Monday, March 20, 2017

Crazy Busy Is Becomming The New Normal

Last Wednesday when Janet and I were on our drive to the Shed for fiber night we encountered a large number of wild turkeys in the mountains between our places and the Shed. They are fun to watch and hear but aren't very accommodating for a on the fly photo shoot. These turkeys are called a flock on one reference site and a rafter or a gang per another. Wild turkeys can fly up to 55 MPH which is pretty impressive. I must admit that they did run at a good pace when I pulled off the road to get a better shot of them. And basically that is what I have felt like recently a running turkey.

It seems that since the merging of February and March it has been crazy busy with the calendar already filling up April shows no signs of a slow down. I imagine it had to do with the drier weather we are were enjoying. Time to do stuff like "GEOFFREY FINISHED THE GREENHOUSE!" Opps sorry for yelling but I am so excited.
This photo was in transition and I will get a truly finished photo soon. I am looking forward to starting my fermented grains for my flock once again now that I have somewhere to keep it going all year where the pesky er sweet sparrows can't enjoy an avian smorgasbord.

 
 
 I am also entertaining enough mild temperatures left to start some salad greens breaking my chains from what I find to be a quickly deteriorating selection of goods neither produced or sourced in this country. Making the quality to be honest pretty dismal.

Then there was Fixer Upper day at Walnetto Farm.  I put up panels in the big barn that will give the girls two chunky sized kidding pens. I got my additional solar light http://www.5acresandadream.com/2016/09/solar-barn-light-and-paint.html 
that will go up in the big barn with the kidding pens. Big thanks to Leigh over at 5 Acres and a Dream for the link. Anyway it was at Leigh's blog I first noted these nifty lights.

 The next photo gives you a sense of the big barn prior to last Friday. You can note the large kennel panels to the right of the chickens.  Those were moved and new panels added. While the chickens were using two thirds of the barn for the last 3 years since partial herd dispersion  as you will see next they now will have one third of the barn and the goats two thirds.

 






Magic (well more like sweat equity) the panels were moved back set in place and divided by a cattle panel. This will give me to the right a full 10x8 kidding pen for now. And when needed with the addition of an 8 foot section of panel another kidding pen to the left of center.
 




Since I have 6 weeks between Little Trouble and Twist kidding dates it is totally possible that Little Trouble and her kids will be moved up to the second pen and field in the smaller doe barn to the west of the big barn. Therefore not requiring a second pen for this year so it will remain open giving more room to Meg and Patience who will remain in with Little Trouble until she freshens then they will be moved up to doe barn.


What the end plan is after the rain that began this afternoon ends about Thursday or Friday the panels to the right of the post will be removed and two 16 foot cattle panels will be installed to the second  large post which can be seen above. They will then run to the west giving the does in this barn a run that is 32 feet long and 20 feet wide. Plus and additional run the same size to the east of the large barn. The ply wood you see below was installed last fall when Meg and her two girls were moved there to buffer them from the wind.  It is about three feet into the over hang of the roof which has a gutter running the full length that diverts any rain run off into the pasture to keep that grass green. So basically free feed! 


At days end recently I have worked hard for you non farm types we (my husband and I ) do all this ourselves. And by hand in most cases. We haven't owned a tractor since 2005. Yes that is our choice but you do sleep well at night.  So when there is a special project on deck it is in addition to those events that happen daily. Feeding , milking , care of critters in general plus what city folks would deem daily chores. Keeping down the grass (we have 42 acres of that) gardening, cleaning the house (am I supposed to do that?) etc. So when days are done so am I. I have about enough energy to take a quick look at my blog friends and see what they are up too. So if you don't see me around here much in Spring through Fall that is why. 

Before I sign off for now I want to share the last fiber night at the Shed. Judy who is an incredible weaver in her own right
https://www.facebook.com/judy.sours.9/videos/10203038709524079/

had a couple of life long friends join us. Rosie the mama Judy has known since Rosie was born and the same goes for Rosie's daughter Pearl. Pearl has a shine for weaving and she put her hand to an Inkle loom that night. It is always such a joy to see young ones interested in our craft.







Love the concentration on Pearl's sweet face as she winds on yarn.

8 Comments:

At March 21, 2017 at 5:53 AM , Blogger Thistle Cove Farm said...

Cattle/hog panels are my favorites, useful in so many applications! Turkeys were the bird Ben Franklin wanted as the national bird but was vetoed for the eagle...a beautiful bird but one who eats the leftovers of the kill of others. UGH Necessary but rough.
The little one in last photo...so AAAdorable!

 
At March 21, 2017 at 8:37 AM , Blogger Rain said...

Congratulations on getting the greenhouse done! I'm envious!!! And the barn really looks great Goatldi! :) I think it's wonderful that you do all these projects and chores all by hand. I'm the same when the good weather arrives, I'm mostly outside and away from the computer more often than not. I don't want to be stuck indoors! Have a great week! :)

 
At March 21, 2017 at 9:28 AM , Blogger Goatldi said...

Thanks Rain. I am excited also about the green house. Already planned a planting table out of pallets. Will get pictures as soon as I can. The lack of a tractor is sometimes frustrating but in addition to choice we also have volcanic rock all over our 42 acres as big as a Volkswagen and as small as gravel. Gets in the way.

 
At March 21, 2017 at 9:40 AM , Blogger Goatldi said...

Nice to see you! Here in California we have two varieties of wild turkey. One is the "wild turkey" shown in my blog. They don't make good eating as everything but the breast is pretty tough. The other is known as a turkey vulture and their job is cleaning up road kill. They are very good at it and really quite helpful. I have never heard of anyone eating the turkey vultures. I also believe that the turkey vultures are a true vulture just turkey in their appearance. Yes Miss Pearl is adorable in looks and personality. Look forward to seeing her again soon.

 
At March 22, 2017 at 3:18 AM , Blogger Leigh said...

Thanks for the shout out! :) And I have to say that I'm really, really interested in your grain fermenting procedure. I've just started sprouting again, but ran across some info on fermenting and that perked my interest. Looks like you're doing fodder in those nice nursery trays?

Congrats on the greenhouse! That's huge so excitement is well deserved. We're trying to get our last few projects under way, with a greenhouse on the list, although Dan's having trouble with his knees so all is slowed down quite a bit. Lastly, I always love seeing pictures of your barn. :)

 
At March 22, 2017 at 8:46 AM , Blogger Goatldi said...

You are welcome Leigh! You are such an inspiration and I always believe in credit where due.
Fermenting have done it for several years. I will try to dig out the old post (when I changed my name some disappeared) and link to it. I will do another if I can't find it.
Yes nursery trays and at a great price. Something around a $1 each. Got them at a grape stake place in Fresno on a trip a few years ago. Love them!
If the rain would stop I can get going on my potting table and get more pictures up.
Give Dan my best knees hurt I know. Not a good thing ever.
I have cruised your blog several times just before I hit the hay. With the good intentions of going back when I am more alert with my thoughts. Hah! Good intentions . . .Love those kids<3

 
At March 25, 2017 at 7:46 PM , Blogger Gumbo Lily said...

Looks like you've been busy preparing to get busier! Your barn looks neat and tidy. Your rooster is a beauty. I've kind of given up on roosters. They just cause so much commotion.

 
At March 25, 2017 at 9:19 PM , Blogger Goatldi said...

Hey Gumbo Lily nice to see you. Thanks for the kudos but there is a lot more Spring cleaning to do. At least I have a kidding pen to use. I always hate last minute stuff so with a few additions ( like that solar light) in the next week we will be prepared for the new arrivals. I believe in 32 years we have only kept about 4 roosters not including my daughters 4H project. And have been pretty fortunate getting good tempered birds. Both with us and the ladies. But you are so correct I have heard some nightmares about roos that attack everything from people to barn cats. Not fun. Thanks for coming by.

 

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