Blind Hog and Acorn

Yes indeedy- rain is falling on the farm. Blind Hog and Acorn got yard chores done earlier in the week and have a bona fide excuse to sit on their rumps and catch up on reading, English Premier League football, baking- all the usual things that lazy farmers love to do. Acorn's amazing match skills never cease to impress... Getting 72 from adding 24 +16 + 16... Adding in an extra pint in there somewhere... Needless to say, the three bottle kids are sucking the white stuff down. Looking at the rain, Acorn might just take Blind Hog up on his idea to go up to Mansfield this afternoon for a couple more gallons- just to make sure we will get through tomorrow and Monday...

Blind Hog and Acorn said goodbye to Skittles the macaw this week- the houseguest went back home. In fact, the neighbors sent pictures- they have cleared the location of the house, pushed all the remains in a pile and will haul the metal to the recyclers. The site looks great. Is also helpful when you own a bulldozer and Colleen likes to run her dozer... Asparagus is doing great- three pickings so far. Geese have not gone totally broody yet. THAT is frustrating Acorn to no end. Bottle kids are growing like weeds. Quarts of skyr filling the freezer. Acorn went and got herself ordained (online) as you just never know when it might come in handy... Another merit badge for the sash!

Warning! There is a VER LOUD houseguest at the farm... What a week... Eclipse, asparagus, quads, and our neighbor's housefire capped things off. I just cannot imagine their loss. While they get themselves straightened out, we are babysitting Mr Skittles, a scarlet macaw. One bottle kid is on a 3x a day feeding schedule, the other 4x a day. The first feeding is the only time both are fed at the same time. Have to say, Acorn is a little tired...

Yup- 18 years ago Blind Hog, Acorn and the Badger, along with all the stuffs/animals/pickups/trailers- began the two day drive to Missouri... Monday is Eclipse Day... So exciting. The farm should see 99.4% totality. Lil' honkers hatching but not without issues... Blind Hog had issues with his laptop... Acorn is still pissed at the deer but went out and strung electric twine 7 feet up around the garden... It can be electrified if needed. Morels are being shy- only found a few and they were small. Kidding season is winding down. Milking is ramping up. Quarts of skyr are refilling the freezer. All in all, business as usual on the farm...

BEES IN THE HOUSE! Yes, mild panic ensued but 5 bees was 5 more than needed. One of Acorn's nightmares... Turns out, it was a few mason bees hatching out after hibernating in the bark of firewood that Blind Hog brought in.... PHEW!!! Yo-yo temperatures continue. Acorn may have to buy cold crop garden starts after all... The cabbage, broccoli and kale did not enjoy the below 20F mornings last week... 76F today at the farm. Moved the bee hives further east towards the new chosen bee-spot for the two hives. Both were doing just fine.

Milk at least for the morning skyr... Yes, milking time is back. Even have a half dairy girl who thinks she is worthy of the morning ritual. Acorn has had one like this in the past. Old Bonehead did fine for many years... No new kids born, three nannies still to deliver. Temperatures all over the field, highs, lows and in between. Goslings hatching, three so far and the buyer will take them in the next few days. Won't have more until April 5th or so. Sounds like Springtime to Blind Hog and Acorn!

Chevy Tracker is running again! Acorn for the mechanic win! Goats being born (17) and two doelings died- one by black vulture attack, the other probably butted hard when it got confused and went to the wrong nanny. Trying to graft Peanut (the runty triplet) onto the nanny whose kid was killed by the vulture. Wish that was going smoother. Goslings hatching- so far three more hatch dates ahead- March 18th, April 5 th and April14th. 18 eggs incubating as we speak... The adult geese have yet to go broody... Garden starts for cold weather things in the ground at last, including four more rhubarbs. Busy week, tiring week. About ready for a beer...

"See that little doeling? She's not dead, she's just mostly dead" as Miracle Max would say... And so kidding begins... Triplets, twins, twins, and an eight pound miracle single. Second batch of goose eggs in the incubator, cold snap moving in tonight. Blind Hog has been splitting firewood, Acorn playing the midwife. All and all, a tiring week on the farm!

After the purge came the big payout... 686 lbs of scrap metal to the recycler, all for $76... Like selling a truckload of black walnuts to the hulling station... Actually, walnuts bring a few more pennies per pound... Workshop cleared, hay set out, goats sorted-tagged-vaxxed, fuel filter replaced on the Tracker. Now Acorn has to see about changing the distributor. Fun fun... Then to the Big City for more recycling, errands, Blind Hog's annual echo test and more errands... Cold weather plants have been repotted- all good there. Eggs in the incubator doing well- the others were candled and one dud egg found. 10 eggs currently out with the geese- they continue to lay, except for Alpha. Not sure what is up with her... Acorn watched a webinar on native plant landscaping- VERY interesting... You can start one any time of the year! Pizza has been made- doubled the recipe and have some for now, some for later.

Acorn is going to town cleaning the workshop; or as Frank calls, it our "plunder room..." Like Texas has pirates? Plunder? Arrrrrrrrrr! A good week of work on the farm overall. Bookkeeping done, doctor appts all good, farm animals doing well and Blind Hog is bringing home nice dead oak logs from our next door neighbor. Cutting ands splitting all those will keep him busy! Bees have been checked and moved, a bit. Both hives survived the winter and the farmers did not feed them. Received the new baby monitor cameras and base unit- working like a champ! Under $90 so that is even better. Tomorrow will be more cleaning of the workshop, should be warm enough so Acorn can roll up the big door. Hot damn! Sam even caught himself a big old groundhog. Happiness everywhere!

Holy temperature rollercoaster, Batman! Super Bowl, then snow, then 70's, and tomorrow will be in the teens... Geese are laying, eggs picked up and in the incubator. Cold weather seeds are started- LED growlights turning everything pink. Goats have hay, so happy we are not kidding this early. New washer/dryer pair are the bomb, even if they DON'T have steam features! Ha! Acorn made macaroni- like, you know... Macaroni is so expensive- Pffffffff!

Acorn got the first major section of the roof re-screwed, Blind Hog cut a downed tree that had been bugging him. After several hours of researching, Acorn found a washer dryer pair that fit the bill for the farm- no fru fru cycles, no wifi enabling... Just the facts, ma'am... LG 3400... The washer has run its first test load of clean towels, no leaks noted. Now the dryer is being tested... VOILA! Even better, it was on sale when ordered and then 5 days later, dropped in price! Electric dryer topped the Consumer Reports ratings with a 90- beating out all the fru fru mmodels. Geese been enjoying watercress treats- a nearby spring has it growing but don't want to take too much. Oh yeah, the farmers also installed new gutter guards on the house. An impulse buy at Costco but it was much needed.

Much accomplished! 1,000 screws replaced in the roof of the house, 2,000 more should do it. These have been ordered. House repairs, farm chores, goats got worked. Temps hit 70!!! Nice moon the other day, getting about time to start some seeds...

The farm got iced; Acorn fell on her ass, the Subaru slipped and Blind Hog was reeled in like a big old tuna. Happily, the icing only lasted 48 hrs which was LONG enough! Power never flickered and next week the farm will see actual sunshine and temps pushing 60F. Acorn went to a hen party... Yes, goat people are all nutty. Also, Google Lens is the perfect tool... See the results from a Mystery Object on the website.

Winter embraces us, and between chores, throwing wood in the stove, and keeping the livestock happy, Acorn has been able to manage to sit down and watch some football. Blind Hog will get some chocolate pie later today, named after Bruce the NannyDog. Blind Hog just went to the dentist, so might as well enjoy some pie... 23F as we speak- just soooooo nippy!

Right frosty on the farm and it will only get colder... Highs in the single digits??!! What is this? Buffalo, NY?? Good news is that we will have a couple days above freezing later next wee, then by 10 days it will be in the 40's again. Unfortunately, the much used yard hydrant froze. Acorn thinks she knows how that happened. A hot box of beehive boxes has been made around it to thaw the pipe as well as its drain field. Animals are all fine, Sam got to stay inside last night and will do so for a few more nights at least. Bags the old cat has taken over his doghouse with the heated kennel pad... What little snow on the ground is melting, up to 26F already!

Blind Hog and Acorn rang in the New Year as usual- snug in bed hours before midnight... The farm is all set for the upcoming "snow event." Will see how much actually accumulates. Goats are all set, geese peened into their pairs, and the two Irish Dexters are just hanging out. Acorn is feeling so. much. better post-op. Sweats are about gone and the thought of putting on a sweater is no longer repulsive! Pressure on the neck is now just the result of swelling from surgery, but that has been resolving. Yay! Went on a chicken-pot-pie making binge... 48 of the little buggers made... Bring on the snow!

The Farmers had a lovely Christmas with the kiddos, and Acorn had even more fun with thyroid surgery! Fear not, all is well and Blind Hog and Acorn look forward to Season 5 of the podcast and more farming adventures. Sammers got his own squirrel, which he loves.

Weird warm weather continues, more farm chores completed! Blind Hog and Acorn sold the last of the doelings, yay for that. Had a flat tire on the trailer, after the goats were loaded, but Acorn can change tires as fast as anyone. New lights installed outside the pigbarn, more goose pen adjustments made. Bucks removed from the nannies- their work is done. Lots of yummy goodies for Christmas Eve dinner- will the cream puff/mincemeat patisserie cream/ice cream sandwiches be a new classic? We will see!

The aggressive gander, Mr Meany, has been chosen for Christmas dinner. In fact, processing, chilling and roasting is already completed! Thanks to friend Meg for her recipes and I even have 2 gallons of delicious stock! The week started with a birthday trip (The Badger's) to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Had a great afternoon. Will be a warmer than usual holiday, getting a wee bit of rain... If you call "heavy mist" rain...