Harvest Monday

Happy Monday, everyone!

After what has felt like the longest, driest of spells possible, we are back in the business of harvesting from our small plot!  I am so happy to report that last weekend brought us a nice little bundle of delicious, tart, completely perfect rhubarb that went straight into an equally delicious crisp!

While we have been anxiously waiting for anything to be ready for harvest we have kept ourselves busy with getting the garden in!  While it is all  not completely in the ground, I'd say we're about 90% there with the rest planned to go in over the next week.  The spring has been incredibly long and cool but it has quickly shifted into hot, windy days that are wreaking havoc on everything we transplanted.  

Strange, strange weather.  I have a feeling we'll either have the strongest veggies possible or we'll lose a few.  Time will tell.

I also took some time to create an aerial, digital view of our tiny property, including all of our beds, the chickens, the compost and the bee area.  This view now lives on my 1/8 Acre page as a continual reminder of all the work we've done to our plot in the six years we've owned this house...inspiration and exhaustion.  A little of both can't be a bad thing, right? 

Harvest totals for the past three weeks:

• Rhubarb = 12 oz
• Eggs = 231

Hope everyone has a wonderful day!

Happy harvesting!

Linking up to Harvest Monday @ Daphne's Dandelions

xoxo

M

Ever Growing Sponsor Giveaway - Itty Bitty Book Company

I am very excited to bring you my very first Ever Growing Sponsor Giveaway courtesy of the Itty Bitty Book Company!  Some of you may remember Astra from my Expanding Ripples post a few months ago.  Well, things have been hopping in the Itty Bitty Book Company since then! Let's catch up!

Bee Girl: Tell us about your business and what inspired you to begin the Itty Bitty Book Company.

Astra: The Itty Bitty Book Company is all about spreading positivity and happiness. Positive quotes have a way of connecting with people, empowering them and can instantly lift your mood. The little quote books can be kept in your handbag, on your desk at work or on your bedside table - just about anywhere you think you'd like some extra positivity in your life. I just want to make as many people as I can smile :)  I've always loved quotes and wanted to give something handmade, itty bitty size (because my family live all over the world and itty bitty is always cute!) also importantly, something that expressed a part of me. That's how the positivity book was born :)

Bee Girl: What are some of the changes that have happened with your business over the past few months?

Astra: The past few months have seen massive changes in the business, from making the first book to having them selling in gift shops and online. Expanding the range, now 3 books Positivity, Motivation and Strength. My husband and I both now work on the Itty Bitty Book Company, making it a real family business which I love! We have also started working with eco printers which have the same respect for the environment as us, this was an important step for us and we are happy knowing that our paper comes from well managed tree farms instead of rainforests!  

Bee Girl: Tell us about your vision for your business.

Astra: The future is wide open! We are open to anything :) At the moment we are working on are a slick new website and just trying to get the word out about the two new books - Motivation and Strength. 100% of the profits from the strength book are going to the friends of PICU charity who provide vital care and medical equipment to sick babies and children. We hope to raise LOTS for this great cause over the life of the company.

Bee Girl: Which is your favorite (or current favorite) quote?

Astra: Life is simple. 1) Figure out what you want. 2) Figure out how to get it. 3) Do that!

Bee Girl: Do you have any tips for budding entrepreneurs?

Astra: My tip comes in the form of another quote! "Success consists of going from failure to failure without loosing enthusiasm" - Winston Churchill :) Don't be scared to change direction or go in the opposite direction! Keep being creative and never give up on your dreams! *shameless plug here but my Motivation book is filled with these types of inspiring quotes! lol*

Astra is generously offering up a total of three beautiful books (one of each; Positivity, Strength, and Motivation) to three lucky readers! 

Here's how to be entered:

• Visit Astra's Itty Bitty Book Company Etsy Shop and have a little look around.  Then come back here and leave a comment telling me which book you'd most love to win.
• Subscribe to Astra's blog A Journey to a Dream via Google Friend Connect or via email 
• Follow A Journey to a Dream on Instagram
• Like the Itty Bitty Book Company's facebook page 

For each entry, please leave me a separate comment on this post.  If you already follow Astra in any of the above ways, just let me know!

The giveaway will run through Friday, May 24th and winners will be notified on Saturday, May 25th via email (so, please make sure I have a way of contacting you).

Good luck!

xoxo,

M

Goat Share - Conclusion

After several months of getting to visit with and milk four lovely goats as part of our goat share, we received an email last week from the goats owner stating that the goats were going to a new home.  Here is the email, in part...

After much consideration, I have decided to pass my goats to a new home.  I had considered doing this about a year and a half ago, and then decided to keep going--with help from people like you.   I love my goats, and I love having them, but not being able to have them at my home means I don't get to spend much quality time with them.  In addition, I have to face the reality that they are not earning their keep, and are putting an undue strain on my finances.

So . . . they are going to (a) very happy home in Cerrillos...  He has a sweet extended family and a ranch that will suit the girls.  I hope to visit them often and get milk from him for myself (and my business).

The thing is, they are heading out there this weekend; probably on Saturday.  So this is a bit sudden, and I sincerely hope won't be inconvenient for you.  I have so appreciated your steady and reliable commitment to milking and caring for the girls twice a week.  If you are still interested in weekly milkings, the goat coop at Tres Placitas may need more milkers.  I can put you in touch with them if you like.

Needless to say, we are a little sad about the goats finding a new home, but we completely understand the reasoning behind the decision.

Now, I just want to say that participating in this goat share has been awesome!  Not only did we learn how to milk an actual goat, we also got a good (though very basic) idea of what it takes to keep goats! We learned that we don't like to drink goats milk as often as we thought we might, but that we love goat cheese!  We learned...um...are still learning...how to make goats milk soap!  So cool!  We also learned that goats like to push people around and bounce off of each other ;-)

Really though, a goat share is an incredible opportunity to learn a little and have some fun while not being fully responsible for the lives of some very cute and very ornery animals.  I highly recommend it to anyone who is debating its value.  

We already miss the girls, but we trust that they are happy in their new home.

xoxo,

M