Tag Archives: trucks and tractors

How to Use Google Calendar for Farm and Home Maintenance Records

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So, in the crazy-busy season of summer holidays and all the end-of-school “festivities” (annual testing, awards ceremonies, field days, summer camp registrations, etc.) I’m reminded again how glad I am that we’ve worked out a maintenance record-keeping system that is quick, easy, and efficient when I don’t have the time (or inclination) to go through the piles of paperwork that need filing in our home office. We’ve developed a system for using Google Calendar to track certain important information and events in our farm management–backed up by paper and digital records–so … Continue Reading…

The Homestead Garage…More Than Duct Tape and Baling Twine

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This is our second weekend with the Hemi in a bazillion pieces in the garage while we work on the exhaust. It started as a loose exhaust manifold heat shield. Turned out the shield was messed up from a couple broken bolts in the actual manifold. So we order the bolts, a new gasket, and started taking it apart–only to realize the whole exhaust is just rusted to dust and the tailpipe bracket broke off while we were taking it down. Sigh So we had to order more parts and … Continue Reading…

The Dollars and Cents of Starting a Small Farm

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My post a few weeks ago, when I said that raising your own meat is not really “frugal”, got an interesting response. A lot of folks agreed, and said farming is not cheap. Some readers disagreed and said that “frugal” and “cheap” are not the same thing and that the long-term, intangible benefits make it a frugal choice regardless of the up-front costs. The idea of quality vs quantity. {shrug} I think both are right. It’s expensive, but it has priceless long-term benefits–they’re just not monetary. And obviously, we agree … 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…

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…

Spring Fence Work and Fence Maintenance Supplies for the Small Farm

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One of the things good spring weather means is that outside farm repairs can get going again. While I was moving lambs last weekend, Mr. Fix-It and Speedracer were fixing and replacing fence posts and adjusting gates. Some of our woven-wire fence is in bad shape these days. Cows and horses are tall enough to reach over and get grass on the other side. When they leannnned on it, it sagged. Running a strip of electric around the top will fix this problem, but we caught on a bit late … Continue Reading…

Is Raising Your Own Meat Really Frugal?

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I read an article recently about how much it costs to run a small farm, and I have to admit, it hit me all wrong. I love homesteading and our small farm and would never want to discourage anyone from trying it–but I also think that it doesn’t help people to be successful by making it all sound easy-peasy, no big deal, throw some animals in your backyard and suddenly you have organic food for a quarter of the price of the grocery store. Because the ugly side of that is … Continue Reading…

So, More Mud…the Daily Farm Adventures {102}

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We’ve been on a real streak of testing and trials lately. Our vehicles, our appliances, our furnace, our smoke detectors (I’m still traumatized by that one!)–even attacking wildlife! {smile} And one by one we’ve just put it back together and kept keeping-on. Mr. Fix-It has a temperament that really shines during crisis. He thrives on hands-on problem solving. He’s like the eye of a hurricane when these “big” things start happen and I start to lose my mind. I’m running around like a hamster in a wheel trying to make “an … Continue Reading…

Always Building Something…the Daily Farm Adventures {92}

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I didn’t write for a good part of the late summer, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t stuff going on around here. (I love how these pictures remind me of the green-grass days!) One of the things that happens on a farm or homestead is that you collect, well, junk. But it’s useful junk, that’s why you keep it. Because someday, one day, you’re going to need it. (I’ve talked about farm junk before.) One thing you always keep is old running gear, or axles. Or any kind of trailer … Continue Reading…

School Pictures from Home…And a Quick Weekend Update…the Daily Farm Adventures {97}

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I’ll be the first to admit that I’m no photographer. I have a wonderful camera (thanks to my wonderful Mr. Fix-It!) and I’m learning a lot just from experience–but it’s on my to-do list to actually sit through some classes (even online) and tutorials. I want to do better. And here’s one reason why…As the Momma, I have the opportunity to catch the best moments! The moments full of their quirks, their laughs, their attitudes, the essences of them. And every picture I get that I love, I know could be … Continue Reading…

Sawdust and Scrap Metal…the Daily Farm Adventures {42}

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Well…it rained all weekend. I guess I should be glad it wasn’t more snow! {smile} Besides being hard on the grass growth, this weather has been hard on other spring farmyard chores as well. For example, everything is soaking, sopping wet, so you can’t drive the tractor around very much without making a sloppy mess. Thankfully we wrapped up our “junk pile” clean up two weeks ago! But we haven’t been able to move the chick brooder house out of “storage” (behind the barn) and get it ready for–CHICKS! We’re … Continue Reading…

Beat Up by a Trailer

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There’s a lot of whining involved in being 3.  This is something that I probably knew when I was 3 but had thankfully forgotten until the last few years.  But whining aside, our oldest boy is pretty fearless (it’s a little scary, actually) and pretty tough.  Here he is going after his sister on Saturday… So when he started howling outside the other day, my heart skipped a beat.  And when I looked up and his sister and brother were in the back yard and clearly not responsible for whatever … Continue Reading…

Fun and Games

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It’s amazing to me how much money we spend on games and toys when my kids can entertain themselves all afternoon with a piece of baling twine and a rock. Like playing hide and seek in the tractor bucket… This kept them busy for 30 minutes before I even came over to find them!  I get distracted when they’re distracted from distracting me because I can’t help but wonder what they’re up to.  Yes, it makes it hard to get anything done. I love this though–watch the sibling dynamics… See … Continue Reading…