Farmer’s Knee Surgery Updates
For anyone interested in following what’s happening with The Farmer’s Recovery, I’m trying to keep updates on Today’s Trek, my personal blog.
The Farmer’s Knees
We’re headed out of here in a couple of minutes to go to the hospital. The Farmer is having surgery at 8am to have both knees replaced. I may not be back on here much for a while!
Make Hay While The Sun Shines
Okay, so technically we don’t actually make hay while the sun shines, as our farm isn’t big enough to warrant buying a hay baler. Instead, we buy hay from someone who sells small bales, as they are much easier for us to handle.
It’s not always easy to find good quality hay in small bales, because most farmers bale the great big rolls of hay. I reckon finding people to work in a hay field during hot summer weather is rather difficult these days, and big rolls of hay can be handled by one guy with a tractor and the proper equipment.
However, it’s still good to get hay while the sun in shining, because you don’t want wet hay! Storing a bunch of wet hay is a good way to a) end up with moldy hay, or b) set your barn on fire.
Obviously, moldy hay isn’t good to feed the animals. And just as obviously, you don’t want the hay to catch fire because it was wet. Sounds a little weird to say storing wet hay can result in a fire, doesn’t it? It’s that good old spontaneous combustion thing!
If you’re not familiar with the phenomenon, it happens because wet hay can create a high relative humidity in the air around it. This allows plant and microbial respiration in the hay which generates heat, elevating the temperature of the hay.
As the hay gets hotter, the microbes die which causes “oxidative chemical reactions” that increases the temperature of the hay even more. Once the temperature gets to 140 to 150 degrees, the process accelerates and by the time it hits 175°F (80°C), farmers are advised to call the Fire Department. No kidding!
If the hay temperature gets to 212° (100°C), the process is too far gone to stop. The temperature rises rapidly at that point and the hay is almost certain to catch fire.
Of course, a lot of things affect if and when this happens, but the critical factor that starts it all is wet hay. So there we have it, the reason why it’s good to make hay while the sun shines!
And the sun was shining brightly this past Saturday when we got our hay. It took The Farmer three trips to get it all hauled. The guy selling the hay helped him load it at that end, then when he got home, The Cave Geek and I helped unload it.
Actually, I only rolled a few closer that fell short of the storage hut. The men did most of the work, while Toby and I watched. That sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn’t it?
The Geek became quite adept at tossing those bales into the shed so all The Farmer had to do was toss them on the stacks.
It’s tiring work, and when the bales quit flying through the air, Toby went in to inspect the new pile of hay.
He and The Farmer are best buddies, so while The Farmer rested from his labors, Toby kept him company.
And now we’ve got hay to feed when the grass dies back during the coming winter. It feels good to be prepared!
Of Forest Paths And Dog Phobias
Every morning, rain or shine, hot or cold, the critters need fed. So every morning except Saturday, when The Farmer does the chores, I’m outside taking care of critters.
Since I’m already in my outside-doesn’t-matter-if-they-get-dirty clothes, that’s a good time for a walk too. The Farmer keeps paths mowed in the bottom pasture, and Toby and I go round them at least once every morning.
But I missed going in the woods like I did in the winter and early spring. A couple weeks ago I told The Farmer about trying to go in the woods, but the growth was so dense, it was just too much hassle, so I gave it up.
Fast forward to the next Saturday. The Cave Geek and I were inside working on something. It was a nice fall day, so we had the doors open. We kept hearing this noise. Cave Geek thought it was a shop vac. The people next door have been doing some remodeling so that wasn’t unreasonable. I thought it sounded like a weed eater.
Later when I went out to check on what The Farmer was up to, I discovered we were both wrong. The sound we were hearing was our riding lawnmower stopping and starting way out in the woods, cause The Farmer was mowing a path for me.
How sweet is that? I merely mentioned I missed being able to walk in the woods, and he came up with a way so I could do it again. It’s really cool. Kind of reminds me of a state park or something. All we need is little signs here and there. 🙂
Now, I enjoy walking in the woods and so does Toby, but the dog has a MAJOR phobia about electric fences. He won’t cross one, he doesn’t want you to carry him over one, he doesn’t want to come within light years of one.
My favorite theory is one day he indulged in his favorite hobby and hiked his leg to leave his mark, this time on the electric fence. I think perhaps some rather sensitive parts got zapped, and thereafter there was NO WAY he was getting close to the electric fence.
Since the path into the woods started at a spot where the electric fence going around the bottom stood, he wouldn’t go into the woods with me. Never mind that The Farmer took down the fence there, he knew there used to be an electric fence in that spot and he didn’t want anything to do with it.
That was the first day.
The second day he finally realized the fence really and truly was no longer there, and by the time I came back he was sitting just inside the woods waiting for me.
On the third day he followed me right into the woods and kept close.
By the fourth day he’d decided this was a lot of fun, and before I even got to the woods he was bounding ahead of me and running around in the underbrush.
Now when I head for our walking area, he’s way ahead of me and goes toward the woods. Today he discovered it’s great fun to wade around in the creek.
I doubt he’s over his phobia, but one thing is sure and certain, he’s discovered there’s no fence barring his entry into the woods now, and he’s loving it!
Friday’s Farm Fotos
It’s been another busy week, and I’ve had to concentrate on work stuff almost 24/7 (except for a few hours sleep here and there). Because of that, I haven’t had much time to post on most of my more “personal” blogs.
So to catch up, here’s a few pictures from the past week. This first one is from last Saturday, when The Farmer was busy working on the peafowl pen. The chicken wire on top was getting old, and something tore big holes in it. I think that “something” was probably raccoons. They like to eat the dog food. In fact, I pretty much know to start looking for holes when I go to check the peafowl’s bowl of dogfood and every morning it’s totally empty. They don’t eat that much on their own!
You can see some of the big holes. Obviously, The Farmer is standing in one. 🙂 He decided instead of putting more wire there, he’d make a wood roof. That will give the peafowl a little more shelter in that area, then they have the aviary to go into for lots of sunlight and fresh air.
Some of the peafowl like to search for even more sunshine, and run through the grass with nothing but their feathers on. Then they tantalize their mother by standing just outside the aviary.
This, of course, puts the mother peahen in a fowl temper, since she can’t reach them to peck them into good behavior. She clucks at them, and paces up and down on the other side, and they just continue to merrily run all around on the outside. Some day they will get a rude shock when they can no longer fit through those 4-inch holes in the bottom wire panels of the aviary.
Toby and I continue to take a morning walk in the bottom pasture. Most of the time it’s a fairly short time, just walking once around all the trails. But there’s usually something interesting to see.
I’m not sure what kind of bug this is, but it was enjoying getting a drink from the dew on the weed.
Yesterday morning while walking in the pasture, I was thinking about writing on this blog and that I’d mention all the hummingbirds seem to have left, when I almost ran smack dab into one! The little hummer was enjoying some nectar from jewel weeds (Impatiens capensis). I don’t know which one of us was more surprised, but it didn’t stick around long enough for me to take a picture. (They rarely do!)
Then this morning when I was coming up on the front porch, there was another hummer checking out some of the wire bugs I have hanging along the top edge. That one didn’t stay around long enough for a picture either. I don’t think these are the regulars, but hummers on their way to points further south.
We’ve been enjoying some excellent weather this week with cool nights (down in the 50’s), and warmer days (up in the 80’s). I love this kind of weather! In the mornings, the llamas and Neffie (our Maremma LGD) like to stretch out in sun on the shorter grass in the main pasture. The Farmer keeps it mowed down so I don’t have to wade through wet weeds to get to the well house in the mornings (Thank You Farmer!).
Keira was stretched out too, but every time I’d try to get close enough to take a picture, she’d sit up. I guess it must feel good to soak up the sunshine on a cool morning.
While they’re soaking up the sunshine, the guineas are foraging for seeds and bugs. I think as they get older they get stupider. I say this because as you can see here….
… the half-grown keets still have enough sense to just fly up and go over a fence. The adults, however, run up and down the fence looking for a way through. It’s only about 4-foot tall, mind you, and these birds can fly to the tops of some very tall trees around here! They just seem to forget what phenomenal fliers they are when confronted with fences.
The chickens seem to use their brains a little more, and they like to do things with a little more flair. We still have one chicken sitting on eggs in her bright purple bucket. We knew there was also one of the hens sitting on a nest under The Farmer’s work shed. She came out this week with four little chicks.
She’s taking them out to forage around today, so it won’t be long until they’re running around all over the place too!
I’ve always got a bunch of pictures and it’s hard to choose just a few, but I reckon that’s pretty much the highlights for this week.
Like I said, it’s been another busy week on the farm!