Here we are...

Well, I'm going to try keeping an up to date detail of our lives as homeschoolers and amature farmers/ranchers.

Ben's 11 and has been homeschooled his whole life. I've always had an ecclectic curriculum and frequently change the materials I use. Although, this year I finally found curriculum that I love and plan to use for at 2 years! I check out Cathy Duffy's book The Best 100 Curriculum Picks and was able to match texts to Ben's learning style and my teaching style.
So here's what we are using:
Saxon Math 6/5 (5th grade)
Winston Grammar - Beginner (4-6th grade)
Wordly Wise 3 Vacabualry (6th grade)
Debbi Edmund's Creative Writing (not grade specific)
McGraw Hill Florida Edition Science (5th grade)
Apologia Astronomy (4-6th grade)
Story of the World - World History
A History of U.S. - American History
I also use math games and various workbooks and History and Discovery Channel shows to supplement his learning.

On our farm, we only grow a garden. We haven't made our final plans this year about what to grow. We need to find a new place for our corn patch. We'll also have Anasazi beans, green beans, peas, carrots, pickle cucumbers. I'll also have some flowers. Probably mostly petunias because they do well and we haven't landscaped yet so I don't want to plant to much that might have to be torn out later.

As far as animals, we have 3 horses (2 quarter horses and 1 quarter horse/Arabian mix), 3 chickens, 2 rats, 2 cats and 1 dog. I just ordered 51 more chickens, but they are backordered until June 2. The hatchery had never had so many 1st time chicken buyers. I guess people are sick of all the hormones and additives in their meat and eggs. Bo is going to build a divided coop for me so that I don't get attached to the chickens we plan to eat. Also so the meat chickens stay in a smaller space getting fat for us. Our egg layers get to free range on our acre after they start consistently laying in the coop. So between 4 and 6 months they'll get to free range during the day and go to the coop at night. My 3 older hens are already free ranging all day; I hope they can keep the flies down by themselves this summer. We plan to buy a steer to finish for meat. We'd also like to buy a cow/calf pair and raise the calf for next year and AI the cow every year for a continuing meat supply. We have talked about having our own dairy cow, but even the minis give at 3 gallons a day! I don't think we'd go through that, even if we gave some to our neighbors! I know there are lots of other products to make from milk , but my life is so busy as it is that I can't see adding that stress right now! I have a friend who does it though, I guess I'll talk to her some more and visit her farm.

So that's a good starting point for the blog for now.