Hunter woke up this morning to find Tiger, our pregnant cat, in his bed giving birth. There was already one orange and one black one already arrived! The kids are so excited!
We'll post pictures when things get further along.
Follow along our adventure as we make the transition from corporate city life to the world of natural farming. Each day brings a new experience and brings us to a deeper understanding about the life and spirit that made America great. At our farm we do our best to give the animals we raise a natural, free, happy, stressfree lifestyle. Our mission is to learn and share how to manage a farming operation that is both profitable and humane.
Monday, May 31, 2010
A Day of Chaos
While we are recovering from a family shared sinus infection and fever, hoping to salvage the last day of memorial day weekend, The horses turn to mischief. What follows is a day of one chaotic event after another.
It starts calmly enough. Brenda decides to let Samson (her horse) out of the stall to graze the yard. He has been stalled for almost a week while the mysterious cut above his hoof heals. It seemed healed enough to let him have some walking exercise and some fresh green grass. So, we let him out to graze in the yard.
Maybe an hour later I walked around the side of the house to hear the chickens going absolutely crazy! screeching, yelling, flying, it was like the pen was exploding in frightful action. The first thought that hit me was that some predator had gotten in and was eating our precious chickens. I chose to get there faster than grabbing the shotgun would allow and, who was in the middle of it all? SAMSON! He had ventured into the chicken coop and was trying to eat the chicken food from the hanging feeder, scaring the chickens silly. He could not leave because the half door I left on from the baby chicks was blocking the exit from the inside. (That'll teach me to leave a job undone!). It took a while to convince him to leave the chicken feed and walk out the door as I held it open, but finally all was calm.
Then I walked around the shop to see where he was headed next, and saw his girlfriend, Callie (my daughter's horse) happily eating the grass I was planning on mowing INSIDE the garden gate. She had pushed down about a hundred feet of 6 foot fence so she could reach inside. If she wanted to, it was no hassle at all to walk right in next. Again a job left undone as I had neglected to re-string the electric wire above the fence when we reworked the garden fence. Fearing for our freshly planted seeds being trampled underfoot, it was apparent now was the time to set up the electric.
I called my sniffling fevering daughter out to help me and we managed to find enough supplies to restring the garden side, and we walked the perimeter to fix any areas where the insulator had pushed off. In the process I found several area that needed serious fencing work! The horses had taken advantage of the lack of power to lean on and bend or break some posts and wires. We did the best we could for today.
While we were working on the fence, Samson decided to check out the metal trash cans by the pig pen, picking them up and dumping them out so he could rummage through the trash, mostly feed bags. Sigh... one more cleanup job for later.
With the power turned on and a couple of leaks on the feed wire patched with electrical tape, Callie was contained in the pasture. The last thing to do was try to raise and attach the part of the wire mesh that she had pushed down. While I was working on that inside the garden my wife yells "SAMSON NO!" I turned around to see that Samson had pushed the garden gate open and as walking across out newly planted garden. I tried to walk him out but he just stared at me. Brenda tried to walk him out but he just stared at her. It took a halter and firmness from her to get him out of the garden.
At this point we decided that he was well enough to go back on pasture. The wound looked closed and there was no mud on pasture to infect it, so we turned him out. That gave me a Chance to almost finish the pushed down fence. I say almost because Samson ran straight across the pasture to where the neighbor's horses were talking to Callie, and had to put on his show of dominance. Just like a guy protecting his woman, Samson made a great show of it through the fence. Unfortunately his foot wasn't ready for all this. Our fears were confirmed when Brenda called him back, and he arrive with veins bulging with blood and adrenalin, and foot bleeding.
So we end the day by cleaning his stall, running to the store for 16 bags of fresh shavings, spreading the shavings in his stall, and put him right back where he started.
We were all tired, still sniffling, and unfortunately had accomplished nothing except for chasing these horses around and fixing after their mischief.
It starts calmly enough. Brenda decides to let Samson (her horse) out of the stall to graze the yard. He has been stalled for almost a week while the mysterious cut above his hoof heals. It seemed healed enough to let him have some walking exercise and some fresh green grass. So, we let him out to graze in the yard.
Maybe an hour later I walked around the side of the house to hear the chickens going absolutely crazy! screeching, yelling, flying, it was like the pen was exploding in frightful action. The first thought that hit me was that some predator had gotten in and was eating our precious chickens. I chose to get there faster than grabbing the shotgun would allow and, who was in the middle of it all? SAMSON! He had ventured into the chicken coop and was trying to eat the chicken food from the hanging feeder, scaring the chickens silly. He could not leave because the half door I left on from the baby chicks was blocking the exit from the inside. (That'll teach me to leave a job undone!). It took a while to convince him to leave the chicken feed and walk out the door as I held it open, but finally all was calm.
Then I walked around the shop to see where he was headed next, and saw his girlfriend, Callie (my daughter's horse) happily eating the grass I was planning on mowing INSIDE the garden gate. She had pushed down about a hundred feet of 6 foot fence so she could reach inside. If she wanted to, it was no hassle at all to walk right in next. Again a job left undone as I had neglected to re-string the electric wire above the fence when we reworked the garden fence. Fearing for our freshly planted seeds being trampled underfoot, it was apparent now was the time to set up the electric.
I called my sniffling fevering daughter out to help me and we managed to find enough supplies to restring the garden side, and we walked the perimeter to fix any areas where the insulator had pushed off. In the process I found several area that needed serious fencing work! The horses had taken advantage of the lack of power to lean on and bend or break some posts and wires. We did the best we could for today.
While we were working on the fence, Samson decided to check out the metal trash cans by the pig pen, picking them up and dumping them out so he could rummage through the trash, mostly feed bags. Sigh... one more cleanup job for later.
With the power turned on and a couple of leaks on the feed wire patched with electrical tape, Callie was contained in the pasture. The last thing to do was try to raise and attach the part of the wire mesh that she had pushed down. While I was working on that inside the garden my wife yells "SAMSON NO!" I turned around to see that Samson had pushed the garden gate open and as walking across out newly planted garden. I tried to walk him out but he just stared at me. Brenda tried to walk him out but he just stared at her. It took a halter and firmness from her to get him out of the garden.
At this point we decided that he was well enough to go back on pasture. The wound looked closed and there was no mud on pasture to infect it, so we turned him out. That gave me a Chance to almost finish the pushed down fence. I say almost because Samson ran straight across the pasture to where the neighbor's horses were talking to Callie, and had to put on his show of dominance. Just like a guy protecting his woman, Samson made a great show of it through the fence. Unfortunately his foot wasn't ready for all this. Our fears were confirmed when Brenda called him back, and he arrive with veins bulging with blood and adrenalin, and foot bleeding.
So we end the day by cleaning his stall, running to the store for 16 bags of fresh shavings, spreading the shavings in his stall, and put him right back where he started.
We were all tired, still sniffling, and unfortunately had accomplished nothing except for chasing these horses around and fixing after their mischief.
Friday, May 28, 2010
Windy?
Seems like the Spring Oregon winds go the best of the turkey coop today. No damage done fortunately, but it does take time to keep fixing things. Whats that old saying about doing it right the first time? Good Advice!
Afternoon siesta
Looks like Romeo, April, and Penny are starting this memorial day weekend right!
Where's my hammock?
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Louie meets Dusty
Here's one of those moments when you wish there was a video. While in the pasture searching down the missing turkey, Louie decided to pass through the gate by himself to join me. All the sheep were sitting around between where I was in the pasture and the gate Louie walked through. He saw me and trotted out to be with me.
Dusty, the "in charge mommy sheep" decided that was not something she could tolerate. A dog alone in her pasture... no, not acceptable. She started running up behind him at near full speed. Right when she was a few feet away Louie turned around just in time to see dusty duck her head.
BAM!
Full on head bunt between Dusty's curved horns and Louie's head. It was just like watching the Discovery channel. Louie was knocked back about 6 inches and shook his head. Then came the low growl. I immediately called him to me to prevent a challenge between them and he happily ran over, still dazed from the hit. As I walked him to the gate, she came after him again but I told Louie to "go, get out", and happily he obeyed, running through the gate.
Dusty was happy, standing in front of her flock "smiling".
Oddly, Rainy the guard llama was comfortable enough with Louie to stand back and watch the entire encounter without flinching. He does a very good job with any dogs he doesn't know, but he chose not to step in between Dusty and Louie!
Dusty, the "in charge mommy sheep" decided that was not something she could tolerate. A dog alone in her pasture... no, not acceptable. She started running up behind him at near full speed. Right when she was a few feet away Louie turned around just in time to see dusty duck her head.
BAM!
Full on head bunt between Dusty's curved horns and Louie's head. It was just like watching the Discovery channel. Louie was knocked back about 6 inches and shook his head. Then came the low growl. I immediately called him to me to prevent a challenge between them and he happily ran over, still dazed from the hit. As I walked him to the gate, she came after him again but I told Louie to "go, get out", and happily he obeyed, running through the gate.
Dusty was happy, standing in front of her flock "smiling".
Oddly, Rainy the guard llama was comfortable enough with Louie to stand back and watch the entire encounter without flinching. He does a very good job with any dogs he doesn't know, but he chose not to step in between Dusty and Louie!
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