School Lunch

Today was a great day.  We were invited to have our lunch at our daughters school.  What a delight it was that both my husband and I could go.  I know it just thrilled my daughter.  She is a thriving young lady in fourth grade.  She was very excited about having both of her parent join her for her lunch.  The town of Skowhegan has a great school system and we did get lucky when we moved here.  Melanie has adjusted well to our move to this town and a new school.  She has made many friends and really fits in.  We were informed this morning we would be sitting with her best friend Zoe and her mother.

After our lunch the school was having a book fair.  Well of course Melanie was eager to purchase a few books.  Melanie loves to read.  It was a wonderful afternoon having lunch with Melanie and her classmates.  We thank her school for the opportunity share a meal.

So proud of our family

Sometimes I am not sure on what I should blog about.  What do people really want to hear or know about our family.  But the truth is I started this blog because I feel like writing.  Expressing what is going on in our world.  I have always felt I have had something to say.  Not everyone has always wanted to listen.  That has been OK with me.  Some how I seem to always get my point across.
I don't want to always paint a pretty picture.  Life is not that way.  In my home or house there has been ups and downs.  I have been places in my life I would never talk about.  I have been places in my life I would brag about.  Sometimes you find it hard to find a happy medium in today's world.  At least that is how I have found it to be.  Everything I have or don't have I have worked hard for.  Nothing has been given to me or just fell in my lap.  I am not a person that goes to church but I believe there is someone up above that watches over me and helps me when I may start to stray or should I say always had made sure I have been able to provide for my family.
With writing this today I am so very proud of my family.  Proud of each of my children and who they are and who they have become and what they are doing in there lives.  As I sit back and look at my life I feel so blessed with healthy children and grandchildren.  It makes me not want to take a single thing for granted.  If there is something I can pass on at the end of the day, material items don't mean a thing without the loved ones by your side.  We all have to make a living.  We all have to provide for the family.  But we must take time to look at the big picture.  I have to say I have had the opportunity of raising my children a few different ways.  Having my older children when I was younger compared to having my younger children while I am older.  I am not saying one way of raising my children is wrong or right.  I was doing what I had to do at the time.  The best I could do with what I had.  But if I had know then what I know now.  Boy maybe I heard my grandparent say something like that.  If only we listen to our elders.  Sometimes we just have to learn on our own.  I believe that is OK also.  This is what makes us the strong people we are.  My grandparents lived in the same house from the time they got married or not long after.  My grandmother stayed home with the children.  They didn't have credit cards.  If they didn't have the money they didn't buy it.  They raised four children.  All grew up fine.  Sure nobody perfect.  They were not a perfect family but when my grandparents died they left behind an estate for my mother and her siblings.  My grandparents made an average living probely less than we do but were able to live within there means.  Why cant we do that.  Why cant we teach our children that lesson.  Well we can.  We do.  We haven't always.  We tried to live up to the "Jones" next door.  But no more.  For the past few years we stopped that insanity.  It was something that took me becoming ill for us to do.  A change in us from being a two income family to a one income family.  We are better off because of it.  We are much happier.  If we don't have the money we don't buy something.  What is wrong with that.  No more credit cards.  None!  I love it.  That means we don't pay interest to anyone.  We keep all our money.  Yes at times we look at things and say boy that would be nice.  We used to have nice cars, boats, and if you seen an item you just bought it without worrying if you had money, not now.  We have to have the money.  With only one income in the family we don't have the money for much.  It is hard for the children to adapt.  But they do.  No- is hard to say all the time but we do.  We teach them about the pride of owning something rather than owing a credit card company.  Saving for something, makes you appreciate it even more when you get it.
I look at my older children who grew up with both parents working and having what they wanted, most of the time within reason.  I will say my children worked also.  They had jobs from the time they could work.  I always thought it important to install work ethic.  I worked for my father from when I was real young.  He instilled a work ethic in me.  That is what made me the go getter I have been all my life.  My oldest Christopher, went off to college and never called home asking for money.  He got a job and payed his way.  Now he is in California following his dreams as an inspiring screen writer.  Still paying his own way struggling waiting tables until he becomes the famous Screen Writer I know he is destine to become.  He never calls home and asks for money.  We tell him every phone call, let us know if you need something.  Never does he ask.  I am so proud of him and all his accomplishment's.
My Daughter Jen, she is just an amazing Mother and Wife.  She is married to a man that his career is in the  Army.  He has spent most of their marriage deployed over seas in Afghanistan.  He is off at this time in Afghanistan for six months.  My daughter just gave birth to her third child five weeks ago.  It is amazing the way she handles her home and children while he is gone.  We thank our son-in-law for what he does for this country but we thank our daughter, Jen, for being such a strong, loving person that can handle being a Army Wife.  Her and her husband make us proud on how they are raising their children.  They are being smart about money and living wisely.  It just kills me they live so far away.  Having grandchildren and family live thousands of miles from you is heartbreaking.  Thank goodness for skype.
Our Daughter Jessie is 21 and in the Navy.  How proud are we of that!  My husband was a Navy man and Jessie went in the Navy to follow her fathers footsteps, that's what we say anyway.  She just does the right thing.  For such a young girl she still calls home for some advise, some times.  She doesn't always take it, but at least she ask.  Jessie re-enlisted for a second term and lives in Virgnina now.  It's not close either.  But we talk or text all the time. She is smart with her money and works hard for our country.
Our youngest son, Russell, I don't think will stop growing.  At 6'2'' and fourteen years old he is just starting to find himself.   When I look at him I see a little bit of his older siblings.  When he was born they all had such a big part in his upbringing.  "Little Russell" as we call him was a favorite not only to our children but to all the childrens friends.  He was almost like a mascot to all the sports or activities that the older children were involved in.  It was a great upbringing for him.  Russell is a pretty easy going young man.  When we planned on moving to Maine he was very scarred.  Going into a new school at his age could have been real bad.  But it was the best move for Russell.  Russell has excelled in academics, sports and the social aspects of his high school years.  I can not be prouder of him.  He loves it here and calls it his home town.
Now the baby.  Melanie, the youngest of five born with a carrot top.  I say this because she is different.  All the other children have dark brown hair and here comes baby Mel with the red hair.  Oh wow.  We were all thrilled.  We still are.  She is a ball of fire for sure.  She amazes us every day.  Much like her oldest brother she has been given the title of gifted.  She excels acedemiclly.  Beyond her years.  Thank goodness for schools having accellerated programs to promote her abilities.  Melanie loves to stay active.  She participates in Gymnastics twice a week in a home team at the local gym.  She also takes part in an after school program that promotes good health and activities such as skiing and other outdoor sports.  She is always on the move.  We cant stop saying how proud we are of her.  She amazes me everyday.
When I write this I have to think how lucky I have been to be a part of these five wonderful human beings.  They have blessed me with the opportunity to be their mother.  People may ask how do you raise such successful children.  One I would say do the best with what you have.  Don't second guess how you feel.  You dont have to be your children's best friend, they don't have to like what you say all the time.  As parents we do things we think are the right thing at the time.  It might turn out to be wrong or not the way you thought but we live and learn.  Don't kill yourself over it.  Move on.  Everyone learns from it.  Most of all love yourself and your family.  The rest will come.  Remember no one is perfect!
This is a picture of my children about five years ago I don't remember when we were all together for a picture.

 This is a picture of my Daughter Jen and her husband Zach and their children, Zachary, Addalynn and Abraham.  My wonderful grandchildren who I love with all my heart!

Pigs

Last fall we were so excited when we purchased our first piglets.  We purchased two male piglets that had been, what they call, cut.  That means they had been fixed.  The breeders of the piglets will do this when the piglets are just a few days or about a week old.  The breeders state this will make the temperament of the pig better during the process of raising them.  Plus it will let you keep them together with the little girls without the problem of breeding happening.

Our two boys we picked up from a local farmer and we put them in a crate in the back of my SUV to bring them home.  At this age they are small enough to do this, if it is a short ride.  They will go to the bathroom so you will want to make sure you have a bottom on the crate and shavings in the crate.  But for a short ride it works out fine.  

Our plan for these two pigs were to raise them for the meat.  The plan was a five or six month process.  When we brought them home they were placed in our garden area.  It was spring before planting time.  We had plans of the pigs tilling the area and doing some composting of the soil before we would plant our garden.  That plan worked out well.  

Just before we were ready to start our garden we set up some electric fencing in a wooded area with some grass section for them to make their new home.  Then we would rotational graze them every week or so when they would till up the land.  They would grow and thrive that way.  

The process of raising pigs was going so well we decided to purchase a couple of sows ( female pigs).  Our plan is to breed them when they are old enough and have piglets of our own.  Then we found the right Boar one day and brought him home.  This will be our daddy pig.  He was so gentle he came home on Russell's lap.

We named him Big Red.  He is the cutest and the nicest pig ever!  Now lets count we have five pigs on the farm.  Well the town of Skowhegan has a fair every year.  During this fair they have what is called a pig scramble.  I had never heard of that before.  But to let you in on it if you have never heard of it either, its when you put about 4 piglets in an area with about 10 children and if you catch a pig its yours.  Well my daughter had to go with her friend in hopes she would catch a pig.  

Well the results were, my daughter did not catch one but her friend did.  Her Best friend lives in town and they don't have a place for the pig to live.  So we became foster parents for her pig that they named Betty.  So now we have six pigs on the farm.  Six pigs with three of them being raised to be butcherd.  

Three will be raised for breeding purposes.  Here on our farm we are trying to raise all of our animals as organic and natural as possible.  We believe in rotational grazing all the animals and organic food whenever possible.  The owners of Betty happen to own the Grist Mill in the town of Skowhegan that process all the grain for Maine.  So for raising their pig they supply our farm with the natural grain for the pigs.  You cant get any better than that.  Our pigs eat better than we do.  They love it.  

Time has gone by and the growing and slaughtering process has happened for three of our pigs.  Please let me tell you the quality of meat that was raised here on the farm.  I would say like no other meat that my family has ever tasted.  I can not speak because I eat a vegan diet and did not try any of it but I cooked it all and I have never seen anything so juicy and you could just tell it was the best quality pork.  

Humanly raising animals make all the difference in the end result.  What you feed them and how you treat them and how you let them live gives you the best quality of meat.  

Today we have our Big Red, Lilly and Lola our two mommas that we hope will be due in the spring with piglets.

Going through the winter has not been easy raising pigs.  Not on them, they don't seem to mind.  It is cold on us to feed them and make sure they have fresh water.  Water freezes here so fast.  So making sure they have fresh water is the most important thing.  And if someone ever tells you that pigs don't eat hay well they are wrong.  Pigs love hay.  They love to eat it in the winter when the ground is frozen and it is hard for them to till the ground.  It helps keep them busy.  I hope you liked the information about our pigs and please ask questions and I will keep you posted on the status of the litters of piglets.

Never any free time,let's make birdhouses

When you start a farm the last thing you think of is never ending work, right. It does seem like the list of to do things grows every day. Then we add new items that most likely don't need to be done. One thing the family has taken on as a farm house hobby is making birdhouses.

I guess it all started when my son started wood shop at the high school. He was in need of a project. So his father and I said we would love some birdhouses around the farm. 

He made a birdhouse alright. More like a bird hotel. We just loved it. 

Now it made us want more birdhouses around the farm. So the kids and daddy have been busy. Turning everything into a custom birdhouse. One of a kind birdhouses you will only find here at Round House Farm. 

Here is one made out of a Vintage Milk Jug. 

Dad and Mel work hard together to get them just right. 

Now we have started to sell them to help with some of the cost on the farm. You can check out our store often for our products. 

https://www.etsy.com/shop/RoundHouseFarm7

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!