Also found a decapitated chick outside the pool, probably Tuxs’ doing as I had to take her out the pool yesterday again after I couldn’t find her anywhere. She must have snuck in while we were getting the diesel containers :(. Think it’s the 2nd one she’s taken. She is a fierce little thing. All lovey to people, but when it comes to food, and potential food, she’s wild. When we processed chickens, she’d steal a gizzard from the offal bucket, trailing the intestines, and eat it all, then come back for more ! Even Marmalade didn’t do that.
Paid $1,850 to get the big tractor running again, but I don’t see much difference. Got stuck in the veggie garden taking a bale to the bulls, but managed to get myself out by putting feed bags under the wheels after kicking away the built up ridges. Had to go back to the house to get the big torch as there aren’t any lights on this tractor. I struggled to get the 2 bales off the truck, so it was dark by the time I could trundle down the side channel to take the cows a fresh bale. Took the long way around rather than risk getting stuck in the main pasture. It’s been very wet again and the ground is like a heavy, wet sponge. Last night, the truck and tractor wheels made craters across the back lawn.
Herbies leg is still doing poorly. It is black and blue from mid thigh down to his foot. He says the swelling hasn’t gone down, and said yesterday he’s probably going to have to have an operation with a month off work. What ??? He couldn’t take a few days off when it happened to let it heal, started using it the same day, took the compression bandages off because they were hurting him, against the Drs instructions, but seems genuinely surprised that it’s not getting better. Oy !!! What is it with men that they think they have to “tough” it out ? He’s still on the antibiotics to stop any infection from the blisters prescribed by the 2nd place that took the staples out of his head. I have to spend hours getting his bedding clean from all the leaking plasma and blood. His sheets, blanket, duvet cover, pillows and pillow cases, and his long sleep pants I got for him to try prevent it getting on the bedding. He hobbles around, but decided I’d drive the tractor home as working the clutch, together with climbing up and down was too much for his leg. Suppose at least I’m not hurt at present. If we take it in turns, one of us is still able to get things done on the farm. 3pm he got home and went straight to bed, I can hear the TV in his room but keeping his leg elevated is a good thing. Hope he feels better in the morning.
Driving the tractor home yesterday, I got a head start on Herbie as I had stuff to do at home before dark, but ran out of fuel still in view of Craigs’ place. When I returned to Herbie and the tractor after going to fetch Craig, there was another old farmer there, who frowned at me and said I shouldn’t have run out of diesel, it was very bad. Grrrr. I didn’t drive the tractor to be fixed, the gauge doesn’t work, and I don’t usually refuel the 2 tractors as I need a step ladder to get up there, and then the containers are too heavy for me to pour. But, I learnt another thing. Always check the fuel. When I asked Herbie why he didn’t get fuel for it while we were withdrawing the balance of the money from the Speedway, he said he never thought of it !!
Moved Thor into the bulls pasture as I didn’t want him impregnating his 6-month old 1/2 sister. So we have 4 in there, Oliver, a pure Jersey boy, Dollys’ calf from 2 years ago, then the 2 x half Scottish Highlands from last year, Taxes and IRS, from Dolly and Eleanor, this years’ and next years’ beef.
Gus and Tony have settled into the routine of having Daisy May and Eleanor being separated from them at night. But they hover close to them in the pasture and don’t go eat hay in the lower barn enclosure so are all gaunt and hungry in the morning. I wouldn’t get any milk if I didn’t do that. JuneBug, Seasaidh and Ginger keep them company, although Seasaidh has been very vocal recently. She had been in with Gabriel since her first calf was born last Spring, Saffron, but she hasn’t popped a calf this year. Ginger also has a loud shouting mouth, but having just been separated from her mum Immanuelle, I give her a bit of leeway.
Although we we no longer have Buttercup, the loudest sheep, Ruthie seems to have filled those hooves quickly. Also one of the others is very loud and plaintive. Hershey doesn’t baa often, but when he does it’s nearly a guttural sound. One of his sons also has a similar call, not Stan, the nameless one.
I’m down in the dumps :(. Think is must be the repetitive dreariness :(. My get-up-and-go is taking a break.
Have a new hereshare family, another Brad and his wife Becca, whom I haven’t met yet. The raw dairy in Greenville closed after the owners retired, so I’ve had some enquiries.
Brad Courter smoked 2 chickens for me, after I made some dry rubs. One sort of BBQsy with a bit of heat, the other a lemon pepper. I shared them with him. They took longer than he expected, about 4 1/2 hours. I’ve been considering building a smoker here on the farm. Just where to put it, as it’s not something that can be moved once it’s up. Also want to build a domed pizza oven, a farmers’ hot tub and a greenhouse. And Herbie wants to get an outside woodburner, and move the add-on one in our basement to the milk parlour. So many plans swirling around in my noggin. Need to have Herbie show me, again, how to use the plasma cutter, so I can cut rebar to make a covered bed over my herbs before the snow falls. Think my arm is OK to handle my chainsaw to cut the old barn / bridge beams I bought a few years ago.