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Showing posts with label barn cleaning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barn cleaning. Show all posts

Monday, July 30, 2007

That secret road trip, thrifting find, poultry update

As I mentioned previously, we made a trip to view some land. The land turned out to not be for us. There is a 1/2 acre flat area about 50 feet higher then the other 6 1/2 acres. The lower acreage flooded last year which does not make me feel good. Having a barn with poultry, goats, and cattle down there to chance is not what we want. We LOVED the area and am determined that is where we will buy. Land is cheap there, which means we can have our 10 acres (or more), the big 4 bedroom house, a nice barn and a decent greenhouse and not have to struggle. The realtor had her friend (who lived a mile down the road and had a hottie for a husband) meet us at the property. She was better able to tell us about the community, the school and even better first hand about the property. They drive by it every day. That is how we found out that last year, the entire bottom acreage flooded at least 1/2 a foot deep. We will continue to work with this realtor in our search. We are determined to buy before winter in that school district.

Stopped off at the thrift store for some kitchen towels- they alsway have those great waffle cloth kind for 50 cents- and I never leave without a look in the kitchen aisle. I keep my eyes open for big stainless steel bowls, possible cheese mold items, vintage picnic supplies or great old fashioned but in great shape kitchen ware. i am still looking for those old wooden box bottomed coffee grinders. I did spot one today but they priced it at $8. Just too pricey in my opinion for something that may not work. but I did find a great partner to my old picnic basket- which needs to have a few repairs on the edges.
A vintage jug thermos! The tag was in mint condition till the soapy water washed over it. DARN! Oh well, at least the jug is in mint condition inside and out. Just look at that aluminum handle. Not a speck of rust or discoloration. The lid untwists to reveal a small cup inside. Lift off the cup and the rim is wide enough for a soup ladle! Perfect for those fall outing picnics and I want to bring along some soup- some like that wild rice and sausage recipe I made last fall.
This just gives me another excuse to make another one of those picnic cloth sets-complete with a bib for Frog. One set with green, yellow, and tan colors to match my picnic set above.
The Muscovy ducklings are growing fast. There are 2 that are half the size of the other 14. Yes, that would be 16 total since another duck in my care has drowned in 4 inches of water... Poor thing must have got in and could not find its way out before the cold night came. So I moved the pool to a spot where it is on a slope . It puts the water in half while the other half is dry. They have steps to get in and out just to be safe.
Since we did the road trip this last weekend, I had to clean out the goat cabin, weed a 1/4 of the garden- since it has been wet for 2 weeks increasing their size like steroids, and visit the feed store for Chicken food. Those broilers are not at the size they should be by now. its my fault. I did not want a bunch of dead chickens due to all that eating, so I thought if I slowed them down some, it would increase their vitality and keep deaths at a minimum. Wrong. We are still down to 9 out of 15. So it goes to show, next time I will let them suck up all the food they want and not feel guilty. But D***, they eat alot despite my rationing. They are scheduled to go to freezer camp on the 20th. I hope I do not have to bump it up a few weeks. I want some fresh chicken for the captains birthday. Which is no longer a toga party. Too many people will be out of town, so maybe next year.
Enough rambling. Off to bed with you!
Sweet dreams,
~Tammie

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Spring cleaning & O.k,!! I get it already....

Disclaimer** no animals were hurt while taking these photos. Mentally scarred, but physically sound.**

Today was filled with cleaning out that Goat cabin. I experimented with the "layering system" this last winter and I will never do it again. A good 2 feet deep hay/straw tightly compacted that was soaked in big spots. Must have froze during th winter because the smell did not start till I got a foot deep today. gag....cough.... hold breath for a scoop... run quickly out... and breath in fresh air.....
It felt wonderful to get it all done. I had so much of it and I knew it had to be spread out to dry before I attempt to compost since the ammonia smell was so bad. Funny thing. I have sat down in there (on a board placed on the hay) with them and could not smell it until I got past the 1 foot deep layer. That second 1 foot layer must have held it in real well.So here it is all spread out to dry in the sun. (today hit 50F and the sun made it enjoyable!)
Yes. that would be the pile of pine trees ( in the back) we have yet to do anything with. Great ideas and dreams but our time is not so creative lately.
The weather seemed to have an effect on everyone around. On the right you have Lady Chia browsing away while I make her home all clean. She must be on a line since it is a weekday-I prefer no more visits from zoning, thank you. To the left we have one very desperate muscovy drake Clyde... That would be Mrs. Turken he is being rather amorous with. Below is a close up- when I walked out I did not know whether to stare in fascination of the odd couple or to laugh my butt off. I keep the camera with me so snapped a few shots to share the Spring Love. Don't worry. I did chase him away from her. He waddled his way back to her so i picked him up and held him down to the ground whispering how the chicks/ducklings would be the freaks of the neighborhood. Could you imaginge- if it were even possible-which I think it is not. A bare neck chick with the puffy red Muscovy "mask". How frankenstein would that be?!
He appeared to have calmed his mood and waddled to the pen to watch me muck out their home. Otherwise today was uneventful. Maybe this week I can squeeze some extra money from the tree and head down to the auction house to buy Clyde yet another wife. He best hold on to this one or he will just have to be happy with a goat as his companion. You don't think he would try to mate something that big do ya?.... (LOL)
Sunny dreams,
Tammie

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