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View Full Version : Greetings from West Des Moines, IA


Sabbath
04-27-2009, 10:39 PM
Hello there! My name is Sabbath, and I am from West Des Moines, IA. I have LOVED Patti's videos and watched them for some time now. In my knitting and spinning group in Seattle (where I lived 9 months ago), a lot of our members were getting angora bunnies, and it was around that time that I discovered the site.

We relocated to the Midwest (to be closer to my husbands family, since we have their first grandchild ;). I moved into a home (we are renting, but will be buying it soon) that has HORRENDOUSLY bad clay soil. So, it's going to take me a long time to get it all established. But, I have hope that between my worm bins, my compost bins, my chickens being rotated between the beds, and soon the rabbit droppings (once the angoras arrive!) I will be able to get some good soil in some raised beds and get to planting. I moved from a zone 8 to a zone 5, so I am getting used to a new planting calendar ;)

I am interested in aquaponics, vertical and SFG, chickens, rabbits for spinning, cooking, natural cleaning and beauty products (we only use natural cleaners and I have developed a great system!), and natural/herbal medicines.

I am also a birthworker, helping women obtain a natural birth experience. I am a doula, a placenta encapsulation specialist, a student midwife, and a childbirth educator.

We are just now getting chickens, but they are doing great and getting very well established. I think next year we will do meat chickens. We'll see.

Anyways, thanks, and hello!
Garden Green
04-28-2009, 08:17 PM
Welcome to the group! Sounds like you've got a good plan. Can't wait to read on your progress!
gardengirl72
04-29-2009, 10:02 PM
Welcome to the forums. Glad you found the site. Please share more with us.
plantoneonme
05-06-2009, 11:12 PM
Oh yeah the dreaded clay soil...my solution was to do raised beds otherwise as hard as a brick or as slimy as a slugs trail :rolleyes:. Welcome, Kim
MoniDew
05-06-2009, 11:30 PM
cool! you sound like such an awesome person!

I'm one of those whack-jobs who had home births (2) with midwife/wives in attendance! LOVED my home births!
Sabbath
05-09-2009, 09:43 AM
Thank you Monica, you're sweet!

Ironically enough, I just got back from a 65 hour labor with 5 hours of pushing, and am sorta feeling like I never want to do this again. I know that will change after I catch up on not having a single bit of sleep since Tuesday morning, but still. This was just a long, hard, horrible birth.

And, while I was gone, one of my chickens was killed by a neighborhood cat. One of my two favorites actually. For some reason it's REALLY bothering me. Sigh. Probably because I am tired. But still! One of my chickens was just torn to shreds! Sob!
gardengirl72
05-12-2009, 11:02 PM
Sorry to hear about your chicken. Are they caged or protected at all? It does happen though. Sorry again.
Sabbath
05-12-2009, 11:06 PM
Sorry to hear about your chicken. Are they caged or protected at all? It does happen though. Sorry again.

Oh yes, they are. Actually, I have them in the same exact set up that you do, but I was planning on filling the garden bed with soil (there wasn't any in it) on that Tuesday, when I got called to the birth. Turns out, the cat dug underneath the edge of the bed and snatched one of the chickens. Obviously the bed is filled with dirt now, LOL!

I know it happens, but it was still a bit sad. :(
gardengirl72
05-12-2009, 11:12 PM
For the next one you build, line the bottom with chicken wire. On the one you have now, you can put some along the bottom around the outside. Are they still little? What kinds do you have?
Sabbath
05-12-2009, 11:14 PM
For the next one you build, line the bottom with chicken wire. On the one you have now, you can put some along the bottom around the outside. Are they still little? What kinds do you have?

2 Araucunas, and 1 buff orpington (the one that was killed was a golden wynadotte). They are almost 10 weeks old.

I will have to do that. Will it interfere with my plants at all?
gardengirl72
05-12-2009, 11:21 PM
You want to put the chicken wire along the bottom of the bed before you put the soil in. It won't interfere with the plants at all.
Sabbath
05-12-2009, 11:24 PM
You want to put the chicken wire along the bottom of the bed before you put the soil in. It won't interfere with the plants at all.

Yes, I understood that. Just wanted to double check. Thank you! Good plan!