Category: Woodlands

Spending time with our girls and kids

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Woodland Pastured Goats

I love finding time to spend with our girls and kids. At this point we just have the two Kids. Although we are still expecting more! 

This video shows their Woodland Pasture, we practice Silvopasture techniques here at Briden Farm. Creating Woodland Pastures, or pasturing animals under trees. 

On the 6th of July, our Nigerian Dwarf Goat Doe, Nanna, freshened and gave birth to Terry and Romeo. A little Doeling and a little Buckling. You’ll see how they’re progressing in this video. They’re doing great, been eating grain, hay, grass, shrubs, bark, and so on, since they were just weeks old. Nanna still nurses them, but has them pretty nearly weaned. 

Our other three Girls, Saanen Goats, spent six weeks with a small young Saanen Buck for six weeks in February and March.

The gestation period for Goats, the period from the time a doe is bred till she freshens (gives birth) is about 145-155 days. The little Buck we had breed our Saanen Does was here till March 27th. So, any kids being born, should happen by August 29th. Although most Goats average 150 days, so we hope to have all three Does giving birth within the next two weeks. Although I still find it difficult to tell exactly when… kind of like the Second Coming! We may know the signs and the season, but only the good Lord himself knows the hour! 😉 

Now would be a great time to book a Farm Tour to see our babies, goats, bunnies, chicks, and more! 

Call Brian at Briden Farm to Book Your Farm Tour.
902-907-0770 

Categories: Goats Nigerian Dwarf Goats Saanen Goats Woodlands

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Caterpillars Can Be Dangerous

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Tussock Moth Caterpillar

I don’t ever remember having to worry about Caterpillars 🐛 when I was a kid. We used to play with them! 

I wasn’t playing with them this week, but I did find out how dangerous they can be! It was probably a Tussock Moth Caterpillar. 

I wish I had of taken pictures, but the searing pain and burning sensation of a rash that developed after coming in contact with one hurt so much the last thing I was thinking about was getting pictures! 

Here’s a good article…

What Parents Should Know About Caterpillars. 

I’m not one to worry about such things, nor do I think we should limit children or impose our fears on them! However, we should be aware! We should also know how to treat it if it happens to you or them!

I used Renew Lotion from Melaleuca because I was out of Petro Carbo Salve from Watkins. It took the burn out and was pretty well healed up by the next morning. While the above article says a cortisone cream helps also. 

The featured picture, of the tussock moth caterpillar, comes from Wiki Commons. Click Here to Read that Article. 

Categories: Woodlands

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Cutting Firewood To Improve Our Gardens

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Cutting Firewood to Improve Our Gardens

That might sound a little strange! After all, how does cutting ones firewood improve one’s garden?

Great Question! Glad You asked! 

I think this Video will help explain it better…

So, gardens need fertilizer, the more natural that is the better, water of course, and sunlight! Over the past couple of years we’ve worked tirelessly, Ya! Right! I think tiringly would be a better word, if it we’re actually a word! I’ve got it to a point where the soil looks good, we make our own compost and have manure and we have even added water hoses. Yet, the gardens still aren’t growing as well as I’d like. Although they are improving, making gardens from woodlands means they are still surrounded by Trees! Trees are great! Problem is, the tree canopy’s block sunlight! So, cutting the trees around the gardens open up the gardens to more sunlight! Thus, we’re cutting firewood to improve our gardens! 

Categories: Firewood Gardening Uncategorized Wood Stove Woodlands

A Day at the Beech

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A Day at the Beech

So, it’s probably not the first thing You think of, when you hear we had a A Day at the Beech! However, it is exactly what I did today! From cutting it down with my Stihl Chainsaw to cutting it up, loading it on the truck, and piling it up! One Day, One Tree, and about Half a Cord of Fire Wood. Now, if I can do it seventeen more times, I’ll have our Winter’s Fire Wood.

Last Year was the first year I did our own firewood! We used our kitchen enterprise stove, and had furnace oil and electric backup. This year we plan to have a living room stove and burning both stoves to help eliminate the oil and electric which are already too expensive! 

Thirty years ago, I was a weakling, and my self image was just as weak! I knew I was a weakling and, “I couldn’t do it!” Now, thirty years later, having worked on my self esteem, and in more recent years my physical self, now I’ll tackle about anything! 

As a result, I love working in the wood, and the sense of self esteem and accomplishment that comes from processing one’s own fuel, and food from our gardens, is fun and rewarding. If you’d like to have some fun, and join in, call Brian at 902-907-0770 

Categories: Firewood Survival Winter Wood Stove Woodlands

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