This is the biggest cause of our busyness. Our very large garden. It rained and rained and rained and we were about 2 weeks late even getting our garden planted. Now that it's in the ground, it quit raining. UGHhhhh So for now we are water sprinkling it. It's not coming up great but my tomatoes look really good.
We are doing a lot of this......
My girls are doing their fair share of weeding, as well. Lord willing, we will have a bounty for all of this work. Working in the garden and putting up the harvest is one of my favorite parts of homesteading. Oh and by the way, the outfits below are not something we would ever wear outside of the garden! We like modesty!!
Our newest advenuture is beekeeping. My husband and son took a beekeeping class a few weeks ago. My son is hoping this will be a little side business for himself. He is so excited about it and loves his bees already. He has been in his hives every other day so far.
Here are the girls working hard.
My boys in their bee suits.
Smoking out their bees so that they can release their queen.
Another major project at the Spencer Family Farm is raising 15 Bourbon Red Turkeys. We have had them about 3 weeks and let me tell you, it has not been easy. We did not realize that turkeys are not the smartest of animals. We got them as day olds and thought it would be like the many chickens that we have raised in the past. However, turkeys we soon found out will starve to death standing beside their feed. They have to be taught to eat. Which we did for over a week. It has been tough and we have lost 3 but they are all eating well now and it seems they are doing good.
We plan to keep 3 hens and 1 Tom for future breeding. We are giving 2 to my mom and will process the rest for the freezer. They are so cute but aren't growing as quick as chicks either.
Here's Mrs. Phoebe. We have moved her to the big pasture to free range too. She has lost so much weight since having a bigger area to run around in. We are so crazy about this little missy. She gets two eggs at the end of everyday and now she is in the habit of running when she sees me heading to the chicken house. Who would have known that a pot bellied pig would be so much fun?
The girls are busy laying in their new Hen Pals Nest Box. I have to say I love this thing and the girls do too. We are getting about 20 eggs a day.
They also love the big new area that we have fenced in for their free ranging. 
I hope you all have a wonderful Memorial Day and remember those that have given their lives so that we could have freedom!!
6 comments:
The turkeys just aren't as cute as the chicks. We've got a plan to rework the coop so we should be ready in about a week. Please don't tell Phoebe that some of the chickens are leaving ~ I really don't want to run-in with a pig! Please let me know how many chickens you want to "share with us" and what can we pay you for them. I really appreciate the offer! Tell everyone HI and please thank your husband for serving in the military and protecting our freedoms! Love ya, Donna
you guys have been busy. looks like fun busy work though. love the bees!
I know exactly what you mean about the garden. We were late getting ours planted for cooler and wetter weather than normal. Then..Bang! 98 degrees and no rain for weeks. But thankfully it is looking good right now exact it needs some of that hoeing and weeding.
We had a time raising bronze turkeys years ago, too. When they get around 6 weeks old though they really start growing fast.
Love the picture of the nest box with the chickens in it, and all the other pictures.
My niece and her family have bee hives now and are really enjoying it. Good luck with it all and Thank you to your husband and family, plus all the past and present soldiers who serve our country.
Pam
I know exactly what you mean about the garden. We were late getting ours planted for cooler and wetter weather than normal. Then..Bang! 98 degrees and no rain for weeks. But thankfully it is looking good right now exact it needs some of that hoeing and weeding.
We had a time raising bronze turkeys years ago, too. When they get around 6 weeks old though they really start growing fast.
Love the picture of the nest box with the chickens in it, and all the other pictures.
My niece and her family have bee hives now and are really enjoying it. Good luck with it all and Thank you to your husband and family, plus all the past and present soldiers who serve our country.
Pam
How wonderful that you have such a large garden, and so many helpers! And I bet you're going to love having a freezer full of delicious turkey. I'm letting my broody turkey hen set on two of her eggs. I hope they hatch. And I sure hope she does a good job of teaching the poults to eat and drink.....
It looks like your guys are enjoying the bees! I know you're going to enjoy all that wonderful honey.
Phoebe is so cute! I bet she loves being spoiled. It sounds like she has quite a personality.
I LOVE those nest boxes! They look very nice and compact. Great idea.
Have a wonderful summer, Trixi!
Yay, I found another blog to follow. Thanks to Ga. Farmwoman.
I was born in Ms but never lived there. Yet, there is some sort of a power that pulls me to anything Mississippi. I reckon the dirt is in my blood.
I read somewhere that honey bees are a dying breed. With your St. Croix breeding and bee raising, you are definitely increasing the numbers.
I'll try and catch up on your posts and will look forward to reading more.
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