Think Before You Speak…

I struggled to find something to write about this month….do I write about the new ducks? Choosing homestead animals? Update on the garden? Pest control? There are many ideas floating in my head, but at the moment my mind is not on Homesteading.  Instead, my mind is fixed on how to train my children to be thoughtful, considerate, kind, loving and generous human beings.

I grew up with a sister and I had no idea what it was like to have little boys in the house.  God has a sense of humor though and blessed us with 2 boys and a girl.  To top it off, they have two boy cousins down the street, and 2 boy cousins out of state and the boys out numbered the girls quickly.  Add to that the fact that I babysit little boys and most days my house is full of yelling, fart jokes and someone crying because their teeth just got knocked out on their cousins head (true story).

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I realize that “boys will be boys”, but I’m also learning that boys especially need training to be polite, considerate and loving.  Those characteristics don’t come easy to them (at least not the ones I have).  Sure my boys love to cuddle (even at age 10) and they prefer time with the family over friends…but their natural way to communicate and bond is through roughhousing, inappropriate jokes and amping each other up to the point of injury.  The other thing I notice is that there is a constant need to be “first” at just about everything!  First to brush teeth, first to make a joke, first to pick a bugger….a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g.  This leads to a lot of arguing over “who was first” and the result is a bunch of mean, insulting comments at each other.  Not so loving…

What’s a mom to do?  Well…. I continue to read the books on raising boys and on my best days I put the professional suggestions into practice.  However, our boys are bombarded with inappropriate joke telling, abrasive and downright rude TV shows.  Not to mention the political figures in our country can’t be nice to each other, or the sports stars, or the musicians…and they are supposed to be examples for our boys to look up to!

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I know that what we do at home matters so much.  The influence we have on our boys in their everyday life has the ability to overpower the media and peer influences.  As I was searching for more ways to train my kids, I came across something so simple.  The idea to THINK before you speak.  Is what you are about to say True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary or Kind?  It so simple, yet so powerful.  It’s easy enough for my boys to wrap their heads around and put into practice.

I created my own version of the saying below.  The idea is so simple (thank you to whoever came up with it) and yet if we ALL followed these 5 simple rules before we spoke, the world would be changed.

THINK chalkboard poster

To print click here: THINK chalkboard poster

Would you consider trying this in your homes and working together to make the world a better place?  Let’s raise kind, truthful, inspiring and helpful boys!

🙂 Mama Nice

Summer Fun On A Budget

It’s hard to believe that summer is only a couple months away and before you know it, the kids will be home from school.  For some parents, that puts you in a panic of “what am I going to do with my kids all summer?!?!?”  Here are a few ideas and tips that I have used over the years that have made the summertime enjoyable for both myself and my kids….oh yeah, and I didn’t break the bank either!


 

  • Create a Daily Schedule:  Although the idea of sleeping in and waking up whenever you and and your children feel like it all summer long, the reality is that more chaos will ensue unless you plan properly.  Creating a Daily Schedule will help you keep your sanity and your kids will actually feel less stressed knowing what the day will bring.  NOTE: It doesn’t have to be the SAME schedule each day, but consistency certainly helps.

summer fun picture chart

  • For younger kids, use pictures like this one:(free printable picture cards here)
  • For older kids that can read, simply use a chalk board or dry erase board and write the schedule each day.
  • Sample Schedule:
    • Breakfast
    • Chores
    • Free Play Time
    • Project (craft, cooking, science, etc.)
    • Snack
    • Games & Outside Play
    • Lunch
    • Water play
    • Workbook/Quiet Time/Reading Time
    • Free Play
    • Snack & Short TV Show
    • Dinner

Summer Chores

2015 Chore Chart

 

  • I don’t know about you, but it’s hard to fit chores into our daily schedule during the school year.  The kids are swamped with homework and activities and at the end of the day I just want them to relax and be kids.  I want them to go outside or play a game.  So…when summertime comes around, it’s time to instill those good habits of completing chores and participating in the general upkeep of our home.

Projects

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  • Use what you have around the house to come up with projects.   It’s amazing what you can do with plastic cups, paper plates, straws and a camera.  Some of our favorite projects:
    • Cooking (Popsicles, smoothies, cookies, trailmix and of course cheerio necklaces)
    • Bubbles (giant bubble wands, colored bubbles on paper, bubble popping)
    • Crafts (painting with colored ice cubes, giant chalk drawings, cards and letters to send in the mail)
    • Check out Pinterest for lots and lots of budget friendly ideas!

Games

  • We love a friendly game or two in our house.  Keep it simple and enjoy the time connecting and having fun!
    • Scavenger Hunts (Photo Hunts, Treasure Hunts, Collections)
    • Obstacle Course (time each other for those that are more competitive)
    • Backyard Maze (grass getting long? mow a maze and run through it before mowing the rest of the yard)

Water Play

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  • You don’t have to have a pool to have water play time!  The hot afternoon is a great time to get wet and cool off.  We have a small pool, but here are some other ideas:
    • Water Balloon Toss
    • Water Balloon Baseball
    • Limbo using a hose
    • Sprinkler
    • Water Bottle Squirt Tag
    • Car Wash
    • Bicycle Wash
    • Wet Sponges and Targets

Quiet Time

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  • We order the Summer Bridge Books every year and the kids complete 4 pages a day. We also participate in the local Library Summer Reading program where the kids earn prizes for reading (reading together as a family or listening to a book in the car count too!)

Field Trips

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  • The summertime is a great time to see new sights and try new activities.  There are lots of inexpensive places to check out when you’re ready to tackle a “Field Trip” day:
    • Creek Stomping (pack a lunch, wear a bathing suit and go walking in a creek)
    • Playground Review (visit different playgrounds and have the kids journal their reviews)
    • Library Programs
    • Get a group together to visit a zoo or museum and get the group discount rate
    • Check out Kids Bowl Free and find a local bowling alley
    • Try a real treasure hunt and go Geochaching

Got any good Summertime Boredom Busters?  Please share in the comments! 🙂 Mama Nice

Homestead Items For Sale

The Nice Family Homestead is busy planting, creating and prepping for more additions to the homestead.  We will have some fun new projects and info to present in the coming season, but while you wait… have you heard about the items for sale on the homestead?

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Check out our Etsy Shop for Homestead log forms and homemade crafts.  Items added monthly.

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Not interested in crafts and organizing forms?  How about eggs and pork?  We currently have the following items for sale:

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  • Dozen Chicken Eggs … $3.75

(unfertilized eggs sizes vary in shape and color)

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  • Gloucester Old Spot Half & Quarter Hog pre-order (raised on pasture with minimum natural grain -processed in November).  Contact us for pricing and information.

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Until next time!  Happy Homesteading!

🙂 Mama Nice

 

 

 

Our Favorite Seed Starting Products

 

Who’s ready to start some seeds??  We are, we are!!  We like to start our seeds early and simple around here.  Anything high maintenance just gets left behind and unattended to.  So when it comes to starting seeds indoors, the easier the better.  Here are some of our favorite products & tips for starting seeds.

1. Find a big south facing window and set up an open shelf (even better if there is a heat vent under the shelf).  We use this Ikea shelf:

ikea wood shelf

2. We pieced together this seed starting tray kit.  It’s heavy duty and will last many many seasons.  Fill the pots with soil/seed starter, plant seeds, fill the bottom tray with water, put the hood on and let it go for a bit.  The system will create a moist greenhouse (remember it’s by a window with lots of sun) and when the seeds start growing, use the vents to control air flow and prevent mold.

seed tray dome seed tray flat seed tray

3. Once the seeds have started to grow, the stems need to be strengthened so they don’t get long and leggy.  We clip a small fan like this to the shelf to simulate wind which helps to strengthen the plant.

clip on fan

4. Lastly, I found this super cute water bottle to gently spray the plants and tops of the soil.

glass spray bottle

 

Pretty simple right?  This is what our setup looks like:

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Stop back next month to see how the seeds are growing and what to do next!

🙂 Mama Nice

 

Our First Adventure Raising Pigs

We have 3 acres on our homestead, which isn’t a lot of acreage to raise meat animals, but we wanted to raise more than chickens.  After researching beef cows, dairy animals and pigs…we settled on pigs.  Not just any kind of pig, but pasture fed Gloucester Old Spot pigs.  We read that GOS pigs have a docile personality, were great with other farm animals, and needed minimal grain to grow to butcher weight.  We found a local breeder and back in April we put our deposit in for 2 piglets.  In June we got the call to come pick them up.  The piglets were around 40 pounds and ready to leave their mama.

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How cute are they???  Pig 1 and Pig 2 quickly stole our hearts and we enjoyed playing with them for months…. until they grew too big to be safe for little children.

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The pigs are now 7 months old and about 250 pounds.  They are still very gentle, but they eat a lot more and find ways to escape their pen.  The electric fence no longer works for them, as they have discovered how to pile mounds of dirt up the side of the fence, forcing it to collapse (covering the electric part) and creating a land bridge to freedom for themselves.  So….they are now in the cattle fence pen only and are fed grain and some fruit and veggies.

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They are scheduled to be butchered during the week of Thanksgiving.  If the meat is as good as we have been told, we will raise even more pigs next year.

If you have a small homestead and are looking for a low maintenance, quick adventure in meat animals, I highly recommend smaller pasture raised pigs.

🙂 Mama Nice

Fall Around the Homestead

Fall is here and the Nice Family Homestead is coming to a time of rest.  Aside from our pigs and Brussel Sprouts, everything else has been canned or put in the freezer.  I thought you might enjoy some pics of what Fall looks like around here on a sunny day (unlike rainy today)….

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Welcome to the Nice Family Homestead…

 WP_20150926_08_53_00_ProPig 1 and Pig 2

 WP_20150926_08_57_31_Pro“Minnie” the Easter Egger

WP_20150923_08_03_05_Pro“Cottonball Head” the White Crested Black Polish

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The cornfield at rest

WP_20150926_08_54_41_ProBrussel Sprouts still growing

WP_20150926_08_55_54_Pro Garden beds being prepped for winter.

Do you have a homestead? What do you do during this time of rest?

🙂 Mama Nice

 

Meat Chickens – Take One..

You want to raise meat birds?  Woo hoo!!!  We had a great time raising meat chickens for the first time.  I hope the following information is helpful to your endeavors…. or at least entertaining. 

Step 1: Order chicks and pick shipment date **keep in mind the chicks arrive early in the AM and MUST BE PICKED UP at the local post office ASAP.  I got the call at 5:45AM.

Step 2: A few days before the chicks arrive, set up brooder using large box, heat lamp, newspaper, chick feed and water.  You want to get the area nice and warm before the chicks arrive.

After reading about the different kinds of meat chickens, we decided to go with the Red Rangers from McMurrary Hatchery.  Why you ask?  We didn’t want to raise birds that couldn’t walk on their own (like the X Rocks) and since the Red Rangers are also decent layers, we had the option of keeping one around if we chose.  We also liked that the Red Rangers reached maturity in 10-12 weeks (as apposed to laying hens and dual breeds that often take 20 weeks).

Step 3: When the chicks arrive, get them warm right away.  They will need constant food and water.  McMurray sends newsletters with great info on how to raise chicks.

We started with 20 Red Ranger chicks and a mix of 35 other chicks.  Aren’t they super cute?

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The chicks grew very quickly and were ready to go outside in 4 weeks.  The Red Ranger chicks were also more friendly than the others and would come right up to us and arch their back like a dog to be petted. Awww, right?

We raised our chicks in the garage.  CAUTION: The chick down feathers get EVERYWHERE.  I had the shop vac going almost daily to keep on top of the mess.  ALSO, since these birds grow fast, they eat a lot and….ahem….. poop a lot.  Be prepared to clean up their pen often.

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Step 4: Put the chicks outside and fatten them up

Once the chickens were fully feathered we moved them to their outside area which is 1/2 of a one stall horse barn.  We turned the “tack room” into the chicken coop and cut a chicken door out the back that lead into their fenced off area.  The fencing is about 5 feet high and the chickens were not interested in flying out.  I think they were more concerned with eating and growing.

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Step 5: Find a good butcher in the area and drop them off to be processed.

After 11 weeks the birds weighed about 6-8 pounds and we dropped them off to the butcher.  In 24 hours we had 4-6 lb bagged broilers in the freezer.

Step 6: Find some recipes and enjoy!

We’ve been cooking one a week ever since.

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Some other things that happened along the way….

We didn’t end up keeping any laying hens (thanks to a predator that killed a few), but one of the chickens was a runt and didn’t reach the needed weight at the time the others went off to the butcher.  The runt was added to our laying flock and now “Roosty” is king of the hen-house.  As you can see, they get pretty big.  So far “Roosty” is a very nice rooster. Red Rangers are hybrids and you aren’t supposed to use them in breeding, but he’s useful for breaking up hen fights and alerting everyone of intruders.

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As for the economics of things, raising our own meat birds doesn’t save that much money (if any).  There are other meat animals that are far more profitable (such as pigs which we are also raising).  However, we like the experience of raising the chickens on our own and deciding what they are eating.

Cost Break Down:

Chicks: $2.45 each= $50

Purina Non-Medicated Start & Grow for the first 2 weeks = $17.99

Purina Flock Raiser for the remainder (we used 1 bag every 2 weeks) = $71.96

Butcher: $3.25/bird (we lost some birds due to predators and butchered 12) = $39

TOTAL COST (not including wood chips, heat lamps, and start up costs) = $178.95 or $2.98 a pound

The grocery store is about $2.09/pound for an organic broiler.  If we had NOT lost 7 chickens, it would have brought the cost down to $2.12 per pound.  To make it MORE cost effective you can also raise extra birds to sell and recoup some money.

Overall it was a positive experience and we will be doing this again next year in hopes of selling some broilers.

Have you raised meat birds before?  Please share your experiences in the comment section!

Have a great day!

🙂 Mama Nice

 

 

 

 

 

Easter Ideas From Years Past

I thought you might enjoy these old Easter posts.  I don’t know about you, but Easter is coming fast and I’m not at all prepared! I hope these ideas will get you motivated and give you some ideas.  🙂 Mama Nice

Bible Based Easter Baskets

Non-Candy Egg Fillers and Egg Hunt Ideas

5 Easter Crafts for All Ages

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Indoor Beach Day

It’s March and I am tired of lazy snow days.  I can only watch so many movies without feeling guilty that my children’s brains are rotting away.  So yesterday we had “Beach Day”.  Since most of you probably have another snow day today too, you might want to try it out!

Activities:

Think warm thoughts! 🙂 Mama Nice

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Getting Organized in 2015 #5 – Command Hook Organization

Anyone else out there joining the WHITE HOUSE BLACK SHUTTERS Decluttering Challenge??  If not, I suggest you jump on the bandwagon and start decluttering!  I started a few days late in the challenge, but quickly caught up.  It’s always great to have some support when you take on a challenge, so check out the link above and join us!

To get your organizing/decluttering mojo moving, check out these super simple organizing ideas using Command Hooks.  I use command hooks all over my house and they are wonderful!  My one tip ** make sure you follow the directions completely and buy the hooks that hold the appropriate weight** (otherwise they will fall off and take a chunk of drywall with them, trust me I know).

Check it out!

🙂 Mama Nice