Our beautiful white farm is quickly turning to mud. This is not good, I know that we must have mud before we can have Spring and grass, but mud is so muddy.
We are trying to figure out where we can come up with the money for gravel to cover the muddy mud that was once our driveway. We still have a hay bill that is not paid and continue to need more hay.
I gathered a little money at the end of 2009 and at the beginning of 2010. We both decided that money would be used to purchase a new computer that we desperately need, as ours is now operating solely on prayer.
I shopped a little for a new computer but by the time that I put together the system that I wanted, an iMac, I didn't have enough money and would have to wait to gather some more money. Low and behold, instead of gathering more money, that which I had started to dwindle.
The horses haven't completely eaten my entire computer yet. But they have a good start on it. Even if that money isn't used to pay for hay, it will be used to pay for things that hay money should have paid for. So, in the end, the horses will have eaten my computer or perhaps my new computer will be used to cover the mud in the driveway.
It would be nice if the horses could pay for their own feed like they used to, but those days are gone. We do have someone coming to look at some horses today and hopefully they will purchase one or two and my computer will be saved.
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label snow. Show all posts
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Dashing Through The Snow
We ended up getting around 8 to 10 inches of snow. It is hard to tell how much we actually have because it tends to move around so much. In some places it is up to my knees. It is still snowing today but we aren't suppose to get anymore accumulation.
We were under some type of snow emergency yesterday. No one was suppose to be out on the roads unless they were coming home or going to work or had some type of emergency, like needing medicine. But we had to go feed a sick friend's horses. I am not one to like to get out on the roads when they are slick but for some reason I wanted to go yesterday. I took my camera and had fun getting out. There wasn't much traffic and it was a beautiful drive.
These are some pictures of our friend's place and her horses.
We were under some type of snow emergency yesterday. No one was suppose to be out on the roads unless they were coming home or going to work or had some type of emergency, like needing medicine. But we had to go feed a sick friend's horses. I am not one to like to get out on the roads when they are slick but for some reason I wanted to go yesterday. I took my camera and had fun getting out. There wasn't much traffic and it was a beautiful drive.
These are some pictures of our friend's place and her horses.
Monday, February 15, 2010
More Snow...
We spend much of our time under Winter Storm Warnings it seems. February has been a great month for warnings. We don't get much snow but we do get lots of warnings. We are just hoping that it doesn't end up like the boy who cried wolf.
We have gotten around 6 inches of the white stuff so far this morning. It is still snowing and the forecast says we could get another 6 inches. I don't think that we will but you never know with Indiana weather.
When I looked out the window this morning I was amazed by the beauty of it all, as usual. I ran to get some clothes on and to get my camera for pictures before the snow was disturbed.
I was too late. I heard my DH say that someone was plowing our drive. A phantom snowplow come flying down our drive. The problem was that he didn't know where our drive was and ended up plowing up the gravel and dirt that holds our driveway in place and keeps it from washing over the hill when it rains. Oh well, he meant well and it is the thought that counts.
I snapped some photos of the snow, they look a little gray because of the fine snow that is falling.
We have gotten around 6 inches of the white stuff so far this morning. It is still snowing and the forecast says we could get another 6 inches. I don't think that we will but you never know with Indiana weather.
When I looked out the window this morning I was amazed by the beauty of it all, as usual. I ran to get some clothes on and to get my camera for pictures before the snow was disturbed.
I was too late. I heard my DH say that someone was plowing our drive. A phantom snowplow come flying down our drive. The problem was that he didn't know where our drive was and ended up plowing up the gravel and dirt that holds our driveway in place and keeps it from washing over the hill when it rains. Oh well, he meant well and it is the thought that counts.
I snapped some photos of the snow, they look a little gray because of the fine snow that is falling.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
The Sun Has Arrived
The Snow has stopped and the Winds have ceased. The Sun is shining at our house and all is well. Our driveway only has one serious drift and it is only a couple of feed deep. We plowed through it with no problems yesterday going in and out of our drive.
My DH on his mail route enjoyed busting through deep snow drifts to deliver the mail yesterday. Unfortunately, the drifts ended up in the back seat. He learned his lesson, you don't plow through drifts at high speeds with your window down.
Collette looks so close to kidding but still no changes in her udder. It is suppose to get down to 6 degrees tonight, so that means 0 or -1 for us. I hope she holds off until much warmer weather.
On the lighter side; I wore some new cologne to Church last night and when my DH got in the Truck with me he asked, "Do you smell Diesel?".
How about some pictures?
Our new $300 hay feeder.
Going to Roost!
The beginnings of a storm.
My DH on his mail route enjoyed busting through deep snow drifts to deliver the mail yesterday. Unfortunately, the drifts ended up in the back seat. He learned his lesson, you don't plow through drifts at high speeds with your window down.
Collette looks so close to kidding but still no changes in her udder. It is suppose to get down to 6 degrees tonight, so that means 0 or -1 for us. I hope she holds off until much warmer weather.
On the lighter side; I wore some new cologne to Church last night and when my DH got in the Truck with me he asked, "Do you smell Diesel?".
How about some pictures?
Our new $300 hay feeder.
Going to Roost!
The beginnings of a storm.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
More Results
We could only find two eggs this evening, so the experiment isn't panning out with great results but I will give it another day. We haven't had the hens on layer feed this winter because we have been feeding them something with more protein but got a new bag of Layer Crumbles today.
Our updated weather forecast is a brand new Winter Storm Watch for Tuesday, 3 - 7 inches of blowing and drifting snow with cold temps.
Our updated weather forecast is a brand new Winter Storm Watch for Tuesday, 3 - 7 inches of blowing and drifting snow with cold temps.
And The Results Are In
3.4 inches of snow for us. Much less than the predicted 6 to 12 inches we were suppose to have by this morning. We had just a dusting when we went to bed last night but sometime early this morning it got slightly serious.
Here is our next forecast:
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AS A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. IN ADDITION BITTER WIND CHILLS FROM ZERO TO 5 BELOW ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.
I got 4 eggs on Thursday after feeding the hens Cayenne Pepper on Wednesday. I got 1 egg yesterday. Today should be the test but with the snow and high winds, I am afraid that they won't be able to make it out to the Chicken/Goat shed where their nests are. If they lay here in the barn, I probably won't be able to find them. Especially if they go to the loft.
Here is our next forecast:
.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...SUNDAY THROUGH FRIDAY.
SIGNIFICANT SNOW ACCUMULATIONS ARE POSSIBLE MONDAY NIGHT AND TUESDAY AS A STRONG AREA OF LOW PRESSURE MOVES FROM THE SOUTHERN PLAINS INTO THE OHIO VALLEY. IN ADDITION BITTER WIND CHILLS FROM ZERO TO 5 BELOW ARE POSSIBLE WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY.
I got 4 eggs on Thursday after feeding the hens Cayenne Pepper on Wednesday. I got 1 egg yesterday. Today should be the test but with the snow and high winds, I am afraid that they won't be able to make it out to the Chicken/Goat shed where their nests are. If they lay here in the barn, I probably won't be able to find them. Especially if they go to the loft.
Friday, February 5, 2010
2/5/10 Storm Update
Well our big storm has arrived in the form of pure rain. My Granddaughter's teacher had told her that they probably wouldn't have school today. I don't know how she is doing but I would have been devastated when I woke up this morning, they did have school.
Our accumulation estimation was raised one inch last night to 9 inches and if this rain had been ice or snow it would have been a pretty decent storm. There is some snow mixing with the rain right now. It is a little after 9:00 AM. Instead of a Winter Storm Warning maybe we should be under a Deeper Mud Warning. There is still the possibility of losing power if the light poles sink.
Our accumulation estimation was raised one inch last night to 9 inches and if this rain had been ice or snow it would have been a pretty decent storm. There is some snow mixing with the rain right now. It is a little after 9:00 AM. Instead of a Winter Storm Warning maybe we should be under a Deeper Mud Warning. There is still the possibility of losing power if the light poles sink.
Now A Warning
Our winter storm WATCH became a WARNING this evening. It was suppose to start with rain and it started raining around midnight. I love winter and snow, always have, but with the prices we are paying for hay and being caught with so many horses this winter, it has taken all of the joy away. I sure will be happy to see green grass growing again. I will also be happy when all of the hay bills are paid. It has been a struggle.
We worry about the horses because the big bales that they are getting are not what we would normally feed. My DH likes "good" square bales that he can regulate without much waste but all of the decent priced "good" hay anymore is just junk, moldy and weedy. We were forced to switch to big round bales that are nasty but are still costing us thousands of dollars.
We had to buy the big round bale horse feeders when we switched to round bales and you talk about a joke. They cost an arm and a leg. They start falling apart and getting dangerous after a couple months of horse use and sitting in the weather, more money down the drain.
The horses made me feel a little better tonight. They all look great and were running, racing and playing like a bunch of kids. Even my old gelding stood on his hind legs and pawed at the sky. I think they must be looking forward to the storm.
We worry about the horses because the big bales that they are getting are not what we would normally feed. My DH likes "good" square bales that he can regulate without much waste but all of the decent priced "good" hay anymore is just junk, moldy and weedy. We were forced to switch to big round bales that are nasty but are still costing us thousands of dollars.
We had to buy the big round bale horse feeders when we switched to round bales and you talk about a joke. They cost an arm and a leg. They start falling apart and getting dangerous after a couple months of horse use and sitting in the weather, more money down the drain.
The horses made me feel a little better tonight. They all look great and were running, racing and playing like a bunch of kids. Even my old gelding stood on his hind legs and pawed at the sky. I think they must be looking forward to the storm.
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Winter Storm Watch
Thanks to those who were concerned about me. December and January were not great months. December was lean in the pocketbook for us, plus I had the flu during the first part of the month then my DH got pretty sick towards the last part. I spent a couple of weeks on the couch with a pinched nerve in my back around the first of January. I think that I have had a little of the winter blues. Nothing much to write about and I just haven't been inspired.
However, I feel a little inspired today. As I sit here waiting on the big winter storm that is about to engulf Indiana tonight and tomorrow, I was thinking of Spring. Our groundhogs did not see their shadows and Spring is only a few snowstorms away. I know this because my hens have gotten back on their nests and gone to work this week. After months of one egg per day. We got two eggs, then six eggs, then zero eggs, then four eggs, then one egg. I can't wait to see how many eggs we get this evening.
The actual truth is that I had read somewhere that giving your hens Cayenne Pepper would make them start laying. I tried it and about three days later got six eggs. So, yesterday I fixed them up with some leftovers drowning in Cayenne Pepper. I will let you know how it goes.
Collette is huge but I don't think that she will have triplet doelings again this year. I think that she will probably have twin spotted doelings. I still have no idea when she will kid, but I do know now that the father is my black spotted young buck, Rancid. I didn't think he was tall enough or even knew what he was doing but where there is a will there is a way. He doesn't even stink yet!
I check Collette everyday when I milk Calico. She is getting ready to kid, losing her ligaments and has that dropped look, hollowing out in the flanks, carrying low. Still no udder to speak of though. She is waiting for just the right snow or ice storm or just the right sub-zero temperature.
My plans for the rest of today are to get prepared for a winter storm. I need to find a way to store some water. If our electricity goes out we have no water because we have a well with a pump. We do have a nice spring in case of emergencies but it is easier to store some from the well than hauling it to the house from the spring.
We do have heat from a ventless gas heater that provides our heat during the cold months. We do not have lights or a way to cook unless we run our generator. I miss having a woodstove because you always have heat and a way to cook. I suppose we could always build a campfire outside to cook on, I am a pretty good campfire cook.
However, I feel a little inspired today. As I sit here waiting on the big winter storm that is about to engulf Indiana tonight and tomorrow, I was thinking of Spring. Our groundhogs did not see their shadows and Spring is only a few snowstorms away. I know this because my hens have gotten back on their nests and gone to work this week. After months of one egg per day. We got two eggs, then six eggs, then zero eggs, then four eggs, then one egg. I can't wait to see how many eggs we get this evening.
The actual truth is that I had read somewhere that giving your hens Cayenne Pepper would make them start laying. I tried it and about three days later got six eggs. So, yesterday I fixed them up with some leftovers drowning in Cayenne Pepper. I will let you know how it goes.
Collette is huge but I don't think that she will have triplet doelings again this year. I think that she will probably have twin spotted doelings. I still have no idea when she will kid, but I do know now that the father is my black spotted young buck, Rancid. I didn't think he was tall enough or even knew what he was doing but where there is a will there is a way. He doesn't even stink yet!
I check Collette everyday when I milk Calico. She is getting ready to kid, losing her ligaments and has that dropped look, hollowing out in the flanks, carrying low. Still no udder to speak of though. She is waiting for just the right snow or ice storm or just the right sub-zero temperature.
My plans for the rest of today are to get prepared for a winter storm. I need to find a way to store some water. If our electricity goes out we have no water because we have a well with a pump. We do have a nice spring in case of emergencies but it is easier to store some from the well than hauling it to the house from the spring.
We do have heat from a ventless gas heater that provides our heat during the cold months. We do not have lights or a way to cook unless we run our generator. I miss having a woodstove because you always have heat and a way to cook. I suppose we could always build a campfire outside to cook on, I am a pretty good campfire cook.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Just When I Needed You!
Rachel at Welcome To Wilmoth Farms was hit very hard in Kentucky by the ice storm that passed through on Tuesday, January 27th.
If you follow my blog you know that during that storm our little Angus was born. My first thought while he was thawing out in our living room was, I knew Rachel will have some advice for me since it has been many, many years since we raised any calves on bottles.
I had many questions, like how long he should have colostrum, since his Mother never let him nurse? If the goat colostrum that I had on hand would work since the roads were so bad that we couldn't get out to get anything else? How much should he be drinking and how often?
Then the really, really big question, how do you stop these scours????
But alas, Rachel is still without power and Angus may be half grown before she is back among the enlightened. She did read my post about Angus and left a comment but she is only checking in when she can. Since for some reason I am not able to post comments on her blog, I will just have to communicate with her here.
Hello, Rachel, hope you are doing well and I hope that your place is thawed out by now and clean-up is nearly done. I really hope that you get your electricity back soon. But I must say that these on again, off again scours are driving me mad!
Angus is healthy and strong, has bonded with my DH and follows him everywhere he goes. He always runs in a gallop with a few twists and bucks. When he is hungry, he comes to the door and rattles the doorknob, this gave me quite a fright the first time that he did it and I was here all alone.
Since he is staying in the barn right outside my living room door, I am seeing most of his bowel movements and smelling them. Some are firm but some like the one that I slid in the other night and almost fell are very runny.
I would appreciate your home remedy for scours very much. He is currently getting 6 quarts of medicated replacer per day with some yogurt and an egg in each bottle. He is also getting mushed up Calf Manna and we are putting a couple of tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol in each bottle if he appears to need it.
If you follow my blog you know that during that storm our little Angus was born. My first thought while he was thawing out in our living room was, I knew Rachel will have some advice for me since it has been many, many years since we raised any calves on bottles.
I had many questions, like how long he should have colostrum, since his Mother never let him nurse? If the goat colostrum that I had on hand would work since the roads were so bad that we couldn't get out to get anything else? How much should he be drinking and how often?
Then the really, really big question, how do you stop these scours????
But alas, Rachel is still without power and Angus may be half grown before she is back among the enlightened. She did read my post about Angus and left a comment but she is only checking in when she can. Since for some reason I am not able to post comments on her blog, I will just have to communicate with her here.
Hello, Rachel, hope you are doing well and I hope that your place is thawed out by now and clean-up is nearly done. I really hope that you get your electricity back soon. But I must say that these on again, off again scours are driving me mad!
Angus is healthy and strong, has bonded with my DH and follows him everywhere he goes. He always runs in a gallop with a few twists and bucks. When he is hungry, he comes to the door and rattles the doorknob, this gave me quite a fright the first time that he did it and I was here all alone.
Since he is staying in the barn right outside my living room door, I am seeing most of his bowel movements and smelling them. Some are firm but some like the one that I slid in the other night and almost fell are very runny.
I would appreciate your home remedy for scours very much. He is currently getting 6 quarts of medicated replacer per day with some yogurt and an egg in each bottle. He is also getting mushed up Calf Manna and we are putting a couple of tablespoons of Pepto-Bismol in each bottle if he appears to need it.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Too Cold
I know that I said that I love snow and cold weather but I don't like this bone-chilling cold. The wind chill today could be -10 and my old bones are screaming for warmer weather. It is suppose to get warmer, even up in the 50's, then all of this snow will melt and we will have mud and flooding but I have already got my snow fix for this year. I am ready for Spring.
Angus is doing well, he is following my DH around while he feeds in the evenings. I got a video of him out in the snow last night. I will try to post it here when I get some more time.
I really love feeding and milking but it is all that I can do to make it outside when it is this cold. I don't remember worrying about the chickens this much, it is so hard to make sure everything has fresh water all of the time. They don't seem to want to drink until the water freezes solid and that happens about 10 minutes after you carry hot water to them.
Enough whining, I just want to thank you all for doing your part to combat Global Warming, your efforts are working and I think those in Kentucky would agree with me.
Angus is doing well, he is following my DH around while he feeds in the evenings. I got a video of him out in the snow last night. I will try to post it here when I get some more time.
I really love feeding and milking but it is all that I can do to make it outside when it is this cold. I don't remember worrying about the chickens this much, it is so hard to make sure everything has fresh water all of the time. They don't seem to want to drink until the water freezes solid and that happens about 10 minutes after you carry hot water to them.
Enough whining, I just want to thank you all for doing your part to combat Global Warming, your efforts are working and I think those in Kentucky would agree with me.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Night Glitter
To update my previous post, all of my hens came home wagging their tails behind them. I don't know where they have been the last few days but they seem to be fine. I would imagine that they were just under a shelter of some sort. Then the snow piled up around them and they couldn't escape until the sun came out today and warmed things up.
I had a most amazing walk that I was going to blog about and forgot. It got really cold last night and after I got all of my feeding and milking done and had gone into my toasty house for the night. I remembered that I had forgotten to feed Angel and Abby. Well, there was no hurry, I warmed up and did a few things inside. Later I wrapped back up, fixed their food and went back out into the frigid night.
I had my headlight on which gives you a new prospective on things in the night, all of the animals eyes glow because you have this bright light so close to your own eyes. But what was so amazing about last night was that there was a freezing fog.
Oh my, it was the most beautiful thing. The air temperature was so cold that the fog was freezing into tiny, sparkling ice particles floating in the air. Wow! It was like walking through suspended glitter and it was everywhere. I could have stayed out all night if it hadn't been so cold, but if it hadn't been so cold it wouldn't have been such a glittery world. And to think that I would never had experienced it if I had just had a flashlight in my hand.
I had a most amazing walk that I was going to blog about and forgot. It got really cold last night and after I got all of my feeding and milking done and had gone into my toasty house for the night. I remembered that I had forgotten to feed Angel and Abby. Well, there was no hurry, I warmed up and did a few things inside. Later I wrapped back up, fixed their food and went back out into the frigid night.
I had my headlight on which gives you a new prospective on things in the night, all of the animals eyes glow because you have this bright light so close to your own eyes. But what was so amazing about last night was that there was a freezing fog.
Oh my, it was the most beautiful thing. The air temperature was so cold that the fog was freezing into tiny, sparkling ice particles floating in the air. Wow! It was like walking through suspended glitter and it was everywhere. I could have stayed out all night if it hadn't been so cold, but if it hadn't been so cold it wouldn't have been such a glittery world. And to think that I would never had experienced it if I had just had a flashlight in my hand.
Thawing Chicken
Awhile back my Hubby thought that I had some missing hens but it turned out that they were all here. This time I hate to say that it is true. On the night of the big snow and ice storm the chickens had been in the barn all day. That evening my DH herded them out of the barn and sent them on their way to the goat/chicken shed. We were on our way to the neighbor's for supper.
They always go to the goat/chicken shed without any problems, so we didn't think to check on them to make sure that they all had made it. I really don't know why they didn't make it to the shed but we didn't know there was a problem until the next day.
My Son came to get one of our blazers and when they dug it out of the snow, started it and moved it into the driveway, a Barred Rock Hen ran out from under it. Her feathers were ruffled and she was covered in ice. My Husband caught her and took her to the shed and placed her on the roost.
A short time later my Grandson was out playing in the snow when he came running into the house saying that Elvis, my Polish Rooster was in trouble, he thought he was dying or dead. My DH went out and found him lying in the snow barely alive. He brought him to the house and he had so much ice on his head that his neck could not support it. He would not have survived much longer.
My Husband discovered that he might have missed his calling, maybe he should have been a chicken stylist.
After Elvis was thoroughly thawed out, he was immediately back to his old self and jumped on a hen.
After the Barred Rock Hen was thawed out with the hair dryer as well, I went to count heads. We were missing a Silver Laced Wyandotte Hen, we searched under everything that we thought a hen might hide under from the freezing rain and sleet. As you can see, it was hard to look everywhere.
I guess that when they had tried to make it back to the goat/chicken shed that night they just chickened out and didn't want to walk through the freezing rain and sleet, so they just hid under something, then the snow that night trapped them.
I counted heads again last night and one of my Golden Comets is missing too. I must have overlooked her the other night when I counted. I guess we won't find them until the snow and ice melts, there might yet be hope if they are under the goat/chicken shed because grain falls through the cracks in the floor.
This morning my Mille Fleur Bantam Hen was bleeding profusely from her toe. I brought her in the house and her toenail as well as the tip of her toe was hanging loose. I tore it the rest of the way off and tried to stop the bleeding but it was hard to get stopped.
The temperature was -10 here this morning. I am thinking that her foot must have gotten frozen to the roost last night. After about 30 minutes of bleeding I finally got some cobwebs, wadded them up and applied them to the toe and that did the job.
-10 this morning and 45 degrees this afternoon, this must be Indiana. Angus is doing very well, he has a wonderful appetite now and I am trying my best to keep him from scouring. He keeps wanting me to play with him and I am just not up to it.
They always go to the goat/chicken shed without any problems, so we didn't think to check on them to make sure that they all had made it. I really don't know why they didn't make it to the shed but we didn't know there was a problem until the next day.
My Son came to get one of our blazers and when they dug it out of the snow, started it and moved it into the driveway, a Barred Rock Hen ran out from under it. Her feathers were ruffled and she was covered in ice. My Husband caught her and took her to the shed and placed her on the roost.
A short time later my Grandson was out playing in the snow when he came running into the house saying that Elvis, my Polish Rooster was in trouble, he thought he was dying or dead. My DH went out and found him lying in the snow barely alive. He brought him to the house and he had so much ice on his head that his neck could not support it. He would not have survived much longer.
My Husband discovered that he might have missed his calling, maybe he should have been a chicken stylist.
After Elvis was thoroughly thawed out, he was immediately back to his old self and jumped on a hen.
After the Barred Rock Hen was thawed out with the hair dryer as well, I went to count heads. We were missing a Silver Laced Wyandotte Hen, we searched under everything that we thought a hen might hide under from the freezing rain and sleet. As you can see, it was hard to look everywhere.
I guess that when they had tried to make it back to the goat/chicken shed that night they just chickened out and didn't want to walk through the freezing rain and sleet, so they just hid under something, then the snow that night trapped them.
I counted heads again last night and one of my Golden Comets is missing too. I must have overlooked her the other night when I counted. I guess we won't find them until the snow and ice melts, there might yet be hope if they are under the goat/chicken shed because grain falls through the cracks in the floor.
This morning my Mille Fleur Bantam Hen was bleeding profusely from her toe. I brought her in the house and her toenail as well as the tip of her toe was hanging loose. I tore it the rest of the way off and tried to stop the bleeding but it was hard to get stopped.
The temperature was -10 here this morning. I am thinking that her foot must have gotten frozen to the roost last night. After about 30 minutes of bleeding I finally got some cobwebs, wadded them up and applied them to the toe and that did the job.
-10 this morning and 45 degrees this afternoon, this must be Indiana. Angus is doing very well, he has a wonderful appetite now and I am trying my best to keep him from scouring. He keeps wanting me to play with him and I am just not up to it.
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Angus
I have kept you in suspense long enough. We went to our neighbors on Tuesday night for supper, it was the night of the ice storm. We feasted on tender Pork Roast that is like no other, fried plantains with garlic and salt, beans and rice cooked to perfection, boiled potatoes and squash, followed by wonderful lemon meringue pie.
The neighbor mentioned that he was afraid one of his cows was going to calve that night. He really doesn't have a good place to get a cow up and with the weather like it was there wasn't much he could do because all of his pasture is on a hillside.
The next day we got a call saying that she had a bull calf and she was rejecting it. My DH went to help him get her up and try to help the baby nurse. The calf was chilled, weak and covered in ice and mommy just flat didn't like him. She was under the distinct impression that one of the other cow's calves was hers and they could not convince her otherwise.
The calf was given to me, my Husband carried it home wrapped in a wool blanket on his tractor through the ice and snow. I instructed him to bring him into the house to thaw him out.
He thawed out nicely. He accepted a couple of syringes of warm goat's milk to get him kick started. I had some powdered goat colostrum that I mixed into a quart size bottle of warm goat's milk. It wasn't long before he was dry, warm and on his feet giving the house an inspection, he found it to be calf friendly.
With the weather and roads so bad, we had to go to another neighbor's to bum some cow colostrum and an antibiotic as a precaution against whatever might attack him in his weakened state. His nose was already dripping snot on assorted family members.
All went very will and he drank a quart of the cow colostrum from his bottle with so much gusto that he collapsed the bottle at 11:00 last night after we moved him out in the stall with my two does.
The does were not happy campers but we didn't have any other choice. They thought that he was most certainly a fanged, clawed, goat eating predator of some sort. They totally panicked every time he moved. It is a very large stall but they kept trying to run through the walls and jump over the gate. I don't think either of them slept a wink all night because they both had to have both eyes on him at all times in case he made his move.
My problem started this morning, he wouldn't take a bottle. I kept trying all day and could only get a couple of ounces in him at a time and he didn't want it. He laid and trembled.
I was home alone and there was no way I could get him up or carry him but he finally got to his feet and I guided him back into the house at which time he peed on my best rug which made me feel much better because it let me know that he was at least getting something. My estimate was that he relieved himself of three gallons at least.
He did finally drink about a pint tonight and I think that he will drink more later. I know he isn't getting enough and I suppose he will stay in the house. He is laying in front of my refrigerator right now and I can't even get myself something to drink.
More later...
The neighbor mentioned that he was afraid one of his cows was going to calve that night. He really doesn't have a good place to get a cow up and with the weather like it was there wasn't much he could do because all of his pasture is on a hillside.
The next day we got a call saying that she had a bull calf and she was rejecting it. My DH went to help him get her up and try to help the baby nurse. The calf was chilled, weak and covered in ice and mommy just flat didn't like him. She was under the distinct impression that one of the other cow's calves was hers and they could not convince her otherwise.
The calf was given to me, my Husband carried it home wrapped in a wool blanket on his tractor through the ice and snow. I instructed him to bring him into the house to thaw him out.
He thawed out nicely. He accepted a couple of syringes of warm goat's milk to get him kick started. I had some powdered goat colostrum that I mixed into a quart size bottle of warm goat's milk. It wasn't long before he was dry, warm and on his feet giving the house an inspection, he found it to be calf friendly.
With the weather and roads so bad, we had to go to another neighbor's to bum some cow colostrum and an antibiotic as a precaution against whatever might attack him in his weakened state. His nose was already dripping snot on assorted family members.
All went very will and he drank a quart of the cow colostrum from his bottle with so much gusto that he collapsed the bottle at 11:00 last night after we moved him out in the stall with my two does.
The does were not happy campers but we didn't have any other choice. They thought that he was most certainly a fanged, clawed, goat eating predator of some sort. They totally panicked every time he moved. It is a very large stall but they kept trying to run through the walls and jump over the gate. I don't think either of them slept a wink all night because they both had to have both eyes on him at all times in case he made his move.
My problem started this morning, he wouldn't take a bottle. I kept trying all day and could only get a couple of ounces in him at a time and he didn't want it. He laid and trembled.
I was home alone and there was no way I could get him up or carry him but he finally got to his feet and I guided him back into the house at which time he peed on my best rug which made me feel much better because it let me know that he was at least getting something. My estimate was that he relieved himself of three gallons at least.
He did finally drink about a pint tonight and I think that he will drink more later. I know he isn't getting enough and I suppose he will stay in the house. He is laying in front of my refrigerator right now and I can't even get myself something to drink.
More later...
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Weather Update
I measured 6 inches of snow yesterday morning in our driveway. Then the freezing rain started, we got around 3/4 of an inch of ice before the freezing rain and sleet turned back into snow overnight. When we woke up this morning we had an additional 6 inches of snow on top of the ice.
When I went out in the sunshine early today I could stay up on top of the ice, so I was only wading through six inches of snow. Later on the ice didn't hold me up so well and it got a little treacherous. My feet would sink softly into the snow then the ice floor would break with a thudding sound and I would sink down another six inches.
The problem with this was that you had to concentrate on stepping straight up out of your ice footprint or your toes would catch under the ice layer and you would fall on you face in the snow. This was something that I had to keep reminding myself of.
After paths were made in the snow and it all got packed, I could walk across the bottom strand of electric fence wire without lifting my feet to step over. It wasn't even visible. I also had to bend down to unhook the top gate wire. The stone step into my goat/chicken shed was level with the packed snow, so all in all I felt a little taller today than I have been feeling.
I took on a new rescue responsibility today and if it lives through the night tonight I will share the story and pictures with you tomorrow.
When I went out in the sunshine early today I could stay up on top of the ice, so I was only wading through six inches of snow. Later on the ice didn't hold me up so well and it got a little treacherous. My feet would sink softly into the snow then the ice floor would break with a thudding sound and I would sink down another six inches.
The problem with this was that you had to concentrate on stepping straight up out of your ice footprint or your toes would catch under the ice layer and you would fall on you face in the snow. This was something that I had to keep reminding myself of.
After paths were made in the snow and it all got packed, I could walk across the bottom strand of electric fence wire without lifting my feet to step over. It wasn't even visible. I also had to bend down to unhook the top gate wire. The stone step into my goat/chicken shed was level with the packed snow, so all in all I felt a little taller today than I have been feeling.
I took on a new rescue responsibility today and if it lives through the night tonight I will share the story and pictures with you tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Predictions
As I sat here reading different blogs and message boards tonight, I found that most interest was centered on the weather. We are currently under a Winter Storm Warning and are suppose to get up to three inches of snow tonight, three inches tomorrow and so on.
I just went out to see how that was coming along and discovered that there is already three inches of snow and ice on the ground here at a few minutes after midnight, so that means that it will have to stop snowing immediately for the weather predictors to be correct. I looked at the radar and it doesn't seem that we are being skirted by this storm, so I think that for once they have underestimated this storm for our area.
Normally they tell us that we are going to get 10 to 20 inches and that we will be trapped in our homes with no electricity, food or water for many days and we wake up the next morning to see the pretty snow and not one flake has fallen. I remember one year that the predictions were so bad that schools totally dismissed classes before one flake fell and it never did snow that day or the next or even for the rest of that winter, if my recollection is correct.
Perhaps the Predictors are tired of getting caught with egg on their faces, so they just didn't tell us the terrible truth this time. It will probably be the worst snowstorm in decades and we will be unprepared.
Just in case that happens, I am filling all of my pitchers with water, that is about all I can do at this point. I am also blogging now in case I have no electricity tomorrow.
I just went out to see how that was coming along and discovered that there is already three inches of snow and ice on the ground here at a few minutes after midnight, so that means that it will have to stop snowing immediately for the weather predictors to be correct. I looked at the radar and it doesn't seem that we are being skirted by this storm, so I think that for once they have underestimated this storm for our area.
Normally they tell us that we are going to get 10 to 20 inches and that we will be trapped in our homes with no electricity, food or water for many days and we wake up the next morning to see the pretty snow and not one flake has fallen. I remember one year that the predictions were so bad that schools totally dismissed classes before one flake fell and it never did snow that day or the next or even for the rest of that winter, if my recollection is correct.
Perhaps the Predictors are tired of getting caught with egg on their faces, so they just didn't tell us the terrible truth this time. It will probably be the worst snowstorm in decades and we will be unprepared.
Just in case that happens, I am filling all of my pitchers with water, that is about all I can do at this point. I am also blogging now in case I have no electricity tomorrow.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
A One Egg Day
There have been colder days than today, there have been nastier days than today. We have consistently received at least five eggs everyday since the cold weather has arrived. Something changed today, only one lonely egg.
The good news is that the shortest day of the year, Sunday, December 21st is about to arrive and then the days will start getting longer. I always love to get on the other side of that short day. I love cold weather and snow but I don't care for the long nights.
Angel and I both saw an unusual sight today. I was walking back to the barn from feeding Cooter. I had already fed the Chickens in a couple of different places, there was a group pecking at their feed right in front of our horse trailer as we passed.
All of the sudden from up on the hill above the barn, something came swooping down upon us heading right for that group of chickens. I stopped and at first glance thought it was a hawk, it had the same coloring. Angel was a few yards behind me and she froze in place, looking up, high over her head. I was stunned and relieved when I realized what it was, it was one of my little banty hens in a hurry to get to the feed before it was all gone.
I have never seen a chicken fly that high, she had her wings stretched out and glided in for a perfect landing, right in the middle of the feeding frenzied large hens who make her life pretty difficult. Those hens scattered in all directions, they thought the sky was falling. I am almost certain that she was playing big, bad, bird of prey. It was very affective but the moment of panic didn't last long and the big hens ran her off again.
The good news is that the shortest day of the year, Sunday, December 21st is about to arrive and then the days will start getting longer. I always love to get on the other side of that short day. I love cold weather and snow but I don't care for the long nights.
Angel and I both saw an unusual sight today. I was walking back to the barn from feeding Cooter. I had already fed the Chickens in a couple of different places, there was a group pecking at their feed right in front of our horse trailer as we passed.
All of the sudden from up on the hill above the barn, something came swooping down upon us heading right for that group of chickens. I stopped and at first glance thought it was a hawk, it had the same coloring. Angel was a few yards behind me and she froze in place, looking up, high over her head. I was stunned and relieved when I realized what it was, it was one of my little banty hens in a hurry to get to the feed before it was all gone.
I have never seen a chicken fly that high, she had her wings stretched out and glided in for a perfect landing, right in the middle of the feeding frenzied large hens who make her life pretty difficult. Those hens scattered in all directions, they thought the sky was falling. I am almost certain that she was playing big, bad, bird of prey. It was very affective but the moment of panic didn't last long and the big hens ran her off again.
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
The Truth
I hope that I don't offend anyone with my blog this morning. It is not my intention to alienate anyone who doesn't hold my same opinions. I would be devastated if anyone stopped following my blog because of this post. That said, I must unburden myself and reveal the long hidden truth that has remained concealed for much too long.
I have not kept this secret from everyone, my closest and dearest friends know this awful truth. Most of my family members know it as well. Although some of my friends and most of my family openly criticize me and try to get me to change. I do have some friends who share my feelings and opinions in this matter. I ask you to please open your hearts and accept me the way I am.
I love Winter, I love snow, I love the cold, all of it, the frozen ground, the frozen waters, being able to see my breath. I love the way the snow crunches under my feet, the way the snowflakes softly and gently float through the air. I love the quiet of a snow covered landscape. I love the feel of heat hitting my face when I come inside after being out in the freezing cold. I love being snowbound. I love the anticipation of a coming Winter storm. I love burrowing under a pile of blankets on a cold Winter's night.
I don't know how I got this way, I don't know how it happened, but I ask for tolerance and acceptance. I have already heard all of the arguments that there are in the world against my feelings and views. Those arguments have never been able to sway me or change me from what I am.
Sure, I don't like everything about Winter. I don't like for my family and friends to have to be out on the roads when they are slick, I don't like to be out on the roads when they are slick. I feel for the road crews and law enforcement officers. I worry about the elderly and the sick. I worry about the animals when it is real cold, windy and/or freezing rain.
Maybe I am immature and this all stems from getting snow days off of school. As a teacher, I got just as excited as the kids at the prospect. But I don't have to go to school anymore as a student or a teacher and I still love Winter.
There, I have said it, I have confessed my faults. I feel much better now that I can openly say that we had snow flurries yesterday and I was just thrilled to see them.
I have not kept this secret from everyone, my closest and dearest friends know this awful truth. Most of my family members know it as well. Although some of my friends and most of my family openly criticize me and try to get me to change. I do have some friends who share my feelings and opinions in this matter. I ask you to please open your hearts and accept me the way I am.
I love Winter, I love snow, I love the cold, all of it, the frozen ground, the frozen waters, being able to see my breath. I love the way the snow crunches under my feet, the way the snowflakes softly and gently float through the air. I love the quiet of a snow covered landscape. I love the feel of heat hitting my face when I come inside after being out in the freezing cold. I love being snowbound. I love the anticipation of a coming Winter storm. I love burrowing under a pile of blankets on a cold Winter's night.
I don't know how I got this way, I don't know how it happened, but I ask for tolerance and acceptance. I have already heard all of the arguments that there are in the world against my feelings and views. Those arguments have never been able to sway me or change me from what I am.
Sure, I don't like everything about Winter. I don't like for my family and friends to have to be out on the roads when they are slick, I don't like to be out on the roads when they are slick. I feel for the road crews and law enforcement officers. I worry about the elderly and the sick. I worry about the animals when it is real cold, windy and/or freezing rain.
Maybe I am immature and this all stems from getting snow days off of school. As a teacher, I got just as excited as the kids at the prospect. But I don't have to go to school anymore as a student or a teacher and I still love Winter.
There, I have said it, I have confessed my faults. I feel much better now that I can openly say that we had snow flurries yesterday and I was just thrilled to see them.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Ramble
I don't have anything in particular that I am going to blog about this morning, so I will just ramble. This morning was just beautiful, I was away from home most of the day yesterday, which is unusual for me but it always makes me enjoy home more after being away. Today is warm after a very cold night last night, I had to cover my rosebush to protect it from the frost of last night. Here it is, the end of April and I have to cover a rosebush, that is Indiana weather for you.
Speaking of Indiana weather, on Monday evening while we were feeding, it started to sleet. Then the sleet changed to snow mixed with rain, but the sun was shining and I took this picture of the rainbow that presented itself.
Now while cold temps, sleet, snow, rain, sunshine and a rainbow all at the same time at the end of April is not all that unusual for Indiana, that Unidentified Flying Object in the picture is. The important question here is, what exactly is that in the right hand corner? This is definitely a UFO, if I ever saw one. I don't know what it is, I even digitally enhanced it for your viewing pleasure.
Not to fear though as warm weather has returned to Indiana and my Son can now go camping and enjoy his short vacation. I told him that he was the one to blame for last summer's drought because he didn't do any camping. All he has to do is mention the word camp and the sky will darken and rain will start pouring. This Spring was just a little different for him, he took off work and the temperature immediately dropped to almost freezing for two nights.
Now back to this morning, as I said, it was just lovely. The birds were singing and the temperatures have returned to a more Springlike feel. When I went out to take care of my menagerie, I just needed a sweatshirt and the rooster was standing on one of the gates crowing, a perfect picture that took me back to my childhood.
Did I ever mention on here how weird it is to have a dozen or so chickens following your ever step? Their feet make this strange clicking sound as they trot to keep up with you. I try to feed them as quickly as possible to avoid their wrath.
While I was typing this I heard the Chickens start yelling and throwing a fit. I ran outside and there was another fox in the stud pen. He just looked at me and I had to stomp my foot and holler at him to make him run. He ran into the mare and foal lot where one of the mares chased him into the woods. He stopped on the other side of the fence and looked at me, so I ran in the house and got my rifle but he was gone when I got back. Unfortunately he will be back, I will have to start regular patrols again.
Speaking of Indiana weather, on Monday evening while we were feeding, it started to sleet. Then the sleet changed to snow mixed with rain, but the sun was shining and I took this picture of the rainbow that presented itself.
Now while cold temps, sleet, snow, rain, sunshine and a rainbow all at the same time at the end of April is not all that unusual for Indiana, that Unidentified Flying Object in the picture is. The important question here is, what exactly is that in the right hand corner? This is definitely a UFO, if I ever saw one. I don't know what it is, I even digitally enhanced it for your viewing pleasure.
Not to fear though as warm weather has returned to Indiana and my Son can now go camping and enjoy his short vacation. I told him that he was the one to blame for last summer's drought because he didn't do any camping. All he has to do is mention the word camp and the sky will darken and rain will start pouring. This Spring was just a little different for him, he took off work and the temperature immediately dropped to almost freezing for two nights.
Now back to this morning, as I said, it was just lovely. The birds were singing and the temperatures have returned to a more Springlike feel. When I went out to take care of my menagerie, I just needed a sweatshirt and the rooster was standing on one of the gates crowing, a perfect picture that took me back to my childhood.
Did I ever mention on here how weird it is to have a dozen or so chickens following your ever step? Their feet make this strange clicking sound as they trot to keep up with you. I try to feed them as quickly as possible to avoid their wrath.
While I was typing this I heard the Chickens start yelling and throwing a fit. I ran outside and there was another fox in the stud pen. He just looked at me and I had to stomp my foot and holler at him to make him run. He ran into the mare and foal lot where one of the mares chased him into the woods. He stopped on the other side of the fence and looked at me, so I ran in the house and got my rifle but he was gone when I got back. Unfortunately he will be back, I will have to start regular patrols again.
Monday, March 10, 2008
Horse Tails
When I went out to feed my goats and chickens on Saturday after the big snow, I kept hearing this strange sound. Anytime there is snow on the ground, everything sounds different, clearer. This was a clicking sound that was coming from the pasture and sounded like lots and lots of wooden or bamboo wind chimes. I stopped and listened and tried to figure out where the sound was coming from. It didn't take long to see what was causing it.
All of the horses with long tails which is most of them, had little balls of ice on the ends of their tails. They were clicking together when they moved. They were also causing great difficulty in walking and some them had even quit trying to walk because their tails were wrapping themselves around their hind legs and locking in place. When they would try to step forward they were all tangled up and pulling their own tails. It was a strange sight that I had never noticed before. It was like having their hind legs roped, so I suppose it was good training, they didn't seem too upset about it, some of them were just standing very still, while others were walking very slowly and carefully.
All of the horses with long tails which is most of them, had little balls of ice on the ends of their tails. They were clicking together when they moved. They were also causing great difficulty in walking and some them had even quit trying to walk because their tails were wrapping themselves around their hind legs and locking in place. When they would try to step forward they were all tangled up and pulling their own tails. It was a strange sight that I had never noticed before. It was like having their hind legs roped, so I suppose it was good training, they didn't seem too upset about it, some of them were just standing very still, while others were walking very slowly and carefully.
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