Winter is coming!

As is always the case, my website and other things just aren't updated much when the weather is nice. But here we are...Thanksgiving is over, and December begins next week. Here is my first farm blog post in quite a long time! Thankfully it was quite an uneventful summer around here, we had no big issues to contend with, it was a relatively cool summer, we had quite a wet October, and now we just had our first ground-coating snowfall a couple nights ago. Of course, it was all melted off by morning. But, the tank heaters were dusted off and running for the first time in October! That is sad! Included here is a photo of the new hay feeder (thank you to Premier 1 Supplies for the idea and plans, it is sort of along the lines of a "slow feeder," using 3x3" squares towards the bottom so we'll see how much they pig out....we may have to go with smaller holes yet, it's a trial and error sort of thing. We want them to be able to "graze" all winter long, but not stuff their faces constantly. There is Magic, in front of the hay feeder. It is 8 feet long, and the same on both sides, and so far, both mini horses and the three mini donkeys have had no trouble eating from it. Magic is the one who sometimes will be a bugger...but he and Merlin will eat on one side, the three donkeys on the other!

The critters are all getting their winter woolies, the chicken coop is being winterized, and we just finished a new hay feeder for the minis, which was just introduced to them today, as a matter of fact. I will include a photo with this post. Magic and Merlin's tails are up for winter now, I have always put Magic's tail up for winter, it grows so nice when I do, but this is the first with my grullo, Merlin. He has a very long tail, but it's very thin. I don't know if protecting it will give us some thickness or not, but we shall find out! Kissy's weight is really good coming into winter, so hoping to keep it that way. I need to do some blanket shopping for Blue, as one side of hers looks like it took a tangle with some sort of mountain lion or something (which was Jag, the red dun gelding we sold in March).

We had an extra special visitor here in October, a beautiful Friesian mare, Katryne. She was here for some riding and pampering, which I really enjoyed her presence. Friesians have always been my dream horse, but their price is way out of reach for me, so it was fun to be able to just enjoy someone else's for awhile! But...she was missed at home, so of course eventually went back where she belonged, with her owner, and the other Friesians on the farm where she belongs.

I still feel an emptiness in my heart after finding a home for my two pygmy goats late last winter. I miss my goats. Someday, I'll have goats again. Either I will have dehorned goats, or a separate place to keep them. Our goats were occasionally using their horns (playfully) with the minis, and I was afraid someone was going to get hurt. So I decided I needed to do something....before an injury occurred. And I had nowhere to separate the minis from the goats...unless I put the goats in the barn, which was no life for them. Someday perhaps I can have a different setup, but until then, I will be goat-less.

So, I'm sure I'll have more updates now that the weather is gearing up for a Wisconsin winter. But for now, that is all!

It's been awhile!

Here we are, June already! I am not a winter person, so I never thought we'd get here! Today is actually our wedding anniversary as well, and getting to be a busy time on our little farm. The tractors and equipment is all running up to par now, and 1st crop hay has been mowed down in one of the hay fields, should be ready to bale by the end of the week. Which is good, as we're down to slim pickin's for our minis, who aren't on grass pasture. We haven't been able to do our usual spring manure scrape up yet this spring, it's been pretty wet. But soon! The garden has been tilled and ready to plant, our chickens are full grown and will be providing us with fresh eggs soon, and I'm planning my landscaping projects I have around the house and chicken coop. Had a fire in our fire pit for the first time last weekend! My favorite weather is here!

The frogs aren't singing quite as loudly anymore, which is sad for me, but the weather makes up for it. Any time now we'll see the snapping turtles out in the back yard, preparing a spot to lay their eggs. I'll be sure to take pictures again when I spot them. On most sunny days, we can see the painted turtles laying on logs in the pond, sunning themselves in the nice weather. The other night at dusk, a deer came right into our back yard, sniffing around. That's a bit unusual!

The critters are still working on shedding their winter coats, and I'm helping them along with the shedding blade, but the donkeys, as usual, are holding onto their coats longer than the horses do. They don't typically look shed out until closer to July or August, and by that time it's time to put it right back on again! Our baby donkey, Katie, still has her long baby coat, but nature gave her that coat for a reason, and I'm not going to clip it.

Our big horses are eating pasture full time now, no more hay for them. We have so much pasture we're actually going to rent part of it out for someone to plant soybeans this year. We have more pasture than we know what to do with...and I don't mind helping someone else out.

That's all the news I have here for now, we will be busy planting the garden, and harvesting our hay for the time being. And other little projects we have......the list will never end! But that's ok!

Unhappy longears...

I forgot to mention.... I have been separating Kochia (mini donkey) and her baby a little bit here and there to get them used to what was to come.... yesterday I finally did it for good. It's now weaning time here. That is the one thing I very much disliked about raising foals...of any kind.... having to separate them from their mom's. But....I held out as long as I could. Katie is about 6 months old now, it's definitely time to take her off mom. Mom is showing no signs of doing it herself...not like our horses did! The horses, around 4 months, always started pushing the foals away a little bit when they tried to nurse....Kochia actually encourages it still!

So.... I've been hearing a few brays here and there, mom is having a harder time than baby is, but I expected that. Baby or not, Kochia is very buddy sour anyway...and these brief separations just to grain Katie separately, only on the other side of the fence, were driving mom crazy! But I thought now was the perfect time. It hasn't been unbearably cold, and it shouldn't get too hot yet. Also gives me something else to focus on in the barn...than the void that the barn cats that passed away have left.

We are also having some pretty nice weather, I think it got to 63 yesterday, and the mud is drying up a little bit. The pond is not as flooded as it was, and the frogs are waking up, I heard them singing last night. Most mornings the ducks and geese are having "stereo wars" out there, seeing who can be loudest, it's quite enjoyable to hear...as long as you're not trying to sleep in! Spring is definitely here. Now hoping we'll stay nice, rather than get dumped on by snow yet again...

Jag

Just an update....as I've been sitting here listening to the frogs sing by the pond (no...it doesn't take much to please me!).... Jag has been sold. It was my intention to find him a great home, but I was in no rush to do so. It is my responsibility to see that he goes to a good place, and boy has he ever! He is staying right here in Verona! He was sold on his birthday, March 20th. He's in very good hands, and I am so excited for him to start his new life. Of course it's sad to see him go, but he is starting training now....and will finally have that job, and use that wonderful mind he's got. I'm happy for him. We will miss him.....

Sadness....

We are being treated to some beautiful weather these past few days. Today it was 70, I nearly had to recheck the calendar, to see that it is indeed still March. Several things were going on over the past weekend, however I still managed to clean the chicken coop out, and moved our 10 chicks out to the coop, set up the heat lamp, and they are quite happy to have all that space! They have even had a couple of chances to enjoy the outdoor pen....and had so much fun scratching in the mud. They are quite happy to be out of that brooder, and feeling like "big chickens" now. I'm able to now sit with them and interact with them even more, and just enjoying watching them having so much fun!

But we have also had some bad luck here....sometime during the night Saturday night/Sunday morning, our young barn cat, Kit Kat, was hit and killed on the road. She was born here last spring, from a litter of 6. I found homes for all the kittens, but kept this one, I knew when she was born she was the one I would keep. She was so very sweet, and will be missed. I had the difficult task of rescuing her body from the road and burying her on Sunday. Then, something I still can't understand, happened. We lost her mom, Snickers. Snickers had been acting normally. Saturday morning, we sat together on the log swing outside, which we always liked to do, she came trotting up to me talking, and jumped up into my lap. I pet her for awhile....but had to get up and get ready for a family function we had...so said goodbye. We were gone for several hours.....but Saturday night, she came into the garage and hung out for awhile, which she also likes to do...(I keep a litter box in the garage for her)....but I usually put her out before I go to bed, because I didn't want her kitten to be alone down in the barn...call me a sap! I said goodnight to Snickers that night, and went to bed. Sunday morning....we were out and about doing things around here, and she was clearly visible, came out and watched us a couple of times, which is normal for her, she was around....nothing seemed out of the ordinary. She was her normal self. This was the morning though that my husband saw Kit Kat laying in the road in front of the house....so I was feeling sad...and maybe a little distracted...hoping I didn't miss something I should have seen.

Monday morning I went out to do chores, and Snickers was laying on the hay...where she likes to sleep, I said hi to her, and she answered...but didn't get up. She usually does come to me, but not always, so I didn't think much of it. I wondered if she was reacting at all to our other cat being gone........but would keep a closer eye on her. I had gone to work, and when I came home, the first thing I did was check on Snickers....who was sleeping in the barn. I noticed she hadn't eaten any of her food, but again....wondered if she was feeling her own little sense of loss? When I went to check on her later....Snickers was gone. Looked like she died peacefully in her sleep. But it was a huge blow. Both of our pampered barn cats....two days in a row. I dug the hole through tears...... but I could not bury her myself. I had to ask my husband to bury my Snickers for me. I couldn't do this one.... it will probably take some time....the tears come everytime I go down to the barn....

I have to add....in my last post, I mentioned the pond, and how I was eagerly waiting for the arrival of the frogs. Last night, after Snickers was buried, and it was dark, I had the window open in my bedroom, which faces the pond where Snickers spent a lot of summer days prowling as cats do, and I heard a couple of frogs. Clearing their throats, letting me know that what I have been waiting for will soon be here. I opened the window a little wider and just listened. I got a tear in my eye....thinking perhaps those kitties sent me those frogs that night. Just when I needed them.

So, Rest In Peace, my sweet Snickers and Kit Kat. No one could have any idea how much I'm going to miss you both....

EAGERLY waiting for spring!!

While I am not so patiently waiting for spring to arrive, I thought I would post some photos of the pond in our backyard. The ducks and geese are back hanging out, the geese are making quite a racket in the mornings, announcing their return. But what I'm really waiting for are the singing of the frogs. Usually around the end of March is when we start hearing them, and they get quite loud! My favorite thing to do on nice, warmer nights just as the sun is going down is sit outside in the backyard and listen to the frogs....it's my favorite sound! Then around the end of May, 1st of June, we can expect to see the snapping turtles come out, looking for a place to lay their eggs. In some ways, I feel pretty lucky to have this right outside my door!

Anyway, I don't have very many pictures of the pond itself, so I took some today, while it's still half frozen over. It's over its banks, some trees are under water, and we hope to clean it up some this spring, we have some trees down, (from being underwater too long) and a couple more that are probably close to going down. The first two photos were taken while I was standing in my living room. The second two, I went outside for.

The first below also shows our firepit, and a young oak tree we hope to dig out and move to another location this spring. I can hardly wait to mow the lawn...I love doing that....

Been awhile!

Winter is always a slow time here, but with the arrival of spring, should bring more updates to this blog! Everyone is fuzzy and not really fit for pictures, and now there is mud everywhere you look! Tank heaters have been running in full force and there's been frozen turds to pick up everywhere you look. Winter in Wisconsin....but what can we do! Katie, our mini donkey baby, is getting big, and still as sweet and loving as can be. She looks more like a wooly mammoth than a donkey, with all the hair she has! I decided to hold off on weaning her until spring. She's a good girl, stands to have her feet messed with, and doesn't have any touchy spots anywhere. She's quite a talker, but has a very low, raspy bray, very much unlike any bray I have ever heard. Her mother, on the other hand, has the loudest bray I've ever heard, ear piercing to be exact, and I'd be thrilled if Katie doesn't end up inheriting that from her mom! I usually try to get them fed before Kochia, her mom, really gets going, because she's just TOO loud.

We decided not to winter with chickens, and gave our chickens away to a woman who sells eggs and free ranges her layers way out in the country. The girls look very happy. We wanted more peaceful chickens anyway, as leghorns are not known for being calm, friendly, peaceful chickens generally, and ours were no exception. They were, in one word, crazy! Even though they were hand raised, and handled daily from the day they hatched! So, we have our next generation of layers, when on February 9th, we received our 10 chicks by mail order from McMurray Hatchery. 5 Rhode Island Reds and 5 Black Australorps. They are currently in a brooder in our garage, but I am not-so-patiently waiting for the weather to warm up so we can introduce them to the coop. They are growing fast! And growing into beautiful birds. And, with a 90% sexing accuracy rate, I knew there could be a chance we may end up with a rooster or two....but after 4 weeks, I see no signs of roosters in there, so I think we got all pullets, just like we ordered!

So there's the update....unfortunately, with winter still upon us, there is not much else to say...except that it's not a good sign that it's March and I have already had flooding in my barn, and the pond in our back yard has already flooded its banks. We may be in for a "flood of a spring" I'm afraid. We'll just have to wait and see! Till next time....