Quail_Antwerp: Words from the Barnyard...

[Quail_Antwerp]

I get on the "Summer Schedule" up at 5:30 - get busy. Nap at noon. Then up to cook dinner and evening chores. I even had the kids on the schedule when they were little. Back then we had nap mats set up in the basement family room so we could sleep where it was dark and cool after lunch.

We talked about doing this - up at the butt crack of dawn, run out do farm chores or "special" farm jobs that need doing and be done before the heat of the day - and back out in the evening for more chores.

Right now, we're usually not getting up until between 7 am or 8 am - and that depends on IF E gets to sleep before 5 am, since he usually tosses all night. Then it's coffee and off to do morning chicken chores.

sigh. I need a better schedule.

And I DID bring the Coronation Split Sussex home - I ended up with 2 pairs instead of a trio. I'm super excited about these birds - but it means A LOT of hatching on my part to get the Coronation chicks. The chicks I'll get from these pairs will be 25% coronation, 25% Light Sussex, and 50% splits.

Coronation Sussex are basically a Columbian pattern, but lavender instead of black markings. bluepoultry.com has BEAUTIFUL pictures of Coronation Sussex - but he wants $25 per day old chick!

I sold my entire flock of Welsummers today, a trio of BLRW from my original flock and then another young pair of BLRW. I also sold all of my Mille Fleur d'Uccles that I took and the 25 cent chicks from the auction barn. I sold 4 muscovy ducklings and two lop rabbits as well. Oh and I also sold a black rosecomb bantam cochin.

The ONLY birds I bought were the 4 Coronation Split Sussex. *beams from ear to ear* I was a very good girl - but these Sussex had better be worth it!

I also made some new customer connections (one lady is interested in getting some Large Fowl Gold Laced Cochins from me next year) and met another BYC'er who I think will become a GOOD friend!!

It was a good, but long day.

Two days without kids was pretty nice, too! But, the kids are home now so that bubble has burst - LOL

 

[Farmfresh]

What is this nap thing you talk about??

From the Wikipedia ....

" Nap = A nap is a short period of sleep, usually in the daytime. Naps may be taken when one becomes drowsy during the day or as a traditional daily practice."

Try it - you will like it!

 

[Henrietta23]

Coronation Sussex are basically a Columbian pattern, but lavender instead of black markings. bluepoultry.com has BEAUTIFUL pictures of Coronation Sussex - but he wants $25 per day old chick!

I found pics on feathersite. They are really pretty! I love the Columbian pattern anyway, and in the lavender it's beautiful. I'll look at the bluepoultry site too. Congrats on getting them!

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

It's a nice cool day, so we're taking advantage of the nice weather to do some deep cleaning on the pens outside.

Also re-doing the pasture fence - taking down the awful looking wood boards and putting up cattle panels. It's looking much neater.

We're in the house for a lunch break, and then it's back outside to work work work.

Yesterday I fixed up a little coop and run for my Coronation Split Sussex. They most certainly loved the little grassy run area provided them.

We're also mapping out an area for a pastured pen for my Sebastopol geese. Free ranging geese here is NOT so good for my kids' play area! :/ And if you accidentally step on a goose pile, you'll go sliding across the yard like your foot just slipped in axle grease!

I'm thinking of bottling the goose poo and selling it as "Greased Lightning" because, boy, it sure works to send you spiraling out of control, face first into the dirt! - or into another pile -

We've also contracted with a local Amish man to log some of our trees. Should give us a little more money towards moving of the new(er) house and hooking up the water.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Yesterday was a long, full, but enjoyable day. We had to go sign contracts with the local Amish guy who's going to log our 2.1 acres of woods and our back fence line. We're going to be paid a nice little sum, which will make it so we only have to sell ONE steer, not two, to pay for the moving of the new house.

Well, we can never just go and leave, we always end up talking for half of forever with this guy - as he and his wife are super nice! We had delivered 5 muscovy ducklings because last week he had said he'd like to get 4 or 5 ducklings. We need Boss de-horned before sale, and so we traded the 5 ducklings to the Amish and he's going to come out tomorrow and de-horn Boss.

We get into talking about how E and I do a lot of things the same way the Amish do (we mean by hand, no tractors, machines, etc) and he was really surprised that we don't own a tractor LOL I told him I was hoping to one day get a horse that's broke to ride and drive and a buggy or cart so that if there's a time when we don't have a car, we can still get places.

I've never heard an Amish man laugh so loudly!!! I don't think he thought I was serious at first, but then we started asking him how much buggies and/or carts are - and his expression was priceless!

When he realized we were serious he said, "I have just what you need! A half linger, about 16 years old, broke to ride, drive, and he's been used in the field to pull a plow."

'Course, I wasn't sure how E would feel about it, because he hates horses, but the guy told E, "This horse is used to working. With the proper harness, you can use the horse to pull out the fence posts and logs that you cut for firewood out of the woods across the way."

That's all it took to convince E, because there's a lot he cannot do now since his back surgery - and it will mean no more flipping fence posts up the hill for me!

So, tomorrow we're going to go look at the half linger, and see if he's something we're interested in. He's also offered to go with us to Mt. Hope when we're ready, and help us pick out a decent, used buggy or cart - which ever we want to get. We told him we'd probably not be in a position to get a cart or buggy until spring, and he said that's fine just let him know when we're ready! LOL

He's also offered to bring the half linger over when they come to do the logging, and let him stay in our pasture for a week or so to give us time to see him, ride him, work with him, etc. to see how we'll like him. He said if we like him, and want him, then he'd just leave him and we can pay for him when we have the money.

This is the same Amish guy I bought Blessing from back in February.

Last night, he tried to sell us a 1/2 boer 1/2 nubian doeling and a gorgeous holstein heifer. E was dragging me out of the barn, saying No no no no! LOL

We might still get the doeling, but we talked to him about waiting until our big goat pasture is done. He was fine with that. We plan to fence off the 2.1 acres that's being logged for our goat field. Build a small barn, and raise meat goats - but allowing for 1 dairy goat that I can milk.

Oh, and his dad knows how to hook up well pumps and plumping, so as soon as we have the pump and the last little bit that we need to get it hooked up, they will come and help us!

This whole week has just been fabulous, and full of good news for us, and it's only Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[pioneergirl]

I just want to say I am soooo jealous!! I too am looking for either a team or even just one draft horse to use for plowing, driving, and riding. There is a local community of Amish here, and my one contact there moved away, however I met his second cousin yesterday, so I'm working that as well.

How cool for you that this will all be cheaper and more efficient! You'll have to post pics of the halflinger at work!!

 

[lorihadams]

I'm so excited for you! I wish we could find someone like that here! I'm just glad that we don't have to pull up fence posts here!

I can't wait to see pics of the halflinger!!!

 

[Wifezilla]

LOLOLOL

OMG...I am surprised E lets you leave the property

 

[BeccaOH]

LOLOLOL

OMG...I am surprised E lets you leave the property

Ain't that the truth.

 

[rty007]

OMG...I am surprised E lets you leave the property

Well.. reading some posts by QA, I am pretty sure it is her, who wears the pants in that family