February Is Spring At The Homestead

Spring Daffodils

Spring Daffodils in February

Spring Is Here

February is the beginning of Spring in Tennessee and it’s simply glorious! I’m sure that I appreciate it even more since I moved from the cold Michigan climate where the earth would still be covered in a blanket of snow. Warm weather and sunshine makes it so much more enjoyable to be outside tending to animals or exploring our homestead.

The Animals Think It’s Spring

Sunshine and warmer temperatures might deceive us into thinking that it is spring on the homestead but there is no fooling the animals. February was lambing season and we had five baby lambs in 24 hours! The chickens have ramped up egg production. I felt comfortable adding eggs into the incubator and hatching chicks. Let me know if you want need some chicks or chickens for your backyard flock. Although we may be having some nice spring days, these chicks won’t go outside until April but are available for a new home. I’ve even started to find geese eggs! Geese only lay eggs in the Spring and occasionally in the fall. I am collecting several goose eggs per day. The animals surely know Spring at Healing Homestead! Watch my Youtube on the BIGGEST goose egg my girls have ever laid! While you’re there, make sure to subscribe to my YouTube Channel @FarmerKaty

They’re Not Pets…Kind Of

I like to run my homestead with a permaculture approach where the animals need to WORK to earn their keep. Although my animals have names and get treats, they aren’t pets…kind of haha! The cows job is to fertilize the land and regenerate the soil while providing us with the most nutrient dense beef available. My Pinewoods steer (castrated cow), Basil was aware of this and then he reminded me that there is also another job Pineywoods Cattle can perform by pulling heavy loads as an ox. So I have been reading a book on how to train oxen and working with the cows every morning on the homestead. Emma, the pig got word of Basil’s scheme and she to decided she didn’t want to go to freezer camp. She decided that is she was SUPER tame and let me pet her like a dog, she could ham it up a different way…sorry folks we will have significantly less pastured pork this fall. Emma the pig said she’s now a pet here at Healing Homestead.

Honey Bees And Their Queen

I’ve been keeping bees for many years. Actually, I should say I have bees. I’m more of a bee “Haver” than a bee “Keeper”. I just LOVE knowing that the bees are there and that they are pollinating my homestead. For the first time ever, I found one of my Queens! Not only did I find her but she climbed up on my glove and I think she threated to fly away haha! See the photo below of a Queen Honey Bee. Notice her abdomen is twice the length of the other honey bees. I’ve also included a photo of a brood frame. This is the where the queen lays her eggs and keeps the population of the hive going. The bees on the outside of the beehive are forager bees. In the early spring, they collect most of their pollen from the flowering trees. I was told that Red Maple is one of the first to bloom here in Middle Tennessee. It’s always strange to me to think that a Maple tree has flowers! Trees are the number one food source for bees!

Find Farmer Katy’s Products

Free Range Eggs Are Available At

  • Dunkin’s Market: 916 Locust Ave. Lawrenceburg, TN
  • Ray’s Produce & More: 42 Chisholm Xing, Lawrenceburg, TN
  • Self’s Market: Enjoy a delicious breakfast of free range eggs 5540 Waynesboro Hwy, Lawrenceburg, TN (limited supply)
  • Healing Homestead: by appointment Buck Branch Rd. L’burg

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