Family Fun: Lancaster Dairy, Radishes, and Ropes Course

 We have started to notice a gradual increase in the number of cicadas around.  I found this one in the garden the other day.  I'm still waiting for the full invasion, but I feel fairly prepared with all the trees netted. 

I am so grateful for my kids willingness to do an hour of "garden chores" every day.  It really adds up to a lot of help. And they are getting so good at doing things like planting, weeding, and harvesting! Harvesting is the most fun of course. They asked me this week whether harvesting strawberries will be our next garden chore. I don't need to ask anyone to do that though, everyone is anxiously watching them turn pink. Harvesting/thinning radishes is still a chore though, and Miss L got her turn this week. Next week is Brother S's turn. Harvesting is a very sought after garden chore in the spring. As we roll into summer and it starts to be an every day project, they get less and less excited about it. 

We visited Shenk's Ferry Wildflower Preserve on our way to Lancaster.  I think we missed the peak bloom time, but we still had a beautiful hike and fun playing in the creek. 

It was a warm day -- perfect for some Butter Brickle at Lapp Valley Farm. 

First calf licks for Baby A. 

Big sister A went with the youth from church on a ropes course Saturday.  She had a wonderful time. 

They wore harnesses the whole time and did different levels of challenges. 

Farm Fresh: Animal Updates - Rabbit Kits, New Chicken Tractor, Ducklings, and Broody Mamas

 The first Silver Fox kits from our March litters got their tattoos and started leaving for their new homes this week. 

I did a little demonstration on rabbit tattooing for a new rabbit owner this week. 

While I was preparing for that I checked on the Silvers and two of the new mamas had their kits.  Neither made a nest and all 10 were on the wire in the cages or on the floor of the rabbit hoop house.  We gathered them all up and warmed them. Two of them came out of their cold comas and we put them in a nest box with the fur that their mama had strewn all over the cage. The other 8 never revived. I put the 2 living kits in with the mama bunny (doe) who pulled the most fur, thinking that she would be the most likely to figure out the mothering thing.  I checked on them this morning and she did not feed them. I am about ready to give up on helping keep the Silver breed from going extinct.  The Silver Foxes are much better mothers.  I will rebreed all 3 Silver does and give them one more chance. 

We are testing out a new possible tractor system for ducks, chickens, and rabbits.  Wood is so expensive now and also HEAVY.  This little dog playpen was very inexpensive, can be folded up and stored away in the winter, and only weighs 50 lbs. It's modular so it can be expanded to double this size.  It has stakes for wind, but can easily be pulled to a new spot of grass. Plus, easy to set-up and no building required. We don't have to worry about predator pressure since we have the dogs.  So far I give this little test house two thumbs up! We'll see how it holds up and then probably buy a few more. 

The muscovy ladies are going broody left and right.  They have chosen some very creative spots to keep the dogs from getting their eggs. 

This lady found a box of the straw that we used for winter cat houses on a table in the barn... I'm not sure how she will get the ducklings down when they hatch?! We will need to keep a close eye on her so that we can help. 

She was really mad at my efforts to adjust the straw so that there is a lip of box to keep the ducklings from falling out.  Her hissing face:

Another muscovy made a nest under an empty rabbit cage.  It looks huge! She pulled in a ton of straw and pulled out plenty of down to line it with. 

Handsome big daddy muscovies prowling around.  They are not very hard on the plants, but they love the high tunnel.  I know it is warm and was their house all winter.  I keep shoo-ing them out though, since they have accidentally broken a couple young tomato vines. 
Beardy had a "play-date" of sorts.  Last week we went to visit our friend who has a two year old girl bearded dragon. She was huge! -- compared to Beardy anyway.  We brought her some dubia roaches to try out and some potted mustard greens.

Uncle P left us a lot of presents when he moved. The kids are so happy to have a trampoline and I got another fridge/freezer for the basement. 

More than a year ago Uncle P gave us their old smaller aquarium so that brother S could have some fish.  It was used as a terrarium for a short while last winter and spring.  Brother S finally got serious about getting his fish this year.  He cleaned it all up and put the pump together.  He ordered and paid for some parts - tubes and filters that we still needed. Then finally, he was ready to go to the pet store to pick his fish.  We bought some live plants and clay substrate (my idea - gardens everywhere! and I think real plants are better for us all).  Brother S decided that he wanted a blue beta fish. He named him Beethoven. 

Packing Time with the Cousins

We celebrated hubby's birthday with a Cafe Rio dinner over at Uncle P's house the night before they left for Florida. 

We had a lot of sleepovers with the cousins this month.  They were packing in as much time together as they could before the big move to the South.  

Grandpop came to visit and captured some great moments of them playing together at our neighborhood park. 

Miss L found a white doggie at the thrift shop and carries around everywhere now. 

There were some very tearful goodbyes last Sunday.  They were talking on messenger with the cousins all along their road trip to Florida. We got state by state updates.  

 

Baby A's Life: 11 Months Old

Baby A's favorite game is peek-a-boo.  He never gets tired of it and plays it with all of us with equal glee. 

He is into everything now too.  He crawls and climbs up anywhere he wants to go, and wants to touch it all and taste it all too. 

Including the classic move -- getting into the flour bucket while mommy is baking.  Even though someone is assigned to "sweep" every night, there is not much hope for our floor being clean. 

It's pretty fun being part of a big family. 

Big sis is there to push him around in make-shift applebox cars. 

Big brother helps him sit at the toddler desk without falling off. 

He still loves his bath time.  Good thing since he is a real "farm" baby. I doubt he'll ever have any allergies.

Baby A spends a lot of time hanging out in the dirt with me. Gardening and potting up plants.

He helps me feed and water the ducks when big sis forgets to do it. 

He checks on the new rabbits with me. 

And he likes to crawl over and chat with the little leftover ducklings waiting to be sold. (Everyone on the waiting list wants more than 3).