Farm Archives - Page 2 of 7 - A Country Girl's Heart -Beats that Matter

February 15, 2022February 10, 2022

Introducing the Lemon Flower Chicken Breed

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The Lemon Flower chicken breed developed over the last few years as I sought to use what I had and work within my limits when I struggled with reproducing Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner chickens. When this process started, I was not sure how the process was going to unfold. For the first time I share the story as a part of introducing the Lemon Flower chicken breed.

How The Lemon Flowers Began

Feelings of failure and frustration filled my mind as I went about the chore of feeding chickens. 3 years into ‘raising’ Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners I had yet to hatch a single chick. What did I know about hatching? About breeding chickens? Was I up to this ‘new experience’ I had taken on 3 years ago? Give me horses and horse illness, problems and work. This I knew as a 30 plus year horse owner. My thoughts recalled a concept I had learned in the last 3 years; taking on a new project or experience was bound to include failure. Well, in the moment, I was feeling it.

I mean! Could these hens even produce a fertile egg? I had been through 3 roosters. Not a single chick had hatched!! Additional frustration feelings of failure overwhelmed me. My body responded by energy leaving my body. Perhaps taking on new projects was NOT the way to improve my health. Maybe if I had continued with horses, I would have overcome my loss of desire to ride, compete and continue chasing my childhood dream. Maybe? Ah, but no turning back now! Onward.

Testing Fertility of the Hens

Wait! I had a plethora of fertile roosters in the Swedish Flower Hen breed. Perhaps I could test the LCN hens’ fertility by crossing the hens on a SFH rooster. If they produced chicks, then the infertility fault would be in the LCN roosters.

There was a nice looking SFH rooster who had been raised outside as a grow out. I often admired him, but had no need for him in any of my current breeding pens. He was available and a nice specimen. I mulled over my thoughts for a week at least. I had conversations with friends over my idea. If I did get chicks, what would I do with them? Perhaps, I could sell them as laying hens to folks who wanted pretty chickens. I mean they were bound to be pretty, right?

The SFH rooster wasted no time at all in breeding the LCN hens after I placed him in their pen. The hens were not laying right then. I also have a protocol of waiting 6 weeks after switching roosters before hatching eggs to ensure integrity of the genetics. In other words, I do not want chicks are from one rooster and they are actually from another. It is my understanding; 6 weeks is a conservative measure. Often breeders will consider 2 to 4 weeks a good wait time when switching roosters.

Fertile Eggs

In time I incubated eggs from the SFH rooster and LCN hens. YES! I had fertile eggs. Now I could blame the LCN roosters for the infertility in the LCN hens. I ended up with 5 chicks, 3 roosters and 2 hens.

The 5 50/50 crossbreds I hatched

These chicks were 50% LCN and 50% SFH. At the time, I had no luck in hatching LCN and no roosters to use. I had picked up 2 pure grow out roosters, but they were not old enough. My pen space was limited so I put the 50/50 hens in with the purebred hens. I kept 2 of the nicest and similar colored 50/50 roosters in a separate pen.

The difference in the eggs of the 50/50 hens and the LCN hens was obvious. The cream colored LCN eggs were oblong, almost in a detrimental fashion and the 50/50 hens had a rounder structure and were definitely darker in appearance. When the grow out roosters, I named Cisco and Clinch were old enough and knowing I could easily tell their eggs apart, I put them in with the 50/50 hens and the pure hens.

Imagine my excitement when the black based 50/50 hen went broody. I happily set her up in a brooder tank and gave her the eggs she was sitting on. Now I am uncertain if any of the eggs she hatched were from the pure hens or not. I can speculate one was based on how she turned out and the type of egg she is producing.

For the beginning of 2022, chick in question is now an adult and in with my known purebred rooster. See last week’s blog post (click below)

5 year Challenge Raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Chickens

My Decision to Continue

Deciding to experiment to see what I would actually get I incubated the crossbreds eggs. They were faster to produce chicks over the purebred. Frustrating!

I am all about using what I have. At the time, I had nice sized, egg producing cross bred chickens who were not perfectly uniform in color but were similar in size who were producing fertile eggs crossed back on Lemon Cuckoo Nierheiner Roosters.

This second generation of my crossbred project was 75% Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner and 25% Swedish Flower Hen

Taking the pullets for the red CB hen I created a pen with one of the 50/50 roosters. The pullets from the black based 50/50 hen I placed with the other 50/50 rooster. My plan was to keep 2 lines going with the 3^rd generation.

2021 proved a difficult year for me on a personal level. Chicks did not always get banded or marked. For the record I am honest with customers and communicate if I do not know which pen a bird came from. Depending on their goals, the pen they came from does not matter to them. So, I communicate honestly and allow the customer to decide.

Notice how yellow the hen is in the top right of the photo. She is the hen who has since moved in with the 100% Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner rooster.

To reduce chore time, I combined the 4 75/25 hens with the 50/50 rooster. The short video below shows the 1 rooster and 4 hens.

In late fall of 2021, I added any female offspring back into the pen. for the winter season. I marked each crossbred hen to know what generation and line they are.

Colors of Lemon Flowers in Developing Generations

Of the original pairings, one 50/50 hen was almost all black, the other was mainly red or ginger. As I created the next generation pens, I grouped them based on what hen they came from and similar color.

Colors of 75% LCN and 25% SFH or Second Generation Cross

The cross of 75% LCN and 25% SFH hens over 50/50 % roosters produced 1 or 2 consistent color patterns. In other words, there were 1 or 2 different colors which showed up. The feather patterns were similar, but the colors appeared 1 of 2 ways.

Generation 4 in creating the Lemon Flower Chickens

The most consistent coloring has shown up in the fourth generation. However, I am optimistically waiting to see what the 4th and 5th generations produce

Introducing Lemon Flowers Chicken Breed Characteristics

The roosters readily show a heavy muscle pattern but demonstrate a willingness to fly and roost. These characteristics are a combination of the 2 orginating breeds. The hens lay consistently and produce a tan, sometimes speckled egg. To date, I have not documented the average number of eggs produced by single hen.

Breeding Goals and Needed Improvements for Lemen Flower Chickens

I would like to see improvement in color uniformity although many hens are quite consistent with in the 3^rd generation. I need to document and calculate the average number of eggs a hen lays in a given year. My 2022 goal is to hatch all I can and select the best for next generation pens to continue improving on what I already have.

introducing the Lemon Flower chicken breed

For 2022 initially I will have 2 pens of Lemon Flowers. The 50/50 rooster over 3rd generation hens and a third-generation rooster over the second-generation hens.

What questions do you have about my developing breed? Leave me a comment below or post on the Lemon Flower Chickens Facebook page. I am not planning to sell many, if any, of this breed until I have worked with them more.

Do you want to learn more about Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners or Swedish Flower Hens the two originating breeds? Check out the links below:

https://www.dontclipmywings.com/lemon-cuckoo-niederrheiner/

https://www.dontclipmywings.com/swedish-flower-hen/

I am excited to be introducing the Lemon Flower chicken breed. There is a Facebook page to connect and chat about these beautiful chickens. Use the link below to like and follow.

https://www.facebook.com/Lemon-Flower-Chickens

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February 8, 2022February 8, 2022

5 year Challenge Raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Chickens

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In the fall of 2016, after purchasing Swedish Flower Hens, I found these gorgeous, dual-purpose chickens called Lemon Cuckoo Niederrhiener. Newly imported only 2 years prior, to the United States, they sold for around $30 a chick. My homesteading journey was just beginning and the prospect of selling baby chicks for such a price appealed to me. This post tells tell my story of raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner chickens.

As, I scoured the internet, searching for a place to purchase my own. I came across 2 or 3 farm websites who no longer sold them. Not thinking too much about the fact at the time, I now believe the farms struggled to reproduce them; quickly decided the breed would not be a good financial return on their investment.

Circle M farm offered a deal on chicks for only $20 each. I ended up with 8 chicks, 6 females and 2 males. While harder to distinguish males from females at hatch, by the time they were 4 weeks old the males were lighter and the females darker. All with a yellow look to them.

2017

With great anticipation I set their eggs in 2017. Imagine my disappointment when time after time the eggs either lost viability early on or were not even fertile to begin with. I started looking for a different rooster.

The first year the hens regularly laid eggs. I remember thinking their egg production was to be commended.

2018

I purchased a rooster to hopefully gain fertile eggs to incubate. With the hens all enjoying an outside pen, I examined them using the translated standard from Germany. I choose the hen who best represented the breed and placed her in a separate pen with the new rooster. In this fashion I would now have 2 lines from which to add diversity to the gene pool.

Want to read the translated German SOP or Standard of Perfection? Click the link: https://www.dontclipmywings.com/lemon-cuckoo-niederrheiner-standard-of-perfection/

Disappointed again, as none of the eggs were fertile. I do not think I ever had a fertile egg from the rooster I purchased.

Raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Chickens in 2019

Feeling a bit frustrated as 3 years into raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners and I had not hatched a single chick. Could the hens be the problem? I knew my Swedish Flower Hen roosters were consistently fertile. Perhaps I would test the ability of the Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner hens to produce a fertile egg.

After tossing around the idea in my mind and looking over my Swedish Flower Hen roosters, I decided why not. I was not getting anywhere as it was. I might as well try this new idea of mine. If I did get any chicks, I could always sell them as crossbreds or egg layers.

The 5 chicks who hatched from the crossbred experiment.

The hens crossed on the black based mille fleur rooster produced 5 chicks using a Janoel 12 incubator. I had my answer, the roosters were to blame. In my conversations with others about this docile breed, I learned of the importance of trimming the vent feather of both roosters and hens.

Cisco and Clinch

I was hopeful with the addition of Cisco and Clinch to now have a chance at hatching Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner chicks. Timing has proved a difficulty in itself. The hens were 3 years old and not laying as regularly at this point.

Cisco and Clinch were not mature enough to breed the hens the summer I brought them home. By the time I put them in with the hens, the hens had stopped laying for the winter.

2020 Raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Chickens

2020 I continued with my crossbred program crossing roosters who were 50/50 with pullets/hens who are 75% LCN/25 % SFH. Next weeks post will share details of my crossbred project I now call Lemon Flowers.

I combined the 2 hens who were 50% Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner in a pen with my remaining Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Hens crossed on Cisco and Clinch. The black 50/50 hen went broody. Check out the chicks she hatched.

Notice how white 2 of the chicks are. I was testing Cisco and Clinches fertility using eggs from a pen which contained both pure Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner hens and 50/50 hens. I might have ended up with a pure hen also. As I hatch her eggs, I will have better idea. She is currently in with my only pure LCN rooster.

Moma Hen with baby chicks — The black broody 50/50 hen with 3 of the chicks she hatched.

I was disappointed in 2020 to have lost 2 hens, leaving me only one original Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner hen. The timing of when the hens laid eggs was not conducive to incubating. The 2020 season came and went.

2021

Imagine my delight when I finally had fertile Lemon cuckoo Niederrheiner eggs. I only hatched one chick in the incubator, but I congratulated myself on progress. The hen stopped laying before I could get any other eggs rounded up to incubate. She was approaching 5 years and no longer laid eggs as often.

Possum Attack

Its 4 am and I hear roosters crowing, while not entirely unusual I heard anther sound and listened closer. It sounded like a chicken in distress. I dressed quickly and took a moment to grab my pistol. It was fairly chilly out with a wind blowing. No time or desire to waste on warm clothes, I wanted to investigate.

Taking a quick glance at Aneta, our Great Pyrenees told me where the problem was located. In my headlamp I inspected the interior of the LCN outdoor pen. The rooster was huddled and then I see it. A possum was eating on my hen. My blood ran cold. I wanted a clear shot, and the possum was already on the move. After moving into a better position with the possum still in motion, I shot and missed. Wait! Was the hen breathing? She was but did not survive the attack.

I waited around for the possum to return and managed one more shot. Regrettably I appeared to have missed again. I apparently need to improve my skill. Certain the varmint would return; I moved the rooster into the barn. He did not seem to have injuries either, but unfortunately, I also lost him a few weeks later. Another setback in raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner chickens.

Trying Chicks from a Hatchery

A subscriber and fellow Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner enthusiast alerted me a hatchery was selling LCN chicks. Of course, hatcheries are not known for their excellent representation of any breed. Rather the opposite, no matter the breed. Given the difficulty of finding others breeding and selling LCN’s I choose to order chicks.

Notice the inconsistency in these 2 roosters. Both were from the hatchery chicks I ordered.

By the time fall arrived I was sorely disappointed. The inconsistencies were beyond obvious. There were not uniform or even anywhere near the way my original birds had presented themselves. Not a single one actually looked like a LCN.

Pictured are the 5 pullets from the hatchery. Notice the inconsistency also.

In the fall of 2021, I looked at pictures at pictures of Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheirs from the hatchery catalog. Definitely NOT what my original birds looked like. I would likely not be ordering a second time.

Click the picture below to read a translated version of SOP (Standard of Perfection) from Germany for Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners.

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Standard of Perfection

Now what?

Left with only one pure LCN rooster, and possibly one hen, and no contacts with chicks available at the time.

My options:

sell them all and say forget it.
work with the obviously not pure pullets from the hatchery and cross them back on my pure LCN rooster
find the best representation from my crossbred project and my possible pure hen (hatched in 2020) to cross them back on the LCN rooster (hatched in 2021) I now have.
At least I knew what percentage my crossbred birds had of the LCN line.

With the hatchery birds I have NO idea what was in them or the percentage of LCN they possess if any. Chances are someone here in the United States had tried to recreate the breed using breeds the birds were originally created with in Germany. Cheers to them for trying, but full disclosure would be appreciated.

Raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Chickens in 2022

For the beginning of 2022 I am starting the year crossing my lone pure LCN rooster on the 2 yellowest of my crossbred hens with correctly colored legs out of my cross bred project. One of these hens is potentially pure. The cross bred project chickens will be called either lemon flowers or flowering lemons.

One of the 2 hens who will be crossed with the pure LCN Rooster in 2022

I am on the fence about using the hatchery pullets to cross back on my full Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners. With no idea what breeds went into what they are calling Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner. I do however know what percentage my crossbreds carry. For this reason, it seems easiest to work with the 2 hens from my crossbreds I have chosen who represent the LCN breed the best.

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrhiener rooster who hatched in 2021

Hopefully, I can add LCN from the original imports. This continues to be my goal for raising Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner chickens.

I welcome your thoughts and conversation on the Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner breed. Leave me a comment below.

Use the links below to connect on Facebook:

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/210080682774048

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Page https://www.facebook.com/LemonCuckooNiederrheiners

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January 18, 2022January 18, 2022

Goals For 2022 on the Homestead

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As the last quarter of 2021 rapidly waned, the need for structure became glaringly apparent. The homestead has grown in the last 5 years from a few chickens to 4 breeds, Nigerian Dwarf goats, Great Pyrenees, from no garden space to 5 garden plots. The little baby goats I added earlier were growing and in need of larger permanent pens, horse pasture fencing had been neglected, Aneta needs a doghouse. She has a place in the barn when the weather is adverse, but a doghouse would be best, I believe. Do you see a common theme? The homestead goals for 2022 revolve around structure.

I am ready to start constructing permanent outside chicken pens. The chickens to create garden ground in their outside pens and moving the outside pens as needed. Now I am ready for at least one permanent pen as part of the garden space. The joy of seeing chickens scratch and peck after harvest motivates me to complete one cute, chicken garden pen.

The milk stand Brian and I put together one evening with repurposed boards.

Driving to pick up feed one afternoon, a cute garden entry way and picket fence jumped out at me. My imagination took off. With focused thought my mind seen what I wanted to create for my own garden entry. It is a bit more elaborate than my neighbors. Here is another structure project.

The list of structure projects I hope to tackle (with the help of my husband) continues to grow and makes up much of the 2022 farm goals.

Building Projects for 2022

Buck/pasture shelter
1 permanent garden chicken pen
A dog house for Aneta
Property line fencing Garden entry and fence
Farm stand

Maintenance Projects for 2022

Horse pasture fencing
Horse shelter updates and painting
Remove hip roof barn
Repair horse barn roof
Yard clean up
Current garden shed improvements

Heritage Chicken Breeds

Silver Gray Dorking

I am planning to add additional birds from a different farm in the month of January. I will be adding a new line and creating a second pen of Silver Gray Dorkings.

The plan is to purchase both roosters and hens or pullets. The new roosters will be crossed on the current pullets and the current rooster will be crossed on the new hens. I make up a pair crossing also to increase diverse options for future crosses.

Swedish Flower Hen

In the next 2 months I plan to update information on the different breeding pens. in 2021 I put a second crested pen together. Crested pens here at CG Heartbeats Farm are crested crossed on non crested. The was it works out for now. Pen #8 has a crested rooster on non crested hens. Pen #12 has some crested hens, but the rooster is not crested.

Crossing crested on crested in the Swedish Flower Hen breed lends to producing vaulted skulls. I do not know of anyone who has worked with the breed in an attempt to breed away from vaulted skulls when crossing crested on crested.

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrhiener

For the beginning of 2022 my single purebred LCN is crossed with 2 of the yellowest looking crossbred pullets. The pullets a large percentage LCN but not full. This is an experiment to see what I get. I also have the 5 pullets I purchased from a hatchery with him.

2 or 3 of those 5 are for sale. I have not advertised them yet at the time of writing this post. I will not sell them as LCN for they are an extremely poor representation of the breed. If I can locate pure LCN chicks this year I would like to add them to the farms flock. They are difficult to locate. Now that a hatchery is selling chicks as this breed it is even harder to find true Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners.

For additional information on Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners click on a link below:

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner – A Country Girl’s Heart -Beats that Matter (dontclipmywings.com)

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner Chickens | Facebook

Crossbred Project Goals for 2022

In the wee morning hours waiting for chickens to be processed I was given an idea for the crossbred chickens. Flower Lemons was the name suggested. I am now deciding between Flower Lemons or Lemon Flowers. Leave me a comment below if you have a suggestion for me or a vote for one name or the other.

Nigerian Dwarf Goat Goals for 2022

Bonney, Dixie and Ariel are breed for April and May kidding. I am beyond excited to freshen Nigerian Dwarf does. I plan to retain a doe from each if the opportunity presents itself. Goat Math. 😊

Brian and I laid out a plan for a small buck or pasture shelter. The boards are mostly purchased and cut. We need a break in the weather to start construction. Our plan is to build the walls and the floor in the barn before putting the shelter together outdoors.
Other goat goals are:

continue to lay out goat pasture ideas in my mind.
attend 2 to 5 shows in 2022 with some of the goats
sell the Nigerian Dwarf kids I choose not to retain

As one additional goal for 2022 I desire to milk test Dixie, Bonnie and Ariel. Will I be able to do all three in one year? There is additional research I want to do to plan for milk testing the does. Peaches and Grace will likely not be bred until September or October of 2022. Grace would be ideal for fall kidding. I am undecided if I want to milk through next winter. On one hand, I like the idea of having milk all winter. On the other hand, I wonder if I will need a break by the time winter rolls around. Likely, the act of milking will take me back a few years to days of childhood and provide enjoyment.

Four of the 5 Nigerian Dwarf does at CG Heartbeats Farm in the fall of 2021.

There are new skills I need to learn and equipment to purchase. My dad always tattooed and dehorned the babies. Now these jobs are on me since I have my own goats. The tattoo equipment I have, but the dehorning box and iron still need to be purchased.

Learn more about the Nigerian Dwarf goats at CG Heartbeats Farm by clicking below:

Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Horse Goals for 2022

I strongly desire to spend time working with the horses in 2022. Training Drifter to drive would benefit the homestead. If we put a stone boat together or a wooden sled for him to pull, he would be useful in hauling fire wood from the woods in winter months. One fact about Drifter, he is strong!

I am certain Cider had the potential to be a nice riding horse, she needs wet saddle blankets to get her there. If you are unfamiliar with the term ‘wet saddle blankets’ it simply means lots of hours spent with a rider on her back.

Dusty has a home here as long as she lives. I raised her from a foal. Bo puts a smile on my face. But my goal is to raise a foal with her in the next year or two.

Gardens

My mind continues to play our different ideas for laying out the gardens this year. I know there are certain plants I desire to raise again. Last week, the seeds I ordered from Baker Creek Seeds arrived.

Cats

My one goal for the cats this year is to have all the females and some of the males fixed.

Great Pyrenees

Our heeler Champ is aging and I see a need for a second LGD. Before realizing I needed to focus on structure for 2022, I seen a need to get on a wait list for a male LDG to assist Aneta in her duties here.

I definitely want to be better prepared for a new puppy than I was for Aneta. She is an amazing dog. Today she made me proud. I looked up to see her running in the woods, far behind the deer ahead of her. At my calling and sharp No she turned (not immediately) and ran to me. I praised her greatly. It is thrilling to see her responding better compared to a year ago. I will not be leaving her out unsupervised though.

In Conclusion

Likely the goals will shift a bit as the year plays out. I am excited for our 2022 goals and look forward to seeing what all we can accomplish. I would love to hear about our goals for 2022. Leave a comment sharing yours whether on your homestead, farm or in your life.

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January 10, 2022January 10, 2022

CG Heartbeats Farm 2021 Year in Review

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Personal Growth and Challenges in 2021

2021 started on track for my expectations. However, by March my mind had lost focus and motivation to write, by July my ability to garden, preserve and function waned, to say the least.

March and April revealed a dear family member was going to be in battle for their life fighting cancer. As I type these works, the battle continues. The end of June a series of events involving the health and lives of other family members unfolded. From a life-threatening bullet wound to an unrelated death, hospital stays and a tough decision for my aging horse, my energy levels and attention shifted to the people in my life who needed my assistance. The homestead took a back seat, gardens were let go, little food preservation happened. The bare minimum kept the homestead going.

September though the end of 2021 felt as if I was picking up the pieces and putting order back in place. My word for 2022 was going to be structure because I see a great need for structural improvements both physical and in my daily routines. As the last 2 weeks unfolded the word persistence continued to show up. So, while I will be addressing structure in 2022 as mentioned above, my word for the year is persistence.

In a worldly sense the past year might appear as a waste. In a personal and spiritual sense, I grew. My trust in the Lord to provide, my belief and trust in His sovereignty, my faith to follow His direction and belief, He alone is a light unto my path. Growing relationships with those I encountered in the last year have eternal benefits.

In the midst of my struggle, there were additions to the farm and I will mention them below as look back at 2021 on CG Heartbeats Farm.

Horses

In July on a warm sunny morning, I found my 26-year-old mare Rosie down and unable to rise, even when I tried to assist her. Her physical condition had been gradually declining. If I am honest it started around 4 years ago. I knew it was time. My heart ached deeply and I continue to miss her. I felt like a part of my dream was buried with her. However, my love of horses has not disappeared. I continue to have goals and dreams around the majestic equine. Looking back at last year however, I did not do much beyond the daily care and maintenance of looking after my horses. At the close of 2021, 4 horses now reside here at CG Heartbeats Farm, Bo, Drifter, Cider, and Dusty.

Trees

I am super excited to share I was able to plant 16 trees nearer the house in the last quarter of 2021. Two of the seedlings were volunteer starts from the current Crabapple tree. I planted 12 additional flowering trees from the Arbor Day Foundation. The varieties included, Crape myrtle, White Dogwood, Sargent (White) Crabapple, Redbud and Washington Hawthorns. It will be a few years until they are flowering, but I can see it in my mind and I am excited every time I think about it.

After Christmas, I discovered Dwarf Alberta Spruce on sale (75% off) at our local Lowes. We were still experiencing mild weather. I purchased 2 and planted the next day. Now CG Heartbeats Farm has evergreens on the homestead. My heart smiles every time I see snow on the pines, even if they are small trees for now.

Great Pyrenees

Aneta continues to thrive here, barking often during the night and alerting us to any unusual activity. She managed to escape her area a few times. She was always here to great me in the morning. You might remember how she took off in the fall of 2021. She spent much of the year confined. The process has helped her to understand where her home base is.

She continues to be kind with the cats and kittens. I am certain she likes the goats as she spends time with them. I am still working with her to not chase. She doesn’t hurt any of the animals. But her chasing has to stop. I take the blame for not correcting her the first time and subsequent times when she was a young puppy.

I can hardly believe she is almost 2. Her presence on the homestead, bring joy and protection for the livestock.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats, A New Addition in 2021

In the spring, I picked up 2 Nigerian Dwarf doelings with the intention of sending them on to my sister later in the year. Honey and Oakley, as I called them, did indeed travel about 1000 miles to reside with my sister and her family.

baby Nigerian Dwarf goats — Honey and Oakley before moving on to my sisters place.

Those 2 adorable kids were just a start. Over the course of 2021, I added 3 bucks and 5 doe kids. Officially, CG Heartbeats Farm now raises registered Nigerian Dwarf goats. Dixie, Bonney, and Ariel are bred to freshen in April and May.

Baby Goat — Peaches joined the CG Heartbeats Farm herd in July of 2021 at 2.5 weeks old.

I am looking forward to drinking milk produced here on the homestead, making butter and who knows what else. Kidding season (or foaling season or hatching baby chicks) brings me joy. The delight I feel at the appearance of new born babies over rides the exhaustion brought on by late night checks and sleepless nights.

a male goat — Sunny arrived in August and brings us our first *buck out of a 5* doe

If you would like to learn more about each of the Nigerian Dwarf goats, click here.

Chicken Updates for 2021

2021 produced new ideas and plans for the heritage chicken breeds raised here on CG Heartbeats Farm. check out the paragraphs below to learn a few of the details.

Swedish Flower Hens in 2021

I enjoyed hatching various Swedish Flower Hen chicks in 2021. Toward the end of the year I scaled back my numbers. I still have a majority of the same pens. There is a new strategy for my pens. I will add new pullets from a pen back into the pen the came from instead of starting new pens. the Hens in those pens are aging and instead of starting new pens I will be replacing them over the next year or two. A different rooster will be added in time.

A reminder for those unfamiliar with breeding chickens, crossing a hen back on its sire is an acceptable breeding practice in chickens.

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner

Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner first arrived at CG Heartbeats Farm in 2016. This breed has proved the greatest challenge of all. Truly they deserve their own blog post to share all the details of my journey with them.

For the time being here is a brief update for 2021. The last remaining hen from my original chicks was killed by a possum attack. I have a rooster remaining I hatched from the pair this year. I also lost both Cisco and Clinch. Last spring I purchased “Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner” chicks from a hatchery. I fully realize the odds of getting quality was slim, but I decided to try them. To say I am disappointed is an understatement.

Only one of the chicks looks like it should in color, and size. It is a rooster. The pullets have started to lay. While the eggs are beautiful, they do not represent what true LCN look like.
For the next few weeks 2 of the yellowest crossbred pullets are with my LCN rooster, along with 2 or 3 of the best of the pullets from the hatchery. I intend to hatch some of their eggs and see what I get. I am all about using what I have. My preference is to purchase a line of LCN descended directly from German imports. Until I can locate some and purchase them, I will continue to work with what I have.

Crossbred Project in 2021

This group too deserve their own post. If you are new here or not familiar with them, they started out with a black based mille fleur Swedish Flower Hen rooster crossed on Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner hens. I did this to ‘test’ the hens with a rooster I knew was fertile. I crossed the offspring back on a LCN rooster. In the next 2 generations I continued crossing with other crossbreds.

75% Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner and 25% Swedish Flower Hen

My crossbred project continues to impress me. I will be working with them to enhance uniformity in color. I need a name for the breed beside Crossbred project. Want to help me? Leave a comment below or shoot me an email at cgheartbeatsfarm@gmail.com

Silver Gray Dorking

While I did loose a few of the older birds this past year, I raised a few also. I desire to incubate as many eggs as possible and when the weather permits, I will have Silver Gray Dorking hatching eggs for sale. I intend to sell chicks also.

Fruits

Black Raspberries, Concord grapes and apples were the 3 fruits produced and eaten here at CG Heartbeats Farm. I preserved a few of the black raspberries by freezing them. Many were eaten fresh. Same with the apples, I enjoyed eating fresh apples while they lasted. I have not learned how to care for apples with out using chemicals. Thus I only ate them fresh around the spots that even the nice ones displayed. I had wanted to make applesauce, but I did not make it a priority.

Concord Grapes

Delicious memories of savoring the flavor as I ate Concord grapes from the vine produced here creates excitement for the coming work I will do to prepare for 2022 harvest. The grape project has been a 3- or 4-year process and cost me nothing but the waiting and hard work.

My heart swelled with happiness chewing the concord grapes as an occasional snack. The vines are young and I expect they will produce more this year. I thought I had an adequate trellis for the vines. Turned out they needed more height.
I am always learning.

Gardens and Food Preservation in 2021

Garlic

Garlic harvest showed me new aspects of the plant I had not encounter previously. Unfortunately, much of the crop was harvested late. Here are a few of the highlights:

The way the different garlic varieties continued to develop seed heads
Varying hardiness of the stalk between varieties
How the same variety grew better or worse depending on which garden plot it was in

Additional garden Ground

The chickens continue their work prepping garden ground. The amount of space I have to garden grew again this year. Check out Chickens on the Homestead to read how the chickens contribute beyond meat and egg laying.

Another important part of gardening here on CG Heartbeats Farm continues to be saving seeds for future use. The intentional act of setting aside the needed produce to collect seeds from what I raised this year continued in the fall. In saving the seeds, I feel not all was wasted.

New Varieties

In 2021 I planted zucchini, sweet corn, 2 new flowers varieties, onions from seed and Amish Paste tomatoes. The rest of what I planted was repeat from years past. As I mentioned above, my gardens suffered neglect this past year.

Farmers Markets

I attended a few markets, but I could not on a consistent basis due my time and energy being pulled in other directions.

Website

Writing too took a back seat in 2021. The times I sat down to put words into sentences, I struggled to organize my thoughts. Few times after mid-February, I had time to catch my breath. The act of writing flowed temporarily. As I look back at 2021, and I have been putting this together for the last week, I find I have joy in writing again.

My view of what the future holds goes no farther than the next step or two. Thank you to all who have stayed for my journey and visited the website when I was unable to write as often as I believed I should.

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June 12, 2021June 12, 2021

Seasons ~ Spring 2021

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Before I share a CG Heartbeat Farm update for the Spring 2021 season, I want to celebrate what has been accomplished in the first 3 months of 2021.

Winter Progress

Another recent milestone involves the chickens. Yesterday and today the first chicks hatched from what I am currently calling Crossbred pen # 2. Right now 5 pretty brown eggs have produced a baby chick and the 6^th egg is pipped.

All 6 eggs I incubated were fertile. Peering through the incubator, I do not see 100% consistency in color as I hoped for. But it is a project and I cannot expect perfection in only the 3^rd generation. I have 9 additional eggs incubating from Crossbred pen # 2 in another Janoel 12 incubator. Again all 9 were fertile. This is 100% fertility in the 15 incubated eggs.

Crossbred pen # 1 has started laying. They are laying a cream colored egg. I will be setting their eggs in the next hatch. I am considering offering (hatching) eggs for purchase from the Crossbred pens this year. If you are interested be sure to send me a message.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats

For months I have been ‘goat shopping’, asking questions, visited places in person and conducted lots of searches online. In the last 3 months I put deposits on 5 kids which are still at their respective farms, but I have created a web page to introduce them with pictures.

Honey and her sister made the trip to CG Heartbeats Farm in March. At 8 week old Nigerian Dwarf doelings brought me joy watching them, caring for them and sometimes they even come cuddle by me when I am sitting with them. At least one of them are headed to my sisters later this year, but for now I am enjoying them.

Gardens

Garden are a bit slow this time of year, but made small process by adding another post to the grapes. Now I am able to put up a trellis for the largest grape vine getting it up off the ground. I pruned off a few unwanted pieces in February. One of the 8 is doing fanomible growing roots and leafing out in a jar of water. The other 7 have hope but are not are far along.

I added wood chips left from chopping wood this winter to one of the garlic gardens. My heart feels satisfied when implementing sustainable practices. The other 2 garlic gardens will only be getting chaff added. I ran out of wood chips after covering one garlic garden.

I found this amazing deal on a hand push cultivator in near new condition. Excited to have it, I used it the day I brought it home.

Spring 2021 Goals

Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Actually bringing 5 Nigerian Dwarf goats home I have made a deposit on. There are 2 bucks and 3 does. Be sure to check out the Nigerian Dwarf web page for pictures. Pedigree information will be added in the future.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Chickens in Spring of 2021

I want to continue my Crossbred project by hatching eggs from both pen crossbred pen # 1 and # 2.

I may add Silver Gray Dorking chicks from another farm.

Al the outside pens will be moved to give the outside chickens fresh ground. The space they were at will be additional garden space for 2021.

Aneta

Aneta has matured and is going to be in training learning to guard the goats. She has shown an interest in them after her initial shock at the strange creature in the barn.

Horses

Cider is on notice to expect to spend time with me. I have missed riding lately. All the horses have been sitting for 2 years. She happens to be the shortest in height, thus the least distance to fall. I am pretty sure even though she has the least training she will be the safest as long as I take slow steps in her training.

Construction Projects

New animals here at CG Heartbeats Farm means new pens, fences, and shelters are needed. I am currently tossing around the ideas with Brian. To be honest, we are currently in the planning stages. It will be later in the year until any construction takes place.

Gardens for Spring 2021

I plan to rent a tiller this year for a few hours to work the ground where the 2 new garden spaces are. Both were home to the outside chicken pens and the soil becomes packed down. I like to till the soil well one time before the first planting. After a garden has been used one year I found I can manage new unwanted growth with non-motorized hand tools.

I am excited to be planting seeds I saved from last years harvest. Included are Toyko Green Cucumbers, Glass Gem Popcorn, Kentucky Red Peanuts, Heirloom tomatoes, Lincoln peas, Sorghum, Marigolds, and various herbs.

I will be planting other seeds as well, many which are heirloom seeds too.

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January 12, 2021January 13, 2021

CG Heartbeats Farm ~ 2021 Goals

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As I plan my year and look ahead at 2021 goals for CG Heartbeats Farm, I see unknowns, what ifs and a bit of, can I really do this or that. But I have learned in my life about breaking big goals down into doable bit sized tasks.

I am learning to pray over what feels impossible and wait on the Lord. I am a work in process in this area for sure. on the days my body is done, I celebrate the tiny steps I can take. Maybe aside from feeding and caring for animals, I make a few phone calls.

When I sit and dream, let my mind wonder and ponder the coming year the following ideas and goals came to mind. Many are on going and started with me in 2016 on my homesteading journey. Others are new or have shifted from an original goal.

Thank you for taking the time to be interested in what plans I am working towards this year. Be sure to leave a comment below telling me and others what your homestead goals are this year.

Animals

I took a closer look at my goal of the last 4 to 5 years of wanting cattle. What I found? I wanted both a meat source and a milk source. Looking around the property at all the other projects I have going, knowing barn space needs to be improved before adding another large animal, and new information (I like the taste of Nigerian Dwarf milk), I have shifted my cow goal to adding Nigerian Dwarfs to CG Heartbeats Farm.

Nigerian Dwarf Goats

Nigerian Dwarf goats are smaller in size and require less space and food compared to a cow, even if talking mini cows. Now I have not given up on the idea of cow, but rather placed it on hold for the time being. Goats do still require fencing and protection from weather and predators.

I get pretty excited thinking about baby goats and drinking milk produced here.

With adding goats comes a need for fencing and housing. I am leaning towards a small pen, but purchasing a portable netting fence. A variation of this fence functions for both goats and poultry. As Aneta grows in maturity and training, she will be in charge of protection detail.

Aneta

If you are new to CG Heartbeats Farm, Aneta is a purebred Great Pyrenees and a livestock guard dog. She will continue her training. She is a playful puppy, and is learning what is ok and what is not. One example, was the first time this fall Brian fired up the chainsaw and began cutting up downed trees in the woods. She was barking up a storm and running around where she was tethered outside.

I took her for a walk to see what was happening. When he was close to finishing, I took her nearby again so she would realize it was a familiar person. I took her out on a walk the next time he was cutting wood, too. She no longer barks when he using the chain saw. She has learned this is normal. Aneta’s 2021 training goals will continue, often in practical ways as mentioned above.

Horses

As the weather improves in spring time, I truly desire to begin working with a horse again and eventually riding. I will choose either Bo or Cider to work with and ride. I feel excited at the idea of riding again. Perhaps it was the short ride I took on my niece’s new horse Holly in last December.

Chickens

Raising chickens was the first homesteading activity I started with in 2016. While I want to continue with these fantastic breeds, I also see a need for a shift, for progress and growth.

Purchase additional Silver Gray Dorking chicks to add diversity
Purchase additional Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiners (?)
Faze out some Swedish Flower Hen chicken pens
Produce a part of chicken feed to reduce costs.

Gardens for 2021

I am still organizing the seeds I saved from last year. I may not need to purchase many seeds this year. But seed shopping is fun for me, sooo…..

Order seeds
Add Strawberry Plants
Heather Plants
Blue berries
Evergreen Trees
Grow additional grape starts from trimming
Finish grape support system for existing vines
Plan 2021 garden space
Design plant placement in gardens for 2021

Food Preservation

Listed below are foods I want to preserve in 2021. There are several new to me canning projects on the list, but I do like a good challenge.

Dill Pickles
Bread and Butter Pickles
Tomato Juice
Ketchup
Applesauce
Peas
Green beans
Black raspberries
Crab apple jelly
Pickled garlic scapes

Homestead Projects for 2021

Clean Up

We use no chemicals when dealing with unwanted growth on CG Heartbeats Farm. Brian is rather sensitive to poison ivy so it has become my job to remove ivy instead of spraying it with round up.

There is other unwanted growth too. Instead of a faster method, I use the slower one of cutting and digging out stuff needing eradicated.

Pretty flowering bushes in the pasture and along the chicken barn
Trees popped up near the house and barns
Continue improving container garden area
Other spots along the buildings

Building Project 2021 Goals

There are several projects I would like to see completed in 2021. Truthfully, they may not all be completed this year. Moving the old barn here is still in research stage so I may find out it is not a feasible project. Check out the list below.

Construct a Goat Shed/Barn
Construct a Chicken Coop
Move an old 16 ft. by 20 ft. barn to my property
Fix ‘horse’ barn and tear down hip roof barn. Use boards for additional construction.
Remodel Entry Room with closet and sink, and new roof
Plan/Research for property fence
Clean up existing fence lines

Roadside Stand

I would like to add a roadside stand for selling produce and crafts, but it may not happen this year. Realistically there are several other things I believe which need to happen first. I may start work on the preliminary items to get ready to add it next year. This is on the fringes of my mind rather than front and center.

As I said in the previous post, CG Heartbeats Farm 2020 in Review, I hope to attend local farmer’s markets again this year.

Basement storage/cold room

I would like a root cellar. However, as I stick to my goal of using what I have, I am reminded of a portion of the basement. It may do the job, with less effort and cost than constructing a new one. Below is a list of the items needed to bring it up to date.

Clean!
Wash jars
Take out old boxes
Add additional storage shelves
Fix basement leak
Decrease mouse access
Research drain fix
Update electricity and begin using freezer in basement
Fix leak

2021 Goals Online

In an effort to meet my goal to provide valuable information for visitors new and old here at www.dontclipmywings.com I complied the following project list for 2021

Update Front page of website.
Update breed pages
Launch digital products
Update digital products with new information and style
Create 2 new products (possibly physical)
Launch Podcast Heartbeats that Matter

Check out the Homestead Guide (thinkific.com) for a sneak peak

Wrap Up

Hey, now these are lofty goals for me. Shifts will occur throughout the year and my value as a person is not reliant on the progress on CG Heartbeats Farm in 2021.

Rather these lists function as a vision to be brought into clarity as the year progresses. Some items may not be feasible or shift into a new goal. Other may have to wait due to available resources of time and money. After all, the fun is the details of the journey not the destination.

What are your goals and dreams for 2021?

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January 8, 2021January 8, 2021

CG Heartbeats Farm 2020 Year in Review

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As I review 2020 and my homestead experience, I can see areas of growth and progress. Other projects I see uncompleted and think, ‘Really, I still did not get this done?’ Do you relate?

Progress seems slow compared to my desired results, yet success is not always measured in concrete numbers. Investing into the lives of people you meet, friends and family, growing spiritually in a relationship with Jesus, all has no price tag.

Looking back at 2020 on CG Heartbeats Farm I do see progress in all areas pertaining to the homestead. A favorite project included 30 plus other homesteaders as we contributed to the Homestead Documentary headed up by Carrie from The Little Pallet Farmhouse. This project falls under the online part of the farm so you will read more about it further down in the post.

Gardens and Food Preservation in 2020

My garden planning started in the fall of 2019. I reached out to Baker Creek Seeds requesting to become an affiliate of their company. Turned out they do not actually have an affiliate program, but they were supportive of working with me in a different way. I picked out 10 seeds packets to plant the following year (2020).

I have started sharing my experience with these different garden plants on the blog such as the post, Tokyo Green Cucumbers. Additional posts about other plants I grew from Baker Creek Seeds will continue to release in the coming months.

Tokiwa Tokyo Green: How to Raise Abundant, Heirloom Cucumbers

Click on the picture above to read my growing process and the abundant harvest from this cucumber variety.

If you don’t want to miss them be sure to subscribe to the email newsletter to be notified of new blog posts, farm updates, and products, both digital and physical.

I have slowing added additional garden space via the chicken’s pens strategically placed to kill off the sod. When I started this project, I felt discouraged. I only had one 10 x 10 pen. I recall thinking how long it would be until I finally had the garden space I wanted. A slow down is indeed a good thing as long as I can see progress. Now, I have 6 garden plots to plant in with more being planned.

I planted 2 new varieties of garlic, Majestic and Metechi. These bring their own variance to the palate.

Saving Seeds

I saved all of the seeds I could for 2021 as last year the supply exceeded the demand rather easy. I recently read, this is happening again.

Flowers

I am excited for the flowers to come up in the spring of 2021. In April during the stay at home mandate, I started work in the center of the drive. I was having a bit of an emotional breakdown. It led to me spending 3 hours working in the interior of the circle of our driveway. You can read about how my day turned from bad to great and set my attitude for the rest of 2020 by clicking the picture below.

Seasons ~ Spring 2020

In August I paid a visit to my aunt, who at 92, was moving out of state to live with her daughter. How I miss her, but I am happy she is now living once again on a farm. She allowed me to dig up several of her flowers and shrubs. I added many of them to the interior of the circle I had cleaned up in April. The available space prepped in the spring allowed me to quickly transplant the flowers.

I added a few of the flowers to other spots on the homestead too. In September, I planted Black Hollyhock seeds from Baker Creek and transplanted around 10 tulip bulbs who had multiplied in their current location.

I found mums on sale at Lowes. After enjoying them in pots around the farm, I planted them in three different locations. I have better info this year as for how to winter them, so I am hoping some of them will return in the spring.

Check out my accidental bonus

I did not get 2 of the mums transplanted from the pots into the ground. Instead they were a victim of Aneta’s playful puppy behavior. As I walked through the yard, I bent down to pick up the pot intending to dump the soil and save the pot for future use. What?! I seen a tiny bit of green, new growth.

I decided to take it in the house, water it and see what happened. The second pot showed no such growth, but I took it in the house also. I randomly watered both. The pictures tell the story taken on Jan 7th.

These potted mums had gone through several nights of temps below 32 degrees. Oh! I have hope the ones I transplanted will come back in the spring!

CG Heartbeats Farm Animals in 2020

I had a goal for 2020 to purchase a cow and a livestock guard dog. Aneta, a Great Pyrenees puppy, joined us in May of 2020. Her joyful attitude puts a smile on my heart and her ability to think for herself has me learning all I can about training her.

She has grown so fast since coming home last year as a little puppy.

As for a cow, I shifted my goal to having my own milk. That was one half of my reason for wanting a cow. I think in a conversation with one of my sisters, I learned Nigeran Dwarf goal milk is not like other goat milk. I had to find out so I paid a visit to a farm and tasted it for myself. A.maz.ing! I began goat shopping as the year 2020 came to a close. No goats here yet, but….

Chickens

The Swedish Flower Hens continue to flourish here, but progress is again slow with the other breeds. I hatched a cross of Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner and Swedish Flower Hens several times this year. More on the process with pictures in a forthcoming blog post. I added Pen # 11.

What to learn more about Pawnee and his flock? Click below. A few days ago, I set their eggs in the incubator. I am excited to see their first chicks.

Swedish Flower Hens ~ Pen # 11

Two Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner hens died leaving me with only 1 hen and 2 roosters (Cisco and Clinch). I am hoping the one lone hen will produce fertile eggs in the spring.

I also lost 2 Dorking hens. In 2019 and in 2020, I raised one pullet from each year. The 2019 has started laying eggs again almost every day in the last week. I love this as it is the beginning of January with shortened daylight. Currently I have 2 pairs of Dorking birds to continue with and one more pullet about 2 -3 months old.

All of the these I lost were 4 plus years old and while some chickens live longer, not all of them do.

2020 Farmer’s Markets

In March I when picking up chicken feed, I noticed a thumping noise coming from the rear left wheel. Long story short the combination of rust and hitting 2 potholes resulted in the rear axle partially tearing away from the frame. It was deemed unrepairable. For the remainder of 2020 we were down to one car making it inconvenient to attend any farmer’s markets

Another reason was where I am at in planning and producing an income from products produced here at CG Heartbeats Farm. I have been able to use my website to sell garlic and so I had less of a need to attend the local market.

I miss the people and miss attending. Hopefully, I will be a part of local farmer’s markets in 2021.

Online Work in 2020

For the first time this year, I added the option to purchase garlic from this website. I reached my goals in the number of bulbs I wanted to sell. You can also purchase the Christmas CD: Justified ~ Once in a Manger Lowly.

I added backend features to the website, but you may not be aware of them by simply visiting. If you have been here before you may have noticed the website has a new look. Expect more changes in the coming weeks.

I worked behind the scenes on 2 projects forth coming early in 2021. One of which I have mentioned before, Chick Hatching Practices. The other one, I will be announcing in the coming months.

The Homestead Documentary

I was honored to be a contributor for the Homestead Documentary. Carrie from The Little Pallet Farmhouse headed the project. 30 plus homesteader contributed audio and video to share and encourage others interested in homesteading. Carrie edited and released the videos from her You tube Channel the Little Pallet Farmhouse. Click below to watch Episode 3 (CG Heartbeats is featured here), but be sure to watch them all!

Check out CG Heartbeats Farm contribution to The Homestead Documentary in Episode 3

The Flourish Writers Academy

I joined the Flourish Writers Academy in May. My desire was to connect with other Bible believing women who also wrote. I am especially drawn to the Christ centered, prayerful planning instructions for my writing life as modeled by the founders of the program.

In the monthly trainings I learned new writing skills and I continue to them put into practice. As a member of the 2021 academy, I have access to the past years trainings. I am grateful for the opportunity to refresh and grow.

In Summery

I worked behind the scenes on projects to be finished in 2021, I volunteered as a facilitator for short term blogging mastermind as a part of the Flourish Writers Academy, one mastermind I attended came to an end, but I had joined another. My year was full of continuing my education to further the growth of this journey I am on.

Leave a comment below how 2020 helped you grow.

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December 21, 2020December 21, 2020

Homestead Seasons ~ Fall 2020

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Fall 2020 comes to an end as I finish up this post. I want to share quarterly progress on CG Heartbeats Farm and future goals with those who like to keep up with the happenings here.

Progress as of Fall 2020

New Garlic Varieties

I picked out 2 new garlic varieties to add to CG Heartbeats Farm this fall from Keene Garlic out of Wisconsin. This coming year, I may have Metechi and Majestic garlic, the new varities, available, based on the amount I save back for seed from the 2021 crop.

Chicken Barn

My parents came a few times this fall for farm work days. We cleaned chicken pens as one of our projects. I find satisfaction in keeping the floor swept indicating a shift in my perspective of my homestead lifestyle.

I notice a confident feeling which has not come easy based on the adjustments I have made over the last few years. All the new projects bring inevitable error as I learn. These have often left me questioning my abilities and, at times, lacking a sense of pride in my daily tasks.

Moved Pullets and Roosters

I moved pullets I raised to replace or add to current pens. You will find new pullets in Pen 8 and Pen 5. I also replaced Rapheal in Pen 6, Shoshone in Pen 5 and Larry in Pen 1.

I will be updating these pages with pictures of the new additions to the above mentioned pens. Be sure to subscribe to CG Heartbeats Farm email list using the form below to learn more about the chickens at CG Heartbeats Farm.

Gardens

I am cheering to have finally removed all of the dead plants from the summer gardens. I used much of the cleared garden space to plant 720 garlic cloves, carrots, and onions. Now onto planning for 2021 gardens.

Set up Bird Feeder

I was gifted a bird feeder and have set it up for winter use. I also added 2 stakes with hooks to display items yet to be decided.

The Container Garden

I added additional dirt to the container garden as I harvested the Sweet Potatoes. I want to create a small hoop and cover this area with plastic. To start plants earlier in the spring.

Tokyo Green Cucumbers

One of my biggest garden surprises this year was the amount of cucumbers produced from only 2 Tokyo Green Cucumber plants. I did not actually count the number of cucumbers harvested, but I canned over 30 pints of both Dill Pickles and Bread and Butter Pickles.

How to Can Dill Pickles

How to Process Bread and Butter Pickles

Harvest

Sorghum

My other big surprise was my fun I had the day I harvested the Sorghum. The smooth feeling of the seed attached to the tassel left me happy. Check out the pretty bouquets I quickly put together. I look forward to adding colorful Sorghum to future creations, as well.

Flax

The pretty flax plants and flowers were enjoyable to view, and I discovered the chickens enjoy eating flax. Flax also adds beauty to a bouquet.

Glass Gem Popcorn

Glass Gem popcorn is always fun to grow for the variety of colors on each cob. Of course, it is fun to eat too. This year the neighboring farmers planted soybeans so I could save seeds for future planting seasons.

Kentucky Red Peanuts

Another plant I enjoyed growing was the Kentucky Red Peanuts. They are currently await processing to actually eat. I need to conduct a bit of research to learn how I want to process them (decisions) and if I will be using processed or un processed for planting next years crop. My guess is to plant unprocessed, but I welcome any thoughts or experience you can share in the comments below.

Goals

Grapes

I was excited my Dad put in a post for me on one of our work days. I will need to add one or two additional posts and wire of some kind for the grapes to vine on. The grapes are another one of my ongoing projects.

I will be pruning vines and starting new grape plants to add to my current (small) arbor.

Move Chicken Pens

In the fall and spring, I move the outdoor chicken pens to new ground. This bare ground from where the chickens lived provides additional garden space. I happily added 2 new outdoor pens this past year bringing the total to 6 pens. The space in which I set the pens is approximately 36 feet by 10 feet.

I will need to decide where I want my next garden area(s) to be established. Currently many of the chickens are living in the main barn in their pens waiting for me to move their pens next week.

I look forward to seeing them on fresh ground and enjoying the remainder of last summer’s grass.

Plant Winter Onions

I have one variety of onions I want to try over winter. They will make early, delicious green onions.

Rooster Harvest

I took 5 roosters in for processing. One is 50 % Lemon Cuckoo Niederrheiner and 50 % Swedish Flower Hen. The other 4 are Swedish Flower Hen roosters. They will provide a means to create healthy bone broth and food to eat.

Create with Sorghum

I want to add sorghum to grapevine wreaths along with other natural wild vegetation found here at CG Heartbeats Farm.

The task of removing the Sorghum seeds from the tassel I have found to be time consuming. Do you have any ideas on how to remove them? Or how you would use Sorghum in a craft project?

I have made a couple beautiful bouquets.

I took part in a Wreath Tour on Instagram. Here I found inspiration and encouragement for my grapevine wreaths. I would like to craft a few more before the snow flies.

Further my Education and Experience of Training LDG

One fine fall day the fact Aneta has hit her adolescent behavior stared me right in the face. She wears her emotions, her aggravation, fear, and a silly look of crazy adventure plainly for me to observe. Oh, I know just the look. I might have felt the way she looks once or twice in my life.

On this pleasant day, I had already called her back from clearing the woods of a deer she seen. I observed an expression of delight combined with a desire I was unsure of, but soon learned.

She took off into the woods again. I could not see what she was after this time. I followed as best I could calling her name. Through the brush I briefly made out her standing on the edge of the road. “Aneta,” I called again. Nope she was out of sight.

By the time I made it to the road she was no where to be seen. To read more about this adventure with Aneta click below.

In short, I realized a need to become better educated so I may improve my ability to teach and communicate with her. I take responsibility for her success. She is an intelligent pup who has a desire to please.

I found a 4 Facebook groups on training LDG and joined. I started reading to further educate myself. Until I have long term plan, my short term plan is she stays on a leash and we go for walks. I will teach her the command to heel. Further working with her on sit and stay. As she improves on a short leash, I will graduate her to a 20 foot lunge line to test her ability to follow my commands.

In the mean time I am going to educate myself, learning all I can. After all, isn’t that what a leader does.

Move Tree Seedlings

We have several oak tree and crab apple tree seedlings I would like to replant on our property.

Set up Incubation Station

I have an idea for an incubation station to store egg incubators, tools and a place to hatch in the cooler months. It is a vision still developing in my mind and subject to change.

Purchase a Tiller

I am looking for a tiller to add to CG Heartbeats Farm. I intend to continue companion gardening, but would like to till the ground once when I first start using a garden. Once the ground has been worked one time planting stays quite easy.

Fencing

The pasture fences seem to be an ongoing project that takes a back seat to other projects of late. New fence construction, weed and brush removal along old fence lines, and replacing posts all await attention.

Online

Update Breed Pages

I am in the process of updating breed and pen pages. In 2020, I lost a couple of my favorite roosters. It is a part of animals, but I am always sad and dissappointed to loose any animal under my care.

In short, I have replaced Raphel with one of his sons. I found him dead one day. I am unsure the cause. He had appeared healthy prior. The plan was to replace him eventually as a way to breed away from the sprig he presented.

I was most disappointed to find Shoshone had died one day. He had sustained a wound earlier in the summer but seemed to be recovering. Unfortunately, I did not have one of his sons to replace him so for now the new rooster, who hatched from Pen 10, pictured below will attempt to fill his role. I may change roosters for Pen 5 down the road.

I also added two new pullets to Pen 5 who hatched this year from Pen 2.

Pen 11

I created Swedish Flower Hen Pen 11 using pullets from Cherokee’s pen with a rooster from Pawnee’s (Pen 10) I call him Shawnee. They recently started laying eggs I am excited to set eggs from a complete blue based pen for the first time. You may read more about these parings using the link below.

Swedish Flower Hens ~ Pen # 11

As Fall 2020 comes to an end, my remining days of this year will be spent preparing and planning for 2021, enjoying the holiday season, overseeing the 3 incubators filled with 35 eggs, and counting my blessings from 2020. Look for a post sharing my goals for winter and 2021 in the coming weeks.

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October 22, 2020October 22, 2020

Ten Acres Enough, Homesteading in the 1800’s

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I slowly digested Ten Acres Enough by Edmond Morris in the summer of 2018. Reading a few pages while I ate lunch or found I needed to sit down for a break. As I read, I often felt renewed energy and motivation to continue, keep on with the tasks at hand staying focued with the big goals.

The end of 2020 is approaching. I find myself looking back at what I accomplished and what goals I want to set for 2021.

NOTE: This page or post contains affiliate links. When you click and make a purchase I earn a portion of the money you spend at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

Pasture on CG Heartbeats Farm — Current horse pasture, but may serve a new function as the year unravels.

I gained a new perspective for the property I live on reading thorough Ten Acres Enough. My view shifted. Instead of seeing it through the eyes of where a horse barn, shelters, and pasture could go, I began to see where blueberries, grapes, and garlic might produce the best.

Click on the picture above to purchase your copy of Ten Acres Enough

The mistaken ambition for owning twice as much land as one can thoroughly manure or profitably cultivate, is the great agricultural sin of this country.
Edmund Morris in Ten Acres Enough

At least one of the areas chosen to grow grapes

At times, this homesteading journey can feel a bit lonely, but reading Ten Acres Enough I found a kinship with a man and his family now passed. After living and owning a business in the city for 20 years, he fulfills a longtime dream of owning farm ground in the country.

His farm, he purchased in the 1850’s. This is no typo. Nor is the price he paid, $1,000.00 for 11 acres, with a house and barn on it. The land I have is 11.7 acres and believe me the price was well above $1000.00.

I found myself inspired as I read Edmund’s account of creating food and an income to support his family by farming 10 acres of land.
Maria Graber

Click on the picture above to purchase Ten Acres Enough

Interesting Facts found in Ten Acres Enough

Edmund Morris shares not only of his personal experience, but also of farming practices and the economic impact of the last half of the 1800’s.

Facts to Ponder

produce and fruit prices at that time,
the price they paid for manure (that they even paid for manure),
weed control methods,
how they used manure,
how they dealt with insects and worms that damaged crops,
their experience (or perhaps inexperience) with chickens.

Eventually, Edmund hired not only one, but 2 people to help on only 11 acres. This was a family with 6 children who also helped.

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The words he used to share his story have added to my vocabulary. Some I have never heard in this day and age and likely will not.

This book provided me with a new view of our land and produced many new ideas to ponder on. I intend to reread Ten Acres Enough, as I plan for 2021. In the coming months and years I will reference certain practices mentioned though out this book

It takes a man a great while to learn the way of Providence, and to understand that things are better contrived for him than he can can contrive for himself.
Edmund Morris in Ten Acres Enough

Click on the above picture to purchase Ten Acres Enough

Winter is Proverbially the farmer’s holiday. But it was no idle time with me. ….. The careful man will find a world of fixing up to do for winter.
Edmund Morris in Ten Acres Enough

I recommend this book to any and all who desire a homestead lifestyle. If you read or have read this book, I would be trilled to hear what stood out to you.

If you can not afford a physical copy, good news! Written in 1864, prior to copywrite laws, it is considered public domain. It can be read free as an e-book in downloadable PDF form: https://archive.org/details/tenacresenoughpr00morriala/page/n5

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August 31, 2020August 31, 2020

How to Process Bread and Butter Pickles

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My grandma used to make Bread and Butter Pickles. They were my favorite over dill pickles. I recall an open jar of bread and butter pickles on many a Sunday dinner table. I usually ate a few with whatever what served that day. We did not need to be eating sandwiches to eat bread and butter pickles. We ate them for the flavor.

Memories

I reached out to my aunts to find out if they had a recipe passed down by my grandma to them. A few hours later, I had a picture of a hand written recipe card text to me from an aunt.

A warm feeling flooded my heart remembering my grandma as I looked at the familiar handwriting which had filled letters, cards and notes sent or given to me over the 34 years I was blessed to have this particular grandma in my life.

Bread and butter pickles, tasting like hers were not easy to find. Now, given the opportunity to create my own, I could hardly sleep. my excitement building. The 2 Tokyo Green variety plants produced 50 plus cucumbers in a week. I had plenty to work with, eat and share with family.

In years gone by, pickles were soaked, prior to canning, in either alum or lime to promote a crisper pickle. For myself, I choose my health over a crisp pickle and opted to leave out the soaking process.

Her recipe written for a batch of 6 lbs. of cucumbers required a bit of math on my part. Instead of combining all of the spice and seeds, I would be placing a specific amount in each jar similar to the way I prepared the Dill Pickles.

Here is my version of my grandma’s Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe. Spoiler alert: Yes, they do taste like my grandma’s, despite skipping the unhealthy step of soaking in alum and adding less sugar. And no, I did not open a jar I canned. Keep reading to learn more.

NOTE: This page or post contains affiliate links. When you click and make a purchase I earn a portion of the money you spend at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Thank you for your support.

Ingredients

2 T Tumeric
Large Onion Chopped
2 T Celery Seed
2 & 1/2 T Mustard Seed
7 lbs. Cucumbers
3 cups Apple Cider Vinegar
3 cups Water
Redmond Sea Salt
2 – 4.5 cups of Sugar (amount is optional)

Tools

Water Bath Canner
7-pint jars
Lids
Rings
Pot
Jar lifter
Plastic Spoon
Towels

The Preparation

I sterilized the jars by boiling 10 min in the water bath canner prior to filling the jars.

Filling a pot with 3 cups water, 3 cups apple cider vinegar and 2 ¼ cups Evaporated Cane power as a sugar substitute, I started these heating on the stove while I filled the jars.

Preparing Jars

Add 1/3 T of Turmeric

Next, 1/2 T of Celery Seed

The third ingredient to go into the jar is 1/2 T of Mustard Seed

I grabbed a handful of chopped onions and placed into the jar. Since a handful is subjective a better description would be just enough to cover the bottom of the jar.

I measured between a 1/2 and 1/3 T of Redmond Sea Salt. This salt has a flavor all its own. It has not been processed like many other sea salt options on the market.

My last step before adding the brine to the jars was to slice the cucumbers and stuff as many as I could into each jar. I strived to keep the level of cucumbers below the threads of the jar.

By the time I had the jars ready the brine was boiling on the stove. It had reached a boil before I was ready for it so I turned it way down. Also, I stirred it a couple times until I knew the sugar had dissolved.

I filled the jars to a ½ inch below the top of the jar or just below the threads.

After using the plastic spoon to push any air bubbles to the top and squashing most of them, I cleaned the rims. I placed lids on the jars and rings.

Processing in Water Bath

Off I went to the water bath canner a few jars at a time. When the water reached a heavy rolling boil, I noted the time. After 10 min, had past, I removed the processed jars setting them on a towel.

I love hearing the pop of sealing canned goods. And yes, again I covered the jars with a towel too. If you did not read my post on How to Can Dill Pickles, you might not know I picked up this habit from canning with my grandma as a child.

I will say the workflow is a bit different because of heating the brine, but still an easy process, this thing of canning bread and butter pickles.

I mean it simply isn’t on the same level of needing to dodge a stallion about to plow me over or standing my ground when a wild mustang stallion charged my direction with his ears pinned. Ah, the quiet life I lead these days.

Completed

I canned a total of 15 pints and 2 quarts. The quart jars I processed for an extra 5 minutes, a total of 15 minutes.

Since I had extra brine left over and hated to waste it, I put it in a glass jar with all the other ingredients except chopped onion as I was out. Covering the jar with a lid and rim I placed in the refrigerator. I sampled the next morning, evening and morning of day 2. The flavor continues to improve. These ingredients seem to work for refrigerator pickles too.

Tips

Wash Cucumbers and remove both ends before slicing. I keep a pan of water close as I slice.
Have the water in Canning pot hot and close to boiling as possible before placing the fill jars into process. It is important to fill hot jars and add a hot brine so the jars are not cold going into the almost boiling water. The glass may break if you place a cold glass jar in boiling hot water.

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