Christmas Card

Just thought we would share our Christmas card. Merry Christmas!

Tree Time

 We all have those traditions that really make it feel like Christmas. Those baking cookies with grandma, caroling with friends, cocoa and movies snuggled up on the couch kind of traditions. For me that tradition is the getting of the Christmas tree. I don't mean just going up to the attic or the barn loft and dusting off the artificial tree. I mean choosing that one beautiful tree among all trees that will be the center of all the decoration for this season.
In our family the tree choosing starts a few weeks before the 25th. We all meet at my parents. My father sharpens up the ax while the mommas bundle all the babies. I say babies but our babies are much bigger this year. Then we all head out across the field and to the woods. Once we're to the cedar thicket we meander in and out among all the trees, some too skinny in my opinion some with two many holes or bare spots and Daddy always says at least one or two choices are way too big to fit in the house. In the end we all stand gazing at the one tree that has caught our attention and each person says yea or nay. This is the tree! Usually at this point angels from heaven are shining down while singing.
It is now time to cut the tree. While this task always fell to my Father, the last few years he has passed on the actual cutting of the tree to a younger generation. Our Growing Boys are now the fellers of the tree taking turn with the ax as we all watch with pride ready to yell TIMBER.

 

Our lovely little tree is then packed back out of the woods and across the field to the house where it will be trimmed and propped up in the stand.

 

The lights and decorations are hung with care as children play about. We discuss how beautiful the tree is and how it compares to last years.

Usually there is food but always there is the warmth of family

and the fondness of tradition.

 

(This is the tree at Growing Boys Farm, not the same tree as pictured above. I forgot to take a picture of the finished tree from my parents, but this way you can see our tree!)

Growing Boys with a Camera

The Growing Boys were mulling about in the house wanting to play computer games the other day when I decided to send them out with the camera. I always like to see what they see. What things do they notice through the lens that I might over look. This is one of the pictures that came back. I think it is of the dead bugs trapped in the high tunnel but the colors really grab my attention.

 And...we are still bottle feeding calves.

 

Black Friday Shopping

As one might have guessed I am not a big fan of Black Friday shopping. Don't get me wrong I'm all for getting a great deal and I also would like for the American Economy to be on the up swing. However standing in a cold line for hours to end up fist fighting the lady next to me over a 75% off electronic device does not sound like my idea of fun.
This year we did awake from our turkey induced comma and head out on Black Friday at least the Daddy and the Oldest Growing Boy did. Mostly the drive to go shopping was the need for a water trough. Who knew that the first 3 stores would already be sold out by 8am of water troughs? I guess that was the other hot ticket item this year. Finally at the 4th stop they found something that would work. It's not exactly the galvanized metal one I had imagined but it was a very nice a water trough and a water heater! We were tired of filling endless 5gal buckets of water and packing or pulling them to the barn only to have them frozen and still undrinkable. Since the lower field is still not completely fenced the calves have no access to the creek yet and even when they do we will still need a water source when dividing up the pasture. The other awesome thing about the water trough is that it is fed by the rain barrel that is fed by the gutters on our barn that came from the old roof on our church. I love it when all the parts of a project finally come together even if we did have to shop Black Friday to make it happen.

Photo by Jenneil Harbert www.photographybyjenneil.net

New Projects

Every year we try to add something new to the farm. I'm sure at some point we will hit our limit but for now it still seems exciting to try new things. Last year the high tunnel was new and exciting but now that we have a few growing seasons under our belt it was time to look for new projects. Projects, cattle, livestock,  that's what we could call them but the Growing Boys decided to call them Ribeye and Lightning. The two beautiful baby angus bull calves came from family friend's farm. They weren't really ready to take on bottle calves but we knew two little boys who were just itching for the chance.
Ah, Bottle calves. Now that's an experience every tween age child should have. First there was the stall to be built, then fencing to be done. Every morning gallons of water have to be packed and bottles must be made and fed twice a day. Since the boys can't do all this by themselves it made for a little extra work for the grownups here at Growing Boys farm as well. The plan is to raise the calves for beef and hopefully in the end have some extra meat in the freezer and that will make all the work worth it. I don't think I washed and fed this many bottles even when our boys were little.

The other project for this summer was a sort of livestock as well. Although they have become more of  Daddy's babies than any ones. We decided bees would be a natural choice to have around for pollination. A little honey would just be an added bonus. Some friends who tend bees graciously helped us to catch our first swarm and then move them to the Growing Boys Farm. The bees have been busy all summer, yep they were busy bees. We even snuck out a little taste of honey.

  Now as winter is near and the bees and bulls are settled in, I think we will try to spend a few more days cozied up by the fire and a few less days out working on projects.

On All the Bare Spots Plant Seed

Planting, planting, planting. That's what we have been doing lately. We have planted tomatoes inside and out literally 12 different varrities. Sunflowers have been planted as well as the yukon gold potatoes, candy onions, several different varrities of squash, lettuces, herbs, three different types of watermelons, incredible corn, greesy grit beans, blue lake beans, green peppers, fooled ya peppers, and lots of different flowers. Pretty much you name it and we have planted it this season, at least it seems that way. Sometimes I think I just like all those little packets of seed.
Whew at the end of the day we have almost planted every square inch of tilled gound on two farms but what a sense of satisfaction for the Growing Boys Crew.
Now we are in the lull between planting and harvest...oh whait I hear the weeds popping through the ground. I should probably grab a hoe and head back to the garden.

Springtime on the Farm

It's no surprise that sprintime brings with it a multitude of chores to do around the farm. Planting season is upon us or maybe it's hatching season or for some it's calving season. Whatever season springtime is a busy season. For that very reason the Growing Boys Crew had to divide and conquer this past weekend.
  Daddy and the little man stayed home to handle the Opening Day of Bounty of the Barrens Farmers Market and the Tour De Farm event which both went very well. Then there were the 25 baby chicks to pick up and get settled in, the greenhouse to tend to... etc,etc. Momma and the older kiddo headed out of state for a good friends wedding and some time with extended family. The trip was a nice break from daily farm life and a chance to dress up in something other than overalls... although I do love my overalls. I think we can all figure out who got the best end of the deal this weekend.

 

 Our family spends a lot of time together so it was quite an adjustment to be away for a few days but "absence makes the heart grow fonder" and we are very glad to be all back together on the same patch of ground.
Now that we are back things are in full swing. The apple trees are in bloom. Beehives have to be painted and set up because the bees will be arriving soon. Baby chicks have to be watered and fed severalllll times a day. These chicks eat more than a teenage boy. All 350ish tomatoes will hopefully be planted soon if the weather will cooperate.
Oh springtime, did I mention that it's my favorite time of year! By the way, does everybody have this many pictures of their chickens, or is it just us?