We made a lot of progress on our expanded garden beds today, thanks to my husband and his tractor. I watered my seedlings in the greenhouse - they definitely dry out faster there. Of course, the deep clean of the animal shelters always happens on the weekend. I also did some castrating out there, my first time but just a fact of sheep farming, I suppose. First time anything is always a little anxious.
The oldest daughter went off hiking with some of her friends from high school. It is always nice to see those kids; we've had some lovely huge sleepovers in the past, and now they are all growing up to be young men and women.
As I am typing here, I hear some thunder out in the distance and a few rattling rain drops on our metal roof (metal for rain catchment). One of our catchment tanks is only about 1/3 full, so the rain is coming at a good time. Just a few days of light rain and we use so much water with all these animals. I am including the 4 two legged young animals who are going to learn the hard way (a turned off water valve) if they don't go the easy way of shortening their showers on their own.
Yesterday, I was really thinking about what to do with the horses. The sheep are very much taking the time left between being a teacher, a mom, and a gardener, and I have been feeling guilty about that big galoot of a horse out there being untrained. I love her manure, and she is an easy keeper, but I am not using her mind or her body in the best way. She tends to make it difficult for my laminitic gelding to get his share and generally just pushes him around and all the other animals on the farm, too. (She tries to push the humans around, but isn't very successful. I have no patience for it, and it could be dangerous, so she just isn't allowed.) So, I said a little prayer asking what I should do for this mare. And, darn it, if there wasn't someone on craigslist looking for just this type of horse. I don't know what will come of it, but we'll see. I will miss her terribly, but maybe it is for the best.
A lot of changes, therefore, might be down one horse and we've doubled our sheep population. The garden space has been quadrupled, not including the greenhouse. I wonder what else is in store for us?
6 comments:
You've a lot going there...Good for you things are progressing well on so many fronts. Your prayer answered too.
Thanks for saying one for me.
You are very welcome, Grandpa.
I was just going to ask about water purity, but remembered you have, I think, four filter systems.
The best water I've had in a long, LONG time was this last week, when I went outside and ate snow. It was so good. Like the water from our well in CA. We had a beautiful aquifer system and the water was clear, sweet, cold, and no aftertaste of dirt or anything.
I can't drink water now, without putting something in it, because it all tastes like dirt to me. But straight from the sky would be wonderful - as long as it's not coming through a bunch of VOG.
I sure hope the person looking for a TB mare works out. What a blessing it would be to know she was being given chances to do things. Horses are such inquisitive creatures and do love to have time each day where they learn and work. It keeps them from being bored in the pasture - and getting into mischief. LOL
~Faith
The washing up water goes through 2 filters, but the drinking water goes through 7 filters. It is very good, even if it does occasionally go through a vog layer!
If the mare does sell, I will miss her a lot, but I think it might be a good home - that's the only way I will even consider it - someone with time and love and horse sense. This is the best horse I have ever had, but she definitely needs someone who knows what's up and has the time to put into her.
How did you do the castrating? Bands? How did you learn? Books, or did someone show you?
Chai Chai, I used bands. It was a "hapless homestead" moment when the first two bands went flying off the stretcher - I found them ridiculously far away. I talked to a bunch of people (got two completely different opinions from two different people at the feed store, for example), looked all over the internet, talked a goat dairy owner and a former sheep farmer and emailed another sheep person- and just did it. It wasn't that bad. I just felt a little bad because he was uncomfortable for about 10 minutes, but then he was playing with the others.... I read both books and internet sites.
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