Wild Moon Cottage is a small working homestead in the pristine Ozark Mountains. We have dairy goats, poultry, organic herb and vegetable gardens, a start of a tiny fruit orchard, several black walnut trees, wild berries and fields of wildcrafting goodness. We raise our own milk, our own eggs, much of our own medicine and food. I do laundry by hand, make my own vinegar, candles, soap, bread, cheese ........ For a living I am an artist and herbalist. My goal for myself and our homestead is to be as self sufficient and self sustaining as possible.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

2.25.15 Stirrings

2.25.15    Stirrings

In some ways, this is one of the hardest times of the year. Bodies cry out for the sun’s warmth and minds grasp at new goals and dreams. Souls yearn for the freedom of walking barefoot on the earth. But we’re still in the Stirring time, not quite ready to wake but no longer fully asleep. There’s the first strings of bird song and hearty leaves are starting to push upward. It’s a treasure box with a timed lock. But glimmers of Spring leak out the cracks. Whisperings of peepers and glimpses of green. The lock is ticking to the open mark. Spring is coming.


We finally got out yesterday. We could have gone another few months but ran out of hay for the animals. I was worried but all worked out. While in town I was forced to get myself some ever flavor beans, poor me  :)  The roads were all clear but our driveway is mudslush and the blazer got stuck this morning for Nik going to work. I got it unstuck this afternoon.

Got all the rabbit pens properly cleaned today. All the frozen poop piles thawed and I cleaned them all super well. All the rabs have fresh hay, waters with and without vinegar, alfalfa, minerals and carrots & raisins.

Fresh water all around but the two holding tanks are too frozen to get the ice out or dump so just filled them as they are. We've been having to haul water out in jugs for everyone because the ice got so thick but the horse has a clean fresh tank now.

Dreading the next few days but warm days are coming. I would have usually started seeds by now but the house is too cold at night and early mornings. We've gone through alot more wood than usual this year. I had waht i thought would get us through the winter with a rick extra. We went through all of it plus 2 more ricks and will need another soon!  And for the last week or so I've only had fires at night to try and conserve wood. We're at double what we used our coldest winter here. Something is afoot.

This spring I’m hoping to double or more the garden space. Turn the font yard into my major herb garden, add the smaller herb garden to the vegetable garden and expand the vegetable garden back to the Bee hive area  (no bee hives yet but preparing and for them). A lot of work but it will be so well worth it for the return in medicinals and foods.

We’ve been having a local seed swap and I’ve gotten some wonderful trades … Orange Sun bell peppers, Ghost pumpkins,  Arnica …  What a bounty and I’m expecting more  J

Also expecting an order for the orchard in March … Pecans, Hawthorn, Witch Hazel and Plums.

I have so many plans for the year, they probably wouldn’t fit on the page but some of the most important to me are
Finish the Outdoor Kitchen (very lose to being done)
Build a good outhouse
Complete the horse shelter and add hay rack (maybe homemade)
Expand the main goat pen an divide
Move the hen pen door
Rebuild Rabbitville
Put up another solar water heater with hose for running indoors
Start clearing the lower field for the stock. (not clear cutting, just clearing some out for grasses to grow.)
Start chicken garden (millet and other grains)

So much I hope to get done but enjoying life tops my list above all.

Us Feb 2015




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