Wax Processing!!!

We have finally processed our first batch of beeswax and not only was it easy but it came out beautifully. 

A quick tutorial:  Take your raw beeswax and place in cheesecloth. We had four layers of cheesecloth to catch the bee debris.  You can almost fill your crock pot with wax (beeswax isn't easy to get off of pots/utensils so just have a spare set for this venture). 

Next pour in at least one liter of water making sure to get the edges/cheesecloth damp.  More water is fine too. 

Put your cover on and make sure your cheesecloth doesn't sink into the pot.  I used a yarn needle to make a pull tie around my cheesecloth to secure it to the lid. 

Now just turn your crockpot on low (mine was just on warm - not even enough to make the water boil) - wax will melt around 148 degrees F.  Careful not to get it too hot as wax can catch fire!

After all the wax is melted you can carefully lift the cheese cloth out of the crockpot - set it on a screen and put the lid over it so any excess wax will drip in.  You can now turn the crock pot off and let the wax cool overnight.

Voila!  Your wax should be pretty clean. You can repeat the process if you want it cleaner, or use a finer material than cheesecloth.  For us, this is perfect.

The Planting Begins...

The first seedlings were planted in the little high tunnel today.  This is the tunnel that will turn into a shade house for our cooler weather crops.  We transplanted seedlings of two types of broccoli and red Russian Kale.  We also direct seeded a curly leafed variety of kale, spinach, and Bright Lights Chard.   Don't let me forget that we first put some weed barrier and woodchips down on the inside and outside edges to try and combat the incoming runner grass.  Fingers crossed that it works. 

In other news...the girls were all happy to be moved to a new patch of lawn.  With the way things have been growing this week, we'll probably be able to move them to the pasture soon.

Everyone's losing their hair!

Screech and Houdini were first, on a nice sunny and warm day this week.  Today was a bit more chilly so the ewes are going to stay in the barn till tomorrow.   (The bottom two pics are Billie before and after). 

And, of course, a new kid pic.  They are getting super friendly - almost to the point where you can't work in the barn because they are underfoot.

Grain Seeds have arrived

We were happy this week to get the farms first shipment of organic non GMO corn and soybean seeds.  We also received a tote bag full of Chilean nitrate - an excellent organic nitrogen source for our 20 acres of corn.  Someday it would be great to use more locally sourced fertilizers, but for now the Chilean nitrate is tried and trusted by the other organic growers we know, and our fields are pretty depleted so they need all the help they can get.   Now we need to get the equipment ready and we'll be set to plant the fields.

We've also begun to replant some of our larger seedlings into paper pots and moved them to a cold frame within the high tunnel.  It won't be long now till we plant the high tunnels!

And of course we can't have a post without some updated baby pics (they are two weeks old today) - and they're already starting to nibble!

Garlic and Goats - does it get any better?!

The garlic perseveres as the temps dropped below 20 degrees this past week.  Luckily it looks like spring might actually be coming by the end of the week!  With warmer weather the shearing can continue, the garden beds can be prepped for potatoes, and perhaps the goat kids can go outside for the first time.  Here's a few more kid pics...if you're like me you can't get enough!

The kids have arrived!

Houdini gave birth to triplets on Wednesday the 15th.  After a long labor, the first of the kids came out backwards and unfortunately didn't make it.  The other two kids, both bucklings,  are doing great.  They are nursing well, sleeping lots, and are already starting to play and jump a little.

The seedlings are taking over the house!

In mid February we began starting seeds!  Most of our starts are either in soil blocks or in egg cartons and have a mix of compost, composted manure, sand, peat moss, and a little store bought organic potting soil.   And look at them now.  Little tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, fennel, Brussel sprouts, basil, oregano, thyme, sweet potatoes, cabbage, etc. are taking over our south facing windows and putting out second sets of leaves.  It won't be long now before they need to be repotted into paper pots. 

Chip gets a haircut as the maple sap boils down.

The warm weather has made our lives busy a bit early this year.  Not only have we already tapped and bottled all the maple syrup for the year, but we have also begun clipping the goats fiber. 

Unless by some miracle the sap begins flowing again after tomorrow's freeze, our maple season has already ended.  I think in most typical springs there's a much longer period of time where the nights are below freezing and the days are above 40.  It looks like we only have about half of what we were able to bottle last season. So hint hint....get your syrup early this year because supplies are limited.

The animals seem to be enjoying the warmer, drier weather, though that means they are shedding and matting early.

Houdini with her baby bump...it won't be long now!

Chip is the first to undergo the clippers this spring, though I hope the other four will all soon follow suit.

Chocolate Chip before her spring 2017 cut.

Chocolate Chip after the spring 2017 cut.