NH homesteader
Herd Master
We do that. Outside though, when they're in trees. I don't believe I would try it in a barn, lol! I'm terrified of barn fires!
norseofcourse's journal - spring and show update
- Thread starter norseofcourse
- Start date
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
As long as there isn't a bldg fire....Does the fire department approve of this method??
Ya don't hold it there that long, duh...it doesn't take very long to kill wasps.
Southern by choice
Herd Master
If you use a fire extinguisher, must be the kind that freezes not sprays white foam, then you basically freeze the nest and remove it easily. Must be done when most of the wasps are back "home" and it is cooler, close to night time.
Once nest is removed you can dunk in permethrins dip bucket.
Very safe.
Once nest is removed you can dunk in permethrins dip bucket.
Very safe.
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
Yeh, a CO2 extinguisher will freeze them stiff as a board, but they aren't as readily available today as they once were, most are powder that works on all kinds of fires instead of specific ones.
- Thread starter
- #485
norseofcourse
Herd Master
I've mostly been posting in my lambing thread, time to update here.
I have not gotten the wasp nests in the barn yet, but I think I have everything I need. I just have to get up really early some morning to get them while it's still cool. The phrase 'we attack at dawn' keeps coming to mind, lol
I've been working on the yard and garden. The grass is growing so fast it's hard to get caught up with it. In some areas there's a lot of branches down from the winter to clean up, too. I'm also getting the garden beds ready, I'll need to add more manure and put the black plastic on. At least I have a couple/three more weeks to do that.
I cleared out the jungle of weeds on the west side of the garage, I want to put some raised beds there. I was just going to put one long narrow one, but now I'm thinking three of them, about 3' wide and 5' long, sticking out from the garage so I can reach across them from both sides. Put something between them so nothing will grow, because it would be a pain to mow. I already have enough scrap lumber in the barn to make them. And plenty of compost and manure to fill them!
One peach tree blossomed this spring, and it survived the late snowstorm, so I'm hoping for a few peaches - this would be the first year for peaches from the tree! I don't think the other peach tree survived the winter. I don't think it was the weather, I think mice or something were chewing at the base of it and ate too much bark off for the little tree to survive.
The rhubarb is doing great, the asparagus is doing ok. The apple trees were loaded with blossoms, so I'm hoping for a lot of apples. The ponies and sheep will get most of them. I got some starts of what should be really good black raspberries, and hope to add a few golden raspberries as well. Two of the three blueberry bushes have flowers, don't know why the third one doesn't, as it had berries last year. It might be a different variety, so maybe it'll get flowers later.
I sheared Rose yesterday, I'll do Gracie today, and Brosa soon. I'm just doing it with scissors up on the milkstand, so it takes awhile. Between their shedding and the lambs climbing on them, it won't be long before it felts too badly to do anything with it, so I have to get it now. Those three all have a full year's growth, and I want to work with it and try things like separating the inner and outer coats.
I've had a few people get sheep manure, which has helped clear out their run-in area. One person asked me if I'd sell a lamb at about 60 pounds, for a barbeque. I told him I'd have to think about it. I haven't sold one that young yet, and I don't know how comfortable I am with sending one off with someone who's likely going to dispatch it himself. I worry about how scared it would be, and how humane the process would be. There was a thread I was reading recently that talked about issues like this, but I can't find it now. Someone posted about their criteria for selling a lamb (or kid?) under similar circumstances, and one of the things they said was they had to be bought the same day as the processing was planned, so they weren't penned up in someone's garage for a week. Anybody remember that thread? I've searched all the keywords I can think of but can't find it.
I have not gotten the wasp nests in the barn yet, but I think I have everything I need. I just have to get up really early some morning to get them while it's still cool. The phrase 'we attack at dawn' keeps coming to mind, lol
I've been working on the yard and garden. The grass is growing so fast it's hard to get caught up with it. In some areas there's a lot of branches down from the winter to clean up, too. I'm also getting the garden beds ready, I'll need to add more manure and put the black plastic on. At least I have a couple/three more weeks to do that.
I cleared out the jungle of weeds on the west side of the garage, I want to put some raised beds there. I was just going to put one long narrow one, but now I'm thinking three of them, about 3' wide and 5' long, sticking out from the garage so I can reach across them from both sides. Put something between them so nothing will grow, because it would be a pain to mow. I already have enough scrap lumber in the barn to make them. And plenty of compost and manure to fill them!
One peach tree blossomed this spring, and it survived the late snowstorm, so I'm hoping for a few peaches - this would be the first year for peaches from the tree! I don't think the other peach tree survived the winter. I don't think it was the weather, I think mice or something were chewing at the base of it and ate too much bark off for the little tree to survive.
The rhubarb is doing great, the asparagus is doing ok. The apple trees were loaded with blossoms, so I'm hoping for a lot of apples. The ponies and sheep will get most of them. I got some starts of what should be really good black raspberries, and hope to add a few golden raspberries as well. Two of the three blueberry bushes have flowers, don't know why the third one doesn't, as it had berries last year. It might be a different variety, so maybe it'll get flowers later.
I sheared Rose yesterday, I'll do Gracie today, and Brosa soon. I'm just doing it with scissors up on the milkstand, so it takes awhile. Between their shedding and the lambs climbing on them, it won't be long before it felts too badly to do anything with it, so I have to get it now. Those three all have a full year's growth, and I want to work with it and try things like separating the inner and outer coats.
I've had a few people get sheep manure, which has helped clear out their run-in area. One person asked me if I'd sell a lamb at about 60 pounds, for a barbeque. I told him I'd have to think about it. I haven't sold one that young yet, and I don't know how comfortable I am with sending one off with someone who's likely going to dispatch it himself. I worry about how scared it would be, and how humane the process would be. There was a thread I was reading recently that talked about issues like this, but I can't find it now. Someone posted about their criteria for selling a lamb (or kid?) under similar circumstances, and one of the things they said was they had to be bought the same day as the processing was planned, so they weren't penned up in someone's garage for a week. Anybody remember that thread? I've searched all the keywords I can think of but can't find it.
NH homesteader
Herd Master
@Goat Whisperer said that, I think it was in OFA's journal.
Sorry can't find and link, my cell is being annoying.
Sorry can't find and link, my cell is being annoying.
- Thread starter
- #487
norseofcourse
Herd Master
That was it! Found it, thank you!!
- Thread starter
- #488
norseofcourse
Herd Master
Well, the wasps are gone, but it wasn't me - noticed some barn swallows the other day, and I thanked them for eating all the wasps! I still want to scrape the wasp nests down, but I'm glad they were good for something
My tomato seedlings are growing well. Unfortunately, something found a few of them tasty, and chewed off the tops of about a dozen. Some were mine, some were starts for other people. A few are growing back, but most got nibbled down too far and didn't survive. I did plant some extras, so hopefully I'll at least be able to fill all the customer's orders. And I may not need the extra trellis I was going to get.
I have someone coming out this week to look at my fencing and see what it would take to put some solid fence up instead of the electric rope. I love the electric, but it's not secure enough for the lambs, and I need something I don't have to worry about them going through. I'm hoping at least some of the existing posts can be used, and if there's suitable fencing that's 3' or so tall, that would be tall enough and I can put a couple strands of electric above that. I need fencing that's got a maximum of 4" square holes, because Brosa has horns, and I will have an occasional lamb with horns, too.
My tomato seedlings are growing well. Unfortunately, something found a few of them tasty, and chewed off the tops of about a dozen. Some were mine, some were starts for other people. A few are growing back, but most got nibbled down too far and didn't survive. I did plant some extras, so hopefully I'll at least be able to fill all the customer's orders. And I may not need the extra trellis I was going to get.
I have someone coming out this week to look at my fencing and see what it would take to put some solid fence up instead of the electric rope. I love the electric, but it's not secure enough for the lambs, and I need something I don't have to worry about them going through. I'm hoping at least some of the existing posts can be used, and if there's suitable fencing that's 3' or so tall, that would be tall enough and I can put a couple strands of electric above that. I need fencing that's got a maximum of 4" square holes, because Brosa has horns, and I will have an occasional lamb with horns, too.
- Thread starter
- #489
norseofcourse
Herd Master
Lots going on! Spring has brought lots of rain, which meant mud, and everything is growing like crazy. On top of trying to keep up with the yard mowing, I also have to clear the 15' wide area between me and the neighbor's, so the new fence can be put up. They are scheduling 6 to 8 weeks out so I have time, but it's going to take awhile, I didn't mow it much last year and it's really tall and thick in places.
I also have to clear about 200' along the back fenceline, 10' wide, which will be even rougher, as it's full of wild multiflora rose, poison ivy, and fallen tree branches and big limbs. I'll do what I can by myself, I'd rather not have to hire someone with a skidloader/bulldozer if I can avoid that.
But I will be very happy to finally get some solid fencing! The lambs just get too brave challenging some of the electric rope, and if a connection isn't solid, or there's a branch down or too much vegetation, they test it and go through. So far, at least, they haven't gone through any perimeter fence, but I can't count on that forever.
http://staytuff.com/Sheep.asp
This is the fence I'm getting, the 842-3 which is 42 inches tall, and I'll put a strand of electric rope above it. I saw a farm where it had been put up, and it looked really great - tight, snug, sturdy.
For the east fenceline, there's no way to clear it enough for them to get in to fence it, so I'm considering getting livestock panels, 3' high with 4" square holes. I can clear that line little by little by myself and put that up supported with t-posts, with a couple strands of electric rope at the top.
Finally is the front fenceline, which has a lot of short runs and corners, because of how it had to be laid out. That would be a lot of braced corners and stretching to put woven fence up, so I'm considering the fence panels there, too.
In other news, I've been getting some plants from my old house, I've brought over some of the black raspberries that had really nice big berries, and a start of the golden raspberries. There are blackberries and raspberries here, but these were special.
The lambs are growing fast! I swear every year they are cuter.
They run around together in a 'pack' now, ignoring their moms. They are such fun to watch running around the pasture. Most of them are now eating the pellets and grain along with their moms.
And I've started milking The last two mornings I've milked Gracie and Rose, without separating their lambs first, just to get them back into the routine. They both did really well, considering I haven't milked on a regular basis since summer before last. I got about 5 or 6 ounces of milk total each day, not bad for not separating. Tonight I plan on separating their lambs, so I should get quite a bit more.
I also have to clear about 200' along the back fenceline, 10' wide, which will be even rougher, as it's full of wild multiflora rose, poison ivy, and fallen tree branches and big limbs. I'll do what I can by myself, I'd rather not have to hire someone with a skidloader/bulldozer if I can avoid that.
But I will be very happy to finally get some solid fencing! The lambs just get too brave challenging some of the electric rope, and if a connection isn't solid, or there's a branch down or too much vegetation, they test it and go through. So far, at least, they haven't gone through any perimeter fence, but I can't count on that forever.
http://staytuff.com/Sheep.asp
This is the fence I'm getting, the 842-3 which is 42 inches tall, and I'll put a strand of electric rope above it. I saw a farm where it had been put up, and it looked really great - tight, snug, sturdy.
For the east fenceline, there's no way to clear it enough for them to get in to fence it, so I'm considering getting livestock panels, 3' high with 4" square holes. I can clear that line little by little by myself and put that up supported with t-posts, with a couple strands of electric rope at the top.
Finally is the front fenceline, which has a lot of short runs and corners, because of how it had to be laid out. That would be a lot of braced corners and stretching to put woven fence up, so I'm considering the fence panels there, too.
In other news, I've been getting some plants from my old house, I've brought over some of the black raspberries that had really nice big berries, and a start of the golden raspberries. There are blackberries and raspberries here, but these were special.
The lambs are growing fast! I swear every year they are cuter.
They run around together in a 'pack' now, ignoring their moms. They are such fun to watch running around the pasture. Most of them are now eating the pellets and grain along with their moms.
And I've started milking
The last two mornings I've milked Gracie and Rose, without separating their lambs first, just to get them back into the routine. They both did really well, considering I haven't milked on a regular basis since summer before last. I got about 5 or 6 ounces of milk total each day, not bad for not separating. Tonight I plan on separating their lambs, so I should get quite a bit more.
CntryBoy777
Herd Master
They sure look like a great group to watch. It will help to have the fencing done, but the work to get there can be exhausting. Something that I do in areas that are overgrown is to take a cheap push mower and use it on the 2 rear wheels, pushing down on the handle and keeping the front tires in the air....if ya lower it down, ya can whittle it all the way to the ground, also it will uncover any limbs or sticks that may be hidden. I use a cheap mower because if something does happen and it breaks, it is not a big loss. The one I use now has lasted for 4yrs so far....it sure beats a sling-blade, or weed eater for that matter.
