Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction. Somehow our chickens have found a way to clone themselves. We now have 27 chickens and no idea how. We bought 4 chickens of 6 different breeds, 1 rooster of another breed, and received a free chicken with our order, yet another breed. Each night I do a head count as I close the coop. Last night, we had 27 chickens. The strangest thing is that the extra hen is one of our exotic breeds, the cuckoo maran. Melanie said that when she let the chickens out the other morning, she noticed a black head poking out of the barn stall. She opened the door and out came a cuckoo maran. She didn't think anything of it. We have accidentally locked them out on occasion. But where did this hen come from? She is the same size as our 2 month old chickens.
Tonight, we came home from dinner out and one of the chickens was up in a tree. I couldn't believe my eyes, but there she was! Way up in a tree branch.
Strange indeed!
The farrier was out this week to work on the horses hooves. Our sorrel mare, Star, had pulled off her front shoes and was way overdue for a trim. They both had their feet trimmed and are looking sharp. The farrier told us he believes Shadow is a Thoroughbred with perhaps a little Arabian in her. Maybe the mystery is solved.
Now that we have caught up with the outside work, we have been able to turn our attention to the inside. We have been busy painting the bedrooms this week in preparation for our new floors to go in next week. It is a lot of work with all the windows and trim. The rooms here have very wide chair rail and lots of windows. I can't wait to be finished and decorate. It is starting to feel more and more like home.
Well, back to painting!
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Thursday, July 12, 2007
A Plague on Both Your Houses
We have been invaded by Japan. Well, Japanese Beetles. Our cherry trees are being ravaged as I write by the coppery-green little critters. I read online to pick them off daily and drop them into soapy water. Well, I got about 5 into the bucket last night and the rest either swarmed me (which is frightening!) or flew away. It was not a successful endeavor. I will have to stop and buy some Sevin to spray into the trees. I also plan on ordering a large quantity of Milky Spore, which is a bacteria that you sprinkle on your lawn and that kills the grubs when they eat it. They say it lasts 10-20 years, and it better because it comes with a hefty price tag. Unfortunately, the Mennonites next door are using traps, which really only attract more beetles than you would have normally had. I may try to get them to buy some Milky Spore as well.
It has been a quiet, low-key week. This is me (above) taking a break from my work. We are trying to catch up on some rest and are trying to get into a maintenance mode. Bob installed the controller for the electric fence on Monday. The horse has been pusing hard on the wire and is stretching it out. She also yanked off one of her horse shoes this weekend pawing at the wire. To protect her and our property, we decided it would be best to charge the fence. We had some problems getting the juice to flow, so we need to take a look at the wires to make sure we have continuity. 
above: The Sorrel mare (help! She needs a name)below: Our Cuckoo Maran rooster who thinks he is a hen!
The chickens continue to grow and entertain us. I was in the coop late last night when they were roosting and I can't believe how gentle they are. I walked right up to several of them and gently stroked their feathers. They love to be petted once you catch them....but catching them is the trick.
We are also looking into renting a backhoe to clear out a wooded area behind the barn/pasture. We have only one small copse of trees (see photo below: behind my working children) and we hope to put in a small pond and patio area under the trees. There are mounds of dirt back there (probably manure that was mucked out of the barn by the previous owners) along with all sorts of car parts and glass. We will have to be really careful clearing that area. It is a manly-man job. Did I mention the whole thing is also overrun with poison oak? Yeah, Bob will be manning the sprayer to clear that. The last time I got poison, it was 3 months on steroids.
I tried to make some homemade wild blueberry jam this week. I read that is difficult to get it to set right....no kidding. So, now I have 10 jars of blueberry syrup. Pancakes anyone? I found a site that explains how to get the seeds and start wild bluebery bushes. If they grow freely in the wild, you wouldn't think it would be very difficult to start them yourself. They require special soil and acid levels and they only produce fruit every other year.
I can't believe how much knowledge I have acquired in the past two months. It seems like I learn something new every day....sometimes twice a day! I am hoping that, in addition to my Doctor of Google Medicine title, I can also become a Doctor of Google Agriculture and Animal Husbandry before the years end!
Melanie opening the saddle I got on Ebay last week for $208! It is a vintage Western barrel racing saddle.
Now, if only we could figure out how to put the darn thing on the horse!
I want to conduct an un-scientific poll. I am thinking of adding to the animal collection and want to get some opinions as to what you would like to see on our farm. Please leave a comment with your choice from the selection below:
1) Sheep
2) Pygmy goats
3) Pig
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Why farmers have dirty houses
It has been another busy week at the farm. I have discovered the reason why farmers have dirty houses (this is solely my observation from the several farmhouses I have visited in my life). There is simply not enough time for the inside chores. I suppose it would be different if I were not working, but I doubt it. There are animals to be tended, grass to be mowed, gardens to clean up, fruit to pick and can, etc. I have found a new appreciation for my bed. I gratefully collapse into it each night and fall fast asleep.
The highlights of this week included our first equine vet visit and some behavior problems. The vet came out on Wednesday to look at the gray mare. She was still suffering from shipping fever and we knew that antibiotics were needed. In addition to the antibiotics, she also prescribed albuterol and some OTC cough medicine. We have to grind the antibiotics up into a powder and make a paste with water and molasses. We have a giant plastic syringe to inject this concoction into the horses mouth. Let me just say that taking the temperature was easier. She is feeling much better now. The runny nose has stopped and the cough is clearing up.
The horse on the mend was the good news of the week. By Friday, we noticed that our Sorrel mare, Star, was acting a bit bossy towards us. Nipping, pushing, stomping at the gate/fences. I called the man who sold us the horses and asked him what we could be doing wrong (the list might be long, lol). I mentioned that whenever we take the gray mare into the barn to give her medicine the Sorrel goes insane. She paws at the fence and whinnies and kicks the gate. When I would go into the pasture, she would show some really bad manners. He suggested that she has attached herself to the gray mare, kind of a mother figure for her. He said that we need to separate the two horses and "break" the Sorrel of her attachment. We immediately moved her to our second pasture, which is on the other side of the property and almost impossible for them to see one another. He told me that she would pace and whinny and that I should just let her do it and then I should "longe" (pronounced "lunge") her in the morning until she was exhausted. He said I needed to show her who was boss.
He was right on the first account. She paced and whinnied all night long. In fact, she wore the grass out along the pasture fence. I am sure the neighbors were appreciating the noise all night. I laid in bed expecting the sound of a shotgun being readied and fired. On Saturday morning, Melanie and I went to my new favorite place to spend my hard earned cash, the Tractor Supply Company. We bought a longe line and a whip. Stories Guide to Training Horses mentions that only a professional should attempt longing a horse. Well, seeing as there is an absence of professionals on my farm, I thought I would give it a try. My futile attempt lasted about 2 minutes. Mainly because the horse was not interested in moving away from me (a longe line is about 16 feet long and the horse should be at the other end of it while you chase it in a circle). She crowded me, whinnied, pushed me...and finally got her legs all tangled up in the line. I tried poking her with the butt of the whip a couple of times, but she was so agitated, there was no hope. I got out of the pasture and decided to wait to get a professional in the form of Melanie's friend from CATRA who has broken a few horses in her day.
Aside from the noise all day, we were able to get Shadow bathed. Washing a horse is kind of like washing your car with the exception of having to move out of the way every now and then to avoid being trampled or kicked. Once we finished with her, we attempted to bring Star to the pump house to bathe her as well. This little episode ended up with the horse back in the pasture charging at the fence. She had become a danger to herself. I decided that tough love was no longer an option, I moved her back to the other pasture and she has been as gentle as can be with me since then.
Mel's friend came over on Sunday afternoon for our first longing. It was not a disaster, but also not the greatest success either. It was clear to me that I was in over my head in this department. I couldn't believe how rough you have to be with these animals. I will need to get over my fear of being trampled before attempting this activity in the future.
Outside of training our crazy horse, we have mostly been working on the cherry tree and canning. Our Mennonite neighbors came to visit on Saturday and brought 2 quarts of black raspberries, from which I seeded and made some jam. It is possibly more delicious than the cherry jam. We reciprocated by picking another large bowl of cherries and sending them over to them. I saved some to make some cherry cobbler....now if only I could find the time.
Monday night I was able to teach mom how to use the lawn tractor. She was a little leary at first, but quickly picked it up and soon was mowing like a pro. We are trying to get the place ready for our big 4th of July bash tomorrow. I hope the rain holds off long enough to enjoy being outside, since that is where we concentrated our efforts! LOL
In chicken news, they are getting so big I can't believe they were just little peeps a month ago. It turns out we have 4 roosters as I heard one of my "hens" crowing the other day. Our straight run cuckoo marans are half hens and half roosters. I have noticed some fighting going on, so we may have to cull them. It is sad because I just love them all so much. I can't imagine having to get rid of any of them. There are some parts of farm life that are easier than others. I will be sure not to order roosters in the future. The chicks love being outside. They are quite adventurous now, oftentimes wandering through the gate to the other side of the barnyard. They stick close and the barnyard is sheltered by a large tree and the barn. It makes me feel somewhat safer from hawks during the day.
My final thought is from a news article I came across this morning. 5 mennonites died in a manure pit on their farm. It is tragic, but there was the one little part of me who thought, jeez, I never thought I would have to worry about meeting my maker in that manner! We do not have a large dairy farm with a manure pit and to ensure we never need one, my local friends are welcome to come help themselves to some free fertilizer! On that note, I will close my missive for this week. Look out for some new photos coming soon!
The highlights of this week included our first equine vet visit and some behavior problems. The vet came out on Wednesday to look at the gray mare. She was still suffering from shipping fever and we knew that antibiotics were needed. In addition to the antibiotics, she also prescribed albuterol and some OTC cough medicine. We have to grind the antibiotics up into a powder and make a paste with water and molasses. We have a giant plastic syringe to inject this concoction into the horses mouth. Let me just say that taking the temperature was easier. She is feeling much better now. The runny nose has stopped and the cough is clearing up.
The horse on the mend was the good news of the week. By Friday, we noticed that our Sorrel mare, Star, was acting a bit bossy towards us. Nipping, pushing, stomping at the gate/fences. I called the man who sold us the horses and asked him what we could be doing wrong (the list might be long, lol). I mentioned that whenever we take the gray mare into the barn to give her medicine the Sorrel goes insane. She paws at the fence and whinnies and kicks the gate. When I would go into the pasture, she would show some really bad manners. He suggested that she has attached herself to the gray mare, kind of a mother figure for her. He said that we need to separate the two horses and "break" the Sorrel of her attachment. We immediately moved her to our second pasture, which is on the other side of the property and almost impossible for them to see one another. He told me that she would pace and whinny and that I should just let her do it and then I should "longe" (pronounced "lunge") her in the morning until she was exhausted. He said I needed to show her who was boss.
He was right on the first account. She paced and whinnied all night long. In fact, she wore the grass out along the pasture fence. I am sure the neighbors were appreciating the noise all night. I laid in bed expecting the sound of a shotgun being readied and fired. On Saturday morning, Melanie and I went to my new favorite place to spend my hard earned cash, the Tractor Supply Company. We bought a longe line and a whip. Stories Guide to Training Horses mentions that only a professional should attempt longing a horse. Well, seeing as there is an absence of professionals on my farm, I thought I would give it a try. My futile attempt lasted about 2 minutes. Mainly because the horse was not interested in moving away from me (a longe line is about 16 feet long and the horse should be at the other end of it while you chase it in a circle). She crowded me, whinnied, pushed me...and finally got her legs all tangled up in the line. I tried poking her with the butt of the whip a couple of times, but she was so agitated, there was no hope. I got out of the pasture and decided to wait to get a professional in the form of Melanie's friend from CATRA who has broken a few horses in her day.
Aside from the noise all day, we were able to get Shadow bathed. Washing a horse is kind of like washing your car with the exception of having to move out of the way every now and then to avoid being trampled or kicked. Once we finished with her, we attempted to bring Star to the pump house to bathe her as well. This little episode ended up with the horse back in the pasture charging at the fence. She had become a danger to herself. I decided that tough love was no longer an option, I moved her back to the other pasture and she has been as gentle as can be with me since then.
Mel's friend came over on Sunday afternoon for our first longing. It was not a disaster, but also not the greatest success either. It was clear to me that I was in over my head in this department. I couldn't believe how rough you have to be with these animals. I will need to get over my fear of being trampled before attempting this activity in the future.
Outside of training our crazy horse, we have mostly been working on the cherry tree and canning. Our Mennonite neighbors came to visit on Saturday and brought 2 quarts of black raspberries, from which I seeded and made some jam. It is possibly more delicious than the cherry jam. We reciprocated by picking another large bowl of cherries and sending them over to them. I saved some to make some cherry cobbler....now if only I could find the time.
Monday night I was able to teach mom how to use the lawn tractor. She was a little leary at first, but quickly picked it up and soon was mowing like a pro. We are trying to get the place ready for our big 4th of July bash tomorrow. I hope the rain holds off long enough to enjoy being outside, since that is where we concentrated our efforts! LOL
In chicken news, they are getting so big I can't believe they were just little peeps a month ago. It turns out we have 4 roosters as I heard one of my "hens" crowing the other day. Our straight run cuckoo marans are half hens and half roosters. I have noticed some fighting going on, so we may have to cull them. It is sad because I just love them all so much. I can't imagine having to get rid of any of them. There are some parts of farm life that are easier than others. I will be sure not to order roosters in the future. The chicks love being outside. They are quite adventurous now, oftentimes wandering through the gate to the other side of the barnyard. They stick close and the barnyard is sheltered by a large tree and the barn. It makes me feel somewhat safer from hawks during the day.
My final thought is from a news article I came across this morning. 5 mennonites died in a manure pit on their farm. It is tragic, but there was the one little part of me who thought, jeez, I never thought I would have to worry about meeting my maker in that manner! We do not have a large dairy farm with a manure pit and to ensure we never need one, my local friends are welcome to come help themselves to some free fertilizer! On that note, I will close my missive for this week. Look out for some new photos coming soon!
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