Columbine Farm

Aside from our move ..
📧I received an email today about a sale on products since the holidays are coming. It’s pretty scary with inflation…

🧈I used to use cocoa butter in my formulas for soap, etc.
Well, cocoa butter sky rocketed about 2 years ago and tripled in price.
BUT, no problem, I actually loved Kokum butter so I developed recipes to use it in the soap, the lotion, and the lotion bars. It helps make soap bars hard, and creates a hydrating, moisturizing, fast absorbing lotion that does not clog pores.

👀Looking at this current sale, I see Kokum butter has doubled. The sale prices aren’t too helpful when Kokum butter used to be $50 for 5 pounds and of course cocoa butter was even less. I’ll have to think about pricing …

🌳🪾Good Morning!! Yesterday evening we walked the dogs along the old fence line at the “end” of the pasture.
🌳🍁This area divides us between another neighbor. It’s a small stretch of forest, including white pine, honeysuckle, and various plants and foliage . There is a small spring which is basically mud right now, but the farmhand will work on that. As much as possible will be kept when the new fencing is placed.
🧚🧌🐉I do think gnomes and faeries live down there.

🌾The grass in the pasture is Orchard grass!
We were paying about $20-$28 a bale for this in Flagstaff. Our neighbor bales it, but the farmhand is going to see what he can do to preserve it for winters. Our neighbor also told us where we might look for goats, but fencing comes first. And getting the dogs settled.

🦮 Progress!! Goose is doing better as he’s starting to get used to the environment and sitting outside for longer periods of time. Patience grasshopper ( me lol)
Beatrix is an 😇

💧Getting the well serviced today with a new pressure tank and filter. Had it shocked yesterday.

😂We are zoooooooming!

🌞Good Sunday morning . The farmhand got a new tool. Contemplating the day before we take the dogs on their pasture walk/watch.
Counting down to the fencing at 9 days. I’ve started a log on Goose’s progress.

🪟The windows are single pane. History of the house… built in 1960 ( not that old compared to me lol) . Owned by the same family ( as many in the area are) and recently refurbished to sell. The farmhand and my daughter looked at it when I was in Kansas and decided this was it. It took a little time for the inspections but passed the test.

🌝The first time I saw it was when we all arrived the first night . That’s a huge Norfolk pine in the front yard.
They know me well 🩷

Here’s what I’m thinking… this is such a big move for us .. and not really preplanned other than we knew we would not be sustainable in Flagstaff. So, “we ate the elephant one bite at a time”. It wasn’t easy but here we are. We are happy because we did it. There’s so much ahead. The goal is to be sustainable. We have a.well but it needs to be shocked before we can drink the water. We have the appliances now. The town is about 1000 people. We have Bear and deer. I’ll can. I’ll bake bread . We’ll have goats and we’ll milk. The question is can we do it. We’ll try to budget . Stay with us while we find out 🩷
A picture of last night

🪿Goose turned 9 months today! ( he will occasionally lift his leg to p*e now instead of squatting 👍🏼😂)
We were so concerned about Beatrix having a partner, thinking a puppy would be adaptable for a move like we’ve made. In this case it’s 6 of one and 1/2 a dozen of another with this decision.

🐐A loss of a herd, several states, boarding, and a basement while waiting for a fence has rocked his world. He’s a resilient little/big guy though and wants to please. Beatrix, of course, is an 😇

🐄Taking advice from an expert trainer, Barktopia , rereading our books about guardian dogs, and practicing on the cows in the nearby pasture. Discerning what a predator is and what it is not. 10-15 minutes of watching is good. 30 minutes is too long….

🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️

💚Our morning. It’s been raining quite a bit and altho I grew up in the Midwest, before we moved to Arizona 45 years ago, I don’t think I remember sooooo much green!

🐾 Goose and Beatrix are in the basement until we get the fencing redone which won’t be until October. Goose is challenged by this as he’s still just a puppy so we’re working with him and appreciate the help from Barktopia for continued advice.

🐐Another challenge will be the goats. Sooo much grass and rain. Another new learning curve to control bloat and yes, worms…

💧We have a well but we’re waiting for it to be shocked in order to drink the water, so it’s been bottled water for a week.

🍳Appliances will be delivered tomorrow but until then we’ve managed to hand wash, use the cooler, and the farmhand boiled the eggs using a back packing stove!

🧑🏼‍🌾🧑🏽‍🌾 At this point in our lives it seems a little crazy to take this on, but what a way to go!!!