Be sure to read Part 1 of this series.
In the past ten years we have learned so much about raising animals, growing our own foods, and living a more organic life. Not because we are looking down upon others but the farm life has afforded us the opportunity to have a better quality of food that we put in our bodies. Below are some posts and photos to share the past ten years of this part of our lives.
Critters: We began our farm journey by a trade of work for sheep. We mucked out barns for a bit and in return received a started flock of sheep. Two ewes, one ram and one lamb. The sheep were Navajo Churro sheep.
Boaz and Ruth
Cuatro and Obed
Esther
We then picked up some goats. Goats reproduce quickly!
We have raised beef to fill the freezer...here is the pre freeze post breathe post. It was a learning curve for the family on how to butcher respectfully and with gratitude.
We learned that the critters loved playing as much as the goof troop did.
goatie goat playground...
lambslide!
Our freezer is filled with farm fresh beef and elk. In the past ten years I cannot believe how we have completely transformed from store bought meats (which we did not buy much of as it was so pricey) to raising or buying in on locally raised beef. First off, it is much cheaper in the totality, and secondly, we know all of the beef is from one animal and not from possibly, Canada, Brazil and the US in the same package. We also have elk in our freezer thanks to my Bill. He applies for a tag every year and the elk has provided for our family. Here is one elk he shot.
In the past decade we have implemented a variety of gardening techniques which have proved highly successful. Here is a post that shares what we did. We are in the middle of major changes and relocating the garden for the past two years so in a bit things will be new and improved but still implementing sound water conservation.
This series has really become an eye opener as I am reflecting upon all we have learned, all we need to learn, and how much we have accomplished by simply rolling up our sleeves. I'll close this post with a few photos of the critter barns, coops, and shelters. Every single shelter has been made by using salvaged materials.
The newest coop is this one, and the main house is made from salvaged wood from our old porch. We call that screened in area the Sun room! The tin was from a construction site and the tee poles from Craigs*list.
The double sided barn here is made of campaign signs. Seriously! We ended up with a ton of free campaign signs and we used them in pretty much all the early projects.
Even on gates.
This coop was our first built mostly by the youngest three. We painted the signs but the building is made from campaign signs. The window is from an old fridge shelf.
This coop is in the main sheep pen and it is made of salvaged tin and pallets.
We made the stalls out of pallets...
as well as the fencing.
Stay tuned for Parts 3 and the finale Part 4 of this series!
