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

[goodolboy]

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

 

[Royd Wood]

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

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

 

[RemudaOne]

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

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

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.

 

[goodolboy]

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.

 

[animalfarm]

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.

 

[Royd Wood]

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.

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

 

[Pearce Pastures]

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.

 

[animalfarm]

delete

 

[Cricket]

(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! :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?

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

(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! :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?

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!!