Canesister's 2019 farm journal

[canesisters]

The Year Of The Mud... so far

Seed starting planned for this weekend on some 'cool weather' crops. I've never done those before, so this should be interesting.

But until then - anxiously awaiting Eva's calf.

I was brushing her yesterday and got to watch it moving ALL AROUND in there! I tried to get a video but by the time I got back with the phone, it had gone to sleep. Anywho - this unflattering picture is: her dinner on the left side and baby on the right. She's got about 3 more weeks

This will be the first Summer Season that I've actually had the farm to myself... It's a Weird feeling to have been here 15 years and realize this. In all that time, it's not like anyone told me what to do or not do - but there is DEFINATELY a different FEELING knowing that there isn't someone watching (and, in my mind, judging) every move and every decision. Exciting times!

A LOT more picts coming soon so that I can track progress on several projects. And I'm sharing them here hoping that yall might just help to hold me accountable because some of these have been 'in the works' for a VERY LONG time. It's TIME they get done.
1. connect paddock & chicken pen fence
2. move water trough AWAY from the gate (what was I thinking???? poor planning!)
3. final expansion of chicken pen
4. move brooder out of the garden's space & into the chicken's
5. repair yard fence (broken boards & rotting posts)
6. finish prepping the rest of the expanding garden area

And.. of course, grow the most productive and beautiful summer garden EVER!
Along with all this, I'm seriously considering a couple dozen meat chickens ... and MAYBE a couple of pigs. But we'll see.

 

[seedcorn]

You make me tired just reading about what you will be doing.

 

[Collector]

This is an ambitious list that will keep you busy working weekends.

 

[canesisters]

Weelll - some of them sort of tag-along into each other.

There is a 6' gap between the paddock and the chicken pen. I STILL have no idea WHY I left that gap.. I KNOW there must've been a good reason.. but I have no idea what it was. Anyway . I would prefer to move the chicken pen over to the paddock - but those posts are set in concrete and the paddock posts are 1. not in concrete & 2. rotting and leaning. Since the posts ALMOST line up, I'm planning to simply take the boards down, move them 6' over to the posts of the chicken pen & either yank up or cut off the paddock posts.
This will cause a little 6' wide 'ziz-zag' it the paddock fence and THAT is where the water trough is moving to. It will then sit right next to the chicken water and make watering faster and easier. It will (in my mind) make ALL the watering chores easier since the paddock, the chicken pen and the garden ALL meet in that corner. I'll still have the hose running from the spigot in front of the barn to the trough, but won't need additional hoses run to the chickens and garden.
On the list of "maybe ONE day" is a shade cloth over both waterers to keep them cooler in the summer.....

The final expansion of the chicken pen will also complete the garden fence since they share a side. The hardest part of that will be making and hanging gates. There are some things that I simply HATE doing alone. But it won't be the first time and I learn every time. And since it's gotten to the point that almost every time I got in the chicken pen I say something like "this is going to be SO much easier when I finally get that stupid fence moved!" I'm expecting a general drop in "Farm Frustration Level" and a rise in 'Self Sufficient Accomplishment Level" once it's done.

 

[baymule]

Eva, as always, is looking beautiful. She is one spoiled, lucky cow!

How cool that you are finally on your own. With the room mate that you had, you were on your own, but you had someone else's mouth in your business. Beyond that, she really didn't contribute much of anything. So when you look at it, you've been on your own, it just didn't feel like it.

I like your list. It is ambitious, but you will get it done. I will say this, BEFORE getting pigs, build a place to keep them. And I highly recommend building a Pig Palace, much like mine, to keep them in. That way you can feed and water them from the OUTSIDE of the pen. All by yourself in a pen with a couple of hogs could go very, very wrong. While planning the Pig Palace, build in a loading chute. I didn't , but we use half cow panels to build a makeshift chute.

You might want to put that o the back burner for next year, but definitely get a couple dozen meat chickens. Last year was our first time to raise them. For all the awful things said about them, they are easy to raise, and give a LOT of meat in a very short time. They weren't hard to pluck either. Realistically, you could process 4 or 5 a day, on weekends, packing in ice as you go. You could pluck and clean, then take them in the house for further processing. Cut them up as desired, then vacuum seal for the freezer. Simmer the bones for broth and can. Turn off the pressure canner and go to bed. Next day, rinse, repeat. You could even leave the bones on ice, simmer them in a crock pot and can the broth after work. We have slaughtered 12-15 old layers in a day and I had them on ice for several days while I got them all processed.

 

[canesisters]

Yeah - the pigs are way, way down on the list. An 'If the perfect opportunity' comes up sort of thing.

YES! I am so deeply enjoying having a HOME
It's just wonderful.

LOL! That's not a very attractive angle for Eva's first pict this year.. This one's a little better, even with her eyes closed.

I REALLY wish I had gotten the video. It was so cool.

 

[flowerbug]

that can keep a person busy... or two... or a half dozen...

enjoy your peace and quiet.

 

[thistlebloom]

I'm looking forward to keeping up with your achievements on the farm this year Cane.

I can feel your enthusiasm for the coming season, and especially your unfettered joy at being truly independent of interference, unspoken or not.

Ava is a gem, hope her calving goes smoothly and you get a really nice calf.
Are you hoping for a heifer this year?

 

[canesisters]

As long as both her and the calf are healthy, I don't care.
It's easier to send it off for beef if it's a steer rather than a heifer - but I'm still not pasture-ready to keep 2 adults year round permanently .. and certainly not ready to have TWO calves to deal with - so whatever it is, it will have to go in a year or so.

 

[Carol Dee]

I am so pleased for you @canesisters I am looking forward to seeing Ava's little one Soon.