We are approaching the final turn in our production system. The last large group of the chickens are going to the locker this Thursday. Then turkeys will go in two groups over the following two weeks. I may shift the turkeys back a week if I think their weights are not going to hit the mark as they represent such a massive share of our business.
Turkey encampment just north of the house
Video of turkeys on pasture & Hazel talking
Work on the building is moving along. I am now back at work a few days a week so it will likely slow up a bit here. We have put almost al of the siding on the main building and still have a lot of framing on the tractor side to go. Since the picture below was taken, I have stared putting in the windows. The building is certainly not square. That becomes very apparent when putting in the windows. I am glad I am learning on a farm building and I am not working on a house.
Chicken Coop Coming Together
Since the last post, I have moved all of the hay we had still out in a rented pasture up the road. I also had a small Vermeer tracked skid loader on the farm. I do love those things. I did some earth shaping where our new circe drive will be, removed the old compost bin and square foot gardens that are in the wet area of the yard that needs work, and removed all of the poultry bedding from the garage as it was serving as our brooder. I did start a major task for next year with the skid loader.
I stated removing the ancient perimeter fence on the west side of the property. It was three stands of barbed wire over a short woven wire fence with alternating home grown cedar posts and old steel t-posts. It is largely broken down and buried in the dirt. I might have gotten about a 10th of the fence removed, but it will be much easier to put in new fence next year with a blank slate. I had to chase cattle out of the neighbors bean field twice this year. That means that next year it will be corn and they will be much harder to find and return to this property if that happens next year.
The calves are frolicking on top of the big hill north of the house
With all of the work that needs to get done each day, Hazel has been outside a lot. She has been on my back a bit, but is starting to do more outside on her own. She likes to watch the animals while I work with them and she likes to play in the chicken building while I do light work on it. I do the loud and dangerous things during nap time. The video baby monitor is an amazing thing.
Hazel riding in her Chicco carrier
Stay tuned as we hopefully start to slow down a bit moving forward. I know I can not keep this pace up for much longer.
