Farm Update III

I'm not sure what else to call it other than Farm Update III, but it's a little list of what we have accomplished over the last month (May). While some of you are in awe and others could care less. For me, it's motivation. I get to go back through my month and there is just something amazing about writing down all those things we've accomplished.

For those of you without a farm, I am guessing your days are filled chock full, just differently. We've definitely slacked on things like getting involved with groups - or really, even friends. While that may sound a little sad, there is definitely a "honeymoon" of sorts going on here. It's really the only way to describe the feelings of sheer joy and excitement when we think of something new to do here. Even more so when we complete a project. Which leads me to "The List"...

May saw the completion, finally, of the visiting barn. Not so much of a visiting barn right now, but that is what we have planned for it.
New paddocks

Krystall was weaned off all her medications and we're holding our breath to see what will happen.

We picked up Lochlann and Roxanne. What a whirlwind of a trip! Actually, it was my Mother's Day present; Scott made the trip there and back for me.

We pulled out about 3 miles of fencing. Barbed wire (a vets way to put their kids through college ;) ) and high tensile wire, both 2 and 3 strand wire. Oh my is that stuff hard to control.

Perimeter fencing

The main, large pasture (approx 6 acres) was mowed again and then we put the disc on it. We're going to try the more environmentally friendly way to take care of annual weed - keep tilling them under so the plants eventually don't get to seed stage and there will be nothing will grow back.

Looking into sheep breeds and importing from the UK. Unfortunately, you cannot bring live animals in...

We built a pastured poultry pen for our new hens. 

We have things growing in our garden.

Farm Update II

We've slowed down a little this last month since Scott started working off the farm more. We've been more focused on outdoor stuff - the house is pretty much done - the bathroom will need to be completely gutted and re-done, but we'll safe that for a winter project. We still did get some house things done though, including ...

Re-painted a bench for the kitchen that Scott's dad had made for us
Finished re-upholstering the kitchen chairs (love them!)
Put together some Ready to Assemble furniture ... a new, larger desk (man that was heavy!) and a matching printer/electronic station and a comfy new office chair.

Towards the end of April we saw weather warm into the 80s and 90s for just a bit. Unseasonably warm, but we are sure enjoying drying out.

The Visiting Barn got a lot of work this month ...
We added more bracing to fully support the roof
New stall front openings and doors were made and a couple installed
We added a little landscaping to the North side of the building
Completely rebuilt the south wall along the barn
It still needs paint - it's gonna be pretty! - new, longer paddocks and the roof panels to be re-aligned. Maybe next month it will be finished...





Ended up with a sick horse that was not only in pain and extremely itchy, but also causing heart ache and trauma for us as well. If you missed Krystall's story, you can read it here. Still no good resolution.

Lochlann - what a bull

BOUGHT OUR FIRST COWS! Lochlann and Roxanne, our new (and long awaited) Irish Dexter cattle!


The Breeding Barn got:
  a couple extra tons of hay :)
  foaling stalls were stripped and actually had horses in them (happy horses with 14x24 stalls)
  all the ugly, black plastic covering the windows was taken down - Sunshine in!

The stallion paddock was finished. The shelter and panels were there, but it was an ugly, weedy mess not fit for anything other than maybe a goat that likes dry, pokey weeds.
And then OLE ARRIVED to use his new paddock!
And he arrived with WHR Beylah. Once again, we have an Erlend daughter for our breeding program.

Beylah, like most Fjords, thinks she belongs inside your back pocket. Here she is "working with" Scott.

Created an herb garden by the house
Built 4 raised beds for the garden area
Started the summer garden with tomatoes, basil, cabbage, beans, corn, lettuce, mint, parsley, cilantro, 
Planted 7 fruit trees (3 apple, 2 plums and 2 pears)!! I see pear buds but no plums. Apples are just finishing their flowering.
Installed our first row of our Vertical Garden. I've been planning this for over 2 years now! Organically raised strawberries coming soon.


Sprayed for those nasty, goat head weeds. Yes, we resorted to using chemicals for those nasty things. This will NOT be a regular occurrence on our farm though. With at least a year - maybe up to 3 or 4 years - worth of weeds and neglect, this one time application was the best option for the field.
Had a tractor malfunction, which set back a few projects by a week.
Irrigation!! We went in with one of our neighbors and purchased enough irrigation pipe to get water to part of our property ...

We had a few homeschool playgroups and field trips with the boys (lots of other boys too!)
Had an amazing visit from my dearest girlfriend back in the Seattle area- thank you Kristi P. for coming to visit the new farm!!
And then made a trip back to Seattle for a doctor appointment, work on our farm there and some COW shopping.