Tag Archives: daily farm adventures

Snakes, Bluebirds, and Dirt Bikes…the Daily Farm Adventures {129}

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The farm is busy with Spring, spring, spring these days! We’ve been working in the yard, starting the garden, and cleaning up the winter compost piles in the weekend sunshine lately. The tractor blew a hydraulic hose and was stuck in the field for a few days. The worst part was that Coal was right there at the fence line with me, opening the gates, and got sprayed too. He wasn’t hurt, but I don’t like using dish soap to wash the dogs that was the only way I knew … Continue Reading…

All the Seasons in One Week…the Daily Farm Adventures {128}

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Ah, Spring in Virginia…when you get all the seasons of the year in a week. Every week. For 2-3 months. One day it’s sunny and 70, the next it’s rainy and 40. We had snow flurries overnight, and then tee-shirt weather 48 hours later. Crazy. But the green is starting to haze the fields and the irises and daffodils are coming up. Even the daylilies are starting to poke through. The crew got dirt bikes for Christmas, so I’ve got one that’s been out hitting the mud every time the … Continue Reading…

Football, Fairgrounds, and Finding Lost Socks…the Daily Farm Adventures {125}

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Fall is in high gear around here. The sheep are moving into breeding season and doing all kinds of crazy, unpredictable things like getting stuck upside down on the compost pile and accidentally locking themselves in the chicken house while trying to steal chicken food. We’ve been checking on them more than normal lately to try and keep up with their shennanigans. Football and Volleyball season are also rolling along for our two oldest and this week we also had the local county fair going on. The Ladybug is in … Continue Reading…

There was this Girl Farmer…the Daily Farm Adventures {101}

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I was walking down the alley with the dogs yesterday evening and ran into this girl… She was tall, and slim, and wearing a well-worn pair of muck boots like she knew something about the business of mud. Her barn coat was a little rough around the edges and shrugged comfortably across her shoulders as she warmed her hands in her pockets. Her scarf was set just so, casual and deliberate, just so to warm and breath, and there was a rosiness to her cheeks that suggested she knew the winter evening … Continue Reading…

Sign of the Beaver…the Daily Farm Adventures {103}

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No, not the book by Elizabeth George Speare (although we like that too!). I’m talking about the real thing. Brown. Wet. Big flat tail. Makes ponds where there should be no pond. Beavers. He was here… And here… We’ve got beaver problems at the tree farm. We’re not immediately ones to campaign against the local wildlife. We try to have a live-and-let-live philosophy. We only target wildlife that is specifically damaging our resources. For example, we know there’s coyotes around here–but none have ever bothered our stock, so we don’t mind sharing … Continue Reading…

Washing the Dogs…the Daily Farm Adventures {114}

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Our dogs live in the house with us. That means they both have to be reasonably clean and neat and not smell like they rolled in dead animal or cow patties on a regular basis. It’s been known to present it’s own set of challenges. {smile} Both the four-feets were pretty wiffy after a walk the other day, and I traced it back to some very stiff, suspiciously smelly sections of their neck and chest. If you’ve ever seen a dog roll intentionally in a pile of mess, you know … Continue Reading…

Spring Break, Stitches, and Sunshine…the Daily Farm Adventures {110}

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We kicked off Spring Break with a trip to the ER. Speedracer had a playground accident at school and needed six stitches.   I was pretty traumatized by the whole thing. He was fine. {smile} Mr. Fix-It ended up picking him up from school and taking him to the doctor because I was in training for work when the call came through. I think everyone probably preferred it that way (except me) because my husband tends to be cool as a cucumber about these things while I tend to spend … Continue Reading…

Building, Rebuilding, and Getting Dirty…the Daily Farm Adventures {109}

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Thank goodness after a long round of antibiotics and other meds Mr. Fix-It and I are feeling better. Not great. Not quite back to normal. But definitely better. Because Spring is in full swing around here and there’s just no time to be laying around in bed! The Dodge has been in pieces in the garage for weeks now and that situation had to be corrected. First we had to take it apart to figure out what was broken. Then we had to find and order the parts–from Montana of … Continue Reading…

Garage Girls and Farm Trucks…the Daily Farm Adventures {106}

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My Dad fixed all our cars. He was capable and, honestly, we couldn’t afford a mechanic for everything. And I spent a lot of “garage” time with him, although he didn’t have a garage when I was growing up and we were actually spending time in the driveway–occasionally under a tarp. {smile} He taught me more then just how to check my oil, although I was never a natural mechanic like he and my husband are. But I know my way around a toolbox and, with direction, have been involved … Continue Reading…

Hauling Water, and Cold Farm Kids…the Daily Farm Adventures {100}

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We had an interesting situation this last two weeks. Last Sunday we suddenly got snow while we were in church and everything’s been pretty much frozen or just barely above freezing since. This makes doing winter chores a little (sometimes a lot!) less fun. It’s the same work, but it’s colder. {smile} Your hands are stiff or your gloves are in the way…gate latches are frozen and have to be thawed or busted open…and you’re wearing 27 layers of bulky clothes every time you try to move! The really difficult … Continue Reading…

When the Weather is Gorgeous…the Daily Farm Adventures {90}

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After a steamy week in the 100s, the summer has cooled off again and this past weekend was gorgeous! Beautiful! Sunny, high 80s, Virginia hot but not humid! At least not that we noticed, we have a higher tolerance than some folks. {smile} So naturally we got a lot of outside work done. We weeded and mulched all the flower beds. (And noticed a few spots that need a little more TLC.) We scrubbed and filled water buckets for everyone. (And enjoyed a few minutes just admiring the cows.) We … Continue Reading…

5 Basic Chicken Supplies…the Daily Farm Adventures {59}

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We got a lot of rain this weekend. Apparently we needed it, because several hours of rain didn’t even leave us with much mud. It all soaked right in. Most of the animals are pretty self-sufficient right now, since the grass has finally come in strong. We just keep an eye on them and keep the water buckets filled. The chickens take up the most of chore time right now. We have several pens of several different age-groups scattered around the fields. Most of chore time is spent in walking … Continue Reading…

A New Chicken House…the Daily Farm Adventures {74}

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Well, I said was interested in talking about the real costs of raising your own meat, or owning a small farm…and here’s one now. {smile} My fellas are working on a new, hoop-house style chicken house–made of pieces of a greenhouse we salvaged from a friend. This is a pretty big undertaking and a new design–which is part of what Mr. Fix-It enjoys about farming. The creative, creating, problem-solving stuff. He enjoys re-inventing the wheel because there’s always the possibility of doing it better. {smile} We’re building a new house … Continue Reading…

Working Sheep, Stuck Trucks, and Snow…the Daily Farm Adventures {99}

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It’s been a rough couple weeks since Christmas break ended. Speedracer has been battling dual ear infections, which means he can’t sleep, which means we can’t sleep…and we’ve just had a string of maintenance issues around here. Friday morning I started my Lee-Jackson-King 4-day weekend by waiting on the side of the road with Mr. Fix-It (who doesn’t get a 4-day weekend–or even have today off!). There was a prescribed burn at the tree farm on Thursday so Mr. Fix-It was back over there picking up the roadside caution signs … Continue Reading…

Dogs, Bugs, and Muddy Ponds…the Daily Farm Adventures {91}

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How do farm kids and farm dogs spend the hot, dirty Virginia summers? Playing outside getting hotter and dirtier! {smile} When I finally got tired of this… And this… And this… We headed out for a walk. I needed a break by then anyway. Cleaning floors in our house is almost more futile than doing laundry or dishes. I don’t even get a one day reprieve. {sigh} So I took a break to get some fresh air with the dogs. Along the way we made sure to get pictures of this… And … Continue Reading…