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Our son received an egg incubator for a Christmas gift. We waited until after the new year to put this machine to work on our farm.  We have a couple of roosters and multiple hens so we can assume that the eggs produced by our hens will be fertile. We gathered the eggs as we normally do and placed them into the incubator. The directions for the machine were simple and straightforward.  As you can see, we did not wash the eggs. We simply removed them from the nesting boxes and placed them directly into the incubator. The eggs are divided...

Last year, we purchased a CNC machine to make a variety of new products for our customers. What is a CNC machine?  A CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machine is a sophisticated tool used in manufacturing and fabrication processes. Unlike traditional machines operated manually by humans, a CNC machine is controlled by a computer program that precisely guides its movements. The machine works by interpreting digital instructions from a computer-aided design (CAD) file. The computerized control system translates these instructions into precise movements of the machine's cutting or shaping tools. In layman's terms, we create a design on the computer, transfer the...

We have been homeschooling for many years and I sometimes forget that what we do isn't the same for others. So, I decided to try adding a monthly homeschool recap to this blog to demonstrate one way (there are so many methods out there!) that homeschooling can work.  We use an eclectic method of homeschooling that leans very heavily towards the Charlotte Mason method of teaching. Without going into too much detail about this method, it can be described as very literature-heavy. We read and discuss A LOT of books. We don't spend a lot of time on workbooks, worksheets, etc.,...

Sometimes things happen when you aren't expecting it, but it works out well.  Meet Ferdinand!   Ferdinand was born as a twin on a neighboring farm. His mom accepted both of them but looked to be unable to provide the nutrition needed to maintain both calves during the winter months.  The owner contacted us with the option of raising him as a bottle baby. We worked out an agreement and traded him for a woodworking project. I think we got a great deal! Ferdinand has turned out to be a quick learner. He wasn't happy with being removed from his...

During our first winter here on the farm, we discovered our huge distaste of rotationally grazing the chickens and rabbits through the winter weather months. The animals tolerated the weather remarkably well, but we hated trucking the feed and water to various locations on the farm.  We researched other methods and settled on the deep bed method in our greenhouse. Our first year of utilizing this method was the winter of 2022-23 and we were very happy with the results.    As with all projects, you find things that you want to improve, and we worked to do that this...