Crane Creek Farm

God sure favored us by selling our cows before the JBS cyber attack today....Thank you Lord!

Calf #8 was born yesterday, Colleen named her Ellie May. A nice lady in Reeds Springs gifted us 2 runner ducks, we named them Heckle and Jeckle.

Some scenes around the farm.

This little fella joined the herd on Tuesday. We came back from camping to check on the farm and he had just hit the ground. We named him Jethro since I’m on the Beverly Hillbillies names. Thank the Lord for His many blessings.

Our last rainfall over three days gave us a little over 6 inches. Mike planted a cover crop in the garden of winter wheat which is coming up nicely. This will provide green manure to improve the fertility of the soil.

This is the leaves, green pods and bark from a sweet gum tree that I’m making a tea with. According to the internet, the Cherokees used it for illnesses. I’m using it for the antiviral properties discussed in the article below.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4441155/ I’m so glad Mike did not cut down the sweet gum tree with those cursed gumballs I fall over, pick up seemingly thousands of them, and throw them in the fire. I’m going out today to collect the green ones plus bark and leaves and Mike and I will drink the tea for an antiviral. After the additional 1.5 inches of rain we received last night, I am reminded of the scripture in psalm 104:14a: He causeth the grass to grow for... the cattle, and herb for the service of man. Ironic isn’t it that the very tree I disdained and wanted cut down could provide an antiviral agent that may protect us from COVID-19?

After finishing my work for my college classes, I headed outside to work and the rain drove me back in. I decided to do some sewing and made masks and this apron/clothespin bag.

Over 3" of rain so far, thank you Lord!

Chicks first time outside the pen. They were pretty skittish, but did manage to go outside for a bit.

It’s that time of the year for wood cutting and splitting. Wednesday was too hot for me, but we did manage to cut up some downed limbs. Lots more to go.

There's no place like home

Picked some of the last vegetables before Mike hoed up the garden. I plan on planting a cover crop for green manure. I think the soil needs improvement as the crops were not as good as they should have been. I have lots of gourds and mini pumpkins for fall decorations. Cleo is enjoying the straw bales in the barn.

Yesterday, Lucy got stuck between the old duck pen and the cattle panel. I found her when I went to put them up for the evening. She could not walk on her leg, but ate and drank. Today, she is crippling around and you can see the foot is twisted. I kept her in the pen with the chicks. Sharon Turney do you think I should try to splint it, or just wait and see if it works itself out? She is a really sweet chicken.