Category Archive: farming
But on a happy note, so much rain fell during the time we were gone, that the pond has started filling again. The ducks and geese will be so happy.Mind out of gear; Pumpkin heads
Have you ever been so busy that your mind is “out of gear? Today, after the gym, I needed to purchase gas and go to the post office. I was being very efficient and making one trip or so was the plan. Gym done, gas in car and off to the post office. I parked, picked up the package to mail and realized that I had not addressed it, nor was I able to get the address from where I was. So, I went back home, addressed the box and sent it out later today. Sometimes efficiency is not efficient!
We finished changing coats on the Cormos who have outgrown their coats and this fellow really seems to be enjoying the dogs bed.
These two Pumpkin heads are 13″ wide and 20 and 21″ high. It feels so good to have finished them after having started them so long ago.
Coats and shoes
Look how pretty those white coats show up. Give them two weeks and they will no longer be white until washed again.
Today the coats that we took off yesterday were washed and marked with the size ready for wear next time.
And we went shoe and boot shopping. This is all we came home with. Is it really necessary to have all those psychedelic colors on street shoes? It was difficult to find comfortable shoes that were “plain”. I utterly failed on the boots as I need something very “farm” practical that zips up. Another day, I’ll look again.
I was going to make red socks, but since we’ll be doing some travel, I decided on something happy that would have an easy to remember pattern. So this is what I have chosen. I haven’t started them – only selected the pattern and yarn. I made this yarn up last year in another pattern. I absolutely love the way it wears and washes and dries in the regular wash.
We received word that an acquaintance in Santa Rose, CA was burned out yesterday in the “out of control” fires. They had to leave with what was on their backs. Two of their married children in the area, also lost their homes and everything inside. Fires are so devastating because so many tangible memories are turned to ashes. We are very thankful that all members of the families were able to get out safely.
Shearing and crutching
Look at these relaxed sheep!. For some it is shearing day and for others crutching day (meaning only their rear ends get sheared for breeding. They don’t seem to care one bit. This shearer is so good that they relax in his hands.
And here are examples of the gorgeous wool we harvested today Bright white, with great crimp and very soft. I dream of sleeping in this cloud.
Grape clean up time
In Costco on October 1st.
Today my favorite sewing machine refused to work, so I tried the next favorite and it didn’t like the fabric, so that means a trip to the hospital for repair. I hope that I find the time tomorrow. It also means I didn’t sew today.
The grapes are finished for this season and
this crew was very willing to clean up the leaves and any left grapes that weren’t suitable for humans.
Joys of farming
This morning my neighbor sent me this photo which sent me into a panic for a moment. He is such an escape artist and I thought he was over at her house. But I looked and he was actually on the back deck. She enjoyed my moment of panic as she had taken the photo last week when she was here.
The vet came to make a farm visit today and Billy, the pygmy goat should no longer be butting me in the back of the legs with those horns and I won’t have to worry about Betty having babies. He will now be a nice little wether. In this photo, he has just been given the sedative, so is looking a bit sleepy. The funny thing was this vet is the same one who used to do the work here 25 years ago when we had cows. We had not needed services in a long time.
Oh, the joys of farming!
October 2017 “to do” list
October TO DO list
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Continue with gym 3xweek
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finish grapes
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Get apples
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get split peas
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sell 4 Shetland ram lambs
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sell 5 Cormo sheep (possibly the 15th)
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Build 3 sheep feeders for winter
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Build 2 sheep jugs in each barn area
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Take care of main floor paper piles
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take care of sewing studio paper and fabric piles
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Put hanging sleeve on fall larger wall hanging/find hanger
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Finish small fall hanging linked up to Elm Street OMG
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add quilting to twinkling snowman hanging
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add hangers to above hanging
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sell 2 imagine and evolution sergers
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get alfalfa in barns
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knit red socks
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make a food inventory (canned & frozen)
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make menus for trip
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mini vacation to visit son
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get to bed at 9.30 each night. except for vacation parties scheduled.
Is responsibility obsolete?
After the gym yesterday, I decided on a trip to the chiropractor, which I had been putting off. I was able to get in quickly because someone cancelled. I texted my Monday helper asking her to feed the puppy and give hay to the sheep as soon as she arrived, only to find out that she had no plans to come. She has arranged to do something else for the next few Mondays, but she would be happy to make it up another day. (I really don’t think the animals want to wait)
Now I use this as an example, but it is not unique. The plumber, the fellow who is clearing out some of the blackberries, and so the list goes on and on. Appointments are made, work is to be done by a specific time and nothing happens. I am told this is the new reality. Don’t expect anything, because people will get to it eventually when they have time . Then why do they make appointments or think I should pay immediately? Using this logic, shouldn’t I be able to pay them when I get around to it?
Is this unique to where I am because there is a shortage of people wanting to work? OR am I just way behind in reality? I learned that when people are waiting for you and you don’t show, you are stealing their time.
I did the chores that I could and DH and I made a quick trip to Costco before I came home to a one hour phone conference that lasted 2 hours. Finished the animal chores and had no energy left to make an October “to do” list. But then maybe that’s okay. October will be for catching up – cleaning piles that have been building over the summer and house cleaning that had to wait until gardening and canning were finished for this year.
I still have grapes to pick and apples aren’t here yet. We made over 50 quarts of grape juice and while we enjoyed some, there are still more than 40 quarts for the winter. The rest of the grapes will go into the freezer to be made into raisins as we have the time. We are out of split peas which should be in by the end of the month and then I can process those. Meanwhile, we will take a week off for traveling this month and I will work on finishing bits and pieces of projects nearly done. With some extreme luck, I may tuck some knitting into the month.
Elm Street OMG for September
OMG for September – Hooking up with Elm Street quilts with my finish for their One Monthly Goal. Finally the snow people have noses.
Plus there is the little pouch for the transformer to hang on the wall behind the snowman to take the weight off the quilt. This little quilt measures 27 x33 and is done in time for the this year. It is “Twinkling Snowman” by “aquiltingroadshow@msn.com
The neighbor and I spent too much time getting all the sheep into the proper pastures for their breeding season. The ewes will be reunited in another month.
And here is the news from today’s paper “Expect rain and cold temps until July 5, 2018”. I truly hope this is wrong.
sheep/grapes AGAIN
Grapes – bucketsful turning into grape juice. I pick the grapes off the stem and then steam them. It will be wonderful this winter.
Sheep: He wanted a selfie. I was trying to get this
photo of the wool on his neck, but he insisted on the selfie as well. I wanted you to see all this crimp and this is on his neck. For those who don’t know, this crimp is what gives the wool the ability to remember it’s shape after being worn. This wool is next to the skin soft and lovely, sometimes referred to as buttery.
This is how guard dogs pass the day. Should anything – like a coyote rabbit, strangers – show up anywhere near the fence lines, they would be instantly awake and taking care of the problem. But don’t they look relaxed? At night, they make fence line rounds, just looking and watching for trouble.
Today, I spent some time rearranging sheep in preparation for breeding. Tomorrow, I should get that finished and the sheep will be in their new groups for the next month. In November, all the girls can form one nice big flock, the Shetland boys will be separated once again and the Cormo ram will go back to his owner.
This big fleece (larger than a screen door) now has the soap rinsed out of it and is drying in the barn. My hope is that it will be a nice big rug once felted. And that ends another day on this fiber farm.