It's been a busy week! I had two WWOOF'rs come by to help on the Smallholding for a day. Just that small amount of extra "man"power made a huge difference. I believe it's official. I'm about to become a Host Farm for World Wide Opportunities in Organic Farms. WWOOF. This consists of folks that want to learn how to do things, share experiences and do so in small increments. One of the WWOOF'rs took a vacation from their day job for three weeks to work on an organic farm. Another is touring various farms. Fascinating. What a great way to learn life skills without having to be plunged headfirst into the melee. (Seems there's always a melee...) I hope to be a Host Farm yet this year for WWOOF'rs.
I intend to teach soapmaking (been soapmaking since 1978 - still fairly basic soap but I enjoy it), animal husbandry & butchering, gardening, wildcrafting, pruning, canning, breadmaking, cheesemaking, tofu making, how to cut/split/stack wood, beekeeping, mule-gentling and various other skills I've come to enjoy. Additionally, I sew, knit, dabble in woodworking, hide-tanning and tire-crafting among others.
Three days ago I caught a young mother raccoon in my live trap - I baited it with a fresh egg (still in the shell) and caught her. There's no relocating on a farm - raccoons will come back from over a mile to their food source. Especially when I've lost baby chicks, eggs, cat food, etc just this year. So If you take your problem animal to someone else's area? It's now their problem. It's unfortunate, but she went to meet my Maker. Two days ago when the two WWOOF'rs and I took a walk in the woods, Ruby Jayne dog alerted me to two baby raccoons high up in adjacent trees fairly close to the barn... ADORABLE, lovely little things - but mama had more than likely taught them well so we sent them to meet up with mama. I always am saddened to take such measures, but without checks and balances (and a good aim), the predators will rapidly overrun your farm.
Working a full-time job, being a part-time student and a full-time Smallholder takes a lot of time and energy (but it's ENJOYABLE time and energy!). One of the WWOOF'rs may possibly come in September to help get me ready for a local festival, the Feast of the Hunters' Moon. I'll have already made the bulk of the soap by the time she arrives, but hopefully she can help me make wreaths, get all my gear ready, help me organize and make labels and signs. Then she'll get to go, in 18th century costume, with me to the Feast. I think it will be invaluable and give her further ideas on how to turn your product into a commodity. If you're in the area of Tippecanoe County, Indiana on September 24 & 25 this year? Come to the Feast!
Now on to my finished planting area - remember the picture from almost a week ago? Well, here it is ...
I intend to teach soapmaking (been soapmaking since 1978 - still fairly basic soap but I enjoy it), animal husbandry & butchering, gardening, wildcrafting, pruning, canning, breadmaking, cheesemaking, tofu making, how to cut/split/stack wood, beekeeping, mule-gentling and various other skills I've come to enjoy. Additionally, I sew, knit, dabble in woodworking, hide-tanning and tire-crafting among others.
Three days ago I caught a young mother raccoon in my live trap - I baited it with a fresh egg (still in the shell) and caught her. There's no relocating on a farm - raccoons will come back from over a mile to their food source. Especially when I've lost baby chicks, eggs, cat food, etc just this year. So If you take your problem animal to someone else's area? It's now their problem. It's unfortunate, but she went to meet my Maker. Two days ago when the two WWOOF'rs and I took a walk in the woods, Ruby Jayne dog alerted me to two baby raccoons high up in adjacent trees fairly close to the barn... ADORABLE, lovely little things - but mama had more than likely taught them well so we sent them to meet up with mama. I always am saddened to take such measures, but without checks and balances (and a good aim), the predators will rapidly overrun your farm.
Working a full-time job, being a part-time student and a full-time Smallholder takes a lot of time and energy (but it's ENJOYABLE time and energy!). One of the WWOOF'rs may possibly come in September to help get me ready for a local festival, the Feast of the Hunters' Moon. I'll have already made the bulk of the soap by the time she arrives, but hopefully she can help me make wreaths, get all my gear ready, help me organize and make labels and signs. Then she'll get to go, in 18th century costume, with me to the Feast. I think it will be invaluable and give her further ideas on how to turn your product into a commodity. If you're in the area of Tippecanoe County, Indiana on September 24 & 25 this year? Come to the Feast!
Now on to my finished planting area - remember the picture from almost a week ago? Well, here it is ...
...the finished planting area - not exactly what my vision had shown me - I had wanted the cemetery gates to be suspended horizontally - but having a vision also means you have to be open to CHANGING that vision in accordance with what your skill level and equipment will allow (and driving posts into the ground was completely OUT as the septic lines are in there somewhere - probably deep enough but why risk it?) In the tire planters inside the gate "A" I've planted Scarlet Runner Beans and Morning Glories. It's incredibly late in the growing season to JUST NOW get them planted, but sometimes I'm VERY stubborn. In the two outer tires are Zinnas - bright orange. The other tires will be planted with other flowers, herbs, and a few more "garden" plants. Such as beans, kale, whatever I choose. I have two large, lidded cat litter buckets full of seeds. Some ancient, some recent. Ancient seeds (3 years old or more) can germinate, but the germination rate may be very poor... This is dirt I "mined" from where the goats had been kept for 8 years and then hogs for almost 3 years. The dirt is well composted and I think it'll do fine.
...and lastly... the lovely tiny flower on my rose-scented "geranium" growing in the cattle bunker in the atrium. Ah... The leaves smell SO lovely... I cut some of them, added some lemon balm and put them in a basket in the bathroom. Lovely...
Enjoy and I'll be back soon!
Enjoy and I'll be back soon!
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