Happenings on the farm...

It is spring here on the high desert. We have had some amazing days. Warm, beautiful sunshine, blue skies, sunny days.

Ahhhhhh.

In the garden the spinach, lettuce & radishes are all up and growing strong. I have several seed start trays tucked into my cold frames. We'll see if they take off. The strawberries are all weeded & starting to perk up. It looks like we will get enough asparagus to harvest this year .

I got the peas planted last week but yesterday our evil hens scratched them all up . We have instigated Pullet Prison for the hens who insist on flying over the fence into the yard. We will try to rehabilitate them but if that doesn't work-- it's chicken & dumplin's.

We are borrowing a tiller tomorrow & will work up the big garden. I hope to buy black plastic this week & then I can plant the rest of my cool crops: carrots, onions, brocolli, cauliflower etc.

I am really looking forward to it all.

In the barnyard the twins bucks are growing strong. We need to band then this week. Bummer for them .

We moved our meat birds into a 10x10 dog kennel. They had totally outgrown their brooder. The kennel is backed up to our pumphouse so it blocks the wind & they have a dog crate to sleep in with a heatlamp right outside. They seem to be doing great in there.

The 4 pullets (that we got free when we bought the meat birds) are still in their brooder but we need to move them into a larger cage within the henhouse. This gives them the chance to adjust to no heat & for the other hens to get used to them before they are turned loose. It tends to help lessen the pecking order when you ease them into it.

We bought 4 turkey poults yesterday. They are in the brooder in our shop staying nice and warm. They will be our holiday meals. I love turkey poults--they have so much more personality then the chicks. Maybe it is just because they are too dumb to be scared .

We had a litter of bunnies born on Friday. We think 5 or 6 but haven't looked too hard yet. Another litter is due anyday now.

In other news I had a good day at the Goodwill yesterday. I found a stainless steel meat clever for $4.99. A 9x13 pyrex pan to replace my FAVORITE baking pan that, um, went MIA at a church function . I also found two pretty plates for .79 each. One with holly berries that I will probably give away (full of cookies of course) come Christmas time and one with a pretty strawberry pattern that I just liked. My daughter found a pretty dress, The Little Man got a cowboy shirt & I found some flannel pants for my 13 yr old (he lives in them). I also found a white sweater (the purpose for the trip) that I can wear to my sister-in-laws wedding. A good day all around.

The wedding is coming on full-steam ahead. My daughter will be playing the music --even the wedding march! She has been practising like mad for months now. My hubby will be doing the ceremony. The color scheme is purple so we bought the boys all purple ties, my daughter has a new dress with purple flowers & we finally found a dress for me online (please,please, please let it fit). We still need to find a tie that meets my hubbys specifications & then we will be all set. My oldest is driving up for the wedding & is aware of the color scheme so I am hoping to get some fabulous family pics.

Well, that is life for now on the High Desert.

Blessings.