I'm DONE,...he only stands 30" off the ground, he's as cute as a button but he's louder than the whole goat herd all on his own. I have found myself creeping, tiptoeing and hiding in case he sees me. I peep around the corner to see if there is water in his trough and there he is watching and bleating incessantly. I try to get their feed into the pen, opening the gate with barely a squeak...and there his is, watching and bawling. I only have to move in the barn and there is Solo always watching, waiting and always at top volume. He has been living with Dolly (the Mutant cow) Molly (the hopefully pregnant cow) and Matcho the stud goat in waiting. At the time it seemed like a good place to put him to wean off the bottle and also to get him away from trying out his testosterone on the girls. Now I'm planning a psycho analyist for Dolly molly Macho...and ME. Last night I (we) had a very impromptu business meeting ( I think I hyjacked Greg on the way to the restroom, great timing, he didn't have time for a counter proposal ). I opened the motion closed it and seconded it....Solo is going to lose his offending appendages today and then he can be returned to the goat pen to be taught some manners by the does..and give me some peace. Sounds like a great idea...sounds like Heaven, peace will be restored to the barn. Greg says I sound ruthless, give me a moment to think about that.......mmmm....YES !!! Time for another day down on the farm. Take care. M
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Greg beat me to it this morning ! Yes, the tractor ( actually, both tractors as our big green tractor very inconveniently got a rock puncture so $400 dollars later and 2 new tires ( tyres for my countrymen ) its moving again ) is operational. It's been one of those jobs which leaves you wondering when it was you spilt salt, walked under a ladder, kicked a cat or all 3 !! The compressor blew a gasket (3 times ) nail gun broke, stapler wouldn't staple and it was 104 degrees ! Greg walked around with a wet towel on his head (sorry, no photos !) muttering and cussing. I tried to keep a good honest tally for the swear jar ( being an honest sort of girl) but in the end I'm just going to guess.....whatever my shopping spree tally prints out at the cash register ! Anyway, the broiler chicks were successfully relocated to their new residence and settled in very comfortably... Thank you Greg, you are wonderful....on to my next project. The photo shows Bran "guarding " ( harassing) the chicks. Please could I ask anyone who reads this item to PLEASE write me a comment to let me know you are out there. I do enjoy writing but wonder if I'm writing to myself, it would be lovely to hear from you too !!!
Even with the heat today we were able to launch Chicken Tractor #1 into operation....
Yeah!! I think I owe Maureen a couple trips to the thrift store and the swear jar!!! Happy Chickens.... Oh my gosh,.....I'm melting !!! I know, I've done nothing but complain about rain ..rain and more rain but going from building an ark and considering water wings for the stock to constructing tents to keep the chicken cool is a bit (a LOT ) extreme ! The chicken tractor progresses, it's getting bad, poor Greg was dreaming all night about chicken tractor plans ...or probably more to the point, lack of plans ! I think it's probably my fault....I keep having "innovative" ideas as Greg starts to nail, cut or saw. I'm a great test of tolerance. smile. The little turkeys are growing nicely, you can always tell...thats when they start getting very noisy and even smellier. The chick broilers are clucking around quite happily, we much prefer the slow growers to the fast (aka sumo ) growers. These birds know they are chickens....the fast growers think they are eating/pooing machines. We haven't seen the beef steak on legs, they moved pastures and are now camoflaged in back high grass...its been a great grass Spring/Summer....up till now. The horses are quietly tolerating the heat, the goats and sheep don't quietly tolerate anything. Yesterday we also de constructed ( an English word I just made up !) the "Roost" we took out a side panel and a door to give more ventilation....good girls, it upped egg production. Thank you to our lovely farm visitors yesterday, it was great to share the farm with you though I have to say that it was a little embarrassing to have young Brian point out that my flag was upside down ! (thank goodness it wasn't the Stars And Stripes, I'd probably have been dumped in the pond) Got to go, it's 7.25 am and time for the feeding frenzy. Take care M
July the 4th, Independance day,...you know, it really wouldn't have got us so upset if you hadn't drowned our tea in Boston Harbor, but then, if we hadn't got you upset and you hadn't got us upset....you wouldn't have this holiday,....so it's all good. Actually, I say it's all good but I'm not Bran. Poor Bran is beyond traumatized, every pop crack or bang and the poor dog is trying to dig a hiding hole in concrete, hide under a rhubarb leaf or bury under the hay pile in the barn. Bran doesn't do loud noises, he never has...if Greg gets out the gun.....Bran goes awol, he will be found under the truck, in the tractor bucket or hiding out in the restroom and fireworks are just his worst nightmare !! He will be a quivering wreck in the morning, I can already see the skyline lit up by fireworks and it's not dark yet !!....poor dog. We went to pick up 3 Bourbon Red heritage turkeys today, a lovely lady farmer advertised them, she raises chickens and the turkeys were too noisy and too smelly , I think its a blessing that I have lost my sense of smell, smile. Yesterday Marvin came by to see if we sold goats( Marvin has a REAL Southern accent, right out of "Gone With The Wind")..somewhere in the conversation I got really lost and thought he wanted goat to eat...then to breed but he left with a little buckling called Butch. It was Butchs' lucky day, he was due to be castrated this week and he has gone to be a buck. I have to say, Greg and I did a Highland Fling around the farmyard, that boy was LOUD !!! The chicken tractor is coming along,....(so is the swear jar), Yesterday I was stood with the centre pole on my head, holding the two side supports and Greg wanted a third arm to hold something else. I have my limitations and I'm getting too old to be a contortionist!!The saga of the chicken tractor continues.... I'll keep you updated. Happy Independance day. Take care, M
July 1st,....outside I can see the raindrops tapping on the deck, rippling the pond and all the sheep are hiding in the barn. You can always tell when the weather is less than favourable...the cows disapear into the brush, you can see the sheeps' noses checking the wet stuff and the goats just plainly refuse to go out ! Greg and I, holiday or not, rain snow or sunshine, sick or well, clock on at the barn at around 7.30 am. In all honesty, I can't always claim that it is with great enthusiasm, sometimes we would love to crawl back into bed but we don't need an alarm clock with all those mouths to feed letting us know that ITS TIME ! Last night we had a meeting of The Farm Fest Council to plan this years event which will be on October 2nd. The Council is always a fun group to meet with and last nights get together was no exception. We love the Farm Fest when some of the farms on the Peninsula open their gates to the world, we meet so many people. We get to share the Shire horses, Jolene and her goat family, Annie the sheep and her woolly flock. This year we will be introducing Lamb Chop and Dolly the cow for the first time and hopefully our visitors will get to love them as much as we do. Greg has just been to the Post Office to pick up a new shipment of Turkeys, little bundles of fluff that need so much care, so I guess I'd better go and make sure they are warm dry and fed, it's a long way from New Mexico.Take care. M .
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AuthorIts me, Maureen, (the Boss) Archives
March 2018
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