Spring 2018 farm update - it was busy as usual

We had a drought all Fall, which meant we bought a lot more hay than a normal winter. It got to the point where we were buying 2-year old hay. 

We supplemented the animal's hay with grain whenever the temperature went below freezing - which it kept doing, all the way into April. We had the second coldest April in history! We buy bulk grain from Childer's Farm and Feed. 

I got bored one day and decided to mow the ditch along our dirt road. Sounded like a good idea, and the wheel base looked wide enough, so I did it...up to the part where the ditch got wider than my wheel base! Had the boys come help me pull the bush hog mower off the back, and just as I was calling a neighbor to ask if he could rescue me with his Big tractor...

...along came a new neighbor who said he would be back in 15 minutes with something that could pull me out - he was right, it was a really Big piece of equipment. He recently bought the 70 acre property just across the dirt road from us and is building a beautiful house. He and his family are a great new addition to the neighborhood.

K6 was helping me spread a variety of grass and legume seed on our paddocks, which the animals had grazed almost down to the dirt. He is waving an empty seed bag. That is a seed spreader strapped to the back of the UTV. 

The wife needed a break from the cold weather, so we took a trip to San Diego to visit some dear friends. I thought it was warm enough, but as you can see, she had to wear a coat on the beach.

Our friends have a large avocado tree in their back yard, which she loves.

It was an excellent mini-vacation.

Raw Hide! We had our own version of a cattle drive down the road to a brother's piece of land that had plenty of new grass growing. We weren't riding horses, just the UTV and several family and friends helping - on foot. Great family, friends and neighbors make life worth living. The drive was going well until the bull saw a small break in our neighbor's fence line and charged through it. The herd followed, and we spent an extra 15 minutes rounding them up and moving on down the road. 

We finally got the herd to new pasture. This is the first time my cattle have experienced electric fencing, which our friend Bryce helped set up for us. We kept 7 cows and calves back at home on our place, and kept main herd here almost two months, until neighbors started seeing black bear roaming nearby! Then I brought all home where I could keep a closer eye on them. 

Three of our talented children performed in the musical, "Cats!" It was a great show. From left to right: K8, K7, and K5.

Just saying, one or both need to lay off the GMO feed...