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.