Covered in snow

Easter Photo Shoot: Molly was so nice to use her awesome camera and photography skills to take family pictures Easter weekend. She sent them to me yesterday and here are some good ones.

 Avenlea's first Easter

 Little heart melter

 Sisters on Easter - matching dresses how cute

 Blowing bubbles for Marie

 Playing after church

 Group shot - (left to right) Molly, Johnny, Dakota, James, Marie, Em, Theron, Darcey, Randen, Milly, Debbie, Grammy, Blain, Nate, Chloe, Avenlea, Katy, Sam

 Family Shot by the lake - love this picture thanks Molly!

 Farmy Update: The garden is going good! We have everything but the carrots sprouted, which I think I might have to replant in a bit when it warms up. I transplanted my broccoli and cauliflower last Tuesday and they are growing thank goodness. I moved the low tunnel so it covers just the broccoli and cauliflower now for the next little bit. The peas are looking big and healthy and the second planting has all sprouted as well.

 As far as keeping track of feed costs, the ball has been dropped... but I'm trying to pick it up again. If I remember right we have gone through 3 50 lb bags of flock raiser and are about 2/3 way through the first 100lbs of feed from Leland Milling company. We started that a week ago Thursday, so about a week and a half. I fill up their home made hanging feeder every other day and they free range during the day. It's made the food go a little further, lasting about 1/2  a day longer. I was filling it up almost every day, in the afternoon the second day, so it's helping to let them out. 

 I weighed the biggest meatie (rooster even though we ordered all girls) and he weighed 4.6 lbs on our bathroom scale. They are exactly 9 weeks old today and the plan is to butcher at the end of May. We might move that up a bit for the big ones to spread it out and save a little of feed as we don't need giant chickens for the freezer. Just enough for a meal or two would be good. They say a 6 lb chicken should dress out to be around 4 lbs which sounds fine to me. I'm leaning towards just freezing them whole and roasting them and using the leftovers for additions to meals rather than cutting them all up into sections. We'll see.

 Radishes after thinning - it's so hard to thin, that's the most my heart could handle! So sad to see them go, but I know it'll make bigger radishes later on

Cute Babies: Avenlea has been taking baths in the big kid bath tub and loving it. It's fun to have them all in at the same time, just a little hectic. Good thing Avenlea only lasts about 5 minutes in there. Chloe is so helpful to hold Avenlea in case she tips.

3 babies in the tub

 Chloe has been making me graham cracker and goldfish sandwhiches for lunch. If she weren't so sweet it would be easier to avoid eating them.

Frozen: We woke up this morning to about 4 inches of snow on the ground and it's been snowing on and off this morning. I'm so worried for the garden! I hope the snow melts and everything lives!

 That bump behind the tree is my low tunnel covered in snow

Chloe and Blain both went outside to play in the snow first thing this morning. What cuties. Good thing we have a little wood left over for a fire to dry their snow clothes and the last of the hot chocolate for a warm up treat.