How'd it go today?

Jim...have you ever considered the thought that where you live might not be the best place for trying to make a living farming???

I mean, hell...if it can get any harder, I cannot figure how.


Not really, my friend. I know it's your life and you must love it, once all the bitchin' is done :).

Wishing you good luck, and offering more respect.
 
I don't think above ground cisterns are a good idea in areas that freeze hard. I see none around here at all.

Lots of action in my neck of the woods. A small local mill is burning down. I'll probably get a bunch of noxious smoke and ash out of the deal in the morning when the wind shifts my way. And then to top it off a cougar got one of my neighbours ostrichs. It killed it but didn't/couldnt drag it away? Not sure on all the details yet because i heard it second hand. But I did see my neighbour disposing of a bird carcass. Lots of action in the hood!

http://infotel.ca/newsitem/fire-crews-dispatched-to-north-okanagan-mill-fire/it46631
 
The running joke is that the homesteaders must have had incomplete or at least very poor maps to end up in this country.


After we preg checked our heifers we invited the Vet in for lunch.

We got to talking about all the other folks in the country he knew that got caught flat footed by the drought. No grass, no hay.......just hoping it would turn around.


I told him you have to prepare like this country is trying to kill you, because it is!

Thanks for the kind words Burnham. We shall endeavor to persevere.
 
Geeze, thats got to cause a lot of gut ache in Timber Country.

Would be like if our grain elevator or stock yards burnt down.

I did not know that cougar would kill for sport. Did it eat on the bird or just leave it?

I know wolves will kill for fun.

If'n a cougar is eating your dogs or livestock can you kill it Justin?
 
Not many beasties out there in the woods that I am sure would take me down without any trouble...cougar be the one. I can see ways to fight off bear, wolf, and crazy human...cougar?..not so much. They are both common here, and very seldom seen.

But I do not fear the cats. We walk our local woods trails day and night, and enjoy those times immeasurably. I'd embrace death by that route over about any other I can imagine.
 
Death from above!

Fellow out south lost all of his turkeys to a mountain lion one night.

Grandpa tried to shoot one once, but he missed it...a lot of times.

He said he thinks he was shooting at the long tail waving about. Maybe a defense mechanism.
 
Hell yah I can and would. Still can't discharge recklessly but defending livestock is a right I have as a registered bonafide farmer. Gives me the right to defend livestock and to keep a rifle and ammunition handy instead of locked if a threat is present.

Something primal in me rails against the intrusion of any predatory wild animals. I sure hope it's either left or gets taken care of soon. I don't want any animals getting tore up. We got the two mini asses in with the horses and even though they're small, there's something about a asses bray and general demeanour that gives them a upper hand on many predators.

Gotta keep a good eye out for the dogs though, espescially the little ones.
 
Keep an eye peeled, bro. I'm with you.

My earlier comments are coming from the point of view of a human wandering about in cougar habitat... you takes your choices and risks, there.

Once a cat comes into my domestic situation, gloves are off. There is damned little that multiple rounds of 12 gauge buckshot will fail to turn away.
 
Thats good.

I thought you mentioned before that your were too close to town.




I am, the district I'm in has a bylaw against firearm discharge. But defence of livestock overrules that for farmers. I am about as small of a setup that can cling to farm status. $2500/year in sales.8)
 
Keep an eye peeled, bro. I'm with you.

My earlier comments are coming from the point of view of a human wandering about in cougar habitat... you takes your choices and risks, there.

Once a cat comes into my domestic situation, gloves are off. There is damned little that multiple rounds of 12 gauge buckshot will fail to turn away.

Yah well to top it all off it's one of those darker than dark nights out tonight too. Creeping me out. Friggin giant cat. I don't think it'll come around my place. Two unfixed dogs have this place market out pretty good. But still doesn't mean I'm not going to be vigilant.
 
Ouch, Justin. Hope the cat stays away.

I'm being stupid today, stressing out over the new to me truck. On the phone right now ordering a certified cheque. Been keeping an eye on other truck sales, I think I'm getting a good deal, great warranty, 3 months or 3000km. Not helping that my 84 year old Dad is being funny, argumentative. I know it's age, but it doesn't help.
 
Lining up some modifications for my new (to me) dump truck. It has a 12' dump bed with 21" steel sides. I'm having a cap made for it that will be 8' long and about 3' high so I can chip into it. To attach it to the bed I'm planning on using the rubber hood latches like they use on big trucks along with a couple of short locating pins on the top lip of the bed. I'm also having the back gate replaced with two doors hinged on the sides.

I drove the truck today for the first time and the seat is absolutely terrible. The springs are all collapsed. Will talk with my neighbor the upholsterer about rebuilding the bench seat.

We have to use the truck Friday before I can get any of these mods done so I'll get some 'before' pics.
 
I've been thinking about Skwerl this week, Monday/Tuesday I was climbing some oaks and ash for dismantling. Difficult job, power and telephone lines, broke a telephone line, managed to repair it.

Tuesday night, got home aching and exhausted (with a nice chèque btw!)

A platform/cherry picker would have made it a piece of piss, could have gone disco dancing afterwards! May be the next thing.

Stump grinding rest of the week.....bliss.

Anyway
 
Just finished three days at the new School job...cherry picker all the way :)
I finally had a breakdown...there had been a fair at the school last week...must have been some stray tent pegs or something about, because SOMETHING robust and metal went through the chipper.
Completely totalled the edge of the knives big chunks out of them, and the anvil was dented in two spots. One knife had shifted probably 1mm in the pocket!
Thank-you Lord, I carry a spare set of fasteners and something told me to take the torque wrench and tools along. Took about an hr. or so to flip the knives (brand new about three weeks ago), change the fasteners, take out the anvil, swop the edge, reset everything and get back to chipping. Not bad for a girl eh?
 
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