Sweet Saturday

Hello Friends:

Maple season is slow in coming, so we have decided to host our 5th annual open house at the sugarhouse on Saturday March 28, 2015, 10-4. We are calling it "Sweet Saturday" and we also hope the weather is warm and the sap is running. So far we have only had a small run and now the sap is frozen solid. Angela & I and the kids hope to see you there. Reuben

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a Happy New Year with hope that 2015 will be a safe and productive year for us all. Reuben

Almost 5 years of blogging - and not one SELFIE yet!

In just a few months it will be 5 years since I started this little blog about some of the things we are working on here at Juniper Hill Farm.

When I started, the kids were 3, 5, 7 and 9 and I was less than middle aged. In the beginning we had two dogs and one cat, now we have the one dog and 5 cats. In the past 5 years we have planted many gardens, baled lots of hay, boiled lots of sap and cut all kinds of firewood. We've bought an extra house, raised a few calves, butchered lots of old hens and milked the goats, twice a day, every day. We added the Hud-son sawmill to our farm, cleared some more field and finished the barn. In eight days we built a little camp in Aroostook County and it took us just one more day to roof the camp as well. I guess we've been busy. During this time we've somehow managed to pay the bills, feed the kids and keep the cars running. I've surveyed more than ever, despite a housing market in the dumps for all that time. The Gatherer has got a job, outside the home, that she loves. The whole family is still busy with band and sports, poetry and church. Gid & I have joined the Fire Department to help in our community. During these last 5 years we've had hundreds of baseball, softball, basketball games and cross country meets. We've made lots of great friends and had to say goodbye to some special ones as well. It's been a busy time in our lives. Posting these little thoughts, almost 100 in the past 5 years, has taken some time, but it has been fun. Maybe someday, when I'm being fed through a tube, my kids can read them to my grandkids and have a laugh. I hope you've enjoy my rambling.

Gideon's Getaway - More progress

I'm finally trying to update you all on the progress on Gideon's camp, known as "Gideon's Getaway". After the framing was done, the sheathing was next. We used rough 1" pine boards straight from the mill. Using rough lumber can be a challenge, but the builder has to be mindful where a little gap can be accepted and where it cannot. The camp will be stout and warm once the siding is on and the place is insulated.

With the steel roofing we decided to lay it over a layer of tar paper. Not so much for water but maybe just to make us feel better. The steel went on quite quick and will make a solid roof for decades to come.

Caution was used to make sure that we didn't "overscrew" the steel. Sometimes less is more when it comes to screwing down steel roofing.

If OSHA is looking, we were using the "sky hook" and the lightweight invisible harness when working on the ladder. Actually I think if kids learn how to work at a young age they will be better off in the long haul. Lots of people were so sheltered as kids they aren't worth a darn as an adult. I'll post some more pics soon. As it turns out I'm a better builder than a blogger. See you soon.

Juniper Hill Farm - "Sensible Shelters"

Juniper Hill Farm is expanding again with the first of our "Sensible Shelters". The first of many to come, we call "Gideon's Getaway", is an 8' x 12' camp with an 8' x 8' sleeping loft. Across the country there is a Tiny House movement that is a great alternative for some single folks or couples. "Gideon's Getaway" is intended to be a first dwelling for a single college student while keeping living expenses down and giving a young man the freedom that he will want. After choosing a good spot we framed the deck. This camp is designed to be able to be loaded on a trailer and to go over the road to its future home, wherever that may be. Right now "Gideon's Getaway" has a view of the farm pond and access to the barn loop road.

It was a family learning experience with everyone pitching in to help where they could. Taking on a bigger building project later in life won't seem so hard when the kids get some on-the-job training at an early age.

With the frame nearly completed, the sheathing is next. The lumber was cut from our pine and hemlock right here on the farm and sawed on our Hud-Son band saw mill.

With so many folks struggling with housing insecurity, it is a shame that a sensible shelter like this couldn't be a popular alternative to homelessness. With traditional wiring and insulation, three windows and a door, this cabin could make quite a home for a single person. With steel roofing and Adirondack siding this camp should look good and last a long time. Gid already has a wood stove for heat and plans for lots of small items to outfit the little place. You will have to go to the outhouse for your dirty business, but that makes sense for anyone. Running water will come later. I'll post some more pics soon. Thanks for visiting.

Summer times

Things are still busy here on the farm. I´m milking two does now and the garden is really starting to produce. The wild blackberries are getting ready to harvest. I have been sawing some lumber on the Oscar 28, and trying my hand at making Adirondack siding for Gideon´s Getaway. I will post some pics soon. The recent rain storm washed lots of things away, but all ok here. We have made some progress at the Litchfield house, mostly grading improvements to get water away from the house. So far the new sump pump is working good. The firewood is underway, but I'm a bit behind schedule. My land surveying business is going well, my clients are very patient as I do my best to keeps things moving along. Gideon and I are helping at the Bowdoin Fire Department, learning what we can. Staying self-sufficient is as hard as ever when my time is at a premium. Try it.

Update and Garden, Chickens & Hogs.

Hello folks. The Farmer is just saying a quick hello. I'm still here, but getting busy for sure. The Maple Syrup season is over and the tools and supplies are being put away until next year. The goat barn has 6 new kids from the three does. Two more does are due in the coming weeks. We are enjoying the fresh milk once again. The incubator has been running and we are on our second batch. We had 15 out of 23 eggs hatch and survive on the first batch. I'm learning to "sex" the day old chickens. We had 6 hens, 6 roosters and 3 "others".

The snow is nearly gone & I'll be spreading manure when the ground dries some more. I've got quite a bit of this winter's firewood done, but I'll be working more on that soon. The Gardener has started seeds in the kitchen window and is getting to work on the kitchen garden. Off the farm, baseball, softball and spring track is underway so the next 7 weeks we will be quite busy. We've got some big plans for this summer, but I won't list those here, it can be overwhelming.

The real purpose for this blog is to inspire others to become more self-sufficient. You can review my older blogs to see that is a common theme here. If you are waiting to get started, "What are you waiting for?" Get to it. Plant a small garden, get some chickens, visit a local farmer or homesteader. First, start with some things that won't turn your life upside-down. A few cabbage plants are really easy and quiet, while a baby goat can drive you crazy. A small flock of hens turning your food scraps into breakfast eggs is so easy even you can do it. Pigs come next, after you have proven that you can keep things alive. One or two pigs is enough. If you want to become a big hog farmer on the first shot with 5 hogs I can guarantee that they will eat you out of house and home. Your grain bill later in the summer will kill you long before you kill the hogs. START SMALL. This is not a sprint, it's a marathon.

These baby pigs were cute, but thier mom would have eaten me if touched her piglets. Just go buy two piglets from a good hog grower and get started.

It is my hope that you find out how to produce your own food, kill your own meat, fix your own roof and get the same satisifaction that I have had so many times.