Life of a Farm Blog

Well folks it’s official, we are chicken farmers. We got our first delivery of birds from Cobb yesterday. 7032 females and 610 males. More are coming today. I already have mixed emotions about this venture. I am a little bit intimidated by the complexity of the equipment. Absolutely everything is automatic. There is very little work involved. Basically the only manual labor will be walking the floors, picking the eggs up from the tables, and disposing of the dead. I feel for the birds. While they are loose in the houses and have quite a bit of room to move around freely, it just isn’t natural. They have shavings to scratch through, but no dirt. I’m used to chickens scratching for bugs and other critters. I geuss I’ll just get used to it. The birds really do seem content. I was glad that 4 State Poultry finally came through for us. When I started this project their rep, Vance Gates, convinced me to use them. In the end it was him who finally got this whole thing running. My hats off to him! Without his help we would not have birds today. I sincerely hope that 4 state knows what an asset he is to their operation! While I’m saying thanks to people, I need to recognize what an important part of this whole deal BJ has been too. Our relationship has been odd, strained, and downright bad a lot of this time, but she has always put her best foot forward to help me! I hope she knows she is appreciated!

             

Still no calf from the cow we bought that was obviously very pregnant. There has been so much to do at the chickenhouse I have barely had time to eat and sleep. Madison and Garett came running when the first truck of birds showed up. I made them stay outside because of the dust from the shavings. They were very excited though and can’t wait to get inside with the birds. It has been good to be close to the kids. It’s a relief just knowing that I am a stones throw away from them most all the time. My dad came and stayed with us the 2 nights prior to getting birds so he could help get everything ready. It was good to have him around and he was a big help too. He constatly amazes me with his knowledge of things electrical and mechanical, not to mention about life in general.

I was glad to get the 7010 back in action. Just a day or so after I last posted I got a package from both KMW and Mahindra. I now have the entire O ring kit for the loader valve as well as an extra load check plug and the internals. I’ve found the best way not to need a part is to have it on hand. You never need the parts you have. Turns out the 7010 was my transportation to the chickenhouse a couple days this week. Okay, I could’ve walked since it’s only a few hundred yards through the feild, but it’s just easier to drive. We got our first and probably only real snow of the year. It was only a couple inches, but underneath it was a layer of ice. I sent my truck home with our friend Kenny so I knew he would be able to make it back here to finish up the construction and plumbing of the wellhouse. Old Blue (my truck) isn’t doing too well these days. I’m seriously considering trading. Only thing is I’m not sure what I want if I trade. I’ve always been a GM guy, but this 6.5 litre turbo deisel has really turned me against GM. I’m really fond of the Cummins engine in the Dodges, but want an automatic transmission. Dodge automatics don’t have a great reputation. GM has the Allison automatic transmission which is awesome. I geuss the Fords are okay. My younger brother is a Ford technician. I just have always had GMs and can’t bring myself to go the Ford route. I hear Mahindra is bringing a truck to the US in a year or so maybe I can make “old blue” last until I get a peek at them.

BJ and the older girls have brought me into the technical age. They have convinced me that the farm needs a my space page. So with their help we’ll be adding to it all the time. We’re also going to try to set up our own website when we get time. I think it’s neat to have so many ways to share everything with the world. The internet is a great thing!

As always there is a whole pile of things to do and I don’t seem to be getting them done so I better get up from here and do something. Thanks for reading and be sure to check out the pics we have added!

 

Trying to wrap up all that needs to be done at the chickenhouses has kept me very busy. Disinfecting is set for the 18th and chickens are coming the 28th. There is tons to do before then. Seems there is time to sleep and work, that is all. Between the weather and the flu the kids have been home quite a bit so atleast I am getting to see them. They have been lucky not to get down too bad with the flu that is going around. Illness has caused the schools to close twice in the last two weeks. Garett and Madison have been hanging out with me at the chickenhouses quite a bit. We have internet and are in the process of getting Dish Network so they won’t be too bored. Hopefully I can make the chickenhouses a home away from home since I’ll be spending so much time there.

I did take time to spend the day at the Lake Cumberland Livestock Auction a couple Saturdays ago. We picked up 3 bred cows. Madison has named them all. There is a young black cow that is 1-3 months which Madison promptly named Oprah. There is an older red and white faced hereford cow that’s 7-9 she named Dixie. Then there is a younger solid red cow that’s 4-6 she has named Rosie. I was hoping to buy cows with calves at side or trios, but there didn’t seem to be too many head cows. There were lots of feeders, but I’m hoping to build a herd fairly quickly so I’ve been opting for older cows. I’ve heard lots of horror stories about first calf heifers. My mom wants to buy some younger cattle so maybe we’ll end up with some of both. Feeder prices are rising steadily, but head cows seem to be rising a little slower. One highlight of our day was I ran into a friend I had worked with for the last several years. Melvin is an older fellow who I respect immensely. He was raised through the school of hard knocks. He has virtually no formal education, but has made a decent life for himself and can fix almost anything.

We fixed our transportation problem. I picked up another 98 Pontiac Grand Prix GT. This one has less miles and a sunroof. The kids love the sunroof. My thinking on this was that I have all the parts to fix anything that might go wrong with this one. So far everything works good though. I found this one on Ebay of all places. I was a little hesitant to go this route, but I was pleasantly surprised to find a fellow kentuckian with what I needed. Ebay is one of those places where you meet both the best and the worst people out there.

 

Mom and Dad have a place in Owenton,Ky. Mom had gone back with dad for a few days, but started missing the grandchildren so we met them in Lexington, Ky and brought her back. While we were there we visited with my brother Paul. We had dinner at Chili’s and spent about an hour talking. Hopefully this spring and summer Paul will come and swap me some help in the garden for fresh vegetables. On our trip I noticed they are tearing down the stockyard in Garrard county. That stockyard is famous around here because John Michael Montgomery shot the video to his song “Sold” there. I thought it was pretty cool someone had spray painted RIP Garrard Stockyards on the front gates.

The 7010 has a leaking O ring on the loader valve so it’s out of commission for the moment. I’ve been in touch with the dealer and KMW. Both have promised an O ring is on the way, but it has yet to materialize. I can’t find one local that is the correct size. While at the dealer I picked up a couple of balls for the 3 point hitch arms. For the first time I found an unreasonable price on a Mahindra part. These balls are like $35 a peice. I’m checking with TYM to see what their price is. Since this is a TYM sourced part that may be the cause. Wouldn’t you know the weather would turn cold just when I need a tractor. Good thing I got the 6000 all spruced up. We took about 6 hours one day and greased every fitting on it, gave it a bath, and adjusted the brakes. It wouldn’t have taken so long, but neglect had set in on the loader pins. I ended up driving 4 or 5 of them out, sanding them down, and changing the grease fittings. Now every one of them is taking grease like it’s supposed to.

 

My neighbor Dennis Troxell called one evening last week with a cow down. She had trouble calving and cannot stand. We were able to get her in the bucket of the 6000 and take her to the barn where she won’t freeze to death. According to the vet she’s swollen inside and that’s causing temporary paralysis when she tries to stand.

The weather here is different every day. Today there is snow on the ground and a forecasted high in the 20′s. Yesterday it was 68 degrees. I’m ready for spring! I don’t mind the cold nearly as bad when it just stays cold. Well I better get some work done! Be sure to check out the pics I’ve added!

 

Spare time has been virtually non existent for me lately. Both BJ and Madison celebrated birthday’s this month. The work on the chickenhouses continues. A different problem arises everyday. My mom called me from Owen county to tell me that my late brother’s dog was sick. She told me that if Rebel stood a chance I needed to come take him to a vet. Of course I went to get him. Rebel was just a cute little boxer pup when Josh brought him home. He’s 8 or 9 in people years now. He’s developed skin cancers and now testicular cancer. This last round he had to have a 3 pound tumor and both testicles removed. I just couldn’t stand to see him put down. He’s all we have left besides the memories of Josh. He seems to be doing real good here on the farm.

Madison didn’t have such a good birthday this year. BJ was taking her to pick out a cake when she lost control of the car on slick roads. Thank goodness noone was hurt seriously. Mattie ended up with seat belt burn on her belly and BJ bumped her head. Makayla is a little sore. She took a pretty bad fall at cheerleading practice last week and now the car accident. The car didn’t fare so well. I believe it’s a total loss. We’re trying to decide what to do for transportation next. We still have “old blue” (the Chevy truck) and the Trans Am, but neither have very much room in them. I’m leaning toward finding another Pontiac Grand Prix like the one we had and keeping the wreck for a parts car.

 

The weather has been brutal. We’ve seen lows in the single digits twice now. Several nights have been in the teens as well. That’s just too cold for me. Makes me ache all over when I come in and finally get warm. Got lots of wood split to keep warm though. With the move of the double-wide we’ve yet to get the underpinning back up. Bj called this morning to tell me the water was frozen there. Took it until almost noon to thaw out. After not paying the rent for the last 3 months the folks renting our rental trailer finally moved out. That’s a huge relief! It will mean more work, but maybe I can get someone in there that is willing to work on the farm to pay their rent.

Even in the winter weather, rain, and snow feeding hay to the animals has not seemed like work. The cab is great! I don’t know how I made it all this time without it. The loader on the new 7010 has the skid steer quick attach and that makes changing between the bucket, bale spear, and pallet forks a breeze. These new pallet forks are so much better than the old floating ones I have for the 6000. I like them so much I doubt the bale spear will get much use. I’ve only put a little over 20 hours on the 7010, but I absolutely love it. If the new 8560 is as nice as the 7010 I’d say Mahindra has a real winner on their hands. Hopefully I’ll get to see it at the National Farm Machinery Show in Louisville Ky. next month.

Well as always I have so much to do it’s ridiculous so I’ll stop typing and get to work on something. Thanks for reading and come back soon. Be sure to check out the pics I’ve added to the site.

Still terribly busy here on the farm. There is so much to do I don’t know where to start. For the first time ever I am overwhelmed by all that needs to be done. I’m starting to lose sleep at night knowing all that needs to be done. The movers came and moved the double-wide. That means all that’s involved with the move goes right to the top of the list. Atleast we’ve had great weather for the move. Temps today were in the  70′s . That’s a far cry from the 9 degree low we experienced last week. Tonight the forecast is for 50 mph winds and thunderstorms. I never remember thunderstorms in January. I geuss I shouldn’t be surprised though since snow is forecast for the weekend.

The poultry house project has ground to a halt. Everyone left just before christmas and noone has returned. I was warned this would happen. The contractor we are using is 4 State Poultry. They are based in Arkansas. They have completely dropped the ball. Noone is set to return until this Saturday. That’s almost 3 weeks with no work being done. To me that’s unacceptable. Cobb begins paying upon completion of the houses regardless of the when they place birds. So there is no way around the fact that 4 State is costing us money. Cobb has started bringing signs and locks. The kids think that it’s really cool to have our farm name on a sign.

On a bright note, I must have been an awfully good boy this year. I say that because shortly after christmas I got one of the neatest gifts ever. After 2 years of kicking the tires on the 7010 cab I finally got one. BJ got together with my dad and made a deal we could all live with. I’ve only had time to put a few hours on it, but in what little time I’ve spent on it I’m impressed. It’s got lots of power and some great features. I can’t wait to get it in the hay field! I also got the ML170 loader, bale spear, and pallet forks. The dealer forgot my pallet forks when he delivered so I’m going to have to make a trip to pick them up.

Be sure to check back soon and check out the pics I’ve added. I’ll be posting pictures of all the work that’s going on and pics of the 7010 as I get time.

 

Wow what a difference just a few days makes. The chickenhouses are dang near done. The guys have been busy daylight to dark hanging curtains and installing equipment. I still have a long list of things that need to be done before the chickens come, but I’m much closer than I was. The 6000 is still a muddy mess. I can’t count the buckets of mud, muck, gravel, and trash I’ve hauled. Just as soon as the weather warms up enough so I won’t catch pneumonia I’m going to give it a bath and a good greasing. I’d hoped to use the skid steer the contractors have rented for more of the cleanup, but with all the mud I kept finding myself sitting there spinning. The concrete trucks had left some huge ruts where we had’nt put down gravel yet. One peice of equipment I’ve been glad to have around is the trackhoe the excavating crew left behind. I was hesitant to use it even though they told me to, but after waiting almost 2 weeks on them to come back to clean up and get things ready for the feed bin pads I had to get things ready. The concrete crew was due back in town around noon so I arranged for a truck and my buddy Kenny and I got the feed bin pads ready for concrete. While we were at it we got all the culverts ready to pour headwalls on.

 

The weather is still crazy here. One day we have snow on the ground and a couple days later it’s highs in the 60s. I geuss the old saying “if you don’t like the weather in Kentucky just stick around it’s going to change” is more true than ever. This week has been full of Christmas parties. Bj and I attended the parties for both Cobb and the McCreary County Museum. Bj won a new digital camera at the Cobb party. We also went to school to eat Christmas dinner with Garett and Mattie this week. It’s good to get together and see everybody and enjoy a meal, but I am always exhausted after these things.

We were lucky enough to get a local drilling rig working on drilling us a water well for the chickenhouses. Water is an expensive utility here. I can’t figure out why water is 3 times more expensive here than in surrounding counties. At any rate the drill is at 165 feet deep and we have some water. The driller says it would be more than enough for a residence, but he’s unsure about capacity for chickenhouses. I’m told the water needs can reach 3500 gallons a day in the summer. Now we must decide whether to go deeper and hope for more water while taking a chance on losing what we have or holding where we are at. Another possibility is that if we go deeper we could get unusable water. Over the years there has been a lot of mining in this area resulting in water heavy in iron and sulfur. I believe we’ll hold what we got and see if it’s enough.

While Kenny was around I got him to help me replace the porch posts on the log house. I gotta say they look much better than the rotten pine posts. I chose the cedar for it’s rustic look. I was planning on leaving the majority of the short limbs on the posts, but decided to saw them off after realizing the kids run and play on the porch a lot and it wouldn’t take but one slip for them to get hurt. As soon as we got the post up Nana asked us to start on a hand rail and rails between the posts.  That meant walking all over the farm trying to find the right size cedar trees. I’ve found the trees and as soon as I can get away from the chicken houses I will finish it up for her.

As always thanks for reading and take a look at the new pics I’ve added. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!

 

Well folks it’s official, I’m unemployed. With so much to do here on the farm I decided to quit the off the farm job and get some stuff done before the chickens arrive. Busy as a bee! I’m having so much fun being at home on the farm and with the kids instead of in the factory. I gotta say it’s a lot of work though. I’ve worked almost every day on something. I cut cedar posts for the log house porch and skidded them with the 6000. I’ve cut and split firewood. I finally finished the rabbit cages. I’ve burned brush. I’ve detached the front porch on the double wide and set it on the trailer to move. All the under pinning is now removed. Chainsaws have been sharpened. Now I’m ready to start fencing or working on my tack room in the barn.

I cannot figure this crazy weather out. Just a few days ago there was a dusting of snow on the ground and today temps are right at 70. What preciptation we missed this summer we must be getting now. It seems like every day there is rain. The 6000 is a muddy mess. I’ve been using it to try to keep the drives around the chickenhouses passable. The concrete trucks leave ruts everywhere they go. This building project has been crazy. Every day it’s something. Unfortunately I haven’t taken the time to get back to the local Mahindra dealer and try to hammer out a final deal on a 7010. With all the buzz about a new bigger cab tractor coming in 2008, I’m wondering if I should wait.

The trucks keep rolling in with more peices. Most of the truck drivers are really nice people who don’t want to put you out, but some have been impossible to please. Really it’s not my place to unload them considering this was supposed to be a turn key job, but I’m not the type to rest on my laurels while someone else needs to get going. I’m generally the nicest guy you’ll ever meet, but one truck driver really brought out the bad side of me. I get up early and ready the kids for school and then deliver them because they don’t like to ride the bus. One morning a driver arrived very early and I politely told him I had to take the kids to school, but I would be right back. That didn’t set well with him, but I just smiled and went on. When I got back he flung his truck doors open and said “It’s all yours, I’m not touching a thing”. Half the load wasn’t even on pallets. It was peices of the feed bins and such. I started to climb in and get to work when it hit me. I thought this guy’s a jerk, he needs some of his own medicine. I just stopped and said “you know what, I own this farm and I’ve contracted this job to someone else, they’ll be here soon and they can unload you”. He grumbled his way back to his truck and waited from 7:45 until after 10:30. The contractor finally showed up and unloaded him.

Well the kids are home now and tugging at me to get out and do something with them while it’s not raining. Be sure to check out the pics I’ve added to the site and check back soon! I know we’ve still got a few days to go, but Merry Christmas to all!

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We had plenty to eat and it was good to take a day and reflect on all we have to be thankful for. The poultry houses are coming along nicely. Once the contractors started they haven’t left except for one day. They did take Thanksgiving day off. They have both buildings under roof now so the rain shouldn’t be too much of an obstacle. Surprisingly little left to do in the actual construction of the buildings. The electrical, the construction of the office, and the equipment installation will take a little while, but it’s looking like we may actually be done around the first of the year. I wish I had a dollar for every person who has driven by here slowly trying to figure out exactly what was going on here. The contractors being around provided me with the opportunity to use a skid steer to clean out the barn. I got the majority of it with the 6000 and the loader, but couldn’t get into some tight places.

Today I finally started building the rabbit cages. I’m figuring out quickly that I’m not much of a carpenter. Hopefully I can follow the plans in the book good enough that they will hold rabbits and keep water and wind out. It’s almost as if the rabbits are laughing at me. I see them over in the corner hiding their faces with their little paws. I figure they have to be laughing at me. Maybe I’ll get the rabbit cages built and get my tack room built in the other barn before we get the poultry houses finished.

We had scheduled the double-wide to be moved last weekend, but had to postpone it due to not having everything packed. The next available date is December. I’m just hoping BJ and the kids can have the things that have to be out packed by then. I know BJ is not thrilled about living so close to the poultry houses when they get birds in them.

I spent a little more time pressuring my local Mahindra dealer for his absolute best deal on a 7010 cab last week. We keep getting closer! I hate the thought of another winter out in the cold and snow feeding the animals. It doesn’t hurt that we could certainly use the tax deduction this year either. I’ll give him another jab one day this week and hopefully close the deal.

Well as always tons to do here so I will go for now. Be sure to check out the pics I’ve added and check back soon. Until next time stay safe!

No doubt fall is upon us now. We’ve had several heavy frosts. This week is modern gun season for deer in KY.. I decided not to hunt this year so I can stay on top of construction of the poultry houses. I’ve heard a lot less shots this year than in the past. The deer population has been hit with a disease spread by biting gnats. I’ve heard a lot are being found dead. Hopefully the frost and colder weather will send the gnats packing. Unfortunately it will do the same to all but the hardiest of flowers. The leaves are really falling now as the winds have picked up. Fall is strange with it’s temperatures varying. Yesterday the wind was out of the south and temps climbed up to 70. Today the wind is calm, but a few sprinkles and clouds have really kept the temps down. The forecast is for a cold front behind these sprinkles.

Construction continues on the poultry houses. It’s odd to see them rise from the ground. So far rain has not been a setback except for today. Really no rain to speak of, just enough to keep them from pouring concrete. So far the contractors have been very busy. Most of the time they are working form daylight until after dark. The kids have been thrilled by all the equipment that is around. Unfortunately BJ has not been so thrilled. Just something about concrete trucks at 6:40 am on Saturday she can’t come to grips with. We have talked to a contractor about moving the doublewide. I was amazed at what it costs to move one of those things. I bet we’ll spend pretty close to $10,000 by the time everything is unhooked, moved, and re-hooked. It seems that finding someone to remove the freon from the heat and air unit is going to hold us back.

With no rain the grass has completely stopped growing. Which has meant feeding hay to the horses and goats. Right now they are getting a roll a week. Besides feeding the hay. I’ve used the loader on the 6000 this week for lots of dragging and moving. I’ve been tryin to level out some rough places in the pastures and keep water from getting inside the doors on the barns. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 20 truckloads of gravel have been spread so far. A lot of it was spread by the truck, but it still left some for me to get. I got my culvert in below the barn and started putting down gravel. At the moment I am out of gravel. I need to have a couple more loads delivered for driveways and heavy use areas. Overall though I have gotten quite a bit of cleanup done.

Well as always there is tons to do, so I better go do it. Be sure to check back soon and check out the pics I’ve added! Thanks for reading!

 

We got the opportunity to visit one of the coolest places around this week. Madison’s class took a trip to the pumpkin patch. It was great to see all the kids getting some exposure to the farm lifestyle. They got to see Ducks, Guineas, Lama, and all kinds of Goats in the petting Zoo. I think it’s just great that kids get the opportunity to visit farms. Mattie and Garett were amazed at the giant pumpkin grown there on the farm. It set the state record this year.

Work is still keeping me terribly busy with mandatory overtime due to new equipment installation. I have found a little time to get out and do some cleanup around the farm with the 6000. I had a huge Beech tree removed and we’ve been sawing it up for firewood to burn at the log house. Everything that was too small for firewood I used the 6000 to pile and burn. Then I snaked out the large trunk of it for sawing and splitting later. I’m putting in a culvert to keep an area below the barn dry so I can get through there in the wet months with whatever I need to.

I went to feed Big Red and the rest of the rabbits one day this week only to find Big Red out of his cage. I thought great I’ll never catch him. When I put food in his cage he hopped right back in though. I have got to find time to build new cages. Well tonight is trick or treat night so I hope everyone has a spooktacular time. Be sure to check out the pics I’ve added and check back soon!

All is well here in Kentucky. Wow the skies have finally opened up! I am glad to see it even if it does mean the contractors will be delayed in the building of the poultry houses. We need about 2 weeks of this steady rain, but I’ll settle for the 5 days that are forecasted. I had almost forgotten the sound of the rain on the metal roof. Sure is some good sleeping weather. If only I had time to sleep!

I decided to sell a few of the horses so we could concentrate on our best horses and keeping them ridden. It’s sad to see them go, but I just don’t have the time for them all. I really would like to turn away from horses and more toward cattle or goats. I really enjoy the goats. I have some great places for them too! On the other hand cattle are a lot easier to deal with and it’s hard not to like calves. I geuss we’ll try to get more of both!

The leaves are gradually falling from the trees and the nights are beginning to have a chill. Highs aren’t getting into the 80′s much now and the 90′s are gone. Soon it will be time to light a fire and have cocoa with the kids by the stove. I have a basement full of projects that will need my attention this winter. I’m unsure of whether to sew grass seed in the clearings this fall or wait for spring.

The rain has kept the 6000 on the sidelines, but my mind has been racing about buying that 7010 cab I’ve been kicking around for over a year now. I’m in a better position to buy now and may just do that if the deal is right. Sure would make winter feeding a lot more fun inside that comfy heated cab.