Tag Archives: Two Moose Farm

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Spring? Let’s hope!

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What a difference a few days make. It’s a beautiful sunny 36 degrees and much happening on Two Moose Farm.

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Chicks in the brooder almost completely feathered out and have removed all auxiliary heat from them.

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The non electric kerosene brooder is a success and will have plans available soon if anyone wants to build one.
The incubator is full and so far is holding right at 100 degrees but will not know until hatching if it is a success.

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Pigs growing like crazy and unfortunately Charlotte is showing signs of being in heat again. That will mean almost 4 months until she farrows if she takes this time. Have about 50 more pounds to put on the 2 I want to butcher so looking at about 3-4 weeks of finishing on them. They grow so much slower on a diet with no corn but the taste will make up for it.

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Still using every free moment to whittle taps for the birch tap that is coming soon. With the warmer weather I will do a few test taps to see if the run is coming. The 3 weeks of the run will be very busy here for sure.
Goats are doing well and had a friend out to visit. She had her first lesson in goat milking today!

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One last thing I want to share is this book on straw bale gardening. My friend Cathy sent this to me and it’s a wealth of information. The book is published by Cool Springs Press and is called Straw Bale Gardens Joel Karsten is the author.

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Time to get busy once again so I bid you all good day and pray your blessings be bountiful.

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Ups and downs

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Beautiful day here at Two Moose it was almost 50 degrees and sunny in tropical Alaska.
I spent the day catching up on chores that needed to be done like the acid wash rust removing in water tubs and such. Definitely not my favorite thing to do but must be done as goats are picky creatures.
We have been trying to find a replacement 4 wheeler tire for the one that found a sharp stump and got a hole in it. Of course our old wheeler has odd sized tires and there doesn’t seem to be any available in the size we need unless purchased new but that’s out of our budget right now.
My chicks I received from Ideal on Friday are doing quite well. I was truly concerned after all the Barred Rock arrived dead but the mixed breed are doing well and I have 19 that are growing and flourishing. I still have 4 from the second shipment that are alive and well so for now I won’t be getting anymore. I don’t want to add any other day olds and have the older chicks picking on them.

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Yes there are some chick selfies but these girls are so pretty I couldn’t resist!
I started milking one of my goats today-big failure as she did not want milked and I didn’t have her on a milking stand but super hubby to the rescue!!!!! He started the stand and will finish it in the morning then I will put on my super mom cape and attempt to milk her faster than a sitting goat!
Still waiting on more goats to kid. 4 left and we can start the process all over again.
Haven’t notice Charlotte the pig being in heat so praying she took when she got bred, If so then the latter part of March we should see piglets. In a few weeks I should see her looking quite plump and we will know for sure.
Rabbits are all bred now so March 2nd and 3rd we will have babies from them weaning just in time for Easter.
Spring is my favorite time of the year-I love all the babies entering the world. Spring fever has gotten a tight grip on me now so I have my garden all planned now but with growing conditions here being a challenge (it is very wet here) I have revised my plans after discussing with others who have faced the same challenges and will be doing some unique gardening with a combination of straw bale gardening and vertical gardening. I will be sure to document in pictures from the start in case anyone is interested in using these methods.
The days are growing longer now and soon we will be seeing sunlight 20 hours a day. I have to say I am looking forward to being able to work at all hours in the sunshine. The dark months really aren’t that long nor are the days as short as I originally thought as we are so far south but oh the summer sunshine that is endless makes everything look so much more promising!
Well that’s all the new news around here but soon there will be much to share. I look forward to hearing from all of you on your projects and adventures too. Please continue to follow me here but also join me on Facebook where you can post your pics, stories and question at http://www.facebook.com/offgridalaska
Good Night all and God Bless

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Every life is precious

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Very sad day today.  I had ordered 25 barred rock chicks and they were supposed to arrive yesterday but got mixed up in Anchorage  and weren’t delivered until today.  They were all froze except for 2 that made quiet little peeping sounds.  Ice was in the box if that will give you an idea of how cold these little things were.

Many people have a preconceived notion that farmers feel nothing for their animals and that could not be more untrue.  Every life is precious.  Just because we eat animals does not mean we devalue their lives, it simply means we value them for their purpose and yet believe their lives should be spent in relative comfort until the moment of their demise.

Not being one to ever give up I refused to believe that the end is always the end-There has to be one more chance.  So I said a prayer and decided to thaw them out before I gave up.  After many hours of thawing I now had 7 chicks that were breathing and chirping yet very weak.  Still not ready to throw in the towel I mixed corn syrup and water and began feeding them one at a time.  I have lost 2 more but knowing I gave it my best shot made their passing much easier on my heart.  I don’t know what will happen but I do know that live or die these precious little babies if they pass will have been warm, dry and nestled in the palms of someone who loved them if only for a short time.

Yes life and death on the farm is a daily event but even though losing animals hurts I pray I never lose the compassionate side of me for that would be a tragedy.  There are already too many in the world who are uncaring and unfeeling.