Photo gallery update, March 2012

First, bathing baby bunnies. The soak is warm water with an antibiotic solution for topical treatment that was complimented by a daily shot in the scruff of the neck with a different antibiotic. The first kit has a lacerated back leg, the second kit has a cut front wrist. Both recovered.

Next I must show off our overall progress. A year ago, we were digging up rocks and frantically finding time to build like mad. Now we have this:

Two bunny condos, a chicken coop and run, and SIX raised garden beds. (Not in picture is the ugly hay shelter we built too) The garden beds are made from an old driveway- this we chipped away at last fall once the garden beds were done. I posted some early pics in October, I think. Just to review, I called a driveway company and asked them if I could have the next one they tore out, and they incredulously delivered the busted up cement and asked what I wanted it for.  I'll post some better shots of this. The bed you can see best here is only one layer tall since it's my butterfly and bee flowerbed, and doesn't need to be deep. The beds further back are three rows tall for all the veggies. I'm still accumulating fill dirt, but a lovely fellow with an organic nursery is trading me rabbit meat for dirt, and it's been great working with him. Check out Mikl at Harlequins Gardens.

One year ago

One year ago, I finished reading Radical Homemakers, and it rocked my world. I decided to start canning. I decided to raise meat rabbits. I decided to shop only for what we needed, and try to use only thrift stores, recycling centers, and online forums to get what we needed.

First I wanted to can things.  I harvested over 100 peaches from the neighbor's tree and made peach jam and peach salsa. Then I canned a killer katsup that is the best ever. I'm making a ton more this year. I picked apples and went to a cider-pressing party, and came home with the tastiest apple juice in the world- I was unable to exercise any restraint, and the winter's supply lasted maybe a month. I hope to do better this year, and by that I mean, make waaaaay more juice!

I also spent a day picking all of my own produce from a local farm and making insane amounts of soups and stews. Picking yourself is really fun, and also tiring. I might do it again if I have time, but I'm hoping to beg tomatoes, carrots and parsnips off of other local growers this year.

I decided we had to build the rabbit housing right away and start breeding right away. FAIL. After a few weekends digging and digging to lay the foundation in miserable river rock, I gave up on getting it done in a month. Here is a friend helping in October 2010... we owe them a couple rabbits for their sweat and toil!