Lovely and sunny but not too hot. We're expecting rain this Saturday and onwards. Friday will be overcast.
Went to the feed store and the bank before work and then after work headed to do some grocery shopping.
Blanche has diarrhea this evening. I thought I might be feeding the two kids too much. Tomorrow I'll let them nurse from Violet but will not give them any more milk replacer and then only a little at night, perhaps half of what I've been feeding them. They'll not be very pleased with that set of affairs.
We had store bought boneless ribs that I cooked with a little BBQ sauce, a baked potato that I cooked whole and then cut into two, and succotash with corn Chas and I froze last fall and lima beans from the store for dinner.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
03/10/2009 Tuesday: No More Kids Escape: Another Use for a Chicken Tractor
Just below 30 degrees F. Occasional snowflakes, mostly pretty light in the morning, but who knows whether or not the temperature will rise at all today.
Chas and I put two bales into the Hereford's feeder. It should last them for 5 days. They go through about 200 lb a day.
Despite all my best efforts yesterday to block up the holes in the stock panel surrounding the goats, the little does got out again. I'd had enough.
Before I fed any of the goats (except for hay) I moved the 6' x 10' chicken tractor into the section where I'd been keeping Three. That was a struggle. But I finally got it in and put back the dog kennel where I've put in bedding for them to sleep in. I turned the entrance away from the wind so it ought to be a little warmer in the pen.
When the kids are too big to escape and when my chicks get here the end of April I'll move the chicken tractor back out and put it to its original purpose.
Then I finished feeding the sheep and goats. Violet is pretty good about letting the kids nurse - until she runs out of milk, then she stomps her feet and tries to peel the babies off her teats. That's when I slip in the bottle; the kids think it's another teat and nurse off it enthusiastically. Even Blanche has a good sucking response.
Chas and I put two bales into the Hereford's feeder. It should last them for 5 days. They go through about 200 lb a day.
Despite all my best efforts yesterday to block up the holes in the stock panel surrounding the goats, the little does got out again. I'd had enough.
Before I fed any of the goats (except for hay) I moved the 6' x 10' chicken tractor into the section where I'd been keeping Three. That was a struggle. But I finally got it in and put back the dog kennel where I've put in bedding for them to sleep in. I turned the entrance away from the wind so it ought to be a little warmer in the pen.
When the kids are too big to escape and when my chicks get here the end of April I'll move the chicken tractor back out and put it to its original purpose.
Then I finished feeding the sheep and goats. Violet is pretty good about letting the kids nurse - until she runs out of milk, then she stomps her feet and tries to peel the babies off her teats. That's when I slip in the bottle; the kids think it's another teat and nurse off it enthusiastically. Even Blanche has a good sucking response.
03/09/2009 Monday: More Snow, Kids Bottle, Calf Refuses Weaning
Snow this morning. I had to scrape the car windows before I could drive into town. Almost decided not to go in but the weather changed and the snow stopped.
I finally found a plastic bottle that will work with the screw on nipple I have to feed the goats. It's the bottom of a hot sauce bottle. Works like a champ.
I let the goats nurse on Violet until she was dry and then fed them using the bottle. The bottle holds 4 cups exactly. I split the milk between the two goats. With Violet's milk and with two cups of reconstituted lamb's milk, the doelings ought to stay fat and sassy.
The little baby goats are escape artists. I may have to lock them in the dog house after I get done feeding them. I'm tired of them escaping even though I've tried filling every hole there is with metal panels or wire. I can't believe how they can fit through the tiniest of holes. The fact that I have 5x8 inch stock panels lining the goat pen makes escape easy.
I must have forgotten to fasten all the clips on the gate from the goat pen into the fe ed area since most of the goats were having a good time jumping on the hay and generally getting into mischief when I came in to do my evening chores. I shooed them back into their pen with a few choice words.
Three is getting mostly hot water twice a day in stead of milk replacer. If I have any goat milk left, he gets it but there usually isn't any left. Even Blanche is taking the nipple easily now.
I filled up the second Hereford water tub just in case the weather stays cold all day tomorrow. I want to make sure the Herefords have enough water to drink. They do tend to drink more in the cold weather.
Sent a long email to Susie in reply to her long email. I sent her the 4th check of 5. The next check will totally pay for Pixie and Brie.
Dinner was boxed Jambalaya with shrimp and kielbasa. I wanted to add peas even though that's not traditional but I couldn't find any in the bread/vegetable freezer. They're likely right at the bottom. Might be time to do a slight rearranging of the stuff in the freezers.
I finally found a plastic bottle that will work with the screw on nipple I have to feed the goats. It's the bottom of a hot sauce bottle. Works like a champ.
I let the goats nurse on Violet until she was dry and then fed them using the bottle. The bottle holds 4 cups exactly. I split the milk between the two goats. With Violet's milk and with two cups of reconstituted lamb's milk, the doelings ought to stay fat and sassy.
The little baby goats are escape artists. I may have to lock them in the dog house after I get done feeding them. I'm tired of them escaping even though I've tried filling every hole there is with metal panels or wire. I can't believe how they can fit through the tiniest of holes. The fact that I have 5x8 inch stock panels lining the goat pen makes escape easy.
I must have forgotten to fasten all the clips on the gate from the goat pen into the fe ed area since most of the goats were having a good time jumping on the hay and generally getting into mischief when I came in to do my evening chores. I shooed them back into their pen with a few choice words.
Three is getting mostly hot water twice a day in stead of milk replacer. If I have any goat milk left, he gets it but there usually isn't any left. Even Blanche is taking the nipple easily now.
I filled up the second Hereford water tub just in case the weather stays cold all day tomorrow. I want to make sure the Herefords have enough water to drink. They do tend to drink more in the cold weather.
Sent a long email to Susie in reply to her long email. I sent her the 4th check of 5. The next check will totally pay for Pixie and Brie.
Dinner was boxed Jambalaya with shrimp and kielbasa. I wanted to add peas even though that's not traditional but I couldn't find any in the bread/vegetable freezer. They're likely right at the bottom. Might be time to do a slight rearranging of the stuff in the freezers.
03/08/2009 Sunday: More Snow, More Taxes
Snow when we woke up but only about 3/4 of an inch. It snowed more throughout the morning but the thermometer hit 39 degrees F and warmer so most of it melted and I had water again. Some sun especially in the afternoon.
Blanche and Freddy nursed Violet quite well today. I did have to supplement Freddy since Violet must have laid on her teat and expressed most of the milk out. Fortunately I'd brought a bottle down with me.
We did laundry.
I did more work on the taxes.
Dinner was ham (our pig), cauliflower and home-grown squash.
Blanche and Freddy nursed Violet quite well today. I did have to supplement Freddy since Violet must have laid on her teat and expressed most of the milk out. Fortunately I'd brought a bottle down with me.
We did laundry.
I did more work on the taxes.
Dinner was ham (our pig), cauliflower and home-grown squash.
03/07/2009 Saturday: Blanche Nurses Violet, Cleaning the Dexter Lean-to, More Gazebo Garden work
The weather is being very unpredictable today. One moment the sun is shining, the next it is either snowing, raining or hailing on us. Gotta love Pacific Northwest weather.
Good news. I've gotten Freddy eating from Violet with no problem. I decided to try Blanche and low and behold, she actually began nursing. Freddy has the right teat and Blanche the left. The right has more milk but since Blanche is not eating much it will do for now.
We'll see if Blanche nurses again tonight. I'm so glad I got her eating. I was really beginning to be afraid that she might starve to death. Later: Blanch did eat again. Violet didn't have much milk so that I tried supplementing with a bottle. She drank from the bottle, too.
I love Saturdays because I have some help with chores. Enrique and Juan helped me clean the Dexter pen for another two hours while I drove the tractor and attempted to level out the yard, stack the cleanings and keep from getting stuck in the wet clay mud. Not much fun. I had planned on two hours and we did stop on time. And just in time since it started hailing on us. As I said, I drove the tractor. It wasn't as hard as shoveling wet hay mixed with shit but it was still hard work.
Then, while Juan picked up & stacked branches in the area between the green barn and Hope Creek, Enrique and I pruned the two apple trees behind the compost bins. We almost got the two done before we were driven in by hail.
Enrique and I pruned out the dead wood on the climbing rose bush. I didn't prune it last year so it needed it badly. Susie H told me what to do. Apparently Susie was a landscape person for a few years.
In the near future I want to take up the wooden arbor and turn it 180 degrees so that it's on the path to the gazebo, not angling off to one side and canting about 15 degrees to the east.
We also pruned the red-leafed bush by the edge of the arbor back quite a bit. It was getting top heavy and drooping. We pruned the top and around the bottom. The area over there looks mighty fine now that the bushes are
We had a simple dinner that Chas cooked: clam chowder and home made bread.
Wrote an email to Susie tonight. I haven't been sending out many emails.
Good news. I've gotten Freddy eating from Violet with no problem. I decided to try Blanche and low and behold, she actually began nursing. Freddy has the right teat and Blanche the left. The right has more milk but since Blanche is not eating much it will do for now.
We'll see if Blanche nurses again tonight. I'm so glad I got her eating. I was really beginning to be afraid that she might starve to death. Later: Blanch did eat again. Violet didn't have much milk so that I tried supplementing with a bottle. She drank from the bottle, too.
I love Saturdays because I have some help with chores. Enrique and Juan helped me clean the Dexter pen for another two hours while I drove the tractor and attempted to level out the yard, stack the cleanings and keep from getting stuck in the wet clay mud. Not much fun. I had planned on two hours and we did stop on time. And just in time since it started hailing on us. As I said, I drove the tractor. It wasn't as hard as shoveling wet hay mixed with shit but it was still hard work.
Then, while Juan picked up & stacked branches in the area between the green barn and Hope Creek, Enrique and I pruned the two apple trees behind the compost bins. We almost got the two done before we were driven in by hail.
Enrique and I pruned out the dead wood on the climbing rose bush. I didn't prune it last year so it needed it badly. Susie H told me what to do. Apparently Susie was a landscape person for a few years.
In the near future I want to take up the wooden arbor and turn it 180 degrees so that it's on the path to the gazebo, not angling off to one side and canting about 15 degrees to the east.
We also pruned the red-leafed bush by the edge of the arbor back quite a bit. It was getting top heavy and drooping. We pruned the top and around the bottom. The area over there looks mighty fine now that the bushes are
We had a simple dinner that Chas cooked: clam chowder and home made bread.
Wrote an email to Susie tonight. I haven't been sending out many emails.
03/06/2009 Friday: Blanche Still Refuses Bottle
Sun in the afternoon.
Sherry came today to help out. I left for the Health Department to continue working on the County Assessment document. I added a few more variables and split up the single worksheet into one worksheet for each major set of variables. The list was getting so long it was hard to read. I confuse easily when a spreadsheet gets too complex.
In retrospect, I wonder if I shouldn't have created a database. I suppose I could create one and populate it with the existing data. Something to think about.
I asked John if he would help me move my desk facing the wall so that I could sit straight in front of my computer instead of leaning at an angle to type. Much easier on my body.
Blanche hardly ate anything this morning but she did manage to choke down some milk replacer this evening. I exposed Freddy to Violet's teats and she got the picture practically immediately. I love the way the kids grunt when they nurse. And, boy, if you try to take the nipple away from them they really complain.
When I got home from work Chas and I loaded a round bale into the Dexter feeder.
Dinner was chimichungas smothered in salsa and grated cheese and baked for 3/4 of an hour. They could have used a whole hour.
Sherry came today to help out. I left for the Health Department to continue working on the County Assessment document. I added a few more variables and split up the single worksheet into one worksheet for each major set of variables. The list was getting so long it was hard to read. I confuse easily when a spreadsheet gets too complex.
In retrospect, I wonder if I shouldn't have created a database. I suppose I could create one and populate it with the existing data. Something to think about.
I asked John if he would help me move my desk facing the wall so that I could sit straight in front of my computer instead of leaning at an angle to type. Much easier on my body.
Blanche hardly ate anything this morning but she did manage to choke down some milk replacer this evening. I exposed Freddy to Violet's teats and she got the picture practically immediately. I love the way the kids grunt when they nurse. And, boy, if you try to take the nipple away from them they really complain.
When I got home from work Chas and I loaded a round bale into the Dexter feeder.
Dinner was chimichungas smothered in salsa and grated cheese and baked for 3/4 of an hour. They could have used a whole hour.
03/05/2009 Thursday: Dexters Pay for Making a Mess
I was getting concerned that Blanche wasn't eating so I tried feeding it to her warmed up. She did drink about 2/3 of a cup by herself which is pretty good since most of the other feedings she'd just take a gulp now and then when the milk built up in her mouth. So, maybe by tonight she'll be drinking most of her ration.
Those little buggers are escape artists. They like to go into the goat pen with the other goats. The other goats pretty much ignore them. I've got a nice warm bed made up for them in the dog carrier. They sleep in it at night but stay with the big goats the rest of the time.
Sherry wasn't feeling well today so she stayed home. She'll be by tomorrow to help out.
I pitchforked the hay the Dexters knocked down into the feeder. At first they turned their noses up at it (ick, someone stepped on this hay) but I think they must have realized that they weren't going to get any more hay so they started eating but with lots of sniffs and head shaking. I got most of it picked up off the floor but there's at least one bale that's broken that I'll fork in tonight. Then things will pretty much be back the way they were except that I will have to have the guys move more square bales into that pen. Those Dexters are so smart.
Tomorrow I'll put in another square bale to get them through the day and will ask Chas if he'll help me put in a round bale.
The Herefords will need more hay this afternoon. Around 3:30 pm Chas and I put in two new bales of hay. I had to dig out the mucked up hay some outside their feeder so that we could push the feeder into its open position. The cows were very happy.
I need to sell some of the young bulls and the Milking Shorthorn steers before too much longer. This is the time of the year when folks want to buy. I'm pretty sure I can catch the Shorthorns but will have to figure out what to do with the crosses. I still need to steer them and they're getting big.
The little Saanan doeling, Blanche, refused to drink again this evening although I did get some down her. I'm going to try the black nipples but may end up tubing her to keep her strength up.
I'm going to give Freddy more milk since she seems to need more. I might try milking some real goat milk into her portion so that she gets more.
I worked on the taxes all day.
Dinner was hot noodles with broccoli, onions, shrimp, mushrooms and a little bit of bok choi. I made fewer noodles because this made a lot of food. Chas will have some left for lunch tomorrow.
Those little buggers are escape artists. They like to go into the goat pen with the other goats. The other goats pretty much ignore them. I've got a nice warm bed made up for them in the dog carrier. They sleep in it at night but stay with the big goats the rest of the time.
Sherry wasn't feeling well today so she stayed home. She'll be by tomorrow to help out.
I pitchforked the hay the Dexters knocked down into the feeder. At first they turned their noses up at it (ick, someone stepped on this hay) but I think they must have realized that they weren't going to get any more hay so they started eating but with lots of sniffs and head shaking. I got most of it picked up off the floor but there's at least one bale that's broken that I'll fork in tonight. Then things will pretty much be back the way they were except that I will have to have the guys move more square bales into that pen. Those Dexters are so smart.
Tomorrow I'll put in another square bale to get them through the day and will ask Chas if he'll help me put in a round bale.
The Herefords will need more hay this afternoon. Around 3:30 pm Chas and I put in two new bales of hay. I had to dig out the mucked up hay some outside their feeder so that we could push the feeder into its open position. The cows were very happy.
I need to sell some of the young bulls and the Milking Shorthorn steers before too much longer. This is the time of the year when folks want to buy. I'm pretty sure I can catch the Shorthorns but will have to figure out what to do with the crosses. I still need to steer them and they're getting big.
The little Saanan doeling, Blanche, refused to drink again this evening although I did get some down her. I'm going to try the black nipples but may end up tubing her to keep her strength up.
I'm going to give Freddy more milk since she seems to need more. I might try milking some real goat milk into her portion so that she gets more.
I worked on the taxes all day.
Dinner was hot noodles with broccoli, onions, shrimp, mushrooms and a little bit of bok choi. I made fewer noodles because this made a lot of food. Chas will have some left for lunch tomorrow.
03/04/2009 Wednesday: A Feed Store Sale, Friends of the Library Meeting
Sun off and on all day intermixed with a few sprinkles.
I spent four hours at the Health Department making progress on collecting data.
Today was the beginning of Del's Farm Store sale on various grains. Just as I was finishing paying for my order who should appear but Danette and Joe. We visited for awhile talking about castrating goats and related topics. I may buy a buck from Danette if any of her does have a buck. I need to replace the buck I currently have since he's breeding his half sisters and mother. This close a breeding is not something I normally do but I was not able to find a buck I wanted in the fall.
I got home and did evening chores and put on the bread that Chas started. I also got dinner ready and just as I was sitting down to relax remembered that tonight was my Friends of the Library monthly meeting.
I changed clothes again for the fourth time and drove into town for the meeting. I was only about 10 minutes late.
The little Saanan is still fighting me. I took Danette's suggestion and tried covering her eyes. She still hasn't made the connection between sucking on the bottle and getting full. Still, I did wrestle about half a cup into her.
I found out that Freddy was born February 19, 2008.
I ate dinner when I got back at 7:30pm. Chas had eaten his earlier and put my portion on a plate to be reheated in the microwave when I returned.
I spent four hours at the Health Department making progress on collecting data.
Today was the beginning of Del's Farm Store sale on various grains. Just as I was finishing paying for my order who should appear but Danette and Joe. We visited for awhile talking about castrating goats and related topics. I may buy a buck from Danette if any of her does have a buck. I need to replace the buck I currently have since he's breeding his half sisters and mother. This close a breeding is not something I normally do but I was not able to find a buck I wanted in the fall.
I got home and did evening chores and put on the bread that Chas started. I also got dinner ready and just as I was sitting down to relax remembered that tonight was my Friends of the Library monthly meeting.
I changed clothes again for the fourth time and drove into town for the meeting. I was only about 10 minutes late.
The little Saanan is still fighting me. I took Danette's suggestion and tried covering her eyes. She still hasn't made the connection between sucking on the bottle and getting full. Still, I did wrestle about half a cup into her.
I found out that Freddy was born February 19, 2008.
I ate dinner when I got back at 7:30pm. Chas had eaten his earlier and put my portion on a plate to be reheated in the microwave when I returned.
03/03/2009 Tuesday: A Visit to Blue Rose Goat Ranch (Winlock), New Boer Cross Kids, Ordering Range Rover Chickens
Really nice all day
Took off for the Blue Rose Goat Ranch in Winlock and spent a couple of hours buying kids and looking around the farm. They work hard to keep it up. The goats, all 120 of them plus kids, have lots of space in the barn which is divided up into large pens with stock panels.
I picked up two goats. Both are Boer crosses I think, but judging by the goats they should be plenty milky for me. I'll have to take a better look at their ears. If they're floppy they have Boer in them. One is a Saanan cross and one is an Alpine cross. The Saanan I've named Blanchetta (Blanche for short) and the Alpine I call Alfreda (Freddy for short). Each was $25.00.
I think they're at least a week old. Blanche will be larger than a regular Boer but not as large as a Saanan. Freddy will be slightly larger than a Boer.
On the way home I stopped and picked up some Lamb milk replacer at the Farm Store. The instructions were torn off the back of the container. I called the Farm Store and had them give me the instructions from another bag.
The instructions say to use 1 scoop (comes with the bag) per 4 cups of water. Put in hot water, sprinkle the milk replacer on top and mix well with a whisk. Then add cold water to make four cups. It's better to feed the kids cold milk replacer. It's less likely to give them scours. Each kid gets 2 cups morning and night. I'll be starting them on grain pretty soon.
Blanche did not drink much of the milk replacer but Freddy gulped it down and begged for more. She got a sip more. Blanche will no doubt be very hungry this morning.
I have them where I put Three (calf) before I moved him to the middle stall in the cow barn. The stock panel has 5" x 8" holes. After I fed them the first thing the kids did was to walk out into the pen with the rest of the goats who fortunately ignored them. Violet seemed quite taken with the babies.
Our mail delivery person stopped by the house to give us our mail. I wrangled her into staying for a bathroom break and gave her a pop. I also gave her a very late Christmas present. She gives such great service and is so friendly.
After dinner I ordered 25 chicks, a mixture of red, yellow and tri-colored French Colored Range Rovers (colored Range chicks) from JM Hatchery (www.jmhatchery.com/ ). I plan to put them into the chicken tractor once they're old enough to go out. I'll need to get a pen made in the loom room and locate the waterers and feeders. I also need to get some chick starter and see if I can locate my QuitPick anti-pecking solution in case any of the chicks start picking on one of the other chicks. I wanted to order Muscovy ducklings but just can't justify buying 20 or 25.
Maybe my Muscovy hens will lay eggs this year. They should be just about old enough. They're already starting breeding behavior but the males don't seem to know what to do after the hen crouches for them. It's always humorous to see the expression. Well, I've got her down, now what do I do with her? I expect the mating will come later this spring.
I also ordered some things from Caprine Supply. My Pritchard nipple is really old had been nibbled on by a mouse so I ordered two of them, plus 3 adult collars, an automatic waterer nipple so that I'm not constantly filling up water buckets (although I will have to do so in the winter time), number tags (11-20) and a package of Kid ID Neck Bands, 20 to a package.
Took off for the Blue Rose Goat Ranch in Winlock and spent a couple of hours buying kids and looking around the farm. They work hard to keep it up. The goats, all 120 of them plus kids, have lots of space in the barn which is divided up into large pens with stock panels.
I picked up two goats. Both are Boer crosses I think, but judging by the goats they should be plenty milky for me. I'll have to take a better look at their ears. If they're floppy they have Boer in them. One is a Saanan cross and one is an Alpine cross. The Saanan I've named Blanchetta (Blanche for short) and the Alpine I call Alfreda (Freddy for short). Each was $25.00.
I think they're at least a week old. Blanche will be larger than a regular Boer but not as large as a Saanan. Freddy will be slightly larger than a Boer.
On the way home I stopped and picked up some Lamb milk replacer at the Farm Store. The instructions were torn off the back of the container. I called the Farm Store and had them give me the instructions from another bag.
The instructions say to use 1 scoop (comes with the bag) per 4 cups of water. Put in hot water, sprinkle the milk replacer on top and mix well with a whisk. Then add cold water to make four cups. It's better to feed the kids cold milk replacer. It's less likely to give them scours. Each kid gets 2 cups morning and night. I'll be starting them on grain pretty soon.
Blanche did not drink much of the milk replacer but Freddy gulped it down and begged for more. She got a sip more. Blanche will no doubt be very hungry this morning.
I have them where I put Three (calf) before I moved him to the middle stall in the cow barn. The stock panel has 5" x 8" holes. After I fed them the first thing the kids did was to walk out into the pen with the rest of the goats who fortunately ignored them. Violet seemed quite taken with the babies.
Our mail delivery person stopped by the house to give us our mail. I wrangled her into staying for a bathroom break and gave her a pop. I also gave her a very late Christmas present. She gives such great service and is so friendly.
After dinner I ordered 25 chicks, a mixture of red, yellow and tri-colored French Colored Range Rovers (colored Range chicks) from JM Hatchery (www.jmhatchery.com/ ). I plan to put them into the chicken tractor once they're old enough to go out. I'll need to get a pen made in the loom room and locate the waterers and feeders. I also need to get some chick starter and see if I can locate my QuitPick anti-pecking solution in case any of the chicks start picking on one of the other chicks. I wanted to order Muscovy ducklings but just can't justify buying 20 or 25.
Maybe my Muscovy hens will lay eggs this year. They should be just about old enough. They're already starting breeding behavior but the males don't seem to know what to do after the hen crouches for them. It's always humorous to see the expression. Well, I've got her down, now what do I do with her? I expect the mating will come later this spring.
I also ordered some things from Caprine Supply. My Pritchard nipple is really old had been nibbled on by a mouse so I ordered two of them, plus 3 adult collars, an automatic waterer nipple so that I'm not constantly filling up water buckets (although I will have to do so in the winter time), number tags (11-20) and a package of Kid ID Neck Bands, 20 to a package.
03/02/2009 Monday: Oh No, An Unbred Cow (Cally)
03/02/2009 Monday: It was positively warm this morning, something I like to see. In Chehalis the sun was shining. Where we live it was raining. On my way home from LCHD I could see the clouds gathering. By the time I got to our home it was not only raining like a son of a gun but the gusts almost pushed me off the road.
I was not happy when I went to do chores this morning. Juan had left the Dexter's door unlatched and five of the cows got in and pulled all the hay I had stacked up onto the floor and proceeded to piss and poop on it. I scooted them out and locked the gate. I did yell, some.
This is the second time that Juan has caused me to lose money but even more important he's cost me time. All the scattered hay has to be picked up and the bad parts separated. Anything worth eating will be put in the Dexter's feeder when they empty their feeder of the round bale Chas and I put in Saturday.
Re: work on the Lewis County HD project. I'm really moving on making links to the data I've collected and filling in some new variables. I might actually end up getting most of them listed in BRFSS plus a few more.
On the way home I drove over to Del's Feed Store to buy all-purpose feed, some milk replacer and some cracked corn for the chickens. The woman who helped me suggested that if I could wait to come in on Wednesday when all feed would be on sale for 15% off. I decided to wait.
So, when I got home this evening after working Charles mentioned that the little bull calves were trying to mount one of the cows. That means one of my cows either lost her baby or didn't get bred. One of them might get her but I think she might have to be turned into steaks. A cow that doesn't get bred when exposed to the bull may or may not be given a second chance.
Cally (I think that's her name) appears to be in heat. When I got home I sprayed her with orange paint and took pictures of her so that I can take a closer look at her tomorrow. It was hard to do because the baby bulls kept getting in the way. She should be out of heat tomorrow and I'll take another set of pictures if I don't get rained out.
Plus, it looks like she has an abscess on her left shoulder.
I grabbed my camera and an orange spray can and took pictures of her and sprayed her so I'd be able to identify her tomorrow. She's clearly given birth but I can't remember what her name is. I think it's Cally because of the hole in her right ear.
I was not happy when I went to do chores this morning. Juan had left the Dexter's door unlatched and five of the cows got in and pulled all the hay I had stacked up onto the floor and proceeded to piss and poop on it. I scooted them out and locked the gate. I did yell, some.
This is the second time that Juan has caused me to lose money but even more important he's cost me time. All the scattered hay has to be picked up and the bad parts separated. Anything worth eating will be put in the Dexter's feeder when they empty their feeder of the round bale Chas and I put in Saturday.
Re: work on the Lewis County HD project. I'm really moving on making links to the data I've collected and filling in some new variables. I might actually end up getting most of them listed in BRFSS plus a few more.
On the way home I drove over to Del's Feed Store to buy all-purpose feed, some milk replacer and some cracked corn for the chickens. The woman who helped me suggested that if I could wait to come in on Wednesday when all feed would be on sale for 15% off. I decided to wait.
So, when I got home this evening after working Charles mentioned that the little bull calves were trying to mount one of the cows. That means one of my cows either lost her baby or didn't get bred. One of them might get her but I think she might have to be turned into steaks. A cow that doesn't get bred when exposed to the bull may or may not be given a second chance.
Cally (I think that's her name) appears to be in heat. When I got home I sprayed her with orange paint and took pictures of her so that I can take a closer look at her tomorrow. It was hard to do because the baby bulls kept getting in the way. She should be out of heat tomorrow and I'll take another set of pictures if I don't get rained out.
Plus, it looks like she has an abscess on her left shoulder.
I grabbed my camera and an orange spray can and took pictures of her and sprayed her so I'd be able to identify her tomorrow. She's clearly given birth but I can't remember what her name is. I think it's Cally because of the hole in her right ear.
03/01/2009 Sunday: Visit from Mary H, Possible Basement Restoration?
Overcast and light rain off and on. It was lovely to wake up to 40 degrees F. No frozen hoses and not water buckets to kick.
Chas and I put in two more round bales of hay into the Hereford feeder. There was almost no hay left; the cows were quite anxious to get their hay when we put it in.
Chas worked some more on the harrow that he's making from a large gauge screen, two chains and a railroad tie. He's attached the chains with large spikes.
Although I called Mary H to tell her not to come by because I was so tired, she didn't listen to her messages and showed up. She brought over the first Dexter feeder and wanted to know if it was the right height. It definitely was. We unloaded it. I'll put the feeder in when I get the other one that Mike is also making for me.
Mary also brought along her rug cleaner and directions, and soap. I need to clean under the rug where the cat peed. There was never any smell because he'd been neutered but just brown spots. I'm hoping the rug cleaner will take up most of the spots. We plan to put down another rug over top like we have now but it will be a different rug. This rug has a fold in the middle where Chas pushes against it with his feet when he sits in his chair to watch TV. Now it won't lie flat. I think I'll put it in the basement after I get the basement cleaned up.
Mary and I talked about possibly getting in a crew to help me clean up the basement for a couple of hours. Sounds like a good idea. Then I wouldn't have to live in such chaos.
I made stew for dinner. It was pretty good. Hard to beat home raised beef with potatoes and carrots. Plus I made dumplings.
Chas and I put in two more round bales of hay into the Hereford feeder. There was almost no hay left; the cows were quite anxious to get their hay when we put it in.
Chas worked some more on the harrow that he's making from a large gauge screen, two chains and a railroad tie. He's attached the chains with large spikes.
Although I called Mary H to tell her not to come by because I was so tired, she didn't listen to her messages and showed up. She brought over the first Dexter feeder and wanted to know if it was the right height. It definitely was. We unloaded it. I'll put the feeder in when I get the other one that Mike is also making for me.
Mary also brought along her rug cleaner and directions, and soap. I need to clean under the rug where the cat peed. There was never any smell because he'd been neutered but just brown spots. I'm hoping the rug cleaner will take up most of the spots. We plan to put down another rug over top like we have now but it will be a different rug. This rug has a fold in the middle where Chas pushes against it with his feet when he sits in his chair to watch TV. Now it won't lie flat. I think I'll put it in the basement after I get the basement cleaned up.
Mary and I talked about possibly getting in a crew to help me clean up the basement for a couple of hours. Sounds like a good idea. Then I wouldn't have to live in such chaos.
I made stew for dinner. It was pretty good. Hard to beat home raised beef with potatoes and carrots. Plus I made dumplings.
02/28/2009 Saturday: Neutering Three (Bull Calf); Removing Wild Cherry Trees from Gazebo Garden, Barn Cleaning
02/28/2009 Saturday: Overcast and only a few sprinkles.
Another busy Saturday around the farm.
Enrique and Juan drove down from Lacey and arrived here around 8:15am. I asked them to move 8 bales of hay and two bags of feed over to the green barn. The hay should last me more than two weeks and the feed only about a week and a half. They put a pallet on the forks and piled all 8 bales of hay and the feed onto the pallet and drove it over to the green barn and unloaded it for me. So nice not to have to do that myself.
Charles and I put in another bale of hay in the Dexter pen and tomorrow we'll have to put two more in the Hereford pen.
I had them cut down the copse of wild cherry at the south east corner of the gazebo garden and also some branches at the more southern end of that fenceline. Each time they work they cut back the undergrowth so that the farm looks more open. I keep thinking we'll get done with all the work but it doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon.
When Gabe showed up at 10am the four of us went into the Dexter pen with the tractor and box scraper. We began leveling the ground out about 20 feet away from the lean to where it makes a rise. If you don't level the ground ahead of time when you try to use the box scraper it just digs a big hole near the barn as the front of the tractor rises to get over the hump.
I moved hay out of the lean to for awhile and then drove the tractor. After awhile it became clear that trying to move the hay with the box scraper just wouldn't work. Instead we piled the already loosened hay and muck into the bucket and I hauled it over to the new compost heap to dump.
We got quite a bit cleaned out of the barn but not quite all of it. I guess we worked about 2 hours. I estimate we have another 3 or 4 hours to go before we get it thoroughly cleaned of hay and muck.
After we had lunch (sandwiches) we headed for the green barn with a halter and my castrating equipment. I put the lead on the calf and we dragged him over to the nearest tree. Juan held the rope where it was looped around the tree, Enrique held his shoulders and Gabe held his tail up in the air so that Three couldn't kick.
I kept dropping the band out of the catch in the castrator. You basically hold the castrator in your left hand, wrap your left fingers around the testicles and use your right hand to snug up the band. I was having trouble wrapping my hand around the testicles so that I could hold them while I fastened the band. I finally got it on much to everyone's relief.
After that we went back to the green barn for 20 minutes to do a bit more cleaning and to bring out the tractor and pitch forks.
While I was preparing lunch the bull rubbed against the left light and loosened it. I think Chas can put it back in place.
While we were working on the barn Chas was assembling my field harrow/scraper. He's attached the chains to the railroad tie that sits on the screen with very large nails that he then folded over the chain to lock it into place.
Another busy Saturday around the farm.
Enrique and Juan drove down from Lacey and arrived here around 8:15am. I asked them to move 8 bales of hay and two bags of feed over to the green barn. The hay should last me more than two weeks and the feed only about a week and a half. They put a pallet on the forks and piled all 8 bales of hay and the feed onto the pallet and drove it over to the green barn and unloaded it for me. So nice not to have to do that myself.
Charles and I put in another bale of hay in the Dexter pen and tomorrow we'll have to put two more in the Hereford pen.
I had them cut down the copse of wild cherry at the south east corner of the gazebo garden and also some branches at the more southern end of that fenceline. Each time they work they cut back the undergrowth so that the farm looks more open. I keep thinking we'll get done with all the work but it doesn't look like it will happen anytime soon.
When Gabe showed up at 10am the four of us went into the Dexter pen with the tractor and box scraper. We began leveling the ground out about 20 feet away from the lean to where it makes a rise. If you don't level the ground ahead of time when you try to use the box scraper it just digs a big hole near the barn as the front of the tractor rises to get over the hump.
I moved hay out of the lean to for awhile and then drove the tractor. After awhile it became clear that trying to move the hay with the box scraper just wouldn't work. Instead we piled the already loosened hay and muck into the bucket and I hauled it over to the new compost heap to dump.
We got quite a bit cleaned out of the barn but not quite all of it. I guess we worked about 2 hours. I estimate we have another 3 or 4 hours to go before we get it thoroughly cleaned of hay and muck.
After we had lunch (sandwiches) we headed for the green barn with a halter and my castrating equipment. I put the lead on the calf and we dragged him over to the nearest tree. Juan held the rope where it was looped around the tree, Enrique held his shoulders and Gabe held his tail up in the air so that Three couldn't kick.
I kept dropping the band out of the catch in the castrator. You basically hold the castrator in your left hand, wrap your left fingers around the testicles and use your right hand to snug up the band. I was having trouble wrapping my hand around the testicles so that I could hold them while I fastened the band. I finally got it on much to everyone's relief.
After that we went back to the green barn for 20 minutes to do a bit more cleaning and to bring out the tractor and pitch forks.
While I was preparing lunch the bull rubbed against the left light and loosened it. I think Chas can put it back in place.
While we were working on the barn Chas was assembling my field harrow/scraper. He's attached the chains to the railroad tie that sits on the screen with very large nails that he then folded over the chain to lock it into place.
02/27/2009 Friday: Finding a Home for an Old Oil Tank, Still No Bid on the Water/Electricity Installation
Cool and cloudy till the sun came out. Then it was beautiful.
Today was a work day at the Health Department.
After work I got new plates and tabs for the utility trailer that I bought from Faye last May. The Licensing Bureau was in the County Building right across the street from the Health Department.We weren't using it but I've been thinking about how useful it would be for hauling manure and gravel.
On the way home I stopped to pick up some cat and dog food. I hate running out.
While I was at work, Chas had an exciting day. Mike H and Gary N came by to pick up the oil tank we'd discussed at the meeting. There were four people helping. Charles R showed up and he helped load the tank onto Gary's pickup. Since the tank was missing a leg I assume that Mike was there to weld on another leg and to help Gary check the tank for leaks or rust. The tank looked like it was in pretty good shape. It was definitely too good to scrap.
Mike brought back the ultrasound cleaner. Rich took it over to Jon O. He's having a crew come in and he'll use it to clean up some of the tools that got mud-infested in the 2007 flood.
Sharon and Charles visited with Chas and enjoyed some coffee with him for about an hour.
Just after Chas had settled in to eat lunch, Pat came by. Pat is the guy we're talking to about installing a water system to our various barns and to also run electricity out to all the buildings through the same trench. We'll have at least five hydrants installed. The trench will have to be extended to the potting shed and to the chicken house. I guess Pat will give us a bid next week. It sure would be nice to have water and power in the outbuildings. Then I shouldn't have to worry about frozen hoses like I do now.
Dinner was hot noodles. Chas was kind enough to prepare some of the vegetables while I cut up the roasts I bought. I bought about 10 pounds of beef in two roasts two days ago when I went grocery shopping. I cut one up into roasts that I can recut into steaks if I prefer steaks. The other I cut into steaks and a couple of roasts. Much easier to buy large chunks and cut them up into the cuts I want. I expect I will have to use my beef tenderizer with the steaks. The meat in the hot noodles was a little tough.
Tomorrow the guys come to help out. I think it will be Dexter pen cleaning time. The poor cows are up to their udders in mud. I also want to castrate Three, my milking shorthorn bull I've been bottle feeding. It's time to wean him.
Today was a work day at the Health Department.
After work I got new plates and tabs for the utility trailer that I bought from Faye last May. The Licensing Bureau was in the County Building right across the street from the Health Department.We weren't using it but I've been thinking about how useful it would be for hauling manure and gravel.
On the way home I stopped to pick up some cat and dog food. I hate running out.
While I was at work, Chas had an exciting day. Mike H and Gary N came by to pick up the oil tank we'd discussed at the meeting. There were four people helping. Charles R showed up and he helped load the tank onto Gary's pickup. Since the tank was missing a leg I assume that Mike was there to weld on another leg and to help Gary check the tank for leaks or rust. The tank looked like it was in pretty good shape. It was definitely too good to scrap.
Mike brought back the ultrasound cleaner. Rich took it over to Jon O. He's having a crew come in and he'll use it to clean up some of the tools that got mud-infested in the 2007 flood.
Sharon and Charles visited with Chas and enjoyed some coffee with him for about an hour.
Just after Chas had settled in to eat lunch, Pat came by. Pat is the guy we're talking to about installing a water system to our various barns and to also run electricity out to all the buildings through the same trench. We'll have at least five hydrants installed. The trench will have to be extended to the potting shed and to the chicken house. I guess Pat will give us a bid next week. It sure would be nice to have water and power in the outbuildings. Then I shouldn't have to worry about frozen hoses like I do now.
Dinner was hot noodles. Chas was kind enough to prepare some of the vegetables while I cut up the roasts I bought. I bought about 10 pounds of beef in two roasts two days ago when I went grocery shopping. I cut one up into roasts that I can recut into steaks if I prefer steaks. The other I cut into steaks and a couple of roasts. Much easier to buy large chunks and cut them up into the cuts I want. I expect I will have to use my beef tenderizer with the steaks. The meat in the hot noodles was a little tough.
Tomorrow the guys come to help out. I think it will be Dexter pen cleaning time. The poor cows are up to their udders in mud. I also want to castrate Three, my milking shorthorn bull I've been bottle feeding. It's time to wean him.
02/26/2009 Thursday: Snow, Orthodontist Tortures Me
When I woke up we had over an inch of snow on the ground. The air was damp and chilly. Not a fun morning to do chores.
Chas and I went into town. I had to have my car serviced at the Campbell Chrysler service center. The cashier told me that I could get coupons for oil changing, etc by going to their Web site: www.campbellchrysler.com.
We dropped off the car at Campbells and Chas drove me to the Orthodontist where they opened up my brackets and removed my band so that they could redo a bracket that was slightly out of whack. Once that was done and the glue had hardened (using light to cure the glue), they put the lower band back in. I asked if they would trim the upper band because it was hurting my mouth. It was just long enough that the end on the left side would cut into my cheek. Sometimes it would hook the skin and I'd have to carefully unhook it.
My teeth were a little tender last night but should feel better tomorrow.
When we got home I did chores and we got ready to head for the Dryad Fire Station for a 6pm meeting to discuss what the Commissioners and Engineering Department wanted to do about the two bridges they were thinking of putting in, one at Leudinghaus & Mesker and the second at Chandler Road. The Leudinghaus bridge would be much cheaper to build but most of the people voted for the Chandler Road bridge. The Chandler Road bridge is twice as expensive as the Leudinghaus Road bridge.
The sticking point is that FEMA who will (may) supply some of the money wants us to build the bridge to the 1922 standards which would put the bridge under three feet of water in a 100 year flood. (We had a 500 year flood in 2007 that took out 3 bridges). The county wants to put in a bridge to current standards for building bridges. Where we'll get the money is a real problem. Lewis County is very poor.
On a positive side, we did get to meet with Gary and Mary N, and Mike and Mary H as well as some of our other friends. Mike had told Gary that we had a large oil tank that we weren't using. Gary wanted to know if we'd part with it. I just gave it to Gary even though it was probably worth some money. It will come back to me somehow in the future. That's the way it is in the country. If you have something and don't need it and someone else needs it, he or she gets it.
Gary told me that Mike's welder is burned out. Mike confirmed that. Mike did tell me that he'd made one of the two feeders I asked him to make me for me to use to feed my Dexters before his welder gave up the ghost. He says the feeder he finished is hell for stout. He tested its stability by standing on one side. It didn't tip over. I'm going to be very happy when I get it/them. It will be much easier to feed the Dexters some grain with a couple of good feeders.
When we got home I quickly heated up some leftover Hollywood Hash and had that for dinner.
Chas and I went into town. I had to have my car serviced at the Campbell Chrysler service center. The cashier told me that I could get coupons for oil changing, etc by going to their Web site: www.campbellchrysler.com.
We dropped off the car at Campbells and Chas drove me to the Orthodontist where they opened up my brackets and removed my band so that they could redo a bracket that was slightly out of whack. Once that was done and the glue had hardened (using light to cure the glue), they put the lower band back in. I asked if they would trim the upper band because it was hurting my mouth. It was just long enough that the end on the left side would cut into my cheek. Sometimes it would hook the skin and I'd have to carefully unhook it.
My teeth were a little tender last night but should feel better tomorrow.
When we got home I did chores and we got ready to head for the Dryad Fire Station for a 6pm meeting to discuss what the Commissioners and Engineering Department wanted to do about the two bridges they were thinking of putting in, one at Leudinghaus & Mesker and the second at Chandler Road. The Leudinghaus bridge would be much cheaper to build but most of the people voted for the Chandler Road bridge. The Chandler Road bridge is twice as expensive as the Leudinghaus Road bridge.
The sticking point is that FEMA who will (may) supply some of the money wants us to build the bridge to the 1922 standards which would put the bridge under three feet of water in a 100 year flood. (We had a 500 year flood in 2007 that took out 3 bridges). The county wants to put in a bridge to current standards for building bridges. Where we'll get the money is a real problem. Lewis County is very poor.
On a positive side, we did get to meet with Gary and Mary N, and Mike and Mary H as well as some of our other friends. Mike had told Gary that we had a large oil tank that we weren't using. Gary wanted to know if we'd part with it. I just gave it to Gary even though it was probably worth some money. It will come back to me somehow in the future. That's the way it is in the country. If you have something and don't need it and someone else needs it, he or she gets it.
Gary told me that Mike's welder is burned out. Mike confirmed that. Mike did tell me that he'd made one of the two feeders I asked him to make me for me to use to feed my Dexters before his welder gave up the ghost. He says the feeder he finished is hell for stout. He tested its stability by standing on one side. It didn't tip over. I'm going to be very happy when I get it/them. It will be much easier to feed the Dexters some grain with a couple of good feeders.
When we got home I quickly heated up some leftover Hollywood Hash and had that for dinner.
02/25/2009 Wednesday: Visit to Del's Feed Store, Preparing for the Orthodontist Tomorrow
Rainy all day. And it even snowed some on the way home from my shopping trip after working at the Health Department.
Pretty much a standard day at the Health Department. I added some additional variables and located references to support the data. They'll be looking around for a new project or two for me in a few more work days. I'm getting close to being done with this project.
I should look at Clark County, WA, and at other counties format for presenting their ideas for ideas for the Lewis County Health Department.
After work I went shopping at Del's Feed Store and then on to do some grocery shopping at Shop n Kart.
At Dels I purchased two bags of alfalfa cubes and four bags of alfalfa pellets as well as a hoof rot spray that can be used for mites and for other skin problems such as ring worm. Just a precaution.
I cooked the bread dough that Chas started yesterday. For some reason tonight it stuck to the pot. I may have to season the pot or use spray on the bottom before putting in the dough.
Chas picked up the H&R Block Farm Tax Record Book for me. I'll incorporate what I need from it into the Excel tax template and begin using it this year. I think I already have much of the information from the Extension document that I was working from. This will just be a check to make sure I have everything I need to do my taxes properly.
Tomorrow I go to the Orthodontist to have some brackets removed and re-sited. I want them to replace the band that caused me so much trouble over December and also the band that goes across my upper teeth. It's just a fraction too big and keeps rubbing my cheek raw.
Charles cooked Hollywood Hash made with sauteed hamburger, peas, spaghetti noodles and tomato soup and baked. I think there might be some cheese in the recipe but this is Chas's specialty and I haven't actually seen the recipe. It's dang good, tho'.
Pretty much a standard day at the Health Department. I added some additional variables and located references to support the data. They'll be looking around for a new project or two for me in a few more work days. I'm getting close to being done with this project.
I should look at Clark County, WA, and at other counties format for presenting their ideas for ideas for the Lewis County Health Department.
After work I went shopping at Del's Feed Store and then on to do some grocery shopping at Shop n Kart.
At Dels I purchased two bags of alfalfa cubes and four bags of alfalfa pellets as well as a hoof rot spray that can be used for mites and for other skin problems such as ring worm. Just a precaution.
I cooked the bread dough that Chas started yesterday. For some reason tonight it stuck to the pot. I may have to season the pot or use spray on the bottom before putting in the dough.
Chas picked up the H&R Block Farm Tax Record Book for me. I'll incorporate what I need from it into the Excel tax template and begin using it this year. I think I already have much of the information from the Extension document that I was working from. This will just be a check to make sure I have everything I need to do my taxes properly.
Tomorrow I go to the Orthodontist to have some brackets removed and re-sited. I want them to replace the band that caused me so much trouble over December and also the band that goes across my upper teeth. It's just a fraction too big and keeps rubbing my cheek raw.
Charles cooked Hollywood Hash made with sauteed hamburger, peas, spaghetti noodles and tomato soup and baked. I think there might be some cheese in the recipe but this is Chas's specialty and I haven't actually seen the recipe. It's dang good, tho'.
02/24/2009 Tuesday: Getting Tax Info Collected & Entered
Sunny most of the day. Too bad I was indoors trying to get my taxes ready for my tax person to do.
This afternoon Chas and I moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder.
Not much mail today.
Not a very interesting day although I did get quite a bit done on the taxes. I still need to go to H&R Block to get that tax book for farmers. It's based on an extension office publication. The Extension Offices have them on sale from $10.00 up. Maybe I'll stop on the way into LCHD tomorrow.
Dinner was hamburger cooked in the oven with rice and asparagus sauteed in olive oil and lemon juice.
This afternoon Chas and I moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder.
Not much mail today.
Not a very interesting day although I did get quite a bit done on the taxes. I still need to go to H&R Block to get that tax book for farmers. It's based on an extension office publication. The Extension Offices have them on sale from $10.00 up. Maybe I'll stop on the way into LCHD tomorrow.
Dinner was hamburger cooked in the oven with rice and asparagus sauteed in olive oil and lemon juice.
02/23/2009 Monday: Planning the Hereford Corral, Water & Power to Outbuildings Soon
Rain off and on all day.
Worked at LCHD today for four and a half hours. Got a fairly early start and couldn't stop working. I was really making progress on the variables.
Got home at 2:45pm and sat for half an hour to recuperate.
Chas and I put a bale of hay into the Dexter feeder. I fed them with a bale of hay this morning. They were happy to see me and my treats.
Chas is putting together a shaker screen, railroad tie (for weight), and a couple of chains to make a pasture harrow for me, one that I can drag behind the tractor. The shaker screen has little hookies on each end that can be used to scrape the ground and level the mole hills and piles of poop. We borrowed something similar from our neighbor across the street and just loved it. Since we already had the screen we decided to put together a screen harrow of our own. I can hardly wait.
I can tell you I will not be fertilizing the winter pasture this year. It has been fertilized enough.
I bought a little drag behind the ATV lime and seed spreader a few days ago. It would no doubt be more economical to have someone come in to spread the lime but then I'd have to take down all the fencing.
Just as we were about to put the bale of hay into the feeder Pat, the landscaper, showed up.
Pat is going to give us a bid for putting in a trench containing a water line, 4-5 hydrants, and electric wire in plastic pipe all the way from one end of the property to the other (practically). We'll have water at the garden/chicken coop/potting shed all the way out to the equipment shed near the highway. And power too. Means I can do chores in the evening if I have to, or early in the morning. We'll buy the electric wire but he'll put it into the trench in the 1" protective plastic pipe. It's a project I scheduled for this year along with getting the back of the cow barns dug out and gravel laid in.
I met Pat at the Farm Store last year. We had a nice chat and I invited them (he and his wife) back to see the Dexters. We ran into each other at the Small Farmer's workshop on Saturday and I asked him if he had any interest in giving me a bid on this project. Obviously he did since he showed up.
Pat has his own trencher. He's basically a landscape gardener and has put in sprinkler systems all over the county. I may ask him for advice about my cottage garden.
The year after this one (2010) I'll gravel the circular driveway. Got to make improvements as I have the money.
(Although I do worry that I'll run out of fun projects to do and will be left with just the day-to-day mundane chores, LOL).
Pat came in for coffee and while we were chatting told us how to build a corral by using pipe as the top of the fence along with 3-4 lines of cable between the ground and the pipe that runs along the top. The cable is welded to the corner posts and has a turnbuckle on each strand of cable to tighten it. He says the cows definitely won't be able to get out of the corral.
He's built those before because he lived on a farm in Montana that ran 300 head of mostly Black Baldies and that's what they used. Hum, wonder if he'd be interested in helping me build the corral. I have a welder to weld the pipe (he says to use drilling pipe (pipe left over from oil well drilling) because it's so strong and because you can weld chain links to the drilling pipe for the cable to go through. I was thrilled to hear what he had to say. I just knew the Herefords, big as they are would just trash even a stout wooden structure.
Using cable probably won't be as expensive as buying 2x6x10s but even if it is I'll have peace of mind knowing it will be strong. He also mentioned using concrete posts but I'm not sure I'll go that far. Maybe I'll use those railroad rails I've been saving. They're quite long and I have quite a few of them, like maybe 10. They'd make perfect corners dropped into cement. Doesn't that sound wonderful? Having a real corral to contain the cows where I can work on them makes me happy.
I'll keep the corral open intermittently with a protein block in the corral so that they get used to going in there when I open it up.
Pat suggested that we'd get very good/excellent meat from a 900 lb steer. It would be much better than from our old cows. I never thought of butchering at that weight but it makes sense.
Worked at LCHD today for four and a half hours. Got a fairly early start and couldn't stop working. I was really making progress on the variables.
Got home at 2:45pm and sat for half an hour to recuperate.
Chas and I put a bale of hay into the Dexter feeder. I fed them with a bale of hay this morning. They were happy to see me and my treats.
Chas is putting together a shaker screen, railroad tie (for weight), and a couple of chains to make a pasture harrow for me, one that I can drag behind the tractor. The shaker screen has little hookies on each end that can be used to scrape the ground and level the mole hills and piles of poop. We borrowed something similar from our neighbor across the street and just loved it. Since we already had the screen we decided to put together a screen harrow of our own. I can hardly wait.
I can tell you I will not be fertilizing the winter pasture this year. It has been fertilized enough.
I bought a little drag behind the ATV lime and seed spreader a few days ago. It would no doubt be more economical to have someone come in to spread the lime but then I'd have to take down all the fencing.
Just as we were about to put the bale of hay into the feeder Pat, the landscaper, showed up.
Pat is going to give us a bid for putting in a trench containing a water line, 4-5 hydrants, and electric wire in plastic pipe all the way from one end of the property to the other (practically). We'll have water at the garden/chicken coop/potting shed all the way out to the equipment shed near the highway. And power too. Means I can do chores in the evening if I have to, or early in the morning. We'll buy the electric wire but he'll put it into the trench in the 1" protective plastic pipe. It's a project I scheduled for this year along with getting the back of the cow barns dug out and gravel laid in.
I met Pat at the Farm Store last year. We had a nice chat and I invited them (he and his wife) back to see the Dexters. We ran into each other at the Small Farmer's workshop on Saturday and I asked him if he had any interest in giving me a bid on this project. Obviously he did since he showed up.
Pat has his own trencher. He's basically a landscape gardener and has put in sprinkler systems all over the county. I may ask him for advice about my cottage garden.
The year after this one (2010) I'll gravel the circular driveway. Got to make improvements as I have the money.
(Although I do worry that I'll run out of fun projects to do and will be left with just the day-to-day mundane chores, LOL).
Pat came in for coffee and while we were chatting told us how to build a corral by using pipe as the top of the fence along with 3-4 lines of cable between the ground and the pipe that runs along the top. The cable is welded to the corner posts and has a turnbuckle on each strand of cable to tighten it. He says the cows definitely won't be able to get out of the corral.
He's built those before because he lived on a farm in Montana that ran 300 head of mostly Black Baldies and that's what they used. Hum, wonder if he'd be interested in helping me build the corral. I have a welder to weld the pipe (he says to use drilling pipe (pipe left over from oil well drilling) because it's so strong and because you can weld chain links to the drilling pipe for the cable to go through. I was thrilled to hear what he had to say. I just knew the Herefords, big as they are would just trash even a stout wooden structure.
Using cable probably won't be as expensive as buying 2x6x10s but even if it is I'll have peace of mind knowing it will be strong. He also mentioned using concrete posts but I'm not sure I'll go that far. Maybe I'll use those railroad rails I've been saving. They're quite long and I have quite a few of them, like maybe 10. They'd make perfect corners dropped into cement. Doesn't that sound wonderful? Having a real corral to contain the cows where I can work on them makes me happy.
I'll keep the corral open intermittently with a protein block in the corral so that they get used to going in there when I open it up.
Pat suggested that we'd get very good/excellent meat from a 900 lb steer. It would be much better than from our old cows. I never thought of butchering at that weight but it makes sense.
02/22/2009 Sunday: Cleaning Stalls, Future Grape Arbor Composting
Sunny this morning but it rained last night. It actually spit once or twice but basically the sun shone all day.
Gabe is coming to work with me this morning. I think we'll clean the center stall where I give the Dexters their treats and the mucky area around the Dexter feeder. We'll put in lots of wood chips. The wood chips I put in late last year seem to have disappeared.
We only managed to get the center stall cleaned out in the two hours we had available. Gabe had to leave to go shopping with his mom at 2pm.
It was incredibly sticky muck to work in. I had Gabe back the tractor in part way into the stall and then had him drop the box scraper. He pulled out a wad of muck which we proceeded to load into the bucket by hand. He dumped a pile and came back for more scraping and loading. People couldn't even stand in the stall without having their boots sucked off their feet.
We eventually got the area dug out but we did not get a chance to load in more shavings. I'll have to do that after work perhaps or wait till this weekend when Gabe comes back.
We piled up the compost in a long windrow alongside the tack room so that I can get that area ready for planting grapes. Now we have quite a pile of compost ready to break down into lovely soils. I might be able to get two rows of posts and wires to run along the side of the tack room. The compost is mounded for now but once it's usable as a soil amendment we'll level it and start planting. It will take a year for the compost to break down.
It would be nice to be able to take cuttings but I might break down and buy various grape plants. The spot along the tack room is south-facing and is very sunny and hot so it should be a great place for grapes.
Chas and I made stew with some of our beef, carrots and red potatoes along with two onions. We ate it with some of the bread we made yesterday.
I spent part of the evening making a template for the 2009 tax year for collecting information on purchases. I still need to do a variety of additional forms. I may even buy a software program to use instead of Excel although it seems to do well for my simple-minded needs.
Gabe is coming to work with me this morning. I think we'll clean the center stall where I give the Dexters their treats and the mucky area around the Dexter feeder. We'll put in lots of wood chips. The wood chips I put in late last year seem to have disappeared.
We only managed to get the center stall cleaned out in the two hours we had available. Gabe had to leave to go shopping with his mom at 2pm.
It was incredibly sticky muck to work in. I had Gabe back the tractor in part way into the stall and then had him drop the box scraper. He pulled out a wad of muck which we proceeded to load into the bucket by hand. He dumped a pile and came back for more scraping and loading. People couldn't even stand in the stall without having their boots sucked off their feet.
We eventually got the area dug out but we did not get a chance to load in more shavings. I'll have to do that after work perhaps or wait till this weekend when Gabe comes back.
We piled up the compost in a long windrow alongside the tack room so that I can get that area ready for planting grapes. Now we have quite a pile of compost ready to break down into lovely soils. I might be able to get two rows of posts and wires to run along the side of the tack room. The compost is mounded for now but once it's usable as a soil amendment we'll level it and start planting. It will take a year for the compost to break down.
It would be nice to be able to take cuttings but I might break down and buy various grape plants. The spot along the tack room is south-facing and is very sunny and hot so it should be a great place for grapes.
Chas and I made stew with some of our beef, carrots and red potatoes along with two onions. We ate it with some of the bread we made yesterday.
I spent part of the evening making a template for the 2009 tax year for collecting information on purchases. I still need to do a variety of additional forms. I may even buy a software program to use instead of Excel although it seems to do well for my simple-minded needs.
02/21/2009 Saturday: Researching Farm Record Keeping on the Web
Foggy in the morning but quite lovely around 3:30pm, I think the temperature must have gotten above 55 degrees F. It was positively warm
Enrique and his friend, Amelio, showed up today at 7am to begin work. I said hello and then took off for the Winter Small Farm Workshop at Centralia CC.
I learned something about septic systems, about raising chickens and beef for meat, and about creating and maintaining farm records. The course was free like last Saturday's offerings and lasted from 9am till 1pm. This set of three classes was well worth attending.
The guys cut down trees along the east fence and made quite a pile of branches in the south burn pile and in the pile closest to the house. Chas burned the pile nearest the house around 4pm.
We still have a lot of brush to clear out. I'd like the 1.5 foot stems sticking up out of the ground cut to ground level and the trees lying on their sides cut into firewood. I'm beginning to feel this project will never get done although it does look good in the area along the stream.
Chas also cooked dinner: curried cauliflower over rice. It was pretty good.
I spent quite a bit of time after dinner researching the best ways of farm record keeping documents on the Internet inspired by the course I took today. I found several documents that might help me. I'll have to look at them tomorrow. It may be that a ledger arrangement by month might be the best method. Then the records are already arranged by category. Actually, I might need several different kinds of spreadsheets.
They're a bummer to find.
Enrique and his friend, Amelio, showed up today at 7am to begin work. I said hello and then took off for the Winter Small Farm Workshop at Centralia CC.
I learned something about septic systems, about raising chickens and beef for meat, and about creating and maintaining farm records. The course was free like last Saturday's offerings and lasted from 9am till 1pm. This set of three classes was well worth attending.
The guys cut down trees along the east fence and made quite a pile of branches in the south burn pile and in the pile closest to the house. Chas burned the pile nearest the house around 4pm.
We still have a lot of brush to clear out. I'd like the 1.5 foot stems sticking up out of the ground cut to ground level and the trees lying on their sides cut into firewood. I'm beginning to feel this project will never get done although it does look good in the area along the stream.
Chas also cooked dinner: curried cauliflower over rice. It was pretty good.
I spent quite a bit of time after dinner researching the best ways of farm record keeping documents on the Internet inspired by the course I took today. I found several documents that might help me. I'll have to look at them tomorrow. It may be that a ledger arrangement by month might be the best method. Then the records are already arranged by category. Actually, I might need several different kinds of spreadsheets.
They're a bummer to find.
02/20/2009 Friday: Feeding the Herefords
Pretty cloudy this morning with frozen hoses but later on in the day it was lovely. Nice and sunny. So sunny that I didn't bother with either my vest or my sweat shirt. I was plenty warm.
I worked in the health department today. More figures but I'm getting close to the end.
Chas and I put two round bales into the collapsible feeder. It was so easy this time although it was a PITA to push the collapsible feeder back out. We have to lift it up because there is so much hay on the concrete. Another cleaning job.
Chas started a bowl of bread. I'll likely cook it tomorrow night. Maybe we'll have some kind of soup.
I worked in the health department today. More figures but I'm getting close to the end.
Chas and I put two round bales into the collapsible feeder. It was so easy this time although it was a PITA to push the collapsible feeder back out. We have to lift it up because there is so much hay on the concrete. Another cleaning job.
Chas started a bowl of bread. I'll likely cook it tomorrow night. Maybe we'll have some kind of soup.
02/19/2009 Thursday: Replacing the Potting Shed's Roof
Another chilly morning.
I think I need to replace the washer in the faucet that the Dexter hose is attached to. It's leaking.
Sherry M is here today to clean.
Pat, her husband, is here to repair the potting shed's roof. It will be nice to have that project done. There will be less water on the floor. I do have the little couch covered with plastic so hopefully the pad and wood won't get ruined. I really would prefer a couple of wicker chairs with cushions that I can haul outside if I want to bake in the sun for a few minutes.
Pat and Pat, jr (Bubba) finished putting a new roof on my potting shed. Cost me $90.00 for Pat and $40.00 for his son in addition to the $400+ dollars for the roofing materials. They also put up Chas's white board in his study. It was money well worth spending.
The books I ordered from Amazon.com a few days ago came today via UPS. I had a few minutes to glance at a couple of them. Not nearly enough time to do everything.
I think I need to replace the washer in the faucet that the Dexter hose is attached to. It's leaking.
Sherry M is here today to clean.
Pat, her husband, is here to repair the potting shed's roof. It will be nice to have that project done. There will be less water on the floor. I do have the little couch covered with plastic so hopefully the pad and wood won't get ruined. I really would prefer a couple of wicker chairs with cushions that I can haul outside if I want to bake in the sun for a few minutes.
Pat and Pat, jr (Bubba) finished putting a new roof on my potting shed. Cost me $90.00 for Pat and $40.00 for his son in addition to the $400+ dollars for the roofing materials. They also put up Chas's white board in his study. It was money well worth spending.
The books I ordered from Amazon.com a few days ago came today via UPS. I had a few minutes to glance at a couple of them. Not nearly enough time to do everything.
02/18/2009 Wednesday: Not an especially exciting day.
Cold and frosty in the am and sunshine in the pm.
Spent the day at Lewis County Health Department working on their assessment data. Making slow but steady progress on this project.
Morning and evening chores were easy.
Dinner was store bought ravioli and tomato sauce with grated cheese.
Not an especially exciting day.
Spent the day at Lewis County Health Department working on their assessment data. Making slow but steady progress on this project.
Morning and evening chores were easy.
Dinner was store bought ravioli and tomato sauce with grated cheese.
Not an especially exciting day.
02/17/2009 Tuesday: Neighborly Visit, Excess Protein Block Tubs
Cloudy and cool this morning but lovely and sunny this afternoon. It reached nearly 50 degrees F outside.
I spent the day working on entering purchases for use in tax preparation.
Gary N came over after lunch and we had a nice visit. Gary gave me the name of a person who works on ATVs. I gave him, Mike Nelson, a call this evening and he'll call me next week when he sees what his workload is. It will probably cost me about $250+ to have the ATV serviced.
As I was showing Gary around Mary and Mike H showed up. Mike wanted to look at the ATV to make sure that what he'd done with the ?? would work.
I gave Mary a large and a small empty protein block tub. They were extras and Mary is using them for vegetables.
After Gary and Mike and Mary left, Chas and I loaded a round bale into the Dexter pen. We managed to get the side of the feeder caught on the tractor blade. I used a crowbar to pry it away from the tractor blade and we got it apart. I went into the pen, chased the Dexters away from the pen and moved it into its proper position.
I really need to get out there to clean out the Dexter pen. The littlest cows are sinking nearly to their bellies in the muck. Course part of that is because they're in a one foot trench and look as if they're sinking into the muck.
Dinner was home grown squash, chicken breasts and store bought scalloped potatoes. It tasted pretty good but there's way too much salt in the scalloped potatoes.
Dena called after dinner. I'm going to see her at the small farms conference Saturday. I'll have to remember to bring a large and a small protein block tub for her to use on her farm.
Lewis County HD tomorrow.
I spent the day working on entering purchases for use in tax preparation.
Gary N came over after lunch and we had a nice visit. Gary gave me the name of a person who works on ATVs. I gave him, Mike Nelson, a call this evening and he'll call me next week when he sees what his workload is. It will probably cost me about $250+ to have the ATV serviced.
As I was showing Gary around Mary and Mike H showed up. Mike wanted to look at the ATV to make sure that what he'd done with the ?? would work.
I gave Mary a large and a small empty protein block tub. They were extras and Mary is using them for vegetables.
After Gary and Mike and Mary left, Chas and I loaded a round bale into the Dexter pen. We managed to get the side of the feeder caught on the tractor blade. I used a crowbar to pry it away from the tractor blade and we got it apart. I went into the pen, chased the Dexters away from the pen and moved it into its proper position.
I really need to get out there to clean out the Dexter pen. The littlest cows are sinking nearly to their bellies in the muck. Course part of that is because they're in a one foot trench and look as if they're sinking into the muck.
Dinner was home grown squash, chicken breasts and store bought scalloped potatoes. It tasted pretty good but there's way too much salt in the scalloped potatoes.
Dena called after dinner. I'm going to see her at the small farms conference Saturday. I'll have to remember to bring a large and a small protein block tub for her to use on her farm.
Lewis County HD tomorrow.
02/16/2009 Monday: Helper Arrives, Fixing the Hog Pen, Cleaning the Duck Quarters
Cloudy and cool this morning but some sun this afternoon. Tomorrow is supposed to be wonderful, nice and sunny.
Gabe showed up this morning at 10am to help me for two hours. I had him help me cut the fence in the goat pasture so that I could go out through the south side when I wanted to leave the barn for the pig pen instead of going all the way around (back through the barn and out the front gate).
To do that we first cut the fence, removing about 7 inches on the length where I wanted the cut. Then we undid the wires holding the stock panels to t-posts. After that we used the post puller to take the t-posts out of the ground. Once I temporarily reconnected the two sections of fence we put the rest of the fence where we wanted it and pounded in the posts. We temporarily wired the fence to the t-posts. I will have to do the job properly before we move the pigs into the pig pen.
I have to get clips to hold the gate together but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. The ones I use are not inexpensive but do work well. I have the clips on the large gate and on the gate into the goat pen. The nice thing is that you can also use them to clip buckets to the fence so that they don't turn over with a rambunctious critter.
Then Gabe and I took apart the duck pen and moved the panels out of the way so that we could clean it. The hay and poop got dumped on the compost pile. I also asked Gabe to clean off the concrete area in front of what was the old feeder and in front of the door into the barn. Once he was done with that I gave him a big wad of binding twine and had him reassemble the pen. The pen is half under the barn and half out but instead of pointing north it now points east toward the creek. That gives me more interior room and the ducks more outside area.
When he was done I paid him and praised his work. He did a great job. Gabe is a hard worker. I need to thank Trevor when I see him for recommending that Gabe call me to ask about work.
Gabe tells me Trevor is in Nevada but we got sidetracked and I didn't follow up with a question on what he is doing in Nevada.
By then Pat M had shown up. He brought Chas and I a baggie containing two salmon fillets. A neighbor had caught the salmon and gave some to Pat and Sherry. These folks love to share. I offered to pay for it but Pat would not take any money. It was a sharing of resources.
Chas and Pat spent some time talking about the remodel to our falling down deck. He gave us some useful suggestions and then some additional suggestions about what we could do in the basement to make the basement look better. I was just thinking of painting the basement but I think putting down some kind of flooring that could be removed, washed and replaced in the event of another (likely) flood.
I love the people in this part of the world. They are so generous with anything they have that is extra and with their expertise.
After lunch I had a nap. Today is President's Day and the Health Department was closed. I decided to goof off for an hour or so before evening chores and do some much needed cleaning around the farm.
So, tonight we'll have boiled potatoes, wild salmon and carrots for dinner. Heaven.
After dinner I spent some time researching how to plant oats into an existing pasture. Not sure I still know what the answer is. I can plant the seeds early and graze it when it's 8 inches high. It will regrow.
I thought I'd try hand sowing it and then dragging our version of a pasture harrow over it. Ours is a crusher screen with a railroad tie chained to it for weight and a long chain on each side of the front to drag it behind the tractor. If I try this method of planting and it doesn't work, well, I won't have lost too much time or money.
Gabe showed up this morning at 10am to help me for two hours. I had him help me cut the fence in the goat pasture so that I could go out through the south side when I wanted to leave the barn for the pig pen instead of going all the way around (back through the barn and out the front gate).
To do that we first cut the fence, removing about 7 inches on the length where I wanted the cut. Then we undid the wires holding the stock panels to t-posts. After that we used the post puller to take the t-posts out of the ground. Once I temporarily reconnected the two sections of fence we put the rest of the fence where we wanted it and pounded in the posts. We temporarily wired the fence to the t-posts. I will have to do the job properly before we move the pigs into the pig pen.
I have to get clips to hold the gate together but that shouldn't be too much of a problem. The ones I use are not inexpensive but do work well. I have the clips on the large gate and on the gate into the goat pen. The nice thing is that you can also use them to clip buckets to the fence so that they don't turn over with a rambunctious critter.
Then Gabe and I took apart the duck pen and moved the panels out of the way so that we could clean it. The hay and poop got dumped on the compost pile. I also asked Gabe to clean off the concrete area in front of what was the old feeder and in front of the door into the barn. Once he was done with that I gave him a big wad of binding twine and had him reassemble the pen. The pen is half under the barn and half out but instead of pointing north it now points east toward the creek. That gives me more interior room and the ducks more outside area.
When he was done I paid him and praised his work. He did a great job. Gabe is a hard worker. I need to thank Trevor when I see him for recommending that Gabe call me to ask about work.
Gabe tells me Trevor is in Nevada but we got sidetracked and I didn't follow up with a question on what he is doing in Nevada.
By then Pat M had shown up. He brought Chas and I a baggie containing two salmon fillets. A neighbor had caught the salmon and gave some to Pat and Sherry. These folks love to share. I offered to pay for it but Pat would not take any money. It was a sharing of resources.
Chas and Pat spent some time talking about the remodel to our falling down deck. He gave us some useful suggestions and then some additional suggestions about what we could do in the basement to make the basement look better. I was just thinking of painting the basement but I think putting down some kind of flooring that could be removed, washed and replaced in the event of another (likely) flood.
I love the people in this part of the world. They are so generous with anything they have that is extra and with their expertise.
After lunch I had a nap. Today is President's Day and the Health Department was closed. I decided to goof off for an hour or so before evening chores and do some much needed cleaning around the farm.
So, tonight we'll have boiled potatoes, wild salmon and carrots for dinner. Heaven.
After dinner I spent some time researching how to plant oats into an existing pasture. Not sure I still know what the answer is. I can plant the seeds early and graze it when it's 8 inches high. It will regrow.
I thought I'd try hand sowing it and then dragging our version of a pasture harrow over it. Ours is a crusher screen with a railroad tie chained to it for weight and a long chain on each side of the front to drag it behind the tractor. If I try this method of planting and it doesn't work, well, I won't have lost too much time or money.
02/15/2009 Sunday: Clean Comforters, Potential Helper
The day started off being overcast but turned into snow and rain around the time I came in from my chores.
I didn't get up till after 7:40 this morning. I was tired from our learning session yesterday.
I started the first load of laundry after I did chores and then vegged out till it was time to go over to Mary H's.
I took my two blue comforters over to Mary's and she kindly washed them for me. She has a huge washer. We did Chas's comforter first because he's using it this winter. As my comforter was being washed we dried Chas's so he can sleep under a lovely clean duvet and comforter.
I threw my comforter in our dryer and then folded it up for storage. I also washed and dried a load of work pants, sweat shirts, and my work jacket. I'll have clean barn clothes tomorrow.
Chas and I moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder.
I returned a call from a junior at Pe Ell High School. Apparently Trevor had given him my name and phone number because he needs some work. His name is Gabe and he has worked at a sheep farm in the past. I told him to come over tomorrow at 10am since it's a holiday and we'd try him out. I need the duck pen cleaned and filled with shavings. I may also redo the configuration of their pen.
I tried calling Wally but reached him at a bad time. I wanted to ask him how he sowed his oats and barley. Oh well, I'll call earlier in the day another day. I'll just do a search on no-till drilling and see what I can find.
I didn't get up till after 7:40 this morning. I was tired from our learning session yesterday.
I started the first load of laundry after I did chores and then vegged out till it was time to go over to Mary H's.
I took my two blue comforters over to Mary's and she kindly washed them for me. She has a huge washer. We did Chas's comforter first because he's using it this winter. As my comforter was being washed we dried Chas's so he can sleep under a lovely clean duvet and comforter.
I threw my comforter in our dryer and then folded it up for storage. I also washed and dried a load of work pants, sweat shirts, and my work jacket. I'll have clean barn clothes tomorrow.
Chas and I moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder.
I returned a call from a junior at Pe Ell High School. Apparently Trevor had given him my name and phone number because he needs some work. His name is Gabe and he has worked at a sheep farm in the past. I told him to come over tomorrow at 10am since it's a holiday and we'd try him out. I need the duck pen cleaned and filled with shavings. I may also redo the configuration of their pen.
I tried calling Wally but reached him at a bad time. I wanted to ask him how he sowed his oats and barley. Oh well, I'll call earlier in the day another day. I'll just do a search on no-till drilling and see what I can find.
02/14/2009 Saturday: Education at Centralia College; Broken Winch on ATV
Sunny in the afternoon.
I got up at 5:45 am so that I could get my chores done early. Mary and I decided to attend an educational session at Centralia College that was sponsored by WSU and other entities. We attended three sessions. The first was on propagation but was disappointing because the speaker talked mostly about seed propagation, not propagating from woody plants like rhodies, hemlock, etc.
The next session was on a rain garden. Rain gardens are depressions in the ground at a low spot on your property where you route water from the roof of your house and from your driveway. It's like a dry well except that it holds water. We got a nice booklet on how to build one and stock it with suitable plants.
The third section was on plants that would look good in your garden and maybe even flower all year long. We were shown pictures and were given a brief description of the plants.
I think Mary H enjoyed herself even if the topics weren't necessarily what we thought they'd be.
Next Saturday (21st) there's a small farmer day. I definitely plan to attend.
While I was gone Juan and Enrique worked on clearing the area along the south west and west fencelines. They didn't get as much done as I thought they would but they did move hay for me from the cow barn to the green barn. I'm going through three and a half bales a week with the sheep and goats and little Three, my as yet uncastrated Shorthorn bull calf.
Juan had an accident. He ran the ATV into a tree and darned if it wasn't the only tree in sight on Marilyn's property. He didn't get hurt but he damaged the pulley on the front of the ATV. Enrique and Chas pulled it off and tried to fix it but ended up breaking the ?? trying to tork the frame back into its normal form. I was not happy and told Enrique that Juan should not be allowed to run any of my equipment.
Unfortunately Juan doesn't learn. I don't want him hurt and it is easy to get hurt when you are running powered equipment.
I got up at 5:45 am so that I could get my chores done early. Mary and I decided to attend an educational session at Centralia College that was sponsored by WSU and other entities. We attended three sessions. The first was on propagation but was disappointing because the speaker talked mostly about seed propagation, not propagating from woody plants like rhodies, hemlock, etc.
The next session was on a rain garden. Rain gardens are depressions in the ground at a low spot on your property where you route water from the roof of your house and from your driveway. It's like a dry well except that it holds water. We got a nice booklet on how to build one and stock it with suitable plants.
The third section was on plants that would look good in your garden and maybe even flower all year long. We were shown pictures and were given a brief description of the plants.
I think Mary H enjoyed herself even if the topics weren't necessarily what we thought they'd be.
Next Saturday (21st) there's a small farmer day. I definitely plan to attend.
While I was gone Juan and Enrique worked on clearing the area along the south west and west fencelines. They didn't get as much done as I thought they would but they did move hay for me from the cow barn to the green barn. I'm going through three and a half bales a week with the sheep and goats and little Three, my as yet uncastrated Shorthorn bull calf.
Juan had an accident. He ran the ATV into a tree and darned if it wasn't the only tree in sight on Marilyn's property. He didn't get hurt but he damaged the pulley on the front of the ATV. Enrique and Chas pulled it off and tried to fix it but ended up breaking the ?? trying to tork the frame back into its normal form. I was not happy and told Enrique that Juan should not be allowed to run any of my equipment.
Unfortunately Juan doesn't learn. I don't want him hurt and it is easy to get hurt when you are running powered equipment.
02/13/2009 Friday: Hay Delivered, Hay Put in Barn
Cold this morning (about 30 degrees F) but sunny off and on in the pm.
I went in to work at the Lewis County Health Department. Still collecting health and related variables for their assessment document. It drives me nuts to find the State and the Feds have different statistics for things like population, etc. I think I'll be done collecting in about two weeks.
Wally R came with 20 more round bales of hay for my beautiful cows. It takes us about an hour and a half to put those bales away even with the tractor It won't be long before I'll need to buy some square bales. The price on those is dropping.
Fortunately I got home in enough time to cut up the leftover roast and make soup. I had some leftover carrots and spaghetti sauce which I also threw into the soup. It really improved the flavor. Chas cut the bread and served the soup. I cut up strawberries and we had strawberries for dessert with a little synthetic whipped cream.
Good thing I started the soup early as Wally showed up with our 20 round bales and two bags of his oats & barley mixture. He grows the oats and barley on his property.
I went in to work at the Lewis County Health Department. Still collecting health and related variables for their assessment document. It drives me nuts to find the State and the Feds have different statistics for things like population, etc. I think I'll be done collecting in about two weeks.
Wally R came with 20 more round bales of hay for my beautiful cows. It takes us about an hour and a half to put those bales away even with the tractor It won't be long before I'll need to buy some square bales. The price on those is dropping.
Fortunately I got home in enough time to cut up the leftover roast and make soup. I had some leftover carrots and spaghetti sauce which I also threw into the soup. It really improved the flavor. Chas cut the bread and served the soup. I cut up strawberries and we had strawberries for dessert with a little synthetic whipped cream.
Good thing I started the soup early as Wally showed up with our 20 round bales and two bags of his oats & barley mixture. He grows the oats and barley on his property.
02/12/2009 Thursday: Refusing to Cook
Partially sunny today but only a little sun
Have a problem with the electric fence. It was reading 3.9 instead of 6.9 or 7.0. Chas and I spent quite a bit of the day trying to find the problem. We never did.
This Sunday I'll start all over again from the other end, the north-east side of the road pasture.
Sherry came to clean today.
I refused to cook anything for dinner but did take a chicken breast and turn it into sandwiches. Chas cut up Cougar Gold cheese and put out some crackers and some hummos.
Life is good but the day is over and I'm for bed.
Have a problem with the electric fence. It was reading 3.9 instead of 6.9 or 7.0. Chas and I spent quite a bit of the day trying to find the problem. We never did.
This Sunday I'll start all over again from the other end, the north-east side of the road pasture.
Sherry came to clean today.
I refused to cook anything for dinner but did take a chicken breast and turn it into sandwiches. Chas cut up Cougar Gold cheese and put out some crackers and some hummos.
Life is good but the day is over and I'm for bed.
02/11/2009 Wednesday: Dexter Escape Artists, Short in Electric Fence
Coolish but not too much below freezing. Actually, it must have been right at freezing because the hoses weren't frozen and I was able to fill up the Muscovy's bucket with no trouble.
During morning chores I threw in a square bale of hay for the Dexters, just enough to last them till I got home this afternoon after a day at the health department.
Two of the Dexter cows (Brie and Pixie) had broken through the polywire and into the last pasture. The do that when the power is low on the electric fencer. I turned off the power and pushed them back in with the other cows and did repairs. Then I put up three cross fences so that they had to stay in their winter pen.
When I turned on the power I noticed that I had a big-time short. The voltage was down from 6.9 to 3.9. I expect that once Chas and I can turn on and turn off the paddocks we'll find the problem tomorrow. I'm too bushed to do it this evening. I think there are two polywires touching each other and shorting out the system.
Once again I spent my four hours at the Health Department working on retrieving data for the LCHD assessment document. Not only was my brain fried but my butt was sore after sitting for so long.
I ate hummus and crackers for lunch. Breakfast was a purchased egg, sausage and biscuit. No time to make breakfast. I had water instead of tea for breakfast and finished that before I left.
After work I drove over to Del's Farm Store where I got a lot of price information on the wide variety of feed that I use on the farm. I also purchased 4 - 50lb sacks of alfalfa pellets and 2 sacks of alfalfa cubes. I also bought a spreader for spreading grass seed, lime and fertilizer. It can be pulled by the tractor or ATV. The feed cost a lot less than at the Farm Store. I may have to change where I buy my feed especially since they have delivery available. The prices are just too tempting. I forgot to ask how much the delivery fee was when I was there but that may be a moot point once I get the small trailer transferred over to me and licensed.
I can use the small trailer to carry all sorts of things including feed, compost and crushed rock.
Charles made curried cauliflower for dinner. I had mine with yogurt.
During morning chores I threw in a square bale of hay for the Dexters, just enough to last them till I got home this afternoon after a day at the health department.
Two of the Dexter cows (Brie and Pixie) had broken through the polywire and into the last pasture. The do that when the power is low on the electric fencer. I turned off the power and pushed them back in with the other cows and did repairs. Then I put up three cross fences so that they had to stay in their winter pen.
When I turned on the power I noticed that I had a big-time short. The voltage was down from 6.9 to 3.9. I expect that once Chas and I can turn on and turn off the paddocks we'll find the problem tomorrow. I'm too bushed to do it this evening. I think there are two polywires touching each other and shorting out the system.
Once again I spent my four hours at the Health Department working on retrieving data for the LCHD assessment document. Not only was my brain fried but my butt was sore after sitting for so long.
I ate hummus and crackers for lunch. Breakfast was a purchased egg, sausage and biscuit. No time to make breakfast. I had water instead of tea for breakfast and finished that before I left.
After work I drove over to Del's Farm Store where I got a lot of price information on the wide variety of feed that I use on the farm. I also purchased 4 - 50lb sacks of alfalfa pellets and 2 sacks of alfalfa cubes. I also bought a spreader for spreading grass seed, lime and fertilizer. It can be pulled by the tractor or ATV. The feed cost a lot less than at the Farm Store. I may have to change where I buy my feed especially since they have delivery available. The prices are just too tempting. I forgot to ask how much the delivery fee was when I was there but that may be a moot point once I get the small trailer transferred over to me and licensed.
I can use the small trailer to carry all sorts of things including feed, compost and crushed rock.
Charles made curried cauliflower for dinner. I had mine with yogurt.
02/10/2009 Tuesday: More Hay Needed, Dead Mouse in Calf Water Bucket
Snow. It was a combination of wet small snow and large honking flakes most of the day. By evening chore time it was just rain and the hoses were unthawed enough for me to fill water buckets.
This morning Chas and I headed for Lacey so that I could get a mammogram at Group Health Coop. I was x-rayed by a woman named Pamela who was so good that it made getting my breasts squashed almost pleasant. I plan to ask for her again. I think my physician must have requested her for me knowing that Pamela was very good at her job.
While I was at GHC I bought some paperback books to read. The books I buy helps the GHC Friends/Foundation/Clinic. I also had a latte. When I was done with my mammogram I picked up 3 more books for a total of 8.
Chas and I had lunch at the Peking restaurant. Chas ordered Suchwan chicken while I had Mongolian beef. We replaced the rice they offer with noodles. This restaurant, for a little over $12.00 for the two of us, gave us enough food for lunch and dinner.
I cooked the leftovers as hot (spicy) noodles. It was easy to add Shitakii mushrooms to round out the dish. It was so good.
We stopped at the library where I picked up 5 more books to read after lunch.
After a short nap I went down to do the evening chores.
Chas and I moved two bales into the Hereford's feeder this afternoon.
The calf's water bucket had a dead mouse in it. Yuck. I scrubbed it out and refilled it. I put out some mouse bait the day before yesterday so I expect I will see more dead mice around the place - or smell them. With grain that I and the animals spill mice breed pretty fast. I put the bait in the third drawer of the chest of drawers to keep it away from the other animals.
I ordered 20 more 500 lb round bales from Wally R and told him to throw in a couple of 80 lb sacks of barley/oats mixture for me to try out. I'm not sure if that is whole barley/oats or rolled. I plan on mixing it with some of the Country Livestock to ease the transition to the new grain. It turns out that oats have between 12 and 14.5% crude protein and barley has between 12.5 and 13.5 percent crude protein. Wally says that this is all he feeds his beasties - except for hay.
I have 6 bales left to feed but will need to feed one to the Dexters tomorrow morning. I gave them a square bale of hay this afternoon to tide them through. They munched on it with evident relish.
This morning Chas and I headed for Lacey so that I could get a mammogram at Group Health Coop. I was x-rayed by a woman named Pamela who was so good that it made getting my breasts squashed almost pleasant. I plan to ask for her again. I think my physician must have requested her for me knowing that Pamela was very good at her job.
While I was at GHC I bought some paperback books to read. The books I buy helps the GHC Friends/Foundation/Clinic. I also had a latte. When I was done with my mammogram I picked up 3 more books for a total of 8.
Chas and I had lunch at the Peking restaurant. Chas ordered Suchwan chicken while I had Mongolian beef. We replaced the rice they offer with noodles. This restaurant, for a little over $12.00 for the two of us, gave us enough food for lunch and dinner.
I cooked the leftovers as hot (spicy) noodles. It was easy to add Shitakii mushrooms to round out the dish. It was so good.
We stopped at the library where I picked up 5 more books to read after lunch.
After a short nap I went down to do the evening chores.
Chas and I moved two bales into the Hereford's feeder this afternoon.
The calf's water bucket had a dead mouse in it. Yuck. I scrubbed it out and refilled it. I put out some mouse bait the day before yesterday so I expect I will see more dead mice around the place - or smell them. With grain that I and the animals spill mice breed pretty fast. I put the bait in the third drawer of the chest of drawers to keep it away from the other animals.
I ordered 20 more 500 lb round bales from Wally R and told him to throw in a couple of 80 lb sacks of barley/oats mixture for me to try out. I'm not sure if that is whole barley/oats or rolled. I plan on mixing it with some of the Country Livestock to ease the transition to the new grain. It turns out that oats have between 12 and 14.5% crude protein and barley has between 12.5 and 13.5 percent crude protein. Wally says that this is all he feeds his beasties - except for hay.
I have 6 bales left to feed but will need to feed one to the Dexters tomorrow morning. I gave them a square bale of hay this afternoon to tide them through. They munched on it with evident relish.
02/09/2009 Monday: Planning Ahead for Hay
It froze again this morning despite the heavy fog. Later in the day it snowed. It's still winter, that's for sure.
I worked in Chehalis today at the Health Department. I'm still working on locating good numbers for their County Assessment document. The staff chose the variables and I'm taking the time to hunt for the sources and figures. It's a really slow process. I got tired of moving data files around and am taking a break from that.
The critters are fine. They sure enjoy their treats and are often greedy enough to almost push me over. Good thing I feed them their treats on the other side of a gate or fenceline feeder.
Chas and I will need to put in two more bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder and maybe one in the Dexter's feeder. The critters like to eat hay.
Dinner was ravioli with tomato sauce into which I added sliced, canned mushrooms. I added a few small pieces of chicken on the side. Chas made sugar free chocolate pudding. Great end to a lovely dinner.
I worked in Chehalis today at the Health Department. I'm still working on locating good numbers for their County Assessment document. The staff chose the variables and I'm taking the time to hunt for the sources and figures. It's a really slow process. I got tired of moving data files around and am taking a break from that.
The critters are fine. They sure enjoy their treats and are often greedy enough to almost push me over. Good thing I feed them their treats on the other side of a gate or fenceline feeder.
Chas and I will need to put in two more bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder and maybe one in the Dexter's feeder. The critters like to eat hay.
Dinner was ravioli with tomato sauce into which I added sliced, canned mushrooms. I added a few small pieces of chicken on the side. Chas made sugar free chocolate pudding. Great end to a lovely dinner.
02/08/2009 Sunday: Broken Wires in Electric Fence, Rethinking the Dexter Pastures
This is definitely a day for napping. For some reason I couldn't get to sleep last night. It was after 2am that I finally slept. So today I'm paying for it. All I want to do is sleep.
Since I was dragging chores took a little longer to do both morning and night.
This afternoon I went back to the most western edge of our property. I'm almost sorry I did. There are numerous breaks in the south perimeter fence. I think we must have deer going through the fence, something large anyway. Chas took apart the fence at the furthest end so that he could dig the trench. Now it needs to be reassembled. I also have to fix the broken wire that Trever and I didn't fasten well enough. There's going to be enough work to keep me and the guys going for quite some time back there.
I should probably start with the broken wire in paddock N5.
I also looked at the paddock I was going to use for the Dexters to graze. It won't work because the gate into the pasture is in S2, not S1. What was I thinking? I think what I'll do is to give those two paddocks over to the Dexters and wire them up with the hi-tensile wire and then divide them up into smaller paddocks. Until I get the pasture's wired up I'll keep them out of there except for short periods of time; i.e., their grazing time will be limited.
I cooked us a special treat for dinner, a sirloin tip roast with carrots and sweet potatoes.
Work at the health department tomorrow.
Since I was dragging chores took a little longer to do both morning and night.
This afternoon I went back to the most western edge of our property. I'm almost sorry I did. There are numerous breaks in the south perimeter fence. I think we must have deer going through the fence, something large anyway. Chas took apart the fence at the furthest end so that he could dig the trench. Now it needs to be reassembled. I also have to fix the broken wire that Trever and I didn't fasten well enough. There's going to be enough work to keep me and the guys going for quite some time back there.
I should probably start with the broken wire in paddock N5.
I also looked at the paddock I was going to use for the Dexters to graze. It won't work because the gate into the pasture is in S2, not S1. What was I thinking? I think what I'll do is to give those two paddocks over to the Dexters and wire them up with the hi-tensile wire and then divide them up into smaller paddocks. Until I get the pasture's wired up I'll keep them out of there except for short periods of time; i.e., their grazing time will be limited.
I cooked us a special treat for dinner, a sirloin tip roast with carrots and sweet potatoes.
Work at the health department tomorrow.
02/07/2009 Saturday: Work Continues on the Cottage Garden, Planning for the Chicken Tractor
Lovely weather today, sunny and fairly warm.
Mike and Mary showed up this morning to drop off some chains that I can use to hold the pig feeder/trough against the side of the hog panel. With luck I can incorporate a t-post into the picture to really hold the hog feeder in place. One of the chains I already know is going to be too small but the other one will be about right. I may figure out how much chain I need and buy a piece that will fit. I'll wrap the chains around the braces and through the fence. I just need to keep the pigs from rooting the feeder so far away from where I feed them that I have to get in the pen and lift the dang thing back into place.
They also brought over a large box of canned goods plus some onions and potatoes for Enrique and his friends. I put in several fresh chicken breasts and some carrots. After hearing that they had gone for a week just eating potatoes three weeks or so ago, I felt sick and scolded them severely and told them not to go hungry around me, especially when we have a pantry full of food. A couple of weeks ago I gave them two boxes of food to take with them to get them through the tough times. I think I included some frozen meat - probably chicken breasts because I buy them on sale and repackage them for our use - but can't remember for sure.
Another busy Saturday around Hope Creek. I'm bushed.
Juan didn't come today but instead Enrique brought Herman. I guess Juan was feeling out of sorts or had something else to do. Herman, like Enrique is a hard worker, plus he follows directions well. I'm such a fuss-budget but I want things done the way I want them done. She who pays the piper selects the tune, LOL.
I had them work on one main project today - the cottage garden.
Herman and Enrique started by adding wood chips around the smallish stepping stones that lead to the new arbor with the wisteria bush.
Then they removed the grass and weeds from the existing paths in the cottage garden, enlarged several of the paths which hadn't really been worked on for awhile and leveled them off with the wood chips they put on once the paths were ready. I still have a large pile of wood chips from last summer.
The new paths look wonderful. The stepping stones in front of the red arbor have also been put into position parallel to the seat; the wood chips now surround the stepping stones and the arbor as well.
I have enough room for a small bed south of the large (what was once a) dalia bed. I'll have the guys clean out the grass and put on manure in the (future) small bed and put a narrow path along side the raspberries.
Once they finished refurbishing the paths, I had them do some trimming on the brush that had grown up last year on the hazelnut bushes we trimmed back in 2007. They also trimmed and removed the debris from dead plants that I didn't get around to doing.
Now I need to get into the area and remove the weeds that have grown up in the flower beds and make them look pretty for planting.
Herman piled up the chicken compost into a rounder circle (it was a fairly large semi-circle before he organized it) and gave me some walking room between the metal and the chicken compost.
While Herman was attending to the chicken compost, Enrique and I cut two of the hog panels I bought two weeks ago to make a chicken tractor. Once I get the wood 2x4s on the top and bottom, and find a tarp that fits over the top I'll move it into the vegetable garden so that the chickens can scratch up the ground and scratch out the weeds and eat any bugs they can find.
I turned off the power to the electric fences and moved the girls to an uneaten pasture, D4. I need to spread lime on the pastures and maybe even some compost or nitrogen fertilizer to get the growth back. The pastures look pretty bare.
Then I took my scrub brush and washed out the Dexter tub on the automatic waterer. It was a little bit green but not too bad. I should probably dump in some bleach to kill off the algae.
I also scraped off the horse mat that I put down in front of the tub to keep the Dexters from sinking out of sight.
Dinner was spaghetti with pesto (store bought) and shrimp.
Mike and Mary showed up this morning to drop off some chains that I can use to hold the pig feeder/trough against the side of the hog panel. With luck I can incorporate a t-post into the picture to really hold the hog feeder in place. One of the chains I already know is going to be too small but the other one will be about right. I may figure out how much chain I need and buy a piece that will fit. I'll wrap the chains around the braces and through the fence. I just need to keep the pigs from rooting the feeder so far away from where I feed them that I have to get in the pen and lift the dang thing back into place.
They also brought over a large box of canned goods plus some onions and potatoes for Enrique and his friends. I put in several fresh chicken breasts and some carrots. After hearing that they had gone for a week just eating potatoes three weeks or so ago, I felt sick and scolded them severely and told them not to go hungry around me, especially when we have a pantry full of food. A couple of weeks ago I gave them two boxes of food to take with them to get them through the tough times. I think I included some frozen meat - probably chicken breasts because I buy them on sale and repackage them for our use - but can't remember for sure.
Another busy Saturday around Hope Creek. I'm bushed.
Juan didn't come today but instead Enrique brought Herman. I guess Juan was feeling out of sorts or had something else to do. Herman, like Enrique is a hard worker, plus he follows directions well. I'm such a fuss-budget but I want things done the way I want them done. She who pays the piper selects the tune, LOL.
I had them work on one main project today - the cottage garden.
Herman and Enrique started by adding wood chips around the smallish stepping stones that lead to the new arbor with the wisteria bush.
Then they removed the grass and weeds from the existing paths in the cottage garden, enlarged several of the paths which hadn't really been worked on for awhile and leveled them off with the wood chips they put on once the paths were ready. I still have a large pile of wood chips from last summer.
The new paths look wonderful. The stepping stones in front of the red arbor have also been put into position parallel to the seat; the wood chips now surround the stepping stones and the arbor as well.
I have enough room for a small bed south of the large (what was once a) dalia bed. I'll have the guys clean out the grass and put on manure in the (future) small bed and put a narrow path along side the raspberries.
Once they finished refurbishing the paths, I had them do some trimming on the brush that had grown up last year on the hazelnut bushes we trimmed back in 2007. They also trimmed and removed the debris from dead plants that I didn't get around to doing.
Now I need to get into the area and remove the weeds that have grown up in the flower beds and make them look pretty for planting.
Herman piled up the chicken compost into a rounder circle (it was a fairly large semi-circle before he organized it) and gave me some walking room between the metal and the chicken compost.
While Herman was attending to the chicken compost, Enrique and I cut two of the hog panels I bought two weeks ago to make a chicken tractor. Once I get the wood 2x4s on the top and bottom, and find a tarp that fits over the top I'll move it into the vegetable garden so that the chickens can scratch up the ground and scratch out the weeds and eat any bugs they can find.
I turned off the power to the electric fences and moved the girls to an uneaten pasture, D4. I need to spread lime on the pastures and maybe even some compost or nitrogen fertilizer to get the growth back. The pastures look pretty bare.
Then I took my scrub brush and washed out the Dexter tub on the automatic waterer. It was a little bit green but not too bad. I should probably dump in some bleach to kill off the algae.
I also scraped off the horse mat that I put down in front of the tub to keep the Dexters from sinking out of sight.
Dinner was spaghetti with pesto (store bought) and shrimp.
02/06/2009 Friday: Health Indicators for Lewis County Project Progressing
Slight mist most of the day.
Before I arrived at the Health Department I went to the Farm Store to pick up 2 bags of chicken layena pellets and a bag of cracked corn, then on to the bank to get money for the week and to the post office to deliver two letters.
I worked on Lewis County Health Department health indicators for the 3.5 hours I worked at the Health Department.
I left half an hour early because my brain wasn't functioning any more. I did go shopping. Shop N Kart had a huge meat sale. I bought shrimp meat, shrimp, talapia, two whole salmon and two packs of boned chicken breast as well as some carrots. I have to repackage them for easier access.
After doing evening chores I cooked one of the salmon with some of the carrots I bought today and a package of scalloped potatoes. The salmon was good, if bony, and the carrots were soooo good.
Before I arrived at the Health Department I went to the Farm Store to pick up 2 bags of chicken layena pellets and a bag of cracked corn, then on to the bank to get money for the week and to the post office to deliver two letters.
I worked on Lewis County Health Department health indicators for the 3.5 hours I worked at the Health Department.
I left half an hour early because my brain wasn't functioning any more. I did go shopping. Shop N Kart had a huge meat sale. I bought shrimp meat, shrimp, talapia, two whole salmon and two packs of boned chicken breast as well as some carrots. I have to repackage them for easier access.
After doing evening chores I cooked one of the salmon with some of the carrots I bought today and a package of scalloped potatoes. The salmon was good, if bony, and the carrots were soooo good.
02/05/2009 Thursday: Box Scraper, Muscovies Prefer Cracked Corn over Chicken Layena
Cold and overcast but not as cold as it was yesterday morning. The water in the hose wasn't frozen.
Chas and I moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder. They were happy to see it. The Dexters also got their round bale and were equally thrilled to get it. I'm making them eat all the ends. Spoiled beasties. Last night both got hay, either an entire bale or part of a bale just to add a little variety to what was left for them to eat.
Chas took the back blade off the tractor and replaced it with the box scraper. That will make cleaning out the area around the barns a whole lot easier since the box scraper is much heavier and doesn't just make piles of dirt on each side of the box like the back blade does, piles you have to keep scraping and scraping to get them into the compost pile.
I forgot to take my vitamin pills and Advil this morning. As a result by evening chore time I was in definite pain from my arthritis. I took my pills after evening chores and a few hours later was feeling much better. I'll wait till bed time before taking my evening pills.
I refilled my prescriptions at Group Health Pharmacy online.
I don't think the ducks much care for the chicken layena I mix in with their cracked corn. They seem to prefer the Country Livestock feed that I give them in the morning. They positively lunge for it when I toss out the goat's leftovers. I'll just buy the cracked corn and mix it with the Country Livestock as I need it. In the meantime I need to finish off the current mixture before I go buying more.
We ate leftover beans and freshly baked partially whole wheat bread for dinner. It's nice not to have to come up with something new to eat every night. I'm getting cooking fatigue, I think.
Chas and I moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's feeder. They were happy to see it. The Dexters also got their round bale and were equally thrilled to get it. I'm making them eat all the ends. Spoiled beasties. Last night both got hay, either an entire bale or part of a bale just to add a little variety to what was left for them to eat.
Chas took the back blade off the tractor and replaced it with the box scraper. That will make cleaning out the area around the barns a whole lot easier since the box scraper is much heavier and doesn't just make piles of dirt on each side of the box like the back blade does, piles you have to keep scraping and scraping to get them into the compost pile.
I forgot to take my vitamin pills and Advil this morning. As a result by evening chore time I was in definite pain from my arthritis. I took my pills after evening chores and a few hours later was feeling much better. I'll wait till bed time before taking my evening pills.
I refilled my prescriptions at Group Health Pharmacy online.
I don't think the ducks much care for the chicken layena I mix in with their cracked corn. They seem to prefer the Country Livestock feed that I give them in the morning. They positively lunge for it when I toss out the goat's leftovers. I'll just buy the cracked corn and mix it with the Country Livestock as I need it. In the meantime I need to finish off the current mixture before I go buying more.
We ate leftover beans and freshly baked partially whole wheat bread for dinner. It's nice not to have to come up with something new to eat every night. I'm getting cooking fatigue, I think.
02/04/2009 Wednesday: Health Department Projects, Friends of the Library Meeting
Cold with little fog in the am; sunshine in pm and lovely and warm, over 50 degrees F.
I went in to the health department to work today. I continued to rearrange data files. I also talked John A into giving me a printed copy of the Lewis County health indicators. I spent some time trying to find Lewis County and Washington State indicators as well as the Healthy People 2010 goals. I didn't get much done because it takes so much time. The document needs to be completed by May.
I left a few minutes early to head home so that I could get my evening chores done before I drove back into town for the Friends of the Library meeting at 6pm.
The Friends meeting was a lot of fun. The women who are in the Friends effort are all unique and interesting women. I enjoy the librarian a lot. She's the one who twisted my arm and insisted I come to the meeting. I'm glad I did. I was not thrilled to drive home in the dark. Highway 6 is really twisty and unlit. It was a bit nerve wracking.
Charles grazed for dinner. When I got home I made myself a fried egg sandwich. Hard to beat home raised eggs, that's for sure.
I went in to the health department to work today. I continued to rearrange data files. I also talked John A into giving me a printed copy of the Lewis County health indicators. I spent some time trying to find Lewis County and Washington State indicators as well as the Healthy People 2010 goals. I didn't get much done because it takes so much time. The document needs to be completed by May.
I left a few minutes early to head home so that I could get my evening chores done before I drove back into town for the Friends of the Library meeting at 6pm.
The Friends meeting was a lot of fun. The women who are in the Friends effort are all unique and interesting women. I enjoy the librarian a lot. She's the one who twisted my arm and insisted I come to the meeting. I'm glad I did. I was not thrilled to drive home in the dark. Highway 6 is really twisty and unlit. It was a bit nerve wracking.
Charles grazed for dinner. When I got home I made myself a fried egg sandwich. Hard to beat home raised eggs, that's for sure.
02/03/2009 Tuesday: Dexter Legs, Calypso Beans
Fog in am; sunshine in pm and quite warm, over 50 degrees F.
Chas went to Olympia to his eye doctor's appointment. I headed into the Health Department to work since I'd missed yesterday. I've nearly finished with Chris's files - opening and evaluating them and moving them to the appropriate Healthdata folder on the H drive.
I got a lovely note from Susie H. She corrected my estimates of the leg length and dairy/beef qualities of my Dexters. It turns out that:
Noel is a long legged, dairy/beef configuration cow
Emma is a long legged; dairy configuration cow
Pixie is a short legged; beef configuration cow
Brie is a long legged; dairy configuration cow
Cheddar is a short legged; beef configuration cow
Huck is a long legged, dairy/beef configuration bull
Emma's line is mostly dairy although she is so fat that it's hard to tell what her body configuration actually is.
I put Calypso beans on to soak this morning and cooked them with side pork, onions, vegetarian ham flavoring, and dried celery. The beans were a little crunchy for me but Chas likes them that way. I prefer much softer beans. The beans were delicious.
Chas went to Olympia to his eye doctor's appointment. I headed into the Health Department to work since I'd missed yesterday. I've nearly finished with Chris's files - opening and evaluating them and moving them to the appropriate Healthdata folder on the H drive.
I got a lovely note from Susie H. She corrected my estimates of the leg length and dairy/beef qualities of my Dexters. It turns out that:
Noel is a long legged, dairy/beef configuration cow
Emma is a long legged; dairy configuration cow
Pixie is a short legged; beef configuration cow
Brie is a long legged; dairy configuration cow
Cheddar is a short legged; beef configuration cow
Huck is a long legged, dairy/beef configuration bull
Emma's line is mostly dairy although she is so fat that it's hard to tell what her body configuration actually is.
I put Calypso beans on to soak this morning and cooked them with side pork, onions, vegetarian ham flavoring, and dried celery. The beans were a little crunchy for me but Chas likes them that way. I prefer much softer beans. The beans were delicious.
02/02/2009 Monday: Dexter Treats
Fog in am; sunshine in pm.
Did morning chores. I'm feeding two scoops of Country Livestock and two scoops of beet pulp on each side of the collapsible feeder to my Herefords. The cows seem to enjoy it.
The Dexters got Country Livestock lumps. The manufacturer puts in more molassas in the fall and the grains and pellets clump together and have to be broken up before feeding it. Instead of breaking the lumps up I put them in a bucket and gave them to the Dexters as a treat. Talk about wanting more.
I had a doctor's visit today in Lacey. We got home about 2pm. I sat down in my chair at 2:10 and fell asleep for an hour.
After doing evening chores I came in and slept some more. Chas ate leftover curry for dinner while I had some Cougar Gold cheese and a thinly sliced apple. After the lunch we had at Main Chinese Buffet in Lacey, we basically had no desire to eat a large dinner.
I might cook calypso beans tomorrow night if I remember to put them on to soak tomorrow morning.
Got a long newsy letter from Danette. I sent her a reply which took me an hour to write it was so long.
Did morning chores. I'm feeding two scoops of Country Livestock and two scoops of beet pulp on each side of the collapsible feeder to my Herefords. The cows seem to enjoy it.
The Dexters got Country Livestock lumps. The manufacturer puts in more molassas in the fall and the grains and pellets clump together and have to be broken up before feeding it. Instead of breaking the lumps up I put them in a bucket and gave them to the Dexters as a treat. Talk about wanting more.
I had a doctor's visit today in Lacey. We got home about 2pm. I sat down in my chair at 2:10 and fell asleep for an hour.
After doing evening chores I came in and slept some more. Chas ate leftover curry for dinner while I had some Cougar Gold cheese and a thinly sliced apple. After the lunch we had at Main Chinese Buffet in Lacey, we basically had no desire to eat a large dinner.
I might cook calypso beans tomorrow night if I remember to put them on to soak tomorrow morning.
Got a long newsy letter from Danette. I sent her a reply which took me an hour to write it was so long.
02/01/2009 Sunday: Talarigo's Ginseng Hunter
Overcast today. Not really gloomy because it's not dark enough but it is gloomy, nevertheless.
This was not an exciting day. I think I wore myself out yesterday working alongside my two helpers. All I wanted to do all day is rest. And I did.
Chas did most of the laundry. I remade the bed.
Chas gave me an interesting book to read by Jeff Talarigo called, "The Ginseng Hunter." The writing reminds me of Hope Creek, very melodic and flowing. He's a good writer.
Dinner was leftover Hollywood Hash. This is the recipe Chas made two days ago. The recipe was taken from his mom's recipe file.
This was not an exciting day. I think I wore myself out yesterday working alongside my two helpers. All I wanted to do all day is rest. And I did.
Chas did most of the laundry. I remade the bed.
Chas gave me an interesting book to read by Jeff Talarigo called, "The Ginseng Hunter." The writing reminds me of Hope Creek, very melodic and flowing. He's a good writer.
Dinner was leftover Hollywood Hash. This is the recipe Chas made two days ago. The recipe was taken from his mom's recipe file.
01/31/2009 Saturday. Wood chips in the cottage garden
Extremely foggy this morning but lovely and sunny in the afternoon. There were a few clouds in the sky but it was another dry day.
I can't believe this is the last day of January 2009 already. Where has the time gone?
This was a pretty productive day. Enrique, Juan and I dumped well- composted chicken manure on the revised beds near the hog panel arbor. It looks pretty nice now. Enrique and I picked up rocks from the stall near the barn. I got the first load with the ATV and Enrique got the second load using the tractor bucket. We then used those stones to make the outline of a path from the arbor to the set of stepping stones I put in in 2006.
We filled that in with wood chips from the large pile I got last year. It already looks so much better in that area. Nothing like a layer of chicken manure to make an area look good. It also creates very fertile garden beds. I was pleased to make great progress on that project.
I had Enrique and Juan pick up the loose hi-tensile fence wire and tie it up into small bundles that we then tied with binding twine. I bundled a bunch of the small bundles into one large one and held that together with more binding twine. I hung the bundles of wire on a nail pounded into the wall. It was lovely to have all these pieces of often loose wire off the ground and out of the way.
We moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's collapsible feeder after we cleaned out the yucky hay in the bottom and moved the loose hay still in the feeder into the cleaned out area. Then we put the new hay on top of the loose hay.
I prefer to clean up the old mucky hay whenever possible since it makes it much easier to move the collapsible feeder out to its unfolded position. As the cows push the feeder towards the gate that prevents the hay from coming out the back they tend to poop on the area just uncovered, thus the cleanout when I push the feeder back out to its uncollapsed position.
I have eleven round bales left and have decimated the square bales over the past two months. The guys took three more bales plus four bags of Country Livestock over to the green barn for the goats and calf. It's nice when I can have someone else do the heavy lifting. I do move the bags of feed into the garbage pails for feeding.
I had Enrique and Juan take the three black pallets that I will eventually use as sheep housing over to the back of the equipment shed to store them temporarily. I need one more pallet. I have the three sides but now need the top.
Pretty soon now I'll be moving the calf over to the stall where I kept the Dexter steer. I always have to screw up my courage to castrate a bull calf. I used to be able to castrate in my younger days but I'm getting too tender hearted in my old age.
I also had the guys move the four hog panels (criminy, they're $41.99 + tax each) that I had delivered last night over to the green barn. I think my chicken and duck tractor will be 6 feet by somewhat less than 10 feet since the panels are 16 feet long. I lose about half a foot to the cutting. I may cover the top with wire and wire the sides at the bottom together to keep them from splaying out.
Before they left the guys picked up or cut down enough branches to fill the ATV trailer to overflowing from the area to the east of the green barn. By then I was so tired I ended up snoozing in my chair in the living room while they continued to work.
A pretty good day - a cleaned out barn, fencing wire picked up and stored, my arbor and its beds have been manured and the path covered with wood chips, feed and hay have been moved to the green barn for next week's feeding, and the apple tree that needed drastic surgery has been pruned.
Charles suggested curry for dinner. So, between the two of us I pulled together, potatoes, chicken, frozen broccoli and onions and cooked them in a store bought curry paste. I served the curry over plain white rice.
I can't believe this is the last day of January 2009 already. Where has the time gone?
This was a pretty productive day. Enrique, Juan and I dumped well- composted chicken manure on the revised beds near the hog panel arbor. It looks pretty nice now. Enrique and I picked up rocks from the stall near the barn. I got the first load with the ATV and Enrique got the second load using the tractor bucket. We then used those stones to make the outline of a path from the arbor to the set of stepping stones I put in in 2006.
We filled that in with wood chips from the large pile I got last year. It already looks so much better in that area. Nothing like a layer of chicken manure to make an area look good. It also creates very fertile garden beds. I was pleased to make great progress on that project.
I had Enrique and Juan pick up the loose hi-tensile fence wire and tie it up into small bundles that we then tied with binding twine. I bundled a bunch of the small bundles into one large one and held that together with more binding twine. I hung the bundles of wire on a nail pounded into the wall. It was lovely to have all these pieces of often loose wire off the ground and out of the way.
We moved two bales of hay into the Hereford's collapsible feeder after we cleaned out the yucky hay in the bottom and moved the loose hay still in the feeder into the cleaned out area. Then we put the new hay on top of the loose hay.
I prefer to clean up the old mucky hay whenever possible since it makes it much easier to move the collapsible feeder out to its unfolded position. As the cows push the feeder towards the gate that prevents the hay from coming out the back they tend to poop on the area just uncovered, thus the cleanout when I push the feeder back out to its uncollapsed position.
I have eleven round bales left and have decimated the square bales over the past two months. The guys took three more bales plus four bags of Country Livestock over to the green barn for the goats and calf. It's nice when I can have someone else do the heavy lifting. I do move the bags of feed into the garbage pails for feeding.
I had Enrique and Juan take the three black pallets that I will eventually use as sheep housing over to the back of the equipment shed to store them temporarily. I need one more pallet. I have the three sides but now need the top.
Pretty soon now I'll be moving the calf over to the stall where I kept the Dexter steer. I always have to screw up my courage to castrate a bull calf. I used to be able to castrate in my younger days but I'm getting too tender hearted in my old age.
I also had the guys move the four hog panels (criminy, they're $41.99 + tax each) that I had delivered last night over to the green barn. I think my chicken and duck tractor will be 6 feet by somewhat less than 10 feet since the panels are 16 feet long. I lose about half a foot to the cutting. I may cover the top with wire and wire the sides at the bottom together to keep them from splaying out.
Before they left the guys picked up or cut down enough branches to fill the ATV trailer to overflowing from the area to the east of the green barn. By then I was so tired I ended up snoozing in my chair in the living room while they continued to work.
A pretty good day - a cleaned out barn, fencing wire picked up and stored, my arbor and its beds have been manured and the path covered with wood chips, feed and hay have been moved to the green barn for next week's feeding, and the apple tree that needed drastic surgery has been pruned.
Charles suggested curry for dinner. So, between the two of us I pulled together, potatoes, chicken, frozen broccoli and onions and cooked them in a store bought curry paste. I served the curry over plain white rice.
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