Surprise!

Last Saturday Chloe, our sheep, surprised us with Purple Feather Farm's first lamb! We are so excited about this new little one. Pearl, as we've christened her, is a healthy, beautiful, solid black little ewe and spends all of her time either eating, bouncing or sleeping. Chloe has proven to be a wonderful mother even though Pearl is just her first baby. Pearl will be available for sale later this summer after she's weaned. She is priced at $300. In the mean time, we'll be enjoying our latest bundle of joy! Be sure to come by and visit the proud mama and adorable baby when you come for a lesson, pony ride or field trip!

Sheep Shearing

Recently it was Shearing Day at the farm! This was Pippin and Chloe's first shearing so it was quite the event here! The lady who sheared them was extremely nice and did a fantastic job. Thankfully, Pippin and Chloe tolerated being sheared pretty well. They look so funny now without their wool! The wool is beautiful (especially Pippin's) and I can't wait to wash it and start crafting with it! There are so many projects I'm looking forward to trying. I can't wait to start spinning, dying, felting, and eventually crocheting the fleeces. Here are some pictures from Sheep Shearing Day at Purple Feather Farm:

Chloe Before

Pippin Before

Pippin getting his "winter coat" removed

Chloe getting sheared

Chloe After

Pippin After

Alf

Alf is an adorable little 2 year old chestnut gelding. He's currently only about 13 hands or so. I can't wait to start working with him. He is very sweet, willing and smart! I'll be using the Parelli Natural Horsemanship methods focusing only on ground work for now because he is too young to be ridden yet. I will keep you posted on his progress.

Alf is also available for adoption. For more info about the Georgia Equine Rescue League and adopting Alf check out their website: Here.

Koda, My One-Eyed Wonder Horse

             I’ve always loved horses—always—and I’ve had a horse of my own for over six years now, but it wasn’t until last year that I started reading about equine rescue. Once I learned about the importance of equine rescue I searched the internet trying to find an organization in my area. I found The Georgia Equine Rescue League (GERL). I read everything on their site. Finally, I read about becoming a foster home and I decided I wanted to get involved. It seemed perfect. We had plenty of space and time and love! I told my parents all about it and they were on board. My mom told me that I needed to find out what we needed to do and I needed to do it.

So, after talking it over with my parents I emailed Becky Gregory about how I could become a foster home for GERL. She was great about helping me out and by October of last year we were an approved foster home! We waited about a month and then I got an email from Becky with a picture of a sorrel and white medicine hat gelding with beautiful blue eyes. Truly, I think I fell in love with him then. She told me that he had been rescued, rehabbed and adopted earlier in the year, but due to circumstances outside of his adoptive mom’s control, he was now being put back into foster care. His right eye also had cancer and would probably have to be removed.

 About a week after I got that email Koda arrived. From the moment he stepped off of the trailer he’s been wonderful and I’ve been in love! Koda got off the trailer like he was arriving home. He was just so relaxed and calm. Within two days he and my two geldings were  grazing together contentedly. Before the end of that first week we had already gone for a couple of rides. He rode great even though he was still a little green. He also stood still for the vet to check on his eye. The vet confirmed that Koda would have to have his eye removed. Things moved really quickly after that. Both of the wonderful vets from New South Equine came and removed Koda’s eye. They did a great job!

Koda recovered quickly and acts like nothing happened. Amazingly just days after surgery he was still not spooky and just two weeks later he rode great, and acted totally normal! He continues to amaze me every day!

Well, about a month after Koda arrived Becky asked me if I’d like to adopt Koda. Of course, after my parents and I discussed it we decided that Koda was a part of the family now! Even my aged Morgan gelding loved him—the two of them are usually side by side and eat out of the same pile of hay. None of us can imagine life without him now! He’s been absolutely wonderful! We currently enjoy riding at our house and on our street and are using the Parelli Natural Horsemanship methods. We’re hoping to go on some trail rides and compete in local shows soon! I also look forward to fostering for GERL again!

I am so thankful that God brought the Georgia Equine Rescue League and Koda into my life!

Happy Trails,

               Beth Eavenson

A Barn Raising. Part Seven.

It's been a while since I've updated the blog on our progress with the barn and a lot has happened since then.

 We have a roof!

 And Walls!

 Lots of Walls! We're bulding more and more walls every day!

We're even building doors!

It's all so exciting! We're hoping to have the whole thing finished by the end of the year! I'll be sure to keep updating about our progress!

Pictures from Kelleys Island

I know it's a little late, but better late than never! So, here are some pictures from our family vacation on Kelleys Island!

 Welcome to Camp Patmos!

 Dad, Mom and I at the lighthouse!

 The dining hall.

 One of my favorite views.

Mom and Dad.

 Our cabin is the one on the left and Stephanie and Jack's cabin is on the right.

Another great view!

Inscription Rock.

The Glacial Grooves! Amazing!

Our cabin!

More of our cabin. My bunkbed, complete with horse blanket!

A Barn Raising. Part 6.

The Barn

Uncle Steve returned to us this past Sunday and we are all greatly relieved. Carter was unable to come because he got a job (from what I understand it involves bug catching for science.) He is greatly missed by all (especially when something heavy needs lifting down at the barn. lol) Uncle Steve, Dad and Jack have made great progress and the barn is really taking shape. We now have a hay loft floor, the first section of the ridge board and a couple of the second tier of rafters. It's so exciting to see it all come together!



The loft floor from below



It's a long way down



Hard at work



The floor



A precarious position



They inspect their work



Quite literally, The End.

10/10/10

The Cake!

Today was my birthday! It has been an absolutely awesome day! I had five of my friends come over yesterday and we went to see the movie Secretariat (Which was great!) then almost everybody spent the night at my house. Today we went to church and then came back to my house for cake and ice-cream. My sister made the coolest cake ever! It looked exactly like what our barn is going to look like! I couldn't believe how good it looked! For my birthday I got gift certificates, money, a book, personalized horseshoes, and a wall hanger for the barn for holding jackets, halters and the like. I am also in the process of getting barn! :) One of my favorite things was when my brother called and gave me some great advice. He said, "Don't waste your life. Work hard or do what you love, but don't just sit around." Clay, I plan on doing both of those things in the years to come (The working hard and doing what I love part not the sitting around part)! Thanks to everyone who made today so special!

Love,
Beth, who thinks that this was the best birthday yet!

Pictures of Refuge Week

A slide show: Our "homestead"

This is a short slide show I put together that has pictures of our "homestead in the making" including pictures of (but not limited to): The garden, the chicken pen, the honey bees, etc.
I'll try to add more pictures and slide shows regularly of all kinds of things we do here on the "farm" and more.

The First Fruits of Our Garden and The Honey Bees

This past week we "harvested" the "first fruits" of our garden and checked in on the "queen" bees.
We collected several straight necked squash, one grape tomato, and several handfuls of green beans. I am so excited that our garden is starting to pay off! There is still a lot of work left to be done from now until the "harvesting" is done. The grass must be kept at bay, water the troops, and squish (or drown as my mother prefers) the enemy bugs!
The honey bees have been very busy! They had almost filled up the first big "super" we gave them so we put together the second ones for them. I got to paint them white and then decorate. It was so much fun! I hope they like the artwork on all four sides of their new home expansion.

A slide show: The garden