We've spent our weekend so far stacking wood in the shed. This wood was bought from some local guys and from my brother-in-law. I've got some big pieces of elm that need split. My dad says there are two days a year cold enough in Vermont to split elm. I may have gotten in over my head. Good thing my father-in-law has a hydraulic splitter.
Yesterday I went up to repair a fence break and walked into the woods. With all the undergrowth dead and most of the snow off I saw quite a bit of wood down. My problem is I don't know the exact location of our southern property line and don't want to take wood from the neighbor without permission. So last night I got out the copy of our property survey and studied it. I know where the surveyors pin is on the southeast corner and, based on the map, if I walk 138 paces (more or less) on a heading of 266 degrees (more or less) I'll find the southwest corner. I'm confident I can place it within 15 or 20 feet which should be fine for determining where to cut wood. I also might ask our neighbor to the south if I can clean out his part of the woods. If he agrees, there's probably enough wood on the ground for a couple years of heating.
Speaking of our fence, it is in pretty bad shape. We've decided to get a quote on a professionally installed 6-wire high-tensile fence. The low-tensile aluminum fence I installed when we moved here in 2005 was never intended to be permanent. We've got two creek crossings and I want some strategically placed gates so I'll be sure to be seated when I hear the quote.
We made Colby yesterday. The Swiss we made a few weeks ago is plumping up which means the bacteria is working inside to make the eyes. The Monterey Jack from last weekend should have been waxed already but I won't get to it until tomorrow.
Saturday, 23 January 2010
Saturday, 16 January 2010
January 16, 2010
Chores are done and I'm sipping an aperitif while Jennifer finishes up supper. It's been warm here for a few days and our back country roads are free of snow along with the the places we've cleared here on the farm. Tomorrow is supposed to be near 40.
Yesterday I went to a Ford truck graveyard and ordered some parts to fix the emergency brake on my truck*. I'm also getting a wheel and tire to carry for a spare and plan to get new tires put on the rear next week. Then I'll be all set to go off-road and cut some firewood. This wood will be for burning next year after it seasons in the woodshed. We'll have to buy some seasoned wood to get through this winter.
Today I went down to the neighbor's and brought home 52 bales of hay. This hay is the first cutting of clover that was frost-seeded into wheat. The wheat was harvested and the straw baled and a month later there was a lush stand of clover. It has some straw stubble in it so I hope Sugar likes it. We'll have to feed her a bit more grain (or possibly black oil sunflower seeds) to make up for the lesser amount of protein in this hay compared to the alfalfa we've been feeding.
*I just realized that I haven't mentioned the truck here on the blog. It's a 1989 F-250. Nothing special but the 4WD works and it runs good. It will make a great wood, hay, and straw hauler and the price was right.
Yesterday I went to a Ford truck graveyard and ordered some parts to fix the emergency brake on my truck*. I'm also getting a wheel and tire to carry for a spare and plan to get new tires put on the rear next week. Then I'll be all set to go off-road and cut some firewood. This wood will be for burning next year after it seasons in the woodshed. We'll have to buy some seasoned wood to get through this winter.
Today I went down to the neighbor's and brought home 52 bales of hay. This hay is the first cutting of clover that was frost-seeded into wheat. The wheat was harvested and the straw baled and a month later there was a lush stand of clover. It has some straw stubble in it so I hope Sugar likes it. We'll have to feed her a bit more grain (or possibly black oil sunflower seeds) to make up for the lesser amount of protein in this hay compared to the alfalfa we've been feeding.
*I just realized that I haven't mentioned the truck here on the blog. It's a 1989 F-250. Nothing special but the 4WD works and it runs good. It will make a great wood, hay, and straw hauler and the price was right.
Tuesday, 12 January 2010
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Just received a spam comment so I've turned on comment moderation. I love legitimate comments, though, so please leave them.
Will try to post this week(end).
Be well.
Will try to post this week(end).
Be well.
Thursday, 31 December 2009
December 31, 2009
I had a request for photos recently and the view out my kitchen window this morning prompted me to go outside with the camera.
Before I went out, though, I had to get this Traditional Swiss in the press. The new press is very nice. It was pricey but being awakened by 40-50 pounds of cast iron barbell weights hitting the floor in the middle of the night because the cheese is pressing on an angle is a bit disconcerting.
When I went outside, I fired up my new Johs handmade danish pipe. My beloved bought me this for Christmas. The picture doesn't really do it justice.
Here is a "before" shot of our garage.
After:
The back part is a woodshed.
Here is the bull calf, Porter House, in his new stall.
Here are some of the ewes. Annie the bottle lamb is nearest the camera.
Bunny the favorite. She likes to be scratched behind the ears. The others don't like human touch.
Da Boyz.
Sugar, laying down chewing her cud. I had a snowflake on the camera lens in this one. We got 2+ inches last night and it's still spitting.
Here's another shot of Sugar when she followed me outside. The OAD milking is going great.
Here is the homemade stanchion where we milk. I may have posted this before. I built it on the Sunday morning after Sugar freshened when I stayed home from church because I was afraid of milk fever.
This is what I did when I came back inside - waxed a gouda. That sounds kind of funny doesn't it?
Before I went out, though, I had to get this Traditional Swiss in the press. The new press is very nice. It was pricey but being awakened by 40-50 pounds of cast iron barbell weights hitting the floor in the middle of the night because the cheese is pressing on an angle is a bit disconcerting.
When I went outside, I fired up my new Johs handmade danish pipe. My beloved bought me this for Christmas. The picture doesn't really do it justice.
Here is a "before" shot of our garage.
After:
The back part is a woodshed.
Here is the bull calf, Porter House, in his new stall.
Here are some of the ewes. Annie the bottle lamb is nearest the camera.
Bunny the favorite. She likes to be scratched behind the ears. The others don't like human touch.
Da Boyz.
Sugar, laying down chewing her cud. I had a snowflake on the camera lens in this one. We got 2+ inches last night and it's still spitting.
Here's another shot of Sugar when she followed me outside. The OAD milking is going great.
Here is the homemade stanchion where we milk. I may have posted this before. I built it on the Sunday morning after Sugar freshened when I stayed home from church because I was afraid of milk fever.
This is what I did when I came back inside - waxed a gouda. That sounds kind of funny doesn't it?
Thursday, 24 December 2009
December 24, 2009
It's been about a month since I've posted and don't remember all that I've shared here. If I repeat myself, bear with me.
About two weeks ago, we decided to try milking Sugar only once a day. She was/is giving about 4 gallons (maybe a bit more) each day and this is kind of a borderline amount for once-a-day milking (OAD). Most of the recommendations I've seen suggest 3 gallons as a good quantity for dropping back to OAD. She's done fine with it, though, and we are vigilant about watching for mastitis. At the first sign (flakes on the milk filter) we will go back to TAD. We've cut back on her grain ration and will probably cut it back some more if she maintains condition.
Porter is still being kept in the stall that he shared with Taffy and to be honest, I'm a little embarrassed by that. I've never believed in keeping animals confined indoors except during the most extreme weather but we just can't let him in with Sugar and risk him trying to nurse and injuring her teats again. Not to mention, he is now 6 months old and likely capable of breeding. We should have him moved to the other barn by the end of the year. His stall will be a bit smaller but we can begin to let him outside. My plan is to keep Sugar in the pasture in front of her barn and let Porter have an area behind the other barn so they will be out of sight of one another.
We've all had the creepin' crud here this week - coughing, sore throat, fever, etc. - but everyone is well on their way back to health. This morning, I finished a mozzarella that had ripened overnight and am now working on a gouda-style. We plan on making a lot of cheese this winter.
Merry Christmas to all!
About two weeks ago, we decided to try milking Sugar only once a day. She was/is giving about 4 gallons (maybe a bit more) each day and this is kind of a borderline amount for once-a-day milking (OAD). Most of the recommendations I've seen suggest 3 gallons as a good quantity for dropping back to OAD. She's done fine with it, though, and we are vigilant about watching for mastitis. At the first sign (flakes on the milk filter) we will go back to TAD. We've cut back on her grain ration and will probably cut it back some more if she maintains condition.
Porter is still being kept in the stall that he shared with Taffy and to be honest, I'm a little embarrassed by that. I've never believed in keeping animals confined indoors except during the most extreme weather but we just can't let him in with Sugar and risk him trying to nurse and injuring her teats again. Not to mention, he is now 6 months old and likely capable of breeding. We should have him moved to the other barn by the end of the year. His stall will be a bit smaller but we can begin to let him outside. My plan is to keep Sugar in the pasture in front of her barn and let Porter have an area behind the other barn so they will be out of sight of one another.
We've all had the creepin' crud here this week - coughing, sore throat, fever, etc. - but everyone is well on their way back to health. This morning, I finished a mozzarella that had ripened overnight and am now working on a gouda-style. We plan on making a lot of cheese this winter.
Merry Christmas to all!
Saturday, 28 November 2009
How I Spent My Thanksgiving Vacation
Before:
After:
My dad built the countertop from solid walnut. I also installed a utility sink in the mudroom for washing the milker.
After:
My dad built the countertop from solid walnut. I also installed a utility sink in the mudroom for washing the milker.
Thursday, 19 November 2009
November 19, 2009
Sheep breeding season is turning out to be something of a fiasco. Usually we have the two breeding groups separated enough that they are mostly out of sight of one another. It didn't work out that way this year since Sugar is taking up our big stall and the two calves are in the other stall in the red barn. At 4:50 this morning when I went outside to leave for work the rams were standing there side by side watching me. They were supposed to be separated by two layers of temporary electric fence which they had trampled. Right now all the sheep are together and have access to the white barn and all of the pasture. The two ewe lambs are in a separate stall since we don't want them bred. I'm going to try to work out something better this weekend.
We really need to get rid of Taffy, the heifer calf. She is going back to Jennifer's uncle's place. The stall where we have her and Porter is just too small for both of them. They are 5 months old now and my best guess is that Porter weighs nearly 300 pounds. Taffy is just a little smaller.
Garage is almost done and I didn't take any photos of the process. We do have a "before" pic, though, so I can post a before & after.
We really need to get rid of Taffy, the heifer calf. She is going back to Jennifer's uncle's place. The stall where we have her and Porter is just too small for both of them. They are 5 months old now and my best guess is that Porter weighs nearly 300 pounds. Taffy is just a little smaller.
Garage is almost done and I didn't take any photos of the process. We do have a "before" pic, though, so I can post a before & after.
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