Category: Animal-husbandry - Trickle Creek Mercantile

Successive planting...

8/16/2015

This summer we have been hard at work maintaining garden moisture while trying to keep up with our weeding and successive planting. Successive planting essentially means that you are continually planting and adding to your garden as the season persists and/or while you harvest. For instance, when you pull up a delicious beet, put another seed in the ground - it could be another beet, a radish, or perhaps heirloom lettuce- and you'll be harvesting again soon enough! You must take care to consider when the plant will mature, how big it will get, if it will cast shadow on the crops, (sometimes you may want that- to shade a lettuce crop, for example) and ultimately, know what you want to eat.
This year we have done the best yet, but we've had help from our dear friend Miss Judy who started a few more plants in her cold frame (article 2) than she was able to use. Her generosity became a successive planting of cabbages, cucumber, kale and lettuces - what a treat!

Garden Beginnings

6/14/2015

Lil Miss has taken several photos of her growing garden and we wanted to share them with you to inspire you in your own gardening endeavors. If you are concerned that you are too late for a garden, don't be discouraged...there is always something you can do! There is still plenty of time to plant and plan for an abundant harvest. In the past, Mom has direct seeded zucchini plants in July and still gotten more produce then purchased starts planted in June. You can do it!

Working For A Natural Hoof

4/11/2015

Dixie, having one shoe removed, is quite curious about what will happen to the next! Oh - and she smells other horses on those chaps!

As with all our animals, natural care and feeding is our goal; so for Dixie we have been learning more about the movement to model our domestic horse hooves after the wild mustangs, as well as keeping the horses in the type of movement they've been designed for. Words like "Mustang Roll" (referring to the hooves) and "Paddock Paradise" (referring to the best horse environment) make so much sense - as other words new to us years ago: "Multi-species Grazing" and "Hugelkultur".
We learned while a local farrier worked on a friends' horse, getting to ask questions while we watched him shape new horse shoes with his traveling forge and anvil. (Praise the Lord for these AWESOME learning opportunities!) We also studied the hooves of horses we were working with (Aren't these toes too long? What are these ridges?), we've watched documentaries on wild Mustangs, videos of hoof trimming styles and have seen there are many different approaches to the perceived 'perfect' hoof. What serves the horse best, as we have come to understand, is the model of those living most like they were designed (His way is perfect); therefore we sought a hoof trimmer that could help us enable Dixie's hoof healing, building her hoof strength, traction and movement, which = soundness.

Growing By Leaps and Bounds!

3/28/2015

As the seasons change there is new life everywhere... emerging from the earth, tree limbs and oh yes, Momma animals! The Lord has mightily blessed us with each ewe bringing a new lamb into the herd. At a time when many other conventional sheep breeders in the Pacific NW are sadly losing lambs and sheep to 'unexplainable' losses (there is thought that over working and 'super bugs' are to blame), we count it a great opportunity to naturally husband our Lord's creation and reap the blessed reward. We have beautiful, colorful healthy lambs bouncing around so eager to make their mark on the new world around them.

Riding Lessons

3/21/2015

We have spent several weeks with our friend learning natural care, groundwork and enjoying some light riding...but she suggested we visit her trainer and see if we might learn even more.

Jr. Farmer is enjoying his 'work'

Going from a casual environment that all of us can enjoy together, to a more structured setting was only appealing for two of the 'gang' and because she only had two lesson horses for really young riders, Mom wasn't able to participate either. (Insert 'boo-hoo' emoticon here.)

Floating Teeth?

2/21/2015

Oh, the strange terms you learn as you delve deeper into caring for horses...We were excited to experience a rather drowsy (for Miss Cheyenne) version of this common practice called 'teeth floating' or 'floating the teeth' that this Quarter Horse mare was not very happy to endure. This method, with it's crazy apparatus and 'calming drugs' further prepared and enlightened us to the many perplexities of the 'modern' veterinary practice.

Another Adventure with Animals

1/1/2015

We're always thrilled at the potential to learn how animals can contribute to our life and how we can learn to better enhance the lives of animals we have. With a new year we are blessed to have new experiences with an animal we've only dreamed of having, a horse! The Lord has opened the door for us to learn from a barrel racing winner and long time horse owner, at her wonderful facility, with multiple horses! This is the view from her 'ranch'...

Already the potential of learning natural horsemanship methods while interacting with the horses on many levels exhilarated Lil' Miss and she emphatically announced,
"This is a great start to a new year!"
We agree!

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Proverbs 3:5-6

Dual Purpose Feed

11/16/2014

The seeds of pumpkins have long been known to be a natural *vermifuge. Each year we harvest as much as we can from a local farm and use it as a wonderful, dual purpose feed additive for our animals. Just as the flesh and seeds are tasty to us, they are relished by the animals (the rabbits, not so much.) and this huge stock pile that filled our trailer and truck bed has already been consumed.
Even the farmer didn't know the benefits of this simple feed, having grown them for commercial use for many years. This is an old practice that has been lost through the years, but it cements the necessity of planting them not only for ourselves, but the animals too.

*Vermifuge: n. [L. vermis, a worm, and fugo, to expel.]
A medicine or substance that destroys or expels worms from animal bodies; an anthelmintic.
American Dictionary of the English Language By Noah Webster 1828

Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. Job 40:20

Pretty Pigs in 'Hog Heaven'

10/1/2014

Oh, how the ladies love their babies!
As a Mom that valued the special bonding time of nursing her children, I remember well how humming was a way to soothe both of us as we rocked or rested during that special time. Our Heavenly Father has made the animals to enjoy that time with their offspring too! Did you know that when pigs nurse, they do a little 'hog humming' for their babies? It's true! It is a treat to experience and see how the Lord perfectly designed these amazing animals in so many ways. They can be trained like dogs, loved to be rubbed like a dog and will even enjoy tug of war with a stick or chase with it! It's hilarious! MOST IMPORTANTLY: they protect their babies!!!!! No one will dare take on a Momma pig!

Beany's Babies

9/24/2014

This is Miss Bean. She was a house rabbit with an indoor family that wanted her to have more fun time than they could give, because of life circumstances. She liked being inside but once she realized there were other rabbits around the homestead, she started getting aggressive toward our cat. She wanted to be around every rabbit that came in for grooming and we realized she wanted to be out with the rest of the warren.
As rabbits are happiest when bred, she took up her charge like a seasoned pro and happily brought 5 little ones into the world without a challenge. She kept all of her large litter (for her breed/size) , has cared for them like a champ and is happy to be a Momma.

You'll notice all the baby's ears are erect (or stand up), while hers lop (or droop)...They will not stay that way. Their Dad was a lop too and as they get older their ears will develop that beautiful droop... The spotting gene gives them such beautiful colors and their faces, a bit more scrunched than angoras, make them as cute as buttons! They are so soft!

Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The LORD be magnified. Psalm 40:16

Little Pig, Little pig

8/24/2014

It's finally happened...
We have been watching, waiting and learning about a brand new animal on our homestead. Beulah and Elizabeth are our Julianna Mule Foot and American Guinea Hog mixed heritage hogs. This is soggy Washington state after all, and we're situated across the street from a major river with springs and a creek that runs our land, so it is wet, wet, wet - especially during our cooler seasons. You wouldn't know it now, but even far away from the sources of visible water on the land, our water table can be just a foot down! That's why we use raised beds and it's also why we thought Julianna's, known for their adaptability to wet climates, would be a great enhancement to the already wonderful AGH breed and the perfect pigs for us!

Wood Working worker

7/29/2014

Precision nest box nailing...

There is always change on any homestead; in the gardens, amongst the animals and on the land~ throughout the seasons. During the increase we are glad for it and happy to make accommodations for the blessings. Our big builder around here is Jr. Farmer and I captured him in some action shots to share with our friends!

Touring Our Homestead

7/14/2014

We have been busy with several activities in our area meeting, greeting sharing and teaching eager ~new and old~ fiber (and rabbit) lovers. At our booths, quite a few ask us questions on the ins and outs of rearing fiber animals, their feeds, as well as the many and varied ways of working with their glorious fluff! Several are so eager to glean they ask to tour our homestead and get ideas for their own fiber pursuits. We love encouraging and supporting families in these endeavors and this is precisely why we take time to keep our humble website and work to be involved in several public venues...

Grooming Day

6/27/2014

We've had questions regarding accessories for angora care. Today, while grooming 'Coal' we thought it would be great to show what we use!
First we'll introduce 'Coal', he is a beautiful English Angora with a lot to offer. His coat is dense, fine fibered and he joined our rabbitry from a very colorful litter in northern Washington where his Dad took top local awards. He's fathered his first litter and we hope to have a colorful result.

German/English Angora

6/18/2014

We're prepping to participate in our local Farmer's Market by demonstrating our spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet and dyeing...you'll find us doing the same at the upcoming Buckley Logger's Rodeo. Of course, we'll also be showing how amazing the angoras are in person... This is something the children have been asking to do again for several years - the Lord has opened the doors!

We're busy as bees and these photos really speak for themselves...a handsome buck with lots of gorgeous fiber, enjoying some play time with his younger pals in a new 'Romper Room' Lil Farmer built this month. It is a true joyful pleasure to watch them at play - they are relaxed and feel comfortable flopping down after a romp, having been raised in a secure environment with daily interaction. It's a time to thank the Lord Jesus Christ, for the blessing of His wonderful creation, our beautiful, loving animals and a peaceful place to raise them. Please enjoy the photos of 'Rocky'!

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee: Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
Job 12:7-8

Yes, some of these photos show him with Silver's babies from our last post. Take note, he looked nearly identical to those little ones when he was a few months younger...oh, how beautiful they become!
Note: He is not for sale, we just wanted you to see how gorgeous these crosses can be. His fiber is really 'easy care' and he is such a happy, loving part of the homestead!