Book Review

While I have many books in my "book crate" this month, I really only enjoyed a small handful of them. But there was one book in particular that I definitely liked...

Yeah, big surprise; it's a book by Joel Salatin. ;) Have I ever mentioned that I like his books?

I had heard a lot of people raving about this book, so I got in line to check it out at the library. Unfortunately, there were already 6 holds on the book before my request, so the wait was long.

But it was worth it.

The Sheer Ecstasy of being a Lunatic Farmer.
By Joel Salatin


Rating: 10
Readability: 10
Impact: 10
Recommend it? Yes!
Read it again? Yes!

What to expect: "From his own pen, Salatin explains both the rationale for and the satisfaction from a solar-driven, pasture-based, locally-marketed, symbiotic, synergistic, relationally-oriented farm. This book describes, with stories and evangelistic fervor, the breadth and depth of the paradigm differences between healing and exploitive food systems. A landscape and food policy epiphany awaits every reader." --Excerpt from back cover of book.

My thoughts on it: When I finished the book, my first thought was: "Wow." I couldn't seem to find any other word to use. The book was filled with humor; so much so, that I started driving everyone crazy with my constant mirth! Can you say, "Mob stocking herbivorous solar conversion lignified carbon sequestration fertilization", five times really fast? I can't either, ;) I guess Joel can, though.
The book continues at a quick pace, which keeps it from getting boring. I loved Joel's optimistic, upbeat attitude that shines through in the book, and was very encouraged throughout the whole thing. You learn about growing soil, portable infrastructures, the "pigness of pigs", relationship farming, and so much more that methinks I am going to have to read the book again! I think Joel is a little more blunt than usual, and a couple of his comments caught me off guard, but it was still a very good, educational read.


Mob stocking herbivorous solar conversion lignified carbon sequestration fertilization.... Don't know why my tongue can't seem to say that.... ;)

Eggses

I dunno'. Plain ol' "eggs" seemed so boring. Eggses has a nicer ring. Or maybe it just gets your attention... ;)

Some sweet friends of mine surprised me the other day by giving me a free bag of chicken feed from Q-Bar farm; I had heard a lot of good about this particular feed mill, so I was especially excited to see how my pullets did on the whole grain feed. To my surprise, on day #2 of switching feeds, my little ladies started laying! Coincidence? Methinks not. :)

The eggs are only about 2" long right now, as the hens get older, their eggs will get bigger. They look so cute nestled amongst the gargantuan brown and green eggs in our fridge.

Below is a picture of an egg comparison. On the right is one of our tiny pullet eggs; on the left is a duck egg.

Wait a minute! Where'd that duck egg come from!?

Hehe, I couldn't resist...

A friend mentioned to me that she needed to re-home her pair of Magpie ducks. And who was I to say nay to such an opportunity? ;) I absolutely love these two new additions to the farm. They are so hilarious as they waddle around, quacking softly to each other. As you can see in the picture, I dug out our kiddie pool that had been gathering dust in the shop, and filled it for my small aquatic friends. 

The female has been faithfully laying an egg every single morning, and for awhile we would have them for lunch (personally, I LOVE duck eggs!), but now I have been leaving the eggs in her nest in hopes that she will go broody and hatch out some ducklings! We'll see...

For Sale...

Beatrix and Bertram...

6 weeks old. 1/2 Boer, 1/4 Saanen, 1/4 La Mancha.

Both are dehorned, and Bertram is castrated.

I'm not sure how Beatrix will turn out as a potential milker, since she has Boer blood. But if she is anything like her mom, she should be a good producer! Heidi is producing 1 gallon a day, and has not yet hit her peak. 

Beatrix is a little pill. She's cute and she jolly well knows it! She likes to prance away right before you can touch her, and then race around the pasture; gloating over how clever she is. ;) Her conformation is very correct, and she is pretty dairy looking. Her legs are just a little stubbier than most pure dairy breeds.

$100 for her.

Bertram is my love bug. He loves attention, and enjoys being scratched behind the ears. Beatrix may have gotten the brains, but Bertram definitely got the brawn. He looks very Boer with his thick, heavyset body type. I've half a mind to keep him and train him to do draft work! 

$75 OBO.

If you want both kids, I'll lower the price to $150 for the two of them.

If you would like to come out and see my little goaties, feel free to e-mail me HERE.

And I Cried...

Heidi's CAE test results didn't come in the mail today, like I was hoping.

I tried to wait. I told myself that they would probably come tomorrow.

But I couldn't wait. I wanted to know what the results were, NOW! So I called the lab, and asked for the results. It seemed like forever as they searched through their files for my name.

Then came the moment...

Heidi tested...

100% negative!!!

She is completely clean!! I was so overjoyed that I started hopping up and down. I think my response over the phone was something like, "Really!?!? THANK YOU SO MUCH! I am so happy right now!!"

The gentleman on the phone just laughed at my exuberance, and guessed that it meant a lot to me.

It did.

I went out to the barn, to see Heidi, who was contentedly chewing her cud. 

And I cried...

I was so happy, and relieved, that I cried...

Need A Laugh?

I posted the first video of Huguenot Farm a while back (look in the 'Labels' on my sidebar for 'videos'), and am now posting the sequel. I don't know how they manage to do these things without bursting into laughter... ;)

I Must Have Blinked..

Poppy...

@ 12 days old. 50 lbs. 

Poppy...

@ 4 months old. 300+ lbs.

Poppy...

@ 6 months. 400+ lbs.

I must have blinked... My knobby kneed, clumsy calf bloomed into a graceful, not-quite-as-clumsy, heifer. I don't even know when it happened...

All Flesh Is Grass...

Our herbivores eat grass. They don't eat dead cows, chicken manure or bubblegum wrappers, like CAFO animals. They eat grass. Just the way they were created to...

I love bein' a farmer...