Fall Equinox - Mak'in Day

The fall equinox is when day and night are approximately equal, a Libra's happy place because we like balance. 

It's also the new moon, a good time to start things.
Today we canned and started our fodder schedule for the bunnies over the winter. 

We also rendered the fat collected from our goat. He was super fatty but super clean and healthy. I love that I can honor his life by using all parts.

Now that's some nice lard to make things like biscuits and soap.

We also made Garlic Oxymel to keep everyone ship shape for the up coming cold season.

... ready to harvest in two weeks on the full moon.

The yute left her water kefir in my care while out having fun with her girlfriends so... I "changed its pants"! I made sure to add some dried apricots for yum factor.

And I harvested the hazel nuts before the squirrels found them. Isn't it cute? Our first batch... more next year.

Bunny Land ~ Sheep City progress

 The beginning... 

 Old chicken coop/brooding house to Bunny Land/Sheep City.

Moving around the corner.

Our helpers during the remodel.

The other side roofed...

Doors and walls...

Bunny yard in the making...

Ready for sheep...

Sheep City functioning...

Stella...

Crimson and Clover on levels 1 and 2...

Eddie on level 3. He exits to the left and the girls to the right.

Three's company! (Eddie is hiding behind the feeder).

We divided the yard so Eddie could have a buck run... now to get him to figure out how to go outside.
Stay tuned!!

Comming Soon...

There will be a blog post about Bunny Land soon. I just can't seem to get 'er done and be happy about the ending. So, as soon as I'm finished fussing over the details, I will post a progression of Bunny Land. In the mean time, enjoy a bunny picture.

Be Back In September

August is a busy month here, be back in September!

Poop Party and Selfies

I goofed around today taking selfie pictures so my friends/family could see the new "Do"! I cut off all my hair and love it. 

I tried to get Lucy to play along but she wasn't having any of that silliness.

Stella is a great selfie buddy!! Go, Stella, go!

Doh!! Check out that gray hair!!

Crimson and Clover are just cute and run around no matter what you're trying to accomplish.

They were slipping off the skinny ramp I gave them so, I build them a log ramp with better traction. They love it, of course!!

Today was hooves and poop party day!! Yea, hooray!! I set up my lab and did fecal testing first and then put on my Wonder Woman outfit on and trimmed hooves with out my sidekick... dirty job!!

I was so stoked to find a red blood cell!!! How cool is that!

I also found worm eggs... not cool. Time to whip up some witchcraft potions!!

8 Days A Week

Zan and Stella getting comfortable. The newest additions to the funny farm.

Stella showing off her new "Do"! She loves the Zoom Groom. 

Crimson has figured out how to escape and lets herself out during the hot part of the day. She comes back to hang out with Clover in the morning and evening. Silly rabbit, tricks are for kids.

Huckleberry Garden got a face lift and now The Wizard lives there.

Shane and Willow modeling on the cat walk! I'm to sexy for your camera!

Banjo napping in the Banjo Box while I rub his belly and tell him how much I missed him while I was gone.

Shortly after... Lucy joins him because there are no flies... they can't navigate in the Banjo Box.

Shiitake mushrooms are back on the menu!!

Zan the ram, he's our man,

If he can't do it no one can!

Summer, Gardens, Goats and Bunny 101

It's time for garlic harvesting! This year a foot pond makes the heat bearable. 

The cabbage is doing amazing, the Bok Choy has gone to seed and the flowers are bright and pretty. Planted some mid-summer veggies next to the small garlic bed and will finish more mid-summer plantings after harvesting all the garlic.

Can't have a blog post without goats, besides I spent a good deal of time cleaning their barn.

Sheep city is still getting some finishing touches. The main painting is done and now for some color on the trim... then get some sheep.

The buns like thier digs and I'm just amazed at how well the vent thing works. Since it used to be chicken house the old pop doors got framed with wire and are now vents... they actually work!

I wasn't going to post this pic because its boring but, I plan to put in fun shelves and features so I thought it be a great before image. It also shows the rest of the vents and bunny pop door... and potty that they don't use.

Crimson and Clover keeping cool in their dirt patch. I had planned to replant this dirt patch after construction but, they really like it so I'll just let nature take its course. Since I know it will grow in I may have to create a dirt patch for them to lounge in.

Being new to raising bunnies we've been having fun offering them taste tests. Here, the choices were kale, bok choy, cilantro and borage. This time the first choice was kale but, it changes each time we play the taste test game so I'm not sure its a very scientific test. 

Also, since they are colony/simi free range bunnies they browse at will. This had some effect on their feeding choices and amount. When we first got them I filled their feeder with the pellet food they came with and they ate it at the rate the bag of feed we had indicated they would. After about 3 days the rate they ate their pellet feed slowed significantly. Now, they take about 3-4 days to eat through a one day serving of pellet. The amount of water they drink has also slowed significantly because there is water in the grass and weeds they eat. 

Watching their behavior in a colony setting is as entertaining as watching the chickens and goats.... okay, maybe I just like watching animal behavior. They do have some fun characteristics like, racing, dancing and Binky'ing. They also like to nose bump you, Arlen likes to bump them back!

Have you had your bump today?

Have to end with a goat... because I'm crazy goat lady. Shane has the softest fur ever!! He has always had the nicest, fluffiest, cuddliest fur and now that its summer its as silky and shiny as can be.