Neehi Farm

08/17/2024

My canning tomatoes (Amish Paste and Roma) are not quite at BLAST mode, however I expect to be a slave to the whole tomato canning process beginning next week and in full force until I burn myself out of allotted canning jars.

New for this year as I saw a local homestead posting their purchase recently: a STEAM canner. Now I'm a triple threat getting all my canning jobs done with my pressure canner, water bath canner and now steam canner...

PS I froze some early ripened tomatoes in a two gallon bag until I had enough to commit to a tomato processing day...Today!

CAN ON fellow homesteaders!

08/14/2024

Boys-R-Us lineup (first pictures for some):

-S16 (Aug 8) Princess x ADGA/AGS NORTHWIND PRATT SUPERMAN

-S17 (Aug 8) Princess x ADGA/AGS NORTHWIND PRATT SUPERMAN

-S18 (Aug 10) ADGA/AGS QUILL HILL TRU SPIKEDCHOCOLATE X ADGA/AGS SERENITY FARM S DRACO

-S19 (Aug 10) ADGA/AGS QUILL HILL TRU SPIKED CHOCOLATE X ADGA/AGS SERENITY FARM S DRACO

-S20 (Aug 13) ADGA/AGS TMARZ FARMZ FERN X ADGA/AGS NEEHI FARM ANZAR SS SILVER

-21 (Aug 13) ADGA/AGS TMARZ FARMZ FERN X ADGA/AGS NEEHI FARM ANZAR SS SILVER

-S22 (Aug 14) ADGA/AGS QUILL HILL TRU ANYANKA X ADGA/AGS NORTHWIND PRATT SUPERMAN

-S23 (Aug 14) ADGA/AGS QUILL HILL TRU ANYANKA X ADGA/AGS NORTHWIND PRATT SUPERMAN

08/14/2024

Sneak peek and I'll have better pictures after I've had a solid nap.

Eight kids are now in the baby goat barn, and for the next couple months will be referring to their abode as Boys-R-Us!

7boys/1girl

On the bright side, I have several unrelated bucklings available in 8 weeks if you know of anyone needing to stir their herd's genetic pot.

Pictures to come

08/13/2024

My dehydrator is working overtime this week as the garden rewards continue.
Also using this great sunny day to finish drying chamomile, lemon balm, mint, oregano, catnip and basil.

Yeah that's ANOTHER zucchini bread for my freezer. Luckily the squash bores are killing the plants. Didnt think I'd be happy with pests in my garden, but I'm making an exception with zucchini as I've burned myself out of their joyous abundance.

Where the heck in my brain space did I think it would be a good idea to plant 6 darned green pepper plants?? Suckers are falling over they're so loaded.

08/11/2024

I'll apologize now if raising your own animals for consumption is not your thing, but if you've followed me long enough you'll remember I've commited myself to being "All in" for 2024. That commitment sent me to a new endeavor I had never tried.

I've raised cows, quail and pigs in the past to fill my freezer, however never meat chickens and I am so proud of myself for raising day old chicks all the way up to today exactly 8 weeks later.

I had the absolute BEST people I could have secured to help me with processing today, as being "All in" meant I was going to take these birds all the way to the finish line, Something I have NEVER done (and to those who know me best, yes I ate a peanut butter and jelly sandwich while scalding).

For the numbers people, here's how it figured out:

15 day old Cornish Cross hens purchased 6/11 @$2.87 each
Feed total: $132.50
(Mobile tractor made from free lumber, wire and hoops we had scavenged)- free grass and weeds in the yard moved 2x a day

One bird lost at 4 weeks old due to leg injury

14 birds average 8-9lb at 8 weeks old- completely processed at 6lb 2oz average.

$9.46 average cost per bird 0-8 weeks using 6lb average:
$1.58 lb. Incredible.

Now if youll excuse me, I have a few more birds to quarter, raid my garden for free celery, carrots and onions and get right after some serious BONE BROTH for the entire winter.

Meat chickens for 2024. Goal MET

08/11/2024

Well, I guess if they're coming out of the gate ALL BOYS at least I get to enjoy some eye candy for the next 8 weeks.

ADGA/AGS Quill Hill Tru Spikedchocolate (Barn name Maude) and
ADGA/AGS Serenity Farm S Draco (Barn name Brian)

Welcoming in two dashing little monkey face bucklings (thats the best way I describe Swiss marked goats).

I waited a year and a half for Brian to make his debut as a breeding buck with this one pairing, and it most certainly was worth the wait.

08/09/2024

August kidding starts out with 2 bucklings for Princess (my only unregistered doe in this group, bred to ADGA/AGS Northwind Pratt Superman AKA Clark!)

How I love that chocolate modifier

I am interested in bartering if anyone is ready to add a couple goats to their homestead or pampered pet hoard (will consider letting dam go to RIGHT HOME ONLY to reduce my numbers).

I'm looking for an honest and equal trade: beef/pork for my freezer, horse hay, picnic table, chicken coop or storage type shed, boat dock sections, treated lumber or maybe you have something I need but don't know it yet....

3 ADGA/AGS does to kid. Crossing my fingers for unassisted births.

08/07/2024

On this episode of "Today's Fun Project", I am very thankful for these two IBC tote frames as they are both being converted into goat feeders (one small, one large in background of one pic).

The IBC frame feeders now total 5 (3 built 2 years ago) and I need only two more. If anyone local has any lying around they'd like to rehome, I'm your person!

08/05/2024

Next to accomplish-sauerkraut

Didn't realize just how easy it is to make. Taking back my food independence and going 'all in with a sustainable garden' for 2024 has really made a significant dent in my retail store food bill.

1 Lb shredded cabbage
2 Tsp salt (I used pickling/canning)

Kneed it around in a bowl for about 10 minutes

Placed in a canning jar, topped with a couple large outer leaves not shredded and put a small 1/2 pint jar to weight it all down

Cool dark place 7-10 days
Burp jar occasionally

Place in the fridge when it reaches the level of zing you want.

Viola.

Standby for my 1st ever meat chicken processing attempt this weekend (with serious help of course), as my 14 birds I 've dragged around in a chicken tractor for the last 8ish weeks comes to a close.....

08/01/2024

They were having a sale.
I couldn't resist.

Between the seeds I'm saving from my own harvest and this order blast, I'm all set for 2025.

07/31/2024

Mild Pepper rings complete!

07/29/2024

All available Coturnix quail for 2024 have been grabbed up and off to their new adventures. Thanks everyone!

I retained several potential breeders for 2025 and now I wait for them to either lay an egg or Crow to decide who stays or goes....

I'm ramping up my birthing supplies and prepping the baby goat barn, as I have some heavily bred ladies who are just a couple short weeks away from their due dates.

Standby for baby goat pics!

07/22/2024

Edited: last breeding group claimed-chicks still available

They have unfurled, all doing well and ready for their new brooder.

This is my last hatch for 2024 so if you've been meaning to try Coturnix Quail for your homestead, let's talk.

Several colors and patterns in this hatch.

Currently 3 days old and $ increases weekly. Act fast!

I also have only one breeding group of fall 2023 quail available (4 hens/1rooster).

07/21/2024

Perhaps I've "Over Green-Thumbed" a touch.
My shallot patch was NOT supposed to turn into some Jurrasic Jungle, but it's too late to admit I should have dialed back on the alpaca compost.

After they dry and cure, I'll have shallots available if anyone loves them like I do.

07/18/2024

Coturnix quail hatch day.

I gave up on getting a decent picture, so enjoy the blur!

07/16/2024

https://youtu.be/kE8R4ktwLg8?si=qFxfufsFl2H62Aak

For my fellow Little Red Hens!

Best quality - RemateredThe ComiColor Cartoon series was a series of 25 animated short subjects produced by the Ub Iwerks studio from 1933 to 1936.

07/09/2024

I think you're witnessing my evolution, as I stumble upon things I SHOULD HAVE BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO MY WHOLE LIFE.

I've read about this particular plant for years and finally decided to jump on the Mullein bandwagon (amongst the other amazing 'weeds' growing in my pastures-will post those as I collect).

Off to the dehydrator it goes!

07/08/2024

It's Berry Season!

My chronic peanut butter and jelly sandwich addiction can continue...

06/29/2024

Photo dump!

06/28/2024

Doing the slow crawl to purchase my round bales because no one likes to hunt up hay in the dead of winter.

For years we've tarped our round bales with success, however no matter how many bungee cords, tires and wood we toss on top of a tarp, I always find myself reattaching a tarp that's blown off into the woods in the middle of a storm. Eyelets are ripped out and tarps are shredded from flapping in the wind...grr.

Putting a tarp back over a bale thats seen rain, after that shredded tarp set sail is where I most enjoy pitchforking the moldy, dusty remains into the compost pile. NOT.

I have lots of 6mil 10x100 landscape sheeting (plastic), in fact just like the hot sauce commercial boasts "I put that sh*t on everything", so goes this landscape sheeting. Multiple uses galore.

This year I'm trying my hand at shoving 6" landscape staples into each bale to eliminate those darned bungee cords that give that tarp just enough loft to launch.

As I completed my project, by golly that plastic isnt even moving in the wind. I think I have solved my age old sailing tarp problem!

I highly doubt these bales will get dusty, as they were baled dry, sat for over a week before arriving, and sat a few days more before I tarped. Pallets on the bottom so no wicking of earth juices, bales have a tad of breathing room between them, and tarped just enough for water to shed off the bales and not fully enclosed.

Landscape stakes for the Win!

06/23/2024

Deja Vu from a similar photo I posted last year!

From my window I noticed most of the does relaxing after a day of hard rain, so I thought I'd creep on out and take a nice photo.

Low and behold I was somehow spotted by my half blind aging Llama (she's selective on her vision impairment I guess).

The race was on to get close to the fence and she beat me to my intended photo taking spot.

Photobombed again by Dolly 2024!

06/20/2024

A large lot of green peppers met my dehydrator yesterday. Amazing how an entire box converts down to a couple small jars for long term storage!

Also my first garden harvest of herbs is being dried.
Today it's Dill, Marjoram, Basil, Parsley and Oregano.

Taking more control of my own food 2024. More to come....

06/14/2024

Yesterday was shear day for Dolly (llama) and Reba (alpaca). Dolly is entering her elder years and it's starting to become more evident. She is now visually impaired and needs to keep her ears on the goats with the bells to help her navigate the temporary fencing as its moved across the property.

What's in those bags you ask?

My new needle felting addiction comes with a pretty high cost purchasing the sheep's wool needed to stab into creations, and I was luckily gifted 3 heavy bags of wool from a fellow farmer, Woot woot!

Having ZERO idea how to wash and dye wool, guess I'm about to commence my Accredited Utube University education on THIS completely new thing too....
Wish me luck!

06/12/2024

The Cornish Cross chicks have arrived. My brooder is working double duty with Coturnix quail (left) and their new neighbors.

Quail chicks available now!

06/12/2024

Every once in a long while, I'll stumble upon a product and think to myself 'am I the last person on earth to find this?'

This little inexpensive do-dad found on Amazon is now part of my food preserving quest. It's a mason jar vacuum sealer!

Using your basic sealing lid (it will do both standard and wide mouth), Just put this sealer over the lid, let it run for about 40 seconds, and Viola (insert your best french accent attempt here)...all the air is removed and lid is sealed. No sealing ring needed!

Its berry season and off these strawberries go to the fridge staying fresh for WEEKS.

Yes those are morels, and no you can't have them.

Electric Mason Jar Vacuum Sealer... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CKYXYL7K?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

06/10/2024

I can almost set my calendar to a late freeze in early-mid June. Every. Stinkin. Year.

Because of where I live, if there is a frost advisory...there will be frost.

I shouldn't have to work so darned hard for my food!

06/08/2024

The first hatch of Coturnix quail have found their new homes, however the second hatch is now making their entrance....

Will be available at 3-4 days old.

Lake City

06/06/2024

Bonus head start on canning green beans!
$5 box converted to 19 pints

Winning!

06/05/2024

2nd hatch of Cotrunix Quail for the year is now in Lockdown. Humidity raised, egg turner off, grippy shelf liner added, and no more opening the lid until the last has hatched and dry.
Expecting chicks in 3 short days.

Will be available at 3-4 days old-
Price increases weekly.

Discounts for larger quantities

Message me if you would like to add quail to your homestead!

Lake City