Try and Try Again

“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.”
― Winston Churchill

 “You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying. To the best you can do everyday.”
― Jason Mraz

Well.....what started off as a great vision to expand the farm and have an increase in produce for the Fall....failed miserably. 1600 plants....GONE...thanks to the deer, rabbits, and other critters who thought we had laid out a buffet for them. Rick worked so hard and we are very disappointed.

Looks like we will back up, regroup, and try again. Ya live and learn.

We are still determined to make a go of this family farm and eventually turn it into a full time business for Rick. It's what makes him happy. And I'm all for that.

Next up on the plan is breeding the dairy goats, which will be a first for us. Cocoa came to us already pregnant, which was a learning experience for us and that was a good thing. We have found a wonderful family in Taylorsville, NC who also raises Nigerian Dwarf Dairy Goats. We are sending Cocoa and Mandy away to "sleep away camp" for the weekend in a couple of weeks. Hopefully, fingers crossed, they will come back pregnant so that we can have some Spring babies on the farm.

The Ferguson family, specifically Lee Ann, has been very helpful to me in answering my thousands of questions, not only about breeding specifics and contract details but I found out through the world of Facebook, that Lee Ann makes soap and other beauty products from her goats milk. You can see her products here. She has inspired me! I want to try my hand at soap making. I have purchased a beginner soap making kit and frozen some of Cocoa's milk.

Can't wait to see if this may turn into a little side business for me! I've had lots of local folks asking if I will be making goats milk soap so, apparently there is a demand for it.

The chickens are doing well. We've been dealing with the change in seasons which means the birds are losing their feathers (molting) and preparing to grow back new ones. This also means a decrease in egg production but we are still getting 2-3 eggs a day. I'm always on the lookout for new birds. We recently added another "Easter egger" (colored egg layer) and got our first Polish who I fittingly call "Tina Turner". You can see why....HaHa

 Rick and I are also discussing fencing off another smaller area of our property on the backside and purchasing 2-3 piglets to raise for meat for our family. I'm quite excited about this. We love some bacon up in our house. LOL I just have to keep in mind they are pets and I can't name them. If you know me at all, this will be hard.

So that's about it as far as an update for what we are up to. Busy and always and never a dull moment with the Ellis'. But we're having fun and we're doing it together. And that's what's important.

Til next time......................

Homemade Liquid Laundry Detergent

About a year ago, we began making our own liquid laundry detergent. What a savings!!!! We're talking that it costs only a FEW CENTS per load of laundry. When I bought our initial supplies to make the first batch, it cost around $7- $8. We are still using the original box of Borax and box of Washing Soda. The only thing I have had to restock was the Fels-Naptha Soap and it's $1 a bar. I've bought 3 bars in a year. My husband is who actually makes it each time. It takes him about 20 minutes. It makes 2 gallons of liquid each time. That 2 gallons lasts our family of 4 approximately two months. I've got you thinkin', haven't I?
YES!!! My clothes are clean! YES!!! They smell good. YES!!! It's worth the extra effort. The $$$$$ savings ALONE should convince you!!! If you buy it in the store....This stuff ain't cheap!!!

Here is our recipe:

Get a pot that is large enough to hold 6 cups of liquid. Get it on the stovetop at around Medium temp.
Grate 1/3 of a bar of Fels-Naptha Soap into 4 cups of hot water (NOT BOILING). Stir until it's dissolved.
Add 1 cup Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda. Stir until it's dissolved.
Add 1/2 cup 20 Mule Team Borax. Stir until it's dissolved.
In a two gallon container (we use an old laundry detergent container that we had saved), add two cups of WARM water then pour the dissolved liquid mixture into the container. *I suggest using a funnel and another set of hands to help with this.
Fill the remaining space in the container up with more warm water. Then let it cool.
*Some folks will add essential oils like lavender for added scent, but we don't. I like the natural clean smell just from the original ingredients.

About a 1/2 cup per load is what you would need.

NOTE: Each time you use the detergent, you will need to shake the jug because the gel settles out when it sits.

It is safe for HE washers (this is what we have). This recipe does not "suds up". It cleans. It doesn't make bubbles.

Now go get started!!!!