Playing farmer

Strange to think one month is already gone in this year. Plans and tires on the property just keep spinning due to all the mud. House still has several things dragging along. If you've read the posts above this is what I get for praying for more patience. It is still true that every night has a dawn , so every season has an end. I try and appreciate each season and what it brings, would be a lie if I said more hours of sunshine already did not excite me. After the day job I can finish up most chores without my headlamp now.

I was blessed to borrow a tractor and move a pile of dirt the septic installer said he was waiting on. It was 10 hours on a 30 degree day moving dirt across the property. Usually a job I get bored with fast, but had a cob full of a VA flake on reload all day. That balanced with strong black coffee kept me moving.
Lunch time I was treated by an older couple down the road stopping to ask if I wanted any lunch. I've done a few easy things around their house for them and since they always check on me if they hear me outside for a while. I think my little place brings them memories of when they were my age. Which from their stories they worked me under the table back in the day, they were real farmers when their health/age allowed it. They do throw in they have a single granddaughter about my age, I always laugh them off and give them some eggs.

Their visit stayed on my mind the rest of the day. I could have thought about how I was cold, how noisy the tractor was, how I was doing work someone else had agreed to do, how my hours here meant that something else on the list was neglected. Which would be so easy to do. Instead I thought of that couple, how in their eyes and words I can hear a longing to be able to sit on a tractor all day and do exactly what I was doing. Jobs I might rush through they would relish the chance to do again. Their memory of the old wood house they started in, which I bet was so full of love it almost pushed the nails out of the boards. They'd probably hear the chickens over hearing the tractor, and think how good it was going to feel to warm up after a honest days work. And the woman who hugged me before she left and told me she was rooting for me. Another human , with no benefit other than wishing me happiness was rooting for me. I am truly blessed beyond anything I deserve. Even if I have to repeat that at nauseum to get through my think head.

Great post, Travis. It's always educational to look at the world through someone else's eyes.

Hey, maybe that granddaughter comes with a tractor. You never know.

Last month or so has been busy , and will just be getting busier. Usually will slow down mid summer but with the house this year not sure if that will happen. 

House wise the wall insulation is all installed. Dad would hang during the day while I was at work , and I would clean up the work area, measure and cut enough at night for him to install the next day.  I laughed at the elves/cobbler rotation we had going. Working at home it is very hard to sit at this computer and hear someone working on my house, even worse when its my dad. 

Next up are ceilings so we can blow in the insulation. Will be nights and weekends for me on that. None of the stores around hand the ceiling panels I wanted so they are on order. Hopefully they will be in soon. Going with the 4X8 sheets of plywood style beadboard. with 4inch boards running along the seams.  Looks better in photos than sounds when typed out. 
Any other update would sound to much like complaining about the various companies Im working with. Which helps nothing so better left unsaid --- That's the update for me playing carpenter/ home builder

Playing Farmer is just as busy currently. Got a dozen baby ducks to raise up and add to the rotation. They will help fill the freezer and some egg cartons. There are several home cooks in my family that are excited for them.  Chickens are laying about 2 dozen a day now so that's in steady supply. One rabbit had a litter Sunday, haven't even counted how many yet. The other two rabbits should have litters by this weekend. Already put 20 or so quail in the freezer. We have another 30 that should hatch out by the 15th. Adding a few extra quail back because their eggs are my dads favorite, and even if he does not each as much as he did, takes lots of quail eggs to keep him fed.

So meat wise  (skip if this math is boring.) 

Have 10 older hens to process    3lbs each so    30lbs
20 quail already in freezer with 25ish quail more to butcher within 20 months    14or so ounces each so lets say  25lbs
3 litters of rabbits if we average 5 a litter thats 15 to put in freezer.  At 2.5 lbs each thats almost 40lbs of meat there. 
6 or so ducks to cull in 2 months. 7lbs each thats 40 or so lbs 
2 deer that made their way into the freezer as well which was about 75lbs combined as they were smallish and didnt all come to me.

So in just a few weeks work thats 210Lbs of good meat in the freezer.     And the rabbits will do another 2 rounds this year, so 80 more,  meat chickens will be 150lbs  10 more ducks so 70 quail 5 more rounds so another 50 or so pounds easily.   So without including hunting or fishing can easily put 500lbs of meat in the freezer and stomachs of my family and friends.
And most of this is done in about 10 hours a week or so chore wise.  Crazy to think I used to sit in a car that long a week driving to a job I hated, and produced far less good. 
 
So meat wise the freezer is fine for a while. The vegetable freezer is getting a bit empty. Good thing about a month ago started tomatoes, peppers , and some things in the green house, and even more last weekend. Greenhouse time is some of my favorite. All the problems , stresses, everything slows down. The present pounding, ringing in my head is slowed down. Electric company, pluming seals, septic vents,  wall paint color, construction cost increasing % every month. These things are slowed until they are not just out of focus but they are gone. 

There are brief passing thoughts of how good this squash will taste ,  how pretty the okra flowers will be, how the corn will wave in the storms, walking through rows to pick dinner with bees and birds doing the same. Filling bags into car trunks of strangers who become friends, the comfort of simply knowing no matter how bad something gets, I have food.

These thoughts seem important but pass like clouds also. The real pleasure is focusing on the simple task of making soil blocks and putting a seed in them.  Each time its a little bit of hope, and belief there will be a tomorrow.  The miracle of simple life of dirt and a seed. I feel for people who think miracles don't happen anymore, I spent the weekend plating 100s of them.  Even at what can seem the worst of times, I am blessed beyond anything I deserve.    And at the end of the planting as I close the door to the greenhouse I remember my grandmother and repeat her words " grow my babies" 

Sounds great dervis.
I'm a big believer in a freezer full of meat - of course all mine came from the grocery store.
I keep a ridiculous number of "flats" of canned goods in the "pantry" too.

I am planning to buy some bison for the freezer this spring. There is a place nearby that raises bison and sells the meat, hides, skulls - by appointment only.
Bison "hamburger" and steaks have a wonderful flavor.

The most gardening my wife and I do these days is going to be herbs this summer.
That'll be nice for cooking and homemade sausage/brats.

👍🏻😄👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻🐣🦆🐓🦢🐇🐇🦨🌶🫑🌽🥦🚜🚜🚜🚜. Keep on reminding us of a more simple and good life.

👍🏻Good work young man!

Herbert is 100% right, you can only do so much, you get sick who’s gonna carry the load, pace yourself,

Coming along, nicely!

Great job!

Looking great, Travis. The perseverance is paying off.

Warm week here,  first one of the year always seems to sneak up on people.  Most daytime (aside from my day job) keeping animals watered and making more shade for the ones working in open areas.  Did have a few chickens die,  which I expected.  I let several get several years to old ,  it was my fault I should have butchered them last year or the  year before.  Just the age and heat they could not take it.    

Garden is still going good,  Have had to water a few times.  and will again before the rain comes.  Have to move the sprinkler every hour or so from 5pm till midnight ,  or start at midnight till 5 am .  Which I do on occasion.  Lots of Zucchini and squash so far.  Everything else is going a bit slower but will be here before long.   Already getting calls and visits from people ready to carry off anything extra.  It is good to see their faces every summer.  Fresh vegetables should be part of more peoples routine,  most of the people do mention they have started a few seeds or tomato plants,  or they want to and I send them home with something from the greenhouse to plant.  I try and watch pride,  because pride can get to big fast,  but I am proud that because of what they see me do they start doing a little of it themselves. 

Sunflowers are blooming,  I keep looking at them hoping to catch the first sighting of the little yellow birds that eat from them.  They are sneaky and I only see them when the flowers are in bloom.  It is a treat every year they show.

I read and nap on the porch between the water changes.  I sleep on the porch often this time of year because it is cooler than the house full of all the "needed" electronic things putting off heat. Got an old Coleman sleeping bag that always takes me back to memories of a kid camping.  Combine that with the reading of something like Walden and in the dark I swear I can almost hear lapping of water on a bank edge.

The dog likes the porch season,  but the cats view it as an invasion of their nighttime antics I think. There is a stray cat that comes up and gets food on occasion. I heard it the other night and sat up out of the sleeping bag,  that thing bounced off every wall on the porch and might have hit the ceiling.  I dont think it will come back for a few days. 

Not much work going on the house.  Waiting on materials mostly,  Dad cant handle the heat like he used to.  He blames it on age,  but I blame it on his hours sitting in the AC.  He and I work on things slowly and I put some quail or chicken on the smoker for lunch.  I think the big lunch is part of the reason he keeps coming back.  Ive made note that untill house is done I need to increase the number of animals I raise to feed him.  He and I are already talking about the tomato sandwiches we will be having in a few weeks.   He heads home mid afternoon and I work into the night to get things moving forward.   

Stepfather broke his rib again,  so Ive been on chore duty at their house as well.  Haven't spent as much time with them since the house started so this is a nice ,  albeit forced time there with them catching up on breaks.  

I need more hours in the day it seems,  but time moves as it does I just make sure I keep moving with it.   I am blessed to be able to help people and blessed that there are people who want to help me.  

A few pictures of the progress,  what little it is. And the view from my new front porch, which is already full of memories.  As always I am blessed beyond anything I deserve.





 

The weather here almost feels like summer is winding down. I know there are still some warm ones ahead but I have been enjoying the new porch, cool breeze and the afternoon showers. Watching the clouds over the woods, the smell of rain thick on the front. A smell everyone knows, but to a farmer with dry fields/gardens it creates an anticipation. I close my eyes and breathe in the smell , and think about how good it will be when the rain falls. The quiet before it starts , and the tin roof percussion after. Of course the clouds can go around and if so the smell is replaced again with dust and thick warm air. I feel I have as much control over the house progress as I do over those clouds. It has already been a year , the bank is cranky, Dad is cranky, and so am I. Things will happen in their own time, which is never really my time. My mistake for trying to own time in the first place.  I spent so many hours in the house prepping and hanging drywall I think something had to happen to make it stop. With my day job , farm chores, house chores I was pulling 18 plus hour days. About a month ago had a rough night, with several hours of pain. For the first time in over 10 years I went to the doctor. ER to be more specific. Pancreatitis and gallbladder issues. Stone blocking the duct. So 2 days in hospital stint put in duct, gallbladder out and back home. For the sake of worrying family I sat and did nothing but read for a few days. Then back to hanging drywall. The sheets where heavier the first few days but got back In the motion well enough. Got it hung and this weekend hopefully with YouTube help will start the tape and mud. I go back in a week to have the stint removed and things looked at. The doctors would prefer I had sat until then, but their books albeit helpful can not know what’s best for a person.

The small hospital stay and following few days where the closest thing to a vacation I have had in as long as I can remember. As bad as I hated it , to not learn from it would make it a total waste. Can’t pray for patience and then get mad when given chances to be patient. Same as praying for strength then being surprised when you must be strong.

Gardens haven’t done much this year, still no rain and with as much as I have going and then almost a week of sitting around it didn’t have a fair chance. The overgrowth has lent itself to a playground for the cats. The flowering plants a treat for butterflies and bees. So even an unfruitful garden can provide a different kind of fruit. I still have more growing than I can eat, and full freezers so no real worry there. The peach trees I planted 4 years ago finally had fruit of their own. Every morning walking down to the barn I would pass them, pick a few, and eat. Had so many that could pick the best bites and toss the rest to the chickens. For a bit they were the first thing on my mind when I woke up. Excited to get out and select my breakfast, eat them standing in the yard, chickens even more excited waiting for their part. I remember a time when I used to meet around the coffee machine in an office and make small talk with almost strangers. Tie and dress shoes , like a part in a bad play. Silently eating peaches , mud boots covered with dew, chickens telling me to hurry up fits me better. It’s the little ways like that I know I am blessed beyond anything I deserve.

A hawk took out another one of my chickens, but finally it wont be a problem any longer. I currently have 3 rabbits still . Will start breeding again end of month. 20 laying chickens, 10 laying quail , 10 ducks which turned out to be mostly male, so freezer camp for the boys save one. Oven roasted duck with a slight crisp to the skin is one of my favorite meals.

The heat of the summer has made my driveway overgrown. In nicer weather the neighbors and family keep it worn down from visits , but as of late there has not been the traffic it is used to. Suits me fine anytime I am a bit under the weather I just want to be alone anyway. I am sure when they hear I am mended they all have lists of things I can help with . Which will give us all time to catch up. Dad had a few kittens show up so to help we have a new addition to the place. Smokey the cat, to go along with Bandit the dog. The other two official farm cats are very unhappy with this. To the point they might just move off altogether, which I have to say the thought has crossed my mind as well. This six year adventure has been exhausting so far. I enjoy reading, but in relation the past year would be one of those long chapters, ones that seem to be without as much purpose. Something some might call filler. The easy thing to do is rush though the pages and not pay attention, but usually that is a mistake and the slow chapter is very important later on. It has some detail or purpose that I might and have in the past missed while rushing, but that’s my fault not its. It is exactly what it is supposed to be, I just need to be who I am supposed to be while in it.

I hope you all are well , I thank God for the hard times and their lessons. I pray I learn what I am supposed to while in them and help others along the way.

I love your updates. I hope that you are printing them out and saving them in a journal.

Great submission Travis!

(As always)