Growing Excitment

Our Fodder System is working beyond our expectations.  This is day three and we are so amazed on the progress.  

It is just so exciting to be able to grow your own organic food for your animals.  To increase the nutritional value and to save money while doing it is amazing.  I have now found a local source of Barley seeds that will be a great savings.  Our local  http://www.johnnyseeds.com/t-stores.aspx they have a great supply of Barley seed on hand and I pick up my first 50 lb bag of it tomorrow.  So far the rye and sunflower seeds have been doing great.  The wheat seeds have not sprouted yet.  So I will do more research on them.  They might just take longer to sprout.
We are confident that on day six or seven we will be giving our livestock their first hearty helping of fresh fodder.  We just cant wait for the benefits.  We have modified the shelving because the one we started out with was going to be too small with the amount we need to grow.  But we had another larger shelf in a loft area that I borrowed for this trial period.  If all works well we will purchase the Fodder System its own shelf.  For this trial I do not want to spend any extra money until I know it is proven to work.  We are confident at this time it will and the process is so easy everyone who raises animals should be doing it.

Round House Farm Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Potatoes are a favorite side dish for my family.  They are so simple to make.  I always make extra and freeze some.  When someone wants a snack they are quick and easy to pop in a toaster oven or microwave to reheat.
http://youtu.be/WMeZCR4Yb4o
Follow the link above for the fastest way to make your families favorite Roasted Potatoes.  It is so easy you will not want to make them any other way.  It is great to bring as a pot luck dish.  A party favorite.
Enjoy!

Love our Goat Barn

Now that we have a homestead we look at everything close before we call it trash.  When someone states something is junk we want to find another purpose for it.  With winter coming we would be in need of a barn for our goats.  We could not afford a barn made out of wood at this time.  We had to become creative.  When looking on craigslist we noticed people were always selling cheap tag along campers.  It gave us an idea to find someone wanting to give away or sell one cheap.  We started looking and sending offers on campers.  Our goal was to only spend $100.  We didn't care what the inside looked like we were going to gut it.  Finally we found one that the person was willing to sell us for $100.  It was in bad shape.  But we seen potential.
We bought it, brought it home and went to work.

 First we stripped everything out of the inside.  Then primed the outside of it white.

We painted the outside a fun color.  Then added some fun shutters.  We made a couple of stalls inside.  There is a great place in the center for milking.  The best part of making the barn out of a camper is if we ever wanted to change the location of our paddock we can move the barn.  Its on wheels.  We just love it.  The goats just love it also.

Round House Farm Cheese Crackers

Well on the farm we try to make most of our food homemade. Store bought items like most bread and cracker products have added ingredients we don't want or need. I (mom) eat primarily a vegan diet but the others in our home eat a regular diet. But I try to conform most of our food choices around a vegan base.

So when I found a recipe for crackers I did put my own twist on it using vegan butter and for my use I substitute vegan Cheese and add nutritional yeast. They are just as good if not better. 

But really the basic is just take these simple ingrediants below and play with the spices till you find your favorite flavor. 

1 cup flour

4 tsp butter

3-6 oz cheese (if you are using a soft cheese use less)

2 tbls water

You take all ingrediants in processer till small chucks are formed. 

Then you can add any spices just try 1/2 tsp or less depending on the spice. Give it a few more pulses. Now you can add your water one tbls at a time till you get a ball. 

Now put on wax paper and place in fridge for about 20 mins. 

Now pre heat oven to 350. 

Roll out your crackers pretty thin. Then I take a pizza cuter and make small squares. 

Next you want to take a fork and press the four sides and then place them on a lined cookie sheet. They will not expand so they can be placed close together. 

After you fill the sheet you will take a toothpick and poke a whole in center of each one. 

Now you add more spice or salt at this time and then place in oven for 13 to 15 mins. I did turn mine after 13 mins then let them cook for another 3 mins. They came out great!

Goats are Great

Not sure how it happened but we have opened our hearts and home to goats.  It was the last thing we ever thought we would have on our farm but one day at the auction my daughter just had to have one.  Well you cant just have one.  And before we knew it we were the proud owners of two week old baby goats- Kids.  Oh boy what did we just do I thought.  My daughter was smiling from ear to ear.  They were so cute but we were not prepared at all.  We had no clue.  I had not read any books on goats or looked them up on the internet like I did the chickens.  I did know you had to have two, that one alone would not be a good thing. 
So first we had to get bottles and milk for them.  Well not knowing I bought bottles for a baby cow.  That did not work.  The nipple was to big they wanted nothing to do with it.  So next day I had to go out and get just regular baby bottles.  Then it was hard at first to get them to take it but when they finally did OMG.  They loved it and it was so cute.

So we started reading and learning about our new babies and how to take care of them.  I must say this has been a great education for my whole family.  The children are learning so much about the caring of the animals.  They know as much as or if not more than I do about our new farm animals.  They take part in all the care of the animals it is teaching great responsibility.
We were sadden one day when we went out one morning to feed the babies and one was on its death bed.  It died within a half hour of us finding it.  It was heartbreaking for my children, both of them.  But it teaches them also.  We are not sure what happened but we did get them small and we know we did everything we could to make it healthy but it is not always in the cards.  So now we have a little grave yard for the animals that pass. 
So that left us with only one goat and as I have said before that is not a good thing.  So we went back to the auction for another goat to be with our baby girl.  Well we decided to look for a goat in milk.  We did some research and found out that if you found a mama goat that has a milk supply she might let the baby goat we have nurse off her.  Or at least we would be able to milk her and feed the goat milk to our baby goat, which is the best milk for the baby.  So we were so blessed to find our mama goat.

This is Miss May.  She has fit right in at our farm.  Best of all we were able to get her to nurse the baby goat.  Today both goats are very happy and healthy and the greatest additions to the farm.  Again my husband and son built a great home for the goats.  They did it the same way the garden was built.  The goats love their new home.

We made half of the paduck in the woods and the goats are loving it, plenty of woodlands to munch on. 

We have recently added a young buck to our farm.  His name is Elf.  He is going to help with the new babies for next year we hope.  That is the plan.  We just love our goats.  Never would have thought but I cant see us without them.