Hardly a day passes that I don’t think about how things were for our ancestors, even as recent as our grandparents. Here in Texas, with all the wind and dust, and with windows that fit tightly and have good seals, there’s so much dust. After extremely windy days, I can feel the grit on my tile floors. It makes me wonder how people survived in this area before air conditioning when you HAD to leave your windows open during the summer. Ughh! I can’t imagine how gritty and dusty things must have been. I’ll bet those folks never failed to make their beds. I can’t imagine crawling into a gritty, dusty bed but I suppose they were so tired at the end of the day, the dust was the least of their issues.
Yesterday evening and when I went to bed, it was so windy. I often wonder how the houses here manage to hang on to their roofs with all this wind. This morning, I woke up a little before 5. I could hear the rain pounding our metal roof. Not even having a clue what time it was yet, I opened my eyes and it was still completely dark so I looked at the cell phone to see that it was about 4:50. Then I realized it was lightning off in the distance but while I was trying to decide if I should get up and risk waking Vince or stay there quietly til the alarm went off in about half an hour, I remembered the babies:
They were in the sewing room, and their heat lamp was on, but the heater was off in the sewing room so I figured I’d better go check on them.They’re still supposed to be kept in a 95º environment and I was afraid they were cold. I slipped into some “going outside” clothes, simply because I knew it was about 33º out there .. not because I thought I might run into anyone who might see me. The chickens were fine. The temp had dropped to about 92º. I turned the heater on in the room because it would need to be a bit warmer out there when I go back to sew.
And then, as I ran back across the driveway from the sewing room to the house, in the cold rain, I wondered if fresh yard eggs are really that much better than store bought eggs. Yes! They are. It’s worth the effort to have the chickens. Would it be worth the extra work if I were going out every morning to milk a cow or goats? I’ll have to think about that.
It’s the same thing with having a garden . . till up the soil, fence the garden, plant, weed, water, harvest, can the food, store the food . . is it worth it? Some will say no, it isn’t worth it. I suppose if I lived in an area where I could buy organically grown, very fresh produce, I might not have a garden of my own. For me, there’s nothing better than going out and picking the tomatoes for my salad, or picking the green beans for dinner, knowing exactly what they’ve been sprayed with (or not) or what kind of fertilizer has been used on them. Yes, having a garden or animals is a lot of work and not everyone can do it, for various reasons, but while we can do it, I will and I can hardly wait til I get my first egg and pick our first vegetables.
Missy says
I live in the DFW area now where it can get windy, but the TX plains where I grew up – the wind is a lot worse because there are not as many trees. When I go home to visit, I always were my long hair up because it is going to be blown in my face as soon as I walk out the door. Have fun with your baby chicks!
Helen Koenigl says
I agree about the “Is it worth it” comment. Yes – most definitely! I LOVE to go outside and pick my lunch – salad and fresh veggies right off the plant!!!! I feel downright smug about it! I also love raising varieties of fruits and veggies you can’t find in the grocery store – and delight in showing some of my friends my purple, stripped, and yellow beans, or pink interior or all purple potatoes. Gives me a big giggle!
And yes, I agree – there are times when my back is REALLY screaming at me more than usual (spine is collapsing) that I wonder if it is all worth it. Takes me about 2 seconds to answer – Yup! Most definitely!
Linda S says
You are such a good chicken mama! Is it worth it? Oh yea. Just fresh tomatoes from the garden are worth it. Even when you can them, they still taste like fresh tomatoes – nothing like the stuff you get in the store. Just reading your posts makes me want a garden again. I have a raised bed out back, but my maple tree has gotten so huge, I’m afraid there’s not enough sun there anymore. I’m thinking of taking out the lawn in front and putting in raised beds with a combo of cottage flowers and vegetables. Better than the mossy grass that’s there now!
Roberta says
Yup, worth every penny and all that labor too so you can grow your own food. The labor is free, I don’t go to a gym and have to pay to do work. 😉 Just put a batch of bread to raise on the back of the wood stove. We heat with wood too. This is a new receipe for me so hope it works out ok.
Hugs!!!!
Debbie W says
It is a lot of work but there is nothing better than to sit down to a meal where everything is the fruit of your labour! Delicious and rewarding.
Karen says
when my daughter lived in Wichita Falls it was always windy – I remember when I would visit and we would take walks commenting on how windy it was and she said it was almost always like that.
If my husband would eat more veggies I would try gardening more- most of the time I just do containers and it works fine or buy what I need, I do like a big garden though.
Karen
Sally H says
You already know the difference between store eggs and “yard eggs.” There is that same degree of difference in milk. IMHO the most difficult aspect of having your own milking animal is having to be home every 12 hrs to do the milking (although there are ways to work around that.) As a practical matter, it means that while we have girls in milk, we don’t travel as a family. But then the goats come put their noses in my hand, just wanting pets, and it is all worth it. Just like with chickens and gardens, there are times when the supply doesn’t match the household consumption level (too much or too little,) but that’s why man invented cheese (and freezers) . The control of inputs (I know what goes into my animals), the freshness, and the known safety (we drink our milk raw, because I know how it is handled) are worth it for me.
pdudgeon says
i think it’s the same difference as choosing between a store bought or a home made quilt.
home grown produce must retain more vitamins than store bought because it’s fresh from the garden. When i had a house and garden we never bought vegetables because our own tasted better.
SarahB says
I think it’s worth it just so my kids understand where food actually comes from! Most kids think the grocery store and fast food are the producers… they have no practical experience in “growing” their own food. Thank goodness for the “back to roots” gardening boom that is going on. That gives me hope that our children will be able to take care of themselves should this country enter a real depression or worse. Meanwhile, my kids may grump about weeding the garden and feeding the animals but I know they are learning skills that are dying out and that may someday save their families. It is very much worth the effort and work!
Mary says
It is so definitely worth it! I have chickens and a garden. The eggs taste much better than the store bought ones and I never have to worry about a tomato or cucumber having that rubbery taste/feel to it when I pick it myself. I get to come home from work and unwind by working in the garden. My girls welcome me every day by waiting at the fence for me to get out of my car, and will not let me leave in the morning without saying good morning to them when I get into the car (hens can make a lot of noise when they want to!).
Amy @ Heritage Homamaker says
Absolutely it is all worth it!!! My biddies are in our den…so they keep us company all day and night 🙂
Nan says
I agree that it is worth it. Thank you for sharing your adventures with us. I love to read your stories.
barbara woods says
i love my garden and love canning and putting up the stuff that we grow
CJ says
It’s better than worth it… having clean, REAL food that you raise and control is absolutely priceless. The hard work makes you appreciate it more.
Ranch Wife says
Wouldn’t trade it for the world! Lots of wind in the NM desert. Last year it was a struggle to grow much of anything, but I’m starting seedlings again this year. Once you grow your own (chickens or garden), you’ll be spoiled. The work makes it all taste better.