Almost a year after we had found our house, we only had a flock of 3 geriatric chickens, a nascent garden plot, and many dreams about what the next step would be. We had talked about getting new layers, we had talked about building a coop. We were doing a lot of talking and not

Disclaimer: This post contains absolutely no affiliate links, mostly because I’m too lazy and would rather just give you the info on what’s worked for me than figure out how to get a kick back from doing so. While the days are technically getting longer, we are still in the throes of a New England

The presents are mostly unwrapped, the lad has at least temporarily come down from his sugar high, the light is slowly returning and the hens have even started laying again (I think they heard I was talking smack about them). While I had a brief quiet moment I just wanted to wish everyone a peaceful

People talk about the perils of having a one track mind.  I have at least 3 tracks running at any given time, and I can tell you that has its downsides as well, especially this time of year. My husband is a chronic whistler of Christmas Carols. I’ve caught him doing it in the middle

Most of the leaves are off the trees, the last crops are being brought in, including this year’s bumper crop of political signs, and nature is slowing down. In New England, things more or less still move with the seasons, but our family seems to be feeling the draw of this fall more than usual.

We’ve actually had terrific luck with predators. It may sound strange to say since we’ve lost several birds, but it’s true. The eagle took our oldest sickest chicken and spared us from having to either watch her slowly die or cull her ourselves. The spring fox attack took only non-layers. Recently we’ve even had some

Moving back to the country, digging the garden, hauling wood, clearing land, helps you reconnect with the earth. It’s also helpful to overcome fears that you have no choice but to face.   I’ve never been a fan of bugs. I had serious arachnophobia as a kid, loathed earwigs, and was (more rightfully so) petrified

I was walking around the get the lad out of the car when I first noticed the feathers.  There were just a few, but they were red with white at the base, deep feathers, and it wasn’t molting season.  I made a mental note to check on the girls as soon as I could get

I knew a few things about myself before we started homesteading.  I mean I recognized a few aspects of my personality that would be obstacles to traditional homesteading.  I knew that I didn’t exactly have a green thumb. I knew that I would have to develop greater upper body strength to chop wood, and I