Rollin' Right Along

Things here are rollin' right along...the garden is doing good and that in itself is keeping me busy...doing alot of freezing this year rather than canning...

We butchered out 13 of our quail and they were good, so I have 156 eggs in the incubator...honestly I am hoping not all are fertile...thats just a lot of quail to deal with...But it will fill the freezer...

The hens are laying good and we are getting more than enough eggs, I have been sharing a few with family...Next spring should be a great year for eggs since the Rhode Island Reds will be laying then...the Delawares should begin laying any day....

The goats are good and the kids are getting big...they are so cute....can't help but smile everytime I see them...

The pigs are growing and doing well too...they are farm mans project but from time to time I walk out to the pen and take a look...

The weather here has been fabulous and I am enjoying every second of it...I spend a large amount of day outside just enjoying the critters on the farmstead...

We planted 5 more grapes and 2 more blueberries today...kind of an odd time of year, we bought them in the early spring and just had not had the time to get them in the ground...Hopefully they survive...

The apple tree is loaded with apples this year, the peach tree did not set fruit this year...the late freeze got them...looks like I will be buying peaches this year to put up for winter...

We have been having company some lately, not like us at all, but some folks from our old church have reached out to us and they too have been hurt...I think we are just trying to figure out where we go from here...Maybe a new church...We just don't know where the Lord will lead...kind of exciting really....

My absence from here has been good and it will continue with updates as I find the time or feel the unction to blog...So much going on in our world and lives I find myself pulling away from everything that is not priority right now...I am not one that gets into politics on this blog, but I will say...we all need to be preparing our hearts, minds and families...None of us know what tomorrow holds for our country...We find ourselves praying for guidence in what we need to be doing here on the homestead to be ready for whatever our future holds...I admonish each of you all to do the same...All of our worlds could change in a moment and we need to be ready...Spiritually, physically and emotionally....Spiritually for us is priority...I read often about folks worried about the best place to be if something big happens....I say this to them and to you...The best place to be is in the center of God's will...if you are you will be safe come what may...

Until Next Time....

The Homestead Lady

Quail wating to be roasted

Quail dressed in bacon...yummy!

For the cute factor--A puppy(he's sold)

156 quail eggs!

Mater's and Peppers

Maters, peppers and Cucumbers

Salsa! Yum!

Chickens

Chickens

And more chickens!

5 years ago and Amazing Grace...

It was 5 years ago today that we moved over here, but its been 6 years since we purchased this land in August of 2008...it was 17 degrees the first  night we slept here without the luxury of heat...I have posted these pictures before but I like to remind myself each and every year how far we have come...Sometimes I get frustrated at the amount that still needs done so it is nice to remember what we have actually accomplished....

So without futher ado...Rocky Oak in the making...

 BELOW--What the land looked like when we bought it in August of 2008--this is where our home sits now....

BELOW--After Clearing in March of 2009--cedar in right hand corner...this where our "food yard" is located..in the beginning out little cabin set right where I was standing when I took this picture...

BELOW--June 2009--You can see the same cedar tree above only much closer (picture for reference)

August 2010--18 months to the day we finally got a well--again there is the same cedar(far left) tree(pic not taken in August 

July 2011--Finally get a bit of yard and raised beds are looking good

  












May 2012 more raised beds added

  












July 2012 hard work paying on in way of fresh organic, heirloom veggies

July 2011 the berry patch and fruit trees

The hen house and very large barn yard we built last year...see the rocks? Thus the name "Rocky" Oak and this is certainly not the worst of it...this year rocks just about gone thanks to hard work and dedication...

In the above header you will see many more pictures from Rocky Oak...in the 2nd row, middle picture you will see a building in the distance...that used to be our bathroom..it still has the tub/shower and toilet in there, but is not functioning...the cabin we had was attached to that off the tallest side...that building now houses our deep freezers as well as other items...we have come a long way baby! LOL

It's been a hard and long journey, not one I will ever forget and I will be forever grateful for the lessons along the way...Each year things change and take shape...What started as dirt, rock and trees has become what we call Rocky Oak Farmstead....there is life abundant here on our little slice of heaven...God has been with us every step of the way... he lead and guided each decision we have made...We have encountered many frustrations and cried many tears...felt many times we wanted to throw our hands in the air and say forget it....but we always knew in our hearts what was expected of us as the Lord had clearly shown us a vision....So, today as I remember what it was 5 years ago, bitter cold and we had a little storage shed, turned cabin, with no heat, no water, no electricty I also remember the dream and vision...Here we are today...temps to hit mid 70's and I hear all the sounds of farm life and I realize our dream, the dream the Lord inspired in our hearts has become a reality...I am humbled...while there are still things to be done, things to tweak...we have done it with the the amazing grace of God....Happy 5th Aniversary Rocky Oak Farmstead!