Homestead- Ordering my Chick

The chickens I'm ordering. 

      Today, I ordered my chickens. We ordered 5 different chick breeds. We decided to get one of each of these breeds Sicillian buttercup, Hamburg Silver Spangle, Hamburg Golden Spangle. Then we decide to order 2 Lankenvelder Silver. 

     My little one want to get Cornish hens so we decide to let her pick out a breed and raise them, but they are her responsibility. She was super excited and picked Cornish dark. 

     We are also going to get baby chicks from my aunt as meat birds. Now we have to get their cages ready and build one of our cages into a tractor cage. 

    Are you ordering chicks this year? If so what kind! (I didn't take pictures of the chickens thank you Poultry Press, Wikipedia, One earth farm, My Pet Chicken, Becuo,  Mrs. Jaredyates,and Padgetts Poultry for your pictures.) 

Gardening- Growing food for scraps - scallions

Planting scallions from scraps 

      Have you ever grow food from scraps? I have done it will scallions in my bosses garden and I have been doing it with celery. 

Thankful bunnies for their scraps

     One of the lady who's kids I watch, has been saving her veggie trash for my bunnies. They love her and her family for that. Sometimes I even find treasure in there for my garden. Like I did on Tuesday, with scallion ends. 

Planting bottoms of scallions 

      I cut off the tops and gave them to the bunnies. Then I took the bottoms and bought them in my green house. I dug a little hole in the dirt and planted them. Then watered them. Within a few weeks they will be growing again. 

Planted scallions 

     Growing this way has been super easy for me. Then I have them growing in my yard and they were free. The only down fall is. They are most likely not non-GMO organic heirloom plants, but they are free and I won't be saving their seeds. 

     Have you ever tried this? Do you have any tips on how to grow them? Let me know. 

Daily Goals - Thursday, March 31, 2016

Skip wait for me

     Good morning, Skips not thinking it's such a good morning. He is patiently waiting for his walk, as I take his picture he's not too happy about it. He was happy though that his walk last in a little bit longer as we checked out our fruit trees. 

Today's Goals

1. Workout - I want to my new workout video 'hip-hop abs' with ShawnT. I am so excited hubby ordered this for me! 
2. Pets - I want to call the local nursery and order six baby chicks and three Cornish hens. My little one and I went through the chickens to pick out the breedsthat we like and think are really cute. She also wanted to try to raise Cornish hens. 
3. Work - I work today and have all three of my boys. They are going to be so happy that the weather supposed to be nice. 
4. Cooking - I need to stay on my THM diet plan today. I have been stressed and cheating. Even though it helps in the moment to feel better. It really isn't helping me. 
5. Cooking - I want to make a menu for next week. Not having a menu this week sucks. 

What went on in my world yesterday. 

Yesterday's Goals

1. Workout - I want to do one of my workout videos today. - I did my 'Slim in 6' video. 
2. Work - I work today for 8am-6pm. It should be an easy day though I only have little man. - We had a great day!
3. Personal - get a hair cut. I need to take a couple inches off. - I took off 3 inches. My head feels lighter. 

1. Gardening - plant scallions. - I did this hope to tell you how today. 
2. Gardening - move plants around to make sure ants don't make a home in them. - No ants in the garden so far. 

What are your goals for today? What are you doing in the garden? Let me know. 

Gardening - Strawberries Growing in the Greenhouse

Strawberry plants in the greenhouse

      This morning, while I was moving everything around trying make sure there are no more ants (read more about "Ants I'm so over them). I noticed my strawberry plants are blooming and growing strawberries. 

Strawberry flower blooming

     I'm so excited to see this. One reason is I'm glad I didn't kill them last year; when I pulled them out of the garden area. They were growing all over the place last year and making it hard to till. Plus we were thinking about changing the garden and they would have been in the way. I'm so happy I could save them. 

Strawberry growing

    I am also excited because this might mean that they might produce two times this year because when I plant them in the new bed, it will be like spring again. We will see about that idea. Right now I will enjoy them growing in the greenhouse where no birds can eat them. 

     Have you ever grown strawberries in the greenhouse? Do you have any tips for me? 

Gardening - seed tape - carrots and radishes

My seed tape gardening

     On Monday, I worked on planting my cold crops. I took some time and planted my seed tape. This looked so easy because it was. Hubby and I prepared the box with composted horse manure and tilling it in.

Radishes planted and watered

     I put the seed tape down. This was tricky part and if it doesn't work it's my fault. The directions state to dig a hole and plant the seeds and then cover with dirt. I didn't do this because the seeds are already cover and you really don't cover these seeds for them to grow.

Prepared soil, added tape, cover

     I decided to try to lay the tape out and cover it with a little dirt. Then I watered it so it had more dirt on it. I did then cover it with  window screens that we had. This will help it not blow away and keep birds and other animals out.

Carrot seed tape planted and watered

      Have you ever used the seed tape? How has it worked for you? Any tips for me. Please let me know. 

Daily Goals - Wednesday, March 30, 2016

My strawberry plants in the green house

Today's Goals

1. Workout - I want to do one of my workout videos today. 
2. Work - I work today for 8am-6pm. It should be an easy day though I only have little man. 
3. Personal - get a hair cut. I need to take a couple inches off. 
4. Gardening - plant scallions. 
5. Gardening - move plants around to make sure ants don't make a home in them. 

Yesterday in a photo. 

Yesterday Goals 

1. Workout - I want to do one of my workout videos today. - I got up and did it. I felt good until later that night when I was laughing at hubby and my abs hurt. I guess it worked. 
2. Work - I work from 8am-6pm. - I had so much fun with my little guys. We did reading and I love that. I read my boys and listen to them read. It's so cute. 
3. Pets - I want to spend sometime with the bunnies and chicken, give the ducklings a bath and change their cage bedding and walk the dog. I spent time with my bunnies and chick in the morning. Walked the dog in the morning too. Then when I got home the Ducks had a bath and I cleaned thier mess cage. 
4. Gardening - I want to water all my plants and move them around. Therefore Ants don't try to make a home in them. - I moved everything around. Haven't seen any ants but it doesn't mean they aren't there. 
5. Gardening - I need to set up the table so I can move some of the plants outside. During the day tomorrow. - I didn't get to this. But wasn't to worried though because everything that needs light has it for now. 

What are your goals for today?

Workout - Transformation Tuesday - end of the month weigh in

Body shot. 

    

    Today is the last Tuesday of the month. I haven't been prefect but I have been working out at least 2 times a week and been working to stay on THM 80% of the time. I know I can do better and I need to do better. I am over weight. I need to lose about 25lbs to be normal weight. 

      Okay the pictures don't look a lot different. I can see that too. My sides are shaping more, and my legs look thinner. I did lose 3lbs this month. I will take that. 

      My goal next month is to workout 4-5 days a week and stay one THM plan 90% of the time. Are you trying to lose weight? If so what are you doing to lose it. 

Side shot

Gardening- Planting Pea plants in the garden box

Transplanted pea seedling

     Yesterday, I final got some garden time. I decide to start planting my pea plants outside. I am hoping to plant 259 pea plant outside for a spring harvest. I am hoping to get enough peas to can them for our food storage over the winter.

Pea seedlings in the greenhouse

    I started 1/2 my pea plants in the green house. I waited until a few really leaves were on the pea plant before getting them ready to transplant.  I did plant the other half of the pea seeds in the greenhouse, later in the day. I personal do better with seedlings in the bed instead of seeds. 

Preparing Garden Box 3 

      Before I transplant pea plants, webprepared the garden bed. We put down our composted horse manure to help at nutrition to the garden bed. Then hubby helped me trill the bed. (He is such an amazing guy!) 

My garden plan for garden box 3

    Because I had my awesome garden plant for my gardening app. I knew, I need to plant 8 plants per square foot. That made my life super easy. 

My pea transplants around the cage

    I pulled my seedlings out and laid them out around the tomato cage and homemade thing to for the pea plants to climb on. Then I dug a little hole and put my seedling in it. Then cover it up. 

 Houdini 

     I did though have to yell at Houdini to stay away from my new pea plant. She wanted to eat them now. I hope she listened, because she is home alone with them today. 

Watering the pea seedlings 

     The last thing I did was to water them. Now as long as no one eats them. I should have peas to eat this summer and some to save for winter. I can't wait to watch them grow. Are you grow peas this year? Did you plant them in your garden? 

Daily Goals - Tuesday, March 29, 2016

My pea plants with stood the winds

     Good morning! Back to work after 5 days off, but that okay I miss my little ones. Today, I won't get a lot done in the garden but I will get a little done. I did check on my pea plants this morning, it was super windy last night but they all are still there and not blow over. 

Today's Goals

1. Workout - I want to do one of my workout videos today. 
2. Work - I work from 8am-6pm. 
3. Pets - I want to spend sometime with the bunnies and chicken, give the ducklings a bath and change their cage bedding and walk the dog. 
4. Gardening - I want to water all my plants and move them around. Therefore Ants don't try to make a home in them. 
5. Gardening - I need to set up the table so I can move some of the plants outside. During the day tomorrow. 

My day yesterday 

Yesterday's Goals 

1. Cleaning- I need to clean up our house bit is a mess. One day I won't be saying that but not today. - I did get the house cleaned up, not prefect but a lot better. 
2. Workout- I want to do on of my T25 workouts. I will have the time. - I didn't get to this. I got lost in the garden. 
3. Pets- I would like to walk the dog. Let the ducklings play in the yard and then take a swim in the tub. Let the rabbits out to play in the yard too. Now I really need another track. I also need to order our new chicks and I'm so excited about that. - I played with the animals in the yard and Skip was out most the day but I didn't take home for a walk. 
4. Gardening- I would like to plant my peas in the garden box 3 and plant my carrots, and radish in garden box two!! - I planted them! I'm so excited. 
5. Gardening- I would also love to plant my seeds today in the green house. So many things to plant. - I planted 75 sunflower seeds and 75 poppie seeds. I also watered everything. 

What are you doing today? Are you spending time in your garden? If so let me know what you are doing. 

Gardening - Ants! I'm so over them

My sunflower seeds dug out of the pot and ant having the seeds. 

    I have a love hate relationship with ant. I want to love them but they give me so many reasons to hate them! Two years ago I had so many ants everywhere. I had 3 types in my gardening beds. Last year, I had them on my sunflowers and killing them because they were farming the aphids. What are the doing this year? They are digging you my seeds and eating them.

I couldn't figure out what would dig out the seeds. 

     Okay, I understand that sounds crazy. If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe it. On Monday, I went into the green house an saw my sunflowers where dug up and eaten. Okay 1st othough mouse, but no mouse poop. Also they didn't eat the seeds that were in the packet. That didn't make sense. Then maybe my chicken, they were the lower seeds. But she would have been stuck in the green house and would have eating the seedlings.

Ant with my seeds! 

     The ants would go into my pots dig up the sunflower seeds (and other seeds) and then eat them. I found the left over sunflower seeds in their ant home under my mum pots. 

     How would you try to get rid of the ants? I tried cinnamon powder, nope they were right at home with it. I was told maybe garlic so I will be trying that. What are some ideas you have. 

Daily Goals - Monday, March 28, 2016

Month old Scrooge McDuck and Daisy Duck

      Good Morning! How have you guys been? I have been good but super busy! Live has not slowed down here. Yesterday, we were blessed with 2 new members  of our family. Hubby found 2 ducklings for free with the duckling set up and bedding and feed. So now we have ducklings! I'm so excited. Please meet Scrooge McDuck and Daisy Duck. I'm so excited. 

Today's goals 

1. Cleaning- I need to clean up our house bit is a mess. One day I won't be saying that but not today. 
2. Workout- I want to do on of my T25 workouts. I will have the time.
3. Pets- I would like to walk the dog. Let the ducklings play in the yard and then take a swim in the tub. Let the rabbits out to play in the yard too. Now I really need another track. I also need to order our new chicks and I'm so excited about that. 
4. Gardening- I would like to plant my peas in the garden box 3 and plant my carrots, and radish in garden box two!! 
5. Gardening- I would also love to plant my seeds today in the green house. So many things to plant. 

     What are your goals today? Most of my goals won't be able to be started until it stops raining so hoping that happens right after lunch. Well off to clean. Hope you have an amazing day.