The Salt Ranch Adventures
I love to write! I kept a journal my entire life - until we moved to Salt Ranch. I guess the creation of this blog is the outlet that has replaced that habit - I’ve been documenting everything since we moved in!
I’m a mother and wife, business owner, sister and daughter on a daily basis… our cozy compound consists of eight of us including my husband, two children, my parents, brother and Manny (not pictured !) I have a small business in California, so I switch between those roles all day. It’s exhilarating! (and sometimes stressful, and overwhelming, and exhausting, but never mind that!)
Salt Ranch - a.k.a “The compound” - is a frenzy of ongoing activity. We have a lot of animals, a sizable garden, wood shop, metal shop and visitors all the time (we love to entertain.) We are not a Homestead. We don’t strive to live off grid or be self sufficient (although it’s kind of comforting to know that you could if you had to.) Our first goal is to create a magical environment for our family. Our second goal is to have the compound bring in just enough money to support its growing operational cost. To this end we dabble in all sorts of things. We sell eggs, we breed animals, raise food, and make craftsman level products.
This blog is just a by-product of my need to chronicle our adventures, to share the research that I do, and the insistence of our friends that enough of you will be interested to experience it along with us!
Enjoy!!
Our Kid Got Bit By A Copperhead
Copperheads are a very real threat in Texas - this is our second bite in two years, and thankfully has been he animals for which a bite is not life threatening.
The 15 Best Vegetables for a Bountiful Fall Home Garden in Dallas, Texas
By the time early August rolls around, my garden is fried and needs a break. We get two season here, and it is time to start anew! Here are the top 15 vegetables to plant for a beautiful fall garden in Dallas, Texas.
Our Crazy Kindling And The Battle with Nest Box Eye - Breeding Bunnies
The best defense against Nest Box Eye is keeping things clean, but know that kits will develop nest box eye in spite of all we can do. It happens to most of us, one time or another... which is why it's good to know simple ways of dealing with it.
Makeover - China Hutch to Coffee Station
An old China hutch gets a new life as upper and lower kitchen cabinets. Check out the makeover here!
Chicken Math - How much space do I need for my chickens?
Having happy and relaxed chickens is critical for your egg production and health of your flock. As all veteran backyard chicken keepers know, chicken math is a funny thing so I thought I would break it down for you.
Being Green - Salt Ranch
Being green sometimes takes an extra step, but we need to chose Mother Earth, because the cost of convenience is too high for our future generations.
Edible Butter Slime
Today was the second day of summer for us so naturally, we are looking for all kinds of activities to occupy the children. We experimented a lot and discovered this pretty awesome recipe for edible dough that feels like butter slime!
Birth of Two New Baby Goats! and how to tell if your goat is in labor.
Our Nigerian Dwarf Jager had two kids last night. Here are the signs of labor and some photos of our two new doelings!
Top 10 Backyard Ailments in Dallas Chickens
For those new to chickens, or those just wanting to brush up on their knowledge - knowing what common ailments to look for can help to prevent or detect things early enough that you don’t lose your whole flock. Here are the ten most prevalent backyard chicken ailments in the Dallas area.
Hard Day - Loss of a Loved Chick and Coccidiosis in the Chicken Run.
Was a hard day to discover Coccidisis in our flock by the loss of a newer chicken.
Top 10 Vegetable Garden Pests in Dallas
The Top Ten Vegetable Garden Pests in the Dallas Area and how to identify and treat them.
What are these piles of mud in my yard every morning?
What are these piles of mud bubbles in my yard? Worm Castings which are great for your garden pop up after a night of earthworm activity in your yard.
Nigerian Dwarf Goat Prolapse
What to do when your pregnant doe experiences a full vaginal prolapse.
Our Free Pallet Goat Hay Feeder
Our functional and attractive and FREE goat hay feeders. Made from pallets and scraps, they are quite durable and easy to use.
Introducing Chicks To Your Flock
How we integrate new chicks into our existing flock at Salt Ranch.
Goat Mastitis
Goat mastitis is the most common diseases in the dairy industry. If you don’t catch and treat it very early on, it is a killer 99% of the time. The good news is that with proper management and best practices, you can prevent MOST cases of mastitis in your goats!