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Some days I blog w/o checking for errors - you'll know it when you read it

June 29, 2009 
- In memory

We lost a valued part of the family today.  Our beloved Duncan (the farm's Pembroke Welch Corgi) was run over in our yard.  The driver for the bus service that provides transportation for our handicapped daughter, hit him as she was leaving the yard.  We have talked to her on many occasions, as well as contacted her place of work AND the company who contracts the service about her driving too fast in our yard and on the highway.  It has had little effect... and now, because of her recklessness, our dog is dead.  When Carol called the bus barn, all she got was a cool, "We're sorry" and an explanation on how accidents happen.  NOT GOOD ENOUGH!

I called the bus service a couple of hours later, requesting the driver be fired... or at the very least... moved to another route.  I was told that it was unlikely, as our dog being killed was an accident.  Even though we have had problems with this driver since she started, they sounded unwilling to transfer her.  When I explained that Duncan was the 2nd dog of ours she hit, they said they were unaware of any other incident.  HUH?!?!?  B/S!!!  At the end of it all, they offered to pay for another herding dog, should we choose to get one.  You're damn right we going to get another dog.  Nonetheless, our goofy little Duncan will be greatly missed.

June 28, 2009 
- How to get rid of Cocklebur/Burdock

Simply put... eat it!  Here's a nutritious recipe for Burdock.

June 27, 2009 
- Rain & hail

I re-raked some of the hay that was ruined by the previous rain showers.  I was able to get some bailing done... then came the sprinkles, then the rain... and as I was driving the tractor back to the farm... the hail came.  O-U-C-H!   Luckily, I was the only thing that got hurt.  It doesn't look like the crops got damaged.  We were lucky.

June 26, 2009 
- I can't freak'in believe my luck.

We have had poor luck with our baling attempts.  Even the baler I used from the neighbors, broke down.  Crap, crap, CRAP!!!  I can't even use the neighbor's nice, but older equipment, w/o problems.  When I brought it back, wondering how much this was going to cost me... my neighbor just said "Don't worry about it.  We'll just order a new part."  After a few phone calls, we found out that the part we needed was obsolete.  How obsolete?  We were told that there are no dealers in North America that has the part needed to replace the part we needed.  Crap, crap  CRAP!!!

I tried baling-Plan A, B & C.  Time for Plan D.  Call Farmer Mike.  I did so and as always, he was willing to help out.  A super big thanks goes to him for letting me use his back-up round baler.  We now have some new hay that isn't brown.

I keep forgetting to mention the deer - a doe and her twins.  Every once in awhile, I see a doe and her fawns.  They are an unexpected, pleasurable sight to behold as they slowly hop, skip and jump across our pastured hillsides.

June 25, 2009 
- With the help of neighbors

Breakdowns are common on the farm... the big problem is that most of our implements are so outdated, you can't get parts for them anymore.  A breakdown now simply means it's broken and down for the count.

Plan A was to use our older Italian-made Batlle round baler - that didn't work.  It just wouldn't produce a bale.  Plan B was to use our McCormick #46 small-square baler (age unknown).  When I finally got the knotter to tie, the pick-up part of the baler stopped working.  I think it is just too old to work anymore.  When it was working last year, it produced near perfect bales.  I was VERY impressed with my find.

Our neighbors offered to borrow/rent us their John Deere 24T baler.  Thank you, thank you!  Even though the hay was all but ruined, I was able to get the road ditches baled.  That was my Plan C.   I was running out of options.

- Farrah Faucett dies

And Michael Jackson too.

June 24, 2009 
- Another job well done... I hope

The last 2 days were spent on the tractor seat.  It's cultivating season around here... at least for the organic farmers around here.  I need to thank Farmer Mike for letting me use his 4-row cultivator.  He uses an eight row so this one was just sitting in the tree line.  I think Mike mentioned that these 4-row cultivators aren't worth much, but like he said, "Why spend the $$$ when you don't have to?"  Borrowed or not, I kinda like using the small stuff.  It reminds me of when I use to visit my grandparent's during the summer, when I was a kid.  Back then, I drove an 'H' and a mid/front-mount cultivator.  It seemed to take forever.  Nowadays, a 560 IH seems to be the small tractor for field work.  I was able to make pretty good time.  Yesterday, I was in the field for about 6 hrs - today for about 5.  Even with the rain shower, I was able to finish.

The corn field borders the farm's oats and wheat fields.  I think these 2 fields look incredible.  We had a very dry spring, but it didn't seem to effect the early growth of the these small grains.  If I would have gotten down with the corn early enough, I was going to take a pic or two.  Both grains are heading out.  Again, they look very good.  I'm very pleased.

June 23, 2009 
- A new arrival

Daughter Madison made another good call.  She suspected one of our dairy goats was going to give birth very soon.  Sure enough, during chores we could not find Montana, a soon-to-be first time mama.  When we found her under a tree - in full-blown labor.  I thought she acted like she was a little stressed.  Our first concern was do we see hooves.  We've been having quite a few birthing problems with our dairy goats - why should this one be any difference, right?  Bad news, we could only see one hoof... and a nose.  Madison took charge of the business end of the birthing.  Then she said the baby was breathing.  OH CRAP!  If for some reason the baby settles back into the birth canal, it will suffocate.  Madison grabbed the visible leg, then reached into mama and found the other leg.  She pulled and pulled, then finally inched the leg forward, into the birthing position.  Carol took over and delivered the little one... it was a VERY tough, but successful birth for this small doe.  She had a doeling. 

Montana and her new doeling, Virginia - still wet

The good news is that we have more doelings than bucklings.  In fact, out of 6 babies, only one was a buckling.  The bad news is this:  of the 4 does that gave birth... 3 of them had problems with delivery and needed assistance.

June 21, 2009 
- Insult to injury

It rained on and off all day.  That means most of the hay I raked yesterday will be ruined.  This sucks.  Why do problems arise when one can not really afford them?  Happy Father's Day?  Not today.  At least not for me.

June 20, 2009 
- Not a good day

The day started out OK - some sun and a slight breeze.  My ditch hay looked like it was drying nicely.  To help things along I decided to turn it over by raking it, hoping to get it baled soon after.  It went fairly well... until the end.  The rake I use is an old, OLD John Deere, steel wheel model.  As I was raking the hay, one of the shafts that hold the rake teeth on it broke in half, causing it to jam the whole machine... major parts broke thereafter. The damage is irreparable.  I am now in need of a rake.  If you have an old one that you don't need any more or know of one that needs a new owner, please, PLEASE email me.

To add insult to injury, I went out with the round bailer that I got repaired.  It still doesn't bail.  Just as much hay got thrown out the back as there was in the making of the bail.  Crap, crap, CRAP!  PLAN B:  Get the old square bailer out and do the baling with that.  I had problems with it late last fall, but was able to fix the problem early this spring.  It seemed to work - picking up the wind-row w/o problem.  Then it started kicking bales out untied.  Again... crap, crap, CRAP!  After bring it to back to the farm.  I couldn't get it the knotter to tie correctly.  The knot looks tied, but when the bale comes out, the one twine slides out of the knot - very frustrating.  After an hour or so of working on it, it still didn't want to tie.  I quit working on it when I lost daylight.

The only real positive of the day was the when was trying to bale with the round baler, I saw our once missing Kentucky Bourbon hen was in the vineyard.  With her were 8-10 baby turkey poults following her around.  Oh ya! Carol bought me beer - that's always a good thing.

June 17, 2009 
- Another complicated birth

Verona was in labor when Madison entered the barn this evening.  I was outside when I saw Madison running... a few seconds later Carol came running, announcing Verona was giving birth.  Madison was paying close attention to Verona, as Carol was trying to milk April ASAP.  As I watched Verona, I thought her labor was unusually hard.  I mentioned it to Carol.  After I finished my chores, I went into the house to eat supper.  As I was eating, Carol told me Verona was having complications.  That made for a quick bite.  Sure enough, Verona was stressed.  It turned out, the kid was being born breech.  Carol had to reach in to push the kid back in, then pull the hind feet first... the kid was born dead.  Even after I tried mouth-to-mouth, I unable to revive it.  I was working on the first baby while the twin was being delivered by Madison and Carol.  The 2nd of the babies came out only after Madison pulled the bent leg forward.  It turned out well with a live birth - it was a doeling.  The first born was a doeling as well.

We had 2 egg customers - one of them wanted goat milk as well, but failed to bring his own container, but said he would stop by tomorrow with a container for us to put milk into.  We are not allowed to sell raw milk in our containers.

Madison participated in our local 4-H Demonstration Day, in New London.  Her demonstration was on how to prepare a rabbit for show.  She got a blue ribbon for her efforts.

June 12, 2009 
- Time to make hay

Haying season has begun.  I spent the better part of the day swathing hay north of the creek.  The farm has some low ground out in the NE part of the land.  Over all, it has been dry, but the lowest part of the grassland is lush and the grass is nearly 3' high in some parts.  In time, this land will be pasture... now it's producing much needed hay now.  Also getting the blade is a small piece of grass ground near the road.  It's small acreage, but hay is hay.  And when hay is grass-hay, so much the better.  Pasture-based farms need lots of grass hay to get through the winter.

We also had a few new births - a Crested Blue Swedish (her name is Flo with the Fro) hatched a few chicks of various breeds.  When you have a mix of purebreds and half-breeds, it is commonly referred to as a homesteader's mix.

Meet Flo and her new babies, a typical homesteader's mix of ducklings

Unfortunately, Duncan (our Corgi) killed 2 of the ducklings.  We assume he was trying to herd them and got too aggressive for such tender little critters.  We don't always like what he does, but we easily understand that he is doing what comes natural to him... he is doing his job... as he sees it.

June 11, 2009 
- What a day!

We got up early.  Today was the day we were going to butcher some chickens and a pheasant (we found on alongside the road last night).  We had a slight change of plans. 

It seems when you add two items:  cattle and fences... you will (given enough time) find one failing the other.  In most cases, the fence will fail before the cattle do.  Today, a friend's herd busted out of the pasture they were in.  Word got to us from a neighbor in a round-about way.  The neighbor is about a ½ mile from us, but I'm not sure how many calls were made before we got one.  And for the record:  I can honestly tell my family of afar, no, they were not our cattle, nor did anyone think they were.

These cattle were young, wild and acted quite out of character.  They ran fences, they charged 4-wheelers, the scattered themselves over miles of farmland... and sadly to say, they injured 2 people.  The first person was Carol.  A heifer charged her, lifted her into the air... then stepped on her ankle after she hit the ground.  She now has a swollen ankle that is turning a gross shade of blue.  The second person injured was Farmer Mike's son.  Another heifer rammed Mike's kid into a stock trailer then scraped a hoof across his back.  He was banged-up to say the least.  Luckily for both our families, there was no need to bring anyone to the hospital.  In all, we had about 14-15 neighbors and friends looking, tracking and helping with these crazy, wild heifers.  Most of us had never ran as far or as fast as we did in many, many years.  Although we did not get injured, we will be feeling the pain of too much exercise tomorrow.  The chasing of critters started at about 8AM and ended at 4:30PM.

- What a day!  part II

When I got back home, I asked Austin where Carol was.  He said his mom was in the barn... OK cool.  When I got down there, Carol was watching goat Wyoming, in a birthing pen.  It was time for for another Saanen to kid.  Needles to say, Madison was not really happy about having to got to bible school tonight, because of the impending birth.  While Madison was gone, Wyoming gave birth to a nice sized, healthy doeling.  Carol had to help with the birth as the doeling had one of her hooves bent under her leg (it should be straight forward).  The kidding went well, minor problems and all.  The goat had the baby we expecting and all was well.

About 3 hours later, Austin went out to do some chores for his mom... we then got a call - it was Austin.  He was calling to let Carol and I know that Wyoming had a hoof sticking out of her hind end... so we rushed down.  Sure enough, she was in labor... again.  When we got there, Carol could see an ear and part of a leg.  Wyoming was showing signs of stress, so we know something wasn't as right as it should have been.  Carol reached around the kid and could not locate the other leg.  Because we were messing around the does rear end, it caused her to contract/push, forcing the baby partially out.  It was more than clear, the birth was not going well.  Carol reached into the doe to try to find where the unborn kid's leg was located in the birth canal... she could not find it. 

After 5-10 minutes, Carol realized that she could not reposition the leg that was folded under the body.  She sent Austin to get Madison from Bible School.  We thought Madison could get the goat baby's leg corrected so s/he could be delivered.  At this point, the goat kid was still alive.  About 5 minutes later, Madison was in the barn willing to help... good clothes still on.  Madison was able to reach in the mama goat and feel the baby's leg, but was unable to bring the leg forward.  Carol tried again, this time she was able to reach the leg and pulled the leg forward.  Madison must have moved the leg enough for Carol to reach it.  The bottom line... the baby goat was delivered successfully and the doe didn't show any signs of internal trauma (other than birth).  The doe cleaned out as expected and Carol started her on an antibiotic, due to fact she and Madison reached inside her.  It was VERY trying... the whole day was.  We're glad it's over.  BTW:  Wyoming's second baby was a buckling.  Both babies and Mama seem to be doing well.

Wyoming and family after a difficult and bloody delivery

We are truly surprised that the little buckling lived through the delivery.

June 10, 2009 
- Happy birthday to me.

It's my birthday and I will be celebrating it by helping the neighbors with chores.

June 09, 2009 
- More cattle.

After some slight fencing modification, we were ready for Farmer Mike's Certified Organic Ayrshire heifers to be pastured, north of the creek.  Mike brought over a dozen heifers for the summer/fall months.  It's a win-win deal.  He get some cheap organic feed for his cattle and we finding a use for the otherwise idle land.

June 08, 2009 
- 2 steps forward.

Most folks know, we are establishing a pasture-based farm.  Today, we went forward with our vision.  Farmer Mike came over to help with the installation of the remote pasture water line.  I had purchased some 900ft of 1" - 160psi black poly pipe.  Mike and I quickly discovered we needed a few more fittings and another 300' of line.  After a quick run to the farm store we had what we needed.  By the end of the day I/we had the water line laid out and a water tank w/faucet assembly in place, north of the creek... ready to receive cattle.

To add the exclamation point to the day, we also received the waiver we've been waiting for from the State Natural Resource and Conservation Service office, giving us the OK to start our 11 year, $55k government financed pasture and grazing conservation program.  To our relief, it was dated June 3rd - 2 days before we bought the water line and supplies that Mike and I used.  So if our contract gets signed on June 30th, the stuff we bought and will be buying for the project, will/should be reimbursable.

June 07, 2009 
- Just my luck.

Here is my life.... summed up in 5 minutes of the life of a County worker.  If you look back in the blog, you will find that approx. a year and a half ago, somebody or something hit our mailbox.  The county DOT thinks they did it with the snowplow.  OK.  They reinstalled the mailbox post ASAP but failed to put up our fire number.  All last year we had no number.  Well, this year we have been fortunate enough to have a steady flow of customers and guests alike.  Many of those looking for the farm, drive past at least once, due to the fact they are looking for our fire number "6755." - our neighbors have numbers, so should we.  Now that we have the traffic that was once exclusive to US Highway 12, moving past our place, we thought it best to put the farm number on the mailbox.  Carol bought 2 sets of the numbers 6755 (one for each side of the mailbox).  After 18-20 months of no address, we finally have numbers.  We were so proud.

No more than an hour after installing our brand new numbers on both sides of the mailbox, 2 county workers were seen near the mailbox pounding in a steel post.  Shortly thereafter, we saw that we have a shiny blue & white fire number sign next to the mailbox.  The whole process took 5 minutes.  After over 1½ years w/o a fire number we have 2 of them within an hour.  This took place on Friday.

June 06, 2009 
- 15 dozen eggs.

Since the US Highway 12 detour has brought increased traffic past the farm, our farm sales have increased as well.  We are averaging 1 new visitor each day.  Today was no different.  During the rain (yes, we finally got a little moisture), a SUV full of older gals drove into the yard.  Figuring they were here for either eggs or bunnies, Carol went out to greet them.  They were here for eggs.  Between the four of them, they wanted 15 dozen eggs.  Sorry to say, Carol didn't have that many eggs to sell.  At the moment, we only had 4 dozen eggs washed & ready.  Each woman got a dozen.  Carol told me that one gal, who appeared to be quite head-strong, told her that we better have eggs ready for the next time they roll through - on the 27th or 28th.  Now that they found a local source for farm fresh eggs, they only want to buy from us.  Carol was going to send them up the road to the neighbor's place, but we recently learned they don't have any eggs.  It seems what the dogs don't kill, their other chicken do.  For some reason, their chickens are pecking themselves to death.  Weird huh?  We may have to contact the Egg Man and buy some of his eggs to sell to our customers.

June 05, 2009 
- Cocoa died.

We're not sure what happened, but when we did chores this morning, I found Cocoa (our new Highlander calf) dead by the fence line.  Last night he was running behind mama, acting normal.  When things like this happen, it saps our energy.  We wonder if we're cut-out to do this sort of thing... did we do something wrong?  Could we have prevented this?  If the calf had fallen into a hole or had become entangled in wire or twine, we could at least place blame and then take steps to prevent another similar situation from happening. Instead, we are left to wonder what really happened.

Last night, we bought 10 hogs from a friend of a friend.  Although we still have the runt, named Dopy or Goofy or whatever we call him, as well as the 2 pot-bellied pigs, I have a new favorite farm pig. We are calling him Harry.  While he was still in the trailer last night, Madison noticed he looked harrier than the others... and the name stuck.  He's quite timid yet, but I bet within a week, I'll have him tamed down and friendly.

meet Harry.  he is the farm's newest pigs.

Harry has his own pen under the hay-loft.  We will feed him for a bit before letting him out to pasture, where he can graze.  We did the same for last year's pig, Ham.

June 04, 2009 
- Got milk?

Carol was busy selling farm products today.  On the way to Sunburg, MN to visit family, a couple stopped in.  They ordered [and paid for] 2 farm fresh chickens.  If the weather is satisfactory, Carol and I will be butchering a few birds Monday or Tuesday.  The folks wanting the chicken, also want to buy some raw goat's milk at that time as well.  They liked the sample of milk Carol gave them - they thought it tasted great.  I think they told Carol that although the live by Eagle Lake, they are currently buying raw cow's milk from the Lake Lillian, MN area.  We love new customers!

And in a few days, we'll have plenty of milk to sell.  One of our yearling does gave birth.  Earlier in the day, Madison mentioned that she thought Cricket was close to kidding.  Carol and I thought it was just wishful thinking.  Since we knew she was close to being due, we decide to put her into a birthing pen.  To make a long story short... when Carol and I went down to the barn to check on Madison and the goat, Madison mentioned that she just helped Cricket give birth to a healthy little doeling.

Madison was calm and cool enough to take pictures for nearly the complete birthing process... up to the time when she thought Cricket was having problems.  She said she set her camera down to help deliver the baby.  Madison said the first thing she did was to make sure the baby goat's nose was clear.  Once she gave a little tug on the baby, helping to get the head out of the birthing canal, it was smooth sailing.  Carol and I missed the whole thing.  It turns out that Madison may know a little more than we gave her credit.  Nonetheless, it was a quick, problem free birthing.  Mother Cricket and baby Lady Bug are doing fine.

June 03, 2009 
- Opened a new pasture.

I sold another 275 gal. poly-tank.  I think this is the 6th or 7th tank I sold this year.  Brand new, they cost about $500, but used are selling for $90-100.  Most of the folks who buy them use them as semi-portable water tanks, for watering remote trees and shrubs.  On the farm here, we use one for watering grape vines and the other, we cut the top off for storing our bulk chicken feed.  The tanks hold about 1600 lbs of feed.  For us, that is about a month's worth of feed.

Anyway, the guy who bought the poly tank works as a sales agent for a winery.  He was kind enough to give us a couple of samples of what he sells.  The 1st bottle is a 2006 Sauvignon Blanc, from the Gary Farrell Winery, in the Russian River Valley, of California.  The other bottle of wine is a 2005 Chardonnay from Estancia Estates, CA.  I can only image we will uncork these bottles when my sisters come to visit in July.

In anticipation of Farmer Mike's Organic heifers heading to our pastures, I removed our Highlander bull, Sampson, from the fold.  Sampson in now closer to the place in a smaller pasture that we call the 'L'.  He will be held in this pasture for 3-4 weeks, before joining Mike's cattle and the females of our fold, in the pasture(s) north of the creek.  Speaking of which, our cattle finally crossed the creek.  It took a little coaxing, but things went well.  I drove to the far side of the creek with a bale of hay and Carol & Madison brought the cattle from the barn-yard with a few squares/leaves of hay.  Carol scattered the hay she had on the bank, near the water.  I broke my bale on the bank of the other side, where the cattle could see it.  It didn't take long for one of the cows to enter the water and cross to the other side... the others filed across, after her.  The last in the water was Madison.  LOL.  She took off her boots and socks and headed in.  There was no swimming involved, since the water level is only approx. 12" deep.  But now Madison knows where to cool-off on a hot day.  When I was a kid, the water lever was at least 3' deep, with many areas over 6' - we could actually swim.

June 02, 2009 
- Last day of school.

Madison is now a happy camper.  Her last day of school was today.

Running low on chix feed.  We got another 1600# of bulk feed from Egg Man.  It's so much cheaper buying it in bulk, compared to buying it in bags at the local farm elevator.  We're quite grateful our friend, the Egg Man is willing to do this for us.

June 01, 2009 
- Good news - Bad news.

We'll see how this plays out.  MNDOT is doing some repairs/upgrading on the bridge by Kerkhoven, so they are detouring traffic up Cnty Rd #7, right past the farm.  On one hand, it will increase the traffic past the place, exposing folks to what we have for sale.  The downside of the detour is, again, the traffic.  Our farm dogs are not the brightest pups in the dog-pound.  We're afraid one or both of them will get hit by a passing vehicle.  Some folks say the bridge project will last about a month.  Unfortunately, after the detour has ended, our dogs will still be dumb.

May 31, 2009 
- Happy birthday Sis.

It's my sister's b-day today.

 
here's a pic of my sister Regins's 9th birthday

Am I this only one out there that hasn't seen this before?  While I was drinking a cup of my morning coffee, I changed the channel on the TV (after Carol left to do her chores).  I stumbled upon the PLGN Channel.  It's the Planet Green Channel, featuring shows on recycling, composting, living off-grid/sustainably and being more environmentally responsible.  On DirecTV, it's channel 286.

I am nearly finished with my temporary fencing project, north of the creek.  I has fencing across the creek and good solid (but temp. fencing) on the short (west) side of the new pasture.  In place, I have a 16' 'poor man's' gate for loading and unloading cattle.  Yesterday, I called around for 1" black poly water line.  I need approx. 1,000 feet of 160psi line to run from the barn to the creek, to water the livestock north of the creek.  Nobody had what I needed.  Even if I bought all that the stores had, combined, I still would not have enough.  That's why I decided to fence a crossing for the creek - if I can't get water line I need in short fashion, the cattle can still get water from the creek.  I have a call to Mike, the manager of our local Runnings Farm store.  Hopefully, he can get me the materials I need for our major fencing project.

Tomorrow, I will finish the new pasture.  I will be going to town to purchase a solar-powered electric fencer and some fence insulators.  Then I will open the gate for the Highlanders to give it a test drive.  If they stay in, the pasture will be good to go and Farmer Mike can bring his cattle to graze for the summer on our newly Certified Organic grassland.

I finished fencing about 8:00PM... man was I hungry.  Waiting for me was some sort of long grain and wild rice & chicken dish.  IT WAS DELICIOUS!  It was a great meal to have after a hard day of fencing.  After chores, Carol made a fresh Strawberry pie with homemade goat ice cream.  It was cold and hit the spot like no other desert could.

this was so good: strawberry pie with homemade goat milk ice cream