Bringing Back the Wash Tub

 

A bit of blue sky, a gentle breeze, springtime on the farm...ahhh, fresh laundry. In reality, under an overcast winter sky I have PILES and PILES of freshly washed laundry that I did at the laundry mat this morning. During the height of craziness last week with show preparations, my washing machine died. All the way. I thought I could try my hand at going off grid for a bit while I researched machines, but this morning I gave up when faced with a week's worth of dirty laundry from ten people. It's not that I'm against off-grid, I'm just not prepared. Jabbing at the clothes in the sink was a brief attempt at laundry the old-fashioned way, and now I just need to sit down and figure out what will work for us. Has anyone out there (with a large family and maybe even a farm) transitioned to the old wash basin way?

Those Stinkin' Vegetables! and That Elusive History Curriculum...

Last week we spent the day canning carrots and kale with the intention of using it in soup this winter. It was hard to imagine cold weather and snow, but we KNOW it's coming, so we were a little excited about our experiment. 
Today Josh opened the cabinet, and ...wow...what a stench! Not one of those buggers stayed sealed! So this morning we fed the 21 jars to the hogs (minus the jar that got swiped off the counter and spilled all over the floor). All that by 9:00 a.m....
Other pressing matters on the farm are not really farm in nature. Now is the time to be wrapping up plans and ordering materials for our schooling/educating for the fall. Is there ANYONE else out there looking for that perfect history booklist and companion schedule/study guide? Under $500????  Have you found it???? I'd like it to be a Charlotte Mason philosophy, literature based, organized by time period (American history right now) with a daily schedule that is organized and easy to follow. Please make it rich in all the beautiful books out there, honest with the issues facing the culture of the day, and something that will inspire my children as they see the hand of God throughout HIStory.


Some that I've looked at/tried:
~Truthquest
~Notgrass
~Sonlight
~Queen Homeschooling
~Ambleside Online
~Winterpromise
~Mystery of History

I'd love to hear from you, friends! Am I missing something out there?

Momma Gets A Farmhouse Education...

A milestone has been reached on the farm...

I have milked the cow!!!

This week I have been "in training" doing chores that I never do. Coming out to the farm six years ago sounded wonderfully romantic, full of charm and vintage farm life, simplicity and down-home goodness. But quite honestly, the children do practically all the farm work. Thankfully Josh and Jenna love it, because I'm not so sure I'd stick it out if left to myself!

I was a bit intimidated by the cow, but discovered that I can put her halter on and lead her without any trouble. Josh was careful to show me which part of the halter goes around her nose, and which part goes over her ears. So far, so good. With only a couple tugs, I managed to bring her into the barn for milking and then came the next hurdle. Josh said, "Now you need to learn how to tie a 'quick-release knot' around the post." I needed a few demonstrations, but discovered that tying knots may be similar to my mom's interest in Sodoku. It is mentally challenging...

Two other concerns I had in addition to the knot-tying, was "stripping" her, and whatever would I do if she decided to release her bowels? I've heard countless stories of how the children can see signs of impending release, run for the shovel, and actually catch it (or most of it) before it makes a mess of everything in the vicinity. I was on my own tonight, and confess I felt a little vulnerable bending right behind her behind...my kiddos sing in the barn~I was asking the cow to use her manners for my sake...really, I did. Thankfully, no problems of that sort, but I can't always be so fortunate! As for the stripping, I finally got it together and was able to make my brain and fingers coordinate their movement. Back to the pasture she went, and my first time milking~all by myself~was successful!

If the day comes when I'm all alone on the farm, I'm not sure what I'll want to do or what I'll want to take care of. But for today, it did feel good to "do hard things" and stretch myself out of my box, as long as I know my kiddos are not leaving me yet!

Changing Plans

Today was to be the family Christmas gathering on daddy's side of the family. House is cleaned, food is made, and vomiting began...

We have been so blessed thus far this winter season, and in keeping with past history, we save our sickness for Christmas.

So today is shaping up differently. The floor is littered with aching bodies and stiff necks (not the rebellious kind), and heads that ache. I am still feeling okay, though fighting a sore throat. I hope to get a couple of batches of Sour Dough bread made and more sewing.

We momma's need to press on, don't we? Doubtful that I'm the only mother out there who dreads illness in the home...it has happened in the past, that by the time it goes full circle through all the members, it starts again! And, I always regret not being better prepared. I have a stash of vitamins, but I can't quite get myself to the next level of herbs and homeopathy, tonics, infusions, tinctures...you get the picture.

So here's one of my latest ideas: incorporating herbs and gardening into Jenna's science for the rest of this year (and into next?).

We'd both like to enlarge the garden, incorporate more variety, learn about and harvest medicinal herbs, and grow a cutting flower garden. Who has time for ameoba's and protozoa??? Yes, they have an important role, but I think I'll save that detail for Josh, who behaves like a sponge when it comes to science.

Can you help me? If any you could recommend books of value related to growing and using herbs, gardening or growing a cutting flower garden, I'd be grateful. If you're a lurker, please come out of hiding on this one...I love first-hand thoughts and opinions.

And please don't mention to Jenna that she's actually doing science!

Chicks...all 104 of them!

Just a little cold!

Here they are in their pen

This is what they come in....

Yes, we got chicks! All 104 of them arrived this morning...bright and early:) Their breed is Isa Brown, and with lots of feeding, care and 6 months they'll be laying some nice brown eggs for us to eat and sell~

~Jenna

Drying Up!

The last bit of farm activity is slowing to a halt this week as we finish drying up the goats in preparation for kidding time. If all goes well, we will have kids at the start of March, and then new babies arriving monthly. Fresh raw milk is a seasonal product around here, and I consider ourselves to be very blessed as we enjoy it. For my little self-sufficient longings, this is one of our first steps.