February 2018 Sweet P Farm

February started out with my first official poultry processing job! Lincoln was a chicken grabber.

My set up. The birds go from left to right, kill cones, scalder, plucker, evisceration, chill tank. 

Elise was in charge of the evisceration table--she did 45 of the 51 birds processed.

The finished product!

Captain, before he hit his awful adolescent phase. Only 16.5 more months working with him until he becomes trustworthy! I think I can make it. I think I can. I think I can.

Chores involve a literal ton of moving feed in 50# bags. My kids are strong!

Pearl, Elise & Ruby getting in some morning loving. The does are due anytime in the next 4 weeks--can't wait for baby goat kids!

Chores also involve a lot of water. And with the well below freezing temps, they also involve a lot of hose draining.

Captain, again before his bratty stage, when the kids could still pet him without him being a juvenile delinquent.

A very cool picture. 

Baerli, in her favorite pot.

Schwanli

Heidi, the mama cat (obviously taken NOT in February)

"Tiny" the bantam araucana was having a tough day, so we brought her up to the house so she could warm up and rest.

Even with all the cold, there was clear space on the pond for all but a few days.

How we prep for dissection. I know, you want to join our school! Sorry, it's a private boarding school, and there's no way in the world you could afford it.

We took our 4 pigs in to be butchered and I brought home a set of lungs and a heart. We invited some other homeschooling friends over and had an amazing time seeing how everything worked. Amazing!!

Elise would like to wish you a very happy Valentine's Day!
The boys came up with all sorts of valentine cards that had to do with literal hearts--a vial of blood with "straight from the heart" on it; a piece of dried heart tissue in a card...