Looking Back

My how things change.

With March just around the corner I decided

to look back and see how things looked

during our first spring here on the farm.

These pictures were taken all during

the month of March 2010.

In September 2009 we bought our

little Phoebe.

She was a Miniature Mediterranean Donkey.

A friend of ours had offered to give us one

but when that never materialized

we decided to buy Phoebe.

She was 5 months old.

At the end of December

our friend showed up with the male

that he had promised us months earlier.

He was a stud! 

Because we are softies we couldn't tell

him 'too late'....so we kept the donkey

and named him Eeyore.

Along came March.

Unfortunately our fences were no match

for Eeyore's determination

to visit Phoebe

but since she would not be old

enough to breed until she was 

around 3 years old

we decided to have him castrated. 

A couple of weeks later 

Eeyore and Phoebe 

went to live on a large farm

where they could be together with

lots of pasture

and strong fences!

Towards the end of March that year

Hubby and I were in a 'farm store'

and overheard a lady complaining to the

store clerk that they had just been in the 

store with their 12 year old Grandson 

and his friend. 

Behind their back he purchased a chick!

She told the clerk that she wanted to bring the 

chick back because they had no place to keep

a chicken. The clerk said 'sorry...we don't

take chicks back'. 

The lady was ticked so I whispered to hubby

"should we buy it from her?"

Since we had 63 new chicks coming a few

days later he said to go for it. 

The lady was so happy to find a home

for the little fellow that she wouldn't 

take any money.

So 'Spring' came home with us. 

Unfortunately Spring was a Cornish X

and was destined to live a short life.

It may have been short...but it was a good life. 

The very next day was the first day of spring.

We had a snow storm!

Two days later the snow had melted

and the chicks arrived in the mail.

Most of the chicks were Buff Orpingtons.

Yellow fluff balls! 

Their days were spent eating...drinking...pooping

tearing from one end of the trough to the other...

and sleeping.

Sometimes they wore themselves out so much

they fell asleep standing up.

The remainder of the chicks were

Black Australorp.

Hard to believe this little fellow

would grow up to look like this!

While the chicks enjoyed their cozy warm

shelter in the garden shed

the older chickens were able to finally 

enjoy the barnyard.

The barnyard was Eeyore's domain

and he decided that the chickens were

NOT allowed on his turf.

He chased them every chance he got.

The day after Eeyore and Phoebe

left the farm....the chickens

had the barnyard all to

themselves.

They were happy chickens!

FYI ...see that long building? 

We sold it that summer and this time

last year...it was down and hauled away.

Hopefully if we get some rain this summer

we will have some good pasture grass

growing there :)

The end of March meant Shep was 8 months old

and Lizzy and Olly were 9 months old.

Shep had a blast trying to chase the cats.

Olly would run but Lizzy...well

she NEVER backed down.

She stood her ground and then some!

End of March sky.

2010 was a good year for rain but

last year we were in a drought.

Hopefully we do better this year.

Above is our nearest neighbor 

as the crow flies. 

Two years ago the fields across the road 

from us were yellow.

This year they are green with winter wheat

shown below in January 2012.

We'll be keeping our fingers crossed that

this March will be a good month

with lots of gentle rain.

If all goes well the grass seed we sow

will take root before the heavy rains hit.

After all....April is Tornado season

here in Kansas!

Farm Friend Friday - This Time Last Year

It's time for 

Farm Friend Friday

I thought I'd share some photo's

from last year

that were taken around the farm in March.

Lots has changed since these photo's

were snapped.

Some good...some not so good.

Sadly we lost our old barn to a barn fire

last summer.

Shep bugging poor little Bubba.

Shep was 8 months old in this picture.

Eeyore just before he was ...fixed ;(

Chelsea our female Shih Tzu

just before she got her spring haircut.

Her face had already been shaved.

She looks fat but she's a lean mean

running machine!

She's not happy in this photo because she

knows what's coming.

Romeo our handsome Australorp

rooster.

He's a LOVER not a fighter.

Phoebe and chelsea doing 'girl talk'.

Phoebe.." did you see

what that woman was wearing this morning?!"

Love this pump.

These will be moved into the picket fence garden

this spring. Can't wait to

get working in the garden but DH has to finish the 

fence first. 

Life is still on hold.

I hope you'll stop on over to Amy's 

Verde Farm

and visit the other fellow bloggers joining 

in this week..it's always a fun time.

What's on your agenda this weekend?

Have a great one.

Maura :)

Critters Around The Farm

One of our little Black Australorp chicks

Today our temperatures are going to be 

hovering around 70F!

I'm going to be spending my day cleaning

out the coop and tidying around the yard.

That is if I can keep my head from exploding.

Time to bring out the Neti Pot.

So while our farm is looking a little sad

these days I thought I'd share some photo's

of some of our furry and not so furry

friends that live and have lived 

on our little farm over

the past year.

Butter Cup

Oliver or Olly for short

 

Olly really wanted to find a way to come and visit the new chicks

Eeyore our Mediterranean Jack 

This big raccoon was hiding in our old barn on the owl perch.

He never killed any chickens but he did steal some eggs.

Phoebe our little Mediterranean Jenny

Lizzy our daredevil cat...Olly's sister

Chelsea...the Shih Tzu farm dog

Percy one of two African gosling's we raised last year

  

This little fellow was sunning himself on the fence

Me as Mother Goose with Percy and Priscilla

Shep our Akbash and Bubba our other Shih Tzu 

are missing from these pictures but there were

just too many to go through and I'm itching

to get outside. 

I really hope you have a wonderful day

and that this weekend you get the 

chance to get outside and

breathe some 

fresh air.

Maura :)

Welcome to the farm!

This is the lane to our farm cottage and on the right up ahead is the grove of lilac bushes. We moved here in June last year so we didn't get to see the lilacs in bloom but we are told they are beautiful. Unfortunately the former owner told us that a freeze killed the buds last spring so there weren't many blooms...hopefully this spring will be a good on for the lilacs.
This is Shep our Akbash (Turkish livestock guarding dog). He was over 100 lbs at 6 months! He's only 7 months old now and still growing like a weed.
This is Phoebe our little dinky donkey and she is 10 months old. She's got an attitude that girl!

Since this is my first post I thought it would be a good idea to show you a few pictures of where this Blog originates from. Please keep in mind that this farm is a 'work in progress' and that's putting it mildly! This has been the coldest and snowiest (is that a word?) winter I have ever seen here in our part of Kansas. After moving here from a ski village in the mountains of British Columbia where we got 40-60 feet (yes feet!) of snowfall per winter the winters here were a breeze. However...after living here for 10 years I have now become a sissy when it comes to the cold and snow! I am anxiously awaiting spring like I'm sure many of you are. Since I am new at this blog thing I hope you will be patient with me as I try and figure this all out. Anyway...welcome to the farm!