Denim Deb Hay, hay, hay. Thank the Lord!

Yeah, that's part of why I'm debating whether or not I'm going to bother going... I don't really NEED anything. Its an hour and a half drive for us, which isn't terrible, but then I'd have to pay to get in since I'm not working. So it goes.

I am not looking forward to going to the farm today. On days like this, I really wish my shed was down back, and that it was done. It's supposed to be cold and windy. So after I feed, I'll be going up to my shed, turning on my heater and working on cleaning it some more. I need to take a box w/me. I have some cheap dishes that I need to pack up, as well as finish cleaning it. If I get it all done and I have the time, I'll be sitting down and drawing up how my field is going to look. This way, I can show it to those that can't quite figure out what I'm talking about. And I'll also be drawing up what I came up w/for Willow.

LS is supposed to be out at the farm tomorrow. W/her help, I can pretty much get the run-in set up for 4 horses instead of 3. It means that I need to move where the gates are and redo the front. I am NOT doing it by myself. That would give me 4 stalls that are 7.5x 12 instead of 3 that are 10x12. Since they're only in the stalls for feeding, or bad weather, they don't need to be that size. And, it needs to be done B4 Tuesday. They're calling for rain. If we don't get it done B4 then, I cannot guarantee that my horses will let Willow in the run-in. Plus, she needs to come up w/a hay net.

I'm just hoping I haven't made a mistake. No matter how much they wanted the horses at the farm, the old owner was willing to let them wait until the end of the month. That would have given us time to get everything all set up first. Now instead, we're trying to get it all done w/the horses here. LF is having to empty a stall where she has hay. We got some of it out the other day, and I'm feeding some of the rest of that hay to the horses now. DM and her hubby will be getting the rest of it out of that stall on Sunday. I just hope it all fits where we're putting it. Plus, they'll be getting more hay at the end of the month!

I wrote a list for LS of what she needs and gave her a catalog as well as some sites where she can order the stuff. I don't know that she's gotten any of it. She needs to get it soon. I'm not lending her my stuff. So, we'll see.

So, I don't mean to be "nosey" BUT -- it appears that you & DH have a home and that, fairly nearby, you and some friends are using/leasing/sharing some acreage with a barn....which everyone "shares" and each have a portion that is their agreed/assigned/main responsibility? Is that sorta right?

Seems there is 3 or 4 of you --

It has always been a thought that it would be really helpful if there was a "co-op" of some sort where people of like minds could share facilities AND be able to help others if there were needs due to weather, health, vacation (what's THAT??). Still being in an atmosphere of being individual but, having a backup of people to ask to help in situations above. Seems you all have found a way to do this and, overall, it is working.

It has been a thought of mine to consider something "along" these lines with a portion of my farm, whenever I am ready to no longer have use of some of it. The problem with that is being able to depend on others to "do as they say" with regard to taking care of portion they "use". Always will be issues but, you all appear to have most worked out. I think that's great!

I wanted to consider a person who was looking to work a large garden and share the bounty. But I wanted to meet first at neutral location to talk & see if I wanted this person to feel they had access to a farm where I lived -- just a precaution as I did not know them -- & they didn't agree. Red flag!! Stopped there!

Do you all ever ride together? Is there any trail riding area adjacent that could be enjoyed?

The farm where I have my horses is about 11 miles away. The owner of the farm has horses and wanted friends to ride with. So, she has her barn and her horses. Then at the far side of the farm is a lane. I refer to it as Boarder's Lane. This is the lane the boarders use for caring for their horses, the farrier, vet, etc. Along this lane are some fields complete w/run-in. The front field is where I used to be, and is where PT is now. There is a big run-in in that area. She has the front of it as well as one stall in the back.

CL has the back of the run-in. There is an aisle leading from her field to the run-in. This area is kind of like a fat H, w/the long sides being the fields, the short part being the aisle. The parking area is in the section between the 2 fields and the aisle way. On the other side of the aisle is where KN has her chickens, RU has a pig and an area that she wants to turn into a garden.

CL's field doesn't come all the way to the lane. Instead there's what was supposed to be a riding arena. Instead, that is now being used as a field for KN's horse and one of RU's. KN's horse used to share the field w/CL's. But, her horse is a pig when it comes to hay. So she was put in there so she doesn't have access to a RB 24/7. RU's horse is having breathing issues, so he needed to be off the RBs.

Behind this area is my field and LF's. We each have our own run-in. Her field is next to the lane, and there's a lane behind the arena to mine. Then behind our fields and extending quite a distance over the other direction is RU's main field.

As far as riding, we do trail ride together when we have the time. Only problem being, most farmers no longer want people riding on their property. They had problems w/some people awhile back, so unless we want to ride in a field, we have to trailer the horses some place else. There are several places we can go. It's just a problem of finding time.

I realized today that the idea I came up w/for the run-in wasn't going to work. The gates are 10 ft. If I made the stalls 7.5 ft. wide, I can't have the gates opened against the back wall, they won't fit. So, I don't know what we're going to do for a stall for this pony.

I am NOT looking forward to this weekend. It's supposed to be the coldest weather of the year. I'll be going in the woods when I get home to try and get some good firewood. We're going to need it. Hubby wanted to call those guys back. I refused. There is no way what they brought us was 2 cords. We're out and I haven't been burning as much this year as last. But if I can get at least one of the oak trees down today, I can get enough wood home and cut to get us thru to Monday. Then, if I can get someone to feed my horses Monday morning, and give Stormy his lunch, I can do a lot of wood then. And, since hubby has off, he may be able to help

Hope you get all the wood you need!

I was just too beat last night to go and work on wood. And, we had enough for the night. So instead, I waited and went out this afternoon. We still had some that needed to be cut up. Hubby worked on that while I went in the woods w/my battery operated chainsaw. There was one dead oak I wanted to get. It wasn't overly tall, but it was a good width. So I cut that down as well as some smaller stuff. I did have to cut the oak in half to get it home, and hubby carried the one half home.

I wasn't able to cut too much more after getting that down, but there was a ton of dead stuff that was down, but not on the ground. What was on the ground was frozen in place. So, I got some of the downed stuff and dragged that home as well. The majority of what I brought home was oak. There was also some dogwood-which makes great firewood! In spite of how cold it is outside, the basement is warmer now than it's been on days when it's been warmer. What a difference the oak makes. Other than a few odd pieces, what we bought is gone. Hubby was going to try and buy more wood until he saw all the dead in the woods. On Monday, he has off, so we plan on working together to get some wood home. If we can do that, then I should be able to start getting ahead w/what we need.

Chickens are starting to lay better. I actually got a whole dozen one day! And, I'm getting eggs from all 4 flocks now. Once it warms up a bit, I think the eggs will really take off. If I end up w/extras, I'll take them to the auction. Sometimes I can get more there than I can from my customers.

There is now another boarder at the farm. She's a friend of PT's, so her horse is in her field. RU is talking about making another pasture and putting either KN or PT in it. If she does, I wonder what she'd say about putting Willow in the riding arena w/maybe a mini or a donkey for company. And if she does put PT in it, I wonder what's going to happen to the RP I made. She still hasn't paid for it and I don't know that KN would want it. So, maybe, just maybe, it will come back to me. Maybe it's a good thing I haven't built the new one yet.

It's snowing yet again. They were calling for it to start later. But, since it started early, it messed up my schedule. Hubby has off. We were supposed to go out to the farm. Then, when I was done feeding, we were going out to breakfast, then go shopping. DD was supposed to go w/us.

Hubby wasn't ready to go when I was ready to leave for the farm, and we hadn't heard from DD. So, I went out to the farm, then came home. By the time I got home, it was trying to snow. Plus, we still hadn't heard from DD. So, I grabbed my battery operated chainsaw and went out. It's a good thing I did. I was out there for about 2 hours. I cut the wood down, and hubby and I both dragged some home. He got cut up what I cut down. The wood holder in the basement is full. There's more wood cut up in the wood shed. And, it's still snowing.

DD is coming over now, so we'll probably go out to lunch, then go shopping then out to the farm. I'm going to need hubby's help. One of the horses (I'm blaming Licorice since I can't see Misty doing this) knocked the gate off the one hinge pin while I was feeding LF's horses and getting out hay. I can't get it back on by myself. And, I need that up. Other than that, I don't know that I'll get anything else done today. I'm tired.

What area are you in VA? We got snow here, not a lot, maybe 2-2.5", then not rain but sleet stuff. Supposed to be 50 & 60 degrees next 2 days. Sounds like a duplicate of the LAST snow....crappy then several days of unusual warmth. I'll take the warmth!!

Your farm arrangement sounds like you "all" have worked out most of the kinks & could have a really enjoyable Spring -- with the work you've gotten done lately. I'd buy another riding horse IF I had someone to enjoy taking rides along with me. Not always wanting to ride alone. A friend has 3 very nicely trained horses & has invited me to ride with her and I may do that this Spring...for a few hrs. Would let me know if I would want to "take the plunge" again. She goes on weekend rides with some club -- and an annual week long ride somewhere a few states South. Sounds like fun!! Then, reality hits and farm chores.... It's a commitment to be able to allow time to ride. This year I have a lot of things to do here at my farm, a few hr ride a couple times a month is all I can see working into right now.

SPRING will arrive.....it always does....hope it's pleasant.

I'm not in VA, I'm in SJ! We occasionally do a weekend trail ride. The problem w/that is, it's hard to find someone to feed animals while we're gone. If it wasn't for Stormy, it wouldn't be as much of a problem. And, I hope Spring gets here soon! I so miss it.

By the time DD got here, it was too late for me to go w/them. If she hadn't had to stop at DS's house, it would have been fine. But, she told him she was stopping at around 3:00-which is when I wanted to get Stormy fed. So, they went to dinner and went shopping. They did bring me home some dinner. It wasn't the greatest, but it was food.

KN was at the farm when I got there, so she helped me get the gate back up. Tomorrow is going to be nasty and Licorice has ripped Willow's blanket. I have one that may fit her. It needs a couple of minor repairs which I'll do in the morning. But if they won't let her in the run-in she's going to need this blanket on. I'm also wondering if this blanket might be heavier than the one she has on since she's been shivering. None of my horses shiver w/their blankets on, no matter how cold it gets. And this spare blanket is the same weight as what mine have on. It used to belong to Licorice, but is a bit too short for her. But since Willow isn't as hefty, it may fit her. If it does, and LS wants to buy it, I'll sell it to her. That will get one more thing out of my basement and give me more money towards my fence.

I didn't get quite as many eggs today, but I'm not surprised. I've noticed I don't get as many eggs on cloudy days-especially if it's snowing! But, it's supposed to warm up for the rest of the week. I got almost 4 dozen last week, so that's a big help. It shouldn't be too much longer B4 they're paying for themselves.