We've Moved, Don't Worry We're Not Far!

On the Farm! 

We have undergone a big change, we've moved!  Don't worry, we're not far!  We'll still be coming to the doodle romps as often as possible and now that we have a bigger space, we're hoping to hold a get together for our doggie families.  It's something I've always wanted to do but never had enough space for.  We're thinking about holding it this fall.  The house is just south of Sacramento, about twenty minutes or so, right off the 99.  Our new phone number is now updated on the web site, but for those of you that forget the old number is active through May and there will be a forward for at least three months starting June 1.  Our web site and email are the same.  The home is in a little farming community called Acampo.  It's between Sacramento and Lodi.  According to Google Earth, it will take just under two hours from San Francisco.  For some of you it will be closer, some the same distance, some a little further and for those who are out of state, the distance won't matter at all!  Another nice thing is that the airport is just 40 minutes away instead of the lengthy drive to SFO which took us up to three hours in traffic.  Just so you all know, the offer to take care of your dogs while you're on vacation is still open.  We absolutely love getting to see you and the dogs when you come back.  It's one of our favorite things.  If you feel the drive is to long, please let us know and we'll do everything possible to make it work by meeting you somewhere so you don't have to drive the whole distance.  Of course you're also more than welcome to come here to drop off so you can see our new home! 

We were bursting at the seams in our old home with only one bathroom for all seven of us and every square inch of outside space being used to it's fullest.  We'd been looking for about a year and while we were hoping to stay in the Sonoma County area, we just didn't find anything that suited our needs.  Finally after looking at countless different homes, we found one that suites us perfectly!  It was custom built by a home steading, home schooling family of five.  It couldn't be more perfect for us. 

The house is HUGE by our standards, it's almost double the size of our old home, it's 3400 square feet, though that includes the garage that has been finished to be part of the house.  We use that room as our new dog room and grooming area.  How exciting to not have to do the grooming in the middle of our living room while having to keep the children out of the hairy mess!  Daniel and I now have an official bedroom, not just half of the living room partitioned off to be a bedroom.  Rebekah and Danielle (the oldest girls) have a huge room, even bigger than the master.  They are able to set up a sewing table and art table so they don't have to take their projects down just because it's dinner time.  There is a very large, beautifully decorated kitchen with lots of cabinets. I love to cook and now I have a much better space to do it in.  One of the coolest things is that there is almost no carpet in the house, the master bedroom and part of the girls bedroom has carpet, but the rest of the house has granite, hard wood and laminate.  There is a large covered front and back porch to sit on and watch the children and animals play and the front porch overlooks a waterfall and man made creek that flows through part of the property and into the swimming pond.  Two adorable baby ducks inhabit the pond along with countless fish, bullfrogs and even a few turtles.  There is as much room as we could possibly want to grow fruits and veggies, and a giant chicken yard where the chickens can range freely, happily pecking the ground and doing other normal chicken behaviors, but still have the safety of a fence to protect them from predators.  The backyard is landscaped with a sand box right off the kitchen so the little ones can go outside and play while we're doing our school work at the kitchen table.  The pond is in a separate fenced off area so I don't have to worry about the little ones being in danger.  One of the most exciting things... three bathrooms!  One of which is accessible from outside so you can come in and shower or go potty without dragging dirt all over the house!  YEAH! 

  
The property itself has three acres and we'll be leasing another three that's unused by the neighbors.  It's so much fun to watch the dogs running in the fields, everyone has so much space!  We strongly believe in a natural lifestyle which includes eating as much pesticide free foods as possible and holistic approach to staying healthy for both our human and animal family.  We raise our own chickens for meat and eggs.  Our chickens are allowed to range and as an addition to their natural diet we feed them a soy free, organic grain diet.  We also raise a heritage breed turkey for meat and eggs.  We're hoping to be able to offer at least a few naturally raised organic heritage breed turkey's for sale in November this year.  Last year we had only enough for our family.  It was the most delicious turkey I've ever eaten.  We raise our turkeys as we do our chickens, they are pastured and in addition to their natural food that they peck from the ground, we give them a soy free, organic diet supplemented with kelp. 

We have four dairy goats, one Nubian and three Nubian crosses.  The Nubian is known for the richest milk which makes wonderful butter as well as being super yummy to drink.  We are immaculate in the handling of our milk.  Most people don't know that goats milk if handled properly does not have a "goaty" taste.  Many people that say they don't care for goats milk taste ours and are pleasantly surprised to find out it tastes very similar to cows milk.  Our goats have access to non sprayed pasture and browse and are supplemented with organic alfalfa, barley, oats and kelp.  Right now we have only one goat in milk which is enough only for our family.  Spring of 2012 we will have two goats in milk and will be able to offer a goat share program where people can sign up to purchase a share of our goats which will allow them to have a share of the goats milk.  Goats milk can be tolerated by many people that can not tolerate cow dairy as the fat globules in the milk are smaller and easier to digest.  That is the reason we decided on dairy goats.  Our daughter Danielle is terribly allergic to cow dairy. 

Let's not forget the organic garden.  I don't know what it is but I get so excited over seeing a little seed turn into a big leafy plant that provides lots of food!  I think that like birth, it's one of those miracles that points straight to our wonderful creator.  I've heard that the area of our new home grows the best produce due to the hot and long growing season.  I can't wait for the tomatoes to start fruiting.  We were a bit late getting things in the ground since we moved here May 1, but next year hope to have an abundant garden to supply our needs and the needs of some of the community.  This year we will have tomatoes, sweet and spicy peppers, herbs, kale, chard, summer squash (of course)  and hopefully some watermelons.  I'm hoping to get enough tomatoes to can and dry that they will last all winter and spring.  I hate having to buy them from the grocery store, they don't even begin to compare to fresh garden tomatoes. 

New Number (209) 339-1012