Meanwhile on the Farm

low tunnel

We have had some really lovely weather recently. We also were out covering our fragile plants one night that we had a freeze warning. But, overall, we’ve had warm temperatures. Scott and I spent the weekend working in the garden. We planted our cool weather crops that were started from seed indoors. So far, we have carrots, radishes, onions, cabbage, and potatoes in the ground. I got an alert on my phone last night that penny sized hail was possible and Scott rushed out to cover our tiny cabbage sprouts so that we didn’t lose them. I never heard any hail, so I think we were safe.

It is so life-giving to get your hands in the dirt to cultivate these plants that will feed my family. I prayed while I was planting that the Lord will bless our efforts. Every year, we learn more. Every year, the garden gets bigger. Every year, we face setbacks. But, we will persevere!

Poultry Netting

Our flock is also growing. Over the weekend, I posted one of our roosters for free. We have too many. This particular roo was getting aggressive to the kids, which I don’t have the patience for. He was so protective of his hens though, so I really wanted to give him a good home. Turns out, someone in our circle was needing a rooster for their flock, and they offered us a turkey in return!

We have been talking about getting a “guard goose” (I know it sounds crazy, but you can look it up.) to help protect the flock from predators. Guinea fowl have also been on our radar because they eat ticks like crazy. Everything lined up and we ended up getting a goose and three guineas over the weekend. Not only will they serve those great purposes, but they will also provide even more biodiversity for protection against certain threats to poultry. All we need now are quail, and we will have all of the farm birds.

Seed Starting Pots/Trays

I know that I say this so often, but I am so THANKFUL for the gift of being here. We are learning and expanding our skill set so much. I read about someone calling their rental farm the “halfway farm” because they were practicing their skills while saving for THEIR farm. I feel that way. This rental property is so incredible, and I love cultivating it all. But, I also cannot wait for the day when we get to truly call a place ours. I’m just so grateful.

Who know that when God placed a vegetable garden on my heart ten years ago that it would grow into all of this? Everything we do is bathed in prayer, and I encourage you to live your life that way also. When everything passes through prayer, you truly see what is from God.

I hope that you all have a wonderful week, friends! Happy Monday!

Waterfall Chasing

I love waterfalls. I love being in the forest. Last week, we traveled to the Kentucky border to get the new puppy. We decided to make a day of it and find a really cool state park to hike. We watched as the forecast got colder and colder. Then, snow was forecasted. We didn’t care. We didn’t leave quite as early as planned, but we hit the trail and hiked three miles with flakes of snow falling.

We went to Ferne Clyffe State Park, which is within Shawnee National Forest. Southern Illinois is really beautiful. I didn’t want to leave. I stacked a bunch of rocks to prop my phone up to get the above picture. It was worth it.

The trail was rocky and slick from the rain and snow. I would say it was the most difficult one that we’ve done with the kids. We gained over three hundred feet in elevation, which isn’t the most we’ve gained. It is certainly more than we gain here in flat central IL.

This trail definitely scratched my itch for adventure. I’ve been checking out so many travel books from the library in an effort to escape.

I highly recommend visiting this area. We hiked the Waterfall trail and Hawk’s Cave Trail. The waterfall trail was not marked well at all. We actually ended up off course, but quickly realized it. Turns out, we were supposed to turn left and climb a rock wall to stay on our trail. I climbed to the top to make sure that it was, in fact, a trail. It was such a blast. Good shoes are also needed with the way the Waterfall trail is. It’s not a smooth dirt trail. It was a lot of rock and climbing.

I hope you get out and explore. Nature is the best therapist.

Our New Farmily Member

We have a new member of our farmily. Meet Ranger, an 8 week old Australian Shepherd.

He is energetic, playful, and loving. The girls are smitten with him. Puppies are so exhausting, but he’s going to be such an awesome adventure buddy once he is trained.

I always said that I would never do the puppy phase again, yet here we are. Someone guessed that we were getting a goat. That would be fun, too. But, we are limited on what farm animals we can get here. I think we COULD do a pig in a pen here that ate all of our food scraps and turned them into bacon. But, that isn’t anywhere in the plans right now.

Happy April, friends!!

Life Lately

Hello, friends! I’ve been a little quiet over here again. Not much outside of the ordinary has been happening on the homestead. Basically, it’s been a lot of the above… Sweet family time playing games and reading books. I’ve also been chauffeuring my kids and their friends to birthday parties and dance classes. This phase of parenting is so wild, but so fun. They can make their own breakfasts and do their own laundry. These little ladies are so incredible, and I’m so blessed to be their mama.

We had a raccoon get INTO the chicken coop one night when we were at the library. Thankfully, it only killed one chicken, and it won’t bother anyone again. We think it slipped between our electric netting and the run and didn’t care that it got shocked. Electric poultry netting has been a newer addition to the homestead. I was sick of chickens pooping all over the front porch, but still wanted some free ranging. This gives the best of both worlds. We can rotate where the chickens “pasture” is so that they always have fresh grass and bugs while still keeping them off of the porch. We are up to our eyeballs in eggs, so if you are local and love organic farm fresh eggs, come see us!

This time of year is always such a struggle. My mood really plummets. The days are longer, but it has still been cold and so rainy ALL. THE. TIME. I have been really down. I want to start the garden, but I can’t. We have started onion, pepper, and cabbage seeds so far. I’m itching for soil on my hands and under my nails. I can’t wait to pull a fresh carrot from the dirt.

Current world circumstances are also overwhelming. The cost of everything is starting to get a bit alarming. We have been in some very difficult situations in the past, and God never let us down then. None of what is happening is a surprise to Him. I keep reminding myself of this scripture, and I hope that it encourages you also:

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin,  yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.  But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’  For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” Matthew 6:25-34

We do have some really fun stuff coming up for our family, and it will be fun to share all of that soon!!

Happy Tuesday! I hope you have more beautiful weather where you are than we do. 😉