The water line

As part of putting this farm in to use for cattle, we needed to install three freeze proof waterers. We will

have electric fences seperating the place in to five different paddocks as we are planning on utilizing

rotational grazing. That required a backhoe to come and dig the water line.  It needs to be approximatley

24" in our area as that is the freeze line.  First, in the country you've got to find out who has a backhoe

and when they can come.  So, after asking around, a name comes up, you ask around about their

reputation and then you give them a call.  You have to find out what they charge and if they can do the

job.  Then find out when they can come and hopefully they show when they say they will.  Before the

digging even started, we located a plastic pipe manufacturing facility that was fairly close (35 miles) and

spoke with them about purchasing 3000 feet of pipe.  No problem....they have what we need.  So we load

up in the wonderful green and white dump truck and head off to get our pipe.  The lines all get dug

and now comes the part of laying out the pipe and glueing them together.  Everything works pretty


good...we have a few snags such as a few of the pipe pieces not fitting snugly enough together to make

a good seal.  Somewhere in quality control, they missed these pieces.  So....you cut them apart and

reapply the glue and move on down the line.  Once the pipes are all laid and a riser attached, then

comes building forms for the concrete that will be poured to be under the waterers.

Windows....Missing the view

You don't truly appreciate windows until you don't have have them.  The shop  building that we are

living in while building the house, doesn't have any windows.  We did that for security reasons as we

 were not living here at the time and have tools and things that we didn't want people to be able to

see.  Now though, while it is raining and we can't raise the big doors....I really wish we had put a

couple of windows in this building.   It is quite cozy, but I want to see out!!   Maybe the rain won't

last long today, although we desperately need all the rain that we can get to make up for the deficit

we have had all summer long.  It's good for the pastures and makes the cows quite happy as well as

helps the garden.  I've replanted green beans hoping for a good fall crop as the summer crop just

couldn't produce because of the extremem heat and lack of water.  

It's time for an awesome update!!   The house has finally begun!!   We've been working at it for about 4 weeks now and we are so excited about the progress. 

 

As the carpenters began to add the 2nd story......we realized that it is going to be really tall standing out there in what once was a field!!

 

 

 

 

Now, as we're looking at it.....I begin to wonder how in the world the carpenters are going to be able to get the trusses up there...

 

Lo and behold.....the next Monday.....this crane shows up and makes short work (45 min.) of getting the trusses lifted up and secured.

 This saved a lot of man hours and was well worth it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's still looking a little gangly at this point, but in my next post I'll show you how much better it looks with the porches on it.  They kind of ground it and anchor it visually.

 

At this point, we still don't have the construction loan and I'm getting a little nervous....talk about building on faith!

 

When we began this process and finally found a builder, he asked if we wanted to have it bid or build it for time and materials.   We chose time and materials.  We pay the labor every week and for materials as they come due.  Fortunatly, the lumber bill isn't due til the 10th of every month and I've got a little hedge time here :)

 

I'll keep you posted as we progress!!

 

 

 

 

Glorified camping

When the husband was still working, we were in "park housing".  It was one of the perks of the job

and it was great.  Well....since retiring and moving to the farm....we've been "homeless of sorts".  When

we  built the  shop building, we enclosed a corner of it to include the pressure tank for the well, a

shower, stool, shop sink and the washing machine.  We also have a classic 1972 Winnebago motor home.

Since I'm an outside kinda gal....it would be very difficult for me to stay inside of it all day long.  We

 just use it in the evenings to get inside and eat supper and then sleep in it.  And since I'm kinda

frugal....I don't know that I want to pay the electric bill to keep it cool all day long.   It's not the most

 energy efficient thing!  And I'd feel kind of guilty sitting in the cool while the husband is out

working in the 100 + temps we've been having. 






When we have decent tempertures we "live" in the shop building where we've got a queen sized bed,

recliners and a decent sized television as well as the fridge, stove, microwave and freezers.  Life is

pretty good then!  I just have to keep remembering....as I swat flies and sweat....that this is just a part

of the journey.  We lovingly refer to our current lifestyle as "glorified camping"!!


The good news is that the builder thinks that he can get started on our foundation next week!

  Yippee!!!   If we could just see some progress on the house....it sure would make things a little

better!!

Designing the farm house

While driving to the farm, I had noticed this roof a short distance fromt he highway.  I really like the look of it.  It's just a silver metal roof and white siding.  It's the look I can envision for a farm house.   Nothing too precosious or outstanding...just something you'd see on a farm. 

When I had the time one day, I drove by it to get some better pictures and low and behold it's an old church!

I love this look and hopefully our "farm house" will look similar!

More cows!!

Since my last post, we've added to our herd.  We've bought some lovely ladies and their babies.   (They don't understand when I ask them to all pose together! )  We've bought 4 black cows with their calves and 4 charlois mix with their calves and one red cow who is still to calve.

 One of the gals haven't calved yet, so we're anxiously waiting on the Belties and one other. 

We also added a hereford bull to the group.


He was already with some of the cows we bought and he seemed really gentle and a good

price.  We just couldn't resist!

  We chose to purchase from individuals rather than chance purchasing from the sale barn. 

We could see them in the pasture and observe that they were not really wild or mean.  We

certainly don't want that!  Everyone seems as happy as can be just grazing away!   We've

moved them once since they have all been here and they moved very easily from one

pasture to the other.  We didn't really know where we would need gates in this electric

fence, but it's easy to add one when you need one.  It just requires adding  brace posts to

your two gate posts and a handle for your gate wire.  It won't be long before the herd

needs to be moved again to let the pasture grow and eat the previous one down again. 

We've got so much grass this year that we're keeping them off of 3 of the paddocks which

will be cut for hay soon.  We worked out a deal with a local man to cut and bale for us on a

60/40 share.  The cattle are to be rotated around the paddocks when they have eaten the

grass down to a certain height, but it's a little difficult to tell as they don't eat the grass that

is tall and putting on a seed head. 

Hopefull I'll be able to post pictures of a new calf soon and the first one born on the farm!

The Cows have arrived!

Well...it's finally happening!   After 4 years of blood....sweat.....tears and a  LOT of HARD WORK, our dream is coming to fruition!  On the 17th we had two beautiful Belted Galoway cows delivered to the farm.

We should be expecting calves from them both in the next couple of months.  These are such a docile breed.  We can walk right up to them out in the pasture and pet them.  I think they'll make great cows for our farm herd.

You might have noticed the electric fence that they are grazing close to.  We have chosen to use a rotational grazing system.  Our farm is broken up into 5 different paddocks.  The perimeter is standard 5 strand barbed wire fence.  The interior is diveded with the electric fence.  The cows are moved from pasture to pasture as the grass is eaten down.  This allows for newer more tender grass for the cows and should also help with some of the plants being eaten that they wouldn't normally eat.  Some weeds will be eaten when they are young and tender, but not when they get older and tougher.

It's spring and has been in our area for the last couple of weeks.  Last week we received about 3 inches of rain and the grass is showing it.  There is just more grass than those cows can possibly eat. 

We've also purchased 4 more cow/calf pairs as well as another pregnant cow and a bull.  They are to be delivered soon.  I just hope they are all as happy as the Galloways are!

Stay tuned....There's more to come!