Today we set the rest of the culverts on the road leading into the pasture. It was a muddy mess. I tried standing on the edges, but quickly figured out that wasn’t going to happen, so I just waded in the mud. We almost never figured out how to get them all pulled together. We finally decided that the best way was to run a chain through the culvert and hook one end onto the Mahindra, and one end onto a 4×4 block that couldn’t go through the culvert. After that I just backed up and my buddy Mike rocked them into place. It sure is a lot easier with a little help. The kids thought it looked like fun to play in the mud so they came to “help”. Once they got good and dirty and wet they ran to change clothes and finish playing in the hay.

The weather forecast says we will have 3 days of dry weather this week, so hopefully I’ll get to finish the hay. I had cut some hay Tuesday when the forecast was calling for 3 dry days - only to have it rain the next day. Luckily my neighbor Joe bailed me out, literally. While I was at work he came and hooked up the roller and rolled the hay for me. I had wanted to get a lot of squares, but it’s beginning to look like we’ll roll it or lose it.

This Friday, Garett’s school is having “doughnuts with dads”. He’s pretty excited. He told me last night that he wanted to “go to the orphanage and get him a brother”. It’s rough being the only son I guess. I wouldn’t know, I had 3 brothers.

We responded to an ad in the local newspaper seeking individuals to become owner/operator poultry producers. We may soon have some more chickens and I mean a lot of them. It’s been a goal of ours for quite some time to find a way to make this place pay for itself. Over the last few years we’ve tried cows, goats, selling eggs and hay, and done custom work, but never really made much, if any money.

I found a neat plan for a run in shelter for the goats that uses livestock panels and a tarp. We’ll be heading to Tractor Supply Company for the materials to build it Tuesday. Temperatures here are getting down into the 40s some nights, so it can’t be long until the goats will need some type of shelter and we’ll be building a fire in the wood stove at night. I took time to sharpen 2 of the 5 saw chains hanging on the hook downstairs. It takes me about 20 minutes to get one good, but it saves $5. I can take them to the local hardware for $5, but it’s been raining so much there was really nothing else I could be doing.

Mattie says all the rain must be rusting the leaves since they are turning brown. Fall is my favorite season. This part of the country is most beautiful as the leaves change and fall off. Anyone who can should come visit Kentucky. In particular, the Big South Fork River and Recreation Area. A big part of it is here in McCreary County. A visit to the area wouldn’t be complete without a trip on the Big South Fork Scenic Railway and some time at the McCreary County Museum. Kaylee volunteers there regularly. She had 67 hours last year. There is a ton of memorabilia at the museum - from trains and coal mining to quilts and antiques. A visit here is a trip back in time.

I’ll close for now and add some pictures - you can take a look at them all by clicking here. Thanks for reading!