Baby Goats, 2018
I had intended to post this sooner, but I was exhausted. Mama goat Candy started showing signs of being ready to give birth late in the evening on March 28th: her udder was filling, her ligaments were soft, her back…
Spring [Barn] Cleaning
Today was spring cleaning today for the barn. We got a late start and didn’t get quite as much completed as we had hoped, but we got a solid start! (I kind of love the photo above; Mama Candy with…
Weekend Farmstead Photos: March 9-11
This weekend was all about … playing in the snow, family dinners out, stocking up on feed at Tractor Supply, boostering CD&T for all the goats, and tending to baby chicks.
Spring Chicks
Every year, we usually add a few hens to our laying flock, just to keep productive young hens coming up as older hens slow down their laying. This winter, we lost about 6 hens and one much-loved rooster to a…
Kidding Season: 2018 Preview
I don’t know about you, but I have some serious spring fever. Northwestern Pennsylvania had a pretty harsh winter this year with record breaking snowfall. Recent days have been mercifully milder though. Our snow has melted and temperatures are gradually climbing.…
Canine Diabetes
I adopted Gracie, a pug/beagle mix, from a rescue organization in January of 2007. She was a young adult when I adopted her; the rescue guessed her to be about 2, but it’s hard to say. Grace has been my…
Barn Cat
It would appear we have acquired a barn cat. His name is Tigger and he belonged to a former coworker of Mike’s. Unfortunately Tigger’s house manners aren’t so good, so they had to get rid of him. We were in…
Homemade Sauerkraut
On Saturday, Myles and I decided to follow along with Art + Bri and make some homemade sauerkraut. Myles is a pretty picky eater (not unlike his mama -ahem-) but it’s amazing how much more willing to try things kids…
The Underrated Beauty of Staying In
Our area was recently hit with some pretty epic snowfall. The news stations were asking people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary, and some areas were even fining people for going out unless their vehicles were equipped with…
Looking Ahead: Homestead Goals for 2018
I feel like 2018 is going to be a lean year, focused on saving and only spending on what’s really needed to keep the farmstead running. I’m actually looking forward to getting a little creative with building and repairing and just…
Snow, Cold Snap, and Welcome to 2018
We are in the midst of a cold snap with lots and lots of lake effect snow. Our farmstead is around 20 miles south of Erie, Pennsylvania–which, if you didn’t know, just got hit with crazy record-breaking snowfall since Christmas…
The Truth About Backyard Chickens: The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
I recently shared a post on the @littleredfarmstead Instagram feed and asked my followers what they’d like to read about here on the blog. One question that came up was asking about the pros and cons of keeping backyard chickens.…
