Home Within a Home

Our latest project is redoing/saving our barn. It's been incredible to see the transformation--from a sagging, vine covered home for rodents (aka rats) to a solid, gleaming (with it's new metal roof) testament to the beauty, dignity and utility of a well-built pole barn. Perhaps the nicest lagniappe of the redo is the "unveling" of the log corn crib. We have much respect for our carpenter, who also built our guest house and has done numerous projects in our home and at church. Art will add 6 stalls to the barn--a snug home for the horses, donkeys, sheep and maybe a few cows when it gets really nasty outside!


On the door of that sturdy corn crib we found another home--this one for dirt daubers. They obviously visited the various clay banks at the creek and came back to create multi-colored tubal apartments. They remind me of something from the western deserts...

Woolly Babies

This little lady is Angel or Cloud, depending on which daughter you ask... She was born this morning to our very standoffish white ewe who we had about decided was not REALLY bred. But she was. So now we have 2 very sweet babies, one solid white and one solid black. (The black one is Emily--named after Emily Dickinson with whom she shares a birthday). These are Gulf Coast Native Sheep--a very hardy, parasite resistant breed that has adapted, over its long history here, to our hot, muggy climate. Their favorite food seems to be privet, which is NOT native to this area but has also adapted and spread and spread...

To give you an update on the Piney Woods cows--they are doing beautifully and have become very respectful of electric fencing. After reading the first post about them, you'll perhaps be surprised to know that they are staying put (also filling up on privet) with only one strand of hot wire!

Our laying hens (raised on grass, natural feed) have come of age, and we're now in the egg business. Let us know if you need one (or 8) dozen.

Be sure to stop by our website, Camp Topisaw , and check out our new springtime natural wax candle scents: Narcissus Poeticus (smells just like daffodils) and Brent Road Mimosa (named after the Dr. Seuss-style trees that grow just down the road from our farm).

Hounds + Heirlooms

Things have been a little crazy around Camp Topisaw.

We've been interested in "heirloom" plants and animals for a long time now and finally decided to take the plunge and purchase a few cows, a few sheep... After locating a wonderful, close-by source, we arranged to purchase 5 head of Piney Woods Cattle and 3 Gulf Coast Native Sheep. Both of these breeds are listed as "critical", meaning there are fewer than 200 annual N. American registrations and fewer than 2,000 global population, by the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy.

So the big day arrived, the animals were unloaded into the fenced enclosure, and we visited and enjoyed watching them until nightfall. AND THEN...the next morning the cows were gone. David found them behind the swingset and tried to lure them with food. No good. They ended up running through the spring, across the creek and into the very wild woods beyond. A visit to our neighbors brought results--they corralled the wayward creatures...for a few hours. The bull broke out, and his ladies followed. A few days later, they were "captured" again, only to break out after eating their host's generous outpouring of sweet feed. We were truly in despair--we had waited so long to get these animals, they were a rare breed, and they were loose somewhere on the banks of the Topisaw Creek. Then, as is always the case, God heard our cries. One morning, 4 days after their escape, they simply came wandering into our yard. They had recrossed the creek and found their way home. I can't tell you how much I admire these animals.

And then there was the hunt! Our oldest daughter rode in her first hunt earlier this month. The whole event was stunning. The rest of us rode in the "Talley-Ho Wagon" and admired the beautiful horses, stately riders. It was a gorgeous day.

I'll tell you about the sheep next time...

Edie

Big Plans

We've had two exciting days--yesterday we received 100 chickens which are being brooded in a refrigerator box on our porch... If you've never ordered day-old chicks, you may be interested to know that they come, in cardboard boxes, to the local post office! You get an early morning call from a postal employee, telling you that your (very noisy) birds have arrived and "how soon can you get here to take them away?!" This batch is Cornish Cross which we raise for eating. They're small, fluffy, yellow eating machines right now but will soon grow into big, rather unattractive, white eating machines before being "processed" at 8 weeks. We raise them on pasture, using only natural, non medicated feed, no hormones, etc. Let us know if you're interested in purchasing a few--they average 4# each and sell for $10 each.

TODAY we've had a cement truck at our place--pouring the floor for our new addition to La Petite Maison (the "Little House" studio where our soaps, skincare and candles are made). I'll be using the new space for my "concocting" area, leaving the rest of the house for classes, birthday parties and a shop where you can purchase our products!

Mississippi Market

We're back from our 2nd ever wholesale show where we wrote some orders, met some really nice shop owners and chatted (and chatted) with our fellow vendors. It's alot of fun to see what's being offered AND what's being bought. Here's a photo of our booth taken by our good friend Olivia McCullough of Olivia Pottery.

Porch Sitters

We spend alot of time on our screened porch--from morning coffee to schoolwork at the picnic table to drinks in the evening... The tin roof amplifies afternoon rain or Scotty the cat's ramblings as he chases something across the tin (he spends most of his time up there, away from the other cats, the dogs and the guineas that meander through our yard).

Joining us on the porch this week is our youngest daughter's newest pet, Tidbit. She "rescued" him from a 5 gallon water bucket in the barn where Chestnut (see post below) lives. Judging by how tough this bantam chick has turned out to be, I think that he was swimming in the bucket--not drowning as we thought... Tidbit loves to perch on the table while the girls do their math. He's also been known to sit on shoulders, in baskets and even to go to church...(just the birdhouse variety!)

We're working on a few new products: a soothing salve to match Amaretto Buzz Bar Soap (scented with vanilla & almond--YUM); a soft, dreamy floral as-yet-unnamed candle AND, because so many folks have requested it, a sandalwood patchouli candle. Check in at camptopisaw.com for more details!

Edie

New Fruit

The girls have been out all morning picking gummi fruit--incredibly sour and incredibly beautiful. We're planning to make jelly tomorrow, and hopefully, the finished product will be the same lovely color as the berries. The gummi bushes are growing by the chicken yard, so they've been well-fertilized and "landscaped" by the birds...







We had a swell time at Fest for All last weekend! The weather was perfect, the bands were fun, the crowd was plentiful and friendly. The artists were selling everything from soap and candles (guess who...) to handmade shoes to $3000 paintings. Here are links to some of our favorite artists/art:
Denise Greenwood
The Spoon Mill
Kathleen Bearden
Trish Ransom


This fine baby was born only 2 days ago! His mom, a beautiful Haflinger mare, belongs to good friends of ours, and they've allowed our daughters to name him. They tossed around name after name, but finally settled on Chestnut--a suitable name for a nut-colored colt. It's just amazing how quickly newly-born animals are up and about--Chestnut is already out in the pasture with his mom, investigating all the newness of life.


And speaking of new...we'll be adding some new (customer requested) products to our Camp Topisaw Website this month. If you have a request or suggestion, just email us! Here's a photo of our soaps to whet your appetite...













All the best,
Edie