Day Two: Barn Construction

Building supplies arrived first thing this morning. Because the forecast called for rain, I wasn't expecting any building activity. But a crew arrived shortly after the delivery and began installing the large 6 x 6 posts that form the barn's skeletal structure.

By the end of the day, all 24 posts were in the ground, upright and secured to temporary bracing. Concrete was mixed on site and poured into each hole. After the crew left, I walked through what could now be called a structure and began picturing how the animals would be housed, what would fit in the milkroom, and how the stairs would reach the upper level.

Day One: Barn Construction

Work began on the barn today. It was cold and overcast and rain is expected tomorrow, but the ground was cleared, holes dug for poles and concrete footings poured. The barn will be 30' x 50', with a loft for hay, and will provide shelter for the dairy goats, a milk "parlor" and grain storage. There will be additional space for Isabelle, my Jersey heifer, and hopefully her future calf.

Free-Range versus Free Meal
I found predators had eaten two ducks this week. The ducks have been uncooperative about living in their shelter at night and, in the interest of allowing free-ranging, I haven't wanted to lock them all up full-time. But capturing 40 ducks by net every night, while providing wonderful entertainment for neighbors and passersby, isn't something I'm willing to commit to.

The night before I found the remains, I'd come in from an evening out to find several wandering around by the front gate, seemingly confused. It was pretty cold that night and I rounded up as many as I could catch and forced them "indoors" for the night. Of course, finding a headless duck and a separate pile of feathers changes the game. Next day I put netting over the duck pen and lured them in. Day one of their incarceration leaves me wishing I had another option, but not sure how to solve this dilemma.

December 2010

Freezing temps have settled in for the month, hitting a low of 15 degrees last night. Everything takes more time when the weather is this cold -- break ice off water troughs, pack in more straw for warmth, trudge around in 15 layers of clothing.

Attended the 25th Annual Sustainable Ag Conference in Winston Salem this month. Came back brimming with enthusiasm and ideas for the farm. Check out this conference video produced by GeoCore Films:

2010 Sustainable Agriculture Conference - CFSA from GeoCore Films on Vimeo.

If you don't blink, you may catch a (very) brief glimpse of me at the 45-46 second mark in a rose-colored Carhart vest and brown hat with Holstein cows in the background. If you haven't attended one of these CFSA conferences before, it's well worth the time and money spent, whether you're a farmer, gardener or lover of good food.

November 2010

Friends came out and helped with a day of duck and rooster processing. The ducks were much more difficult than I'd anticipated and it took longer than planned. You'd think I'd have learned that lesson by now as EVERYTHING takes much longer than you originally anticipate. I may give serious thought to taking the next batch in and paying to have them processed, which certainly takes away from the learning to be self-sufficient model.

October 2010

Sent the tractor out for some basic maintenance this month. Really, really wish I'd had the foresight to take some kind of mechanics class in high school, tag behind Dad when he rebuilt a Carmen Ghia during my teens, or to pay attention to any kind of small or large engine repair over the years. Just never came up before. Living a farmsteading lifestyle has shown me where my weaknesses lie, and fixing mechanical things is a big one.

Leased a buck for the month for the five oldest does. Dried them off before his arrival and already very much missing their delicious milk. Store bought cow milk doesn't compare. But we all need the break -- me from the daily milking routine and the does need to concentrate their efforts on growing what I hope will be a healthy "crop"of kidlings.

Ten more ducklings hatched this month, bringing the farm's total duck population to nearly 40.

August 2010

What a blur the past six months have been. The goats kidded in March, two new beehives were added in April, new water hydrants run to the garden and hoophouse in May, 24 ducklings hatched in June, chickens were harvested and processed in July, and fencing went up this month. Cheesemaking, planting, harvesting and canning filled the remaining time. The garden has churned out peas, tomatoes, onions, potatoes, cucumbers, beets, turnips and swiss chard. Blackberries, strawberries and raspberries also produced this year. Plans are in the works for a barn-raising, possibly as early as this fall. And special thanks to all the family and friends who have visited the farm and helped to make things happen.

June 2010

Seems Spring never made a showing this year as it rolled straight from Winter into Summer. Blistering temperatures have kept me out of the garden most of this month. Several days of over 100-degree baking have sent most of the plants into decline. Even the chickens are too hot to lay eggs, with just a trickle coming in each day. I don't remember June being this hot before. The land is dry and dusty and I'm painfully aware of the AC running constantly in the non-energy-efficient temporary house. I've spent the time looking at earth-sheltered homes online and working through designs for my future passive solar house, dreaming of the time when I can rely less on coal-generated electricity to bring comfort and more on common-sense home design.

During my first two years in Hillsborough, I rented the "stone house" on Churton Street, a beautiful old home built in 1932, out of stone quaried here. The house was built in a thoughtful way, in an era before AC was widely available, and although this amenity was added in later years, while I was there I rarely turned it on. It wasn't necessary as the house stayed wonderfully cool, even on the hottest day.

During cooler moments, over 90, but less than 100, I'm working on extending fencing on the hedgerow that separates the north property from the south. It will help me to better contain goats, who have finally learned to breach the solar-charger guarded electric-net fencing I've been moving around the property. I frequently have to rescue goat kids who thrust themselves into the netting, only to become hopelessly entangled, then bellow for help. The electric net fencing was very expensive and has ended up being a great waste of money. A rooster died in the netting, other birds have become entangled and now goats are breaching it, making it useless.

And I'm also learning to master the ancient tractor. It's a quirky beast, more complicated and obstinate than the cow or goats. Hold up the PTO handle when turning the key in the ignition or the beast won't start. I set it on low speed and let it amble along to my destination. Despite its quirks, I'm grateful to have the help.