Playing catch up.

I really have been working on the farm.  I realize the blog doesn't reflect any forward momentum but we have had computer issues.  I am now on an iPad, and the learning curve is steep for me.  I still don't know how to get pictures on the blog now without taking them from the pad camera.  Typing Is not easy for me either, thinking I may have to get a keyboard.

I however do know I have been doing lots of work on the farm even if it is not getting documented.  I mowed a second time around the house in an attempt to stifle the cheatgrass.  Since, I was on the mower I decided to mow the upper bottom fence rows.  I want to do some fencing up there next year but the weeds and grass form an almost impenetrable barrier near the fence.  I maneuvered the tractor into position and fired up the mower.  It chewed down 4-5 foot tall weeds and grass!  There were a couple of places were the hillside was just too steep on one side to get the tractor in place without tipping it over.  I don't want to have to make that help call, "I'm trapped and I cannot get out".  I would carry that infamy with me forever.  Besides the tractor is newer (has a dent and horse teeth marks already so it is no longer new) and I do not want to be the cause of further permanent damage.

I spotted multiple deer, some white tail and muley both.  I had not seen any white tail on the place last year so I thought they were gone.  Badger holes are all over the place.  I found over ten holes throughout the property.  I would lower the front bucket in an attempt to find the large rocks before hitting them with the mower.  I found another horse drawn plow hidden in the tall grass.  It stopped the tractor.  I almost passed out from heat and effort before I dragged it up the hillside far enough out of the way to mow past.  These mowed areas only leave a small weedy patch next to the fence which I can safely burn out next spring or winter.  My fire season is over already, not enough rain to burn any more.  Burning the farm down is not a good thing.

I started back in on the fencing yesterday.  I went down by four corners and emptied out a rock crib to move it so it lined up with the two fences I need to repair.  After I emptied it and started to move it it started to fall apart.  I moved it and rebuilt it and filled it back up.  Oh those rocks are heavy!  I fixed a fifteen foot section of fence and the gate into the CRP.  Now I need to go down near the creek and willow tree to fix another rock crib.  That one is the corner for the long side along the creek and CRP.  It is on a hillside under some large tree branches so it is going to be difficult to work on.  Once that is done I will get that whole chunk restrung then go down to four corners and rebuild the whole corner section.  I tightened the smooth wire fence that runs in front of the school house last week.  I have a couple of staples to put in to finish that run.  The fence hums now when you hit it.  I like the whole high tension wire but it is $25-35 for the hardware for each wire and I need at least six strands.  The wire has to be contiguous and at least a quarter mile long to be effective according to most fencing articles I have read.

The cows are doing great.  We still only have two baby cows, with one still pending.  Both the new baby boys have been banded and tagged using the new cow tags, salmon colored #1 and #2.  One of the calves only had one testicle, verified by three different people.  So now we will see if we are right in a few months.

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