Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Frost

Moved the cattle this morning to a new pasture. We had some nice rain the last few days, now it is getting colder. One of the metal gates this AM had frost on it. It won't be long and the grass will be done growing. It just seemed like yesterday that summer was just getting started. Time to start focusing on next year, that is what will get us through the winter, the planning for spring and all of its possibilities. That is what farming comes down to, the planning and the hope for planning. With nothing ever being for sure and exact all that you can do is plan for what maybe and what if? It will make the winter go faster as we plan for the days ahead.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Hay Hauling

The hay shed is getting full. We hauled up another load last night from the far back field. Had the whole family with. Wife Chris drove, Hunter ran the loader with me, Holly sat in the truck and even the two dogs came with. Unfortunately the shed is not as full as it would have been last year. We ended up with about 250 bales, last year we had 393. We are not alone, a lot of people in the community are hurting for hay. I had one potential customer call me yesterday in desperation that they cannot find any hay and did I please have some. I will do my best today to find some. Let's hope we have enough for ourselves this year.

Friday, September 11, 2009

back to Thomas'

OH, will this project never end! I should have checked out what I was getting into. We would have been done with this a LONG time ago if we did not have to fight with beavers and alder brush that is as thick as grass. Over half of the time spent there has been clearing this overgrown mess. To make it even more interesting as we are feveriously working to build a path we have the owners son crying over this or that oak seedling that is now flat. Gees. sorry that this was going to be a pasture, not a tree nursery. Time for a reality check, you cannot grow seedlings and expect to have good grasslands. Too much textbook and not enough horse sense with this one. Soon we will have this thing buttoned up, SOON!