At last count, we have 17 girls outside (from 3 months to 2 years) with their 1 rooster, and a rooster run with 6 boys we hatched ourselves.
INSIDE, however, we have 31 chicks (mostly black australorp and red star) in our garage. Most are almost 2 months old but there are 2 a little older. Thank goodness for pine shavings! Whew! And in our kitchen, we HAD 20 easter egger chicks (day-old) but 3 have already died and another 2-3 look kinda bad.
We're ready for almost any storm we get out here but still wish we had a solar pump on our well and solar panels on our roof. However, with my kid's medical expenses mounting and brain surgery looming, it's just not feasible.
Please keep us in your thoughts.
Vikki at Rosemary Ridge
BELIEF?
Do I believe the world "will end" on Dec 21 2012? No. That's absolutely ridiculous. Do I prep? Yup. Why?
Because we live out in the boonies. The closest corner store is about 5 minutes away driving BUT the closest grocery store and town is about 30 minutes away. I can't just pop in and get something I've forgotten. It's not cost effective and the wear and tear on our cars with these back-country dirt roads is ridiculous. We do have plenty of food, our chickens lay a few eggs a day, and we're still getitng milk from our goats.
When we lose electricity, we also lose heat and water. We do have a fireplace, but the propane furnace needs electricity to move the warm air (stupid, isn't it!). We have a well but the pump is electric, and we can't get anyone to help us find a manual backup pump and can't afford a solar generator for backup, what with my sons' medical bills.
I meant to learn canning this year but couldn't get to it. We have plants growing inside but if the electricity goes out, the plant lights and heat does too.
My son's uncontrolled epilepsy helps me believe we're not gonna end any time soon. He has malformed neurons, lesions and a tumor. All the herbs and homemade remidies have NOT effected his seizures at all so we need pharmaceuticals and surgery and EEGs and other tests.
So, we're KINDA ready for disasters like snow storms (got one last night) but thankfully, I choose to BELIEVE that we're not due to the end of world any time soon. It just can't.
Because we live out in the boonies. The closest corner store is about 5 minutes away driving BUT the closest grocery store and town is about 30 minutes away. I can't just pop in and get something I've forgotten. It's not cost effective and the wear and tear on our cars with these back-country dirt roads is ridiculous. We do have plenty of food, our chickens lay a few eggs a day, and we're still getitng milk from our goats.
When we lose electricity, we also lose heat and water. We do have a fireplace, but the propane furnace needs electricity to move the warm air (stupid, isn't it!). We have a well but the pump is electric, and we can't get anyone to help us find a manual backup pump and can't afford a solar generator for backup, what with my sons' medical bills.
I meant to learn canning this year but couldn't get to it. We have plants growing inside but if the electricity goes out, the plant lights and heat does too.
My son's uncontrolled epilepsy helps me believe we're not gonna end any time soon. He has malformed neurons, lesions and a tumor. All the herbs and homemade remidies have NOT effected his seizures at all so we need pharmaceuticals and surgery and EEGs and other tests.
So, we're KINDA ready for disasters like snow storms (got one last night) but thankfully, I choose to BELIEVE that we're not due to the end of world any time soon. It just can't.
COLORADO IS BURNING ... ARE YOU?
Unless you live with your head in the sandy loam that we call Colorado, you know that we've had an unprecedented amount of wildfires this year. Too many acres have burned. Too many homes. Too much livestock and wildlife is gone.
The closest wildfire was about 30 minutes away, and a former home is now gone.
Are you prepared for a wildfire in your area?
First, make a plan with the members of your household ... what to do if a wildfire becomes uncomfortably close to your home. If it happens while someone is at work, where would them meet you? Nearby Wal-Mart? Grocery? School? Be specific. Hubby and I discuss just last week, and we know exactly what will grabbed, and who: leaving the livestock and taking the service dog plus child. We know where we will meet, to the exact row of the specific parking lot.
Second, the grab-and-go bag. I'll admit, we've let our bug-out bags languish and become out of date, mice-eaten and chick-feather-dusty. We need new ones, and need to repack them. My kid has grown, and his food allergies are different. Plus, now that he has epilepsy, I'd need to grab his big bag of meds and some of his health records. I also need to stock the service dog's vest with some extra bones and poop-bags, and probably should include a day's worth of food, and some bottles of water... heck, I'll just leave the food and water in the car!
Third, I have several boxes of very old family photos and records that my family would probably kill me over, if they were to be burned. I need to get cracking on scanning them onto a flash drive, then make hard copies of some of my favorites, sending the boxes back to family members in a less dangerous state. I can't imagine not having these pictures in the family due to my neglect and procrastination.
Just use your common sense. Prepping can help save your life, but stocking up on all the bullets, bandaids and beans in the world won't stop that fire from consuming your home.
Take care.
The closest wildfire was about 30 minutes away, and a former home is now gone.
Are you prepared for a wildfire in your area?
First, make a plan with the members of your household ... what to do if a wildfire becomes uncomfortably close to your home. If it happens while someone is at work, where would them meet you? Nearby Wal-Mart? Grocery? School? Be specific. Hubby and I discuss just last week, and we know exactly what will grabbed, and who: leaving the livestock and taking the service dog plus child. We know where we will meet, to the exact row of the specific parking lot.
Second, the grab-and-go bag. I'll admit, we've let our bug-out bags languish and become out of date, mice-eaten and chick-feather-dusty. We need new ones, and need to repack them. My kid has grown, and his food allergies are different. Plus, now that he has epilepsy, I'd need to grab his big bag of meds and some of his health records. I also need to stock the service dog's vest with some extra bones and poop-bags, and probably should include a day's worth of food, and some bottles of water... heck, I'll just leave the food and water in the car!
Third, I have several boxes of very old family photos and records that my family would probably kill me over, if they were to be burned. I need to get cracking on scanning them onto a flash drive, then make hard copies of some of my favorites, sending the boxes back to family members in a less dangerous state. I can't imagine not having these pictures in the family due to my neglect and procrastination.
Just use your common sense. Prepping can help save your life, but stocking up on all the bullets, bandaids and beans in the world won't stop that fire from consuming your home.
Take care.
Update. Kinda. Boy I'm swamped.
I know it's been a while since anyone posted on here. The guest had a physical injury so couldn't do it anymore, and my life is in turmoil. My kid started having seizures last April (2011) and has since developed epilepsy, with 3 different kinds of seizures. He loses big chunks of time. We also do schooling from home, although I'm trying to find a school who will take him with all of his medical conditions.
Then there's working with his seizure-alert/autism therapy dog. Breeding the goats and chickens. Building new housing for all. Fixing up the house so we have actual storage space. Hubby's father passed last summer, and it's been a difficult situation all around. It's chick season: one broody hen just hatched all 5 eggs she sat on (chicks are so adorable!) and I have another broody hen due in about a week.
Finally got a huge veggie garden (raised beds) built. Just yesterday planted 2 kinds of cabbage and 1 kind of lettuce. Have cauliflower, broccoli and potatoes ready to go in soon.
Getting ready to order the fruit and nut trees and bushes. Then once we receive them, got lots of holes to dig, fertilize and plant them. Still need to build 2 more chicken coops, fence off the soon-to-be orchard, build another goat house and fence off the new girls goat pen. Oh, and plow the small field for grains like hulless oats, amaranth, millet, and alfalfa.
So you see, I'm just swamped. I haven't even had time to do any writing lately! IF you would like to be a guest contributor, like writing a weekly column, PLEASE contact me as soon as possible! I usually only check e-mails once a day but I'll get back with you as soon as possible.
Thanks for your concern.
Then there's working with his seizure-alert/autism therapy dog. Breeding the goats and chickens. Building new housing for all. Fixing up the house so we have actual storage space. Hubby's father passed last summer, and it's been a difficult situation all around. It's chick season: one broody hen just hatched all 5 eggs she sat on (chicks are so adorable!) and I have another broody hen due in about a week.
Finally got a huge veggie garden (raised beds) built. Just yesterday planted 2 kinds of cabbage and 1 kind of lettuce. Have cauliflower, broccoli and potatoes ready to go in soon.
Getting ready to order the fruit and nut trees and bushes. Then once we receive them, got lots of holes to dig, fertilize and plant them. Still need to build 2 more chicken coops, fence off the soon-to-be orchard, build another goat house and fence off the new girls goat pen. Oh, and plow the small field for grains like hulless oats, amaranth, millet, and alfalfa.
So you see, I'm just swamped. I haven't even had time to do any writing lately! IF you would like to be a guest contributor, like writing a weekly column, PLEASE contact me as soon as possible! I usually only check e-mails once a day but I'll get back with you as soon as possible.
Thanks for your concern.
DECEMBER 1ST BLIZZARD
Yep, we had temps in the 60's yesterday, but today awoke to a blizzard. High was 27 and that was at 6 a.m. ... has been steadily falling ever since. Low is expected to be around 6 or 7 tonight. Brrr. And lots of blowing snow.
Brrr.
Because my two girl goats are expected to kid any day now. They're late, actually. So they now live in my garage. Not outdoors in the pen it took us two weeks to put together, but in my garage. Each girl has her own 6x10 kennel, on top of a tarp that's covered with hay. Then each has hay, food, water and a heat lamp at one corner and a medium "round tub" to use as a "nest".
On good days we've been talking them out to their outdoor pen but as of last night, they'll be inside until a nice day shows up. Well, once the babies are born, it'll be a month or so until they go out.
You'd think it would be stinky in my garage but actually its not. Every couple of days we sprinkle more hay on the bottom alternating with pine shavings. Then probably in January or Feb, during a nice "warm" day when the babies are able to go outside, Hubby and I will open the garage, take out all the old hay and poo, replace with clean straw (assuming we can find some by then).
Good solution. Just hope the girls don't get stir crazy waiting for these babies. Come on, girls! Labor, already!
Brrr.
Because my two girl goats are expected to kid any day now. They're late, actually. So they now live in my garage. Not outdoors in the pen it took us two weeks to put together, but in my garage. Each girl has her own 6x10 kennel, on top of a tarp that's covered with hay. Then each has hay, food, water and a heat lamp at one corner and a medium "round tub" to use as a "nest".
On good days we've been talking them out to their outdoor pen but as of last night, they'll be inside until a nice day shows up. Well, once the babies are born, it'll be a month or so until they go out.
You'd think it would be stinky in my garage but actually its not. Every couple of days we sprinkle more hay on the bottom alternating with pine shavings. Then probably in January or Feb, during a nice "warm" day when the babies are able to go outside, Hubby and I will open the garage, take out all the old hay and poo, replace with clean straw (assuming we can find some by then).
Good solution. Just hope the girls don't get stir crazy waiting for these babies. Come on, girls! Labor, already!
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