Crazy Weather, Thomas the Cat, and a Farmkid…

Pictured: Snow the morning of Feb 28th

Old Farmer’s Almanac Best Days Calendar
March 7-13th

Have Dental Care March 6-7
Quit Smoking March 8, 12
Begin Diet to Lose Weight March 8, 12
Cut Hair to Discourage Growth March 8-10
Straighten Hair March 13-14
Go Camping March 13-14
Get Married March 8-10
Ask for a Loan March 11-12
Demolish March 11-12
Paint March 8-10

Brew March 11-12
Dry fruit, vegetables or meat March 13-14
Can, pickle, or make sauerkraut March 11-12
Mow to slow growth March 11-12
Prune to Discourage Growth March 13-14
Plant Belowground Crops March 11-12
Pick Fruit March 6-7
Breed Animals March 11-12
Wean March 8, 12
Slaughter Livestock March 11-12

More info can be found at the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

Homestead Happenings for February 28th – March 7th, 2023

Hollow Hills Ranch

R.I.P. Thomas the Cat

Tommy (on the left back in 2013 with my daughter) went over the rainbow bridge Monday, March 6th, at 13 years old. Poor guy went through a tumor removal 3 years ago, where he became almost a tailless manx. Now, because he was older and without that balance, I think he fell from a loose bale of straw, twisted wrong, and severed the nerve going to his legs and hips. It was always a real possibility he wouldn’t live a long life after that surgery, but he did make it 3 more years. Of course I blame myself for that loose straw bale and causing this to happen. I feel so terrible, but now he’s not suffering anymore.

Sheep Adventures

Snow pics from Feb 28th at feeding time!

So proud of my 12 1/2 year old daughter on Sunday! I had her help me collect the tissue samples for the St Croix genetic testing, even had her do the ear punch on the 2 rams. Next I taught her how to put vaccines in a syringe and do subcutaneous injections on 3 of the sheep that still needed their booster shots. She got to do the ear tagger for the 2 that needed scrapie and flock tags put in (I had to help her a little as it takes some strength to snap those tags together). Then I had her do 2 lambs intramuscular shots of antibiotics for pneumonia while I was trimming hooves on the big ram. She was pretty proud of herself too. Big smile on her face. I treated her to Taco Bell after haha.

Weaning day is coming up in just over a month! If you want to get on the list for Registered St Croix ewe lambs or Commercial St Croix/Katahdin crossbred ewe lambs, send me a message using the form down below toward the bottom of this page!

To see how our prices pan out for breeding stock:

Hair Sheep Price List.

Chicken Photos

More chickens-in-snow pics from Feb 28th this time!

Garden Updates

On Wednesday we had a fairly sunny and dry day without wind. It was actually pleasant. I planted 22 year old Sweet Pea seeds (one packet for each porch post). I’ll either have 40 sweet pea plants going up each post or just a handful. We shall see! Later that same day, Morganna and I planted the Little Marvel Bush Peas in a raised bed.

These are the varieties I dug out of the fridge.

Peas planted with old tomato cages on top to keep the animals out!

Next planting day will be for beets, leeks and carrots on March 11th or 12th!

I made a page dedicated to gardening in zone 8b for the months of February/March based on our worst-case-scenario last frost date of May 20th:

Feb/March 2023 Planting Guide Zone 8b

I also have an outdoor seed planting guide that includes companion plants as well as plants you shouldn’t plant with your crops:

Zone 8b Outdoor Seed Planting Table

River Rocks Explorers

Trailcam Visitors

Saw our first Buzzard Monday morning! We always seem to have one that comes in ahead of the main migration every year.

Weather

Feb 28th had a snowy morning!

March 2nd had some seriously knarly clouds dumping tons of rain if you got caught in them!

Woods Walk

Went down to the woods on Saturday to get the Trail-cam SD card, but nothing spectacular jumped out at me. I did make a creek sounds video for March though!

Crystal Caves Wise Woman

Crystal Grid for March 2023.

I always associate March with green, luck, growth, fertility, etc and therefore this is reflected in the grid:

Center is a Pyrite pyramid surrounded by small Pyrite cubes for luck and abundance. Around those are Hematite for resourcefulness and Green Aventurine for luck, manifestation and generosity. Next we have Bronzite for finances and Moss Agate for Nature, growth, and fertility. Off the wooden circle is Orange Calcite for good fortune, attraction, and success.

Full Storm Moon Guidance

Please check out Crystal Caves Wise Woman on Facebook and Instagram for the Full Storm Moon Tarot/Oracle Guidance later today!

Next blog post will be on the Last Quarter Moon, March 14th, 2023.

As always I appreciate all the likes, follows, and subscribes from everyone as well! You’ll find links to all of the Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube channels for Hollow Hills Ranch, River Rocks Explorers, and Crystal Caves Wise Woman by clicking on each title. Please be sure to follow my blog down at the bottom of the page as well!