Yet Another Public Service Announcement .

  

This blog is closed  and has moved to https://newlifeonthefarmlastchapter.blogspot.com/

Please come to visit us in our new digs. And also remember to click on follow if you want to link up with me from now on. Gentle comments such as glaring errors are appreciated.

Pictures Are Sometimes Better Than Words Well Maybe Just A Few.

More of this is in our future 

With rain native grasses begin to return more rain would be wonderful. The world according to goats. 

This is Jack it stinks to be in full molt and look like a flea bitten chicken. 

Object of photo That white above the boat ? Mt. Shasta . Significance ? First time since 

mid July when Carr Fire started and was followed by too many to mention that I have seen her while driving I5. 

Fall is apple time. 

Miss. Flame in front "Not the baby". 

Front porch lovelies under cover during last rains. 

Apparently someone got caught in the act. 

Coming or going some days it is just a dog day.

Sherman says "What???! We are out of cookies???"

And this morning  native grasses abound under the leftovers from last summer and  the worlds largest gopher mound. Back 21. 

Winner We Have A Winner!

Selected randomly by the random selection app we have a winner of the Cowgirl Bling Wallet. And the winner is Kristina of Pioneer Woman at Heart!

Thank you to all of you who stop by to read my run on sentences and thoughts.  I love being part of the blog community . Come by again because you never know what is up at Walnetto Farm . 

Kristina you should have an email requesting information to seal the deal such as your bank account number waiting in your in box. Looking forward to hearing from you. 

Keeping Up With The Jones , er , Susan, and a GIVEAWAY!

This cute autumnal (that is my new word) decoration arrived on Tuesday from Mama Pea along with a recipe I requested. Loving the cute little burlap sack decorated with a sweet pumpkin square. Recipe for Mexican Beer Chowder yet to be tested but will give review when I do.

What does this have to do with the post title? Not much but the days before and after it are  so very Susan. Such as full, catalytic,  more in a day than hours are you getting it? Well Susan I love you and you wear it well but you can keep it. lol

It all began when I offered to organize a "Alpaca to Shawl" for the demo at Arapaho Rose http://www.arapahorosealpacas.com/     and then came the first of the month plus new chickens , barn cleaning and new "flannel sheets" for all. SOP in addition during all this and I am making a slow recovery of a case too much in one little package.

Here is the result of the alpaca to shawl. Hanging nicely on a display in the shop at Arapaho Rose. It is all alpaca , can you say "oh so soft" and was woven on a Baby Wolf loom for those interested.

This is the Fiber Studio. It is where we meet once monthly for spinning and workshops. I love the signage that Karen added just in time for Alpaca Farm Days. It is by the way a national event the last Saturday/Sunday of the month of September. Check your area for a local farm near you.

A better look of the new sign. The profile is of one of Karen's girl alpacas but don't ask me who. She has several gates bearing her likeness also. 

Kathleen on the left and Paula on the right spinning , what else, alpaca!

From front to rear Kathleen, Barbara, Judy, Patty, Colleen and at the shelf  winding a bobbin for our out of sight literally and figuratively weaver Jackie, is Ash. 

Spinner Barbara sharing her hand spun hand knit alpaca (of course) sweater for youngest Grandson Jack. 

We had a wonderful time and the attendance for this event went from 600 hundred last year to 2000 this year! We must being doing something right. But this is Karen's brain child and check out her website link to learn more about the herd and Karen. Plus enjoy a lot of photo's of the days activities.

On Sunday I loaded up the extra large kitty crate and drove to a friends (Ash above the bobbin winder) to pick up two 8 month old Red Sex Link pullets who are laying. Yippie!! I have no photos yet (baddddd chicken mama) but they are lovely and healthy and already four days later , comfortable and giving me eggs. Then after getting back home from a lengthy visit I went to therapy.

Cheap therapy. I pulled out my Schacht Matchless wheel and spun myself just about comatose before it was feeding time and end of the day chores. Boy did I benefit from that ! If I had been born before my time I would have been a production spinner. So stealing away some time is cheaper than a therapist and releases endorphins so I go to my happiest of places. Well except for being with the goats, the Pyrs, the cats, the house dogs . Perhaps I am happier than I thought ;-)

Monday , Monday how loaded that day. Yikes a first of the month trip to Redding always means a really long day. And it rained a bit too. But I got 'er done and was back home by four in the P.M. Got things organized and out the door by four forty five diving into evening chores. I slept really well that night.

Tuesday dawned with some unexpected rain showers. By the time it was over I was a bit damp but loving it. Enjoying coffee and a phone call visit with my bestie cowlady aka Janet who lives lived :-(
at the Armstrong Holiday ranch across the street. She and her cowboy retired and moved to Winnemucca ,NV. By the time the visit was done the skies had cleared to lots of big , billowy clouds and blue sky.

So I made a trip to the feed stores. Picked up chicken feed, grain for my milker and the bucks. I supplement the buck boys with about a 4 ounce ration of 14% Organic all purpose when they are in rut.Reason? They park their brains (between their ears) on a fence post and their appetite takes a nose dive. Even that small amount helps Longfellow who is 9 years now keep a decent weight through the rut season.

The next stop was  for straw, shavings and the lovely first cutting alfalfa mountain hay you see above. It makes my entire barn smell like, well, new mowed alfalfa. Fine, leafy and they eat it all down to the bottom of the bunk. Except for the bucks who look at and go back to pacing the fence line because a doe was on the other side about four feet away. Like I said their "brains" not the ones referred to above the pair a bit lower than that rule the brain between their ears. So they stare at it once in awhile but by the next morning it too has disappeared.

Wednesday was a mix of showers and sun. When the showers stopped I dashed out turned out the does in the west barn and commenced to clean and put down the "flannel sheets". First after cleaning a fine layer of zeolite, then another fine layer of DE , a thicker layer of shavings and lastly a bale and one of half of straw. This combination makes a good base for wintering over and adding straw when needed. We have porous soil so the zeolite and DE (diatomaceous earth) adds a hand in keeping it dry and also keeping odor at bay. I do what is called deep bedding which translates to I don't clean until Spring or when weather becomes warm and dry . I just continue to add straw and as time goes on it begins to compost itself and adds a bit of heat to the barn which adds a measure of comfort on the December through March days that are quite cold , wet and on occasion snowy.

zeolite and DE

   Pine shavings being applied in about a 1/2 inch layer over the zeolite and DE

The top layer is very nice bedding straw.  Which will be reapplied as needed this winter. 

I was super happy to have gotten the whole process including moving the feeder bunk in the above photo into the barn after a summer of feeding outdoors in about 4 hours total including a few "honey do's" for me along the way. I haven't gotten any photos today with the crew inside but they all looked happy this morning. Now only the big barn, buck barn and chicken coop to go.

So there you have it my week that was. I will admit that despite the title I will never be able to keep up Susan as I require at least seven hours of sleep to appear remotely human the next day.  And I couldn't think of anyone I would rather see remain the reigning Queen of the pack and dash weekend like she is :-) 

If you are still with me and haven't been bored into a nap as a reward I present a giveaway.  If you have always wanted to release your inner Cowgirl but can't run barrels here is your chance to sport some Cowgirl bling. 

A bling, bling a clutch trifold wallet from Blazin Roxx . If not for you Christmas is coming and it would make a great gift for that cowgirl or wannabe disco cowgirl in your life. How do I win? Well just leave a comment on this post and your name will go into a feed bucket on Columbus Day Monday October 8th. Winner will be announced on the 9th of October. Winner will have until October 11th to contact me with their contact info or another winner will be drawn. I will pay postage within the US. If you are out of the US and win I will ask you to pay the difference in US and international postage.  Good luck!

Public Service Announcement

  

This photo has no significance to anything other than I like it. Well wait maybe it does as we are looking rain in the face. It is supposed to begin on Sunday and potentially go through to Tuesday or Wednesday. Not a lot but enough to settle the dust for which both I and my abused sinuses will be thankful. Trust me living on 42 acres with the wind blowing isn't pretty. Also the temperatures are dropping down again and hopefully they will stick. There is nothing pretty about 93 degrees in September  even for a life long California girl. 

With that said this post is just what it says. Life has gone into high gear again. Loosely translated means I somehow forgot where my "no but thanks I can't do that" button is. And I have managed to commit myself to be overly committed. It in reality began last weekend and will go through the first part of next week. Why? Because next week is  the beginning of another month. "What "cries the crowd "how can that be ?" 😱

So until I wind my through this mess obligation my mouth got me into and the first one to two days of October I will may go underground. I owe a couple of blog friends emails and find myself reading but not commenting on other blogs. I have tried to correct much of that this morning. 

Until then I bid you adieu . Unless I get a rush of energy and time at the same point. Good grief all these variables!!

Bits And Pieces Yeah,Yeah,Yeah

  Miss Flame is getting older but "still the baby!" And being the baby earns being tucked under Mama's wing every night on the roosting bar. Look closely hen pops out at top tail feathers at the bottom. Shows how she has grown. And when I go in each night to check on everyone if she is tucked way under and I call her name she will pop her little noggin out and peep a reply. I do believe she knows my voice now.  

Just for comparison is the one above .

This is Walnetto-Farm ST Wilhelmina aka Willa. But now she has registration papers and a secret.  Stay tuned for more . . .

A volunteer under this 

Each night when I water it I pinch off the older blossoms and the sweet one above popped up.

The new batch of Dinosaur Kale starts. 

And this morning while fruit stand hopping I found this. One pound of Chandler walnuts new crop. I do much better with this variety as it is less acidic than the others. I can eat them raw with abandon as well in baked goods. And I love the label who knew you could go to college by "going nuts"? 

Six Days To Go And It Is Beginning To Feel Like Autumn !

Woke up to a crisp Sunday morning and 46 degrees in the air. The air was there no smoke, no haze. The sky was blue a deep blue I haven't seen in about 10 weeks. It looked a lot like this. But today there were no clouds. 

Remember this cute chick and her Mama?

The first night that Flame was out with Mama they ended up sleeping in the original Chick hotel since Flame couldn't mange to get airborne high enough to join Mama on the big chicken roost. Well the second night mind you I walked in there they were. Snug as two bugs in a rug and I do believe I saw a degree from the aeronautics division of avian sciences tucked under Flame's left wing.

And then last night I went out to say goodnight to everyone and give treats to goats and dogs and yes chickens. Good grief I spoil this crew! I couldn't find Flame I could hear her but couldn't find her.   "Flame " I called and I hear "peep,peep,peep." Then again and again with increased concern as I scoured the coop I would holler again and get back another "peep,peep,peep." Mama and Flame had been excavating a few inches deep area in the front of the coop that afternoon so I am thinking "Darn chick thinks it is Indiana Jones!" But I knew Mama was up on the roosting bar by her sisters and then it dawned on me. She did look a bit rounder than usual I took a look from the bottom, nothing. First the right side and then the left. Mama you are really poofing out those wing feathers. I looked down to the roosting bar . Very very suspicious "Mama hen your left wing has sprouted feet."   Just then she ruffled her wing feathers and out walked Flame. I laughed hard at them " Mama you are just like Mother Ginger in the  Nutcracker ballet." 

 Today in the early morning sun Mama hen and Flame were back at it. A scratching lesson again today. It has been fun watching them When I toss grains and veggie clippings to them it is interesting watching Mama chat at Flame incessantly in explanation as she picks up a piece of lettuce and drops it at Flame's feet and showing her again how to pick it up. I bet Mama hen sleeps well at night.  If you can't see Flame enlarge the photo and look on the outside of the fence to the right(your visual right) of the T post. Where else would that sweet little chick  trouble maker be but on the wrong side of the fence. She needs to put on a few pounds! I have watched her drive Mama to distraction running in and out of the no climb fencing. But she always comes back.

Welcome to my garlic bed of 2018 . OK then in progress but one has to start somewhere right?The red flowered plants to in the front left above are a gift from my nursery fiber friend Pam. They are a great butterfly/honey bee and hummer attractant. They were also volunteers this year and I just love them. They will stay until winter calls them home.  If you remember correctly this was the  sunflower bed of this summer. If not here is a refresher.

So today I got busy and turned the soil, got rid of the last of the sunflower roots and mixed in some well aged barn cleanings and a few other goodies and watered it amply. That is Rose to the rear a 4 year  old rosemary bush that began very small and loves where it lives. The artichoke plants outlived the area and the asparagus was a challenge but Rose is dependable and the hummers, honeybees and butterflies love her . I do also especially in soft goat cheese I make.

What else got accomplished this day before one o'clock? I cleaned out the green house to the bones. It was in a terrible state of disarray. I had in fact been dreading the task. I wasn't planning on doing it today but the day is so cool only now at almost three in the afternoon has it reached 80 degrees with a wonderful breeze. And I wasn't looking forward to doing it in warmer weather so I jumped in and got 'er done. Of course no camera in this unplanned venture but I got it all out and will be rearranging things and adding new within the next few weeks. I need to get my salad greens going like yesterday 🙀 I will get some photos as it progresses over time.


Wishing all those experiencing inclement, nasty and downright life threatening weather on the other coast prayers of peace and safety. Perhaps we will all see a calm winter with weather that brings a prosperous Spring for our gardens . I am looking forward to waking to more calm, cool skies as we had yesterday .