Thursday, May 25, 2017

surprise, surprise! Getting new livestock!

Ever since living here on our homestead we are thinking about how to get so self-sufficed some possible. So our vegetable-garden is growing every year, to grow enough food for us. We have enough hay land for making hay for our livestock but we have also thought a lot  about dairy-animals. Dairy products are expensive to buy, especially when you buy organic. It could save some money when we keep our own dairy animal and made the most products at home.  But is it best to keep a cow and get enough milk to feed the whole neighbourhood? Or should we start with keeping dairy goats, which are a lot easier to handle and to hold than a cow. I read a lot the past years about both animals and last winter I read about to keep Nigerian dwarf goats as milk goats. I did find that very interesting because I always have loved these small goats. But buying some new livestock would not be in the near future I thought then.....
Until a week ago.... We get the opportunity to take over two lovely dwarf goats, two sisters, and we said yes! and so last week these two girls moved to our home. The grey doe, we called Milou, is the boss. She loves to come and get some attention but her sister Klara is still a little shy. This autumn we will arrange a date to both and next spring we will have some very cute little lambs around here. 



Except the new goats we where and are working in the garden a lot. A lot is growing. Unions, carrots, cabbage, beets are popping out the soil. The strawberries are blooming, in the poly-tunnel are the tomatoes and paprika plants growing.  But the nettle-plants, grass and other weeds are growing too! Every day we weed a bit. 





blooming rhubarb



We try to work one ore twice a week with Berry the Shetland- pony. He is now comfort with getting on the harness,  he is not scared about noise behind him, so in the next view weeks I think he can pull something for the first time! Pictures about that will follow!

Monday, May 1, 2017

glimpses of the spring

The first of may, the time is flying! April was very cold with snow fall and not that good weather for gardening. Last year I did sow a lot of seeds in April, but now it was still to cold.
27 april....
Today it was very fine weather, so I sowed som lettuce, radish and turnips. I hope the weather stays fine for some more days so I can plant my potatoes also this week. In the poly tunnel are the radish almost ready for eating and my strawberry plants are selling very well.

Yesterday we did eat our first rhubarb pie of this year, yummie!  

Last month we bought a pear tree. For years we talking about to buy one, but I don't know why but there never came one.... But now we have! Because we have many deer and rabbits around, we made a protecting cage around it. Until now it works very well....... I hope this tree will produce many pears and live a long and healthy life!
The best time to buy a fruit tree is 3 years ago.... and the next best time is NOW. 




and in the evening hours I finished my new coat. 
The pattern is original published 1858 a "spring paletot" and the fabric I used is hand woven by a friend. The fabric lay already for 2 years in my sewing basket. It was a very special fabric and I want to use it for something special. I think it fit very well to made into a coat.   




Chips and shavings

Chop! Chop! The chips are flying around. He gives his axe another sway. The early morning air fills with the aromatic scent of pinewood and ...