rachels.haven's Journal

[fuzzi]

We're at 9 weeks and some of the Lamanchas are either forgetting how to suck a bottle or their pallets are too big for the gray caprine nippies and they move on to trouble making after 12 oz. I'd like to get them to 50 lbs before weaning and the ND to 20. Right now the average lamancha weight is about 35 lbs with one at 40 and the ND are 14-17 so my goals may not happen with the Lamanchas. They always got full before 20 oz and only wanted 3 bottles/day...but they eat a lot of grain and hay. I may have to settle for weaning them but keeping them in a stall on free choice grain and hay until they hit that point if the bottles become a thing of the past.

I got a better quote for just garden plowing from someone 40 minutes away-more like just under $400 with more if it takes more than 3 hours, with most of the cost being for travel. This should be a one time gig, so I'm game for that. Now I'm waiting on our turn that he thinks should be next week. I WILL probably buy a small tiller for between rows but the common consensus is that only the big heavy ones or a tractor can break clay well for the first time. I bought some billboard tarps to cover the garden over the winter or if we don't get it all planted.

My figs, raspberries, blueberry, currants, grapes, asparagus, and rhubarb arrived from stark bros today. Traditionally if I plant these we move, so I guess we'd better get planting. Because I can't be allowed to enjoy my fruit trees, after all. I have to admit, I'm slightly envious of my parents yard and their 100+ blueberry bushes that come from declaring their place their last stand and planting clearance blueberries. Grandma has a huge berry patch. (context: The city did not allow her to fill her front yard with geese and chickens because her front yard which floods into a raging river during storms, not where the house is, was zoned residential, but her house and back is agricultural. All this because a big city neighbor up the hill behind her moved in and decided my parents place was too, in her words, "Appalachian" and the agriculture "ruined her view"...of my parents' yard and tried to get them de-farm animaled entirely, but she could only pull off forcing them from their front yard and going after them if one of their birds gets out (loose birds get shot now by Dad probably in view of neighbor that things she owns their place) So now the front yard is fruit trees and a berry patch that look how they look no matter what and no ornamentals at all and city has told neighbor to buzz off so now she's going after the Hispanic people next door's ranch with zero success and on and on like those nasty hornet women that don't belong here do)

I would bet that shooting a gun upsets the new neighbor, too.

 

[farmerjan]

So glad you found someone to do the garden... and yes, tarping it until you get it planted is a great way to keep the ground moist, kill the weeds, and all that...
If you want a small tiller for between the rows, go with a battery one... I am very partial to Greenworks.... LOVE my big lawn tractor/mower and the self propelled "push" mower... got the small tiller 8 inch width, so not as wide as I really would have liked... to try out this year... all are 60 v so batteries are totally interchangeable. There are other brands I am sure... keeping it all in the same family size makes it easy on the battery end... They have a 24 v "family of equipment" and also 80v but not all the same equipment in each volt size... 60 v seems to be the most available and most versatile group for here.. Great people to talk to on the phone too...answered all my questions..

Good for your parents and fruit and tree planting of FARM CROPS in their yard to thwart the PITA neighbor. We get some of them here, but they have been stopped in a few places by some sensible planning and zoning meeting/rulings. Not all, but enough to make the statements. Mostly we get the DA#@%D Yankees that want to come here then change it to what they came from... because it is "better" than what it was when they came here... I wish they would all just go the he// back where they came if they don't like it the way it is when they got here... that's why you moved here... because it was quieter paced, simpler, cheaper.... RIGHT ???? No, there is not enough "TO DO" after they get here and moan and groan about the lack of services.... GRRRRRRRThose kind are never happy regardless....

 

[rachels.haven]

@farmerjan that is the TRUTH.

 

[Baymule]

I would bet that shooting a gun upsets the new neighbor, too.

And tell the witch that you are shooting snakes. Rattlesnakes and copperheads! Never SEEN so many snakes. And your cat disappeared and you think a mountain lion got it. Caution her to PLEASE be careful when outside, they have been known to attack people! You saw tracks!

 

[rachels.haven]

...That doesn't mean I know what my parents are planning on doing with the produce from 200+ blueberry bushes of revenge, but it's probably going to be sweet at least?

I may buy them a dehydrator for Christmas one year if they don't already have one. I've also seen things about freeze dryers. I kind of wish they could open a u-pick stand and pull a check from it because they could always use a little extra income to help with animal feed or bills.

 

[rachels.haven]

And tell the witch that you are shooting snakes. Rattlesnakes and copperheads! Never SEEN so many snakes. And your cat disappeared and you think a mountain lion got it. Caution her to PLEASE be careful when outside, they have been known to attack people! You saw tracks!

OMG, that would be awesome. They actually have copperheads in TN, which would make it plausible. There's also the necessary raccoon blasting parties that they could tell the neighbors are really snake blasting.

 

[Baymule]

Get the whole neighborhood in on it. If anyone really does shoot a snake, be sure to show it to her and, “Are you OK??? I shot this as it was coming out of YOUR YARD!”

 

[rachels.haven]

Get the whole neighborhood in on it. If anyone really does shoot a snake, be sure to show it to her and, “Are you OK??? I shot this as it was coming out of YOUR YARD!”

Oh no, they gotta tell them they're chasing the snakes back up the hill where they belong!

 

[HomeOnTheRange]

I've also seen things about freeze dryers.

I have two freeze dryers. Really like them! Use one most of the year and both during the summer.

 

[SageHill]

Oh no, they gotta tell them they're chasing the snakes back up the hill where they belong!

Only if they are the "snake hugger" kind. Out here we have the don't kill the rattlers, they are good folks. GRRRR - They say "relocate them" yeah right (stay the H away from my ranch). See it all the time on the neighborhood or fb pages. Makes me sooo mad. Then I post -- 'want to pay that $8,000 vet bill from last year?' and that the rattler vaccine only buys you time and not an immunity! They quiet a bit, and then start their save a snake chant all over again. We quietly dispatch/permanently relocate. And yes, I do wish those charmers of snakes get a taste of a good bite. There is no other way they will learn.