On November 15 it was our third year anniversary on our mini-farm. and on the 16th it was the first year anniversary with our sheep. We have come a long way since we first moved in.
We have created new gardens, birthed lambs, given vaccinations, canned tomatoes, stacked hay bales, picked apples, built fences, strung electric fencing, built roosts, killed chickens, picked straw out of my shirt, kneeled in poop, built some cool hayracks, and sooo much more. It ain’t pretty but it’s fun…and a hell of a lot of work.
Our neighbours still find us odd. Why would we want all those leaves? Are you going to do anything with that large water tank? Where did you want to put the greenhouse? What are those little things called? They were really good.
The next year will be another one of great adventure. Some of the things I foresee going on here include:
- actually applying Biodynamic preps
- the forest orchard should really begin to take shape
- our first home compost ready to spread
- getting some sort of greenhouse going
- finally using the large water tank at the side of the house
- breeding the sheep
- hatching our own chicks
- building a chicken tractor for our first meat birds
- building a chicken trailer
- learn how to shear sheep
- getting more herbs established
- growing a 600 pound pumpkin!
Whether all these get done is debatable. Many of these things are the last year’s unfinished projects. I am sure we won’t finish them all so they will move on too or they will be dropped. If they don’t get done then maybe they aren’t that important after all.
We are also finding out what it is we really like doing. I love having animals and desperately want more. If I could get twenty more sheep, two pigs, a horse, and a couple of ducks I would be thrilled. A bit too much to pack onto just over an acre, but if you don’t dream big, what’s the point?
Nice hay racks! Hope you enjoy the winter and holidays,
Matt
Hi there
Good to see what’s going on on your acre.
How many animals do you actually have currently?
Do you have a cow for milk?
We have just purchased a property up north… almost 4 acres with a few cleared areas for grazing. It closed yesterday and I’m very excited. We also want to do the forest garden and plant fruit trees, there are a few there already. I was wondering how much your chickens cost. They are the endangered canadian kind yes?
Jane
Thanks Mathias, I am pretty Happy with them!
How did your year go! You must have a ton of snow by now. My Mum said it was -27 today without windchill. I can’t complain at -8.
Right now I dream about four acres! Oh the rotational grazing that can be done, and hay for winter, and ever a really large garden too! Have fun on them!
We actually have four sheep, a dozen chicken (10 pullets and 2 cockerels), ten cats (seven indoors, three “barn”), a dog, and a turtle. We considered a cow but just don’t really have the room and the kind I would want (a mini jersey) is not in our budget yet.
When you ask for the cost of the chickens do you mean since we got them or the price of them as chicks? The chicks were $5/chick. The feed cost since we have had them is close to $200. Plus of course supplies which never seem to end. at least we now have them. They are the endangered Canadian Chantecler. they are quite neat and the cockerel does a little dance for all the hens… but that is for another post.
Thanks for reading! Cheers and Merrychrismakwanzakah!