Glimpse of our backyard :)

Being a full-time college student and momma leaves me with less time than I'd like to devote to our self-sufficiency, but when I can I do! Every morning I wake up and feed my 6 girls (chickens) first and then the buns.

Don't you love that beautiful black gold my girls are making! Their run is smaller than I'd like, but until we get the perimeter fence up in the back, I simply can't let them loose for 2 reasons. Reason #1: We live in a rural area, but we are in a neighborhood and I have to keep my neighbors happy! Reason #2: There is a big beautiful field behind our yard that happens to be patrolled by a family of hawks! But don't you feel sorry for them! They love their attention and kitchen scraps (healthy, of course), and every week when my other half cuts our normal, suburban, pay-no-mind-to-the-animals-behind-the-fence front yard, they get the grass clippings.

Our bunny ranch consists of a 16'x12' colony that is completely shaded for the breeders and two tractors for the growouts. This operation is working for us at the moment, but in the winter when the grass doesn't grow, I may separate the male from the female to keep costs down. We have 2 in freezer camp, 2 ready to go, and about 8 more that will be ready by Labor day!

Meanwhile, I still haven't started my fall seeds and my garden is looking pitiful. :/ But you can see our butcher station set up in the background. We are planning to permamnently hook up that sink in the near future. All these plans, so little time, so little funds, haha!

Next post I will talk about what I decided to plant in my shady garden for the fall and the problems I have had with babies escaping the colony pen!!! I might even take a video!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend!