Spiked
Haven’t had much time to post lately, but Mattie wanted to share with everybody that we got our first set of spikes. Spikes are young males that are brought in to make sure the eggs are fertile. As with everything on the farm Mattie was right in the middle of it. It makes me really happy that she enjoys the farm. The spikes are kept in a pen in the middle of the houses until they mature enough to get out with the older males.
Garett also wanted to share that we’ve made some more additions to the farm lately. He has adopted a stray dog and named it Buddy. Seems to be a really good tempered animal and loves to run and play with the kids. Just goes to show you that it doesn’t take fancy things to make you happy.
In addition to the spikes and Buddy, we also aquired another horse. As usual I just couldn’t say no! A neighbor had her for sale and Madison had to have her. What we’ll do with her I have no idea. We could always ride her, but we have been discussing training her for a buggy. Yikes one more thing to buy.
We also wanted to mention our special visitor here on the farm a week or so ago. Rick “Demonmaster” Young came by and spent the night with us on his motorcycle tour. We felt priveliged to have Rick for the night and hope he finds the peace he deserves. For everyone that has the time you should follow his stories!
Things finally appear to be slowing down a bit in the chickenhouses so hopefully I’ll be able to take a little more time to post. We’re still planing to keep a diary for Farm and Ranch Living magazine in the next few months and Garett has made me promise to take him fishing too. Well as always tons to do so I better get at it! Be sure to check out all the new pics we’ve added!
June 25th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
That’s a nice horse! And what a cute dog.
June 25th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
Cute dog - nice looking horse - will have to post again with a less grainy picture to get a real assessment of it. Keep up the good work!
June 26th, 2008 at 3:07 am
Very nice horse Im hoping to buy the apalosea (i think thats how its spelled,lol) the guy across the road from me has bording on our pasture this year he had been talking about selling him the hourse is probly 20 years old and is 5′9″ at the saddleover 6′ to top of head yes hes abig boy,lol.sounds like you will havve your hands full we been running around like chickens with our heads cut off lol.the cows all seem to be getting along good now that we had 3 die still not to sure why. but now we got a two week old jersey that has the fur on his butt and top of his legs peeling off down to the bare skin anyone know what might make that happen? We cut about 100 balse yesterday was going to rake it and bale it today but the rake brke down and had to get fixed then it started raining i hope it drys out soon The wife is going back to trucking starting monday hope it works out ill have to handle the kids and the farm alone well the oldest ones can help with the younger ones so that will be some help hay starting to pick up in price agine up here still not as good as last year but coming close.thinking of trying some thing diffrent with our little field next year maybe corn or soybeans or mabey just fence it off and put more cattle on itnot real sure but we want to get this place making more money so mama can stay home too.thinking of getting around baler for the out liying fields that dads going to do as a partner on but not real suresquares pay more but rounds are less work to move so we ll see what happens. Still thinking of getting a dairy going but not real sure there ether well hope all is well hope you can help with the calf and god bless you all.
June 27th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
I would beg to differ.
Buddy is clearly a very fancy thing. What a pair those two make.
Good stuff.
June 29th, 2008 at 7:08 pm
Hi Joel,
Yeah, the extra ground might be a good thing to add on. On the one hand you can hay it, and on the other you can graze it. Gives you a couple of more options for income streams to the farm. (Plus, most owners around here want to lease a place for a full year, so you can get the spring cutting and run some extra calves in the summer and fall. Biggest down side is a lot of the old, unused farms around here need fence repairs and the owners don’t want to do the work or pay out for the materials. If you pay for it, and do the work, then they end up raising the rent the next year on you, you never win for losing!)
Sid is out cutting Phil’s hay right now. Phil is my next door neighbor, and a retired Machinist Supervisor from a nearby Army Ammunitions plant. Sid is another neighbor that I grew up with (same class in school, rode the same bus). He has worked at one of the local feed stores since High School and farms some on the side. I ought to have him cut the patch around the house this year, but it is too brushy to make good hay. I’ll have to brush hog it down after I use some Crossbow and diesel on the elm, locust and hedge sprouts. I don’t want to kill the walnut, oak and pecan seedlings, but I have so many of those I just might have to let a few go as well.
I sent you some pictures at the Yahoo addy, sorry I couldn’t figure out how to send them all to you in one go. My old ‘puter isn’t up to such detailed work, either that or I’m not!
Take care,
Kevin