Well, this week is going to be a big one! Full of fun, new life, and family ranch time!
First of all, my new little sister, Charlie Ann, is due any day and we are anxiously awaiting her arrival! Darren and I will be heading to good ol' Nevada to meet her and see the Family's new ranch as well...we will also be heading to the Farm Chick's Show in Spokane to check out some great junk, goodies and gather idea's for our own homestead!
I will be sure to gather lots of pictures to share on here with y'all of our road trip!
Here at the Homestead we are busy with Spring time projects and chores, as well as all our new additions to our mini farm. Now that chick season has come and gone at my work, I have quite the collection of poultry this year...My husband and I started with a few golden sex link hens and a french copper maran rooster we purchased last Spring....it has expanded to include 2 Banties, a Barred Rock, another Golden Sex Link, two Ducks, 9 Meat Birds, two Golden Laced Wyandottes and last but not least two little Turkens...yes, Turkens! What is that you may wonder? Well let me show you....
A naked neck, fuzzy headed, feathered bodied, half chicken and half turkey...
Their so ugly, their cute! In a creepy sort of way.... So when they came into the farm and ranch store I work at, they were so tiny. Since they have no feathers on their necks the other "normal" chicks started picking on them...so bless my little heart, I took them home to raise. What am I going to do with them? I haven't quite figured that out. However, according to my research they are supposed to be decent layers and/or meat birds. We shall see!
Above are the meat birds we purchased this year....so when we get back from our vacation, we will be slaughtering and butchering them. Sounds horrible, to the faint at heart, yes. However, we know everything that they have eaten and we raised them in a clean and natural facility. Much safer and healthier than any store bought chicken, that's why we raise and butcher our own poultry. One of the many ways we get back to our roots and keep living in what seems to be a dying lifestyle.
This will be our second batch of home raised chicken meat...Last fall we butchered 16 birds...by hand, plucked and all! This year, however, we are practicing some tried and true "MODERN" tricks of the trade. With a rented machine from the local Farmer's Supply/Co-Op, it should make the gruesome job a bit easier. This machine does all the plucking of the feathers so we don't have to, praise God!
On a lighter note....
Here are the latest batch of baby bunnies! We had a batch of 13 this time...Mama bunny, Lucy, does a great job raising them. Nothing says Spring like babies...chicks, bunnies, little sisters, and even baby Turkens!
Until next time, May God Bless You and Your Family! Thank you for reading my posts!
Sincerely,
Cowgirl to Homemaker, Loagan
Hey Y'all!
Thanks for stopping by my blog, Cowgirl to Homemaker! I have so many fun things to share with you. From cowgirl tips and tricks to easy and flavorful recipes in the kitchen to grow-it-yourself ranch ideas....so follow me as I walk through this wonderful thing called life as a wife, cowgirl, and up and coming homemaker!
My husband and I live in a beautiful part of Washington State, known for its everlasting greenery and farmlands. We live on 5 acres and enjoy raising our own veggies and meat. Our dreams of living a lifestyle that seems to be fading away with the hustle and bustle of this day and age drives us to get back in the dirt and roots and improve our homesteading skills.
But, we haven't quit our day jobs yet! My husband is the bread winner of this team and I work for a great farm and ranch store as their animal health associate, on my days off I continue to coach and guide students on their horsemanship goals and dreams.
My family lives on a beautiful place in a small town in the middle of Nevada, my home state. My sisters are also very accomplished cowgirls and I am very proud of them. All of us barrel race and have dreams of going Pro in the future.
My parents are very supportive of all of us and make the best rodeo parents any daughter could ask for. My mom and stepdad have another little cowgirl on the way, due in just a few weeks, Charlie Ann, and Darren and I will be making the 13 hour drive to the Nevada to meet her!
Before I married my husband, I was a horse trainer and coach back in Nevada. I started my first ranch at 15 years old and graduated high school at 16 to train horses full time. From working with troubled horses and starting BLM mustangs under saddle, to coaching youth and adults on their horsemanship journeys, I loved every minute of it....but all good things must come to an end! After several times of hitting the ground, (or the fence) from helping horses through their baggage; and that unavoidable barrel racing accident that almost ended my career, as well as my horse Gus, this cowgirl's body was spent. So I took time off to heal and redirect where I wanted to go with my life.
Now, two and 1/2 years later I am healed and back to barrel racing, working full time, married to the love of my life, and making handmade goods. Oh, and Gus healed a lot quicker than me and is now my younger sister, Bailey's barrel horse.
I will keep you all updated on all of our journeys, from my sisters and family, to my husband and I's adventures on ranching and raising livestock, to what's new and happening here in Washington.... So cinch your horse, pull down your hat and let's take it back country style!
God bless you and yours!
-Loagan
