Chickens / Faith / Goats / Pigs / WayMaker Acres

A Year End Review

Well, here we are at the end of 2020, and seeing as I haven’t really posted anything on here since May, I thought I’d do a year end review to catch you up on the happenings of WayMaker Acres. I’ll do it as concisely as possible, but be forewarned…a lot has happened in the last 7 months. Buckle up, friends…here we go!

May 28 – Our search for a tractor came to an end and we brought home a John Deere 4200 with front loader. This has proven to be one of the most valuable pieces of equipment on our property this year. The Inventor enjoys “inventing” reasons to fire it up and put it to use. Such a great addition! That same night we enjoyed a most incredible sunset…absolutely stunning.

May 30 – I discovered realized that my Welsummer pullet was actually a Welsummer cockerel. We named him Ignaphramacus T. Cornpone (Iggy for short), and he’s been waking us up with the sun ever since. Around this time, I also hurt my back (the first of three injuries this year). I wish I had a great story to tell, but I was just grabbing a small bunch of hay from a squatting position and lifting it to put in the goats’ feeder. Who knew that would put me on my back for weeks?

June 5 – A massive windstorm caused some serious limb damage to our beautiful trees and even knocked over our chicken tractor! We’ve since learned to line them up parallel to the wind and not perpendicular to it. 

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June 21 – Our short battle with the racoons began. (Spoiler: We won.) Over the course of the next two(ish) weeks, we captured 8 of the varmints, relocating 7 of them with the help of a local animal rescue. The 8th one was injured, so I dispatched it. I was only slightly surprised when the tears came. Farm life requires an acceptance that death is part of the picture. I knew that, of course, but it doesn’t make it any easier.

July 5 – Our laying hens started earning their keep! The eggs were small and beautiful!

July 12 – I made the call to rehome our big goats. We’re not running a petting zoo, and Frankie and Woody just weren’t earning their keep. They were also kind of mean to the little goats and wouldn’t stay out of the chicken feed. I’m not sure how they both fit into that crate in the back of the hatchback that came to transport them away, but they did. The last report I got from them, they seemed to be doing well and enjoying their new home.

July 13 – The Fireman and I put the finishing touches on our brooder built from reclaimed materials in preparation of our meat bird chicks. This was also the day that we lost another 3 birds to our neighbor’s dog again. There’s so much more to that story, and I may share it some day. Today is not that day. It’s still quite painful.

July 21 – The loss of more chickens prompted The Equestrian to craft a powerpoint presentation in an effort to convince her dad that we *needed* a livestock guardian dog. He relented and Moose joined the WayMaker Acres family. He came from a neighbor’s farm and made the trek home on The Inventor’s four wheeler. He’s now bigger than our goldendoodle and easily over 100 pounds.

July 23 – In our ever fluctuating animal count, our baby meat bird chicks arrived! Into the brooder they went! Around this time i\was when The Fireman came home and told me that it looked like our cat Rapunzel had been hit by a car. Sadly, he was right. 

August 1 – Despite the big goats being rehomed, I realized that I’m just not a goat person. I wanted to be. I tried to be. Maybe with a different infrastructure, I could be. The fact that Callie and Pobby kept getting out of their area and into the chicken houses, helping themselves to the chicken feed, meant that they had to go. Again…I’m not running a petting zoo here. Everyone has to earn their keep! Goodbye for good, goats! 

August 12 – The Fireman and I built a chicken tractor (moveable chicken coop) for the meat birds. It was so rewarding to build something alongside my favorite person. 

August 15 – Baconator and Company arrived! I waffled back and forth on whether or not to move forward with pigs this year, and I’m so glad I did! They have been such fun to take care of. Be on the lookout for a post on lessons learned from pig farming coming soon…

End of August – Wouldn’t you know it? I hurt my back again…taking care of the meat birds this time. This time was worse than the first go around. Let me tell you, it’s not easy caring for a hobby farm with a bulging disc. I’m so grateful for the excellent care I received from my husband and kids. They took such great care of me during the hardest days. The Equestrian and The Inventor picked up the extra chores around the house and the property without complaint. I’m so proud of them! 

September 12 – We welcomed Tom and Jerry to the property to serve as additional rodent control. These brothers came from a friend’s barn and were just about 6 weeks old when they joined us. They’ve been such a fun addition to our farmstead! Their mouser lineage is showing up in big ways!

September 16 – We took a road trip to Mennonite country to have our meat birds processed. It was worth the drive and we learned so much! We ended up with nearly 200 pounds of meat from our 36 birds. The whole experience – from chick to freezer – was so rewarding. So much so, that I offered to do another batch of birds for friends and family.

October – I ordered more meat birds and sixty-seven chicks arrived on the 6th.

November – We lost meat birds almost daily. This was quite unexpected as we didn’t lose a single one from our first batch. In retrospect, I think it was a combination of factors, one of which was the wild fluctuations in temperatures that can be a part of a Missouri fall – 65 and sunny one day, 29 and drizzling the next. A huge takeaway from this experience is to never do meat birds this late in the year again. We also had a small gathering for Thanksgiving – our first holiday hosted in our home. Mexican fiesta was the theme and the pork carnitas were delicious! I can’t wait for next Thanksgiving when I get to prepare meat raised on our property! 

December 2 – A mere 16 of the original 67 birds made it to processing. I am so grateful for the opportunity to learn, though. 

December 12 –  My beloved Tina lost her head to a predator. Maybe it was this possum. Maybe it was a raccoon. We will never know. Having arrived with our first batch of meat birds, she was the “free chick with purchase” and had just started laying eggs. We were an hour late locking up the coop, but the damage was already done. So many lessons learned.

December 13 – The Equestrian and I crafted a gingerbread chicken coop. The only predator we have to worry about here is The Inventor.

December 21 – Baconator smiled at me. About three months to go with these guys.

So that’s the highlight reel for the last 7 months. It’s been full of so much beauty and joy as well as a hefty dose of loss and sorrow, and I wouldn’t trade any of it. I feel so much richer and wiser for each of these ups and downs.

After a particularly rough few weeks this summer, a friend asked me if I regretted our move at all. Around that same time, another friend asked if I would change anything “knowing what you know now.” The answer to both of these questions was a resounding NO. I knew that life in the country was not going to be all daisies and roses, that it would be hard and trying at times. I also knew that it would be one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I wasn’t wrong.

Time and time again this year, The Fireman and I have reminded each other of the goodness and faithfulness of God. We don’t have to look hard or for very long to see how He has made a way for us over and over and over again. WayMaker Acres is so aptly named…a constant reminder that God is our Provider.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. Ephesians 3:20-21

So here’s to closing the chapter on 2020 and welcoming 2021! Regardless of what it brings you, I pray you will see God moving as the WayMaker in your life. He is faithful!

Crow us out, Iggy!