So the wind blew open the pen door to the chicken/guinea pen today. This pen is temporary while the guineas (mainly) adjust to their new home. Before I knew it, everyone screamed freedom and ran. They didn't run into the fields in all the grass, they didn't run to the barn to escape the winds. They ran to the house. Our house. This is a problem since we hoped with all this new space they would stay away from the house. In any direction they have to go over at least one fence to get the house. Why must they congregate at our house!
I'll try to get a picture, but the wind is so dreadful that they aren't holding still for long.
We really really were hoping for poop free porches. If anyone has any ideas to keep them away, please let us know!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Saturday, January 14, 2012
What's in a name?
We have had a few people ask us about the name we chose for the farm. What does it mean?
The Phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians. It is a colorful bird said to live 500 to 1000 years. When ready for the next life a Phoenix is said to build to a nest of twigs and burst into flames, a young Phoenix will emerge from the ashes. A Phoenix symbolizes rebirth, immortal life, starting over, rising again, and more.
We feel that our lives together have been a rebirth. That we started again from the ashes of our lives. We have been through a lot in our lives and we hope this farm is the start of our new lives together. A new road to travel. New ideas to explore. There is so much to learn together.
So Rising Phoenix Farm was born. Out of family love to support and nurture each other. May this land prosper as our family love does and will.
The Phoenix is a mythical sacred firebird that can be found in the mythologies of the Arabians, Persians, Greeks, Romans, Egyptians, Chinese, Indian and Phoenicians. It is a colorful bird said to live 500 to 1000 years. When ready for the next life a Phoenix is said to build to a nest of twigs and burst into flames, a young Phoenix will emerge from the ashes. A Phoenix symbolizes rebirth, immortal life, starting over, rising again, and more.
We feel that our lives together have been a rebirth. That we started again from the ashes of our lives. We have been through a lot in our lives and we hope this farm is the start of our new lives together. A new road to travel. New ideas to explore. There is so much to learn together.
So Rising Phoenix Farm was born. Out of family love to support and nurture each other. May this land prosper as our family love does and will.
Cold weather finally sets in...
We can handle cold weather. We know what needs to be done. We have a setup for every animal to keep them warm, water from freezing, protection from the elements.
At least at the old house we did.
Here is a whole other story. We weren't ready for cold. Yesterday morning everyone's water was frozen. The horses were mad because we didn't have any hay here. It was still at the other house. They have 88 acres of grass so it wasn't a concern for us. Then the wind started, then the snow. The temperature plummeted and everything went wrong.
Yesterday morning I was late for work. I have no system here yet. What used to take me 5 minutes now takes me an hour. Getting everyone fresh warm water was a priority. Since we have all the outside water shut off that means filling buckets in the house. Which should not be a big deal. But since the basement door here can not be opened from the outside I have to come inside and go out the basement to get buckets and fill them and then take them back outside. It doesn't help that I shut the door behind me and had to go back through the house again to open the basement door.
Getting a basement door that I can open from the outside is a priority. This is going to old FAST.
Last night after work we went to the old house and got all the heated buckets and lots of extension cords. The only building that doesn't have electric is the one that the dogs are in. So we had to run cords from the chicken house to the quantum hutch for the dogs. The horse's water is plugged in at the house.
It's a whole new world for us here! I can't wait until everything is set up and in its place!
At least at the old house we did.
Here is a whole other story. We weren't ready for cold. Yesterday morning everyone's water was frozen. The horses were mad because we didn't have any hay here. It was still at the other house. They have 88 acres of grass so it wasn't a concern for us. Then the wind started, then the snow. The temperature plummeted and everything went wrong.
Yesterday morning I was late for work. I have no system here yet. What used to take me 5 minutes now takes me an hour. Getting everyone fresh warm water was a priority. Since we have all the outside water shut off that means filling buckets in the house. Which should not be a big deal. But since the basement door here can not be opened from the outside I have to come inside and go out the basement to get buckets and fill them and then take them back outside. It doesn't help that I shut the door behind me and had to go back through the house again to open the basement door.
Getting a basement door that I can open from the outside is a priority. This is going to old FAST.
Last night after work we went to the old house and got all the heated buckets and lots of extension cords. The only building that doesn't have electric is the one that the dogs are in. So we had to run cords from the chicken house to the quantum hutch for the dogs. The horse's water is plugged in at the house.
It's a whole new world for us here! I can't wait until everything is set up and in its place!
Thursday, January 12, 2012
A New start...a new home..a new farm..a new life
That's a lot of new! We are in the midst of a huge change. A totally new way of life. We went from a very small hobby farm to 88 acres. That's a lot! We have a lot of plans for our new way of life. There are so many ideas floating around in our heads about what can do. Acreage wise, we can do anything we want. We just have to narrow down what we want to do first!
We are mostly moved in. That's good. We haven't even been here a week and it feels like home. It's comfortable, warm - this whole place gives us a nice warm fuzzy feeling. I've never felt this way when I moved to a new place. It always seemed like it took a while for it to feel like home. I believe that this is a sign to us that this was meant to be. This is home forever, this is our life.
We are taking things day by day and not making any rush decisions. Everything we are doing is thought out. The options are weighed - what's the good, the bad, the benefits, the drawbacks. We know we are going to make mistakes, but we want to do things right. This is a whole new world for us. We have a long way to go.
We are doing this blog to keep a record of what we are doing and where we are going. We have a lot of plans. We want everyone's input. We hope to have homegrown healthy products to sell you. Maybe some homemade cheese, yogurt, produce, chickens, and of course we can already offer you eggs!
Eggs are $3/dozen that come from our true free-range chickens. Our chickens are not fenced in. They have access to all 88 acres. They are free to pick and choose what to eat and where to go. I really hope though that I can keep them off my porches here!!!
Join us on our new adventure.
We are mostly moved in. That's good. We haven't even been here a week and it feels like home. It's comfortable, warm - this whole place gives us a nice warm fuzzy feeling. I've never felt this way when I moved to a new place. It always seemed like it took a while for it to feel like home. I believe that this is a sign to us that this was meant to be. This is home forever, this is our life.
We are taking things day by day and not making any rush decisions. Everything we are doing is thought out. The options are weighed - what's the good, the bad, the benefits, the drawbacks. We know we are going to make mistakes, but we want to do things right. This is a whole new world for us. We have a long way to go.
We are doing this blog to keep a record of what we are doing and where we are going. We have a lot of plans. We want everyone's input. We hope to have homegrown healthy products to sell you. Maybe some homemade cheese, yogurt, produce, chickens, and of course we can already offer you eggs!
Eggs are $3/dozen that come from our true free-range chickens. Our chickens are not fenced in. They have access to all 88 acres. They are free to pick and choose what to eat and where to go. I really hope though that I can keep them off my porches here!!!
Join us on our new adventure.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
