The Homestead Journal~ Week 97~ What a busy week!!

                                                                  Our Adventures

Sunday afternoon we went to a local farm to pick apples. We picked 3~ 5 gallon buckets and 3 ~2 gallon buckets worth of apples for $40. 

They had a neat water balloon slingshot. We all took a turn or two. No one hit the target, although I did get the closest. 

They had a really neat slide, the children had a blast on it. They also had a corn box for the children to play tractor in. Abigail and Lucas went over to visit the animals. Ruby the mule and Harley the Pig. 

Then we went on a hayride, and picked pumpkins. Jacob grabbed the biggest pumpkin. 35lbs! 

Wednesday we went for a nature walk 

Saturday night we went out to a spot in the woods we like and had a campfire.
We roasted hot dogs and marshmallows. 

On the Homestead 

We then canned the gazillion apples we bought. 

8 quarts of apple pie mix, plus 3 pies.. We also canned (almost) 8 quarts of applesauce. Plus the chidlren have been snacking on apples all week. And we still have apples.. Tho I want to go back out this next weekend for more :)

These are the goats. 4 of the  goats are owned by someone else, but we are keeping them in exchange for any kids and milk. Billy is our goat. 

                                            Billy intact male ( we keep him separate or supervised) 

                                         
                                                            Black Betty ~ she is expecting! 

 Fiona female, we hope she is expecting 

Banjo, intact male (daddy goat) 

Ogre. He is a neutered male goat. He was butchered Saturday. The owners split the meat with us. I have never had goat before. I will admit I am a bit nervous. I am not much of a meat eater, I like deer and chicken and occasional beef. The children are a bit more excited about it. They watched the process, excited the entire time. 

We adopted a new Great Pyrenees  She is 3 years old and her name is Maggie.. This will allow us to have one dog with the goats and one dog with the children at all times. We will switch them out, a few days at a time. We have also started training to pull carts. Alma doesn't like the harness, but he is getting use to it.. Once he gets use to it we will add weight. We will do the same with her. She is a really great dog. She already adores the children and is familiar with goats.  Taylor is doing well, she gets around and is enjoying her "golden years".  She spends most of her days lounging and in the evenings, she takes a walk around the property. Angel, our boxer, is learning about being a farm dog as well. She keeps the goats out of the garden an watches over the family. Its a great help to have so many eyes on the children. Especially ones as loving as our dogs are! 

                                                              
                                            Challenges and Accomplishments

Our challenge and accomplishment this week was one in the same. 

Back in the beginning of August we were pulled over because the officer thought my son was not properly buckled. When he approached the vehicle  he went straight to the rear side door, opened it and began to get inside. He never identified himself not his purpose. Once he put his foot up I said "I am not comfortable with you getting in my vehicle" He said he "I need to check this child's seatbelt". I said "I am not letting you in my van without a warrant" 

He said "so you want to play that way, closed the door and I began recording"
3 officers, 30 minutes later, we were given a $50 ticket for my son not wearing his seat belt. We asked several times why we were being detained, and was never answered.  The 3rd officer, a supervisor, finally entered my vehicle, and I told him it was under duress, I did not give him permission. He inspected all the seatbelts and told us we were find. He acknowledge the cause of the original officers misunderstanding,but still gave us a ticket.  Not because the officer was right, and my son was not properly buckled, but because I they felt justified in doing so.

The officer made a crack about my husband at one point saying "this guy thinks he is some sort of constitutionalist"  and he wrote this on our ticket. I guess he expected us to just say yes sir as he lies and disobeys police officer protocol. 

We had a court date later in the month, my husband who was driving at the time plead not guilty, court was reset. Second court date they offered us $25 fine and court costs, my husband declined. This week we had out third court date, we expected another offer to decline  then we would have trial on the 4th court date. We have the interaction on record.

But there was an interesting twist. The case was dismissed. I guess the officer who originally pulled us over and forced his way into my vehicle, is under investigation for trading sex with a minor in lieu of ignoring her mothers drug crimes, what ever they may have been. The story is iffy.. Anyhow, the officer was crooked.. No surprises there.  My husband did ask on his first court date for the dash cam video for the officers car. The court informed us the officers here don't have dash cams... I bet they will now! 

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                                                       "Go Big or Go Home"
                                                  
We have something in the works. Say a prayer that it works out. Details to come soon 

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Don't Forget to come back Monday and check out our Meal Plan! 

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