Drstratton - My Backyard Journey Journal

[frustratedearthmother]

We are planning to add a second pump for back up that will run off of a solar panel...compliments of oldest son!

You definitely raised that boy right!

 

[farmerjan]

Sounds like a great plan.... but would it just be as good to have the well on the solar as the primary pump? I am not an expert on well pumps. But there was a guy that had a "booth" at one of the grazing schools that we attended a year or 2 ago, that had a complete set up for solar powered water for pastures where there is no available power and if I had a way to do it, I would have mine done that way just to not have to rely on the cotton picking power companies.
29 years is pretty good for something like that pump to last so you cannot complain. Sure it is an expense, but like my eyeglasses, I don't like the initial expense, but then I stop and think about how much I wear them, and divide the cost into the days or hours, and realize that it is pretty darn reasonable after all. It is just hard to get hit with it all at the outset.

 

[drstratton]

You definitely raised that boy right!

He's a very smart young man!

 

[drstratton]

Sounds like a great plan.... but would it just be as good to have the well on the solar as the primary pump? I am not an expert on well pumps. But there was a guy that had a "booth" at one of the grazing schools that we attended a year or 2 ago, that had a complete set up for solar powered water for pastures where there is no available power and if I had a way to do it, I would have mine done that way just to not have to rely on the cotton picking power companies.
29 years is pretty good for something like that pump to last so you cannot complain. Sure it is an expense, but like my eyeglasses, I don't like the initial expense, but then I stop and think about how much I wear them, and divide the cost into the days or hours, and realize that it is pretty darn reasonable after all. It is just hard to get hit with it all at the outset.

Trust me, I'm not complaining! That pump did a great job for us! Considering it ran almost constantly all summer long for 29 years! I'm actually very thankful that it went down right now, as the weather is not to hot or to cold! Like I said, we've been expecting it to happen and have set money aside to take care of it! I'm not sure about running the main pump on solar....I believe that would cost an awful lot more as it's a 3 HP pump! That's not my department...lol! I'll ask that question tomorrow! Would be a good thing if it's feasible!

 

[farmerjan]

I was just curious about the solar since it seems your son has some expertise in it? I was just impressed with the water system I saw demonstrated for the cattle watering. There are a couple of farmers in Canada on a cattle forum I frequent, that have all solar powered water at pastures, and the company that one of them likes, and this supplies water in 0 and below 0 weather up there. So I was just wondering. Don't know how deep they will work or how much they are capable of handling.
I didn't think you were complaining knowing that it had worked for all these years. I understand about having money set aside, I was just making a comparison when I hear people moan and groan about costs of things, yet they don't actually sit and figure out what the long term costs really are. That was why I was comparing it to something like my eye glasses. I recently listened to someone raise cain about the cost of their glasses..... and all I could do is stop to think about mine, which are not cheap, and how long they last me, and what the value of being able to see is to me......
Sounds like you have a great kid.... Congrats. My son might get on my nerves occasionally, but he is a pretty good "kid" too.

 

[drstratton]

I was just curious about the solar since it seems your son has some expertise in it? I was just impressed with the water system I saw demonstrated for the cattle watering. There are a couple of farmers in Canada on a cattle forum I frequent, that have all solar powered water at pastures, and the company that one of them likes, and this supplies water in 0 and below 0 weather up there. So I was just wondering. Don't know how deep they will work or how much they are capable of handling.
I didn't think you were complaining knowing that it had worked for all these years. I understand about having money set aside, I was just making a comparison when I hear people moan and groan about costs of things, yet they don't actually sit and figure out what the long term costs really are. That was why I was comparing it to something like my eye glasses. I recently listened to someone raise cain about the cost of their glasses..... and all I could do is stop to think about mine, which are not cheap, and how long they last me, and what the value of being able to see is to me......
Sounds like you have a great kid.... Congrats. My son might get on my nerves occasionally, but he is a pretty good "kid" too.

It's hard to convey thoughts through a keyboard and I'm not always the best at it! You definitely made me curious! I asked him and he'll figure it out! I'll share when he let's me know!

He gets on my nerves sometimes too...lol!

 

[Baymule]

I'm like you @Mini Horses .... I can't get past the cute for the rabbits. Yet I wanted to raise Rex rabbits to be able to utilize the pelts..... I just would need someone else to do the butchering. I cannot do it. I can designate other breeds for meat, have named and raised up calves for freezer beef, and have no problem having them processed or even doing it myself, although I have a little bit of a hard time doing the actual killing of the chickens, mostly because I am not real good at it; but to raise something for meat is not the issue. It is the actual act of killing a rabbit that I just cannot do. If there was someone around here that I could take the rabbits to, like I take the chickens to, I would raise the Rex rabbits in a heartbeat. The chicken processing is more practicality for me, as I have helped many times in the past. Mostly it is the time of scalding, and plucking and all that I do not have the time to do. Especially when I raise 10-30 or more cornish at a time to have done. on the average of 4-5 times a year. (the left behinds that I get off the one poultry farm) . And, I am supporting a dairy farmer that has branched out to do this so I even feel better about it. They are reasonable, and I don't have to deal with the mess, since the landlord won't let me have them here and certainly would never allow me to process them here. You have to have certain things like running water and such to do it properly.
I have never even eaten rabbit, but I think that I could eat it without a problem.

Oh farmerjan! I read this with a smile on my face. You are the model for a self sufficient, strong, Farm Woman. Cute bunnies are your Achilles Heel. We all have out tender spots, I have never slaughtered a lamb. If I had to, I could and would, but I would much rather pay the $85 so I don't have to.

 

[drstratton]

My husband has been trying to find someone who is willing to place two pumps into our well, but isn't having much luck! We might just have to go with one!

On a happier note, I've finally decided on a name for my broken doe!
Daphne!

 

[drstratton]

Our Trio! Buck, Daphne & Chloe!

 

[drstratton]

The chicks are growing so fast! My two EE's, I love the color of the one on the right! Then she was checking me out while I was checking her out! She still has breakfast on her face, lol! I still need names...they will come to me!