http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php Serious Frugality for families around the globe. en Wed, 08 Feb 2012 03:30:13 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/images/ca_evo_royalblue/misc/rss.jpg http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=45 Sat, 18 Jun 2011 01:32:07 GMT OK I missed a few days. Harvest tally for June-as of June 17th ... 6 qts strawberries 15 lbs rhubarb 61 eggs (5 doz) 1 qt salad greens ... OK I missed a few days. Harvest tally for June-as of June 17th ...


6 qts strawberries
15 lbs rhubarb
61 eggs (5 doz)
1 qt salad greens

It's a start :) ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=45 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=44 Mon, 02 May 2011 01:11:02 GMT Well, as usual, my animals are unpredictable. Sow #2 did not 'take' and has been 'retired'. Our old boar was also retired. I will miss Butchie, he was a gentle boy.

Sow #3 who I though wouldn't take right away -did- and we may be looking at babies in the next week...and then again, maybe not LOL

I am also going to track everything my hobbyfarm produces, starting today.

4 eggs ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=44 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=43 Sat, 15 Jan 2011 23:34:06 GMT Just a few notes I need to make. The piggies are doing well. They were born on Jan 6th. they are getting round & playful. The second sow (Gilty) should be due late next month, if she took. The third sow (Spot) will join the boar this week for June babies.
I have been looking at seed catalogs to decide what, if anything, we are going to add this year. It looks like we may add a currant bush & 2 honeyberry bushes. Plus, of course, we'll plant the regulars- Tomatoes, peppers, cukes, beans, cabbage, peas, broccoli & a few squash. And I have to thin strawberries & start a new bed. That's all for now. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=43 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=39 Wed, 10 Jun 2009 15:04:24 GMT Well Rosie (the pig) had her babies yesterday (6/9) she has 5 healthy, squirming little piglets. Everyone appears fine. On the same day I picked up a... Well Rosie (the pig) had her babies yesterday (6/9) she has 5 healthy, squirming little piglets. Everyone appears fine. On the same day I picked up a few (okay, 100 ) cornish cross (meat) chicks. The fair pigs are gaining rapidly, I just hope we are closer to being on track :) ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=39 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=38 Thu, 28 May 2009 11:31:49 GMT It's late May & Hubby has informed me that sow #2 (rosie) will be delivering within a week. So they have given her a "private room" and we'll be watching her carefully. The other pigs are doing well, but I wish the fair pigs were a little bigger. They were born 10 days later than we expected (not late, got the wrong date LOL) and I feel about 2 weeks behind. Oh well, I'll tempt them with some yummies soon enough :) ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=38 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=37 Thu, 21 May 2009 01:36:07 GMT On the 19th I planted... 22 cuke plants 5 banana pepper plants 3 habanero plants 6 brussel sprout plants 4 rows of potatoes ODS planted... On the 19th I planted...
22 cuke plants
5 banana pepper plants
3 habanero plants
6 brussel sprout plants
4 rows of potatoes
ODS planted watermelon & pumpkins.

On the 20th...
18 more cuke plants
18 more habenero plants
15 more tomatoes (total of 27)
8 broccoli
4 green cabbage
2 red cabbage
2 kholarabb
6 butternut squash
lots of basil
2 zucchini
2 cantaloupe

Yes....we are crazy, why do you ask? ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=37 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=36 Mon, 18 May 2009 19:42:59 GMT Trying to keep track of what I have planted & when. I really need to keep better records :)

Somewhere between the 4th & the 14th I planted 5 tomato plants. Today, the 18th I planted 7 more.

Planted my first 2 rows of green beans on 4/27th.
Planted a third row on 5/12

Planted first row of peas (regular) on 4/30 (I think)
Planted a second row of peas (sugar snap) on 5/12

On 5/14 I planted 3 zucchini mounds.

On 5/18 I also planted 5 banana pepper seedlings, 3 habanero seedlings & 21 cuke seedlings.
On same date, ODS planted 2 pumpkin plants & 10 watermelon seedlings. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=36 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=35 Mon, 13 Apr 2009 12:10:48 GMT My son gave the adult sheep & goats their booster for enterotoximia on Thursday (4-9). Now they wont need a shot till next March. He also banded the second lambs the same night. Everyone is doing well. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=35 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=34 Wed, 01 Apr 2009 14:50:18 GMT We lost a lamb. I know it happens, but somehow that doesn't make me less sad. He died on Monday 3/27. There wan't anything I could do but make him comfy. It was my favorite, and he was sickly to begin with and would have died the night he was born if I hadn't interviened.
It's silly, because we are raising them for food...but this one was special. I will miss him. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=34 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=33 Thu, 19 Mar 2009 13:31:20 GMT While I was off gallavanting around New York, my second ewe had her babies. Hmmm evening of March 16th. Solid black twins :) Healty & adorable. Of course Mama wouldn't take them. Of course on our farm :) I tend to collect odd or unusual animals LOL ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=33 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=32 Wed, 11 Mar 2009 16:48:15 GMT My 'barn' is getting a new look! It started out 6 years ago as an underused poleshed. One by one, animals started moving in & now you can only call it a barn. However, most of the pens were rush jobs put together at odd angles with whatever we had~frugal & useable at the time. Now, though we have lots of space that isn't being used well & we have a need for a couple new pens, so off to Home Depot! We bought about $200 of wood & latches & Hubby & the boys got busy. Now I have pens that look like pens & we added 3 new ones! One for young pigs, one for sheep or goats to have their babies in & one 'extra' for sick or unruly animals. The one for lambing can also double as a young pen if animals need bottle feeding. It is a beautiful thing!

Some women want jewellry...I'm thrilled with new critter pens :rofl: ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=32 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=31 Thu, 05 Mar 2009 13:21:12 GMT Last night we vaccinated the 'house' lambs :) They were also put in the barn for an hour to start to acclimate. Today I will put them out for 2-3 hours~depending on the weather. It's supposed to get up to 50* today! We plan to put them out full time on Sunday. We will watch them closely, and bring them in overnight if the temps dip too low. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=31 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=30 Tue, 03 Mar 2009 15:30:22 GMT We finally got the sheep vaccinated on Feb 28th. The goats will need their booster on March 21st & the sheep on March 28. We may do it in the middle of the week & do them all at the same time :)

Yesterday we seperated the piggies from their mama full time. They are in their own pen & doing great. Mama pig is 'rooming' with the other sow & the boar is on his own. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=30 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=29 Tue, 24 Feb 2009 13:02:33 GMT Piggies are growing like weeds. We have had to start the weaning process (they are just under 3 weeks) because they are taking such a toll on Mama... Piggies are growing like weeds. We have had to start the weaning process (they are just under 3 weeks) because they are taking such a toll on Mama pig. They still get to nurse, but only 3 times a day. They are on water & piglet feed with no problems. We are worming the adult pigs today.

Sheep...no lamb yet from ewe #2 :eek: Also we haven't vaccinated the sheep yet. My son does it & he has been so busy we can't coordinate. We are now 'scheduled' :p to do it tomorrow evening.

Chickens are back on full laying :) ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=29 http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=28 Sat, 21 Feb 2009 18:14:22 GMT The babies are doing well & are still in the house. Whenever we hope to transition them to the barn, the temps drop so we hold steady. They are now eating every 5 hours (except overnight when they go 6-7 hrs :) )

They weigh about 6.5 and 7.5 lbs (at 2 weeks)

We were told to vaccinate for enterotoximia (overeating disease) but not till 3 weeks, so 1 week to go. We decided to do the whole flock (herd?) at the same time, so this morning we did 3 goats. Tomorrow we'll do 3 sheep. ]]> Maggie http://www.thriftyhearts.com/forum/blog.php?b=28