I haven't posted anything since May so there is much to catch up on. We are near the end of a great summer vacation and lots has happened around the farm. I had a list a mile long of things to do around here, once I began vacation, and I'm happy to say the list is shorter, but it's still long. I'll post some pictures as time allows. Now that we have a new and improved Internet connection at the house it should make posting updates much easier.
The two most important items on my to-do-list this summer were to build fencing around the cow shed and move and improve the pasture fencing so our yard/play space is much bigger. The fencing is completed, except for the electric cattle fence (more on that saga latter) and we actually have four cows of our own. I'm in process of completing the fence in the front yard and will begin sinking posts today.
It is hard to decide what to share with our friends and family that are reading this. I think it is all interesting, but know it may not be as interesting to others. I'll summarize some of the other things that have gone on and then post any photos that hit on those subjects.
We left for our annual visit to Guatemala and I hired a neighbor girl to feed the dogs, chickens, and water the garden. Wouldn't you know it, it rained the entire time we were gone and she didn't have to water once. As a result, the weeds that over took our garden made it impossible to see any plants that were there. When we returned, it was a jungle. (note to self: hire her to water and to pull weeds). The garden, at least the corn, never did make a full recovery. Because of the heavy rains, my corn went yellow and seemed to be stunted. I eventually mowed it all down and will re-cultivate and plant something else in it's place (broccoli maybe).
The chickens are fewer in number, thanks to my hungry dogs and a BB gun shot from my back porch ( more on that later too). We started at 29 and are now down to 22. I have one rooster left. I didn't realize how fragile chickens are nor how well they can play possum when in the clutches of a Rottweiler. After the fence is finished I will get started on the last big project for the summer - the chicken coop. I'm optimistic that I'll get 'er done before school starts in August. We'll see.
All for now but here is a smattering of some pictures that have been taken so far this summer.
