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- #1,491
justusnak
Almost Self-Reliant
So, like everyone in these parts,,, we have been hit hard by all the rain. Im not sure of the official ammounts...but im sure..it is LOTS! Jeesh! Everything here is very unhappy....I think even the DUCKS are done with all the rain!
Monday morning I went out to feed..the sheep were standing outside...in the rain. :/ NOT a good sign. So, I made my way to the barn...to see this.
There was at least 2 inches of water in the barn.
It had no place to go! I was just about in tears. Everything in there was wet, and ruined. I grabbed the feed bowls..and cleaned them out really well, and fed everyone an extra helping of grains..to make up for me being a terrible herdswoman. Then...I got angry. I was NOT going to let my babies get sick from all this water...I got on the phone and found someone to deliver crushed limestone that day. He said he could be here in about 3 hrs. WHOAH! I had MY job cut out for me. So I head to the shop, get the wheelbarrow...shovels, pitchfork...and I got busy. I took everything out of the barn, removed stall gates/doors...threw out wet hay and straw...I slopped around in goat/sheep poo soup for about 3 hours. Hubby came out when I was finishing up, and helped remove the last few items I could not lift. I called the neighbor, and asked her if she wanted to make a few dollars...once the crushed lime was here. She of course said yes. She was canning her green beans..so I was to call her when it was delivered. We waited about 30 minutes...then it came. 15 TONS of crushed limestone. I didn't get a picture of the pile..it was HUGH.. we just wanted to get started quickly. So the neighbor came over and we started throwing it in the barn. Hubby had to go to work, so he only helped about 20 minutes. He reccomended I get a tarp to cover it, because the coming rain would pack it down. Cover what!?? I planned to get ALL of this in the barn before the rain! He laughed, and said..." there is a large tarp in the garage." MEN!! He has NO IDEA just how determined I am to get this done! So, he heads off to work....and th eneighbor and I are tearing into this HUGH pile. It was sooo hot and humid. In the 90's with humidity to match! So I get on the phone again, and text the girl down the road. She has worked for me before. I asked if she wanted to make some money, she of course said yes..and I told her to grab her friend. We need all the help we can get. A few minutes later...here come the help! 2 - 14 yr old girls in boots! WOOHOO!! They immediately dig in...shovels are flyin....wheel barrows are rolling...the pile is getting smaller. It took the 4 of us 2 and a half hours....but we got it moved. There were plenty water breaks..and rest times...but, we was able to get about 6 inches of it in the barn!! About 4:30 I realised I needed to get to the bank, to pay my hard workers...so the neighbor lady and I went to town. I told the girls...just to make sure there was enoughed moved inside to get the big doors closed as we had ANOTHER severe T storm warning. SO I rushed into town, got some cash and gas, then treated the girls to MC Donalds. Double cheeseburgers, fries and a coke. When we got home, I was surprised to see the barn doors closed, and the animals inside. Those girls finished up the limestone...replaced all the stall doors and gates, and let the animals inside! 
BUT, they were gone.!! So my neighbor texted them and told them to come back!! They get to my house, thinking I was just going to pay them and send them on thier way...I asked them to come inside. It was so nice and cool in the house...and they had dinner waiting. I have never seen 2 little girls eat so fast! I kept telling them to slow down...but it was too late...the food was gone! LOL I gave them each $15, and sent them home. They kept saying "thank you" I felt guilty! Those girls woekd hard, and was thanking ME! I told them, dont thank me, I thanked them!
I have decided to NOT put straw in the barn dureing the summer months. The limestone is cool, and will help keep the animals cooler. This weekend I will get some AG lime, and make a white wash, for the inside. There is still a pretty good size pile of limestone in the driveway of the barn, hubby and I will move it to the house drive, and fill in a few potholes.
As for the garden... Everythinf is wilting. The peppers and tomatoes are hanging pretty sad. The green beans are starting to yellow...and the corn is only 2 inches tall. I fear the garden will be a total loss. It might be too late to start over...so I might have to BUY the produce to put up this year. What a bummer!!!! My neighbors fathers garden is doing well...and she already picked 10 gallons of green beans! She was kind to me and brought me some to can. She said I owe her...LOL, and that I will have to help her pick next week. Oh, I dont have a problem with that! I know I will get some beans for myself as well. HOPEING the tomatoe plants I put in the other garden will make it. Looks like it might be a meager garden year for us.
I hope this rain decides to give us a break....im tired of wet feet...and humid days.
Monday morning I went out to feed..the sheep were standing outside...in the rain. :/ NOT a good sign. So, I made my way to the barn...to see this.
There was at least 2 inches of water in the barn.
It had no place to go! I was just about in tears. Everything in there was wet, and ruined. I grabbed the feed bowls..and cleaned them out really well, and fed everyone an extra helping of grains..to make up for me being a terrible herdswoman. Then...I got angry. I was NOT going to let my babies get sick from all this water...I got on the phone and found someone to deliver crushed limestone that day. He said he could be here in about 3 hrs. WHOAH! I had MY job cut out for me. So I head to the shop, get the wheelbarrow...shovels, pitchfork...and I got busy. I took everything out of the barn, removed stall gates/doors...threw out wet hay and straw...I slopped around in goat/sheep poo soup for about 3 hours. Hubby came out when I was finishing up, and helped remove the last few items I could not lift. I called the neighbor, and asked her if she wanted to make a few dollars...once the crushed lime was here. She of course said yes. She was canning her green beans..so I was to call her when it was delivered. We waited about 30 minutes...then it came. 15 TONS of crushed limestone. I didn't get a picture of the pile..it was HUGH.. we just wanted to get started quickly. So the neighbor came over and we started throwing it in the barn. Hubby had to go to work, so he only helped about 20 minutes. He reccomended I get a tarp to cover it, because the coming rain would pack it down. Cover what!?? I planned to get ALL of this in the barn before the rain! He laughed, and said..." there is a large tarp in the garage." MEN!! He has NO IDEA just how determined I am to get this done! So, he heads off to work....and th eneighbor and I are tearing into this HUGH pile. It was sooo hot and humid. In the 90's with humidity to match! So I get on the phone again, and text the girl down the road. She has worked for me before. I asked if she wanted to make some money, she of course said yes..and I told her to grab her friend. We need all the help we can get. A few minutes later...here come the help! 2 - 14 yr old girls in boots! WOOHOO!! They immediately dig in...shovels are flyin....wheel barrows are rolling...the pile is getting smaller. It took the 4 of us 2 and a half hours....but we got it moved. There were plenty water breaks..and rest times...but, we was able to get about 6 inches of it in the barn!! About 4:30 I realised I needed to get to the bank, to pay my hard workers...so the neighbor lady and I went to town. I told the girls...just to make sure there was enoughed moved inside to get the big doors closed as we had ANOTHER severe T storm warning. SO I rushed into town, got some cash and gas, then treated the girls to MC Donalds. Double cheeseburgers, fries and a coke. When we got home, I was surprised to see the barn doors closed, and the animals inside. Those girls finished up the limestone...replaced all the stall doors and gates, and let the animals inside! BUT, they were gone.!! So my neighbor texted them and told them to come back!! They get to my house, thinking I was just going to pay them and send them on thier way...I asked them to come inside. It was so nice and cool in the house...and they had dinner waiting. I have never seen 2 little girls eat so fast! I kept telling them to slow down...but it was too late...the food was gone! LOL I gave them each $15, and sent them home. They kept saying "thank you" I felt guilty! Those girls woekd hard, and was thanking ME! I told them, dont thank me, I thanked them! I have decided to NOT put straw in the barn dureing the summer months. The limestone is cool, and will help keep the animals cooler. This weekend I will get some AG lime, and make a white wash, for the inside. There is still a pretty good size pile of limestone in the driveway of the barn, hubby and I will move it to the house drive, and fill in a few potholes.
As for the garden...
Everythinf is wilting. The peppers and tomatoes are hanging pretty sad. The green beans are starting to yellow...and the corn is only 2 inches tall. I fear the garden will be a total loss. It might be too late to start over...so I might have to BUY the produce to put up this year. What a bummer!!!! My neighbors fathers garden is doing well...and she already picked 10 gallons of green beans! She was kind to me and brought me some to can. She said I owe her...LOL, and that I will have to help her pick next week. Oh, I dont have a problem with that! I know I will get some beans for myself as well. HOPEING the tomatoe plants I put in the other garden will make it. Looks like it might be a meager garden year for us. I hope this rain decides to give us a break....im tired of wet feet...and humid days.
