the hard part of homesteading

Homesteading is not for the faint of heart at any time but days like today are some of the hardest even if necessary.

Today my first rabbit that I have raised from a baby went to the freezer. It was not easy, it never should be, but it hit me harder than I though it would. I had help and we tried to use a pellet gun at first because I know others that have used them with success. It did nothing. We ended up using a .22 handgun and it was quick and easy for the rabbit, hard for us.  I just could not try the broomstick or wringer method, that just seems so much trauma especially if it wasn't successful, which I was very afraid I didn't have the physical strength to do it well and fast.

I will not use a gun for birds anymore (well, except snow and Canada geese) because I have found it doesn't work well and the easiest for birds and me is a quick slit to the throat.  For the rabbits I think it will have to be a .22 or something similar.

I have 3 more rabbits that will be going to the freezer soon and 4 litters in the process of growing. Today I did just this one buck as the first and I think that is enough for this weekend.  I honor his life and he will feed me and my family (including Trollie and the cats). I won't post the pics of all of the rabbits that give their life for our sustenance but I will post this buck's pic. is mother was Berkana, my American chinchilla doe that died after he was weaned and his father is Ronan, my Silver Fox buck.

Homesteading Roller Coasters

I have had some great luck with the 3 litters of kits that have been born in the last 2 months. I was hoping to have 2 more litters born this week.  Sadly so far no kindling from Rowan or Fearn and on top of that, one of Holly's babies (same age as Chubby Butt) was dead when I got home this morning... I have no idea why...was fine this morning is plump and looks healthy. *sigh*

In other news, I got a bit of gardening done tonight. I planted another 2 rows of field peas for the featherheads. The first 3 rows are doing great. I planted 2 rows of sugar daddy peas for me since the ones I planted before didn't do so well.  I also got a row of zucchini planted and a row of spaghetti squash.  I weeded and made the herb garden a bit neater and planted white yarrow, winter thyme, sage, roman chamomile, garlic chives and mammoth dill.  I don't have a lot of luck with herbs from seed so I am crossing my fingers and saying a little prayer!  I give thanks for what is growing so far. Hail the landvaettir!

And, I had the very last of the winter squash for dinner tonight....so sad, I do love my squash.  I baked it with sage from the garden.

my oregano

Beauty in addition to bread...

Okay, here is the post that I said I would write after the Living with Intention post.  This is about movement of your body, getting exercise and spending time in nature. As a homesteader, I do get exercise outside, hauling feed bags, moving things around, cleaning coops and rabbit poo, weeding, hoeing, etc.  I don't really like the idea of going to a gym which I can't afford anyway. I honestly wouldn't have the time anyway....not with all the work to be done on the homestead plus still being in school and working a full time job.  So, my exercise is not consistent and it is generally need based...I may be a bit chubby, but I know I eat healthy food and I move my body a good amount more than the average person. (I just happen to like my bread and hate treadmills in a building filled with tons of other folks - although a pool that was accessible would be nice)

I also feel the need to be outdoors.  My philosophy of life and how I live it, in what I want as my career and with my homesteading, is all about living in harmony with the natural world. As an environmentalist, I want my footprint to be light but I also want to enjoy the world around me. I really enjoy hiking and kayaking, fishing and hunting...feeling a part of nature.

As John Muir says:

Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop off like autumn leaves.

-- Our National Parks, 1901, page 56.

Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul alike.
- The Yosemite (1912), page 256.

I truly believe that to be a part of this world...truly a part of it, we need to live with intention and to walk and see and play with in it... not in concrete buildings and asphalt parks.  There are advantages to cities and I have lived in and loved them at times in my life. Culture and art are also a great part of being human but for me to truly live, I need to be a part of nature, to see the art in a simple stream or bud of a leaf, the connections that make it all possible. I have always know that everything is connected but with my studies, I learn in more detail of how and it is truly amazing.

So, in order to not be all work and no play, I try to find the time to play in nature and just experience.  In the winter, that is hunting and walking trails.  There is something amazing about sitting in a tree stand on a crisp and clear cold winter's morning as the sun rises, listening to the birds wake up and watching the light change from a dim glow to full daylight.  I experience something similar when I take time to fish at sunset at Trap Pond. I rarely catch anything but listening to the inhabitants settling in for the night and the frogs waking up as the light moves to that magickal twilight is just so peaceful.  I try to take time to walk the trails in the parks around me and to kayak on nice days.  I spent a lot of time last year kayaking places like the Pocomoke River in my Viking kayak and exploring the swamps in my sit on top kayak, my favorite places being the local Trap Pond with the Cypress swamps and down in North Carolina, Merchants Millpond with the Cypress and Tupelos draped with Spanish Moss.

So, this Spring, I am hoping to do a lot more and making a concerted effort to spend that time in nature...it is too easy for me to sometimes just say that I have too much to do and skip the "play time".  I am hoping to do Delaware's Trail Challenge (a selection of trails around the state) along with other trails in the neighboring area.  Of course, I will be back in my kayak soon, as well, the weather has just been a bit chilly and windy lately.  I will be documenting the trails on land and water at my site on
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=2122060&code=bbfadf4c5fd9a3e6b2232f0b97a09cea


    
I truly believe that we need the beauty as well as the bread to live a whole life.

okay...so much for keeping up to day...SPRING!

I can not believe how long it has been since I have posted! I will do a brief overview of the Spring.

First, my landlord sold the land I live on to someone else who is making the big horse barn into their workshop while the visit family.  So, they are here only occasionally, supposedly. So far it has not been so good for me or the homestead. First I had to take down all the pens I had just built trying to make more secure areas that dry out better for the ducks, in particular and to separate the turkeys (bunch of boys together in the Spring is not a good thing!).  For a little bit the ducks were free ranging but that didn't work so well because I lost quite a few to the road (4 in one day!) and I lost most of my teenage ducks last year to an owl pair. So, most of the winter the ducks have been confined to the shed (that I had made into a coop for the chickens - who have now been kicked out) and back into the pen that stays wet and mucky any time it rains...it is only really good for long hot summer days.  The landlord has also forbidden me to put rabbit manure directly on my garden (even in the late winter) because according to him it isn't sanitary...actually even yelled at me and said he didn't know what kind of farm I grew up on but it wasn't happening here). This past weekend he bulldozed down all the berms that have been there since before we moved in but were convenient to help keep the dogs and featherheads within our boundaries...and it all looks terrible....not to mention all the tractor messing around every single day and some right outside by bedroom window! He is about ready to give me a nervous breakdown.

So, not to make a long story even longer...basically it means I am biding my time and trying to find a new homestead for me and my critters and I hope and pray that is will not be a "croft" this time and I will own it.... we will see how that all goes.  So there may be some writing about that into the near future.

In the meantime...we move along with things because the farm doesn't stop due to nuisances!

I am having a lot more success with my rabbits and have a whole separate web page I just started for them.  At the moment I have 3 does with kits and 2 does I am crossing fingers and toes that they kindle soon! They both are acting squirly and I caught one carrying straw around...no fur pulling yet though and today is due date.  My 3 harlequin does are the ones with current babies.  Holly has a litter of three with Telsy, the Rex buck.  Hazel has one baby out of 3 that were born and (s)he is staying on the homestead....affectionately named "Chubby Butt", but officially named Muin, with the papa being Darroch, my Harlequin buck. The harlequin jr. doe, Ivy, with a litter of 4 from a mixed Am. Chin/Silver Fox buck that is not staying. This success has been very welcome and a long time coming!

The two does that are hopefully bred are my full bred Silver Fox, Rowan to Ronan, the SF buck and my new black New Zealand doe who was bred to a red NZ buck before I brought her home.  So...we will see!

Meanwhile I have ducks galore setting on nests and a turkey that I think will be setting soon! I do plan to incubate some duck and turkey eggs but am trying to get some of the coop situation fixed first. I am working on it...it is just taking awhile!

And finally, the garden.... onions are coming up, a few peas for me are coming up and a bunch of field peas for the critters. I have broccoli, cabbage, brussel sprouts, sweet potatoes and lettuce going from transplants and spinach and carrots starting to pop up from seeds. I have a few tomatoe plants going inside and some seeds going and hope next week to get some of that outside along with herbs. I have plastic heating ground right now...I hope and pray for a big crop of tomatoes and peppers, along with the various squashes and the lettuce, spinach and greens for human eating and feather head/bunny eating. Along with that is a new sprouting adventure that I will post on soon.

Okay, this is long enough. I will post a pic of Chubby Butt as a reward to anyone who has read this whole thing! Then I will get some more timely posts up as things go...