Monday, April 18, 2011

One Day at a Time

It has been so long since my last post that I almost do not know how to to start. A lot has happened since the middle of February. I will just hit a few of the highlights.

Back in mid-March, Janice made arrangements so I could use a mini excavator to put drainage tile in part of our farm yard. Things went well and I got around 350 feet of tile put in during that weekend.

Using the mini-excavator to put in drainage tile

I turned the livestock onto the pasture last Tuesday. It has been tough to get all the items that compose our portable grazing system up and running, but we are close now. It is nice to stop feeding expensive hay, but it is a lot of work to move electric net twice a day. The fast rotation is necessary this time of year because there is not a lot of forage and I need to limit pasture wear.


Cattle and sheep grazing on some rented ground

Two and a half weeks ago, 102 White Rock laying hens arrived. They are brooding well in the top portion of a hog feeder. This Thursday should mark the arrival of 165 broiler chickens. That will be batch one of three for 2011. We also have the website up to date and sent our 2011 customer newsletter out tonight.

White rock laying hen chicks

Hazel is doing well. Within the last week, she has learned to stand up with no support and she has begun to take her first steps. We have also been choring outside more.

Hazel standing unassisted

Hazel and I choring

Working, running a farm, being a husband and a father is very taxing, but I am doing it. It leaves me bone tired and struggling to keep up with things. That being said, we are moving forward with our production season one day at a time.