A classic Resident Evil mode called Mercenaries made a comeback. But how can you unlock this Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 remake? In this action-packed minigame‚ waves of enemies crash through the stage‚ while you’re trying to defeat them on the clock. Here’s how to unlock it. Resident Evil 4 remake: How to unlock Mercenaries mode If you update you game‚ you won’t magically see the Mercenaries mode pop up. This is because to unlock Mercenaries‚ you have to download it digitally. How you can unlock Mercenaries mode in Resident Evil 4 remake is by downloading the mode as a DLC through your designated store. If you’re playing through Steam‚ you can find Mercenaries mode as a free download. Scroll down the Resident Evil 4 remake store page until you see ‘Content for this game.’ It’s called ‘The Mercenaries‚’ and it shouldn’t take long to download. Now‚ once you boot up Resident Evil ...

Time for the final stretch. Here is how to clear the Crystal leading to the Area Zero Underdepths in Pokémon Scarlet and Violet The Indigo Disk. Pokémon Scarlet and Violet: How to clear the Crystal leading to the Area Zero Depths in The Indigo Disk Before you venture to find the Area Zero Underdepths in The Indigo Disk DLC for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet‚ you need to know that you will need to traverse through a decent chunk of the main story to access this area. The only thing I can tell you that will picture the image perfectly is that you need the actual Indigo Disk to access it. And since this item gives this DLC its name‚ then you know that it will take some time. Anyway‚ once you have collected it‚ you will have to travel to Research Station 4 to unlock the Zero Lab. Image: Game Freak The Indigo Disk will fit in the Zero Lab panel and you will gain access to the Area Zero Underdephts. Here is where you will eventually find a huge terrastali...

Start Quiz CBS/Moviestillsdb CBS/Moviestillsdb Arguably the best era of television took place during the 1970s. Shows like All in the Family‚ M*A*S*H‚ CHiPs‚ and more debuted and eventually proved to be all-time classics. From some police and detective shows to iconic characters such as Archie Bunker and Fonzie‚ how well do you know 1970s television? There is only one way to find out... Source

Next time you tune in to a high-profile Senate hearing—perhaps to view a Supreme Court nominee sit to be questioned during his or her nomination process—consider this: A man sodomized another man in that very room‚ in one of the very seats that a U.S. senator would sit to engage in constitutional duties. The person involved in this incident—a Senate staffer—has since been relieved of his position. Unfortunately‚ the now former staffer will face no further punishment‚ as a senior congressional official stated that “no crime was committed”—assuming the sex in the Senate Judicary Committee’s hearing room was consensual. And what might even be worse‚ the staffer‚ in a childish and unsuccessful attempt to shift the narrative‚ hardly acknowledged any wrongdoing‚ stating that he has been “attacked for who [he] love[s] to pursue a political agenda.” The disturbing video‚ uploaded to “a private group for gay men in politics‚” clearly shows two men engaging in anal sex between where Sens. Amy Klobuchar‚ D-Minn.‚ and Chris Coons‚ D-Del.‚ most recently sat‚ according to the Daily Caller. That leaves us with an important question: Why would somebody be so brazen enough as to upload such an incriminating video of himself? What this should tell everyone is that this Senate staffer was both a perpetrator and a victim—a perpetrator who desecrated a solemn and venerable place‚ but also a victim of a wider problem that is undoubtedly persisting in the halls of Congress. The problem is that he didn’t just think he could get away with it; his posting of this content is indicative of a mindset where he thought he would be celebrated. Why else share an intimate moment like this with a large group of people‚ where only one would need to turn on you? The halls of Congress are where the most important decisions in this country are made. Legislation that will affect millions‚ funding that sits in the trillions‚ negotiations‚ diplomatic retreats‚ and more all occur in these halls. What shouldn’t occur is debauchery on this level. Members‚ staffers‚ and guests alike must treat these halls with respect‚ lest they become a breeding ground for the decline of American morality. The tragic part about this entire situation is that the occurrence is extremely unsurprising. It coincides with a drastic downward spiral of morality‚ where our nation is turning into the next Sodom and Gomorrah. Only a person so emboldened by the lack of respect shown toward work and others‚ in general‚ would commit such an act in such a place. Only a person so feeble and self-righteous could attack others and shirk responsibility. The way this staffer acted isn’t just indicative of his own failing moral character but of the state of this country. The staffer was fired. Good. But this is just the tip of the iceberg‚ no doubt. If someone felt so emboldened as to post such a disgusting act in a historic Senate hearing room‚ what have others done to stoke his behavior? Will he find employment elsewhere in politics? Will there actually be others who believe his response was justified and that his sexual acts weren’t so bad? The Senate staffer worked for a Democrat after all—and he clearly is one. No doubt there are elected officials out there who condone this form of behavior‚ just as there are many who condone and support the terrorist actions of Hamas‚ the destruction of U.S. cities and small businesses‚ the brainwashing of young kids‚ and the moral and intellectual decline of our nation’s most prestigious institutions of higher learning. America is better than this‚ but we’re not on the right path. If we continue down the path we are on‚ this type of action will not just be normalized‚ it will be encouraged. The fringe will become the mainstream in the the U.S. government‚ the most important employer in our nation‚ and those who fight back will be silenced. American values of decency‚ respect‚ and integrity will be overshadowed by a culture of divisiveness and disrespect. This erosion of values and increase in tolerance for reprehensible behavior requires a cleansing of our political discourse‚ something that unfortunately won’t happen any time soon. So‚ until then‚ maybe the Senate Judiciary Committee should start with a physical cleansing of the hearing room. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post What Video of Gay Sex in Senate Hearing Room Says About America appeared first on The Daily Signal.

DENVER—Parents Joe and Serena Wailes were shocked and horrified to discover that their 11-year-old daughter had been assigned to not only room with‚ but also share a bed with‚ a boy on her school trip. That boy identified as a transgender girl‚ the Wailes say‚ and his parents had allegedly told the school district that he was operating under “stealth mode”—meaning that his gender identity was to be kept secret. In an interview with The Daily Signal earlier this month‚ the Wailes shared their experience in detail—how their daughter felt‚ how the school trip chaperones handled the matter‚ and what they want from the school district moving forward. Represented by Alliance Defending Freedom‚ the Waileses are calling on the Colorado-based Jefferson County Board of Education and Jefferson County Public Schools to clarify “whether JCPS will continue this practice of intentionally withholding information about rooming accommodations from parents like the Waileses‚ who object to their children rooming with a student of the opposite sex‚ regardless of the other student’s gender identity.” WATCH: Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state.  The post Parents Address Nightmare School Trip: Their  11-Year-Old Daughter Discovered Her Bedmate Was Trans appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Corporate media journalists are still out for new House Speaker Mike Johnson’s‚ R-La.‚ blood. This week’s contrived controversy is that Johnson took his teenage daughter to a “purity ball” in 2015. ABC News claims to have “unearthed” a German TV news segment featuring Johnson‚ his wife Kelly‚ and his daughter Hannah‚ who was 13 at the time. According to ABC‚ the video showed “Johnson and his daughter at the ball with numerous other father-daughter pairs and shows Johnson’s daughter vowing to him to live a life of purity‚ as well as her signing a pledge.”As part of the pledge‚ Hannah made her “commitment to God‚ myself‚ my family‚ my friends‚ my future husband‚ and my future children … to a lifetime of purity‚ including sexual purity.” That is a beautiful commitment‚ though one might wonder why ABC finds it newsworthy. As they come of age‚ young girls should be thinking about the future effects of their decisions for themselves and others. Such guidance could spare many women the heartbreaks and despair caused by hookup culture. Purity balls were an outgrowth of the purity movement‚ which reached national prominence in the 1990s. They were formal events where girls got to dress up and spend an evening with their dad‚ enjoying a nice meal and practicing the dance steps they typically learned for the occasion. The event was a way for fathers to be involved in their daughter’s lives and affirm their dignity and worth. This is a good thing‚ and it’s easy to see why the Johnson family would want to participate in it. What is now called “purity culture” has become something of a bogeyman‚ but it was a reaction to a sharp rise in premarital sex and its consequences (including STDs and teen pregnancies). Popular in certain streams of evangelicalism‚ what we now consider purity culture was a movement to promote a biblical ethic of sexual purity. Young adults were encouraged to wait until marriage to have sex and establish practical boundaries to help them wait. Outward commitments in the form of purity pledges or purity rings were encouraged. Even young pop stars such as Britney Spears‚ Jessica Simpson‚ Selena Gomez‚ Demi Lovato‚ the Jonas Brothers‚ and others wore purity rings at one point. Today‚ non-Christians criticize purity culture for reinforcing gender norms or for fostering shame around sex. Christians likewise can recognize harms caused by overemphasizing rules and concepts that were not biblical (such as not kissing before marriage or “courting” rather than dating). Yet‚ the problem with purity culture was not its call for Scripture to guide our sexual behavior‚ but rather the excesses of the movement‚ which placed undue burdens on people and encouraged mistaken beliefs about sex. Maybe purity balls are cringey to some. Maybe you wouldn’t make the decision to take your daughter to one. But in a culture where nearly 1 in 4 children live without a biological‚ step‚ or adoptive father at home‚ people should reconsider mocking Johnson for being an engaged dad who would take his daughter to a nice dance. Media attacks against Johnson for being an attentive father and husband have been par for the course of his speakership. Last month‚ Rolling Stone ran an article mocking Johnson for having anti-porn software installed on his phone and his son’s phone. Within days of becoming speaker‚ Johnson was criticized for being in a covenant marriage with his wife‚ Kelly‚ which makes it slightly harder to get a divorce and urges marital counseling first. These are attempts at hit pieces—but all they prove is that Johnson loves and wants the best for his family. Apparently‚ corporate media journalists expect Americans to be up in arms upon hearing of a father raising his children to be virtuous and to live with integrity. Only time will tell‚ but I believe these journalists are mistaken. Johnson is exactly the type of man we need in public life right now. Research has shown a connection between fatherlessness and poor grades‚ increased anxiety‚ violent behavior‚ drug use‚ criminality‚ and even suicide. While the American family is suffering‚ Johnson offers an inspiring example of positive male leadership. Johnson leads his family with love‚ humility‚ and strength. He doesn’t just tell his son not to look at porn—he takes preventative measures and models how to live virtuously himself. He doesn’t just talk about the harms of divorce—he commits to his wife with the strongest marriage contract available. These actions show an inspiring depth of character. The Left can continue its slanderous crusade against Johnson‚ but one thing is clear: Johnson is a good father and husband. If that is what the media wants him to be known for‚ so be it. Originally published by The Washington Stand The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post Mike Johnson Is a Good Father. The Left Hates Him for It. appeared first on The Daily Signal.

No one should trust our “mainstream media” in defining where the “center” of politics is from their perch on the left-wing fringes. No one should trust them to define who is “nonpartisan” and who is “independent.” The way they classify political actors is subtle‚ and yet blatantly unfair and unbalanced. Reporters describe the groups they like as “nonpartisan” or in ameliorative terms like “civil rights groups” to persuade low-information voters that their side of the debate is more reliable and conscientious. On Tuesday morning‚ Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed a new law allowing the state’s law-enforcement agencies to arrest migrants. NBC called it “controversial” and noted the Biden White House called it “extreme.” NBC then described Abbott’s leftist opponents: “Civil rights groups have threatened to sue.” A similar line emerged on ABC: “Immigration rights organizations say they are already preparing to file a lawsuit because this encourages racial profiling.” On Monday morning‚ taxpayer-subsidized National Public Radio’s top-of-the-hour newscast reported that voters in Chile rejected a rewrite of the nation’s constitution. A reporter explained‚ “The charter was largely drawn up by conservatives‚ and activists pointed out language they warned could threaten the already precarious access to safe abortions in Chile.” The staunch abortion backers are just “activists”? Monday’s Politico “Playbook” team touted a new “pro-ESG play.” ESG stands for “environmental‚ social‚ and governance” principles for corporations. The Left forces “woke” ESG standards on investors. Politico reported a group calling itself “Unlocking America’s Future” is launching a $10 million campaign to defend against ESG critics‚ calling them a “nonpartisan group.” Politico mentioned Zac Petkanas‚ but didn’t note he runs Petkanas Strategies LLC‚ a Democratic strategic consulting firm. He touts his stints for Hillary Clinton and Harry Reid on Twitter. It mentioned Josh Schwerin‚ but not his firm Schwerin Strategies. Likewise‚ on Twitter‚ he touts his service with Clinton‚ Terry McAuliffe‚ and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee. It mentioned Erika Gudmundson‚ and rinse and repeat: She touts working for Hillary Clinton‚ for Chelsea Clinton‚ and for the Clinton Foundation. This dishonesty underlines what I call Graham’s Law of Labeling: “The epic political battles of our time are fought between the ultraconservatives and the nonpartisans.” Maybe I’ll make T-shirts. This tactic has been going on for many years. In my first weeks as a full-time media critic in 1989‚ I researched how the nation’s leading newspapers and newsmagazines described Washington think tanks. The liberal Brookings Institution drew an ideological label just 10 times in 737 news stories (1.4%). By dramatic contrast‚ The Heritage Foundation was accurately described as “conservative” or a similar term in 217 of 370 stories (58.6%). The Los Angeles Times attached a conservative label 71 times in 79 stories (89.9%). Time magazine perfectly demonstrated the tilt in its Dec. 6‚ 1988‚ issue: “Neither [George H.W.] Bush nor the nation will risk serious damage if he ignores the recommendations of groups ranging from the archconservative Heritage Foundation to the Brookings Institution.” During the 1990 campaign‚ an article in Time magazine called Sen. Jesse Helms‚ R-N.C.‚ an “ultra-right conservative‚” but described his liberal Democrat opponent‚ Harvey Gantt‚ simply as “former Charlotte mayor.” In 2019‚ Time described presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg as “a happily married‚ devoutly Christian family man who happens to be gay.” There’s nothing wrong with accurately describing conservatives. There’s everything wrong with dressing up the leftist opposition as the “nonpartisans” who love “civil rights” and “immigrant rights.” It’s as loaded as conservatives versus the “independent fact-checkers.” Media consumers need to be aware that they can’t rely on the Old Media for truth in packaging. COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM The Daily Signal publishes a variety of perspectives. Nothing written here is to be construed as representing the views of The Heritage Foundation. Have an opinion about this article? To sound off‚ please email letters@DailySignal.com‚ and we’ll consider publishing your edited remarks in our regular “We Hear You” feature. Remember to include the URL or headline of the article plus your name and town and/or state. The post How Legacy Media Frame Debate as ‘Nonpartisans’ vs. the ‘Ultra-Right’ appeared first on The Daily Signal.

Well friends‚ our homestead and family just grew by four sweet souls! This week we welcomed home four miniature donkeys (or dinky donks as I’ve grown to call them): Winnie‚ Sugar‚ Cookie‚ and Bean Sprout. They are incredibly sweet‚ adorable‚ and silly; we love them so much already! We’ve officially caught “long ear fever”. Read along to meet our herd of mini donkeys‚ hear their adoption backstory‚ fun facts about minis‚ and why we chose to get miniature donkeys in the first place. I’ve also shared the steps we took to fix up and prepare our property and old barn for the donkeys. The last few weeks have been an absolute whirlwind getting ready for their arrival! Aaron and Sugar‚ pure joy and love. Why Mini Donkeys? Our miniature donkeys are primarily companions for us‚ but there are a few other awesome benefits of having them around too. As soon as we moved to our “new” homestead (coming up on three years ago now!) I assumed farm animals of some sort would be part of our future. Our property has a great fenced paddock area‚ weedy pasture‚ and modest old 2-stall horse barn basically ready to go. (The previous owners kept a couple horses and a goat on that 1-acre portion of the property.) Yet adopting farm animals wasn’t necessarily on the top of our priority list for the first few years here. I also wasn’t sure which farm animals would be the best fit for us. We briefly considered goats‚ but their reputation as escape artists and garden destroyers didn’t exactly get me feeling all warm and fuzzy about that idea. Alpacas are hella cute‚ but also hella expensive – and a bit moody‚ apparently. Plus‚ both goats and alpacas (or sheep) would need protection from predators.  Enter: mini donkeys! Mini donkeys are like the best combination of a dog and horse. They are sweet and affectionate like dogs‚ even smarter than horses‚ lower maintenance than horses (less expensive and less prone to health issues)‚ and easier to contain than goats – especially minis. Even better‚ they keep coyotes and other predators away! Full size donkeys can even kill coyotes‚ and minis will bite‚ kick‚ and generally deter them. They’ll also help keep our weeds down‚ and we can use their manure to make stellar compost for the garden. The herd Me and Winnie The Adoption Backstory In late November‚ I saw a couple adorable young mini donkeys on our local Facebook. I half-heartedly joked with Aaron that we should get them‚ though we definitely weren’t ready to jump into that kind of commitment on a whim. Their average lifespan is 33 years after all! BUT it did tickle my interest‚ hard. The more I looked into mini donkeys‚ the more I knew they’d be a wonderful fit for our homestead.  Serendipitously‚ I learned that there is a local rescue farm (Seein’ Spots Farm) about 45 minutes away from our house! The owner has a huge heart and takes in mini donkeys from kill pens or when owners can no longer care for them. The farm is also home to unwanted or neglected chickens‚ goats‚ horses‚ barn cats‚ old shelter dogs‚ pigs‚ bunnies‚ and a tortoise. On December 1st we went to the farm to meet some of the available donkeys. We were tentatively interested in adopting just two‚ but ended up falling in love with four (two bonded pairs): one older pair who are 15 and 16 years old‚ and one younger pair that are about 4 years old. The next few days were a total emotional rollercoaster mixed with very little sleep. Are we really doing this? Should we get all four? Perhaps just two is a better fit to start? What about the gardens‚ the cats‚ the quail…? Or going out of town? We went from wanting all four to none to deciding on just two and then back to four within about 72 hours. 🤣 But we are both SO happy with our final decision to bring home all of them.  After all‚ we have ample space‚ needed to do a TON of work to prepare our property whether it was 2 or 4‚ and (most importantly) donkeys are social herd animals and should not be alone. So while it is more mouths to feed and poop to scoop‚ we figured the more the merrier! Now if something happens to one of them‚ or if one needs to be away for some reason (like a trip to the vet)‚ then the others won’t be lonely. As sad as it sounds‚ it’s always good to prepare for the worst case scenario. The day we first met the girls at the rescue farm. Look at those sweet faces… how could we possibly choose?! Mini Donkey Facts They live a long time – up to 40 years or older! The average lifespan for a mini donkey is about 27 to 33 years. Donkeys are very social creatures. They thrive in herds and typically have one special buddy they’re most close to‚ also known as a bonded pair. So‚ it’s important for your donkey to have friends! They may also bond with a horse or other animals‚ but do love a fellow donkey around if possible. Mini donkeys are their own distinct species. Their small size is natural‚ and not a selectively bred-down version of a larger donkey (unlike most other miniatures). At the tallest‚ mini donkeys can be up to 36 inches tall or less‚ measured from the ground to their withers (or the area on where their back meets the base of their neck). Our girls range from 30 to 33 inches tall.  Mini donkeys weigh 250-350 pounds on average. Some can be more petite (our Bean Sprout is closer to 200 lbs) while others can weigh up to 450 pounds. Aaron and our shortest mini‚ Winnie. She’s only about 30 inches to her withers! Mini donkey facts continued… Donkeys are territorial and protective. Unless raised together‚ they generally don’t like dogs since they’re related to their closest natural enemy: coyotes. Full-size donkeys can and do kill coyotes‚ so they are often used by farmers as livestock guardians. Mini donkeys aren’t quite as voracious‚ but will fend off and keep coyotes away! Unlike goats‚ sheep‚ and other similar farm animals‚ mini donkeys don’t need predator protection – they are the protection! Our minis will help keep our property more safe for our chickens and cats too. Mini donkeys like to poop in piles. You can also train them to go in a particular spot by moving their manure there‚ making it extra easy for clean up and compost time! Donkey’s nap standing up‚ but lay down for a deeper sleep. They take little snoozes off and on throughout the day‚ but only sleep for about 5 hours total over 24 hours! Donkey’s originate from the deserts and savannas of North Africa‚ Egypt‚ and the Arabian Peninsula. Since they’re native to desert environments‚ their diet and metabolism is designed to subsist on little‚ dry‚ low-nutrient food. It’s important to carefully monitor your donkey’s diet‚ access to forage‚ and limit treats as they’re easily prone to getting overweight (which can lead to metabolic issues). I’ll write more detailed posts about mini donkey care in the future! Laying down to nap on their second day here – a great sign they feel comfortable and safe! Dinner time. We’re currently feeding them in a trough since that is what they’re accustomed to‚ but plan to transition to a slow feeder system soon. Meet Our Herd Our herd of mini donkeys includes Sugar‚ Cookie‚ Winnie and Bean Sprout. They are so sweet‚ beautiful‚ quiet and calm. Overall‚ they’re such good donkeys! We’d heard that female donkeys (jennets) were less rowdy than males (jacks)‚ so that’s what we were most interested in adopting‚ though we were open to a good gelded male-female pair too. We feel so blessed to have scooped up our four ladies! Sugar already knew her name‚ so we kept it as-is while we were able to re-name the others. Sugar (16) and Cookie (15) are the older bonded pair. They’re also a bit taller and larger than the younger two. Winnie and Bean Sprout are the smaller gray gals‚ and are both about 4 years old.  Winnie was surrendered by her previous owner who could no longer care for her. We’re unsure of the details‚ but she seems to be the most needy for affection and food. Bean Sprout was saved from a kill pen auction‚ so she’s the most skittish of the bunch but still very sweet and mellow. Both arrived at the rescue farm about 2 years ago‚ which gave them time to bond together and also be better trained there.  Sugar and Cookie had been at the rescue farm since they were little. They participated in the farm’s various fundraising events and open farm days‚ so they’re very well-trained and accustomed to people. It turns out Sugar even appeared on the Ellen Show as part of a feature about the farm many years ago! Check out the picture below. Though Sugar and Cookie were a beloved part of the farm for a very long time‚ the rescue owner knew it was time for them to move on to their forever home where they could live out their years with even more attention and space. It was an emotional goodbye for everyone‚ but she knew they were going to the perfect new home where they would be very well-loved and cared for.  Cookie and Sugar I’m not sure what year this was‚ but that’s Miss Sugar on the Ellen Show! Winnie (front) and Bean Sprout (back) Preparing Our Property for Mini Donkeys Though we already had a small barn and fenced horse pasture on our property‚ there was a LOT of work and modifications to be done before the donkeys came home! Much of the existing fencing was designed for horses‚ not mini donkeys‚ who can slip under or between things more easily. Plus‚ we’d just landscaped a big beautiful orchard area that we had to fence off to protect! Not to mention all the supplies we needed to get together. Thankfully the farm agreed to give us a few weeks to prepare. So‚ we made a “donkey do-list” and got to work! Barn Makeover Having an existing horse barn on our property was a huge asset. However‚ it was in pretty rough shape and needed a lot of TLC to get ready for our donkey girls. So we got to work scooping out old manure and bedding‚ pulled out and cleaned the stall mats‚ and removed rusted out water fixtures. I dusted off the cobwebs‚ sprayed down and shop-vacced the walls‚ and got it all ready to paint.  Painting the interior of the barn wasn’t totally necessary‚ but it made the space so much more bright‚ clean‚ and welcoming! Apparently equines are more likely to go into a well-lit space too‚ so that’s an added bonus. See the before and after photos below. We also replaced the leaking shut-off valves and re-routed some of the water lines for a new automatic water trough. The barn before. Ta-da! The barn after cleaning and painting. The donkeys will use the right side. The left side will be used for donkey and garden supplies storage. (That’s also where our cat Badger likes to sleep during rain.) Before. You can hardly tell there are floor stall mats under there! Plus check out the rusted-out waterer. After deep cleaning and paint. So fresh! Though it was a little more work‚ I decided to preserve and keep the nicest wood beams natural and only paint the plywood. Love the view of the oaks out the barn windows. Too bad the girls are too short to enjoy it! They’ll only come in the barn when it’s rainy though. Otherwise‚ they like to nap and sleep outside. Dragging out the old stall mats to spray down and clean. These stall mats are unbelievably heavy! Good thing we discovered these handy mat movers before we had to haul them all back in. Sugar and Cookie checking out their new digs and salt lick. We also installed a new light inside the barn (there wasn’t one before). For now‚ we’re not adding bedding on the mats because they will likely eat it‚ and will only be inside during rain (which isn’t often here). Fencing Once we decided to adopt the donks‚ coming up with a good fencing plan was one of my major sources of stress at first! We wanted to equally prioritize the donkey’s safety and happiness‚ as well as protect our garden spaces‚ keep certain areas off-limits to remain lush for wildlife‚ and still provide easy access around the property for our cats and small wild critters. Mini donkeys are best contained with heavy-duty (12 to 14 gauge) 2×4″ no-climb wire fencing‚ at least 3 to 4 feet high. Here is the fencing plan we came up with: Rather than keeping the donkeys confined to the existing paddock only‚ we wanted to give them free reign of as much space as possible – nearly an acre of the far side of the property. However‚ we also wanted to be able to close the girls into the paddock area on occasion when needed‚ so we had to add wire fencing all around it to close the large gaps. Since acorns are toxic to equine‚ we decided to fence off the densest oak areas on that side of the property. This will also protect the area that our wild California quail friends use for nesting and habitat‚ and ensure a few corners of property stay dense and wild for critters in general.  In order to ensure the cats‚ quail‚ and other small wildlife can freely move around the property‚ almost all of the new fencing we added has a 6 to 10 inch gap at the bottom above the ground. Finally‚ we installed 5 new gates at key locations for us to easily access the newly fenced areas. All in all‚ we ended up installing over 700 feet of wire no-climb fencing before the donkeys arrived! Nearly 400 feet on new t-posts around the orchard and “quail side”‚ and another 350+ around the perimeter of the paddock. The donkeys can roam in all the open space in front of the bar‚ in and alongside the paddock (the gate will remain open 99% of the time) and up a new path to the top of sandy hill. Our property is 2.7 acres‚ and the donkeys get to roam about an acre of it. Fencing T-post install day. Thank goodness for sandy soil and post drivers! Fencing off dense oaks and quail nesting habitat to the left‚ the orchard and largest oak to the right‚ with a path to the top of sandy hill up the middle. Mixing concrete and setting wood posts for the new gates My new favorite view – our (protected) new orchard on a hill with the donkeys happily grazing nearby. The existing paddock. Those horizontal gaps are too big to keep a determined mini donkey in‚ so even though we’ll leave this gate open most of the time‚ we decided to add fencing to the lower 2/3rd of the paddock. That way it’s secure and ready when we need it. The new lower orchard gate and fence line Outside the newly fenced paddock The First Week Home The donkeys are settling in very nicely in their new home! We’re spending as much time as possible outside getting to know one another‚ and I see more of their unique personalities emerge every day. In addition to all the excitement and bonding time‚ one of my favorite simple moments was when we were harvesting in the garden‚ and I looked over and could see the four of them peacefully napping in the pasture on the other side of the property. They really make our homestead feel complete! Our new daily routine consists of donkey breakfast and poo pickup first thing – we plan to build a big 3-bay compost system to help manage their manure next week. Then we come back for mid-morning brushing and cuddles‚ another afternoon visit where I’m learning how to check and pick their hooves while haltered‚ and then evening dinner time. Overall‚ mini donkeys are fairly easy keepers! First day home‚ checking out their new digs We built them a scratching post‚ but so far they prefer the barn… or us! 🙂 Excited for all this space and foraging! Donkey hugs Sugar is already a daddy’s girl All in all‚ it’s been a busy but beautiful first week. So that’s what’s new on the homestead. We’re so happy to give these sweet girls a loving forever home‚ and I hope you enjoyed learning more about them too. Be ready to see more of them in our posts to come! It’s about to be a very busy spring – we’re also getting over a dozen new baby chicks! Thank you for tuning in and helping welcome the dinky donks to the Homestead and Chill family. Please feel free to say hi or ask any questions in the comments below. You may also like: Backyard Chickens 101: What to Expect When You’re Expecting New Pollinator Orchard Garden on a Hill (Permaculture Berms Terraces)  Composting 101: What‚ Why &; How to Compost at Home How to Turn Your Yard or Garden into a Certified Wildlife Habitat Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. The post Why We Adopted Mini Donkeys: Fun Facts‚ Our Herd &; More appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

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