The Old Folks Home

[Hangtown Farms]

Too much pain.... I wanted to read, but spouse stole the fast internet, so I am now at snail speed, it takes about five minutes to load a new page on BYC.

We got to have the windows open for hours today, blasted wood stove didn't love us.

Gotta love telling the boys, "bend over farther, so your head is out of the smoke cloud. "

Luckily it is warm... Circling around the freezing point... Royal horrid place to hover since that equals ice.

I wanted to go to bed earlier... But I need to babysit the fire, get it happy bfore I go to bed, maybe another 30 minutes.

Stupid idiots on facebook... Talking about raising cattle on five acres.


I mentioned that they should call their extension agent, for free, and figure out how good their land was, since land varies widely, and as an example of the variability of land quality, my sister's place averags out to 22 acres for one cow, and she actually has water and some decent rain.

Someone responded with "my family always figures on 5 acres to a cow"!!!!!!

Say WHAT???? -insert curse word- i do not CARE what your family says, it doesn't change the fact that you need to figure out what kind of land you are dealing with!!!! I actually just responded with:
But the crazy stupidity! So... If I wish for 100 degree weather I will get 100 degree weather???? If I want lush pastures, I will get them??????

I am always ticked, that I ended up with sucky land.... Not that 22 acres per cow is that bad... Lots of Texas is 44 acres for one cow... But
if I am gonna have 22 acres for a single cow... I want to have 20,000 acres or something... Maybe if I want it real hard, it will come true.

People are morons.

I don't raise cows but I can see that some areas have so much less in the way of grass. I'm not a cow person but down here in the mountains they let them go in the summer to graze. so I'm assuming there just eating grass , weeds and maybe perennial type plants and not munching on woody shrubs? so i can see where there may not be a lot to eat in a heavily forested area or real rocky one. But I'm just a chicken guy so what do I know

 

[Latestarter]

Well Deb, with that type longevity, it's good that you are trying to get as healthy as possible! Looks like you'll be around for a very long time and you'll want to make the best of it! Glad Grandma is OK... It does get a little tricky as folks get much older.

 

[Peep_Show]

I am always ticked, that I ended up with sucky land.... Not that 22 acres per cow is that bad... Lots of Texas is 44 acres for one cow... But
if I am gonna have 22 acres for a single cow... I want to have 20,000 acres or something... Maybe if I want it real hard, it will come true.

Hey, Al, a PowerBall ticket is $2. You could buy hecka land with the winnings and run all the cows you want. And that which your land cannot support you can always buy breakfast for.


44 acres must be pretty sparse vegetation considering that a cow could eat cardboard and survive.

 

[vehve]

Speaking of cows, here's a Finnish milk advert that aired today.

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Yes they are. But there is that difficulty that Each State has its own laws. Each state has many Many Many counties. Each county will have variances in those laws. Then you get into the City, town, and municipalities... Each can add on an additional Set of requirements. I belive just the state of California is the size of Finland with more people. Finland 5.4 million California 38.8 million.

For instance that thing that may not be mentioned is Legal in many states. Here in San Diego county, one of the biggest in California, It has been illegal for decades. Yet just across the border its Big Big Big business. So there were breeders all over the place in here in San Diego county. They just passed a law through out the state designating how many Roosters you can have and in what situation you can have them.

Here in this little town chickens were ignored unless someone complained and when the new law was passed we all got nervous. so far so good.

Though I heard It threatened to put one man who had been breeding chickens for 70 years out of business. Not for sport but for SOP and an income. I hope they have grandfathered him in. In towns that allow chickens you are allowed x amount and no roosters unless you have xx amount of land... Then it changes incrementally. But so far I haven't seen a requirement for a permit... knock on wood.

Thankfully I can have as many Guinea Fowl as I want. My nearest neighbor has chickens and Goats. On my eighteen acres I believe I can have up to 20. Actually its anything five acres and above can have twenty roosters. I cant see myself going over that.

deb

Al, here 1 acre per cow is all that is necessary. The land must really be poor to require 5 acres per cow.

Around here it takes very good pasture for 1 cow/calf unit per acre. Most land isn't that lush. We had some fields like that but half the property was forest, the other 1/4 had been poorly managed and didn't support much grass at all.

I don't raise cows but I can see that some areas have so much less in the way of grass. I'm not a cow person but down here in the mountains they let them go in the summer to graze. so I'm assuming there just eating grass , weeds and maybe perennial type plants and not munching on woody shrubs? so i can see where there may not be a lot to eat in a heavily forested area or real rocky one. But I'm just a chicken guy so what do I know

Grass fed/finished beef is the best. Turn them out to pasture and forget them until time to butcher. We did have ponds and streams through the property for water.

I miss beef cattle and horses and pigs and, and, and. Maybe someday. The only livestock I'm allowed are chickens and bees.

 

[perchie.girl]

Too much pain.... I wanted to read, but spouse stole the fast internet, so I am now at snail speed, it takes about five minutes to load a new page on BYC.

We got to have the windows open for hours today, blasted wood stove didn't love us.

Gotta love telling the boys, "bend over farther, so your head is out of the smoke cloud. "

Luckily it is warm... Circling around the freezing point... Royal horrid place to hover since that equals ice.

I wanted to go to bed earlier... But I need to babysit the fire, get it happy bfore I go to bed, maybe another 30 minutes.

Stupid idiots on facebook... Talking about raising cattle on five acres.


I mentioned that they should call their extension agent, for free, and figure out how good their land was, since land varies widely, and as an example of the variability of land quality, my sister's place averags out to 22 acres for one cow, and she actually has water and some decent rain.

Someone responded with "my family always figures on 5 acres to a cow"!!!!!!

Say WHAT???? -insert curse word- i do not CARE what your family says, it doesn't change the fact that you need to figure out what kind of land you are dealing with!!!! I actually just responded with:
Quote:
Takes a hundred acres here WITH supplementation.... They eat chaparal We dont even have tumble weeds which Actually have nutritional value. IF we could irrigatte there would be a whole different story.

deb

 

[perchie.girl]

Quote:
They will eat chaparal which is somewhat woody... Chamise and redshank And there will always be a few sprigs of wild grasses. There is deer grass too.... in the higher elevations. But here in Southern California It takes A Lot of land for a horse Cattle are a bit thriftier but All will have to be supplemented with hay.
deb

 

[ronott1]

Speaking of cows, here's a Finnish milk advert that aired today.

That was a nice tribute!

 

[CanuckBock]

Heel low:

Salutations to the Old Folks Home from Pear-A-Dice!

I think winter finally, finally decided to show up...thank heavens! We need winter to show up so spring can follow along. Normal seasons are much looked forward to here!

January 8, 2016 and -28C​

Beauty new year of 2016 being enjoyed by moi and the gang!

Last year was amazing...

​

We totally revamped the waterfall and Koi pond, much to the delight of the fishies that adored the REAL plantings and were thriving in the oh natural way it made their world!

​

Rick put in a tiered water feature, new wind socks, AND adding live water plants to the dynamics...

even bloomin' water lilies!

Lotsa new lives here to add to the enjoyment and fun factors...

January 7, 2016​

The two girl (aged six days apart) puppers we imported from the Australian land of Down Under are jest LOVIN' the Great White North of Canada and all the amenities it has to offer...

First full day here - playing on the puppy playground!
​

​

Australian Cattle Dogs...girls in December 2015​

​

Formidable breed indeed

Christmas Day - Pouncing with bitey bites--CARPE DIEM, eh!​

Pups enjoying sugar peas to powder snows to play predator pounce on yer head. Life has been an utter blur with puppy breath running freely on tap here.

"Do the puppy girls want Sugar Peas??"

​

Veg Garden this year was magnificent! Think we had to water it maybe twice the whole growing season...every time I thought, "Hey, time to sprinkle it..." the rains came and did the task for us!

September 4, 2015​

Way too much produce and we glutted on it real good! Already planning what seeds and plants to bring in and do it all over again this year, eh. 00000000.

September 19, 2015​

Fer Rick's hobby of vintage vehicles, it saw him living up to the esteemed title of "Mr. Sub..."

​

Two insanely low mileage new but old Suburbans; Yeh, like totally livin' in the '80's with a 1980 loaded 4x4 Blue (May 1st saw us with this summer ride!) which you could still see the chalked on writing on the rad cover from the factory anti-freeze notations. A true honest to goodness "barn find!"

​

And a 1988 4x4 White (December saw us acquire this jacked winter ride! that was housed inside on standby at an oilplant as the "ambulance" in waiting) which brings Rick's 1980's rides up to four registered 4x4 '80's Chevs. Never minding the six 1936 Chev Maple Leafs and the two 1928 Chev one tons which neatly leads us into reporting on the building projects completed in 2015...

Parking Building...60 by 24...

One ton 4x4 1989 boo Chev, 4x4 1984 red Chev, Kabota tractor
- with room to spare for parking the 1st 1936 2.5 ton Chev Maple Leaf​

Bird project for the Mandarin Duck ducks fully completed now...

​

Saw the perimeter around the Taj Mahal (Mandarin Duck building) finished and gave us the excuse to get more oriental themed concrete statues...

​

So we have bin here at Pear-A-Dice long enough now to have a tenplast roof on our first chook building run (Coop fur Sure) wear out, so changed it to match all our other coloured metal roofing here.

​

Upgraded the power to the human abode and wired in the gen set so all the power pops are really pretty much a thing of the past for us. Yah!

Mature Bald Eagle​

On the natural front living in the wilds, we have had just a ton of wild birds for me to click pics of (from Bald Eagles to a family of Grouse that decided to call this patch of dirt home for this winter).

Poppa Bluebird feeding his brood in one of the many bluebird boxes Rick has built ​

Year 2016 will see a two vehicle park completed by the house, we start to show the girl dogs in conformation at sanctioned shows, might see a new water well (er two) drilled, and perhaps, start on the foundations for the cabinet shop/vintage vehicle restoration space for Rick. Should be as an exciting full year as 2015 has been for us.

July 4, 2015​

On the poultry front, may see the Ruddy Shels with a clutch of eggs this year--subterranean nesters, maybe one of the two pairs of Oz Black Swans **might** quit practising and get the hang of hatching out some cygnets, the real blooded bantam Chanteclers in self-Buff, self-White (Higgins White Dove line), Partridge, and maybe even some Blue laced Reds (got two hens now, pondering that funky variety potential!) shall be an ongoing concern plus all the normal bird bird activities in rip roaring time well spent here making more of the same and better.

Hugs to Landlord Wisher and the rest of the Homeward Bounded Tenants on here.

Whilst I have moved on to the next life phase at Pear-A-Dice, always grateful that Wisher bothered to set up a station for us old buggers to wander about in...Whoops there goes my fuzzy slipper again! Later, my well seasoned peoples!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

 

[ronott1]

Heel low:

Salutations to the Old Folks Home from Pear-A-Dice!

I think winter finally, finally decided to show up...thank heavens! We need winter to show up so spring can follow along. Normal seasons are much looked forward to here!

January 8, 2016 and -28C​

Beauty new year of 2016 being enjoyed by moi and the gang!

Last year was amazing...

​

We totally revamped the waterfall and Koi pond, much to the delight of the fishies that adored the REAL plantings and were thriving in the oh natural way it made their world!

​

Rick put in a tiered water feature, new wind socks, AND adding live water plants to the dynamics...

even bloomin' water lilies!

Lotsa new lives here to add to the enjoyment and fun factors...

January 7, 2016​

The two girl (aged six days apart) puppers we imported from the Australian land of Down Under are jest LOVIN' the Great White North of Canada and all the amenities it has to offer...

First full day here - playing on the puppy playground!
​

​

Australian Cattle Dogs...girls in December 2015​

​

Formidable breed indeed

Christmas Day - Pouncing with bitey bites--CARPE DIEM, eh!​

Pups enjoying sugar peas to powder snows to play predator pounce on yer head. Life has been an utter blur with puppy breath running freely on tap here.

"Do the puppy girls want Sugar Peas??"

​

Veg Garden this year was magnificent! Think we had to water it maybe twice the whole growing season...every time I thought, "Hey, time to sprinkle it..." the rains came and did the task for us!

September 4, 2015​

Way too much produce and we glutted on it real good! Already planning what seeds and plants to bring in and do it all over again this year, eh. 00000000.

September 19, 2015​

Fer Rick's hobby of vintage vehicles, it saw him living up to the esteemed title of "Mr. Sub..."

​

Two insanely low mileage new but old Suburbans; Yeh, like totally livin' in the '80's with a 1980 loaded 4x4 Blue (May 1st saw us with this summer ride!) which you could still see the chalked on writing on the rad cover from the factory anti-freeze notations. A true honest to goodness "barn find!"

​

And a 1988 4x4 White (December saw us acquire this jacked winter ride! that was housed inside on standby at an oilplant as the "ambulance" in waiting) which brings Rick's 1980's rides up to four registered 4x4 '80's Chevs. Never minding the six 1936 Chev Maple Leafs and the two 1928 Chev one tons which neatly leads us into reporting on the building projects completed in 2015...

Parking Building...60 by 24...

One ton 4x4 1989 boo Chev, 4x4 1984 red Chev, Kabota tractor
- with room to spare for parking the 1st 1936 2.5 ton Chev Maple Leaf​

Bird project for the Mandarin Duck ducks fully completed now...

​

Saw the perimeter around the Taj Mahal (Mandarin Duck building) finished and gave us the excuse to get more oriental themed concrete statues...

​

So we have bin here at Pear-A-Dice long enough now to have a tenplast roof on our first chook building run (Coop fur Sure) wear out, so changed it to match all our other coloured metal roofing here.

​

Upgraded the power to the human abode and wired in the gen set so all the power pops are really pretty much a thing of the past for us. Yah!

Mature Bald Eagle​

On the natural front living in the wilds, we have had just a ton of wild birds for me to click pics of (from Bald Eagles to a family of Grouse that decided to call this patch of dirt home for this winter).

Poppa Bluebird feeding his brood in one of the many bluebird boxes Rick has built ​

Year 2016 will see a two vehicle park completed by the house, we start to show the girl dogs in conformation at sanctioned shows, might see a new water well (er two) drilled, and perhaps, start on the foundations for the cabinet shop/vintage vehicle restoration space for Rick. Should be as an exciting full year as 2015 has been for us.

July 4, 2015​

On the poultry front, may see the Ruddy Shels with a clutch of eggs this year--subterranean nesters, maybe one of the two pairs of Oz Black Swans **might** quit practising and get the hang of hatching out some cygnets, the real blooded bantam Chanteclers in self-Buff, self-White (Higgins White Dove line), Partridge, and maybe even some Blue laced Reds (got two hens now, pondering that funky variety potential!) shall be an ongoing concern plus all the normal bird bird activities in rip roaring time well spent here making more of the same and better.

Hugs to Landlord Wisher and the rest of the Homeward Bounded Tenants on here.

Whilst I have moved on to the next life phase at Pear-A-Dice, always grateful that Wisher bothered to set up a station for us old buggers to wander about in...Whoops there goes my fuzzy slipper again! Later, my well seasoned peoples!

Doggone & Chicken UP!

Tara Lee Higgins
Higgins Rat Ranch Conservation Farm, Alberta, Canada

Thanks for the update!

Everything looks so nice there in the Snow too.