June Life on the Homestead: New Faces, New Projects, and Fresh Starts

It’s a busy, beautiful time of year here on the 12 acres. The season has brought a whirlwind of activity to the barn, some bittersweet goodbyes, and a lot of exciting forward momentum. I wanted to take a moment to pull back the curtain and share what’s been happening behind the scenes.

A Full Barn and New Friendships

The nursery is lively! We recently had a bit of an adventure when we hatched a lone guinea keet. The poor little thing was absolutely crying for company, so I took a trip to pick up six Black Lace Wyandotte hen chicks. Watching "Tweety" (the keet) find his confidence and settle in with his new Wyandotte sisters has been such a joy—he’s doing so much better now.

We’ve also had success with our backyard variety of chicks, who have integrated beautifully with the rest of the flock. Plus, a big congratulations to our mamas, Vickie and Tracee, who successfully hatched four healthy Saxony/Peking mix babies: Lacee, Stacee, Macee, and Nickie. They are thriving! (Though it is with a heavy heart that I share June didn’t survive past the hatch; it’s a difficult, but natural, part of life here on the homestead.)

We also said goodbye to some of our oldest, dearest friends. Ludie Bell, our oldest hen, along with Virginia and JoAnn, have passed on from old age. We honor their time with us and the legacy they leave on our farm. Meanwhile, our Bobwhite quail have all moved on to new, free lives in their new homes, and by all accounts, they are loving their newfound freedom.

Projects and Transformations

If you’ve been following along, you know there is never a dull moment when it comes to repairs! We’ve been busy replacing the back deck boards, and we’re still working hard to get that finished up.

Looking ahead, we have an exciting transformation underway: we are turning the old quail barn into a "Silkie Paradise." We want to keep our Silkies separate from the rest of the floofers, and this new space will give them the room they need to thrive. Speaking of Silkies, our two babies from our family at the beach—Woody and Fuzzy—are doing great and settling in perfectly. And, yes, we have more eggs currently in the incubator!

Behind the Scenes & What’s Next

I’m thrilled to announce that I’ve officially wrapped up work on my new children’s book, My First Hatching Adventure. It was a true labor of love, and I hope it helps young ones get excited about the magic of raising chicks and the joy of fresh eggs.

For those of you who want to see more of the "nitty-gritty" of our farm life, I’ve been busy building out exclusive behind-the-scenes footage for my "Boss Barn" subscribers on my website. We’ve recently added new subscription tiers, so if you’d like to support the farm and see those extra glimpses into our daily life, I’d love for you to check them out.

We have plenty more upgrades on the way—including plans for a new grilling pad for some future outdoor cooking adventures. I can’t wait to share those projects with you as they come to life.

Thank you for being part of this journey with me. It truly takes a village, and I’m so glad you’re here.

Crissy O