Archive for January, 2007
January 12, 2007 – Chicken Heaven
Today is an outstanding day (if you are a chicken). We have a few bales of oat hay, baled with the seeds intact.
Now that we are back in the single digit temps, the chickens got a fresh layer of oat hay in the coop – now they can scratch and peck to their heart’s content – and they do seem to enjoy it!
January 11, 2007 – Thingamajig Thursday #57
Here’s this week’s thingamajig entry. This is a tool that Linda usually uses as I don’t have the heart!
Also check out last week’s answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
Move mouse over this sentence to pop-up answer.
January 10, 2007 – Gate 2
I think we are on the 33rd day in a row of above normal temperatures – for all of 2006 there were only 16 days when the temperature did not get above 32 degrees.
So, I made another replacement gate and moved the post over so a cart would more easily fit through the gate.
January 9, 2007 – Pasture 2.0
Here’s a look at the furthest east side of our pasture. You can barely see the rows of Christmas trees on the far side and you can see the fencing of the hardwood trees on the left side. For now we’ve decided pasture is not the highest and best use of this ground since we have so little land and need a higher return than we can get from a few grazed cattle.
There’s a bit of higher ground on the far east side, and you can see where a couple of rows of Christmas trees will go. Down the center of the picture, we are investigating woody ornamentals that can stand wet feet. They’re in a low spot that floods maybe once or twice a year if we get a quick, heavy rain in a short time when the crops aren’t in the adjacent field. It doesn’t stick around for long, but does move through pretty good.
We’re looking at curly willow and other brightly colored willows and perhaps some marsh-loving plants like iris in the low area. The willows can be mowed every year and as a side benefit will offer great goat browse as well. I must admit – I do like researching and planning a farmscape like this. A great advantage of doing something totally different than the rest of the county is we’re the only one doing it. Of course, the disadvantage is that we’re the only ones doing it! I do however like the diversity and experimentation that we can indulge in on our little piece of old prairie ground.
January 8, 2007 – Another Mission Accomplished
Today, after a year since the first piece was put up, the back roof of the machine shed it now roofed (or at least all I’m planning on roofing). This brings a number of benefits – no more pile of steel roofing on the ground taunting me, no more drips in the shed, and no more having to straddle two sharp pieces of metal between the legs to put on a ridge cap.
The plan is to tear off the rest of the building, or make it open to the south as the lower half is in pretty rough shape, even by my standards.
January 7, 2007 – Gathering Mulch
The tractor came in handy again today. There was a small pile of the good mulch at the pallet factory, so I ended up with a couple of pick-up loads of “A” mulch – about 45 cu ft (not quite 2 cubic yards) for free. The pre-tractor method was to move it from the pickup and throw it 4-5 feet over the top of the wagon by hand with a pitchfork.
Now, It gets pushed once from the truck to the loader. (The loader is about an inch wider than the bed, so I can’t scoop it right out of the truck.
Then from the loader to the wagon. The wagon is still in the barn and this is the view from the tractor seat.
January 6, 2007 – Cooking for a Chef
It’s usually nice to bring a potluck item to a dinner, but tonight’s dinner was bit more daunting as one of the invitees spent a gig as Paul Newman’s personal chef. It was a diverse crowd – including folks from Japan and France. What to bring? Linda decided on a winter vegetables – braised cabbage with beet and apple. It was a fun evening.
Martin ended up with the trinket from the traditional Epiphany King Cake (a cake with a small trinket inside, and the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket has various privileges and obligations.) For his part, Martin donned a home-made paper crown decorated liberally with glitter and got to pick his queen, and in an upset pick, chose Claire over Mom.
He took his responsibility seriously and insisted on wearing the crown to church and a basketball game the next day.
January 5, 2007 – Keeping the Cub in Use
It’s been a while since the ’47 Farmall Cub was used with the new tractor on the farm, so moving some cattle panels out to the pasture was just the job as it is lighter than the JD and the ground is soft. It starts right up and runs like new.
I love this little tractor – even the smell of the exhaust hearkens back to another time.
Linda took me out for dinner at the Phoenix Cafe in Grinnell – it was an enjoyable evening with good food.
January 4, 2007 – Thingamajig Thursday #56
Back to a regular thingamajig entry.
Also check out last week’s answer.
As always, put your guess in a comment below.
answer…
This is a duct tape band-aid – I got a pack for my b-day for the shop!
January 3, 2007 – New Gate
Another 50 degree day. The kids are back in school. Once again the “Cone of Silence” can descend upon the household. Got down all the Christmas lights and removed the hanging door hardware from the old corn crib doors for re-use with new doors and started next year’s burn pile with the Christmas tree and old wooden doors.
Took a walk with Linda in the back pasture and started thinking about possible uses. So many options! Will keep you posted.
Got one rotting gate replaced.
This is a home-made design using a piece of a wire panel and treated lumber. It’s an original design and works quite well as affixing the panel lends lots of sturdiness to the gate. The heavy-duty gate pin on the bottom with a regular hinge on top adds to the strength and simplicity.
January 2, 2007 – Best of 2006
Once again, it’s time for the “Best of 2006″ high hopes gardens blog entries, month by month.
January
How could home spelunking stay off the list?
February
Building the animal composter has been a great labor saver and a great project for Martin and I to work on together!
March
Here’s an entry from off the farm – perhaps the most enjoyable day of the year with spectacular scenery, history, solitude, and beauty in New Mexico.
April #1
Martin and Grandma Jo in their beekeeper suits was a great look throughout the year.
April #2
Getting the tractor!
May
A bittersweet piano story.
June
For some seasonal reflections.
July
A day of many harvests on the farm.
August
The world swallows Martin.
September
Weather shot.
October
The attic construction has been the biggest time sucker for me this year.
November
Using the egg candler let to some spooky pictures!
December
We sold all our gift boxes the first year we tried!
January 1, 2007 – New Year’s Grass?
Another day about 25 degrees above normal. When do I have to start mowing the grass again?
There are some sections of the yard that are starting to turn green. Yes, it is January 1!
It’s nice to catch up on what didn’t get done last summer, or get ahead on next spring’s work, but the kids are missing snow and I haven’t had the time inside to read and do the more traditional winter things. I know I could, but when it’s 50 degrees and there are no bugs, it’s hard not to go outside.
