The Future of the Dirty Goat Farm

Things have been moving along here, although I haven’t really put too much information out as to what is happening.  Actually, in some ways it is happening very fast, and in other ways it is just totally dragging along.  We have been thinking and planning and discussing plans for our farm until my brain hurts. 

Our Smoky Mountain Vacation

Several weeks ago my family went on a short trip to the Smokey Mountains in Tennessee.  It was a really great trip and so nice to get away from it all.  We rented a cabin for about four days at Moose Creek Crossings.  Our cabin was actually right at the base of the Smoky Mountain National Forrest, and we ended up spending a lot of time in those woods.

We also went on a short day trip on the Great Smoky Mountain Railroad on an old restored open aired train car.  The theme for the trip was Charlie Brown and the Great Pumpkin and the trip took us out to a pumpkin patch with all kinds of activities for the kids.  While there, each of the kids got the opportunity to bring home a pumpkin.  However, we only picked out two.  Most of the kids on the trip dressed up in their Halloween costumes, and our kids each wore a hoodie made into an animal or character.  We had a pink monkey, an owl, a panda bear, a purple kitten, and a robot.  Then we sprayed each of their hair different colors.  They really enjoyed that.  Overall, the trip was a blast.

All Natural Skin Care and Remedies

I have been on somewhat of a health kick lately.  It makes for a whole lot of good crunchy herbal information for everybody around me.  So much so that I am calling people up and telling them “Did you know such and such is good for such and such!”  This kind of thing gets me excited.  In my former life, I was a medic in the Army.  I dig medical information even if it is a little…  ahem…  less than mainstream now.  ...And it is less emergent than my previous life.  Going from combat medic to wannabe herbalist is a big transition no matter how you try to swing it.  But the part I love most about it is that I can still manage my family’s health without pumping them full of chemicals to get the job done. 

Our Carrie is FAMOUS!

Check it out!  Carrie the goat was in the newspaper!

Sweetness!  Thank you Mary Ann!  You can check out her blog here! 

Homemade Pure Vanilla Extract

Here at the Dirty Goat Farm we are all about homemade.  It’s a borderline disorder.  When I see something, I am not one of those people that say “Oh wow, that’s really cool.  How much does that cost?”  Instead, I say “Oh wow, that’s really cool.  Pf, I could do that.”  Sometimes I irritate myself.  I’ve heard that there is treatment, but so far I am skeptical. 

About a year ago, I said “I could make vanilla extract.”  So, I did.  It’s very easy, although start up can be slightly expensive (think long term), but it is not something that will go bad (that I know of).

Lessons from a Homesteader and an Herb Garden Plan

Today we did a lot of work.  Well, Keith (my husband) did a lot of work.  I did a lot of managing and complaining.  You know, I realized very early on, that even a backyard farm was A LOT of work.  We don’t have much space.  Everything we do is strictly limited to a backyard space.  I like to think of it as a farm (although the definition might vary for people) because this is the way I see it…  We grow food, we have the opportunity for fresh milk, eggs, and meat…  so in my mind, that makes us a farm. Right?  Everybody nod your head in unison.  Thanks.  I have learned a lot of lessons on a small space that someday I hope to take to a large space.

Homebirth at the Homestead

The happy face of a homebirth baby!  Winnie- also known as #5

My family is known for doing things a little…  differently.  I mean, we are not your standard American family from what I can tell.  I fight the system, I have problems with the man, and I don’t particularly do well with rules…  then to top ALL that off…  I may be slightly impulsive.  (Keith just nodded his head in agreement)  So, when it came time that I was less than two months away from having our fourth baby, I made the huge, and probably radical decision, to have our fourth baby at home.

Sustainability: Live Simply, Live Responsibly

Sustainability is important.  Until a few years ago, I really had never even considered it.  And then something changed.  I started paying attention.  Now, it drives everything we do.

There is a quote I like that says “We cannot simply think of our survival; each new generation is responsible to ensure the survival of the seventh generation. The prophecy given to us, tells us that what we do today will affect the seventh generation and because of this we must bear in mind our responsibility to them today and always."

Rabbit Soup! by Keith

 

Saturday morning after Rebecca left for the All Locals Farmers Market, I decided I wanted to try my hand at using the pressure canner on some soup.  I really felt like cooking a good Italian soup but I didn’t have any Italian sausage.  I did, however, have some rabbit in the freezer so I figured I could just grind it and make my own Italian rabbit sausage. 

In the Beginning there were Chickens...

I got this CRAZY idea, so I called around and asked my question.   

By the way…  our motto at our house has always been and probably always will be “go big or go home.”

“Are there any zoning laws against having chickens in the backyard?”  I was told that there were not as long as there was no rule against it with the neighborhood association.  Well, we don’t have a neighborhood association (thank goodness) so that eliminated that obstacle.  Then, I am pretty sure I brought it up casually in a conversation or two with Keith, and he didn’t seem overly opposed to the idea.  Keith expects these kinds of things from me.