Back to the business of Fall...

Our chixperiment total is about 48 now, but all the laying has come to a screetching halt.

Our layers are laying at a shameful rate. They are in molt and look like they've been attacked by a flock of moths. It's been 2 weeks since we've had a decent rate of lay, so I have changed their feed. We are using a higher % protein feed and adding alfalfa and grain. Thanks to my neighbors maurading dogs, we can not let them free range to find their own protein boost.

Since these are first time layers (raised as chicks this spring), I'm giving them a couple more weeks on the better feed. If nothing happens after that, we'll have chicken soup for the winter and start again with new birds. We MUST get more than 1 season out of our layers, and I won't do it with artificial lighting.

Now that we have taken a break from wedding plans, I have finally been able to get my house organized again! We found this great shelf over the weekend and it's turned out great for organizing my meat grinders, small appliances, ongoing projects (we're making dry mixes that can be stored and then later used for emergencies....more about that another day). It did wonders for tidying up a corner in my kitchen!

I was also able to get my fall decorations out. We don't celebrate halloween, but we love the fall and harvest season. Most of our fall and winter time is spent in these two rooms. Deer season is coming up and we'll be canning soups and stews, making jerky, and sausages.

We give gift baskets to friends and family at Christmas that include some of our home made goat milk soap. We started making some molded bars this week that will be nice for gifts. Soap we make for every day is just cut into rectangles...but for gifts we like to make them pretty. These are a sample of the soaps we made yesterday, fresh out of the mold today. This batch is lightly scented goats milk soap with callendula petals.

We make a tea tree oil soap for my dog's skin problems, this mold is perfect for it.

And my personal favorite...