With all of the depressing and downright scary things going on all around me (gramma so sick, government scams, control and scare tactics, hindering our right to own land, raise food, bear arms, etc.) I am trying to focus on the blessing of just trusting the Lord and wallowing in the peace He promises to keep me in if I stay my mind on Him.
AH......Yes.
I am extremely blessed to attend a small country church with a Pastor who is a homestead guy! This summer he is going to teach us alot of homestead basics, like butchering, gardening, canning, etc. He has plans to help build a coyote-proof chicken house for me, and  co-op with us to raise alot of meat chickens, which we will learn our butchering skills on with a "butchering party". Sounds fun, huh?!
I am so excited about the prospect of having help in the flesh, and not just a book, that it's giving me hope for a better future for my kids. The government really is starting to scare me. I said it before, and I repeat, any self reliance hinders control. That is why they don't want us building on our own, raising animals, or farming, without their interference.

So...this summer is Homestead 101. We have hopes of buying a couple beef calves and raising them on my goat's milk, and then on pasture until 18 months old. Grass-fed, organic beef. Glory! I will also raide turkeys again, and learn to butcher them without Doug's help. (those of you who have read his blog on homeschool blogger, know about the very unfortunate turkey event of which I speak).

I am researching some goat medicine stuff, and hope to blog about my experiment with the Alpine doe who suffers "peas in the Teats", which I wrote about previously. Calcium and magnesium. Thanks to the brilliant Jessica, who suggested that calcium absorbtion is hindered by lack of magnesium. Many thanks!! I shall get myself out to the barn now, and aquire some yummy, raw goat milk from my lovely does, and scratch them all and kiss them for good measure. If you don't have goats, and are on acreage, I highly suggest you look into it. They provide me with raw milk (healthier), buttermilk, cream cheese, soft and pressed cheeses, soap, and kefir. If I didn't love them more than the dogs, even, they would also provide us with meat, but...I can't go there yet.