1 step forward; 2 steps back

That's how I feel life is going for me right now.
I feel like I can't get anything accomplished.
Except basic survival.

Maybe it is the extra kid?
I remember when I had Page it took about two to three months to find my groove again.
It has been three months since Melody was born.
Somedays I have a groove and totally kick butt.
Other days I'm lucky if I get the floor swept after we eat.

But then again I feel like we've been hit with a baseball bat over and over.
Maybe that's why I'm not getting much done.
Started with no water for four months.
Having a baby.
Putting our water line in.
Having to remodel the kitchen (btw I'll ave to post about that).
And now Page getting burned.
Plus during all this we've been putting in a sprinkler system.

Maybe someday I'll discover my groove again.
Until then its one step forward and two back.

Hay: A Precise Science

The art of growing good quality hay is all about preciseness.
Watering at the right time, for the correct interval.
(Flood Irrigating...12 hours a setting)

Cutting it at the right time for optimum nourishment.
(When a purple sheen can across the top of the hay can be seen.)
Ours is not quite ready another week most likely.

Letting it dry just enough so it can be baled at the right time.

And removing it from the field in a timely matter so the watering schedule is back on track.

Of course mother nature doesn't take into account that farmers may have another life besides raising hay.
Which in turn results into farmers being up at unseemly hours putting their hay up.
So when a crazy farmer heads out the door and starts his tractor up at midnight.
That is why.
The hay is at its optimum point of being cut or baled.

If hay was not put up at the the optimum point, there is many things that results from that.
Poor hay quality which equals poor nutritional value.
Which means the animals that eat the hay won't get the nourishment they need.

So when your lively hood depends upon hay.
Either for the fact that you grow it and sell it.
Or for the fact that you grow it and use it yourself.
It is important to get the hay up done at the right time.

Even if it is two in the morning.

Emergency Run to the ER

This is why we visited the ER this week.
My poor little Page.
Pulled the iron onto her hand.
No fun.
Way serious burn.
Burn Center Appointment tomorrow.
Wish us good news!

Like quick healing and not as serious as we are afraid it is.

This week

So far this week I've
Sewn
Watched fireworks
Attended church
Played with cousins
Played with a new foal
Chased a mare down
Been to the ER
Finished varnishing my cabinets
Watered the lawn
Washed some laundry
Changed water

Left to do this week
Volunteer at the fair
Finish sewing
Change Page's bandage
Clean the house
Get my circle time calendar ready
Blog
See the doctor
Mow the lawn

Those of you with kids know I'll be lucky to getthe house even picked up...everything else haha

How's your week going?

Bottles

Once upon a time I was not going to give my kids bottles.
Daisy took one when she was younger a bit if there was no other choice.
But when she weaned at a year she went straight to a sippy.
Page though at ten months weaned herself and finally took a bottle.
I was trying everything just to get her to drink some fluid.
Now she's nineteen months and still lugs the thing around.
I know... Shame on me.
Frankly though its a battle I'm not ready to pick.

Well the first of this month we were down to only four bottles.
I figured if she kept losing them, ok we'll get rid of them that way.
Well she must've figured it out.
Tonight I counted, we are back up to seven bottles.
Don't ask me how, they just showed up.
Yes...totally crazy.
Do you have things show back up that your glad to be rid of?

It's amazing what can be hidden in this little home.
I mean its only thirteen feet wide if that and maybe sixty feet long.
Hope all is well your way.
I'm doing good three kids and a husband asleep, dishes washed, floor swept, house picked up.
I'm off to read some Harry Potter and see how he fights the dragon.
...Oh ya I know...ok I'm going to read it again just because I can...
Night!

A leaner cow

 I've learned something new.
You really do have to drain the grease from hamburger.
I never had growing up.
I always thought the directions where crazy when it called to drain the hamburger.
I never got grease off of it.
Until now.
This steer Koda and I've butchered is WAY greasy...in my opinion.
Koda thinks I'm crazy.
So look at these pictures.

 That's a lot of grease in my way of thinking.
I guess maybe it really isn't though.
So I talk to my dad about it.
Guess what...I'm not crazy.
The meat I grew up eating was really lean.
Limousine cattle are very lean.
Angus are fatty.
That's why Angus is America's preferred meat.
It is fatty...therefore tastes the best.
Frankly I think they both taste great, if not the same.
Only difference is I have to drain the Angus meat.

So take a look at these steers. 

This black one is going to be living in my freezer this spring. 

A Full blooded Angus he is.

Now take a look at these mutts.

My dad's steers are a mix of breeds.

Longhorn, Limousine, and some Angus...mostly Limousine though. (Yes there are two Holstiens in the picture, ignore them.)

So there's your tidbit for the day.
Angus have fattier meat.
Limousine don't.
Longhorn are a lean meat too...but they take AGES to finally get to eatin age.
That's another story.
Till next time.
Eat Beef!

The Picture Says It All.

Mountain Views

This is another reason I love to be a rancher.
Look at the view of that.
Deer, elk, cows, sheep, and horses all roam this country.
Along with all the other animals.
Truly a masterpiece.

Daisy Child

This is my oldest.

Daisy.

Three years old.

A wild child.

 Yes, she's into the dog food....again....

 Breaking in Carson's new saddle with Page.

Oh how she begs everyday to go riding.

Today she was out feeding the horse.

I can't wait till she rides by herself.

Next year. Yay!!

 The little smurf.

I had some paint that I painted in their room.

She hid some.

Two months later pulled it out.

And painted herself.

She looks good huh?

Puppy got a big hug too.

He was blue. Haha

She's quite the girl. 

I love her little Who-Ville Smile.

Can You Do This?

I Can't I'm to old.
I'd probaly break my back.
I tried to do a summersalt today.
Don't ask the outcome.
What would it be like to be three again.

Oh yes the energy they expound.
I'd love to be three again.
What age do you want to be again?

Today

Hey ya'll!
I'm so sorry I didn't get a Farm Fact Friday up this week.
I was suprised the other night.
My husband didn't have to work for two days.
So we tore the kitchen apart and put it back together.
(Mostly)
I'm loving it!
Hope all ya'll's Friday is going good.
It looks like we are going to be getting more rain here.
Crazy weather.

Me

Catchup Day.

Oh man the past three days have been busy, busy, busy.
Sunday we blessed Melody and had a potluck afterwards with family and friends.
It was lots of fun.

Even though poor Koda was going on four hours sleep, with another full night ahead of him.
Monday was the 4th of July like you all know.
We worked our cows.

Talk about what a headache that turned into.
We went to ear tag our calves and our tagger was gone.
Oh boy we looked everywhere.
A little child must of "used" it this past year and it never found its way back to its proper place.
Lucky for us IFA was open and we were able to buy another pair.
We then headed out to my mom's place and had a true-blue Chew party.
In other words, we sat around and talked, and talked, and talked and talked.
I don't think we left there till eleven thirty.
Oh and guess what, Koda was on call.
Thank heavens he didn't get called out.
He was able to sleep and got lots of rest in today.
But of course, he's back at the grind.
I'm telling you we need some days off.
Anyways, why is this post called Catchup Day.

I'm getting there.
So I'm kinda funny I guess.
I have a laundry day and a cleaning day.
I can't handle doing a little here and a little there all week long.
Drives me crazy.
So every Monday I do my laundry. (Its previously been Saturday, Thursday, Wednesday)
But Monday is what it is now.
I've liked it the most.
Well this past Monday I got a bit done.
Tuesdays are my cleaning day.
Well I got the house cleaned today and  my laundry done all today.
With a sleeping husband, two terrors, and a baby.

Like how Melody helps doing laundry?
Anywho, it is nine o'clock and I did just wrap the cord on the vacuum.
But its done.
Except folding.

This is what my couch looks like.

So I got a hot date with a movie and I'm going to be a folding tonight.

Oh ya, I also have these cuties to put to bed
Goodnight ya'll
Me

Thankyou!

Happy fourth, USA.
What are you doing today?
Me I'm branding calves.
Yep no days off for cattle ranchers.
Or at least ones who also do double duty as a driller.
Tell you something I'm very grateful for, those young adults in the military.
They are the reason I'm able to brand my own calves, on my property.
They provide us with our freedom.
My sister is married to a marine.
He is right now overseas.
I want you to know that I full heartly support our young men and women in uniform.
The are the ones keeping us free.
Thankyou to all those fighting and to those loved ones left at home.
Your making it possible for me to enjoy my fourth the way I want to.
Thanks

Me, a loving patriot.

Irrigation Systems

To grow food, water is a must.
To grow a lot of food, a lot of water is a must.
Farmers have been using irrigation systems for centuries.
Well ever since farming has came into practice.
10,000 years ago Maize was domesticated.
From that point agriculture and the art of farming has grown.
There are two different types of irrigation.
Surface irrigation and sprinkler irrigation.
Surface irrigation is the application of water directly onto the surface of the fields.

Picture from http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/irfurrow.html

This is accomplished by flood irrigation, furrow irrigation or gated pipe. These three are all the the same basic method just slightly different systems are used. Surface irrigation is the oldest form of system type irrigation. (In dry land farming, watering is all dependent upon the rain.) Read more about Furrow Irrigation here.

The second type of irrigation is sprinkler irrigation. This type uses pipes and sprinkler heads to water the fields.
Under this type there is many systems.

Solid Systems aka hand lines.
Hand lines are what I grew up moving. They are no fun, yet must be done every morning and night.

Picture of hand lines in my dad's field

Continuous Systems aka pivots

Pivots is my most favored method. These move in circular fashion and water continuously.

Picture my brother took from the top of pivot

Periodic Systems aka wheel lines.

Wheel lines usually are motorized too, but they must be manually connected to the water source. 

There is also a new system out on the market. K-Lines. These are similar to hand lines, yet you can leave the water running in them, hook them to your four-wheeler, and change them.  

Picture from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:WheelLineIrrigation.JPG

Picture from http://www.k-linena.com/new_page_2.htm

Click on the links below for more information.  

Irrigation

Drip Irrigation
Furrow Irrigation