| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| dsimas |
Posted - Jan 18 2009 : 09:47:32 AM
Hi everyone,
I only have time to drop in here every few months. But I wanted to update everyone. I am getting close to the little cowbarn here being finished. I am on my small (1.4 acre) family farm and the little barn was in dire need of saving before it would fall down. It got a new roof 2 years ago and I just replaced the siding with privately milled lumber locally, it's almost done, we need to oil it, let it cure, then finish nailing and oil again late spring.
Also, I have a little Tour Video (two parts) of my henhouse setup and some other outbuildings in the back yard.
Part One:
http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn47/DSimas_2008/?action=view¤t=chickentour-1.flv
Part Two:
http://s301.photobucket.com/albums/nn47/DSimas_2008/?action=view¤t=Chickentour-2002.flv
I hope these links work, I couldn't figure out how to load the video in this post? You can also see the videos at the bottom of my Blog in my signature, and also a progression of the work on the barn and other stuff... :)
Dawn
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| 17 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| country lawyer |
Posted - Jan 29 2009 : 09:43:13 AM
Thank you for the visit to your chicken house!!! I enjoyed it so much! One day... |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jan 25 2009 : 2:41:36 PM
Sounds like you have the halter training down. I guess I just need to get a halter and get it on her and go from there. Her name is Maize Mae Belle. It took a few months to finally name her. I love my cows. They are so funny. They'll run around and kick their legs up and head butt each other. They are just fun to watch. I do pet her all over all the time and she loves her chin and neck scratched and rubbed. She'll stick her face as close to mine and breathe that sweet cow breath on me. I love it. But I do believe she's going to be pretty big. I need to tape weigh her again and see how much she weighs now.
Have fun with your girls.
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
| dsimas |
Posted - Jan 24 2009 : 10:08:10 PM
What's your girl's name? I got Edie a few months ago just weaned and never really handled. He ran her in a chute to vaccinate, tag, and halter her for me. I let her wear that halter. She'd step on it and yield to it and kind of taught herself. Then, I had a cane and would reach out and snag the end to pick up the end (it was a cheap rope halter with about a 6' lead), so that I wouldn't be grabbing at her. Then just hang on and she'd hit the end and yield to it. I've heard Dexter's are just good natured in general. The key being not to let them drag you or they'll learn they can, but she never did. So I never had to tie her to a post. I walked her into the stanchion in the barn a week later and locked her head in with some treats/hay, she struggled a bit and gave up. Lots of petting and eating, then I would release her only when she *wasn't* struggling, so she wouldn't think that if she fought hard enough it worked. I pet her belly and touch her udder a lot too, she's never flinched. She's not a pet, always leary when I approach, but very tame in general. She's going to be bred late next summer, I am so excited! |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jan 24 2009 : 1:59:20 PM
Oh yes. That's why I'm keeping her. She's 6 1/2 months old now and I think she's already had a heat cycle. I have her with the steer and the other day noticed him nosing around back there and she's being frisky. But I guess I have to wait another 1 1/2 years. I am very impatient, though. But I will wait. I hope to be able to milk her. I need to start halter training her. I found a good tutorial on the Family Cow forum. Pictures and all. I copied it and need to get out there and just do it now. She's a rambuctious little buger, though. If I don't get her feed to her fast enuf, she lets me know, by golly! She's got a big hard head!
It is hard to see the growth on your own animals when you see them all day. But I'm sure your girl is growing.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
| dsimas |
Posted - Jan 24 2009 : 10:14:48 AM
Hi Kris,
Edie must be growing, but I haven't noticed. My Mom said she is, I guess it's because I see her everyday. I should measure her. I think she will be a small cow. I can't imagine how small a calf would be first born out of one of these little cows! I will find out in 2010. :) I was told they are easy keepers and to be careful not to let her get fat because they are hard to breed if fat. She's a very "easy keeper". You can see a video of her running in the pasture like a little nutjob on a frisky morning. It's on my Blog at www.grandpas1947farm.shutterfly.com at the bottom in the video section.
Are you going to breed yours?
Dawn |
| kristin sherrill |
Posted - Jan 23 2009 : 8:13:36 PM
I am going to have to go to my DD's and get on her computer to see the video. But your little barn looks good. You have been busy. I always check in here to see what's been done so far. How's the little calf? Mine's growing like a weed. Up to my waist and I'm 5'7". Chunky little red girl.
Kris
Turn your face to the sun and the shadows fall behind you. Maori proverb |
| therusticcottage |
Posted - Jan 23 2009 : 10:23:02 AM
I loved your video tour of your little farm. Your Dexter calf is adorable. I got tickled when you walked up to the hen house with the video camera and they all had to come out to see what was going on.
Handmade Soap and More! http://therusticcottage.etsy.com
The Rustic Cottage Blog http://therusticcottage.blogspot.com
PROUD FARMGIRL SISTER #100 |
| cinnamongirl |
Posted - Jan 21 2009 : 8:21:13 PM
Ya that was just like being at your farm-good show and how smart you are to figure out how to download a video |
| homemom |
Posted - Jan 21 2009 : 1:47:49 PM
Thank you for sharing. Nice farm.
Ruth
Living the farm life in my heart.
http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/Ruth
http://farmgirlinmyheart.blogspot.com/ |
| Buttercup |
Posted - Jan 21 2009 : 08:23:05 AM
Thank you so much for sharing!! I always enjoy seeing what other people (esp Farmgirls!) are doing on their little piece of earth! I really enjoyed it and I wish you all the best as you progress!!
Hugs!!
Talitha
"If we could maintain the wonder of childhood and at the same time grasp the wisdom of age, what wonder,what wisdom,what life would be ours" |
| dsimas |
Posted - Jan 20 2009 : 09:06:21 AM
Julie, That little box is only like 8" tall and does not have a hinged lid, just a window on the top, but open on the slit below the window. Predators could get through, so I blocked it, it must have contained something that allowed access to the birds from both sides, but also blocked predators from entering there. I just can't figure it out.
Betty, I remember emailing you! Yes, this place is small. But every square inch is used. Many that have more property, have land that isn't used surrounding the buildings. Let me tell you, I wouldn't want more, because it never fails, when I am on one side working on something, I need a tool or something that is over on the other side! I walk several miles a day just here! ;-)
My cottage (the old woodshed) is only 400square feet. It's a studio with a kitchen on one side and my bed on the other. I love living in a small cozy space. I built it and moved from the main house so that my Mom could move into the main house and we could share the new mortgage (cost about $175,000 just to do the restoration of all the buildings, house, and cottage). Before Grandpa died, I lived in a trailer here for 9 years to help him, which wasn't even as big as your Grandma's. When he passed 5 years ago and I moved into the house for 4 years (900sf), it felt huge! Remind me, what happened to your Grandma's farm?
You can see pics of the interior of the house and cottage, and other stuff on my Blog. I said it was in my signature, but it didn't show up! It is at:
www.grandpas1947farm.shutterfly.com
:) Dawn |
| ClaireSky |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 7:56:42 PM
Thank you for sharing your farm with me. In the first video you didn't know what that box was. It is for picking eggs so you don't have to go inside. You pick the eggs from the nest from the outside. Pretty cool huh?
Julie
Farmgirl Sister #399
West-Central WI Farmgirls
"Happiness belongs to the self-sufficient." --Aristotle |
| Ga Girl |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 7:30:21 PM
Looks like you have done alot of work on the barn. I'd love to have one on my 2 acres. Thanks for the tour of your place it was great fun getting to see your farm.
Create in me a pure heart,O God and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalms 51:10 http://farmgirlingastyle.blogspot.com/
www.KKJD1.etsy.com |
| lacisne88 |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 2:34:30 PM
Great job! Thanks for sharing with us!! :)
Chelsey
Farmgirl Sister #283
http://farmgirlpleasures.blogspot.com/
http://aminiatureworld.blogspot.com/ |
| Betty J. |
Posted - Jan 19 2009 : 12:56:09 PM
Good afternoon Dawn. I thought your farm was much larger, perhaps 5 acres or so, but it looks as though you have things pretty well corraled in the area you have. You do a wonderful job of organizing your space. I enjoyed your tour of the chicken house. It is so compact and I'll bet the girls just love the roost.
My grandmother's chicken house was huge as I remember it. I think it was much larger than her home she lived in.
When I went back to visit relatives in 2005, I couldn't believe how small her living quarters were--approx. 12 x 24 ft. She only had two rooms. All the "visiting" was done in the kitchen/dining room. The other room was the bedroom. The house was heated with a coal cooking stove, so the bedroom was never very warm. When I visited, I slept on the floor in the kitchen.
You are so fortunate to have your farm. BTW, I was just looking at our e-mail exchange in October, so I'm glad to have found your message.
Betty in Pasco |
| ruralfarmgirl |
Posted - Jan 18 2009 : 12:28:10 PM
Dawn, How adorable, love your barn and hen house.
Rene~Prosser Farmgirl #185
http://farmchicksfarm.blogspot.com/
Circumstances made us FRIENDS; MaryJane's has made us SISTERS :) |
| K-Falls Farmgirl |
Posted - Jan 18 2009 : 10:08:14 AM
Very nice video of your chicken coop. I enjoyed the visit. Thanks for posting it.
http://www.k-fallsfarmgirl.blogspot.com/
Come visit the barn at http://barndoorcreations.blogspot.com/
Cheryl
Farmgirl #309
"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." Maya Angelou |
