Jan. 13, 2006 - Farm news
Have you ever felt that you are so busy living your life that you don't have time to write about it? My days are full to the brim right now!! Yesterday I was sitting at my spinning wheel for a short time...my heart was so full as I turned my own homegrown wool into yarn, bread dough was rising, homeraised ham and bean soup was simmering, my Isabelle's milk was being made into yogurt...I went outside for a load of wood and Dave was outside splitting wood with Ben-13. He said "I just love chopping our own wood for the fire." I smiled. We are truly living our dream and I thank God for every moment of it.
My newest ventures are cheesemaking and spinning. Dave gave me a beautiful spinning wheel several years ago but I never found the time to really master it. Our youngest are now 3 and 6 and old enough not to touch and not to need me so constantly. So I have made the commitment to learn this ancient art and to turn our beautiful shetland wool into yarn. We have 13 sheep in the pasture now with Ferdinand the ram, so our herd will grow significantly this year. I attended the local spinner's group on Tuesday and loved every minute of it. I was without children 
for 3 hours while getting lots of help with my spinning, visiting with some lovely ladies and eating some delicious snacks. Heaven! When baby comes I plan to put her/him in the sling and keep on spinning...
In a few hours the children and I will head over to a friend's for a cheesemaking session. I have made a soft farmer's cheese, mozzarella, cheddar, and ricotta so far. They have all turned out well. The cheddar is a pressed cheese and requires alot of milk, but as it ages it is getting so flavorful and good that it is worth it. Today we will make a big batch of mozzarella and ricotta. My sweet Isabelle is still giving us plenty of milk, up to 5 gallons a day, even in her 7th month of pregnancy. Another 6 weeks and it will be time to dry her up for a rest. Her calf is due at the same time as our newest blessing. Actually all our animals will give birth around the same time this year. It will give me a break from milking at the perfect time.
The rest of the homestead is still humming along even in these dark winter days. The chickens have picked up their laying with the help of a light in the coop. Clarabelle the calf is growing into a beautiful, tame cow - a future milker! The pygoras are all bred now and their coats are growing long and lusterous. The dairy goats were bred to pygoras this year for some mini-milkers and the sheep are warm and wooly with the promise of some gorgous fleeces this spring.
I'm off to milking and getting the children moving. Have a wonderful day!
Comments
Jan. 13, 2006 - love it
Posted by Cathy
Hi,
Another wonderful blog entry...I love when you update us about your farm and log cabin. Take care and talk soon on the "Homestead".
Blessings,
Cathy
Jan. 24, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by kennethsrib
good morning. thank you for another wonderful blog entry. what a wonderful thing to have your own cow... but alot of work day in and day out I imagine.
Jan. 31, 2006 - Untitled Comment
Posted by ronandjess
Your life sounds like a dream and hard work!! I still am trying to learn the basics of cooking without using the box.. I have dreamed of homesteading and right now just work on learning one thing at a time. Sound like you, though you are further than I can imagine being. It is encouraging that sometimes it takes a while to try that thing you want to learn but no time. Thanks!!
