Farm ramblings

John spent last week in San Francisco and wouldn’t pack shorts because it was too COLD there. He took a jacket. I didn’t know if I would let him in the gate when he came home. He learned quickly not to brag about that week’s weather, although ours was better for here, too, but I didn’t let him know that…. I’m just kidding guys, don’t flame me.

I got a ton of stuff done while he was gone. Found an ad in the paper, a couple of teenagers with their Dad collecting scrap metal for college funding. They came and picked up the old swing set, several rusty, bent up old cattle panels that were made in Noah’s day and just as heavy as the Ark, some old chicken wire and small fencing; a bunch of the Ma & Pa Kettle junk that’s been ‘going to the recycle but can’t do it all in one day, Ma.’ Unfortunately I missed a trash can of metal but at least that’s contained and in the workshop…. which is next! I got the hay shed cleaned out. Oh, they took the old sink base that has been under there for 5+ years. I’m very grateful for their work!

Baby chicks came in on Wed. Thirty-five broilers for fall butchering. They are growing fast and need little additional heat in this weather. That’s why we grow them in the fall instead of the spring when the brooder heater runs most of the time. I can sleep easier knowing the electric meter isn’t spinning out of control.

I think we have a snake behind the hay bales in the barn. The goats were intently watching something back there this weekend. Then Smokey, barn cat, had her head stuck back there, hunting this morning. I smelled the snake when the goats saw whatever. What fun. I’m sick of snakes.  I haven’t seen an ad for anyone wanting to pick up scrap snakes though. Too bad.

AND our 3 last bucklings are going to the vet’s tomorrow to be wethered. I was really hoping Talley would be taken as a herd sire as his momma is doing excellent on the milking stand and gave as much as 3# on once a day milkings - great for a first freshener. Her Momma was even better so I’m expecting better with Betsy’s future freshenings.

Lilly, our granddog, spent the weekend with us while our daughter and family were tubing down in New Brunsfeld. Lilly promptly rolled on the pile of dog bones and then hid all of the bones under the hay shed. She growled at any of the dogs (huge in comparison to her size) when they came near their own food bowls that she was borrowing for the visit. Even Pudge avoided her whenever possible. Bud gets along with any and every one so he willingly shared his quilt with her. Sorry the picture is grainy. John took it with his phone as I was too lazy to go get the camera. Not too bad in that case, huh? While you’re at it, ignore the full laundry basket behind them. I was lazy!

I cut the tallow soap to cure but have cheated and brought one bar in to use now. It’s pretty firm for fresh soap and it feels fantastic. I think I’d use tallow all the time if I could cheaply render my own. This batch is a tad browner than it should be as I put too much Peru Balsaam in it. Peru Balsaam is a resin esssential oil that is used for the skin more than for scent.

Zucchini is still producing, so much so that I ripped up one patch to allow more sunlight to the mellons that are growing in the same bed. The Hale’s canteloupes are ripening faster than we can eat them. Farming is typically feast or famine. Famine for the green beans. Got one meal from them before they started burning up with this 100 degree heat. The asparagus beans have gone hog wild but just don’t taste as good as regular green beans. I’m spoiled, I know.

Oh, and I finally finished the top quilting on the Compass quilt! I positioned the needle and let John push it through for the last stitch. Now comes the less than fun part - the binding. Any volunteers? Maybe I’d better check the ads tonight.

This entry was posted on August 17, 2009 at 07:54 pm and is filed under Homestead living. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site.