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.

We're Lobsters

Spring is here!!!

Weston and I spent the day together. We fed cows (I am not sure who is ready for grass more, me or the cows?) We split firewood (Weston stacked) We helped Gradma with some yard chores. She fed us lunch, hotdogs cooked over a fire and marshmellows.

We then got our yard fertilized. It is still way too wet and too soft (I am not repeating my adventure of last year of getting stuck fertilizing) too fertilize hay fields and pastures.

The fruit of our labors: Sunburns. Both Weston and I are a little red. It so nice to have spring here.

Making the Earth a little flatter...

I failed to remember to bring home my camera so no pictures today. I spent the day moving dirt. Not that pictures of moving dirt are all that great to look at unless you really like moving dirt.



It may not sound like much fun but moving dirt really is one of my favorite things to do. I also enjoyed today because it was spent with my dad. It is almost as much fun as spending the day with Weston.



The funny thing about today was how similar the time I spend with dad is with the time I spend with Weston. Case in point: I spend most the time watching Dad work; Weston usually watches me work. Also I usually make sure Weston gets food, Dad fed me a granola bar.



Anyway, it was a good day and the earth is a little flatter, thanks to a Father and Son moving dirt.

I love this little girl more than I thougth was possible!

I have a split personality

I live a diverse lifestyle. I enjoy having two very distinct facets of my life. There is the farming side of my vocation which encompasses my daylight hours.

Farming is where I find joy and solace. Farming gives my life a lasting purpose. What I do today while farming will make an impact on tomorrow. Only second to raising my Kids, will what I do farming make a multi-generational impact.


My alter ego is considerablity different.


The work I do in the Emergency Department is much cleaner work. It is a job that I enjoy and have become very good at. It is very different than Farming. I don’t talk much about what I actually do at work. I make it seem to my family and friend that I just sit all night and do very little. This is mostly because I have been able to gain a level of accomplishment that makes my job easy and second nature. I wish farming was like that.