Half Way Done

Today we finished clearing hay fields. In fairness we really were done about 6 weeks ago expect for the new field we added last fall. It is a nice flat field down by the river, I am very excited to have added this ground as it is very flat and close. However it didn't have very good access. We planted it to oats this spring and they did better than we expected, that cool wet spring we had helped a bunch. We were able to cut and bale the hay without any trouble but we didn't have anyway of getting the hay out of the field. So the hay was stacked at the edge of the field until a road could be built.

Dad likes to move dirt but wasn't excited about building this access road. So it kinda got put to the back burner for a month longer than it should have. To make a long story short the road got built and the hay got moved so we are now half way done.

Only halfway cause now we need to sell/feed all that hay and that means its gonna get loaded up once again and moved. All 8,000 bales of the stuff. Hopefully we can get that done before we start making new hay next year, when we will get to do it all over again.

haying weather!

http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/83843

Countdown To Momma Coming Home!

Fall

Its fall and I'm not ready yet; It seems like I can't wait for spring, then summer comes and goes way too fast then the days get shorter and before I know it fall is here, and we start looking forward to spring again.

I am hoping to make the most of this winter and get those shop projects done so next year can be better than this year.

Chasing Grass

This is from last year but it symbolizes what I do this time of year

I chase grass. We first: pray for warm weather, then we fertilize the grass then we pray for more warm weather and rain. This year we got a lot of rain followed by some really nice weather. Needless to say we have an abundence of grass this year.

The idea is to get the cows and sheep to eat the grass but when there is a bunch of it they become rather spoiled and pickey eaters.

Like my son they eat what they want to and leave the rest. Once they eat the majority of th grass we move them to the next pasture. Some fields last a day or two some fields last upto a week.

Immediately after the animals leave a field is when I get to work on that field. The first step is to spray for weeds. Sheep eat weeds in fact some weeds they prefer over grass but some weeds they won't touch those I spray. Spraying kills the weeds and make room for more grass. A day or so later I mow the fields. As in the picture mowing makes the fields look nice but serves a greater purpose other then cosmetics

Cutting back the "stuff" the animals won't eat promotes new growth of young and tender grass. So my days are filled with moving fence and animals spraying weeds and mowing pastures. Somtimes it fells like more work than feeding hay but that is a whole nother post.

Eternal optimist

It started to rain shortly after midnight (I think) I went outside and it was raining just a gentle rain but by 2am when I ate some yummy (read delicious) porcupine meatballs, it was pouring down rain it kinda ruined my morning. I was looking forward to a great day farming and enjoying the out of doors after my 46 hour stretch at my desk job.

But low and behold it is gonna be a nice day after all. I declare it. That and its gonna be a great week. It is clearing now I am almost done with my shift and its gonna be sunny. Well as sunny as it can be on the Palouse in May.

Nine Years Later....

It was a short nine years ago that I started the project of clearing the lane to the farm. Today I continued the project. Dad and I worked on it and I honestly have to say it was the most fun I have had clearing brush.

I was down in the brush and dad was on the excavator. He would throw down a choker and I would cut the brush. He would pull the brush up and then grab it and load the truck. Then at the burn pile I dumped the brush out and piled it with the ASV. It was slick and we got alot done. Not bad for a half days work.

Maybe in another Nine years I can turn the project over to Weston and enjoy brush piling retirement. I doubt it though As I enjoy clearing brush as much as most people enjoy boating, hunting or golfing.