Well well well.........it seems you can try to take the girl off'n the homestead, but you can't take the homestead outta the girl.........
After some discussing with the Big Dog (aka, Hubby)
I've decided to get Tulip and Star knocked up again. Hubster wants to get a couple feeder pigs in the spring and if I'm going to have an outlet for my extra milk, then I want to be milking again. We are also ordering chicks in the spring.......6 or 8 laying pullets for me and 15 or so Cornish X for the freezer, with maybe a few turkey poults tossed in for good measure.
Once again I have to praise God in His Infinite Wisdom in keeping us here on our place. We would have been absolutely miserable in a little house in town or even living on the beach in Florida. Yet another case of God knowing what we need, even when we are cornfuzed!
To explain The Crisis in short..........I can't. The only thing I can think of is that we were overwhelmed and confused. Everybody gets down and The Man and I are no exception to that. Our Faith keeps us afloat, but we of course have moments of sadness and desperation even. The key difference in The Crisis is that we were both down at the same time. That doesn't usually happen. Usually when one of is is discouraged and feeling blue, the other lifts us up and helps us to see the positive side. This time we were down in the hole together. Through it all, we have immense Faith and we're just looking for God to tell us what to do.
This time around I'm going to keep a short leash on my animals situation. By only having pullets (no rooster) I won't end up with 40+ chickens running 'round eating me out of house and home. I will miss setting chicks and seeing this.....
But that's what pictures are for!
I'm also not going to keep a buck goat here year round. I just want to have Tulip and Star and milk them. I'll hire out my womanizer instead of feeding him (and dealing with him) the whole year round to breed two does! As for babies, they will be sold at weaning or else kept for the freezer. It may be hard, but a family of three does not NEED 11 GOATS! At least my family of 3 doesn't! This will keep my stress level as well as my feed bill down to a manageable rate.
My garden is also being pared down. I'll no longer have the smaller upper garden, just focusing on the big lower garden. I'm going to keep myself to under a dozen tomato plants (instead of 34) and focus on the core crops that we really use.
After this last vacation The Man knows more than ever that he would go coo coo crazy without our land. He is too much of a do-er and I think he'd die of boredom. However, he is learning that Rome wasn't built in a day and all the little projects that we want to do, can wait until we have the time or most importantly, the inclination, to do them.
As my blog title states........we are Thickin' and Thinnin' here at Goodwife Farm. We never know what the Good Lord has in store for us, but we are game for it all. With our hands firmly in His and our hearts open to His guidance we press on into the future!
K.......on that supremely corny, yet udderly true note........
God Bless......
Great Thinkin! It does get over whelming when you get to many... thats why I'm puttin off gettin goats. I want a couple but know that right now is not the time, maybe I'll have some one day and maybe not. Good Luck with the animals and I cant wait to see and what them grow through your wonderful blog :)
ReplyDeleteGod knows best :)
It sounds like a good dose of common sense has been taken. :D When you're good at so many things ... finding the right balance for you and your family is hard. It sounds like you are on the right track. Thinking and planning together and keeping it in the Good Lord's hands. Can't go wrong with that plan!
ReplyDeleteThanks ladies! Jennifer, I did let myself get overwhelmed (or depressed not sure which) and then panicked and freaked out! LOL! Hopefully I can keep it small and keep the joy in it this time.
ReplyDeleteBrenda, thanks! Common sense is easy to toss out the window when you are surrounded by darling babies, no? You are right, keeping things in God's hands is the only way to go!
Lots of prayers to you and yours. I struggle with letting things be in God's hands.
ReplyDeleteI hope that you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
GW,
ReplyDeleteyou know we can relate, as we've felt the same and had the same discussions here. PTL he has revived us as well and although we are downsizing and even not raising pigs this winter( instead we'll buy one ready for butcher) we all feel so much better, that overwhelming feeling is gone and we are all working together again as a family. It's such a blessing to see everyone smiling around here, because for such a long time it was grumblings and frowns.
PTL and best of luck, we sure miss our milk and feel we will have to buy a bull for our breeding purposes, can't wait for fresh milk again. :o) Be sure to share those baby goat pictures in the Spring!
Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours,
Kelle
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteHang in there:)) God has you right where He wants you and must have great things planned through all of this! I don't say that lightly, but while going through holding on by the tips of my fingers to the Lord in the midst of our own chaos and hurt. I have enjoyed your blog again~ so glad your back:))
ReplyDeleteThis was encouraging to me today~ Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now off to deal with my own convictions of why I think I need 11 goats!! LOL
Sometimes you have to see what you don't want to realise what you do! sounds like a good set of reasonable ,manageable plans
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good plan! No sounds like a Great plan! And we are all here to support you!
ReplyDelete** The only thing I can think of is that we were overwhelmed and confused. Everybody gets down and The Paintiff and I are no exception to that. Our Faith keeps us afloat, but we of course have moments of sadness and desperation even. The key difference in The Crisis is that we were both down at the same time. That doesn't usually happen. Usually when one of is is discouraged and feeling blue, the other lifts us up and helps us to see the positive side. This time we were down in the hole together. **
ReplyDeleteYou have come through, not unscathed, but still together, laughing, loving, working, playing, learning, and living each day you are blessed with. We've also gone through rought times and like you two, God has been with us and given us strength to keep on.
I'm glad you are still going to have some critters, and grow some veggies, living there in your bit of country paradise. May we all grow where we are planted.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady
Sounds like you've got a great plam. Like in your house, the Husband and I usually offset each other when one is down, the other is there to raise up but when both are down, it's the pits. Faith gets us through too. (I confess I am usually the glass 2/3 empty and when he is down...)
ReplyDeleteCongrats on finding a great plan. :)
Maybe he was just letting you know you didnt need those 11 goats?Lol.. I have gotten overwhelmed before and downsized. Its like you say usually one of us is down and not the other.. We can keep a balance but sometimes its both of us..
ReplyDeleteIts always good to step back and evaluate.. Glad you all didn't move to town!
Sounds like a plan Stan! We're really cutting back on our herd this year. Selling some of our original cows. Sometimes you just have to step back and take a realistic look at what is going on. Can't let your heart lead you in business matters. Sometimes that really sucks though!
ReplyDeleteLike good old Kenny Rogers wisely sang, "ya gotta know when to hole 'em...know when to fold 'em! Those old heart strings often don't put food on the table.
ReplyDeleteGod bless you and your family this Thanksgiving season. Have a great one sweetie!!!
nah, you just be a grown up now ;P and it aint so bad. I too had to learn that if you eat a whole bag of chips ahoy and a bag of hot barbeque kettle chips in one sitting theres gonna be repercussions, although i havent found another person yet who had to learn that lesson...but I havent learned yet that collecting fabric and books might be a hoarding issue - im working on that one. Thens theres the learning curve I just had recently about wanting things done my way when packing- sometimes you gotta give the control up and then theres hills to die on, like making sure that your tack is packed before the kitchen dishes (they dont call me feral woman for nothing! :D)
ReplyDeleteCrap - Ive still got so much to learn on at age 47 that i need to stay alive for at least 30 more years to get it right!
hugs to ((((goodwife))))!