Planting Alfalfa

Elsie hauled small square bales 

to the three cows 

who are still waiting to calve.

Hershey and Tess had to jump in 

as soon as the bales were emptied.

The day always starts with a breakdown of some kind.

They welded the piece back on

and got back in the field.

Ben planted oats.

Some teamwork got the brillion ready for Luke.

 Luke planted alfalfa and orchard grass on top of the oats.

There were some issues with the planter clogging

so Paul and I rode that for quite awhile.

The field is planted!

And today we are getting a little rain!

In The Field!

It's later than what we had originally hoped for.

But given what the weather was only two weeks ago,

it's pretty good.

The boys finally got in the field today.

It feels good to be started.

After Ben cultivated 

Paul, Luke, Molly, Jack, and I went rock picking.

Meeting the Kittens

Hershey and Tess met the new kittens this afternoon.  

Usually they meet right after they are born.

But we usually have a casualty from a kitten getting laid on.

So we waited this time.

They weren't quite sure what to make of each other.

Soon Hershey and Tess will be claiming them as their own 

and carrying them wherever they want them to be.

And the kittens will be unsure if they are cats or dogs.

We have several confused cats running around here!

Saturday Sunshine

I heard chirping 

when I went in the shed hayloft this morning.

One little lone chick.

Ben shook out a fresh corn stalk bale for the cows and calves.

Alfalfa bales had to be hauled to the little barn from the shed.

Molly wanted to band the little chicks today.

So Hannah, Molly, and Jack caught them all 

and brought them to me to put the bands on.

Chick Moving

Our little Massey 

and the Massey of a friend 

are both in the shop for some fixin'

We think maybe, 

possibly, 

hopefully 

 the snow season may finally be over.

That means that the new chicks,

 who should have been outside weeks ago, 

were finally able to be moved out of the barn stall and 

to the Chicken Castle yard.

Ben, Hannah, and Molly were up for the job.

The chicks weren't quite sure what to make 

of the great out-of-doors at first.

But within a couple of minutes 

they were happily running all over the place.

Waterer, Toolbox and Fraser

Hannah and Molly were tasked with taking the heaters 

out of the cattle waterers.

It was a muddy job on this one.

Ben's new toolbox came Wednesday.

And Fraser was born to MaryAnn Wednesday afternoon.

Love those markings!

Wednesday Happenings

Time for some last minute work on the 7400.

That's a lot of hydraulic fluid!

Luke and Ben put the duals on next.

Hannah was the skid steer operator 

to lift the tire on the high side.

Almost done.

Ben decided to do some work on the driveway.

It's much smoother now.

Sunshine, Corn Stalk Bales, and Hotdogs

Yesterday was a glorious, sunny 68*s!

The cattle got new corn stalk bedding bales.

We ended the day with hotdogs and s'mores around a fire.

Short-sleeves and fires a week after 17" of snow!

Chicken Terrorizer

Every morning when I walk to the Castle

this little guy walks with me.

Usually right under my feet.

Then he follows me into the Castle yard to terrorize the chickens.

When I leave the yard

he follows me right out.

Chickens terrorized.

Mission accomplished.

Swamp Land

The snow is mostly gone.

And the mud is here.

Lots of mud.

Deep mud.

Deep enough 

that Ben is having trouble 

feeding round bales in the front pasture.

So they carry in small squares there now.

Paul checked the drain in our annual pond

to see if it was blocked.

It was clear.

The frost must have gone out 

because our lake was completely gone this morning 

13 hours after Paul checked the drain.

New Trailer Mesh

A friend bought a trailer.

The mesh on the ramps was in need of repair.

After waiting for the mesh to come in

Luke got the job finished in no time.

Let the Muck Begin

Saturday and Sunday were endless hours of snow and wind.

It's been awhile since we've had a blizzard like that.

Today was laundry day

so I took advantage of the blue sky and sunshine.

Since we had a good thaw going 

before the 17 inches of snow came

we now have very squishy mud under the snow.

Ben had to clear a path 

so the skid steer could get through 

to get hay to the cows.

 I just missed the picture where she was belly deep.