struggling, but still hanging in there

The past few weeks have been challenging. Ethel has a deformed udder which Makes her inappropriate for. Milker. Fortunately, she is producing enough milk to provide for her two surviving kids, as I've stopped supplementing.

Ethel's third kid dies, which always sucks.

My rabbits WONT BREED! Unheard of, right? I've been trying for a month with no luck.

My ducks and chickens aren't laying. I've been told perhaps its just too hot. I know people close by Have chickens so I'm Not sure how true that is right Now. One of the ducks has been sitting on a nest of apparently unfertilized eggs.

Lucys milk supply has dropped because of several mixed milking out of my control. I didn't just leave her. I gave her a kid back when I knew I couldn't get to it. Now instead on my little over one quart, I'm only getting about three cups. And my stand got busted somehow. Probably when all the goats escaped when I forgot to latch the pen.

The yield of my.beginning crop wasn't all the great either. Though the animals sure did enjoy the plants.

All of this is very discouraging and it was very easy for me to fall into old patterns: when things get hard or do work right, quit.

After teeing and throwing in the towel, I pondered my situation and picked my towel back up. What I was trying didn't work. So I'll. Try something else.

As some of you know we've been looking to move for about 4 months and so far nothing has worked out. I'm also rltrying to get pregnant.

What This means for me is downsizing. I want to cut my goat herd in half. Some of those goats will make their way to the dinner table, some will be sold or traded.

The fowl get to the end of the year. They may start laying again when the weather cools off. Bitthey eat A TON to keep around when they aren't providing anything. So if they don't start laying again, they too are destined for the table.

If the rabbits don't breed? They're too expensive to slaughter, so they'll be sold or traded.

Instead of a beginning garden next season ( fall in the desert) I want to plant fruit and nut trees instead ( but only if we actually buy a home).

So there is a little bit of reality check the the beginner hobby farmer/ micro farmer.

But I'm not going to give up, but chose to try a different path. After all, its not about waiting for the storm to pass, but learning to dance in the rain.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.6.5