Trials & Tribulations of a Hobby Farmer.

[Lazy Farmer]

That's it, focus on the positives!

Life is good! We have a home still and we are alive... everything else is just a luxury.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Clean up is hard now that we have a taste of air condition.. it's like we are stopping to smell the roses.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

So here comes another HURRICANE! Maria? We have not finished cleaning up the mes from Irma. 1 v-shaped tree is cracked. Winds will drop it on the outer fence line.. AGAIN.. we are trying to stock up on supplies before the mad rush!!

 

[User395221]

So here comes another HURRICANE! Maria?

Oh no, are you going to cop her as well? We were concerned about our member(s) in Puerto Rico who were going to cop it yet again, but is it going to get you?

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Oh no, are you going to cop her as well? We were concerned about our member(s) in Puerto Rico who were going to cop it yet again, but is it going to get you?

It appears she is turning north..

 

[Lazy Farmer]

Been under the weather the last few days. Not much of anything getting done. Feeding then laying down.. I miss my Goats surrounding me...

 

[Lazy Farmer]

took 3 days to trace all the grounded spots in our hot wire grid.
It needs to be reconfigured and set by zones. So it is easier to repair a section at a time.
Still not done cleaning up after Irma. Tree trunks are in the pens and have to be hauled out. It is just so hot out that you get worn out quick.
Ms.Piggy, our Berkshire sow is ready to drop her offspring soon. Been moving the beasts around and separating them close to the birthing quarters.

Hampshire sow is going to drop hers in 4 weeks. Irma did a wack job on our system. Hard to get back on track. Organization is a fantasy now. I long for the day we are back where we were.
Mulberry tree is dropping it's leaves. Fall is here. Half way thru hurricane season and almost the beginning of buying hay season. Our goats are chunky monkeys... not when first frost comes..
Cell phone down. no calls for eggs. 80 dozen eggs are packed into our barn frig. 85 chickens need homes. No farm money coming in.. bummer.
Only positive thing is our freezers are packed with yield. Whole birds, cut up birds and boo koo pork.
break is over, loosing light. back later. fc

 

[User395221]

I'm sorry that things are tough at the moment, I hope things return to normal soon/as quickly as possible. I suppose getting the cell phone network back online would be a priority, then you can start shifting the stockpile of product? I'll hope for that anyway, sounds like something tangible to hope for.

Are any of the downed treetrunks suitable for cutting some chook "furniture" out of? Maybe you don't have to haul out ALL of them?

What do goats eat? Just hay, or other stuff as well?

Do you keep silkworms? Everyone used to have silkworms when I was a kid and lots of people had mulberry trees. They (pretty much) all got taken out because of the "mess" and how you'd slip on the berries on the footpaths and people didn't want to get sued. It's a shame because they are beautiful trees.

Maybe the cooler weather will give you more opportunity to get out there and do the cleanup jobs? It also gets hot here, and early morning and later in the afternoon are the only times you want to be out there when it's boiling. That's why I don't really like summer, too much opportunity wasted sweating.

 

[Lazy Farmer]

I suppose getting the cell phone network back online would be a priority,

Actually a power surge from the generator fried my cell phone battery. I have ordered a new one. Should have paid for express shipping.

Are any of the downed treetrunks suitable for cutting some chook "furniture" out of?

We have a fire place. We hardly ever use the electric heat. This new wood will season and be used the following winter. The downed Hickory will be used for our BBQ Smokers. We cook outdoors a lot.

Do you keep silkworms?

This vear the silkworms are not taking over for some reason. Last year, during the Summer months they were everywhere. Millions... crazy how that was. Few and far this year.

when I was a kid and lots of people had mulberry trees. They (pretty much) all got taken out because of the "mess" and how you'd slip on the berries

Mulberry tress are plain messy, but seasonal. They get into our shoes, tracked onto our porches and can't park our cars under. But before the fruit, the growth is impressive. From out of nowhere... BAM! The leaves are back. They are short lived and almost gone now today..

Maybe the cooler weather will give you more opportunity to get out there and do the cleanup jobs?

It has already been cooling off. I am outside at 7am until it gets too hot and when the sun moves over, I am out of the barn at it again. Clean up is almost over.. Organization is next. Wasn't time for both. Barn is a wreck. Can't find anything without searching like an Easter Egg Hunt.
Thanks for replying to my thread.. I hope you have a wonderful day!
fc

 

[User395221]

So, it's just your phone that's off-line? What a pain, hopefully your new battery will arrive quickly.

Mulberry tress are plain messy, but seasonal.

Yes, I remember them from when I was a kid. They'd stain the footpath. They are also big, which is another reason people stopped having them. The large(r) blocks got subdivided and you can't put a gigantic (messy) tree in a big yard you don't have.
It's just spring here and the stonefruit trees are coming into blossom. I like watching a "dead looking" tree spring back to life and they look so pretty. I have a (neglected) plum which is flowering. My bunny hutch helper attached it with the loppers when I wasn't watching, so it's had a heavy prune. I'll try to get some fruit off it, but it'll probably be all for the bugs and the birds as before. I think I'll have to bag it to stop the bugs, I'm not sure what they are, I might try to find out and then I might be able to figure out how to beat them.

How are the pregnant pigs going? Our Royal Agricultural Show is on and I saw some baby pigs in the animal nursery there. They are so cute (yes, I know yours are dinner, and not for amusing the cityfolk )