Barn Downspouts; Electric Fencing; Piggy Toy; Hauling Hay with My New Tractor Forks

09/20/2008 Saturday: Overcast and cool.

I didn't paint today. Instead I helped Chas put up the downspouts and while he was working on other things I pounded in t-posts and removed wire from the railroad tie. That is, I removed as much as I could given how far into the post the staples holding the wire were driven.

I got three posts driven into the ground. Chas helped me drive two of them into the ground with the post driver.

I also put up three 5 inch long insulators that can be screwed into the wood holding up the siding. We had to drill a hole first and then screw the insulator to the wall with a wood screw.

I'd have finished by now but I have a problem. The problem I'm having is that the end post supporting the barn has such heavy metal cladding on it that I can't pound a nail or staple in, nor can I drill a hole. Bit of a bummer. I'm not sure what I'll do at that end but I'm sure I'll figure something. But tomorrow.

My plan is to have a regular two wire polywire fence along the side of the barn. Where the wire meets the waterers, the polywire will go up to the screwed in long insulators, across the two waterers and then down to another t-post. I'm having difficulty attaching insulators directly to the side I want insulators. The wood is covered with some very thick metal and I can neither pound nails or staples into it, nor can I drill a hole. This makes it more of a challenge to attach hardware. I don't want to pound in a t-post there as where I want to put it are several sections of black perforated 4 inch drainfield pipe. I'm in a bit of a quandry because I want to be able to use insulators attached to both the new fence and to a gate I want to make.

I drove out near Mary's Corners to pick up a bowling ball. Someone responded to my ad for a bowling ball. I'd requested one on Chehalis Freecycle as a toy for my pigs, something to keep them occupied while they continue to gain weight for their harvest.

While I was out Chas asked me to pick up 4 downspout joiners. I also picked up two different kinds of ornamental grass, some ornamental kale and some flowers. After I finish putting in the fence by the Hereford waterers, I'll have to plant the new plants and water the flower beds and garden. I still hope it will rain tomorrow.

Mike and Mary dropped in in the morning to measure my tractor blade for the revamped forks that will fit on the blade. They also hauled off a 55 gallon drum that we have stationed under the eastern lean to on the cow barn. Mike's going to cut out the top and smooth out the cut out section. Chas wants to raise the barrel up on 2x4s or on railroad ties so that the faucet will work.

In my travels around the farm I ran over a hose and broke the end. I found that out the hard way. No water pressure because it was running out of the end when I tried to fill the sheep's new 15 gallon water trough.

Around 1pm Mike and Mary showed up again with my completed blades.

Later on I took the bale out to the Herefords. No problem with the forks except that the bale wobbled a little. I may have to put a chain around the bale to steady it.

Chas was in the house so I had to figure out how to lift the round bale feeder and roll it into position to drop over the new bale. Fortunately the cows were out grazing so they weren't there to help out with the process. I tried three methods of lifting the feeder. I attached a chain to the far edge but forgot to lift it up as I backed up so I just dragged the feeder around. Dumb me.

Then I tried lifting the feeder with the forks. I could get it almost up but the feeder kept sliding off the forks and crashing to the ground.

My final attempt worked. I turned off the tractor, walked up to the feeder, stood sideways, bent my knees and lifted the dang thing until I got it in position to roll. I rolled it over to the new bale, left it standing while I unwrapped the bale and then dropped it over the bale. Who'd have thought I could lift that sucker but I did?

I may try using a chain to lift the furthest edge from the tractor and see if there's some way I can get the ring up without having to lift it. Nothing like continuing to try the same thing but in different ways.

I called the cows but the wind was blowing toward me and they couldn't hear me. Eventually they came in for water and discovered the tasty bale of hay in their feeder. They love this hay. The bale got put out around 2:30 pm; by 6pm there was only about 2/3 left. Since they're on pasture, too, I give them a bale every three days or so. No one looks too thin so I guess I'm doing ok with the feeding.

I've been keeping track of when I use each bale to give me some sense of how fast it's being used up. The Dexters finish a 500lb bale in 7 days (3 adults and 3 babies). Number 12 has discovered he likes to get into the feeder because the best part is always just out of reach.

This morning I got the 15 gallon waterer from the jeep and set it up in the sheep's pen. Nothing is ever simple, tho'. In order to fill the trough I had to turn off the water to the hose, disconnect one end and attach another 50 feet of hose. Fortunately I'd picked up 2 hoses a week or so ago and had put one in the green barn for this eventuality. Once everything was put back together I filled the trough.

I think I'm going to pick up a 30 gallon or 50 gallon tank for the goats. It's a pita having to fill the existing tank twice a day.

I finally took the bowling ball out of my jeep and tossed it into the pig pen. My white sow played with it for a few minutes but since I'd just put dinner into their trough she was more interested in dinner than in the new toy.

Chas cooked dinner: leftover chicken breasts, rice and succotash. He used canned corn instead of frozen. The canned corn worked better with the baby lima beans than do the frozen corn kernels.

We need to check the plums tomorrow to see if they're ripe yet. If we pick some, Gary and Mary want some to eat fresh.