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

[Denim Deb]

Well, I didn't get everything done. I didn't do anything w/the laundry-except what we needed for today. I didn't bring home enough staples, so I didn't finish the hay feeder. Hubby looked at what I have done, and actually told me I did a good job! Got a flat on the garden cart, so I didn't finish cleaning out the goat pen, which meant I didn't finish putting it in the garden which meant I didn't plant my vine crops. As long as the tire just needs air, I should be able to finish that up tomorrow.

Hubby came out while I was working and tells me we have a critter in the garden. So, I go to see what it was. Of course, we didn't see what it was, but I found where it got into the garden. And, it was eating the leaves on my sweet potatoes! My guess is that it's a stupid groundhog. It came from the direction of the greenhouse, and I still have weeds in the strip between the greenhouse and the garden. I didn't have time to do anything w/it today, and wasn't sure what I was going to do to keep the dumb thing out. Then I came up w/an idea. We have a bunch of those wire shelves w/the lip on them. I put them along the edge of the fence w/the lip on the outside so I could tie it to the fence. When I get that area cleaned up, I plan on putting them on the outside. I figure that will make it so it can't dig under the fence. I hope how I have it will work until I have the time to do it properly.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope so too! Stupid groundhogs...

 

[Denim Deb]

I'd love to find more of the shelves either at a yard sale, or CL. I think it should work well, but I don't want to have to buy enough of it new to go around the whole garden!

I realized that part of my problem w/getting stuff done is that first thing in the morning, I've been getting on the computer. Then I'd start playing games, and B4 I knew it, it was time to leave for the farm. So I decided today that I was going to get some stuff done first-namely the laundry. So, I got all of that folded and most of it put away, got a load in the wash, and since I don't have time to make bread, threw the ingredients in the bread maker. So now I can sit down on the computer for a bit. But, I can only stay on until the bread is done. So, I should get more done. My list for today:

1. Fold and put away clothes (They're all folded, towels are in the basket waiting to be put in the linen closet)
2. Iron shirts (done)
3. Make bread (It's in the bread maker)
4. Wash and hang out a load of clothes (they're in the washer)
5. Normal farm chores
6. Work on stones at the farm (talked to RU yesterday to make sure the tractor is available, she said it will be)
7. Clean field and spread manure
8. Move electric in field
9. Work on cleaning bedroom
10. Finish hay feeder for goats
11. Finish cleaning goat pen, then feed them
12. Work in garden (I hope to get all my vine crops planted, and maybe put up another line for my tomato trellis)

I got all caught up on the dishes yesterday, and we didn't make that many last night. So, I won't do any today, but will do them tomorrow morning instead. I think this list is long enough, and I should be able to get it all done.

 

[Denim Deb]

I can now check 2 things off of my to do list! The stones are in my run in, and the goat pen is clean! I worked my butt off to get them done. And, I didn't get done until after 8:00. (I have a lightening bug in here! Wonder how that got in the house.) Once I was done, I got a shower. Hubby made some dinner-for him. So, I have frozen pizza cooking.

The groundhog didn't get in the garden at the spot it got in yesterday, but it DID get in. So tomorrow morning, first thing, I'm going to have to go out and clean all around the garden, then see what I can do to keep it out. At least for now all it's eaten is some of the vines from my sweet potatoes, but I don't want it to eat all of them, and then start on something else. It would have been nice if hubby had come home and worked on it some. Instead he just held me up telling me what needed to be done and then got upset since I was getting aggravated. I KNEW what needed to be done. Telling me doesn't get it done. And, if I had realized earlier that it had gotten in again, I would have waited to do the goat pen and worked on that instead.

I also got the hay feeder done. And the goats were funny. Once I got the pen all cleaned out, I scrubbed their water bucket and refilled it, then got everything where it belong, put their feed in their buckets and filled the hay feeder. Then I let them back in. They ate their grain, then started yelling cuz they didn't have any hay. I had to go in there and show them where the hay was, and how to get it out. It didn't take them long to catch on and when I left, they were happily munching their hay.

Came in got a shower, and put clean sheets on the bed. Now I'm relaxing on the computer for a bit. I'm so wound up I'm not tired. But, I hope I calm down soon. I have a ton to get done tomorrow as well.

 

[Denim Deb]

Since I'm pretty sure I know where the groundhog is getting in my garden, I'll be going out soon and working. I can't do anything until I clean up that area. So, my list for today is as follows:

1. Clean along garden and put something down where I believe the groundhog is getting in
2. Fold and put away sheets
3. Dishes
4. Normal farm chores
5. Weed in chicken pen
6. Clean tack shed
7. Work on cleaning weeds along last fence line (the rest is done!)
8. Work w/the horses
9. Ride Misty for a bit
10. Work in basement
11. Work in garden
12. Take care of goats

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Hope your ride goes well!

 

[BarredBuff]

Hope your day has went well!!

 

[Denim Deb]

I have now declared war! I got done all along the garden, and put something down to keep the groundhog out. When I got home from the farm, I checked and he had not been in the garden. Hubby and I went out for dinner and to run some errands. When we got home, I finally had a chance to plant my vine crops. And, the groundhog got in while we were gone and ate more of my sweet potato vines! So, the trap has been set. I have a space about 2.5-3 ft wide between my greenhouse and a shed. It's overgrown w/black raspberries, and I know that's how he gets to the garden. So, I blocked on one side, and placed the trap in this area w/a piece of cantaloupe and some of the sweet potato vines. In order for him to get to the garden, he has to either climb up, or go in the trap. Hopefully, I'll catch him fairly quickly.

W/the exception of my spaghetti squash, I have all of my vine crops planted. I don't know where I put those seeds, so I left room for them. Since we were out, I didn't have time to do more in the garden than that.

I got some of the fence line cleaned up. Thing is, I need to clean between 2 fences. RU had the slip board fence up-which I don't like. So, I put up no climb w/4x4s for fence posts inside of that. I didn't want to use the posts for the slip board because the posts are black locust. Black locust is almost impossible to hammer into when it's seasoned, and these posts were. RU has a DR mower type of mower, and we were going to work together on it. Well, she never showed up. So instead, I just cut back all the poke (couldn't dig it where it was), and trimmed a couple of mulberries that have come up. And, the area right next to the chickens got cleaned pretty good. And, the chicken pen is weeded!

Didn't have time to work w/the horses. No one was at the farm again, so I couldn't ride either.

Didn't get any of the housework done. I was going to work on it when I got home from the farm, but instead, hubby and I went out. Plus, I was late getting home, so I didn't really have time.

Tomorrow, hubby and I are planning to get the hay shelter done. I'll be glad when I can check that off the to do list.

 

[Denim Deb]

Well, that groundhog will not be getting in my garden again. The trap worked. I checked it this morning B4 I left for breakfast w/my motorcycle group-nothing. I got home and hubby told me one was in there. So, he was taken care of, and the trap reset for just in case. Today I had nothing munching on my sweet potatoes!

I found my spaghetti squash seeds, so I planted them. I also finished weeding the orchard area, and got up another line for my tomatoes. Hubby and I worked a bit on the hay shelter, but forgot a tool, so we couldn't do as much as we wanted to. But, I just checked over my lists for the week and other than working in the basement, working w/the horses and riding Misty, everything on my lists was done! I did the dishes this morning B4 I left. And, I folded the laundry up and put it away this afternoon. And I got done early enough today to actually relax for a bit this evening! Tomorrow we hope to get the hay shelter done. And, I'm going to have to clean the brooder in the morning.

Hubby got a new toy-a battery operated weed whacker. So, he played w/that for awhile today and did a lot of cleaning up in the yard. I'm so happy! That means I don't have to do as much. I'm hoping if we get a lot done by next Saturday, we can take a day to go crabbing or something soon. We keep talking about doing it, but haven't done it yet. So, we'll see.

 

[BarredBuff]

Yay on ground hog capture!