High Desert Cowboy- How far is it up north?

[High Desert Cowboy]

So we’re all recovered from Covid and on the mend. I still have no sense of smell but everything else is a lot better. One down side to our new home is that the hose bib I saw by where my corrals are is connected to the sprinkler line so it doesn’t work during the winter and the only other hose bib is on the east side of the house. My corrals are on the west. And it’s not a frost free so it’s frozen solid. For now I have to carry buckets of water from the basement laundry room to the critters. I have a guy coming to install a frost free hose bib on the west side of my home ideally in the next week and come spring/summer I will be putting in a heated automatic water trough.

 

[Baymule]

So glad that you and family are over the Covid and on the mend. I don't know how long the loss of smell lasts, a neighbor had that same thing, I should ask him how long that lasted. Frozen water, for you, that is an all winter thing? Boo on that! But at least you have your own place, it is yours and you can get things the way you want them. All things come in due time.

Thanks for checking in and letting us know how you are doing!

 

[thistlebloom]

That's a lot of water hauling! I feel your pain.

I don't have a frost free close to the animals either, but I do have a hose bib on the side of the house closest to them. I keep it wrapped in bubble wrap and covered with a custom plastic shoe box to prevent freezing.
I don't mess with a long hose anymore, and the expensive heated hose I used for a season died an untimely death, so I haul buckets in an Otter sled. I can fit 5 five gallon buckets in it.
Dragging a sled is much preferable to carrying and sloshing water in your boots, lol.
Yeah, there is nothing so wonderful in the winter as a heated trough, it's worth every penny.
I'm happy you have a place of your own now!

 

[Bruce]

I think Syringa could be trained to pull the Otter sled

I have a guy coming to install a frost free hose bib on the west side of my home

I have one on my house, can't use it in the winter. The water freezes in the pipe. I think the plumbers went cheap with a shorter frost free even though it goes through an overhang before it gets to the foundation wall.

 

[Ridgetop]

Glad to hear you are on the mend.

Instead of a hose bib, can they put a water line to the corrals, or close to them? Or, at least when you have the west side hose bib installed, have the plumber put in a T with a stub out connection so you can use a ditchwitch to put a pipe in the ground in the spring to the corrals yourself. Good father/son bonding time there. LOL

When you run the waterline to the corrals, you can also use grey schedule 80 pvc pipe to carry electric lines over there too so you can eventually put in lighting at the corrals for night time feeding (and lambing). Only rent the ditchwitch once that way.

Water and electricity will be available at the site if you decide to put up a barn.

 

[thistlebloom]

I think Syringa could be trained to pull the Otter sled

Sure, then what would I do for exercise?

 

[Bruce]

Go to the gym and work out, the way the insurance companies think people SHOULD get exercise. Farm work doesn't fit their model, neither does hauling trees out of the woods.

This, of course, may only be true for the BCBS survey we get annually. Maybe there is an "other" with a text entry box for different insurers.

 

[Senile_Texas_Aggie]

Happy New Year, Mr. @High Desert Cowboy!

 

[High Desert Cowboy]

I’ve been discussing with the plumber the desire to run water out there in the spring so we are running lines accordingly. The thing is there was a frost free hose bib on the west side once upon a time they just removed it and filled the hole. But the water line still runs to that spot so it will be pretty easy to slap a T on it. But with the ground frozen I’m not about to start digging a 4 foot deep trench. That can wait. And I will run power with it so I can have a heated automatic waterer. I actually stopped in the IFA the other day and got a bunch of information on the Behlen sheep waterer and I’m impressed. I plan to put it on the fence line of the corrals so the horses get one side and the sheep get the other.
We’ve had some losses and additions to our home since we moved. Our new neighbor runs a ton of sheep and Kya would not stay home, running off over there every chance she had so we had to either rehome her or she was going to get shot. We found a lovely young couple who treat her like their child and I get regular picture updates. We also lost a ewe in an freak accident which was frustrating but there was nothing to be done. That happened while we were sick with covid. We still have Bella, she loves to work sheep but she will stay by me when she’s not on a leash or in a dog run. I did take her in the house when they ran 200 sheep down the road in front of our house. One can only take so much temptation right? Being up north we’re closer to way more options for shopping and the wife learned about a fun new-to-her store called petsmart. And I came home to this one day.

Bella has always been an outside dog and enjoyed the novelty of her own bed in front of the fire and a sweater. Happy New Year all!

 

[Baymule]

Bella looks happy!