Making Plans

We typically stay busy around here with one project or another....and this year we seem to have gotten overwhelmed with things that need to be done, but there is never enough money for.  We have a number of projects started and I hope that we are able to complete them before spring.

1. The buck barn is on perpetual hold...it will happen one day, but for now we have does gestating that ll need this space for the winter.  The doe barn is currently occupied by our 2 junior bucks.  Before the first of the year we would like to finish the hay storage area that is inside the buck barn.  We need to be able to store 2 years worth of hay, and right now our storage is limited to about 2 WEEKS worth!  That's why this is the #1 priority.  It's a mess.
2. We need to build a cover over the kid pens.  Right now there is no cover other than a very large dog house type thing.....and I would like to have 3 separate pens with a roof over them.  Before Feb.  Please.
3. I desperately need to clean the milking parlor.  It hasn't been done since Spring.  Ick.
4. We are looking for a woodstove for the house.  This house was built for one, but the previous owner sold it.  We live in the woods, firewood is free for the work.  We have cut a lot of our electricity usage over the summer months, and this would be a big help for the winter.
5. Winter forage.  Our local feed store carries a "wildlife forage" seed mixture that we can broadcast now and is a good forage for the winter months.  It grows well in our area.  Keeping "green food" to ruminants is important during the winter....it helps prevent that green bloat in the spring.  More importantly, it cuts the cost of hay and grain...which have to be purchased.  We plan to do this before Christmas.

Of course there are the day-to-day things that need to be done.  The henhouse needs a fresh layer of lime and hay.  The nestboxes need to be scraped out and packed with fresh hay.  The bucks need their hooves trimmed and need to be tested for worms.  During the stress of breeding bucks need a lot of TLC, just as the does need during kidding and milking.

I have a dozen or so more of the "chixperiment" birds ready to butcher.  I figured I'd wait until next week when the temps are back into the 60's because I'm lazy that way.  I despise achy cold fingers.

Anyway, those are the big plans from now till Feb.  Of course we are busy right now getting things ready for Christmas.  We are making jerky, sausage, hams, bacon, smoked nuts, and chutneys for our Christmas gift baskets.  We try to steer clear of the commercial side of Christmas and work to make something nice to give as our gifts to family and friends.  The basket contents change from year to year, this year I didn't make cheese.  Some years it's cookies, some meats, or jellies.... But whatever it is, it is good, it is home made, and it is made from our home by our family. 

It got cold this week.  I hate the cold.   Yesterday it snowed.  Snow is pretty for an hour or so.  The wet cold makes it miserable to work outside, but gives you great inside time with your family.