Faithful Homestead | Sharing our journey of farm life and family.

Ups and Downs; Twists and Turns

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Jennifer

Maybe it has been writer’s block or not sure what direction I should take with the blog; but over the past few months I have taken a step back from blogging. I have started countless blog posts yet it hasn’t seemed that the time was right to share them.

I am looking forward to getting back to writing and sharing our journey, complete with ups and downs; twists and turns, with you. I assure you there have been many ups and downs; twists and turns!

On this journey called life I have learned to lean on God’s promise in Deuteronomy 31:6; “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

God doesn’t promise that our road will be easy nor does He tell us that we will understand all that happens. In fact He tells us “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8)

God is continuing to work in our lives and mold us into the people He desires us to be. My prayer is that we will listen to Him and follow the way He has for us.

I invite you to come along on the journey.

Blessings,

Jennifer

Posted in Faith, Family | Tagged Faith, Family | 5 Comments

Quick and Easy Tortilla Pizza

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Jennifer

This recipe is exactly what is says quick and easy!

This is a fun meal that the kids can easily help make or can make on their own when they are able to bake. Since I can spaghetti sauce from our tomatoes I always have sauce available and flour tortillas are considered a staple around our house.

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Posted in Family, Recipes | Tagged Children, Family, Recipes | 1 Comment

Treating A Calf With Foot Rot

Posted on June 6, 2014 by Jennifer

One of our young Hereford calves began limping this week. As is often the case when a calf or cow is limping, the calf has foot rot. It’s not the best picture but hopefully you can see the swelling and the line of infection between her toes.

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Posted in Animals, Cows | Tagged Cattle, Cows | 4 Comments

Late Season Frost and Sweet Potatoes

Posted on May 23, 2014 by Jennifer

Last week we experienced two mornings of frost which is very unusual for this time of year in our part of the country. The average frost free date for our area is April 15.

We had already planted our sweet potatoes so in an effort to save them from the frost I mulched them heavily with straw the evening before the predicted frost. (Sweet potatoes are very susceptible to cold weather.)

This isn’t a very good picture but I took this late the evening before the frost as I finished up mulching.

Then each of the two mornings I sprayed much of the garden off water from the garden hose. A couple days later I pulled back the straw to see if it had worked. In spite of these precautions some of the sweet potatoes still died,

but some of them survived. Hooray!

The sweet potatoes that survived the frost were the ones that I had mulched the most with the straw. For future reference I now know to make sure that each plant is covered by at least 6 inches of straw.

I am hopeful that despite the frost we will still have a nice crop of sweet potatoes, but only time will tell.

Were you effected by the late frosts? What precautions do you take to protect tender plants from frost?

Have a blessed day!

Jennifer

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Posted in Garden | Tagged Garden | Leave a comment

A Pasture Full of Sheep

Posted on May 14, 2014 by Jennifer

As I mentioned in my last post, we have been reinvesting money that we received from selling the cows that did not get bred for spring calving but that are now bred for fall calving. One of the things we have done is purchase sixty head of ewes and their lambs.

Sheep grazing

I am so excited to have sheep again! We had sheep in the early years of marriage however we sold them when we moved to Kansas the first time in 2007.

Our previous flock of sheep was raised sustainably on grass in a Management Intensive Grazing (MiG) system. This is also how we will raise our ewes and lambs this time. We will retain those ewe lambs who do well on grass so that as we build our flock we are emphasizing sheep that will thrive in a sustainable, grass based system.

Did I mention that I am excited to have sheep again?! I really am! We should be able to greatly improve our pastures with the addition of sheep as they are willing to eat move weeds and forbs than cattle are. We will be grazing the ewes with cattle in an effort to better utilize the forage that we have available.

The other day when I was out with the sheep it was sprinkling just a little and this is the view I had. I love the way God paints beautiful pictures!

Thanks for stopping by!

Have a blessed day!

Jennifer

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Posted in Animals, Sheep | Tagged MIG, Sheep | 3 Comments