Bee Keeping

Tomorrow I attend my first bee keeping class. I've been burning up google researching and looking at pictures of beehives. I've also spent time visiting blogs about bees. There are many out there but my favorite has been "Two Men and a Little Farm". I've found a lot of information and inspiration there and I just love 1st man's style of writing.

I've decided that I want Langstroth hives with the copper English style roof. Any time I can put English into anything I do is a good day! I'm going to start with one hive, but if I can manage it financially, I'll start with two. My thinking on this is that if one "fails", perhaps the other will not. I like the look of the Langstroth hives and have decided to paint them a crisp white. They'll be easily seen from the house in white so that I'll be able to keep an eye on them.

The hives come in 8 and 10 frame boxes. I'm going to go with 8 for ease of lifting. Since I'll be setting up this year for bees next year, I plan on purchasing my bee keeping supplies through the coming year. I have visions of veiled hats, white gloves, smokers and various other tools dancing through my head.

The next decision is where to place them on the farm. For that, I'm hoping the teacher in my bee keeping class will be able to help. I've also joined the Dodge-Jefferson Bee Keeper's Association who meet monthly and where I hope to gain a lot of information and advice. They are also one of a few clubs who maintain an active hive yard (apiary) so I'm hoping to gain valuable experience even before my hives are up and buzzing.

Bees and Honey - what could be more glorious! A Bee Garden of course!

All pictures in this post are via the internet.

Kitchen Pantry

We have a large back entry that leads into the kitchen. Although there was a bank of cupboards, it seemed to me that much of the space was wasted. Add to that a 100 year old basement that I don't like going down into and you have the makings of a pantry.

This is the bank of cupboards and the nook below where I had Finnegan's belongings.

You can see how much wasted space there is. I had originally thought to place the washer and dryer here when we rebuilt the staircase, but that didn't work out so the washer and dryer will stay in the little laundry room at the front of the house. I then came up with the idea to have a pantry built. I was inspired by the pantry at one of my favorite blogs to visit, "for the love of a house".

So with our excellent contractor/carpenter on board, he set about the task of building the pantry. I'm so glad we had him do the work for us . . . you can't imagine how much work a little project like this is. From removing the trim, to building, mudding and taping, and everything in between and after. Whew! I'm exhausted just thinking about it! And I have to say this - he matched the stain on the new trim to the old trim perfectly. You wouldn't be able to tell that the pantry was a later addition.

This project is just about finished. There is some floor trim and the door handle to be installed and then I can cross this one off my wish list. Now it's just a matter of stocking it!

I'd Rather Be . . .

I had rather be on my farm, than be emperor of the world.
~ George Washington ~
No truer words were spoken. And I didn't realize the truth of them until we moved onto our own little farm in the heart of Wisconsin. Or until we had rabbits and ducks and chickens and goats. Or until our alpacas came from the farm where we were boarding them to our farm. Or until now, almost a year later, we are settling in to our little farmhouse and well established routines.

Life takes on more meaning on a farm. You are forced to look outside of yourself to the animals in your care and the land you're living on. There's no sleeping in. There's no, "I'll do it tomorrow". You are gently guided into being present. You do not dwell in the past and are not worried about the future. You are in the moment. Thinking and planning on how to best use the space you've got and how you can make a difference.

Chores are not chores, but are ways of spending time with the animals. Looking for signs of illness or injury. Listening to them as they chatter away happily - wishing you could understand them. Almost wishing, at times, that you were one of them. Ducks get along with chickens and barn cats get along with rabbits. There's no animosity. They simply coexist. There's enough for everyone. Everyone gets what they need.

Stepping outside my door in the morning I am grateful for the quiet and peace of living in the country. It was the first thing that struck me when we first arrived. Having spent several years in a small town with a malting facility and the constant drone of machinery and fans, I cried tears of relief and joy. The silence was a most welcome friend. Silence is something I cherish. I don't have the radio playing as other's do. I prefer listening to chickens and ducks any my miniature pig grunting. And the sounds of nature. The birds. The wind. Far off trains blowing their whistles. I enjoy the sounds of life.

With winter almost at an end, we've lived life on our farm through the four seasons. Grateful for the experiences and the learning curves. Grateful that we had a relatively moderate winter. Grateful that spring is almost here. Grateful that the ground has thawed enough that we can get the barn door fully open. Grateful for farm fresh eggs. Grateful for the gift of this farm.

And so we find ourselves content with our little piece of the world. We don't feel the need or desire to travel. We enjoy being on our farm, surrounded by animals, enjoying the peace and quiet. We are home.

Letting the House Speak

The ache for home lives in all of us,
the safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.
~ Maya Angelou ~
We've been on our small farm for almost a year now. I can hardly believe how fast it's gone by. We've settled in and so have our alpacas with their livestock guardian dog, as well as goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits, a barn cat, and our three dogs, three parrots and miniature pig.

Our house has undergone some significant changes in how it views the world. Gone are the small windows in the kitchen and master bedroom and in their place are gloriously large double-hung windows. The living room now hosts a beautiful door and large picture window overlooking crop fields at the front of our property. Our bedroom furniture that couldn't fit up the narrow, steep staircase found it's way up through the new bedroom window. And with the coming of spring, the front porch will be undergoing a face lift. I can almost hear the house sigh as sun light filters in.

I'm a proponent of letting a house speak in regards to its design and how it wants to be lived in. Now that we've settled in our routine, I'm beginning to hear our little farmhouse speak . . . in whispers. Her rooms are gently whispering in my ear that they want to be yellow or a soft white with touches of red and soft green. They want to be uncluttered. Simple. They want to be pretty but not frou-frou. And they want to be lived in, cozy, warm.

I began my farmhouse makeover in the main floor bath by removing the dated wallpaper and painting it a soft, worn green called Burlap (6137) by Sherwin Williams. This room is very small but I wanted to do something unexpected because it is right off the dining room . . . so I added engraved prints in large antique frames.

The large master bedroom is divided into two rooms. I had thought to take down the dividing wall and open the space, but that may well be in a future renovation. For now the second room is a relaxing retreat for reading or taking a nap. I used Turning Oakleaf (ATC-38) by Pittsburgh Paints. It was their 2014 color of the year. "A buttercream yellow that evokes tranquility and is the perfect "no fail" yellow". Don't you just love that? The color changes depending on the light and varies from a soft bright yellow during the day to almost cream in the evening. It's a beautiful color.

My large kitchen and back entry will also be painted Turning Oakloaf and I'm considering painting the dining room this color as well. Because it acts as a neutral (at least to my eye) I think it will tie all these spaces together while adding warmth and light.

The living room was going to be painted a cayenne color, but since listening to the house, it may end up a soft white. My furniture is dark (it suited our previous house well and because it's new we won't be replacing it). So I think white in here will help brighten the space.

I love this picture found at a second hand store for $35.

And so I go thoughtfully and carefully through our small farmhouse that is now our home. Listening to the house as it guides me through each room. Because in my experience, a house knows what it wants. From the paint colors on the wall, to the furniture placement, to the people who live in her. A house knows.

Little Bundles of Joy

After tracking these precious little ones for almost two days, the post office called this morning to let me know they had arrived. I barely slept last night for worry. However, they arrived safe and sound. Carefully taking the box from the postal worker, I sat it gingerly on the passenger seat. I had warmed the car considerably for the last leg of their journey.

When I arrived home, I quickly let the dogs out and then carefully opened the box. Inside were six of the cutest little Ancona ducklings (reminding me of when my Cayuga ducklings arrived this time last year - were they really that little too?). I picked each one up in turn and dipped her beak in the water Brian had prepared earlier with electrolytes. They eagerly drank and then hobbled to the feeder where chick starter pellets awaited them. After getting their fill they all headed under the Brinsea heater for a nap.

And so it's a day of watching carefully these little bundles of joy. Drinking. Eating. Napping. Repeat . . .

Spring is in the Air

Since moving into March we've enjoyed warm weather here on the farm. The snow is gone and in its place are puddles and lots of mud from the installation of water lines to the barn last fall. It's a mess! It's fun to watch the ducks playing in the puddles though and the chickens are venturing further from the coop foraging for whatever falls prey in their path. Seeing them at the outskirts of the farm yard makes me nervous and I keep a close eye out. It's reassuring to know that Rooster is out with his hens keeping watch. I have to chuckle as he prances from one group of hens to the next in all is studly splendor.

The girls have just a few more months before their crias (baby alpacas) are born. Soon they'll be heading into the big pasture and we'll be keeping vigil for the signs of our first born alpaca here on the farm. It's an exciting time!

The Ancona ducklings I ordered in January have been shipped and I'm anxiously awaiting their arrival in the next day or two. I can't imagine starting life out in a box and being juggled around to boot. The brooder is ready with warming lights, electrolyte water and food and we're ready with lots of love and care. It will be fun to watch them grow and have their first experiences. Swimming, of course, is at the top of the list. And their first days outside enveloped in protective fencing for the first few months. I wonder what our resident ducks will think of the new additions?

The window and pantry renovations are nearing completion and I'm looking forward to the porch and stair additions at the front of the house. The new front door was installed last fall and once the weather is consistently warm, I'm going to paint it red. I ran other colors by Brian, but he's stuck on red. Sometimes we just have to appease the men in our life - especially when they rarely have an opinion.

I saw two Robins in the back yard this morning. So now it's a waiting game . . . for the ground to dry and warm under the careful watch of the sun. Spring has sprung.

The Pantry

We've been undergoing several renovations of our farmhouse, most notably new windows. There are other things that need to be taken care of and we're looking at plans for a sunroom/stair renovation to be undertaken in the not to distant future. There is always something with an old house and we take those things in stride. Because we love our old farmhouse.

Because our basement is 100 years old and Brian promised me I'd never have to go down there, I packed our cupboards to the hilt. We have a lot of cupboards in our large kitchen, but space is at a premium. As I sat pondering how to organize, the thought came that I just needed more space. As I scanned the kitchen my eyes rested on the cupboard at the back entry way. It was an underutilized area that I thought would make an excellent pantry.

With Brian on board and the help of our excellent contractor, my vision is becoming a reality. I'm having dreams of organizing the perfect pantry dancing through my head.

Back from Mexico

I'm back from a beautiful week in Manzanillo, Mexico. The warmth of the sun was a welcome friend as we enjoyed lazy days by the resort pool. No chores. No getting up at 6:00am. No one needing a piece of me. It was nice, but I'm glad to be back home with my husband and our menagerie of animals.

And so I've fallen easily back into my routine with appreciation and gratitude for all I have. And it doesn't hurt that we're enjoying 60 degree weather.

My mom, Mary, and I . . .

Horseback riding along the beach . . .

Lounging by the pool . . .

Our hotel . . .

I painted this Cockatoo one afternoon . . .

Be Joyful,
Teresa

Life on the Farm

Having moved onto our farm in April of 2015, we set about making ready to bring our alpacas home from where they were being agisted (boarded). A good friend of ours, Richard, came down from Canada to help Brian with fencing and other heavy work. Those boys worked hard digging holes, setting posts and then stretching the 4x4 welded wire fencing to enclose our front pasture.

The newly fenced front pasture . . .

Richard on Big Red . . .

Moving a shelter into the front pasture . . .

The girls now home and enjoying the front pasture . . .

Then came the rabbits, a barn cat named Boris, ducks, chickens, goats, and a livestock guardian dog . . .

Boris (the cat), MooMoo, Midnight and Moonbeam (the rabbits)

Thunder and Storm - English Angora

Cayuga Ducks

Heritage Breeds - Australorp and Golden Laced Wyandotte, Cinnamon Queen, Buff Orpington, Rhode Island Red

Felix and Oscar - Fainting Goats

Loki - a Maremma

We've all settled nicely into our routines and things run pretty smoothly. We've been very fortunate not to have had any casualties (save for one chicken that our dog Oliver got - I cried heavily over that chicken . . . sigh). But then it's no surprise, because we're watched over by Angels. And I'm very grateful for that.

With spring just around the corner we're very happy to have survived our first winter on the farm. And this year spring brings us five Ancona ducks and two Talhouse geese. It also brings the renovation of our front porch and some much needed landscaping. Such is life on the farm . . .