. The structure is amazing, and the question that usually arises in me every time I, happily, encounter one of these delicate yet strong, masterpieces of construction is …. “How did the bird build this without the use of hands?” You will not believe the incredibly gorgeous piece of true art that I am so blessed to have come upon while hiking with my Great Dane, Penni.

It must have blown out from the trees this past week…. are you ready…..

Look at this closely…

So completely incredible…

Look at this closely…imagine the time it took to build. The supplies used were ingenious…feathers from the chickens supply softness, hair from the mane or tail of our neighbor’s horses provide structure, and a little peacock feather for a splash of color….completely, insanely gorgeous!!!