HomesteaderWife - Tales from Wolf Branch [05/10/2023 - The New Fella!]

HomesteaderWife

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October 14th, 2021

Well sheesh, here it is over a year since I last posted an update. Lots going on, and I get myself in a distracted mess usually. I find myself making the text a bit larger just so it's easier on my own eyes, and hopefully anyone else reading and their eyes. BackYard Herds will soon again be a place I rely on for help, sharing info, and so on. We are looking to begin again with goats possibly this year or early next year, and then Fall of 2022 will be getting our first calves to start training up from steers into good working oxen. I acknowledge I'll never know enough, but I sure know I have a great place/resource here at BYH. Thanks for all your help over the years, you all.

Been working slowly on YouTube, but maybe one day it will pick up. Not much to do on it here lately, as most folks wanted to know about tanning and crafting, which I have no resources for yet. Had a few old raccoon hides put up that I made bags with this year, and I braided some deer leather lace for the strap. Pretty proud of how they came along. Husband and I are rebuilding his Grandpa's old shop to keep his memory strong and alive, and we want to turn it into a little woodworking business. The old Norwood LM29 sawmill we bought in 2015 is still making it along just fine, and it sure has helped us out over the years.

Old "Moose" the 1954 Ford tractor gave up the ghost this year, and will need to be restored. Someone did a really poor job on caring for the exhaust, and to fix up the part where it has come apart would be a big task. We invested in a larger tractor that's become a good workhorse for us, but nothing can do justice to the sentimental value Moose has for us. That tractor has helped build two houses, just for us!

Last September, we found a pretty sorry looking hen in the parking lot of the grocery store, and brought her home and named her "Wally" (can you tell not so subtly where we found her?) - just a few weeks prior, our duck Tater lost his mate, Tot. He was very lonesome, and after quarantine of the new hen, we paired them together and they've been bonded ever since. Never thought I'd see a chicken so spoiled, she makes you come in the pen and shine a flashlight for her before she'll put herself on the perch. Tater and Wally are buddies for life now. We lost one of the old gals, a Dominique named Prue. Phoebe passed shortly after they were first given to us. So now it's just Piper and Chicken Hawk together. If Chicken Hawk wasn't so mean to Wally (who mind you, is like 3x her bantam size) which in turn made Tater protectively run for Hawk and grab a beakful of feathers to tell her to leave Wally alone....they'd be together as a whole. But Piper and Chicken Hawk are content to themselves, and Wally and Tater are a happy friend family.

Let's see, other plans? Well, we are finishing off our work season and about to come into Fall and Winter months of really working hard around here. A bit of clearing for the cattle and goat plans, possibly a new setup for adding a nice new group of ducks. The planned areas host some nice firewood and milling trees, so it won't go to waste. No craft show this year, they cancelled it due to COVID variants though it was held last year. Etsy it is, until maybe just maybe we get a booth at the big flea market a half-hour away. But we're like 40-some-odd down the waiting list after putting our names in for it in July.

Losses over the past year, include my husband's Grandpa - what a kind man the world lost. Last year we lost one of the elder rescue dog twins, followed by Tot the duck two weeks after (then two weeks after that, we found Wally). In-laws lost a good Labrador that was here since before we were married- gonna miss him. Many a time we'd be in the tree stand, wondering why the deer coming down the hillside spooked. Here he comes to the foot of the stand, wagging and looking straight up like "what are you doing tall people?" - he was a great squirrel dog. In August, the other rescue twin dog passed away. We've got the Heeler and the Husky now.

Gains, well Wally to start! Then there's Pizza! Big, very pregnant feral cat showed up and we finally managed to work with her enough to get her trapped and get her in a confined and safe space. Built a rocky relationship up until kitten time - she was very patient, very understanding, and we bonded well over tending them together. She really appreciated having "mom time" breaks of letting me play with the kittens and socialize them while she relaxed and napped. Mom got spayed as they weaned, and everyone got loving homes, including little Mozzarella who lives with us (and I finally gave in and made her an Instagram account, sharing photos of her and Pizza). Can you believe they're all harness and leash trained? Even Pizza. You'd never think she was 100% an aggressive feral. The day the elderly dog passed this year, she got into my lap for the first time on her own. She stood up on my chest and looked in my eyes like she knew. A very in-tune-to-emotions cat and I'm proud to say she's our newfound companion. Got the tractor this year, might be having to "gain" a new motor in the vehicle (-insert sarcastic eye roll-)

Not many photos on hand but I'll add some eventually. Thanks for reading along thus far.




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HomesteaderWife

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May 10th, 2023 - I will keep my update short as not only has it been so long, but the days are busy! We have a new little addition to the Homestead named Yusuke - his mom is Botan and his dad is Kuwabara, theme named after an anime my husband and I have watched a few times called Yu Yu Hakusho (1992-1995). His momma being a first time mother unfortunately had nothing to do with him and also wouldn't release milk. We tried and tried with both situations to no luck, and as soon as I realized this I brought him in to get dry and warm and called the vet for colostrum, which they thankfully had. He was born on May 5th, and as of this morning he is doing very well. Strong, good appetite.
Please wish our little man well!
Photo 1: After birth and brought inside Photo 2: About two days old Photo 3: Three days old
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HomesteaderWife

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Thank you for all the well wishes! Here are some fun photos from the past few days of his growing up:
Our Cattle Dog is so used to and loves all animals (except for rats and squirrels) that she barely pays him any mind other than the occasional sniff. He loves her though! We take walks together and he walks in between her and I.

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HomesteaderWife

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Love that comment and yes his little nose is so precious. The heeler is definitely a great dog, they enjoy walks together and she jus treats him like a walking companion without getting excited or any kind of annoyed- just calm to him.
 
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