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A Note from the Richardson
Tribe
Welcome to PB&J Adventures. We are an
extremely curious family of six
that enjoys exploring,
playing, and learning. We have always made an effort
to go somewhere and do something as often as
possible, leaving the house and every day worries
behind.
Initially our adventures lasted only
a day, so we would pack a lunch, often PB&J
sandwiches (which inspired the name of our
adventures). Sometimes the adventures were framed by
an event like a fair or festival, however, most
adventures were based on local places, their unique
history or features, and any available activities at
that location or in the immediate area (we do, after
all, have children).
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Eventually the adventures became a major part of our
lives, sometimes lasting several days at a time. In
2007, we began documenting our adventures on a
family website.
Much to our surprise, many friends and family
members wanted to experience their own adventures or
join us for ours. Such was the inspiration for this
website.
Our
mission is to make the planning of your adventures
easy and predictable. We have done the research and
have personally visited and reviewed all listed
sites. The PB&J Adventures website features detailed
information about places to go and things to do.
Destination reviews include lots of pictures,
campground or lodging details, fun and educational
things to do in the vicinity, dates of local events,
maps for directions, links to official websites and
reservations, and most importantly, a personal
account of a local adventure by a real family.
We hope
you enjoy the website, and we sincerely hope your
family experiences the same benefits we have. If you
have questions about any of the sites or events we
recommend, please
contact us.
Thanks for visiting PB&J Adventures,
The Richardson Tribe
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Places to Go
Click link to visit page. |
Amicalola Falls State Park
Dawsonville, GA |
Beaches of South Walton
Walton County, FL |
Berry College
Rome, GA |
Big Kahunas Water Park
Destin Florida |
Biltmore Estate
Asheville, NC |
Callaway Gardens
Pine Mountain, GA |
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Cave Spring, Georgia |
Cedar Creek Park
Cave Spring, GA |
Charlestown State Park
Charlestown, IN |
Chattahoochee Bend State Park
Newnan, GA |
Chattanooga Zoo
Chattanooga, TN |
Cherry Hill Park Campground
College Park, MD |
Chester Frost Park
Hixson, TN |
Cloudland Canyon State Park
Rising Fawn, GA |
Cohutta Wilderness
Georgia/Tennessee |
Consolidated Gold Mine
Dahlonega, GA |
Cumberland Island
Saint Marys, GA |
Dauset Trails Nature Center
Jackson, GA |
Desoto State Park
Mentone/Ft. Payne, AL |
Doll Mountain Campground
Ellijay, GA |
Dollywood
Pigeon Forge, TN |
Dunnaway Gap
near Armuchee, GA |
Enota Mountain Retreat
Hiawassee, GA |
Etowah Indian Mounds
Cartersville, GA |
Fall Creek Falls State Park
Pikeville,
Tennessee |
Florala State Park
Florala, AL |
Fort Mountain State Park
Chatsworth, GA |
F.D. Roosevelt State Park
Pine Mountain, GA |
Georgia Veterans State Park
Cordele, GA |
Gold N Gem Grubbin'
Cleveland, GA |
Heritage Park Bike Path
Rome, GA |
James H.Floyd State Park
Summerville, GA |
James Island County Park
Charleston, SC |
John Tanner Park
Carrollton, GA |
Lake Allatoona
Cartersville, GA |
Lake Winnepesaukah
Rossville, GA |
Little River Canyon Center
Fort Payne, AL |
Live Oak Landing
Freeport, FL |
Lula Lake Land Trust
Lookout Mountain, GA |
McIntosh Reserve
Whitesburg, GA |
McKinney Campground
Cartersville, GA |
Old Stone Fort State Park
Manchester, TN |
Pine Mountain RV Park
Pine Mountain, GA |
Red Top Mountain State Park
Cartersville, GA |
Ridge Ferry Park
Rome, GA |
Rolater Park
Cave Spring, GA |
Rome
(city of)
Rome, GA |
Salt Springs Recreation Area
Salt Springs, Florida |
Silver Sprigs Nature and Amusement Park
Silver Springs, FL |
Stone Mountain. Park
Stone Mountain, GA |
Tannehill State Park
McAlla, AL |
Tellus Science Museum
Cartersville, GA |
Townsend KOA
Townsend, TN |
Townsend, town of
Townsend, Tennessee |
World of Coke
Atlanta, GA |
Note, we have
received no monetary compensation or consideration
in any manner for inclusion in this list. Our
reviews are honest accounts of the places and events
we visit. We accept payment for banner ads and/or
management of ad campaigns only after a destination
has been anonymously reviewed and the review
published.
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This week, one of
our favorite destinations is in the top 5.
Fort Mountain State Park is an incredible
place for camping, hiking, mountain biking,
fishing,
canoeing, horseback riding, and so much
more. |
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The weekly "Top 5" is defined by the number of visits
for each destination page on the PB&J Adventures
website. This data doesn't indicate these
destinations are better, just more searched.
Performance data is provided by
Google
Analytics®. |
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Please help support the PB&J
Adventures website - Shop
our affiliates!
Latest Update:
Rocky Mountain Recreation Area - Armuchee
Georgia -
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Rocky Mountain
Recreation Area is located off the beaten path in Northwest Georgia
near Armuchee (pronounced ar-mer-chee).
The 5,000 acre park is the product of a partnership between
Oglethorpe Power and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources.
Rocky Mountain Recreation Area is a wonderful local resource that is
almost free ($5 parking fee) for the public to use. There are two
lakes, a beach, a playground, and a beautiful campground with water
and electricity.
The campground is filled with tall hardwoods and pines that go right
down to the edge of the water. As can be expected lakeside camping
sites are not very level (typical for lakeside campsites), but they
are large and shady. Non-lakeside campsites seem much more level.
One of the best things about Rocky Mountain Recreation Area is the
ability to pull your fishing boat (or canoe or kayak) right up to
you campsite.
You have to make sure to secure your watercraft though because water
levels fluctuate based on electricity demand. Water is pumped into a
reservoir on top of the mountain during low-demand times, then
released to generate electricity as the demand increases. It's like
a battery.
The fresh lake water provides more than
just electricity, it's also
a cool refuge from the heat of the day. The beach is big and sandy,
and the water is cool and refreshing. The park's beach is pretty
popular with the locals, so it can be just a little crowded on
holidays and weekends. Fishing is another way to enjoy the lake, and
fishing is great here. Antioch lake is known for largemouth bass and
sunfish, but there are plenty more species than that in the lake.
Rocky Mountain Recreation area's second body of water is Heath Lake.
Heath Lake is open the first ten days of each month.
Rocky Mountain Recreation Area is a great place to get away and
relax. All activities here lend themselves to peace and quiet. If
you want some additional adventure, the park planted in one of the
best areas for adventure. It's near
Rome,
Taylors Ridge,
James H Floyd State Park,
Ridge Ferry Park, the
Chieftains' Museum,
Cave Spring,
Cedar Creek Park, Rome Braves Baseball, the Heritage Park Bike
Path, and so much more. This is one of our all-time favorite areas
in north Georgia.
Click here for a lot more pictures and details about Rocky
Mountain Recreation Area in Armuchee, Georgia. |
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Antioch Lake is beautiful and
loaded with fish.

You can park your boat at your
campsite.

The beach is a favorite with the
kids. |
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Raised
Bed Vegetable Garden -
More
When we started this part of our micro farm
project, we knew very little about raised
bed gardens. Our parents had gardens when we
were children, but as adults, we've never
undertaken such a project. Rebecca purchased
a book titled
Mini Farming: Self-Sufficiency on 1/4 Acre
by Bret Markham, and it has
proven to be an invaluable resource which I
repeatedly reference as the project
progresses. Additionally, various gardening
blogs, videos, and governmental and
educational websites have provided guidance,
albeit sometimes incorrect or dated.
Being on a shoestring budget, my first big
investment was the purchase of 18 used
railroad crossties for the sum of $90.
They're heavy enough to stay in place and
they'll last forever. For peace of mind, I
used heavy gauge plastic to create a
watertight and airtight barrier between the
crossties and the garden bed. I used cheap
1"x 2"s as stakes to hold the crossties in
place, then filled and packed dirt between
the beds to stabilize them. Shimming with
bricks to level the crossties created beds
between 12-16" of amended and finely tilled
topsoil. After their installation, the 18
crossties established three 24' x 5' beds
for a total of 365 square feet of garden
space.
Filling three very large beds with dirt
could have been quite a chore. Fortunately,
we have access to my father's tractor
equipped with a bucket. It made short work
of gathering topsoil from our little cove
and placing it in the beds. I designed the
beds' width and spacing based on the
tractor's wheelbase and bucket width. I can
easily drive between and through the beds if
necessary. The soil is dark and rich
(probably from 22 years of my fertilizer and
expensive topsoil running off my lawn).
Unfortunately, the dirt is also riddled with
fescue sod and clover roots a foot deep. We
hand hoed one of the beds because out tiller
was on the fritz. I ended-up renting a small
tiller for the next weekend. It was $40 well
spent. I added some peat and bagged garden
soil to make it a little fluffier and help
it hold moisture, then pulverized it. I
wanted to add vermiculite, but I couldn't
find any locally before planting time. I'll
add some next fall.
For the rest of the story,
click here
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Henry (lower
left) oversees the work.

Radishes were the first to
emerge.

A happy cherry tomato
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Paddling - Healthy and Affordable Family Fun -
More
Paddling
can be relaxing or exhilarating, and everything in between. It can
be a peaceful slow jaunt on still water, or a frantic battle
against the rapids. When we decided to begin our canoeing adventure,
we opted for the slower-paced version. This we did for several
reasons. When we began researching this activity in 2010, the children were
6, 6, 7, and 10, Rebecca and I were both pushing 50, and the
challenge of carrying enough water craft to fit us all on a Jeep
Wrangler narrowed our choices considerably. We had a lot to
consider.
Ultimately, we decided
to ask Santa to deliver two
Dick's Sporting Goods canoes capable of accommodating three
people each. I figured out that two canoes could be nested with very
little modification allowing them to be carried with a minimal
footprint. On Christmas Morning 2010, Santa delivered. Now, getting
canoes for Christmas might seem a bit odd. It is, after all, pretty
cold in the winter, even in our neck of the southern woods. In fact,
for the first time in my life, there was snow on the ground on that
Christmas morning. Needless to say, we didn't run right out and get
in the pond. We waited a couple of days for that.
With regards to carrying
the canoes on our Jeep, I began my research well in advance. I found
a watercraft rack manufactured by Warrior Products which was really
nothing more than a luggage/light rack without the basket. It served
its purpose but proved to be a bear to install correctly (I am
providing no link because I really can't endorse it). Once the rack
was attached to the Jeep, I discovered how difficult it was to load
the two nested canoes by myself. I usually have some help, but I
prefer to know I can do it solo if I have to. I solved the loading
dilemma by installing a
Cabela's
Canoe Loader and Rack. This
ingenious device made it much simpler and safer to load the canoes,
plus it added significant support to the rear portion of the canoe
rack.
So, with the
transportation issue resolved and two new canoes, paddles, and life
vests, we did what any eager family would do, we headed south. Our
christening voyage of the Minnow and Manatee (yes, we name
everything we own) was in the 70+ degree waters of
Salt Springs
Recreation Area in the Ocala National forest. We couldn't have asked
for a better first experience. We were able to see and touch manatee
while paddling around the peaceful waters. Bonus? No one was eaten
by a gator!
We have since taken the canoes on several trips and have
enjoyed them immensely. We even tried a little of that "moving
water" canoeing, but we think we prefer the slower pace of still or
slow-flowing water. If you are considering a way for your family to
experience some water-based fun without breaking the bank, consider
canoes or kayaks. If you aren't sure, visit a state park or
outfitter and rent one to try on for size. Just remember your
gear.
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We enjoy nice scenic paddles on
still water.
Live Oak Landing, Freeport, Florida
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Paddling white water is a
challenge and lots of fun!
Big Cedar Creek, Cave Spring, Georgia
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Willie B carries our canoes on a
Warrior Products Watercraft Rack and
Cabela's Canoe
Loader.
Salt Springs Recreation Area, Florida
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James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park -
Summerville, GA -
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In 2007, the
Richardson Tribe reserved a cabin at James H Floyd State
Park, a place we'd visited only once. The cabins were new
and very clean, and the park was lovely. We spent two
glorious days relaxing and having fun. This trip stands out
for us mostly because the three-year-old twins' experienced
their first real hike. As we were checking out on our final
day, a couple in a "class c" motorhome were checking in. We
admired their coach, and dreamed that we might have one some
day. It was approximately one month later that we purchased
our first motorhome. The rest is
history.
James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park is a precious gem nestled in a little
valley near Summerville in Northwest Georgia. The park is named for James H Floyd,
otherwise known as "Sloppy," a local politician
(state representative) from decades
ago. The surrounding area is primarily wooded, but there is
also plenty of farm land.
Regarding amenities and
activities, James H (Sloppy) Floyd State Park has plenty. The park
features two lakes where you can rent row boats and pedal boats
(motorized boats are not permitted). If you have a Georgia fishing
license, you can fish from shore or the footbridge that crosses the
lake. There are two playgrounds: one near the lake and one in the
campground.
If you have children and plan to camp, we really recommend the sites
20 through 25 are very near the playground. Site 21 practically owns
the playground, making it convenient to enjoy a campfire while the
children play nearby. Hiking
and mountain biking are virtually unlimited because the
Pinhoti
Trail runs along Taylors Ridge, a short hike from the lake. If a
shorter hike is what you have in mind, you can hike up to the
old marble mine and reflection pool (en route to the Pinhoti).
If you like
rockhounding, this is the place for you. Taylor's Ridge, especially
this portion, is covered with shattered rocks. Apparently a
geological event caused the limestone to buckle and shatter, like an
explosion. The result is amazing. What's even more amazing is the
fact that much of the rock is a very fine laced agate. You will also
find rose quartz, druzy quartz, pink marble, purple chert, fossils,
geodes, and more.
There are also a couple of other rockhounding and
fossil sites nearby.
There are occasional
events at Sloppy Floyd State park. One of our favorites annual
events is Adventure
Day. This is an entire day dedicated to activities such as rock climbing, fishing,
archery, bb guns, snake shows, good (free) food, and more.
In summary, this James H Floyd State Park is simple, but it's
beautiful. There's no miniature golf or game room. It's a place
to fish, hike, mountain bike, rockhound, and relax. This is our kind
of place.
For more
pictures, details, and PB&J Adventure Journals,
click here.
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The cabins at Sloppy Floyd are
clean and cozy.
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The RV sites at Sloppy Floyd are
large and level.

Pedal Boats can be rented at
Sloppy Floyd. |
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Stone Mountain Again
-Thank you sir, may I have another?
- More |
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If
you're old enough, you may
remember this line from the
movie Animal House. While being
paddled during a fraternity
hazing,
Kevin Bacon's character was
forced to say "Thank you sir,
may I have another"
after each whack of the paddle.
In a way, I can relate. We
continue to camp at
Stone Mountain year after year,
and continue to be frustrated at
the condition of the campground
and the seemingly casual way the
"Theme Park" area is run. But
I'm getting ahead of myself.
Let's start with day one of our
visit.
Springtime at Stone Mountain can
be exceptionally beautiful.
The park is
covered with flowering trees and
shrubs, and the landscape is
absolutely
beautiful. We had friends coming
into town, so we decided Stone
Mountain
would be a great place to meet
them. We planned to camp at
Stone Mountain
for two nights beginning on
a Friday.
In order to avoid Atlanta
Traffic, we
decided to wait till later in
the evening to arrive at the
park. We arrived at the
gate around 10pm and paid our $10 fee to
enter the park. This, by the
way, is a per vehicle fee. If you
tow a vehicle, don't drop it
outside the park, or you'll
have to pay two fees. Yes, $20
just to get to the
campground.
I knew what to
expect when we got to the
campground. The office was
closed so I proceeded to my
site. Unfortunately, the
condition was even worse than I
remembered, so I pulled into an
empty site for the evening with
plans to move
in the morning. I put out the
slides and hooked up power. No
electricity! Oh well, no big
deal. Homer (our RV) is self
contained and everything works
without outside electricity
(except the microwave and coffee
pot).
The next morning I took a walk
to find a better site. I
observed exactly what I'd seen
over the past six years of
camping here. A
campground with so much
potential, the largest in the
state, slowly falling apart. To
be fair, they have made
improvements to a portion of the
campground, but for the most
part, the
sites are poorly maintained, the
roads are crumbling, and trash
is accumulating. I chose a
somewhat level site (probably 5"
slope to left and back) adjacent
to my original site before heading to the
campground office to purchase
tickets for the park's
attractions.
Fortunately, I had no problem
changing our campsite (the
campground was almost completely
empty). The lady at the office
was very nice and apologetic. I
felt sorry for her because I'm
sure plenty of first-time
visitors come
in angry about their site. As I
said before,
I knew what to expect, so I was
pretty cordial.
While at
the office, I purchased six
tickets for the park, around
$150. It's a little
easier to swallow the expense
here because when you purchase
tickets at the campground, you
receive a second day (to be used
any time in the calendar year)
for no additional charge. We
piled into Homer and headed for
the RV parking near the
attractions. The
plan was to ride the shuttle,
but were informed the shuttle
only runs when enough people are
camping. Of course, the water
taxi wasn't running either.
This information should be very
obvious on their website, and it
is not.
The amusement park (I really
hesitate to call it that because
of the lack of amusement park
rides)
officially opens at 10:30am
(seasonal) and closes at 5pm
(yes, even on the weekend). We
arrived at 11am, and were
surprised to see that very few
of the shops were open (most did
open later, seemingly random).
The train and Summit Skyride
were running, and the miniature
golf and Skywalk features were
open, but that was about it. We
decided to play some miniature
golf then ride the Skyride to
the top of the mountain to
meet-up with our friends. We
were excited to see so few
people in the Skyride line,
thinking it would be a very
brief wait. Unfortunately, they
seem to have reduced
the frequency of runs because of
the smaller crowd.
The view from the summit of
Stone Mountain is pretty
amazing. The Atlanta skyline is
pretty amazing from here. You
can also see the North Georgia
Mountains as well as two nearby
rock mounds similar to Stone
Mountain. One is Arabia
Mountain, and the other is
Panola Mountain, a
state park. We decided to walk
down the mountain instead of
riding. The kids ran most of the
way. The plan was to catch the
park's train back around to the
attractions. We stood and waited
for the train, which slowly
passed us without stopping. We
waited for it to come back, but
it soon became apparent
that the train didn't stop here
anymore. Fortunately, there is a
shuttle bus that stops at that
location
periodically.
Back at the attractions, the
kids first wanted to go see the
animals at the
"Plantation." We all love farm
animals and especially
remembered the goats
from previous visits. We weren't
disappointed. We spent a lot of
time petting the sheep, goats,
and pigs, and talking with the
ladies that take care of the
livestock. After touring
several of the old homes and
other structures at the
plantation, we proceeded to
park's 4D theater for a Yogi
Bear movie. We all
loved it! The kids were also
eager to try out the new Sky
Hike, a sort of obstacle course
on stilts. All four of the
children and I decided to give
it a try. There is a very
similar feature at Dollywood
with one exception.
Dollywood's "Adventure
Mountain" always offers a
relatively easy route. I
witnessed a pretty small child
that got really scared on the
third obstacle. He had no choice
but to proceed through the
entire level. Our kids did just
fine, but I was ready to get off
before I completed
the first level. There are three
levels. It's a great feature,
but I think some alternative
exits should be added.
After a full day at the park, we
headed back to the campground.
We were so
looking
forward to a nice relaxed
evening by the campfire with a
view of the
mountain across the lake. This
is what keeps bringing us back,
the
view. Other than having a hard
time keeping the
firewood I purchased at the
office lit, the evening
delivered. It was beautiful. In
all, our memories of the day
were all positive. We had fun,
saw some sights, and got a
little exercise. We plan to come
back in the near future to use
the second day of tickets, and
perhaps ride bikes at nearby
Panola Mountain State Park. Yes,
with all my
gripes about the campground and
the park in general, we keep
coming back for more. So I'll
say it again:
"Thank you sir, may I have
another?"
Note: As
critical as I am about the Stone
Mountain Campground, I still
recommend a visit. Just be aware
of the condition of many of the
RV sites. I cannot give an
opinion on the tent sites, and
many of the RV sites near the
office have been redone. So, if
you don't expect too much, you
might not be disappointed.
To see lots more pictures,
details, and journal entries
about Stone Mountain Park,
click here.
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Stone Mountain from the campground
_small.jpg)
Many of Stone Mountain's RV sites
are deteriorating.

The view, particularly the
sunsets, are awesome
at the Stone Mountain Park Campground.
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The hike up mountain is brisk to
say the least.
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Our favorite part of Stone
Mountain Park: the sheep, goats, and pigs at the
plantation's farmyard.
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A
face only a mother could love. Baaaaad hair day!
_small.jpg)
There are many ducks and Geese on
the lake at Stone Mountain Park.
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A New Adventure
(in our own back yard)
A
few months ago, Rebecca
mentioned that she represents
the first generation in her
family that didn't learn the
old-timey methods of self
sufficiency. Ours is the age of
convenience. Everything comes
from the store processed,
pre-packaged, and ready for
consumption. Just pop it in the
microwave, washer, or whatever
electric device fits the need.
We take for granted our day to
day needs because they are
typically right there at our
fingertips or just a short drive
away. In our travels, we have
visited many parks and museums
that display and demonstrate the
tools of the past, and we're
always amazed at how resourceful
and creative people can be.
These folks knew how to solve
problems and prepare for the
worse. They raised, preserved,
and prepared their own food,
made their own clothes, heated
their own homes, and taught
their children how to do the
same. Life was tougher back
then, but their skills could
sustain them when times were
bad. Those skills are important,
even (especially) in this day
and time. |
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So, we decided to begin the
process of learning some of the
old-timey skills while applying
some of our modern knowledge by
building a "Micro-Farm" at our
Georgia home. Nothing massive,
and nothing too high maintenance
(we still want to travel). We
are fortunate to live very near
to my parents and other family
members, so we have some help
when we're away. However, I
still want to automate things so
that feeding and watering tasks
will be minimal.
The
process of building started well
before Christmas. The plan was
to make Christmas gifts of some
of the animals and supplies. My
first step was to convert an old
screened-in sandbox into a
chicken coop, a fiberglass
greenhouse into a goat shelter,
and to erect some goat-proof
fencing. My experience of
raising a goat as a child taught
me that goats are brilliant
escape artists. That skill,
however, is about the only
brilliant skill goats have.
Since the addition of four
goats, four rabbits, and six
chickens, I have made a few
fencing adjustments here and
there, built a rabbit hutch,
built a portable chicken/rabbit
run, and built a new goat condo.
We are currently looking for
more laying hens while building
a raised-bed garden area.
This
project has resulted in a lot of
work, but the benefits are
already beginning to become
evident. For instance, Lee
Thomas, our oldest (12) has
created a chore list that
assures the animals are fed and
watered daily. He did this on
his own with little resistance
from his siblings. Additionally
we are currently harvesting
about 3 eggs a day from our four
laying hens (the other two are
too young), so we need more
hens. The children (and Rebecca
and I) are learning a lot about
animals and responsibility as a
result of this experience.
So,
there you have it. We are
officially a family of
"micro-farmers." As I said
before, we certainly do not
intend to stop our on-road
adventures. I am currently
designing automatic feeding and
watering systems so we can
travel with some peace of mind
(and remember Paw Paw can help
too). I plan to publish periodic
updates as the farm evolves, so
keep an eye on PB&J Adventures.
In the meantime, go somewhere,
do something!

Henry, our baby Kiko/Boer mix
buck is a cutie! His doe
companion is Lucy (see picture
to the right). Lucy is a Nubian
breed (milk goat). We are hoping
their offspring will be as
beautiful as they are.
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The chicken coop was formerly a sandbox.

Our four laying hens getting used
to the new crib.

Feta and Brie enjoy a hay ball at
the "goat condo."

Heath and Lainey bottle feeding
the babies.
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