On this date 6 years ago we put our home in Fresno on the market. On this date today we are officially no longer the owners of the house we currently live in. We have a contract allowing us two weeks to move stock and us to our new home. Please note the use of home ( A valued place regarded as a refuge) vs house (The physical structure within which one lives, such as a house or apartment) . 

Welcome friends and family to our new home. Trust you will visit soon and often!

Sunday no rest today

Even though Sunday should be a day of rest when the farm is going home, finally by grace of God, there is plenty to do. Got the kitchen mostly packed up. We are eating out of the barn freezer trying to minimize both the cost of food in the next few weeks and using up what is there. Going off grid is going to be a lesson in transit so we are strictly living by less is more!

Made more soap labels for the soap that will be sold at the goat ed. day in Red Bluff next Saturday. My dear friend Donna is going with her granddaughter and will bless them , be flying solo this year. Geoffrey will take the soap over on Wednesday when he goes to Ash Creek to start up the temporary shelters with Donna's husband Dallas.

My lovely Onyx has recovered from her bloat and scours. She is the daughter of my  PJ who is a stunning two year old this year and she is the cover girl for out blog. Razamataz  had an insect bite that caused aggressive swelling of her neck and face, she too is now on the mend. Raz is special as she is my last Nubian , I intend to begin the Nubian line again with her. Her dam Berrie and sister (two years older) both passed this year. As I have said before it has been a rough five years for us in this location. We are eager to move on and the girls have been given instructions to be well and safe for the duration of the next 7 to 10 days.

We will press on in our journey. Many angels have been placed in our path . God is good.

It is Saturday take the chicks to chick sitters

This is the second time we have moved Walnetto Farm. The first was almost 5 years ago from outside Fresno and that makes a 5 hours drive in a vehicle. If there is a trailer behind more like 6-7 hours. Of course all is veritable due to traffic. This time the move is about 3 hours northeast without trailer, with more like 4 or so. Again factor in traffic.

So I have learned the fine art of farming out the farm. Since there is nothing on our land except the solar/well house and the log home we need to leave some critters at various sitters. My dear friend Donna in Cottonwood is now buck sitting with our 2 y.o. LaMancha buck. The Polach family in the central valley are also buck sitting an 8 month old, Sundance Kid. In addition they were gracious enough to offer to have our 25 pullets and 1 cockerel shipped to them two weeks ago.

Today my 9 senior chickens all hens went to my friend Patty about a mile away. She has an empty coop and is delighted to care for the ladies for a bit. Geoffrey leaves Wednesday next to get going on the temporary shelters for the does (who are still here with us and will go directly to the new home) the bucks, the chickens and so forth.

I am anticipating that  all of the farmed out members of the farm will be home by early December. Also by then will be our newest Great Pyrenees a two year male. Who will be helping Spinner out with the guard duties.

We again are grateful to all who are helping make this move easier by giving them safe haven until we have somewhere to put them. In the Spring we will be breaking ground, God willing, for a post and beam wooden barn. Where there will be room for all and some expected additions.

Also in the works is a revamped blog and web site. It will be good to be home finally. And we are so grateful to have been blessed by God with this gift. Have a lovely evening!

                                                     Almost Home on Ash Creek!

another amazing day

It has been a heck of a day. Started with the usual barn chores. I am now drying off the girls in milk so we are milking only every third day. PJ, Spring, Cradle the first freshening two years old's are varying stages of drying off. Even with milking's three days apart they are still producing 1 gallon plus each. Beanie who is now 3 years old is milking very persistently like her Grand dam did . Milking her only once every 5 to 6 days and she is producing 2.5 gallons a milking still. I know from many years experience they will go dry but we are almost at a point of "watch out what you wish for you just might get it". 

At any rate we went from morning chores to the bank to wire the funds to get the home on Ash Creek closed. Then to Tractor Supply to pick up a stock tank to serve as a temporary home to our fish. They are feeder fish from Mendo Farm Supply but after three years are part of the family. No way will I leave them to chance so they will travel with us to our log home.

After that off to the notary to get some title work done. Turns out that her hubby is an acquaintance who spins and knits from the LYS (local yarn shop), small world once again!

The afternoon was spent taking one vehicle at a time into the shop for oil changes. Geoffrey cleaned the barn and got his paperwork with the title company done.

Dinner was nachos , Geoffrey makes the best on the planet. I caught up with a few things, email, laundry and did evening feeding.

Tomorrow is another day on the way to paradise. But right now it is time for bed. Have a blessed night! 

Been a long time coming

Well if any of you have made it until now I will share with you the new farm. In 1.5 weeks we will be living at the Log House on Ash Creek. We will be off grid and starting from scratch. Temporary everything but house and solar/well house. It is a blessing from God, a dream so long dreamed. A place where we can house children and grandchildren if the future brings that. We have 42.34 acres. Be still my heart! I see goats, sheep, horses. I see a grade A milk barn and a cheese room. I see bliss, peace, love and we will finally after 5 years of lessons, lose and heartache-I see home.

Stay tuned. May not be frequent at first but new things are happening!