Halfway There! (Austin)

As y'all know, I've been working on the rabbit tractor with my free time lately. I just started a new part-time job that has me currently training at full-time hours so my free time to work on the tractor has been pretty minimal this week. But I'm here with a video update on the progress so you can see how it's coming along! I apologize for the mediocre camera-work and my tendency to ramble, but please try to see past it. Here is the Youtube link for your update, stay tuned as the tractor gets finished and the garden gets started in the next few weeks!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0F-yXcEMT8&feature=youtu.be

Bring the Spring! (Austin)

I really like winter. A beautiful snow fall, great time with family for Christmas, snuggling up next to a fire, and now having gotten engaged to a wonderful lady in the midst of falling snow really endears the season to my heart :)
But I am so glad this winter is finally leaving. I've developed quite a cabin fever since I'm off school this semester and it's been far too cold to enjoy normal winter activities at length. So I had lots of time to begin planning the homestead's agenda for Spring, and I am very excited that now is the time to begin preparing for the pending projects.

Partaking in Seedy Behavior (Lauren)

It's finally warming up here in Iowa! The past week has been above zero and a couple of days have gotten above freezing. You know what that means! SPRING IS COMING! That means Austin and I looked through the Seed Savers' catalog and chose some plants that we wanted to try this season.

It's Rabbit Season! (Austin)

Well, it seems the record-setting winter starting off the year is finally waning. To celebrate the forty-plus degree temperatures yesterday, we got the rabbits out into the Redneck Express 2.0 for the first time in 2014. Also, to celebrate, I enjoyed a cigar. I documented yesterday's excursion in the following video.

Meet Appa! Our newest family member. (Lauren)

Recently, one of Austin's friends from To Write Love on Her Arms (TWLOHA), told Austin some sad news. She was moving away and could not take her full-blooded, black New Zealand buck with her!

The Aquapon Revealed! .....and some pictures of food (Austin)

So I announced last fall that I was going to build an aquapon for year-round indoor gardening and meat production of fish. Despite all the setbacks, frustrations, and money spent, I am finally ready to show you how it looks and proudly announce that it is done. While aspects of it have been functioning fine on their own for a while, not until now have I considered the whole system fully operational. Once I can find my elusive video camera, I will give you a video that walks through the whole thing. But without further ado, here it is!

Another Year (Austin)

Well, another year has come and gone. And with it we've had times; some good, some not so good. But God has blessed us with another year to see and endeavor towards His purpose for us, so for the good and the bad I regard the last year as a blessing. And this year is going to be another one of those. What's been happening so far since the start of 2014? Glad you asked. There's a few goings-on happening lately that I'm proud to bring to your attention.