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

[Mini Horses]

Like you, we have had extremely warm weather & rain. So while the temps are good to work, we have muck & puddles. My goats hate me since I can't stop the wet! A few have even ventured out in the light stuff -- to get food!! The horses, pigs & chickens are going along fine but, goats hate rain!

It's a mess -- but, I think it's better than freeze & snow. Let's face it, you still have mud as snow melts. At least this is warm mud. What ?

 

[Denim Deb]

My concern is for all the animals and plants that should be dormant now and aren't. I don't know what kind of affect this is going to have on them.

 

[Denim Deb]

Today is going to be colder, but at least it's going to be dry. I'll be cleaning my bathroom this morning and doing what dishes and laundry I can B4 leaving. I was going to get my hinges today, but think I'll wait and get them tomorrow. I need to get feed, and it will be much easier if I don't try to do too much this morning.

My first order of business after I get everyone fed is going to be unloading my trailer! I've used about 1/2 what's in there. And while I would have liked to have been able to just pull the trailer in the field to unload, I still don't have my truck and it's way too wet to do that. I think I'm going to wear heavy socks today since I have a feeling my feet will be cold in those rubber boots if I don't. Then, w/the trailer unloaded, I'll put the rest of the hooks and eyes on the coops and work on the fence! I would love to have everything done except for the doors. What's going to be the hardest is probably connecting the hardware cloth and the mesh to the fence. Depending on how long that takes I may or may not try to do more. If it's dry enough, and I have enough time, I may just borrow LF's mower so I can at least get the run-ins cleaned out. It's going to be windy, so that should help to dry some stuff out. Then, it's going to be cold, wet and windy tonight. I'll probably put the rain sheets back on my guys and put their hay in the hay nets.

If I can get home early enough, I'm going to work more on the gardens. Since I won't have to stop to help hubby, I'm hoping I can get more done. And, it's getting dark a little bit later now, so that helps.

 

[Denim Deb]

I got my bathroom clean this morning, and most of my dishes. But, I didn't get to the laundry. I had hoped to do some stuff when I got home. That didn't happen.

Even though it didn't rain today, it's muddy out at the farm. I got there later since I went to TSC first for feed. KN was there, so I didn't have to worry about giving those horses hay. And rather than doing LF's horses first like I normally do, I did mine. While they were eating, I started on the hay. Normally, I can put 4 bales on my wagon. I didn't even try. I put 3 on at a time, and had trouble getting it to the stall. I got about half of it unloaded B4 letting the horses loose. I put their hay way in the back of the field in the hope that they'd stay back there. Then I went and took care of LF's horses.

Well, my guys were having fun running around from one end of the field to the other. There was just no way I could get the hay in w/the running all the way up like they were. So, I took a piece of rope and used it to block of from the gate to a fence. I was hoping they'd think it was electric and stay away. It worked! I was surprised, though. Even w/the tarp on the trailer, some of the hay got wet. So, I'm feeding that first. I had a bale that was coming apart. I left that for last. I put that one and one other in the feed stall, then raked up the hay in the trailer, got the tarp down and threw it in the trailer. Then, I got the rest of the hooks and eyes on the chicken coops. By then, it was lunch time.

While Stormy was eating, I got his feed out of the car and bagged feed. Then I ate my lunch. Once we were both done, I started on the chicken fence. I got one section up, then started using cable ties to tie the hardware cloth to the fence. It took awhile to figure it out, but once I did, I started making good time. I got most of one section done, then covered it w/dirt.

I could have stayed later, but it was cold and my feet were freezing! So, I fed Stormy. Then, since it's supposed to rain tonight and is colder, I put rain sheets on everyone and put the hay in the hay nets in the stalls. Got the chickens taken care of and came home.

By the time I got home, I just had no energy left. So, other than feeding the animals and myself, getting a shower and getting the fire going, I did nothing. I'm about ready for bed.

 

[Denim Deb]

It is raining yet again, but at least it's supposed to stop. I don't know how bad it's going to be at the farm. But, I have Bible study this morning. So, if it's not too bad, I'll work more on the fence this afternoon. And, they're calling for more rain tomorrow night. I'm about ready to build an ark! And while it's warmed up for today and should be fairly warm tomorrow, after that, the temps start dropping. I need to get this done.

 

[Mini Horses]

I'm really tired of rain!!! This everyday stuff is not normal for our area -- like the 70-80 degree weather -- still better than 30 degree days & 20 degree nights. Guess I dislike COLD more.

Plus, it's depressing. Sunshine would sure be welcome. We've had it for so many days that even my goats are thinking they can walk in it.....and goats hate rain.

Looks like 3 more days. Then it will probably freeze.

SO much better than those extreme ice, flood, snow, tornado areas that I feel guilty for complaining.

 

[Denim Deb]

I feel the same. You don't want to complain, but it's still so depressing to just have day after day after day of this weather. I'm actually hoping for some cold weather to dry everything up some!

I had the living room clean B4 I left. And, Bible study was cancelled today. We have it at someone's house, and she wasn't feeling the greatest, so it got cancelled. But, it was raining too heavily to do anything this morning, so after I got everyone fed, I went out. Hubby had gotten me a shirt for Christmas at TSC. But, it was the wrong size. We took it back to the TSC where he got it, but all the ones they had were too big. So, I went to the TSC near the farm. And they had some that were too small and some that were too big. So, I headed to another one. I also stopped at Wally World. Killed some time in there, got some M and M on clearance as well as a couple of bows for making wreaths next year, then went to TSC. And this time I found the size that was just right! I also got some stuff I need for doing my electric fence and an ornament, then headed back to the fam.

Got there shortly after I would have gotten there after Bible study. W/all the rain that we've had, I wasn't sure how I was going to feed Stormy. I don't feed him in the run-in, but let him out so he can eat in peace. But, it was just so muddy, there was no way I could feed him there-until I came up w/the idea of putting down a very thin piece of plywood, then put the bowl down on top of that. It worked great! I got feed bagged, ate my lunch, then started working on the chicken fence. I was really having problems getting the cable tie thru the hardware cloth. Then I came up w/an idea-a latch hook rug hook. So, I headed up to my tack shed to get one, but decided I was going to check on my chickens first. Their area was so muddy, I let them out.

While I was doing this, KN called. She and RU went to the hay auction in her Pathfinder instead of RU's truck and trailer. And, they got 50 bales of hay. So, they called to tell me to bring the truck and trailer. B4 I left, I needed to put my stuff away, and tried my idea. It worked! So, I took the truck over, helped load the hay, then KN drove back to the farm. I wish I hadn't had to go over. I got the section of fence I was working on done quickly, but didn't have time to completely cover it w/dirt.

Once I got home, I worked in the garden some. It didn't get dark until around 5:00, so I was able to work for quite a while. I now have about 1/3 of the area done. And, they're not calling for anymore rain until after dark tomorrow. So, I'll work more on it tomorrow.

I've checked the long range forecast, and if they're right, I should be able to finally get everything done. They're not calling for any rain or snow after tomorrow night for over a week. And while it's going to be colder, it's not going to be bitter. So, I should finally be able to get all done.

 

[Denim Deb]

I forgot to set my alarm clock, so I overslept! And, my belly hurts. I'm hoping it's just from all the bending I've been doing, and nothing else. I have too much to do to get sick. It's not raining today so I'm hoping to get a lot done. I need to clean the kitchen and put away laundry. Then I'll head to the store to get the hinges I need then head to the farm. I'm going to spend as much time as I can working on this fence. I doubt I'll get it all done today, but it's not supposed to rain tomorrow either. So, by the time I leave tomorrow, I should have my chickens down back! Then, over the weekend, I'll finally be able to make the goat/chicken house, and get those birds home. Then on Tuesday, I can round up the rest of them and take them to auction. That will help make my life less complicated!

 

[Mini Horses]

A friend who lives in FL -- lot of SAND -- used a heavy tarpish piece of rubber on a section of ground where she put the hay at each feeding. Said it was easy to sweep off & helped keep them from getting the sand when they ate. Similar to the plywood.
If Stormy is a "dumper", an old tire with the feeder in center may help.

They said last week our rain would be over now -- they lied. It's another 2 days now. I am supposed to take a trailer for a load of non-saleable produce late day....of course, will be raining. Hate that. But, need the feed for the chickens & hogs.

 

[Denim Deb]

It was supposed to clear up some today. It didn't. It was cloudy all day long. It is a muddy mess out at the farm! I got more done, but it took longer than I wanted. The one section of the pen is still a bit low, so that made it a bit hard to get the hardware cloth attached. But, the back is now all attached. And, I got more of the dirt covering the hardware cloth. Plus, I got another section of the fence up. Then, I went and got my hinges. So, tomorrow I should get the pen all done!