Highbinder crossed over. Never be forgotten, Running things solo on farm

[HayHauler]

We were camping in our RV trailer near Austin, TX, and Friday night about 3 a.m. that storm came through with nickel sized hail!!!  Sounded like golf balls in the trailer with the thin roof, but it wasn't too bad considering what others went through.  There was a clap of thunder that woke everyone up that was camping with us.  Man, it was close.

Spring is right around the corner.....

Hay 
Jimmyt

[LadyDraco]

My daffies are in full bloom, and  my Hyacinths , are smelling divine!

[hubcapsc]

Our upper pasture is slap covered in hyacinth and violets... are these like yours?



This picture is from last year, but it is like this now...

-Mike

[LadyDraco]

I  only have  a  handful of them tiny Grape Hyacinths.
I'll snag a  pic of  my front of the  house. It something I  had  planted  years  ago..
There were NO flowers around  this  place when we  bought this  farm..

   I  have  a  friend  giving  me  a  hand  on the  farm for  a  few  days.
Something  I dearly needed... He our  old  logging friend. He  helping me  with  pulling the  cylinder off the  tractor. It had  a  bad leak so he  got that off, and  we  got the  packing in Princeton .
Charlie  got it pulled  apart for  us.  And  he'll get it back together.
Pen will get her installed. We  are working on the  back wall of  where I put the  firewood. Adding 4 sheets  of  tin siding that was left over from when we built our shop and  hay barn.
   And  using the  left over lumber  from back then !
Doing this  so I  don't  have  to tarp the  wood every year.

[LadyDraco]

Our old buddy gave me a good hand on the farm..
We added some old tin to where I store my firewood, so now I don't have to tarp it !

And a few other things on the farm.
The biggest thing was,  had one of my old mares had  to be put down  .
She  was 25yrs old. I was  really glad  our buddy would  do the deed  for  me..
   That was  Thursday , yeah  a  rough day on the  farm.
 

[LadyDraco]

Here's the  wood port, so from this, having to cover it each year  :





To this , and  all screwed in so can always  remove it , if  need be:







No more tires needed ,And  I'll move  them cinderblocks.

Left air gaps top and  bottom..







Had to relocate my bee trap. To the  far end,  used a large L bracket for a shelf.

It hangs the  trap far enough from the post so the  bees  can still use  all 4  sides .

And so the  wind doesn't swing the   Qt. jar into the post.



I  had  to hook up the  big Genny and  used the  power washer and washed the  inner and  outer yesterday.. But of course I pre washed with hot water  and  a  bucket. 19yrs of  coon crap on the  lumber , and  stacked tin/steel was just dirty from being stacked white side was up...



I still say the  best thing is  it was all scrap !

Even had  the  self tapping screws with the  gaskets on them and  the  joists all left over..

My flowers this  year in the  front of the  house.

 

[carolinarider09]

Well Done!!

And I know of what you speak when you mentioned the screws with "gaskets".  I have built three out buildings (one roll off roof observatory, and two "out" buildings.  One I call a garage and one I call a "workshop".  Also built the house in which we live.  All have metal roofs.

The house has a fairly steep roof and part of it faces almost due south.  Anyway, some of those screws are "backing" out of the metal roof.  Just on the house, not on the other three buildings.  The house is the only building I used OSB for roof covering under the metal.  Just some, maybe 10 or 20.  Strange things happen. 

[LadyDraco]

Thank You 

[Jess from VA]

Tracy, the amount of work you put in on your place is pretty impressive (demanding, never ending and hard).  

I hope you are taking care of yourself.  

All I have is a little third acre and small house in suburbia, and the care and maintenance on it wears me out pretty good.

Sorry about your old mare.  I suppose it's none of my business, but I wonder what you do with the great big carcass?  

[LadyDraco]

As long as one has a 80+ac. You can burry on your place.
Jason dug a hole for me as he always has for the last 15yrs. with his excavator .
He just has to come through our pass thru gate. So no hauling..
   Jason is a good neighbor and friend.

[Jess from VA]

That's a good deal.  Better than a shovel.   

I've got a very unfriendly/disagreeable neighbor, I'd like to bury in the backyard.  But that's where they'd look first, so that's out.   

[LadyDraco]

If my tractor had down pressure I could dig a hole myself.
But it's just a manure scoop ,no dig power...
I still kick myself for selling our big Kubota with the old farm..

[LadyDraco]

And for real it's bloody snowing out...
Mother Nature has a hell of a sense of humor

[hubcapsc]

If my tractor had down pressure I could dig a hole myself.
But it's just a manure scoop ,no dig power...
I still kick myself for selling our big Kubota with the old farm..

Gag... just another thing to maintain. Carolyn had to bury a horse recently,
she knew who to call, they came right out and it cost around $500. Having
a friend who comes over is that much better  ...

-Mike

[carolinarider09]

And for real it's bloody snowing out...
Mother Nature has a hell of a sense of humor

I noticed there were big storms in your area.  Hope all is well. 

And yes, Mother Nature does have a sense of humor. 

[LadyDraco]

Honestly April could Sod Off

[LadyDraco]

Tried to snow  on and  off all day.
Lost another  calf  last week.
That's now  2 calves  and  a horse.

[Hook#3287]

Well Done!!

And I know of what you speak when you mentioned the screws with "gaskets".  I have built three out buildings (one roll off roof observatory, and two "out" buildings.  One I call a garage and one I call a "workshop".  Also built the house in which we live.  All have metal roofs.

The house has a fairly steep roof and part of it faces almost due south.  Anyway, some of those screws are "backing" out of the metal roof.  Just on the house, not on the other three buildings.  The house is the only building I used OSB for roof covering under the metal.  Just some, maybe 10 or 20.  Strange things happen. 

Jim, the reason the screws on the house are the only ones backing out maybe due to more contraction and expansion because it's a conditioned building.

Insulation installation will affect that process.

Just a guess and I don't think the use of osb sheathing would make much difference if it's the same thickness as plywood used.

If you didn't put sheathing on the other buildings and the roofing is screwed into rafters or firing strips, lumber will expand at a different rate then sheathing.

Never been a fan of Screw down roofing in anything but accessory non heated structures.

[NewValker]

Tried to snow  on and  off all day.
Lost another  calf  last week.
That's now  2 calves  and  a horse.

Sorry for the loss of your animals Lady D
We got 5 inches of heavy, wet snow yesterday.  Further delaying riding….

Craig

[LadyDraco]

Thanks  Craig .
Sorry about your  heavy snow...

[carolinarider09]

Tried to snow  on and  off all day.
Lost another  calf  last week.
That's now  2 calves  and  a horse.

Sorry for your loses.  I know it is sort of different but I have always thought the most farmers considered them almost like family.  I know there are differences but..... 

[LadyDraco]

The  horse Yes  I  had  her  mum, and  sire.
And  was there  when she  was born 25 yrs ago.
So yeah  she  was  family.. The  calves  well they were  just 2 sad souls  that never got  to really be.


Separated  2  head  from the  herd , aka  culling  them out.
The  cow  that lost her  calf  after bottle feeding it .
and  a  yearling bull that got hurt during the  Hurricane Helene .

But sadly little bull escaped ! Thru 6 strands of barbwire!
In his escape, he almost took me out !
I had my hickory stick with me when he charged ,I hit him in the head so hard it had that sweet crack home run sound! It turned him .
But it didn't stop him from getting out.

The  fella  said ,dang I thought he had ya! I said I knew I couldn't miss with my hit!
And I knew I had to hit as hard as I could!
The old cow is in the trailer after much drama. They will hold her at their place.
Till the cull buyer shows up. They have holding pens that are tall!
Neither of us thought little bull could run that good, I guess his adrenalin kicked in .

https://youtu.be/m1azztnjFKg?t=3

[LadyDraco]

I finally got a chance to look at little bull yesterday.. He's fine no cuts, kind of a shock.
I thought I would see a bunch.
I rode up on him on the quad while he was in the field with the herd.

Yeah farming  can be dangerous.

[carolinarider09]

I finally got a chance to look at little bull yesterday.. He's fine no cuts, kind of a shock.
I thought I would see a bunch.
I rode up on him on the quad while he was in the field with the herd.

Yeah farming  can be dangerous.

And also rewarding. 

I don't always respond to your posts but I read them all.  I guess some times I don't have a "valid" comment. 

But what you have posted above is, I think, the rewards of farming.  And yes, farming can be dangerous.    I was never a real farmer but, as I have said before, each summer in the mid 60's we would travel to one of our families uncles.  It was always a learning experience.  Just like my mom and dad doing small farms when we lived in Saluda, SC

  

[Jess from VA]

From 1st to 3d grade I lived next to a big farm.  They had three boys about my age, and I practically lived over there, since there was so much to do.  

We rode the sheep, but not the mean old Shetland pony who would bite and try and stomp you to death.

Their dad rode him once and it was like the wild west.

Fished in the stocked pond.

Made forts in the hay bale stocked barn.

Collected eggs in the henhouse (which the family sold), and had to watch out for two giant geese who enjoyed terrorizing and chasing us around the yard.  You'd whack them with broom handles, and they'd just keep coming at you. 

When we moved, I wanted to stay with them.  But I was too young to vote.    

[LadyDraco]

Happy Easter

[LadyDraco]

The  other  day I went to put my baby plants on the  genny lid.
I started  to hear more  creaking ! As you can see in this  photo
it was  in  bad shape and in much needed replacing.
So I started tearing the old  plywood roof off.
Got my measurements and  off to my scrap pile of  metal siding/roofing




The  new  roof, yes it is  an odd colour  but I  didn't need to trim it much.
Plus it was handier then digging through the  pile
The  scraps  from the   wood port were all too short.
Note  the  curve , yes I  did that , as  there was always  a  drip  that  hit the  genny.
So I hope  that fixed  that issue.
I figured  I  can always   paint it with some kind of  metal paint.



And  I  did  add  more 2x4 and  a  center  support .
The  fun part was using my chainsaw  to trim the 2x4 ..
I did  that down in the hay barn.
I was  really amazed how easy it was to get a  straight cut with the chainsaw.
It sure  beat  getting the  genny and  the  skilsaw and  an extension cord.
Hey it's not a  piano..



It was  nice  putting my plants on it and  knowing that it will not collapse

[Jess from VA]

Another day, another project.

It's the same at my house.   

[LadyDraco]

That was  really Friday/Saturday  work..

Today was helping my neighbor from 9:30 - 12:30.
His  3  yearling colts  were  *cut.
  So was  helping out with that..

Brought back very fond  memories of  when Don and I had  cut colts .
Every year for  almost 20+ yrs..
 


*cut = being gelded/castrated .
The  world  doesn't need any more  stallions.

[LadyDraco]

Bud stayed in last night  odd.
But maybe he knew that today was 2 yrs since ScooterCat crossed over.
And knowing I needed him over night... He's such a  smart boy...

I was up and  at it 6:30 burning the  big garden! the strimmer's were still.
And  rain on the way.. It was a good day to burn! The  pile  was huge!
 but I  only started one corner and  fed it ,so it wouldn't get away.
Or too big and hot all at once. SO glad  that's  done!
The  winds  had  been terrible for the  last month+..

I had worked in it for the last 2 days, pulling steeples ,then  making a pile.

[carolinarider09]

The things you do, the burn for instance, always impress me.

What you described as the process you used is what I would agree was correct.  But I doubt if I could have done it the same way. I understand burning, but not having had to do it tends to leave some essential "items" out of the "norm" for people Like me. 

My point is, some of us (me included) fail to understand and appreciate the skills farmers and people like you have.  Skills that are not common knowledge but born of a "learning" process. 

Just wanted to say, you did great even though I am not a real burn expert.  (But I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night).

[LadyDraco]

Thanks 

I would say ,watching my Dad burning the cardboard at the store and LOL singeing his eye brows.
And almost always setting the big field a blaze. And NOT on purpose.

I guess I learned from watching and what not to do.

Never had to do much burning at the last farm.
This place is different.

I also hooked the mid size trailer to the quad and loaded the nasty outside ground hay.
From next door. This is the base layer for the taters. Did 2 loads . Slimy, heavy, stinky.
Taters love it, The best thing I don't have to dig taters, just uncover.

Also set a side the top layer of the nasty stuff , for the top layer covering  the taters,
that  will set on top of taters that set on the nasty layer, then cover with the fluffier stuff.
Sadly I got rained out today.
Other wise I would have loaded the trailer, and pulled it under cover for a few days.
And get all the aches and pains out of the way. Oh well..
Monday will be the day for that..

The hot shower felt good after getting soaked. @ 60*...

[LadyDraco]

Planting taters today,  just got back from grabbing the  top coat of hay to lay on top of the taters.
I really like doing the Ruth Stout method for my taters.
  I know it sounds like a lot of work. But it really isn't.
As you never really touch them again till it's harvest time.
  You can feed  them ,and maybe hit them with safersoap, or BT , for a bug here and there.
There is NO weeding or hilling..
When the tubers start to push threw the mulch they are thicker than my thumb!
So very healthy...

LOL till mumma bear and the cubs come around getting the worms and grubs..
Out from under the thick hay.

[LadyDraco]

And done....

[f6john]

And done....

What did you do to break up the ground? Done by 4:30 sounds great!

[LadyDraco]

That's what is so wonderful with that method..
NO ground digging just lay a good 12-15" of old hay down, then put the taters nestled in and spaced.
Then top with more hay!
Taters don't grow well in my clay dirt.
Even after tilling , they just never grew.

This  is  this years  tater patch
The  other great thing is  you can keep  using that patch and NOT  have to switch it up..

[f6john]

Learned something new today!

[Oldfishguy]

That's what is so wonderful with that method..
NO ground digging just lay a good 12-15" of old hay down, then put the taters nestled in and spaced.
Then top with more hay!
Taters don't grow well in my clay dirt.
Even after tilling , they just never grew.

This  is  this years  tater patch
The  other great thing is  you can keep  using that patch and NOT  have to switch it up..

Do you think that would work in a really large old leaf compost pile? I know not far down it is moist.

[LadyDraco]

For the  winter I  have  a  leaf base, From the  fall...
As  long at ya  top it ,It should work.  Give it a try..
Go to your local Farm Bureau store, seed taters there are a good price.
And they are not treated, so if ya  buy to much .You can just eat them.
   They will sell by the  lbs. or  the  50 lbs sack.
They normally have  Golds, Reds, Kennebeck's (great storage tater)
This  is the  tater patch a  few  years  ago




I know  a lot of folks  that plant on top of  a  Hügelkultur .

I  have not built  them . But I  do add  bark to my gardens  each year, and  till it in the spring.
It's not a lot just from my wood trailers .  
One  day I  just might do a  small Hügelkultur as  a test...

[LadyDraco]

One  of  my Heifers have  calved. This is  not a  cow.
Although she  can be  called  a  cow ,as  she  has  had her  first calf.
I only have  an aerial view via  drone.
I  have  no idea of  the  sex  of that calf yet .