Blind Hog and Acorn

Blind Hog has a cold...  Or the flu...  Not sure, but it ain't Covid.  Had a low temp of 100.2°F today, coughing, drainage, overall malaise...  Acorn has a scratchy throat but thinks it is elm pollen...

Five nannies kidded, seven more to go.  Had a set of triplets along with a pair of twins yesterday- one of the twins having a malformed snout.  Most peculiar.  Is it a genetic issue, or teratogen issue from the toxin in poison hemlock (which is everywhere around us).  Hard to say.  If it happens again to a kid from a particular sire, my finger will point to the buck.

Nice weather at least.  Bee hives had a cursory look-see.  Tomatoes finally got processed from the freezer. Yay!

Blind Hog and Acorn survived the record lows as well as the snow.  Thankfully the 12-16" threatened were just that- a threat.  4" was plenty.

Barns are being prepared for the next round of kidding.  Pantry items are being replenished.  New shelf in the kitchen is installed.  Getting all the little piddly chores done...

Blind Hog helped neighbor set out hay bales  at noon while Acorn cleaned house like a whirling Dervish.  Getting all kinds of chores done before Tuesday's expected snowfall.

Great Weekend Bird Count is on- Acorn spotted 14 species in 15 minutes, with appx numbers for each. LOTS of finches...

Super Bowl brought sadness of the farmers...  Ahhhh well, guess there is a reason that there are no three-peats...  Acorn found solace by doing the taxes and sending them off.

Sourdough madness continues.  Today was sourdough corn muffins.  Went well with the dried lima bean soup.

Another cleaning of the dairy barn, having funs with sourdoughs, getting ready for another Icy Blast of Winter.  The fun never ends...

Acorn bought a 50 lb bag of hard red winter wheat to grind for flour.  Little Red Hen found that it filled 28 qt jars (she had ground up 3 qts prior).  Each jar got a sachet of "oxygen absorber" before sealing with lids and rings. Will be interesting to see how long this batch of grain will last.

Hay chores need to be done today... Fill the feeders for the goats as well as add some into the goose nesting boxes.  They can begin laying soon.

Kombucha is now 13 years old.  That is one good SCOBY!  Goats will eat the extra SCOBY so a win-win for everyone.

Chinese New Year, the Wood Snake. Wheeeee!  Dragon has been replaced with Snake, and so the New Year begins.

Weather most temperate, Super Bowl teams set.

Fodder experiment has mixed results- geese given the first tray and they gobbled it down.

Sourdough discard waffles and cheesy crackers made; so far, so good.  Even made homemade chocolates for the first time- super easy!

Finding the Libby and Hoopla library apps to be most handy.

Jr Constable fell ill and died in about 24 hrs- wondering if it was avian flu but will never know.  He will be missed.

Blind Hog and Acorn have thawed out, round one of kidding is completed, and it actually got into the 50's...  Who knew?

January Resolutions have been upheld for the first 3 weeks- amaze!  Will this be the year of better health and exercise?  Maybe, and no Covid quarantines to impose such!

Acorn is tending a goat with a case of skin cancer- will treat to alleviate symptoms and discomfort, but that is all that really can be done.

Is good to have a surplus of firewood, that is for sure!

Time for second winter.  Preparations made for a sub-zero front and Blind Hog and Acorn are ready to hunker in.  Livestock and pets all taken care of, now to see if "that one goat" can hold off kidding until Thursday, if she doesn't get it done today that is...

Geese are set up better this year- heated water buckets in each of their pens.  Voila.  Old Bags the cat has a heated kennel pad which she greatly enjoys. Goats have two barns to choose from. And there you go...

Will be a footbally kind of weekend...  Soccer as well as NFL.  Blind Hog deserves a bit of time off.  Go Chiefs!

Six inches of the white stuff has covered SteelMeadow Farm.  Is very fluffy, with just a bit of ice on the ground underneath.  Doubt it will stick around long and actually the geese and goats would prefer it go ahead and melt on off.

Blind Hog and Acorn had done all the necessary prep work and even had time to fix a fence where a tree had fallen.  Never put off tomorrow what you can get done today...  How many times has that been true?

Blind Hog and Acorn about have chores done before the "winter event" arrives tonight.  Goat barns prepped, goosey hut covered and fluffed with clean pine shavings.

Fingers crossed the ice stays to the north.

Acorn found out who has the best prices for Rx eyeglasses (Costco).  Blind Hog is tossing some of his hard-earned firewood into the woodstove, keeping the house toasty.  He did finish smoothing the drive behind the house were the ditch washed it out.  So Nice!

Will tell next week about the storm/ice/snow/rain/thunder...

Blind Hog and Acorn had a very quiet Christmas since the kiddos were doing their own visitations. Acorn cooked up a delicious rib roast with veggies underneath, baked up some Yorkshire puddings with all but leapt out of their pan.  Totally delicious.

Farm chores chugging along.  Blind Hog got the drainage ditch behind the workshop cleared out- it had dammed up and was washing out the bottom turn of the driveway.  Sam got to pose on the cement plug.  He was very proud.

Goats doing well, kids keeping right up with their moms. The lads are happy as long as they get goat kibble too.

A trip to Crystal Bridges was on tap for Acorn's birthday.  Having all the fun seeing art! 

Happy New Year from the farm!