# What addition are you most excited for this year on your farm?



## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 21, 2013)

Although I am not looking forward to getting up 1/2 hour early for additional feeding and cleaning.  I am looking forward to the meat birds, turkeys and piglets.  It seems so boaring around here with just the laying hens and cows.  Even the dogs think its boaring.  We may even get a couple of goats.  Not sure on that one though.  

So...babies I guess is my long and short answer.


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## SuburbanFarmChic (Jan 21, 2013)

Greenhouse!!


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## marlowmanor (Jan 21, 2013)

the kids we have due in April.


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## promiseacres (Jan 21, 2013)

Lambs...more chickens...more sheep...riding horse?? Bunnies??? Pig? 
Oh and a mini foal due in june


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## pridegoethb4thefall (Jan 21, 2013)

Just got 2 pigs! Cant wait to eat 'em in a few months.

Then theres the kids due in April, March and June-woot! 

I'm sure we'll get some hens to go broody, so there will be chicks to sell and raise.

Guinea keets to arrive around february

And last, but not least, I can't wait till spring when I can start gardening!

All that along with raising 6 children- one of whom (my youngest) was just diagnosed as severely Hypotonic with another undiagnosed as of yet, issue. But Im not too worried- If He brings us to it, He WILL bring us through it!


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## RemudaOne (Jan 21, 2013)

Heated water buckets and trough heaters!!!! Should have done this years ago . No more chopping ice in the troughs, EVER, EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's awesome .


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## BrownSheep (Jan 21, 2013)

Lambs! Annnnnnd possibly pigs. I'm working on that.


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## greenbean (Jan 21, 2013)

I think I'm most excited about going and seeing the Ayrshire heifers next month!  If all goes well, I'll be bringing one home and will be expecting a calf from her this fall.

This one's not really a new addition for this year, but Tori will be bred later this year, so I'll have a new little Jersey calf next year!

The steers will be sold this year, then we'll be getting a couple more.

I'm also looking into getting some goats and sheep this year.

I may get 2 more pigs, but I'll have to fix the fencing first.  

I'm getting some new chickens, ducks, geese, and possibly turkeys.

Other than that, I'm not quite sure!


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## marlowmanor (Jan 21, 2013)

greenbean said:
			
		

> I think I'm most excited about going and seeing the Ayrshire heifers next month!  If all goes well, I'll be bringing one home and will be expecting a calf from her this fall.
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> This one's not really a new addition for this year, but Tori will be bred later this year, so I'll have a new little Jersey calf next year!
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I'll have baby goats in April if you don't care about registered stock or purebreds.  Mine will be pygmy/nigerian mixes and nigerian crosses (not sure what Dixie may be mixed with, but pretty sure she isn't pure nigerian). We will have to sell all kids unless we sell a wether to keep a pretty doeling.


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## Cricket (Jan 21, 2013)

Me!  I'm not working this summer and I am SO excited!  And my Jersey heifer is bred for July and I am STILL enthralled with our pigs, one of whom I am hoping to have bred for later summer.  Am hitting the seed catalogs hard!


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 22, 2013)

Wow!  Sounds like some exciting things going on for everyone!  I especially like Crickets "not working this summer".  I am excited for you.  And all of the new animals, and gardening.  Sounds like a great time will be had by all.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Jan 22, 2013)

Lol, I will have a super busy, but fun spring with all my new animals!!!! I am sure you will all see lots of pics!!!!
I am expecting two foals, a baby donkey, Chicks, piglets, about 60+ lambs, fluffy white puppies, and waterers!!!!!    no more packing water for me!!!!


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## bonbean01 (Jan 22, 2013)

Three healthy bounching baby lambs...and hoping for the fourth next month...also that this month we brought in all the rest of the hay needed for the whole winter plus extra...also that our big pasture fencing was completed last summer and this year they all get to enjoy it right from the start of spring...also more chicks to hatch when the temps get warmer


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## Roving Jacobs (Jan 22, 2013)

I'm picking up two new angora goat does in a couple of weeks who are hopefully a couple months bred. A red and a chocolate who will hopefully be having little red curly babies soon  

I can't wait for lambing/kidding in general but I'm really looking forward to seeing what those new ladies produce.


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## SheepGirl (Jan 22, 2013)

Well I have my first lambs due in 40 days, so I guess that's what I'm most excited about


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Jan 22, 2013)

*I'm most excited for our baby goats!!! *


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## Southern by choice (Jan 22, 2013)

For me it would have to be I am most excited for my farm partner Straw Hat Kiko's and his does kidding in Feb/March! He has invested sooo much into his stock and it will be nice to see it pay off for him. I also can't wait to see what Moses produces!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jan 22, 2013)

Southern by choice said:
			
		

> For me it would have to be I am most excited for my farm partner Straw Hat Kikos and his does kidding in Feb/March! He has invested sooo much into his stock and it will be nice to see it pay off for him. I also can't wait to see what Moses produces!


 Thank you! I'm excited too but am really excited for weaning. I hope Mo produces good stock and passes all his good stuff on. I'm very interested in Moses/Arianna kids. If there is a PB buck that shows me something and really impresses me then I'm keeping him. May do the same with a doe but would have to be really good. I'm so excited.


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## Kellykidz (Jan 22, 2013)

I am hoping to get the fodder room going in the next couple weeks.  I will be thankful to be able to produce more and get what I have out of the shower!  

2 of my kids are thinking of getting lambs to take to fair - Working on it!

I am also hoping to add turkeys to our animal mix.


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## Royd Wood (Jan 22, 2013)

Full timers here and yes still excited for yet another year of chicks, turkeys, pheasants, ducks, cattle, pigs and lambs. 
We are adding a veg patch this season which the breeding pigs are doing a number on right now till spring. Well if your selling the meat you might aswel sell the tatties
Good luck everyone


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## Royd Wood (Jan 22, 2013)

RemudaOne said:
			
		

> Heated water buckets and trough heaters!!!! Should have done this years ago . No more chopping ice in the troughs, EVER, EVER AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's awesome .


  Wait till you get the hydro bill R1 I'm chipping and chopping again


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jan 22, 2013)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

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haha


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## PendergrassRanch (Jan 22, 2013)

KIDS! and chicks! and getting sheep


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jan 22, 2013)

PendergrassRanch said:
			
		

> KIDS! and chicks! and getting sheep


Kind of kids?


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## PendergrassRanch (Jan 22, 2013)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

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Not the gross human kind!


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## Royd Wood (Jan 22, 2013)

PendergrassRanch said:
			
		

> Straw Hat Kikos said:
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  I used to say that but they come in useful when trading


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## RemudaOne (Jan 22, 2013)

PendergrassRanch said:
			
		

> Straw Hat Kikos said:
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 ROFL!!


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## Cricket (Jan 22, 2013)

Sounds like you need a baby calf to bottle feed, Stubborn.  All the fun of having something to baby and then they just go off with the others and start looking like meat!

My BIL has the coolest antique which he doesn't use.  You'd need a pretty good size stock water tank.  It's like a cast iron standing pipe with a bottom and grate and a cast tube that runs top to bottom for draft.  They used to put it in the tank and build a fire in it to keep the tank from freezing.  (I have running (hopefully!) water hose going into a cast iron bath tub.  Works great when we have plenty of snow.  Which isn't right now.  And supposed to be -25 with wind chills worse)


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 23, 2013)

Cricket said:
			
		

> Sounds like you need a baby calf to bottle feed, Stubborn.  All the fun of having something to baby and then they just go off with the others and start looking like meat!
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> My BIL has the coolest antique which he doesn't use.  You'd need a pretty good size stock water tank.  It's like a cast iron standing pipe with a bottom and grate and a cast tube that runs top to bottom for draft.  They used to put it in the tank and build a fire in it to keep the tank from freezing.  (I have running (hopefully!) water hose going into a cast iron bath tub.  Works great when we have plenty of snow.  Which isn't right now.  And supposed to be -25 with wind chills worse)


You are so right Cricket.  A calf would be awesome!  But we have to do someone in before we get any more beef of any size.  Our big guy, Stew, was supposed to go in the freezer, but since we raised pigs, turkeys, meat birds and have venison we have no room in the freezers for him.  He will live to see another summer! 

(why do you have a calf you are looking to find a home for?  See how hard it would be to twist my arm!  )

-25 with wind chills.  Oh yeah!  I am loving the temps right now.  NOT!


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## honeymeadows (Jan 23, 2013)

Fencing!
New high tunnel!
And new spring kids of course. We can't wait until they are born.


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## goodolboy (Jan 23, 2013)

Patience,for all the problems would be a nice addition to our farm this year. Also I would hope another 50-100 ewes.


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## Royd Wood (Jan 23, 2013)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

> RemudaOne said:
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After chopping through a foot of ice this morning I take it all back Enjoy your heated buckets and troughs R1 and sod the hydro bill


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## RemudaOne (Jan 23, 2013)

Royd Wood said:
			
		

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ROFL Royd . The thickest I've had here was about six inches one year. At that time though, I had an older horse who was quite wise in that he would lick one spot and keep it open for drinking. The rest of the herd benefitted from this but did not LEARN it.  My old timer is long ago gone AND we have the sheep whose troughs are (through necessity) smaller and freeze faster AND I have somehow gotten OLD......

Yes..... SOD the water bill. But I'm not sure I understand how it would affect the water bill anyway (sometimes I can be thick). Also..... We are on a well so that water bill can be well sodded!   

If it were me, I'd postpone the video camera and go for the heaters 


*Oh good grief, you mean hydro ELECTRIC...... See, I get it now. Duh.*


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## goodolboy (Jan 23, 2013)

One of our farms doesn't have electric  and it is the one with the most sheep. WE HATE BRAKING ICE. Maybe next year we'll invest in electric.


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## animalfarm (Jan 23, 2013)

I insulate all my water troughs. Sides and bottoms. First I wrap heat tape around them; 4 rounds per trough. Metal troughs work better then plastic. Up until now, I haven't plugged them in as there was only a thin skin of ice and the critters could break it themselves. I have the same temps as Royd and without plugging in the troughs I only get 3" of ice. I only plug in the troughs if they ice up around the sides too much. Then a few hours after plugging in, the ice  loosens up from the sides. I keep one trough plugged in for dipping water for the chickens and pigs. One 80' heat tape uses 450w. I can run 3 300 gal tanks for the price of one regular stock tank (1500w) heater which only keeps a hole open. For totaly ice free water, use a 150 gal metal tank with 2" styrofoam insulation.

 Glue a piece of 2" stryofoam to a piece of plywood, add a cupboard handle. put it inthe tank, and with one little tap of the hammer you have a water hole.


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## Royd Wood (Jan 23, 2013)

animalfarm said:
			
		

> I insulate all my water troughs. Sides and bottoms. First I wrap heat tape around them; 4 rounds per trough. Metal troughs work better then plastic. Up until now, I haven't plugged them in as there was only a thin skin of ice and the critters could break it themselves. *I have the same temps as Royd *and without plugging in the troughs I only get 3" of ice. I only plug in the troughs if they ice up around the sides too much. Then a few hours after plugging in, the ice  loosens up from the sides. I keep one trough plugged in for dipping water for the chickens and pigs. One 80' heat tape uses 450w. I can run 3 300 gal tanks for the price of one regular stock tank (1500w) heater which only keeps a hole open. For totaly ice free water, use a 150 gal metal tank with 2" styrofoam insulation.
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> Glue a piece of 2" stryofoam to a piece of plywood, add a cupboard handle. put it inthe tank, and with one little tap of the hammer you have a water hole.


Damme it animal you just spoilt my foot of ice post - well I do like fishing (it were that big I tell ya) so yes I exaggerate a teeny weeny bit so it was only 5 inches (4inches) thick 
I only had a little hand axe


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## Pearce Pastures (Jan 24, 2013)

If all goes well, my addition this year will be pheasants!  I love love love the Impeyans especially, but might go with Red Goldens. I am going to build an enclosure into our landscaping first so they birds might not happen right away---hopefuly this year but at least we will be getting a place prepared for them this year.


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## animalfarm (Jan 24, 2013)

delete


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## Cricket (Jan 24, 2013)

> (why do you have a calf you are looking to find a home for?  See how hard it would be to twist my arm!  )
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> -25 with wind chills.  Oh yeah!  I am loving the temps right now.  NOT! :rolleyes]


They keep predicting -10 to -30 BEFORE windchill, but luckily it's only been -16 so far.  But windy.  What's with that?!

I thought you'd sworn off Jerseys!  Yay, a convert!  I can get you a calf if it's before the end of April!  How's the farmer going to like that?

When you butchered your pigs, did you end up doing the loin/bacon combo?  

I still have an article for you on the geographical differences between VT and NH (it didn't include ME).  But how to get that to you without sounding like a scary stalker or having to perform an electronic feat . . . . ?  Also, you don't work for a magazine that states really clearly that they don't like you to copy their articles, do you?


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jan 25, 2013)

Cricket said:
			
		

> > (why do you have a calf you are looking to find a home for?  See how hard it would be to twist my arm!  )
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> > -25 with wind chills.  Oh yeah!  I am loving the temps right now.  NOT! :rolleyes]
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Hahaha  Yes...We are in fact done with the Jersey's.  (they are being sold tomorrow)  Don't get me wrong.  Both the farmer and I love them and they were a great first cows for us.  If we had better pasture and a different set up, our Jerseys would have no doubt done way better than they have.  We honesty have no pasture, just ground with some grass (and there is a big difference).

We didn't do the loin/bacon combo this time.  All of our pork has been amazing and we definately are going to do pigs again this year.  We will strive for the combo this time!  

In regards to the article I would love to read it...if you let me know what the magazine and issue number is maybe I can just look it up on line.  Maybe?!  And no, as far as I'm concerened...copy any article you want.  If questioned under a spot light in a dark room, I will never give up my source!!


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