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Monday, December 26, 2011

Cute Picture!

Every new mommy needs one of these!! I hope you like the picture!


Joanna with mei tai!


Enjoy!!

Hannah

Monday, December 19, 2011

Trying to remember......

to update my blog. I know I don't update it that much :( But I will try updating more frequently.

On other news:

We have been still getting about 9-10 eggs daily. We have started putting a light on for a few hours at night and it has improved there laying. Today my sister found a nest in the cows hay. We were wondering if we have a broody hen.

We haven't had any snow so far which is nice. Today it has been pouring rain all day which is something we need! We have been using the woodstove for the past few weeks because it takes the chill off.

Our Grandpa and Grandma came down for a visit on Friday and spent the night and left Saturday. We had a fun time with them.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, December 6, 2011

Funny Pic

R with the cat! He really enjoys it!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

What I've been doing.....

I have been canning beans today! We have a bunch of dried beans so we have been canning chili beans and baked beans. Today I made 18 pints of baked beans. It is so much nicer to have the canned beans on hand. so we don't have to remember to cook the beans whenever we need them.

Canning is one of my favorite things to do! It is so fun to see the finished filled cans once we are done.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Winter has......

officially arrived :( We have been having 30's for a high and in the 20's for a low! We have gotten a few flutters of snow off and on today and yesterday, but thankfully none of it has stuck! We have been having the woodstove going. It puts off alot of heat. I enjoy getting a cup of coffee or cappachino or even a cup of tea on a chilly day.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Trying to help.......



Trying to play checkers!


King me!!
 Enjoy!

Hannah

Happy Thanksgiving

I know this is a couple days late, but I wanted to tell everyone Happy Thanksgiving!!

We had family over for Thanksgiving. The meal was so delicious. We had turkey, ham, mashed potates, gravy, stuffing, corn and coleslaw. And of course for dessert we had apple, pumpkin and cherry pies and icecream. Unfortunately we didn't get any pics. Every Thanksgiving we put up a thankful turkey and with the feathers from the turkeys we write what we are thankful for! It is so neat to see what everyone is thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hannah

Monday, November 21, 2011

What we've been doing..........

We have gotten the rest of our chicken and turkey canned!! YEAH! It tastes so delicious when it is canned and it is easier to use.

We have to get rid of the dog because he killed two of our chickens and almost killed our rooster :( Plus, he is so big and we can't control him that well. 

On Saturday night we had a bonfire and we roasted hotdogs and s'mores! It was very yummy! And it was a beautiful day. 

Yesterday and today it has been in the 40's for a high and COLD!! We have the fire going today. I enjoy sipping cappachino or hazelnut coffee when it is cold. Also curling up with a interesting book and the cat is a good thing to do on a cold day.

We are going to host Thanksgiving at our house this year! Our Grandma, Uncle, Aunt and Cousins and my cousin and her husband and little baby are coming down. 

Well I will try to remember to update the blog more often.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Interested to find out who my readers are.......

I am interested to see who all reads my blog. So if you wouldn't mind leaving me a comment and telling who you are and where you are from, I would like that. I'm glad that I have so many readers!!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Canning Chicken

Mom and I have been canning chicken and chicken broth the past couple days!! The reason is because one of our freezers isn't working, so we are needing to can. We really like it canned. It flakes apart like tuna.

For those of you that don't know how to can chicken this is how:

Step 1: You cut up raw chicken into 1" chunks without bones. (You can also boil the chicken first then take it off the bones)

Step 2: Next get quart or pint sized canning jars. Make sure you wash them.

Step 3: Then take the cut up chicken and put it in the jars. You need to leave a 1" head space so there is enough room to not boil over. After you fill them put the lids on them and put them in hot water in the sink.

Step 4: Start the pressure canner and let it simmer then put the jars in.

Step 5: Now put the lid on the pressure canner and let it get hot enough to steam. Once it starts steaming then time it for 7 minutes.

Step 6: After it is done steaming then screw the steam thing down. Now let it get to 10 pounds of pressure and keep it there for 1 hour and 15 mins.

Step 7: After it is done, turn off the burner and let it go back down to 0 pounds, then screw the steam thing so it is loose.

Step 8: Take the lid off and put the jars on a towel on the counter. You should here them all "pop" that means that they are sealing!! We really enjoy hearing the popping noise!!

Hopefully that all makes sense!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Enjoying Fall

We have been enjoying the beautiful Fall that we have been having. The leaves aren't pretty, but having it be in the 70's for a high during the day is gorgeous!!! We are so thankful that we don't have snow yet! Fall in Oklahoma is my favorite season.

We moved the cow into the barn for the winter. We have been feeding him hay because the grass isn't growing anymore. Somedays he is so fat I'm afraid the he won't be able to fit through the doorway but he always manages to!

Also, we are going to move the laying hens into the barn with the cow for the winter. Our landlord built some nesting boxes in the barn for them. We have been getting about 7-13 eggs a day. It depends on the day.

Mom and I also have been talking about our garden next year. We are trying to think of what we can do differently in case we do have another drought. If anyone has any ideas then please leave me a comment.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Butchering a deer

Here are the pics of the deer getting butchered.






Enjoy the pics!!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Butchering Day

On Monday we butchered our meat chickens, turkeys and a mean rooster! Also we got a deer from someone and we butchered that as well! My Aunt and her family helped us as well!!

These pictures are not for the queasy stomachs so don't go any farther!!



<>           Eliana catching the chickens                        Rebekah killing the chickens





My Uncle scalding the chickens




Dad ran the plucker!!



Lydia and I gutted the chickens. Our cousins
helped with this as well.


Gabriel with the finished product! YUM!!

The biggest chicken weighed about 9 1/2 pounds!!

It was a lot of fun butchering!!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah
 

Friday, September 23, 2011

What we did...

a couple weekends ago... We went to a Septemberfest at the History Museum in OKC. Everything was free. Some of the things that we did was crafts, learning how to rope a calf head, seeing a live skunk, a man had a rope and he would rope the younger ones. They really enjoyed that. There was also farm animals there that we were able to pet. We also listened to a couple of men play music.

The skunk


JoJo learning how to rope!

Here is Gabriel getting roped!


Eliana, JoJo and Gabriel by a longhorn cow

Men playing music

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Update on the farm

We have been pretty busy lately.....

We moved half of the broiler chicks out to a pen on the pasture. They are enjoying being outside and enjoying the grass. It is amazing how fast broiler chicks grow! The other half are still in the barn. My uncle came down and helped us get the other pen critter proof so they will be out within the next couple days!!

We have started getting eggs from our layers! We are getting about 5 a day now and we have 12 hens so we should start getting more soon. It is so nice to have fresh farm eggs! My little sister and brother enjoy gathering the eggs. They always try to see who could be the first one out there to get the eggs!

I remember when I was about 5 or 6 I started praying that we could have some chickens, so we ended up moving to a property that we could have chickens. I think we got 12 hens and a rooster and it was my responsibility each day to take care of them. I remember when the first egg was laid, it was sooo exciting. So now I enjoy seeing my younger siblings getting the eggs and the excitement that goes with it!

We ended up pulling quite a bit of the garden up because it wasn't growing and producing much because of the heat. The only thing that we do have is peppers. They did really good this year despite the heat which is amazing. So we are still getting peppers but that is the only thing. We are not going to do a fall garden this year. We are going to get the soil tilled and get it ready for next year.

We have been letting the turkeys free range. They are really enjoying it. It is so funny to watch them because they all stay together. In about 5 weeks they are going to be in the freezer.
Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Monday, September 12, 2011

Our newest addition....

to the farm. We got a Siamese kitten on Saturday! We named him Simon Boots. He is about 3 or 4 months old. He has a very cute personality.

Reflecting


Being Playful
Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Happenings around the house

It has been very hot here lately! But within the next couple days it is supposed to start cooling down! By cooling down I mean higher 80's lower 90's :) I know to some of you, you are thinking cooling down.
But when you have had 100's nonstop for a few months then we are looking forward to the cooler temps!!


We are not going to be planting a fall garden this year, since it has been so hot. We are planning on taking everything out of the garden and tilling it for next year! Hopefully next year will be a better success!!

Today we are getting 50 meat chicks! They will be ready to butcher at the end of October beginning of November!! YUM YUM!! Healthy chicken is the best!!

Yesterday was the first day that we have started getting eggs from our chickens!! They are so cute and little at the start! It was so exciting to find them!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Busy Week

Here are some of the things we have been busy with for the past couple weeks:

Last Saturday my sister Abigail and her husband and baby James came over for a visit! We had a very nice time with them! We celebrated four different birthdays so we had icecream cake and she made Susanna and Joanna some cute aprons and she bought Eliana some art supplies. They spent the night in Edmond, OK and then went to church the next day with us. James is growing up soooo fast! He is almost walking!

On Saturday night we went and heard the Cole Family sing and play! They are a bluegrass band. The music was very nice.

On Sunday at 6:15am my niece was born. Her name is Raelynn Marie Sawyer. She weighed 7lbs and 5oz. They live in Philadelphia, PA so we won't be able to see them anytime soon :( Mom is going to fly out there on Saturday and spend a week with them!

Other news:

Our corn didn't pollinate correctly since it is too hot so we won't be getting much sweet corn this year :( We were all looking forward to having sweet corn.

At the end of the month we are getting 50 meat chicks. We are going to be busy getting a brooder ready for them.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Thursday, July 28, 2011

An update

For the last couple weeks I have been thinking that I NEED to update my blog! But haven't gotten around to it! So sorry for those that check my blog and there hasn't been any updates.

Our gardens have been growing pretty well, but with this heat we haven't been getting any tomatoes and cucumbers :( Today we picked our first watermelon. It was very small and it was starting to split, but we devoured it anyway :) Our corn has been starting to have small cobs on them, so hopefully we will be able to have some sweet corn soon! YUM!

Tonight we are going to a surprise birthday party for a friend from church. I can't wait till we go. They are going to have icecream sundaes.

My sister, Rebekah is at our sisters house this week. She is coming home tomorrow. We have really missed her!

I have been working on my quilt. It is coming together pretty fast! I can't wait until it's done.

Last Wednesday we went to the OKC zoo because they are having $1 Wednesdays in July and August! Very cheap!! So we went with a friend. Then Wednesday afternoon we went to a friends house and went swimming!

It has been very hot here lately. We have gotten just a little bit of rain recently. Nothing to soak the earth though :(

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Friday, July 15, 2011

Update

Sorry I have been so absent lately! Here is what we have been doing lately!

On July 4th we went to a big 4th of July bash that some of our relatives put on each year! It was neat to be able to meet some distant relatives! They had turtle races, sack races and foot races! We also played alot of games of volleyball! It was a fun time! There was also ALOT of food! Then when it got dark we shot off some fireworks!

I have been working on a twin sized quilt! It is a Kansas Wind Turbine pattern. The colors are mainly browns! I have half of the top done. It is a pretty easy pattern.

We are going to start our fall garden the first week in August! I can't wait. We are going to plant broccoli, lettuce, radishes, cauliflower, spinach and beets.

We have a few cantalopes and watermelons on the vine! They are getting bigger!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Garden and Farm update

We have been getting green beans, green peppers and one red tomato and a red cherry tomato! The plants are starting to produce finally! I can't wait till we are starting to get lots of veggies at a time! At the end of July we are going to start planting for a fall garden!

This past week we went to the OKC zoo! They were having a special. Everyone under 11 were free so it was a very good deal! The monkeys were my favorite animal! One of the monkeys was showing off! It was pretty cute to watch!

It has been in the 100's lately, so we have been trying to keep cool! We have been swimming alot.

The turkeys are growing really big. One of the hens that we got is a rooster! It has been trying to crow. It is so funny to hear him!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Random Pics

Gabriel and his new bike!

Obadiah and Zeke! (Note: the BIG paws!!)


Me in my most recent project that I made!


Planting cantaloupe!

Helping water!!

I hope everyone enjoys the pictures! My sister told me if I resize the pictures then
it would be easier to upload and it is!!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Giveaway on a blog

http://muncksquiver.blogspot.com/2011/06/summer-giveaway.html

This blog is doing a giveaway. I would love to win there prize.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Farm Life

I have been absent from the blog lately. We have been pretty busy.

On Thursday we got 10 turkeys. One of the turkeys somehow got out of the pen and got away so now we only have 9. They are 6 weeks old! The breeds are Bourbon Red and Blue Slate. We can't wait to have Thanksgiving dinner with home grown turkeys! YUMMY!!!

Our garden is growing, growing, growing! We have green tomatoes, peppers and cucmbers on the vine. Soon we will be having tomato and cucumber salad. Our corn is growing as well. Oh I almost forgot we also have green beans that we are going to pick next week.

Next week I am going to my sister Abigail's house. Since she is now pregnant she needs some help with her little boy James! I can't wait!!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Pictures!!

Helping in the garden!

Enjoying the Roses!

Here are a couple of pictures. We figured out our internet connection so I am only able to post two pics in each post.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Friday, May 27, 2011

Busy, Busy, Busy

We made it through the tornado that went through here! We just got some thunderstorms and a little bit of hail!

My sisters Rebekah and Lydia tilled a big place for corn, so today we put manure in the rows and planted 5 rows of corn and a couple rows of sunflower seeds! I can't wait until we have fresh corn on the cob!

On Tuesday I went to the dentist and I got braces and expanders put in so now I am getting used to what I can and can't eat! I need them in for 2 years!

Yesterday Mom, Susanna, Eliana and I went to our Aunt's house and did some sewing for Susanna and Eliana! It was very nice!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Family Life

On Thursday we Grandpa and Grandma came for a visit! Grandma took Eliana, Susanna, Lydia and I to a fabric store in town. She needed to get some fabric for a quilt. So while we were there she bought us a apron pattern and each of us some fabrics so we could make the aprons! I already sewed my apron! It came out really nice!

Our beef cow is getting bigger! Pretty soon we are going to put him out on pasture!

We have at least two female ducks! One of the ducks is a female Mallard, one is a female blue swedish and the other two are black swedish ducks! So we finally figured out the breeds and the sex of two of the ducks! We are not sure of the other two.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Friday, May 13, 2011

Happy 6th Birthday to...

my little brother Gabriel! He turned 6 on the 11th! Today he got a new bike with his birthday money! He really likes it! It doesn't seem that long ago when he was a little baby! He is becoming a little man!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Happy Mothers Day!

Happy Mothers Day to Mom! I am so thankful to have a Mom that loves and cares for us!

This afternoon Dad is taking all of us out to Braums for icecream for Mothers Day!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Guess what we got....

a German Shepherd puppy! We named him Ezekial and his nickname is Zeke! He is 13 weeks old and has the largest paws!

On other news....the chicken tractor got finished yesterday!! So today we put the bigger set of chicks in the house part! Tomorrow we are going to put the ducks and smaller chicks in it! They are liking their new home!

I would post some pictures but the internet service we use doesn't allow me to post pictures :(

On Sunday April 24th we got a beef calf! As of today he is 11 days old so we have been bottle feeding him! We named him Obadiah Job! We are going to try and halter break him!!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Friday, April 22, 2011

We have been busy with.....

getting ready to get a beef calf. We have some friends that have a dairy that we are going to get a calf from soon! We have a shed and one part of the shed is like a lean to so we put up fencing around it so that is where we are going to keep the calf while we are bottle feeding it. When it gets weaned off the bottle then we are going to get some electric netting for animals and we are going to put the cow in there to graze.

Also, our landlord bought 9 more Rhode Island Red chicks and they are so cute and fluffy! We have them in with our bigger chicks. Sometime soon we are going to start on the chicken tractors, because the ducks have pretty much outgrown the brooder!

Sorry that there is still no pictures. My sister Rebekah is the photographer and she is the one that downloads the pictures into the computer and she hasn't had time to. But someday I will be posting pics!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Happy Birthday to.....

my sister Rebekah! She turned 16 on the 15th. We ate cheese danishes for her birthday breakfast and went out to Pizza Hut for dinner! Also my sister Abigail, her husband and baby James surprised us for her birthday! We had a lovely visit with them!

Today we went thrift store shopping and found a few items and then Rebekah made Creamy Mocha for her birthday dessert and we had it today!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Today we were......

planting, planting, planting!! We have a 45x72 garden that my sisters tilled. We planted corn, green beans, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers, oregano, dill, squash, zucchini, watermelon, cantaloupe and strawberry plants.

Yesterday we bought 6 blueberry bushes that we will be planting possibly in pots.

We can't wait until we can eat fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden!

Today we let our ducks and chicks out in the sunshine! They enjoyed scratching around in the grass and getting bugs. Also, we put our ducks in the little kiddie pool and they were enjoying swimming around! One of the ducks is a showoff and it likes to go swimming under the water!! It might be possibly a male! The ducks enjoy following us around!

We cleaned out the shed so we will probably get a beef cow and possibly a couple pigs! We are also going to get meat chickens!

The next thing we are working on doing is getting chicken tractors made for the chickens and ducks. We haven't started making them but are looking at plans and seeing what we want! Chicken Tractors are moveable pens. 

My next post will probably be pictures of us working in the garden! So stay tuned!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Sunday, April 10, 2011

We have....

finally moved to the great state of Oklahoma! We are completely unpacked!

We are enjoying our new house! It has 4 bedrooms and two bathrooms. It sits on 3 acres. The other day we got 12 Buff Orpington chicks and 4 ducklings!

It is so nice to be in Oklahoma! We are getting adjusted to the heat :)

We are also enjoying the trampoline!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Saturday, March 26, 2011

What we have been doing....

We have been busy packing, packing, packing! It is amazing how much work goes into moving! But there is always a nice reward at the end of all of the packing and moving!!

We are so looking forward to being in Oklahoma! The beautiful weather, gardening, etc. Some not so nice things about Oklahoma are the bugs, but we can overlook that!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Introducing My Siblings....

Well I thought that I would introduce each of my siblings that are still at home.

Here they are from oldest to youngest:

                                                                     Rebekah

Lydia


                                                                            Susanna

                            
                                                                            Eliana



                                                                             Gabriel



                                                                              Joanna


I hope you enjoy the pictures!

Your blogging friend,

Hannah




Monday, March 21, 2011

We are moving........

to the great state of Oklahoma!! So we have been busy packing and purging! Purging is one of my favorite things to do! We are looking forward to planting a garden as soon as we get there. We are also going to be able to have chickens. We have missed having our own brown eggs!


We are also looking forward to the beautiful weather there!


Your blogging friend,


Hannah

Introduction

My name is Hannah and I am 18! I started this blog to keep everyone posted on what is happening around our home.

I have six sisters and two brothers. My oldest brother and sister are married.

Your blogging friend,

Hannah