As I was doing chores on this most beautiful November day (preparing for the COLD that is on its way), I was reminded of two things:
1. God has so very much changed me!!!!
2. The "Self Sufficient" lifestyle is a cycle and can use some of the simplest ideas ever!
So....let's start with #1 --- seriously --- I found myself thinking "you really should be making Christian help with all of these chores today"......and then followed by this thought...... "But...being out here ALONE scooping up all the rabbit poo to put on the garden is actually peaceful and relaxing and I am HAPPY!" REALLY????? Those were my thoughts! Then...I was laughing - almost rolling on the ground laughing (of course I didn't b/c that would mean rolling in rabbit poo) b/c 4 years ago, you would have found me in my 3200 square foot home in my amazing subdivision watching the kids play and wondering how I could please afford to have someone clean my house!!!!! Now...here I am in a much smaller than 3200 foot square home that really isn't even mine -- we rent!!! Half of my belongings from the 3200 sq foot home are still in boxes in the garage (probably filled with cockroach poo) and I LOVE MY LIFE now more than EVER!!!! We have less but it's okay b/c God has me where He wants me and is teaching me to be content in all things!
So....now on to #2 which will be the bulk of this post. The Cycle of Self Sufficiency ---- we have a LONG way to go til I would consider us even close to being self sufficient but today's chores reminded me of the beautiful cycle we are creating ---
It started like this ----- giving the rabbits a special treat directly from our garden!!!!
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| Look close......see "little Thumper" upside down trying to nurse? Makes me smile every time! |
Then.......I proceeded to begin shoveling all the poop from under their cages ----- I filled the wheelbarrow and 3 - five gallon buckets (that's a lot of poo for 3 adult rabbits and 6 babies - yes we were a few weeks behind in scooping)! Then...I headed to the garden!!!
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| Thats a lot of POOP folks!!!!!!! |
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| And..while most of you think "Oh GROSS" when you look at this......I think OH BIG GREEN YUMMY VEGGIES! |
So all I scooped has been dumped and added to the garden! All winter we will dump chicken poo and rabbit poo and guinea pig poo until there is a nice thick pile covering the entire garden. It will sit all winter long in a blanket of POOP, and in the spring we will be ready to till and have amazing soil for planting.
So.....here is one of the cycles from today's chores. While we raise our chickens for eggs, the extra roos for meat, and our rabbits for meat, look what else they do for us. They provide amazing fertilizer for our garden!!! So, all summer long and into fall, we are able to harvest amazing crops and preserve for a wonderful winter of meals for our family!
And....cycle #2 began when it was time to clean out the ash from the wood stove. Knowing the cold spell is on its way tomorrow, I took advantage of the warm day to empty the ash so we would be ready for warm, cozy fires to keep us warm (b/c we are trying NOT to turn our furnace on this winter)!
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| Fire keeps us warm and cozy and keeps our electricity bill down. Ash keeps our chickens healthy and mite free NATURALLY without meds! |
Now...I know most of you are thinking -- "she's going to make her own lye!" Well....I probably should learn to do that but I give myself a "self sufficient learning curve" and that is further down my list b/c I found a wonderful supplier to keep my lye stocked!!! And...really the process of making lye sounds a little too messy and too "Little House on the Prairie" for me just yet!
But....it does go to good use! Ash is amazing in the chicken coop (and on your garden actually)! It is a natural way for chickens to prevent mites/lice! So....I add it to their sand in the coop for when they dust bathe! Today I took it to the Silkie tractor! My Silkies are in a small tractor that gets moved all around the property but it doesn't have a good built in sand bath so this is how they get their ash/sand bath --------
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| yes...I got creative b/c if not they would spill the ash tub and not be able to "dust bathe" |
I had some extra ash so this time around my LF White Cochins (aka Yukon and his girls) got some ash added to their sand bath area!!!!!! They will be happy!
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| Might look like sand and dirt to you, but to my Yukons it says "bubble bath time!" |
To wrap things up, most people think of the bigger things when they think "self sufficient" - but sometimes we need to remember so many "smaller" things go into helping your farm become what you need it to be FOR YOUR FAMILY! These are just two ways that save us money and you can see the cycle continue........
Today, I leave you with two happy little farm girls that enjoyed lots of sunshine and playing outside when chores were finished........Til we talk again..........
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| Love them more than words! Thankful God allowed them to be mine for this short time on earth! |
"Because of FAITH"............ Jami
