This picture doesn't do it justice, but we woke up to ice this morning!  What a mess, although we had a winter storm warning with the forecast of 2-4 inches, we haven't gotten it yet!  This winter has definitely been the most challenging in many years.  I am not sure if it is because of the weather or if because we add more animals (turkeys and goats are new for us).  The turkeys have been the most challenging.  They really are dumb animals.  We have them in two pens because we are trying to keep them true to their breeds and not mix.  They have shelter to go under, but they prefer to roost on top of it!!  I was out at 6 this morning with hubby trying to get them off the top and under the cover, it didn't last long though and they were back out in the elements! ugh!  I am going to appreciate spring weather so much this year. We have been waiting for our kitchen designs to be done, and tomorrow night we meet with the builder to see what...

We are officially registered as a pygora breeder!!!  I know, I'm a nerd, but it is little things like this that make me want to continue doing what we are doing. Now to get the permanant goat "barn" up and the really tall fence!  With the weather cooperating the way it has been we might be able to get it up next weekend, although the rumor is that there is more snow heading our way next week!! UGH!  I usually LOVE winter, but for some reason this one has overstayed its welcome like a really bad guest.

When my kiddos were little, I started making special breakfast's on certain holidays like Valentine's and St. Patrick's Day.  I would get the holiday themed glasses or mugs at the dollar store and sometimes fill them with candy or something.  Then I would make special heart shaped muffins, and of course Irish scones for St. Patrick's day.  Even though they are much older now, (the oldest turns 18 this fall!)  I have kept up with these traditions for the younger ones and I still enjoy it too! During the season of Lent the kids and I usually work through special devotions and work on "fasting" from something that is hard for us to give up, or maybe bad habits that we really need to work on!  I was so excited this year when I found the book "Amon's Adventure" which is a Lent Devotional Story Book.  We have read all of the Christmas Advent books (there are three of them) over the last 8 or 10 years.  The kids pick one of the three to go through....

Last year hubby and I invested in 15 heritage breed turkeys with the intentions of breeding them and then selling the turkeys...somehow:))  We butchered the breed that seemed to not do so well in our cold area and kept the Royal Palms and the Narrangansett.  One Tom and 3 or 4 hens.  I am not sure how to go about advertising these or marketing them, but I need to think fast, because we have eggs in the incubator!!!!  I just got the first Narrangansett, and we have 2 of the Royal Palms.  Any ideas?  I know that these birds are actually on some list of  "very few left" list.  I don't know if they qualify for endangered species or what.  I am hoping we are able to hatch out the eggs that we get though....I never thought in all my life I would be a turkey farmer though.

One of my goals for this year was to learn how to make and do as much as I could here at home.  Things like homemade soap, laundry detergent, food, bread, deodorant, and my list could go on and on.  I am learning to keep the right stuff stocked on the shelves to make these items.  I have made bread for about 15 years now and can't tell you the last time I bought bread from the store, I just don't need to.  So for my first Make-it-Yourself Monday I am going to do yogurt!! Now I was blessed recently by a friend, to be be given...for FREE a brand new, not even out of the box, yogurt maker!!!!  So that is what I am showing you in the pictures today, but I know there are recipes for yogurt making in a small cooler (that is how I was doing it before) So if you don't have a machine, get on-line and check out some recipes, I know the West Ladies at Homestead Blessings has an easy one. Yogurt is expensive, especially if you buy organic, so by using our raw mi...

Even though the weather is not cooperating (we have snow showers again today !!UGH) TSC says that it is chick days, and in my book that is about as close to spring as we are going to get right now!  The three youngest and I took a field trip today and picked up 25 cornish rocks and 4 black Australorps (just because they are so cute I couldn't resist).  So they are comfortably settled in their box in our master bathroom.  I figured the only way to get out of my winter blahs is to jump in with both feet and be productive. 

Homemaker Ang over at http://eclecticculturefarm.blogspot.com/  is having a giveaway!  She is giving away reusable canning lids from Lehman's.  With this winter being so long, I am dreaming about the garden and with that comes all the canning with it and I think these would work great!  I was lucky enough to spend the day with Angie and her family on their off grid farm this fall.  They live about 45 minutes north of here.  For my birthday, Hubby got us a gift to stay at their off-grid cottage in May!  I am counting down the days.  Go check out her blog to sign up for the giveaway and read more about the really cool things this family does!!