Tuesday, December 24, 2013
Merry Christmas!
From our farmhouse (see below) to yours... Merry Christmas! I hope your belly is full, your heart is "super happy" (as we say in our house), and you can find some special moments of peace and joy in the midst of the holiday chaos. I am thankful for a healthy family, another year on the farm, friends, family and God's love. Pickle was thankful for "nothing" today (he was being a bit of a Scrooge when saying our blessings at lunch) and JJ is thankful for "two weeks off a school." I forgot what Farmer J was thankful for (sorry, it's getting late) but I do recall it being something pretty darn good! Off to wrap presents by the warmth of the fire...
Saturday, December 21, 2013
Baby it's (been really, fricken) cold (and now snowy) outside!
Winter on the farm is always interesting. These last few weeks we have been really concentrating on 'conservation' of warmth. As the days became shorter and darker, our energy bill became larger and larger. Heating 'this old house' is easy and hard, all at the same time. We warm the house through electric heat, heat from the wood burning stove and heat from the gas furnace (that replaced the previous fuel oil furnance).
Electric: The newer part of the house is kept warm through baseboard, electric heaters. Each room has a dial that allows you to regulate the temperature of that room. On the dial, there are two arrows and between the two arrows, the words "Comfort Zone" are written. If you turn the dial to the left, passed the sound of a "click", the heaters are off. The only "room" we have the heater turned off in is the hallway between the boy's playroom, the main bathroom and the kitchen. The boy's playroom (old bedroom) is kept pretty darn cool. Therefore, our kitchen has become a main playing area. For the most part, in the winter months, their room is basically for toy storage and clothes storage-- with me quickly running in to pick out their clothes for the day or jammies for night before I get too "chilled to the bone" (a phrase I am often saying in the winter months)! In the main bathroom, we keep the dial just within the "Comfort Zone" (on the cooler end of "comfort.") If you go out of the "Comfort Zone", your comfort is definitely reduced by the feeling of the cold, tile floor on your tootsies and the very cold toilet seat on your bum.
Wood Burning Stove: Farmer J has been busy (with help from family) cutting up and stacking wood in the barn. Most of the wood in the barn now will burn better next year (once it has had time to dry up). A tree close to the road was taken down by the town officials- which will also be cut up and stored away in the barn. Next year, we will be set for dry wood (and cheap heat). The benefit of heating the house with the wood burning stove is the upstair bedrooms get quite warm (hence, why we moved the boys' bedroom upstairs). However, if J is not around, or we are low on dry wood, we are pretty darn cold upstairs. Luckily, we have lots of warm quilts and down comforters. Initially, its cold getting into bed but by morning, we are all warm and cozy under the big pile of bedding. And... the boys can snuggle with each other and I have Farmer J.
Gas Furnace: The gas furnace is relatively new (and this is the first winter we have had it.) We keep the thermostat set in the low 60's. I remember when I lived at home (and other apartments where I didn't pay the heating bill) and I'd crank the thermostat up to 70! Yeah, not doing that anymore!
Another change to the farmhouse will be coming in a week or so. The current hot water heater has gone cah-put! In the morning, one person can take a very brief shower. After lunch, we can run the dishwasher. In the afternoon, another person can take a very brief shower. And before bed, the boys can take a hot bath (with less water than typical). Laundry is on cold/cold! I never thought I'd be so excited for a new hot water heater to be installed. But... good things come to those who wait-- the new tank will hold 65 gallons (instead of 50). I'll be able to wash my hair AND shave my legs in one shower! I'm already excited for 2014!!
One of many benefits we have gained from renting our first "farmhouse" has been the education that comes with living first hand in an old home. When the time comes to move on, we will be much more educated on what to look for in our next home. We will also be able to much more realistically budget heating expenses and continue to learn how we can continue to "conserve 'warmth."
Electric: The newer part of the house is kept warm through baseboard, electric heaters. Each room has a dial that allows you to regulate the temperature of that room. On the dial, there are two arrows and between the two arrows, the words "Comfort Zone" are written. If you turn the dial to the left, passed the sound of a "click", the heaters are off. The only "room" we have the heater turned off in is the hallway between the boy's playroom, the main bathroom and the kitchen. The boy's playroom (old bedroom) is kept pretty darn cool. Therefore, our kitchen has become a main playing area. For the most part, in the winter months, their room is basically for toy storage and clothes storage-- with me quickly running in to pick out their clothes for the day or jammies for night before I get too "chilled to the bone" (a phrase I am often saying in the winter months)! In the main bathroom, we keep the dial just within the "Comfort Zone" (on the cooler end of "comfort.") If you go out of the "Comfort Zone", your comfort is definitely reduced by the feeling of the cold, tile floor on your tootsies and the very cold toilet seat on your bum.
Wood Burning Stove: Farmer J has been busy (with help from family) cutting up and stacking wood in the barn. Most of the wood in the barn now will burn better next year (once it has had time to dry up). A tree close to the road was taken down by the town officials- which will also be cut up and stored away in the barn. Next year, we will be set for dry wood (and cheap heat). The benefit of heating the house with the wood burning stove is the upstair bedrooms get quite warm (hence, why we moved the boys' bedroom upstairs). However, if J is not around, or we are low on dry wood, we are pretty darn cold upstairs. Luckily, we have lots of warm quilts and down comforters. Initially, its cold getting into bed but by morning, we are all warm and cozy under the big pile of bedding. And... the boys can snuggle with each other and I have Farmer J.
Gas Furnace: The gas furnace is relatively new (and this is the first winter we have had it.) We keep the thermostat set in the low 60's. I remember when I lived at home (and other apartments where I didn't pay the heating bill) and I'd crank the thermostat up to 70! Yeah, not doing that anymore!
Another change to the farmhouse will be coming in a week or so. The current hot water heater has gone cah-put! In the morning, one person can take a very brief shower. After lunch, we can run the dishwasher. In the afternoon, another person can take a very brief shower. And before bed, the boys can take a hot bath (with less water than typical). Laundry is on cold/cold! I never thought I'd be so excited for a new hot water heater to be installed. But... good things come to those who wait-- the new tank will hold 65 gallons (instead of 50). I'll be able to wash my hair AND shave my legs in one shower! I'm already excited for 2014!!
One of many benefits we have gained from renting our first "farmhouse" has been the education that comes with living first hand in an old home. When the time comes to move on, we will be much more educated on what to look for in our next home. We will also be able to much more realistically budget heating expenses and continue to learn how we can continue to "conserve 'warmth."
Sunday, December 15, 2013
So long Ace...
On this cold, sunny, crisp, winter day, Farmer J (with the assistance of his trusted sidekick Luke- and Luke's SUV) took Ace back to his home farm. Luckily for me, I was back home visiting friends and family with the boys so I got an early Christmas present (in the form of not having to help wrestle a small ram into a mini-van and transport him back to his farm (and then drive back to our farm) with two small children.) Thank you, Santa!
Hopefully, Beatrix and Aoife are with lamb! As we patiently wait for spring, longer days of sunlight and warmer temperatures, we will also be anticipating the sight of growing, swollen Ewe bellies. Spring will be extra exciting this year!
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Hopefully, Beatrix and Aoife are with lamb! As we patiently wait for spring, longer days of sunlight and warmer temperatures, we will also be anticipating the sight of growing, swollen Ewe bellies. Spring will be extra exciting this year!
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Sunday, December 8, 2013
James
We have officially 'adopted' an orange and white tabby kitten. JJ has named the cat, James (despite the fact that we have no clue the true gender of the animal.) I think the name "James" is perfect, if the cat is actually a male, as the cat is orange like a peach and the boys LOVE IT when J reads them, James and the Giant Peach. James looks to be kitten that was most likely born this spring. Like the hens, James seems to have learned that we toss out our kitchen scraps out the back patio door. We have seen him by our back door and over by the barn. He will always be a "barn cat" as JJ is incredibly allergic to cats, and I'm incredibly annoyed with cat hair in the house (RIP-Oliver). But, we have started to buy kitten food at the store and have been putting out food and water for our newest member of our farm family. Today, we learned that James likes ham, warm milk, water and kitten food. He dislikes Cheerios. Because today is extra cold, snowy and windy, we put James' food/water in a box (turned on it's side) to allow him to eat/drink in a less harsh environment. It will be tricky to get a picture of James...but we will try.
Until then, I'll leave you with some pictures of our sheep. But first, a quick sheep update. Aoife and Beatrix are doing great. They still LOVE goat chow and are now getting extra hay at night, as it is getting more and more difficult for them to graze in the pasture with all the snow. We have Ace for another week to ten days. I'll be happy for him to return to his original farm/owners as he is getting much more physically aggressive with Farmer J and I. We no longer trust him around the children, as Ace 'rams' J and I (often in our behinds but, at times, in the front too.) He also smells different and just isn't as calm and peace provoking as the female sheep. Taking him back to his farm shall be quite the adventure that I'm sure I will write about later.
Until then, I'll leave you with some pictures of our sheep. But first, a quick sheep update. Aoife and Beatrix are doing great. They still LOVE goat chow and are now getting extra hay at night, as it is getting more and more difficult for them to graze in the pasture with all the snow. We have Ace for another week to ten days. I'll be happy for him to return to his original farm/owners as he is getting much more physically aggressive with Farmer J and I. We no longer trust him around the children, as Ace 'rams' J and I (often in our behinds but, at times, in the front too.) He also smells different and just isn't as calm and peace provoking as the female sheep. Taking him back to his farm shall be quite the adventure that I'm sure I will write about later.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Monday, December 2, 2013
Happy Thanksgiving!
We celebrated Thanksgiving with Farmer J's extended family on Saturday! Lucky for me, J is the cook. After I bought all the groceries, J (with the help of his dad) cooked the turkey, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, garlic butter, cranberry chutney and stuffing! His family brought salads, side dishes, appetizers and many bottles of red wine. The farmhouse was warm from the mixture of heat from ~25 bodies and the wood burning stove. The excitement of the night was, of course, the turkey. J first smoked the turkey (on the grill that he converted to a smoker via the addition of chicken wire and lots of "heavy duty" aluminum foil), then cooked the turkey in the stove and then (see below)...
The "Turkey Skin Crisper" (as labeled above) is actually J's "Weed Dragon" (a 'natural' way to eliminate weeds by torching them). The children were amazed by this 'finishing touch' on the turkey (see their little faces pressed against the window). The adults were set with their smart phones to capture the moment!
The actual highlight of the day was getting to spend time with family. Happy Thanksgiving from our farmhouse to yours!
The "Turkey Skin Crisper" (as labeled above) is actually J's "Weed Dragon" (a 'natural' way to eliminate weeds by torching them). The children were amazed by this 'finishing touch' on the turkey (see their little faces pressed against the window). The adults were set with their smart phones to capture the moment!
The actual highlight of the day was getting to spend time with family. Happy Thanksgiving from our farmhouse to yours!
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