JUSTUSNAK...Summer coming to an end!?

[Beekissed]

Just, I'm ready to kill the brown cow!!! I would gladly shoot the little sucker if she wouldn't be a waste of money or meat! She is just being a baby, but oh, so willful and wild right now.

I hope my sheep grow to be that affectionate!

Hey, just, you could plant those pathways to something that doesn't grow very big, like white dutch clover which attracts bees to your garden. That way, you can turn the sheep in there in the fall and let them eat it for you.

I wish I had planted mine to clover now, so I am reseeding those this year to produce a low-growing ground cover, as well as a nitrogen-fixing nutrient for my garden.

 

[justusnak]

Bee. I DO know about the "baby playing" thing. Sonny Boy is now getting brave. The neighbor told me the other day, she was watching them. Sonny was running like a wild child, and jumping on Nelly's back, then off and running. He is getting frisky...but thankfully when he is around me, he is gentle as a lamb.
I might have to look into getting some white clover seed...to do those pathways. I was thinking of getting mulch, from a local horse barn, and layering it in there. As long as I can find good OLD stuff...and nothing with "landmines" in it.
ETA: Dont shoot the cow...I can be there in....ohhhhh. 7 or 8 hours! LOL
I am sure once you get the lamb in there, they will play, and wear each other out. That would be fun to watch.

 

[Farmfresh]

What a SNAKE!

Move it I guess ... ASAP. Somebody told once of a snake trap that might work. You get a box or tub and cut a hole in it just barely big enough for the snake to go in. Put several of your biggest eggs inside the box and cover the top tightly with wire and then a blanket. The snake will go in - fill up on the eggs - and not be able to fit back through the hole.

It just might work. I have never tried it.

My cousin used to "collect" black snakes. They had a corn crib in the barn where the ear corn was open stored in bins. When they first tried to store there it was mouse city! My cousin worked the summers driving a hay mower. She carried a burlap bag with her on the tractor. Whenever she saw a black snake she would stop the tractor, catch the snake and then release it in the corn crib. By the end of summer the corn crib was literally crawling with snakes. There were so many the big ones would eat the little ones. Disgusting! but no more mice.

 

[lorihadams]

Good grief!!! That is one ginormous snake!

 

[justusnak]

6 June 09

What a beautifull day!!! Hubby had to work from noon til 6 pm, so I set out to get a few of the smaller chores done.
I put up the fence row for my cucumbers. I like growing them on fencing...easier to pick later! I had to pull out 4 T posts we had set last year, to use. OK, now...really..what WAS I thinking!?? When I moved the ducks the other day...I fell..and boy oh boy did I pull something in my back. Yesterday I was slow moveing..woke this morning ..felt pretty good...so thinking I am "superhuman" or something..I decided I was good to go. Get to the first fence post...wiggle it around a bit, and pull...came right out! Second post...a little harder...3rd and 4th..either they were set deeper, or I was wearing out fast. Im huffin, and puffin, and wigglin..and pullin...and FINALLY get them out. JEESH! Getting older is hard on the mind AND body! Stupid brain thinks I am still 20 something..body PROVES I am NOT! LOL OK, drag the posts to the garden...take the lawn tractor and wagon to the shop...get the fencing, wire, and post setter. When did they make this thing heavier!?? Jeesh! Finally get the posts set...drag the fencing out, and stretch it. Now to wire it up. DANG, forgot the wire cutters. Back to the house for the cutters...then back to the garden. Finally get it set...and stand there admireing my work. Now I have to drag out what seems like 1000 ft of hose, to water the sheep. I have a system here tho...hook up the hose, and throw it all in the wagon, then drive to the barn. As I drive, slowly...the hose unravels out of the wagon....sweet!! Finishing up there and here comes the neighbor kids. They want to go to the city pool tomorrow, but need to make $3 each ( there are 4 of them) and wanted to know if I had any jobs for them. ( OH YEAH!) So..I tell them to follow me. We head to the shop, where I grab 3 shovels, and a wheel barrow....then lead them to the other side where there is about 5 tons of mulch..I need moved to the back side of the coop. These 4 kids make short order of that pile...maybe 30 minutes! this would have taken ME about 2 hours!! SO glad thats done. I gave them $5.00 each. ( they did a great job) Back to the hose..now I have to gather up this "1000 ft" of hose....not nearly as easy as letting it all out. Get the hose done...and head to the other side of the property. We have a huge dirt pile I let the grandkids and nieces play on. I need to take at least a wagon load for a hole in the front yard, where we dug out a MAMOTH Yukka plant. OK. the hole is filled...wagon and lawn tractor put away...shovels and rakes..put away...Oh, and I painted a new sign for eggs 4 sale...need to get it put up tomorrow. I had to reset the posts today for it. Hubby gets home...I walk him around the property, showing him all I have accomplished. ( my acheing back) Come inside...make Taco's for supper...easy and fast. Out to the front porch to sit for a while...and just relax. Here come the neighbor girls...need to borrow the phone. They finish, and I take hubby out to help close coops, and gather eggs. Its just starting to get dark...and here come the neighbors. ( adults this time) They decided they wanted to buy my last turkey. ( yeah!) They also bought one of the roosters I have for sale. ( SWEET, 1 more roo to go) I check in on the turkeys...and see little heads popping out from under the momma hens. Last I saw, there were 15 eggs under them. I saw a black spanish, and a blue slate...I cant waite to see them all...and get them sold as well!
The sun is down.....animals settled in for the night...hubby watching tv..and I sit here with my coffee...and a deep sigh. Planning the day out for tomorrow. Lets see...put welded wire on the barn windows, so I can open them..another layer mulch around the taters...move a few chickens around to new pens...work on filling in the rest of the drainage ditch...maybe mow..weed the small garden...and HOPEFULLY find a few minutes to just sit on the porch...and be thankfull for all we have.

 

[homesteadmomma]

Hey, this sounds kinda like my day, I also pounded posts because I decided the geese pen and every post I pounded the post hole digger got heavier and heavier. I love those babies. They are the sweetest things ever.

I drove by my neighbor this morning and she was sitting on her porch reading a book and I thought how wonderful that would be. I finished chores and was walking around my yard and thought how grateful I was that God has blessed us this way.

 

[justusnak]

I drove by my neighbor this morning and she was sitting on her porch reading a book and I thought how wonderful that would be. I finished chores and was walking around my yard and thought how grateful I was that God has blessed us this way.

I couldn't agree more. Grandma always said " Idle hands do the Devils work" I guess this is the Lords way of keeping me out of trouble! I dont have too much " idle time"
Every day...I walk from the mail box up the drive to the house...and I look around...smile..and say. " Thank you Lord for letting us be the caretakers of this piece land, and thank you for all the help in getting things done"

 

[keljonma]

Wow, J - you have been busy!

That was some snake! We haven't seen any that size on our place yet...the largest was a 3 foot long gartersnake. I just picked him up and put him in the back pasture, since he was near the hen house.

We once used creeping thyme in the garden rows. It only gets about 4 inches high, can stand being ignored and walked on. The bees love it and when walked on, the thyme releases a wonderful smell.

I love sitting on the front porch swing in the mornings and in the evenings. I think the best time for reading is before the day gets crazy - or after a crazy day.

 

[2dream]

I was going outside to work but am totally exhausted from just reading about all the work you did. Think I will rest up before I go out. LOL

That snake would have scared me to death. Fortunately have not seen any around here this year. I have a snake phobia. Plus we have a creek that runs on the edge of our property and water moccasins are usually what we see. (I think thats why I have the phobia)

 

[TanksHill]

Wow, what a full day. I love that feeling you get after a long day of hard work. Such a feeling of accomplishment.

Great job!!