Too cold out, lets recycle & reuse

Living in Northern Ohio has its ups and downs. Downs include the weather. Today is a DOWN DAY. 32 degrees outside and windy with just a hint of sun. This type of weather makes farm work such an effort. I have to bundle up every time I head outside. Making sure I have my  hood, gloves, boots, ect.  So today is an inside project day since the weather is not cooperating.

My farm is all about recycle, reuse, refurbish. I am working on a few little things for my garden shed up front and the farmers market. Today I am making Soup Can Candles.  I use beautiful fun Chalk paint colors to paint recycled soup cans and with scents that fill your home. The smells are heavenly.  Also I use all natural waxes and oils.  These are going to be a huge hit this summer.

While my cans dry between paint coats, I headed out to do some afternoon farm chores. And as you can see I'm bundled up like an Eskimo.

There was a bit of excitement out in the barn. I have cameras, lights and heat lamps plugged in. While I was collecting eggs I noticed the breaker had tripped. Went to go find Tim to fix it. When we tripped in back on flames started coming out of one of the lights. Looks like a wire broke at the base and it was in the midst of catching on fire. SO GLAD WE SAW IT.

After outside farm chores I walked around looking at the flower beds. I have lilac bushes right outside of my office window. For weeks they have had buds, but  no leaves.  Once I see some tiny greens I'll start feeling better.   The cold and wind is taking its toll on me, emotionally and since I am not a cold loving person, its also physically kicking my butt.

Now with a nice hot cup of Coffee and feet in front of the fire,  this farm girl is Happy.

Peace Out, Farm PEEPS!

Back at it...

Ok I have decided to give this "BLOG" thing another go. Only because I have lots of people, on a daily basis ask, "What's going on at the Farm/"

I had a blog 7 years ago and just recently went back to read some of the post. Not much has changed in the past few years. Same Farm, same fun, laughs, tears, and same drama.

Lambing season started on Feb. 28th and I am almost done. Yet to go,  1 brown ewe that is for sure pregnant and should pop any day and then 4 yearlings (I tried breeding in the fall}. One has lambed with 2 very nice healthy babies, one had a miscarriage the other 2 are yet to do anything.

The weather has been, to say it mildly, a huge "BITCH" It has been so cold and nasty. I am so ready for spring. This Fake spring is no fun.

Below are some pictures I took around the farm today. My only flower blooms up at the gardens is this brave Daffodil. One of my farm cats helping me with chores. She follows me around everywhere. She is my protector, incase of a renegade Robin or Blue Jay.

I have a couple of bottle babies that I take care of every few hours.  They are my PIPSQUEAKS.

Done for the day, so a shower and then maybe some Chinese for dinner.

Hot for the sheep

Today and tomorrow are going to be scorchers and I feel really bad for the sheep.  I am sure it does not get to 100 degrees in Finland too often so these guys struggle when it gets this warm

We are heading out of town and I worry about what to do if something happens to them.  We have several people on call in case they are needed here.  They have to be able to run the tractor and know what to do if we loose an adult Sheep.  There are strict requirements from the USDA if we find an adult sheep dead on the farm.  So everything is ready and sitting on the kitchen table just in case.

Looks like we might get a little rain and that might help cool down the barn.  But tomorrow should be difficult as well.

Peace Out :)

Worm time of year

It seems here on the farm around the 4th of July we run into what we call a WORM WALL.  Even if we worm we start to notice the signs of a high worm infestation within our lamb flock.  It must be the high humidity and heat this time of year.

For instance we wormed the ram lambs 3 weeks ago and this past weekend we started seeing several cases of bottle jaw.  Bottle jaw is a sign of enema from high worm count.  So we wormed again.  Looks like our bottle jaw is corrected but you worry so much about the sheep building up a resistance to the wormer.  We try switching back and forth but someday you wonder if any wormer will work at all.

Peace out!!

It's all about the Chickens

Well, today I lost an adult hen. Found her dead in the hay pile. I made Tim take care of it. Things like that give me nightmares at night.  I have enough trouble sleeping as it is.

Also lost one of the 4 baby chicks I think it was a snack for the two feral cats living under the neighbors shed. Poor little peep :(

Now there are 3 chicks still kicking (FOR NOW). I have one that seems to wander all over and the neighbor has brought her back 3 times. She will be the next to go I bet. Something will have a taste for Chicken nuggets and snatch her up.

But on a funny note.  The other day I was out at the barn. I had driven the truck over there to drop off some feed. I really had to "Potty" but my foot was hurting so bad and the house was far away so I did what any normal person who really has to go would do, I headed behind the barn to squat and "Pee" well I was not alone here was most of my chickens with this "Whatcha doing look" One decided it would walk right between my legs.  Well most of you know when you are going it is pretty hard to stop so I try "Swooshing" her away but she continued to walk right under "You know" It is what it is.  Don't think I would eat her eggs for a few days.

That's all for now.

Peace Out!!!

I had to resuscitate a chick

Most people think I am weird to begin with but this will really confirm that.  For those who know I have new baby chicks I had hatch here on the farm.  I have been watching the eggs for 3 weeks and then on Memorial day they hatched. There are 4 little baby fuzz balls out following their mom.  Yesterday I was at the computer which looks out into the yard pastures and barn.  I saw mom and her babies walking towards the house then head back towards the sheep pasture.

A few mins later I went out to toss some salad scraps to them and noticed only 3 chicks. The other one had fallen into the sheep water trough and was struggling to stay a float. I immediately wrapped it in my jacket and headed for the house.  I laid it on a towel and used Tim's hair dryer to get it dry.  I would hold up one little wing then the other trying to resuscitate it.  After several mins under the warm dryer it started to "peep"  It took almost 30 mins under the dryer to get it completely dry and warm.

I then put it out by its mom in the yard on a brown dog bed to absorb the sun rays in hopes she (the mom) would stay around and when it felt strong enough it would follow her.

2 hours later I returned to the bed and it was gone.  She had all 4 of them out in the sheep pasture eating bugs.  Thank heavens.  Now, the joke is, I saved it and it probably is a rooster who will be in the stock pot anyway.  Oh well, a life is a life.

Peace out!!

When will it get done??

OK my garden is well still in the making. I have the plants, got it all tilled, but I do not seem to have any free time to spend planting.  Here it is middle of June and still tons of things are still not done.

We did get the small pasture of hay in, first cutting always is a bit stalkie, we got 275 bales.  Still need to do the big field in the back that is 13 acres and we are hoping for 500 bales, if we can get to it.

Sat. the farrier is coming out for the donkeys. Can't be here though I am going down to the Akron Canton airport on dog business.  So Sat is pretty tied up for me.  Everyone needs me and it seems they need me yesterday.  Tim has been sick so they will all be SOL if I get sick and in bed for a week.

Peace Out!!