[Homestead] Back in the saddle again

Akka Homestead akkabhomestead at yahoo.com
Sat Aug 23 11:42:39 EDT 2008


An update from the Akka Homestead..
I quit my job last week, and am back, at least temporarily, on the
homestead full time.  It is amazing how trashed the property can become
in a few years of neglect, so I've been trying to clean up this snake 
pit. A run to the dump and then to the metal yard is in order.
I've harvested and processed blueberries, peaches, and very soon, 
apples.  I have Spokane Beauty(they are HUGE), Arkansas Black and and OF 
Red Delicious.  All trees are loaded, and this is the first time I have 
ever gotten any Spokane Beauty apples and more than one apple from the 
Arkansas Black tree.  It has been a banner year for all sorts of fruit, and it is still not over as I still have apples, pears, and figs on the tree..
Predators have taken all but 6 hens.  I had about 14 or 15 birds 6 weeks ago..  I haven't lost a bird in a few weeks now, but that's because the remaining girls are roosting in the trees.  So, we are building a new fortress/run onto the coop.  They will still be able to use the chicken moat, but they will have a more secured area outside the coop that will be a safe haven from hawks, possums, etc.  Overall, I think I have lost more birds to winged predators (hawks, owls, falcons, and eagles) than to furry beasts.  They even fly into the chicken moat and go into the coop after the chickens.  Falcons are amazing birds.  I'll start over with some chicks in the Spring, probably buy 100 straight runs and put what I don't want to keep in the freezer.  
The only animals I have at the moment are the chickens, but I am hoping to do some fence renovation and buy some Katahdins.  We miss having lamb in the freezer, and the Katahdins worked great for us before.  I just found out, too, that my grandbaby has a milk allergy, so you know where that might lead me...lol...when it comes to goats though, any excuse will do!

Akka B


      


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