January 11, 2013

Can I get a farm-Hand With That, Please?



Dwayne and I have been going non-stop around here.  Above all else - it's been weather at the head of the challenge.  We just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

And bless their hearts - the cows have been so wonderful and patient.

We've all spent the good days having fun when we can.  Killian and April take turns going out to ' The Big Yard ' with Bruce and Cora.  Both seem to understand what’s going on.  Neither have thrown any hissy fits.

But that’s not to say nobody has.



Artist posing for the front cover of Tales and Shakers.  ( Shaking my head. )

Artist had a little bit to say about Killian being in the paddock with Cora the other day.  Dwayne had to go back there and have a chat with him.  He wasn’t happy to hear about hot wires.  I conned him into giving up the pouting with some Alfalfa cubes, afterward.  Promised him that Killian was NOT going to stay there forever.

And all was fine in the Land of Irish Moos for the rest of the day.



It’s been pretty tough handling all the chores outside – through the mud – by myself when Dwayne’s at work.  He doesn’t get home until after the evening chores, as well.  And we’ve conceded to using only square bales of hay – because of all the rain.

I’m spending a whole lot of time climbing up into the loft and throwing bales of hay down into the side where Artist and Patty have their stall – then over to the alley of the inside of the barn – for everyone else.

And on the good days – flakes and flakes – and more flakes are hand-carried out to both paddocks - a few times each day. ( I’ve submitted a Requisition Form to the Boss for 2 new Hay Racks that will hold a whole bale of hay. )

Not sure when that might happen.  Now there's a possibility they might be putting Dwayne on Night Shift for a while.

Technically - he's supposed to have 4 days off each round.  And we've mapped out our entire life around here accordingly.

But when he goes on Night Shift - it's no different than if he only gets 2 days off.  He ends up sleeping during the first day off - and sitting in his recliner for the second.

That leaves me doing all the farm chores and yard work - by myself - for 6 out of 8 days that roll.

And I'm not even supposed to be carrying groceries from the driveway.  Or walking up and down stairs.  Even worse - hauling and throwing bales of hay.



That was the last hair off my back.  I bought Annointing Oil.

I'm annointing the house - the barn and our vehicles.

I am going into Spiritual Warfare.

And I have discovered - I despise Hay inside my Bra.

I’ve been going through Seed Catalogs.  We decided to build raised bed boxes again – like we did in Maryville – and put our garden in a completely different area.

That's been the plan - anyway.

I’ve already placed orders for seeds from 3 different sources.



And the first batch arrived yesterday.  I can hardly wait.  I ordered my favorite.  I love the Amish Paste Tomato seeds for canning my Tomatoes and Tomato Puree’.

I received the Crenshaw Melon, Chives, Okra, Carrots, and Bush Beans.  I’m waiting for Spinach, Watermelon, and corn.

We’ve decided to try an experiment with our corn - for keeping the Raccoons from robbing our entire yield.



We’re gonna grow it in the little yard of the Girls’ Coop.  It’s completely closed in – and chicken wire is buried under the soil down around the outside bottom of the entire coop – extended approximately 2’ outwardly.

I can only hope we don’t wake up to dead Raccoons hanging from the chicken wire.

I spent time putting a run sheet together for our Vet – so she can come deal with everybody all at once – before Patty and Cora drop their calves.

Dwayne and I backtracked from the Seller's Vet’s confirmation on their Preg Checks to figure out - approximately - when Patty and Cora conceived.  Thank God for dates on receipts.  Otherwise – well – Life would just be ugly.  Let’s leave it at that.

Glass half-full… Give me dates on receipts and notepads – I am still good to go.

But we determined Patty conceived around July 15, 2012 – and Cora conceived around July 25, 2012.



That means Patty’s Due Date is around April 23, 2013.




Cora’s Due Date is around May 3, 2013.

Ohh, joy.  Two more Taurus Bulls in the family - that will really never be bulls - even if they're born as males.

But the real kicker – Cora’s due 1 day before her own birthday – which also happens to be my daughter, Britni’s birthday.  And that just makes for a really great inside joke!

Anyway.

Well!  Damn!  We gotta have something to laugh about around here to keep us from going out to play in the freeway.

I’ll be going to bed with TyelenolPm every night for the rest of my life.

Unless we go ahead and get one of those Teeter Inversion Tables at Costco.

;)

4 comments:

Queenacres said...

I LOVE that alley way through your barn...I have a fondness for old barns anyway, and seeing all the work yall have done just makes it better! Can't wait to see your calving pics...and by the way....I'd rather stuff hay in my bra than get on that inversion thingy! :)

Deb said...

Wouldn't it be nice to have a farm hand or two now and then! LOL Sure would help get things done around here faster. And this is winter...summer will be even busier! *gasp* Hope you can keep going, animals are wonderful to have on a farm, but they do add to the work load. :-))

A Lady's Life said...

I sure would love to garden. We had coon problems and moved. They are soo smart and will figure it out before you know it.
Now we have bunnies but I think they can be controlled with chicken wire.
Hay bales are indeed not for women to carry. You sure do need an easier way to do this sort of work.

d.a. said...

I do hope the workload gets easier - the work needing done may never change, but sometimes ideas pop up that help us re-organize & streamline how it can be done! I'm always tinkering with ways to work smarter.