Choosing Icelandic Chickens for Our Little Homestead and Raising from Day Old Cold Brooded Chicks

 

Along with everything else involved with moving and settling into a new place this summer, we added chickens to our little homestead. With the continued goal of creating a place where we are able to produce more of what we need on a regular basis from our own property. In preparation for this, last winter I did a lot of research and reading about what breeds would best for our situation. Like most thing, this meant I first had to figure out what my main goals were, so I could then determine what would fit with that. I wanted something that would:

Kittens Growing up on the Homestead

 

If you have seen any of the videos over the past months since August, you have probably seen one or both of these kittens already. Living in an area just far enough out of the woods to have a lot less predators than frequented the old location, and observing that several neighboring farm or ranch cats seem to be fairing well over time, it was time to have some kitties join our new little homestead. Because cats are neat, and it's nice to have a good rodent patrol crew on the job. It seems many of you enjoy seeing kitten photos, so here is a collection of some of my favorite shots since these little fur balls joined us. 

Velcro, named for her desire to stick to people no matter what you are doing, joined us first back in the summer. She's the fluffy kitty and loves people more than any cat I have ever met. If you are sitting for even a second she will appear and

Lessons Learned While Shopping for a Tiny House/Homestead Property

So, as you probably are aware, the journey for Fy Nyth to find a permanent home, since I've always known my current location was temporary, has gone on for many years. After several years, finding a lovely property and then having a big issue arise with the attempt instal a toxic smelter directly upwind of that property as I discussed in the video in the last blog post. After waiting for several years hoping to find a resolution to that situation, I decided my time and effort was better spent else ware. I still wish everyone in that area the best with overcoming their own corrupt local officials. So the search continued, Clay and I purchased a place together, and now the tiny house is now going to be moving to that new home with in a week or so if the weather cooperates.

Winter Snowfall

The snow is steadily deepening around here. And Burley and I are enjoying watching every flake fall! We've been having fun snowshoeing through the woods among other things. Now that it is deep enough to not catch the snowshoes on every little bit of unburied brush and twig. For those of you who enjoy watching snowfall without having to shovel it, here's

How Much Produce did the Tiny House Garden Grow?

Now that I have a bit more time to catch up on some things thanks to winter slowing my life down, at least compared to summer, I wanted to check in on how the garden actually produced this year. Does the work it takes to grow fresh food here produce something useful? How much food did I get? This year I did something I've never taken the time to do before and weighed all the various things the garden grew as I harvested them so I would know the total poundage of food produced through the year. What would you guess that total ended up being?

English Shepherd as a Homestead Dog

It is very hard to imagine my life without Burley in it now. When he joined my home at 11 weeks old, he fit in right from the start. I'd had a very close doggy companion years ago, as well as showing and breeding several Labradors. But after my last one passed, life circumstances related to work and housing did not permit having a dog in my life for years. Finally my situation changed, thanks in no small part to the move to my tiny house, to allow that possibility