Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 6375 Location: My Grandkids' Farm
Posted: Thu Jun 15, 2006 12:00 pm Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Like I said in my last post not much news from our little farmers – even me!
Funny thing is, over the winter I didn’t have much paying work (I do freelance graphics) but come spring I was flooded. I have a much lower overhead these days as opposed to when I lived in Ca so my bids are a little less and I guess maybe too much less. As well we started remodeling the real kitchen. We had bought all new pretty nice appliances when we were planning to remodel the kitchen in Ca (back when I made the big bucks) but used cheap stuff instead after we decided to move and brought the good stuff with us. My wife was getting impatient…
Needless to say some of my spring plans didn’t come together as well as I’d thought.
We did get the tree line cleared by the kitchen garden and the winter wheat I had planted there came up fine – I just never got it fenced off so I could run in the calves – upshot was that I had wheat and weeds 3 feet high over my beds. That didn’t really matter as it turned out because I hardly had time to plant a dozen tomatoes, some peppers and maybe a hundred feet of beans.
Likewise the flat garden where the pigs were is still waiting for corn – I may still have time to get in some early (short time to maturity) variety.
The calf business is doing OK – still haven’t killed any! We have 20 head, just sold 5. I’m not sure if I said so before but Japan opened up for imports in January and so the feed-lots stocked up on heavier calves – but someone sent some spinal-cord sausage over and Japan closed up after about 3 weeks. Heavier calf prices went down pretty bad. The system is clearing out some now though and the price is coming up slowly.
I have built a few more paddocks and relocated the fencer to the shop – I had been running the lead wire on the ground and the fence wasn’t very hot, it is now though!
Speaking of the shop, I have all my power tools set-up and it is heaven for a tool fool like me. I’ve never had more than a single-car garage worth of shop space and that 40x40 is really great.
The working chute is great as well! I put a bunch of thought into it and it sure paid off, one old timer wanted to know if I planned on raising buffalo since I had built it so strong.
The spring turned out to be just wet enough to get some grass. I hayed one 10 ac that I had grazed down to nothing to give the clover I wanted to plant a chance to grow (of course it was never wet and cold enough to frost-seed) and only got 20 round bales. On another little 1ac (?) paddock that hadn’t been grazed last year, I started to just mow down the seed heads (to keep it vegetative) and the grass was so thick I baled it to keep the clippings from smothering the grass and got almost 4 bales!
The first cutting on the alfalfa was looking good until the weevils got into it, by the time we could get it cut it looked pretty bad and then it rained for 6 days straight – ‘nuff said. The second cutting made over 400 small sq. bales – not bad for 7ac! I have wagons full of hay stuck in the shop, barn and 2 sheds at $4/bale we’re in the black with maybe three years left on the field before we plant it to grass and go to the next field. And best of all, I did a cheap soil test and the N is up one notch after only a year.
Thats all the time I have, the wifey is tapping her foot to go buy plumbing parts to hook up the farmers sink - if I had the money I paid for that fireclay sink and the fancy faucet I could buy 3 bred-back angus cow/calf pairs.
Oh well… _________________ Make a plan and work it:
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12024 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Fri Jul 14, 2006 10:26 am Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Got denied agricultural appraisal status on our land because the appraisal review board decided that leasing land to graze a horse is not a legitimate agricultural activity, even though it is specifically provided for in the law.
Ignorant, criminal bastards.
So, we try again next year with raising sheep as our activity. _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
Joined: Dec 08, 2004 Posts: 1542 Location: Nez Perce Nation
Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 8:11 pm Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Finished installing the irrigation system in the orchard and south pasture area. I have three lines coming from the hand dug well; One to the orchard, one to the kitchen garden and one to the pasture south of the orchard. This well recharges from surface water, plus I have a overflow line coming from the artesian well. With this setup I can run 3 sprinklers at a time for almost an indefinate period. The pump is 1.5 horse power pump. I had to run an electrical line from the house to the well.
Next I'll build the shed around the pump and over the well. This will contain all our gardening tools plus our new JD 135 lawn mower. I was trying to use the JD tractor to mow the orchard but it's just too big to maneuver between the trees (I ended up killing one of the Gala apple trees )
Not sure I ever mentioned this but some 6 weeks ago our horse dropped a foal, a beautiful white and black fillie. This was completely unexpected. Not even the seller knew that Annie was pregnant. _________________ "Modern Agriculture is the use of land to convert petroleum into food."
-- Albert Bartlett
"It will be a dark time. But for those who survive, I suspect it will be rather exciting."
-- James Lovelock
Last edited by DomusAlbion on Sun Jul 16, 2006 1:45 pm; edited 1 time in total
Posted: Sat Jul 15, 2006 11:19 pm Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
I'm a newbie. But it doesn't mean i don't know what work is.
We are having septic put in next month. The future pasture needs to have the prickly pear dug out. I have perennial rye that I'd like to plant there with the 500 gal rainwater collected over the winter. The strawberries are putting out runners, the corn is drying on the stalk, the cow peas are cut down and the pigeon peas are staked and thriving . cucumbers ,squash and okra died, just too hot. (114 today) Picked the last tomato for this season - Perhaps they will survive the summer for another crop in the fall. Don't know where I want to plant this mulberry tree a friend gave me yet. Want to wait at least until the monsoon season kicks in gear and the temps cool down.
The cattle guards are in place, the driveway gravel spread (54 tons, by hand) 3 cord wood lining the driveway- not split. 200 +gal propane for cooking and the fridge . Need to hook up 2 more golf cart batteries to the existing 2 for more solar power storage.
I have more saved seed from last winters corn, ready to plant as well as black-eyed pea seed. Marigold and broccoli seed harvested and cleaned. (I'm experimenting with using my own seed from open-pollinated non-hybrid stock)
Can't wait till September and October when temps will hopefully be back to tolerable. July Sucks in Arizona
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12024 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 5:24 am Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Domus, you need to get some sheep to mow that orchard! They're much quieter than a lawn mower and use less gasoline. Congrats on the foal!
overrocked, you might already know this, but be sure you pick up all loose pieces of prickly pear and burn all the pads when you cut it out, otherwise every single dropped piece may root and give you more cactus than you started with. Prickly pear infestation is usually caused by overgrazing, as are most other infestations such as our cedar here in Central Texas. _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 10:02 am Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Ludi, don't you know it!!!! Our property is surrounded by BLM land and mostly unfenced. The neighboring cattle ranches have really degraded this area- as I have seen the destruction from the air. 4-wire barbed fence at least put our pasture out of their reach, but the prickly pear is a testament to what overgrazing there was. We intend on having a dairy cow and calf, swine, and chickens. The good ole 1,2,3, on rotational pasture. I believe that 5 acres pasture should be enough, with 20 acres dry-farmed (not irrigated)once I get the rest of the property fenced.
Prickly pear i intend on putting in the washes to slow erosion. Where the intensive garden is, I have already done this and the cactus is working great for slowing erosion. Berming and weirs should turn our little farm into an oasis.
Now how do i keep the chickens cool in the summer when there is absolutely no breeze and the temps are over 90 when dawn is breaking? I was thinking of putting a point of use solar panel and battery on the chicken house for a full time fan- Any suggestions?
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12024 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Sun Jul 16, 2006 12:46 pm Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
I don't agree 5 acres pasture is nearly enough. If you're dry enough to grow prickly pear your carrying capacity is probably about 1 animal unit (cow and calf) per 25 acres. Chickens are quite hard on pasture and shouldn't be overstocked. You might want to consider dairy goats if you don't have at least 25 acres to pasture the cow. With proper grazing you should "take half and leave half" - the pasture should not actually look grazed unless you're doing intensive grazing and then having a long rest period (at least one year). This is one of my pet areas of interest and overgrazing is something that just makes me livid. _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12024 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 6:25 am Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Oops, realised I misunderstood you - the 5 acres is irrigated. Can't really get my mind around irrigated pasture, I guess And by "dry-farmed" I thought you meant you were raising grain on that 20 acres, as no one uses that term here for pasture, they say "native range." So yeah, I guess that would be just enough for one animal unit, even if you couldn't irrigate. With irrigation, you should have terrific carrying capacity....I just wouldn't do it that way, myself, having to count on so much water... _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
Joined: Apr 03, 2004 Posts: 6375 Location: My Grandkids' Farm
Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:19 am Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
We had pretty good rains the last couple weeks that got the alfalfa growing again after an unusually dry spell before the 4th - but the pond is still dry. The fescue is dormant now that it is hot; aside from the alfalfa the only thing growing is weeds.
I finally got a new paddock fenced and turned in 6 calves. They ignored the grass and fiddled around in the weeds now growing on the inner banks of the pond and promptly got pinkeye.
3 were just runny but three got it pretty bad. They are getting better but one has nice ulcers on both eyeballs. I use LA200 (tetracycline I think) injected SQ and an antibiotic gel on the eyeball. I should have already vaccinated them but was waiting till I had 10 head to do as the vaccine is supposed to be all used at once – spent a dollar saving a dime.
I’ve been mostly working on the kitchen but did spend some time shuffling big hay out of the barn and stacking the alfalfa out of the way. _________________ Make a plan and work it:
Plan to start buying hopefully this fall when the drought ends. Never seen it this bad since the summer of 1980. _________________ In other words, it's a huge sh*t sandwich, and we're all gonna have to take a bite.-from Full Metal Jacket
...Sold 20 liters of blueberries last week. Plan on picking (and selling) another 20 this week. Freezer is already full of wild cherries, blueberries, raspberries, guess I´ll just have to jam the blackberries coming up.
Dry and hot climates can learn alot from Australia. I have pigeon peas that winter over here easily{AZ}, (they are a perennial dry pea, that can be fed to stock if they are cooked first)
Tagasaste is a weed tree there, but it is a great nitrogen fixer that does great with drought conditions - a real multi-task tree- I plan on coppicing.
Harvested 20lbs mesquite pods. Need to grind it next. Wonder how the chickens will react to this new food. Pretty good protein content. Planted devils claw (free from a friend) He said it overtakes everything. Which is fine, cuz I can always add some greens to the compost pile. Dug up a cholla tree, (another friend wanted it gone from her yard) Will use it to check erosion, just like all the other cactus- Hope it makes a helpful deterrent to rubbing against the fence line too. All those little chollas can make a new plant- the barbs on these babies are horribly painful.
I hope to incorporate permaculture techniques- I just want to work at harvesting...But having livestock and pasture is always going to be intensive..No getting around rotation- Probably the best way to stay ahead of pests, disease, and soil conditioning.
I love this site, have lots more time on my hands cuz its too durn hot to do intense work now. (also because I quit my corporate job 6 months ago) It's amazing how rewarding honest work is. I spent a lot of my time the last 5 years planning- surfing the net, reading books while saving money in my little dilbert cubicle. Vacation time used to mean a trip to the chiropractor- because I had to do hard work in a short period of time. (weekend warrior) Practicing new skills has opened my life to opportunites that give me a great deal of confidence and freedom.
Joined: Dec 27, 2004 Posts: 12024 Location: zombie horde wonderland
Posted: Wed Jul 19, 2006 10:52 am Post subject: Re: [Sm. Farm] Today I...
Overrocked, don't overlook the fact that mesquite is a high quality human food as well. The pods taste a bit like graham crackers. Just give the hard seeds to the chickens and keep the pod meal for yourself.
Here's a seed source you might enjoy for veg varieties adapted to the Southwest: http://www.nativeseeds.org/v2/default.php _________________ "...powerdown so soft and fluffy you'll think you're living in a pillow..." - jboogy
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