Out Around the Barn

Composting has become very popular over the past couple of years and especially now in the time of our Country’s economic crisis.  Organic is huge in our grocery stores and in all the magazines, you will read article after article on how to grow organic food or which is healthier. 

I started a compost pile two years ago and didn’t quite get it figured out.  It wouldn’t heat up and seemed to take forever to change from vegetable scraps into compost.  I researched more and discovered that even in the winter it has to be kept moist, at least watered on a weekly basis.  I also discovered that I hadn’t made it deep enough.  I had layered it with leaves and manure from the horse barn but hadn’t made it thick enough.  So I stirred up what I had and started again.  

First, I raked up leaves and added a thick layer on top, then I went to the horse barn and cleaned a couple of stalls and placed that on top of the leaves, we had old sawdust in our livestock trailer and cleaned it out and layered that on then watered it well.  I waited about a week and cleaned an area in my chicken coup and placed that on along with some old straw, in between these layers there was vegetable scraps added as well as old newspapers (single layers or shredded), coffee and tea grounds and egg shells as we went along.  I then watered it again and left it set for another week.

As a little play on words here, our livestock supplies  a major ingredient to my compost pile.  It is good to use horse and chicken manure for your compost.  That is what I have heard was the best.  Also, to let your chickens, if you have them, scratch around in it will help keep it stirred.

Last week I went out to till my garden and get it ready to plant.  I wanted to add some compost to it as I tilled to add some nutrients to the soil but wasn’t sure it would be ready.    Since it had only been a couple of weeks since I redone my compost pile, I was almost certain I’d have to wait and just add it when planting but, to my surprise, it was heating well and after stirring it up, there was enough compost finished from the first layers that I could add it to my garden.

The compost that I did make last year and placed in my garden and around plants helped my harvest tremendously.  I had great results and consider it a very useful part of our farm tools and garden accessories.

Owning a horse is a big responsibility. Whether you ride and jump him competitively or he’s simply a family pet, there are many factors to consider before you purchase a horse of your own. Even though it’s the dream of many little girls to own a pony, what many of those little girls don’t realize is how expensive and time consuming a horse can truly be. The first significant cost is boarding. Unless you have a barn in your backyard, you’ll have to pay for board at a stable, and that can be almost as expensive as a second mortgage.

There’s also the cost of food to consider as well as necessary equipment such as horse blankets and more. And if you ride, the equipment becomes even more elaborate and expensive. This is to say nothing of the vet bills and health related products. These will include equine joint supplements and more. But if you can afford the costs, both upfront and longstanding, horses are amazing creatures that will offer you and your family love and lasting memories.

 When purchasing new equipment for your farm or ranch, there is always something new to learn.  You need to know how to operate it correctly, what kind, if any, fuel does it use, how often does it need serviced and many other details.  You are usually supplied with a manual that will tell you all you need to know or at least give you phone numbers or a website to go to for help.

That isn’t the case with new livestock.  They may come with registration papers but not a how – to book.  You learn as you go.  You first go with your own instinct and experience and follow through from there.  If you feed them too much they will let you know one way or the other.  Some signs are not wanting to eat, loose bowels, droopy ears, watery or discolored eyes and just plain puny acting.  This can also be the case in not getting enough. 

It also applies to supplements.  Give them too much or too little can also make them sick acting. 

You have to watch closely day to day to see what is and is not working.  Animals need a good grain feed and supplements to grow and be healthy.  There are several varieties of equine supplements and cattle supplements on the market these days.  Also, you can find a supplement for your livestock depending on if they are fed on grass or alfalfa.  There are specific varieties of alfalfa supplements and grass fed supplements out there. 

Check out the listings on the web or at your local feed store to find what is best for your feeding schedule.

These days we all hear about “Going Green“.  It is a great idea and if it is possible to do, well worth it.  There are simple things we can do to accomplish this if we put in a little effort.

Here are just a few ideas:

Car pool, use public transportation, reduce our electric bill by buying energy saving bulbs, drink tap water instead of bottle water, recycle; these are simple steps to improve our environment.

Another is growing your own food.  Every year I plant a garden and usually have enough of our favorite foods throughout the winter.  It saves a bundle on our grocery bill.  This year I have invested in a greenhouse to start my plants and have them ready to plant into the garden as soon as the ground warms.  With the economy as it is, my garden will contain more variety among my crops this year.  I’ll put out the regulars; green beans (bush and pole), tomatoes (usually four or five varieties), squash, cantaloupe, pumpkin, cucumbers, lettuce (two or three varieties), broccoli, spinach, bell peppers (red, green, yellow), chili peppers, jalepeno’ peppers, potatoes, sweet potatoes and corn.  If I have more room I’ll add a few more plants.  If Mother Nature cooperates and you can plant a little earlier than May, you can have two or three harvests from your garden.  What I mean is for example; when you finish your first crop of lettuce, plant more.  Same goes for green beans, onions and etc.  There are several vegetables that can be double cropped.    

I try to plant enough to can for our whole family since, canning is almost a thing of the past, my children never took an interest in learning how.  These days it is an idea that needs to be brought back to the basics of farm life.  There is nothing better than home grown.   

The same goes for fresh eggs.  I have my own flock of 30 or so hens and average 12 – 15 eggs a day right now.  They are just beginning to lay since some are first timers.  I have only bought one dozen eggs in the last year and that was in December.  Other than that, we have a constant supply.

As for my greenhouse, I consider it a vital part of my garden accessories.  It allows me to get a head start on my planting, saves me money and gives us fresh food all year round.

Here is something to see and think about.  A man gave me this picture of his greenhouse with one neglected tomato plant in it.  His son planted this plant in the center of the floor after it was cast away.  He just done it for fun and expected nothing would come of it.  To their amazement, it grew and grew and grew.  It was not given any attention, no water or anything else, it just kept growing and started producing so many tomatoes that they could not even get into the greenhouse to collect/harvest them all.  An amazing story and picture but it just goes to show that with a greenhouse you can grow food all year round, save money and Go Green. 

The serious gardener will be passionate about the maintenance of the garden. He needs to clean the surroundings of dead leaves.  He must prune trees and thin thick growing foliage. He has to aerate the soil to ensure healthy growth.  Regular application of fertilizers will be rewarded with beautiful flowers in full bloom.

Garden maintenance is easy with the right kinds of garden tools. The beginner will need the most basic garden tools. A spading fork is needed for aerating the soil. A shovel is needed for digging holes in which to position plants. Different sizes of clippers will make pruning a cinch. All these should be organized in a garden tool caddy.

Wasn’t that “Awesome!” as so my niece says.  She named the baby “Wendy” and calls the mama “Blowie.”  We were having 30 mph winds that day and leave it to a two year old to come up with these names.  Pretty good, huh?

As I mentioned before, cattle supplements, horse supplements, minerals, horse and cattle vitamins, protein and etc. are essential for your livestock, especially when they are expecting.  As shown in the video, this is just what we want when a cow delivers, a healthy calf.  There are different kinds of cattle supplements out there available, so cho0se wisely for the needs of your stock.

Now, for the conclusion of our mini movie, this is “Wendy’s” first attempts at standing and she finally makes it.  She stood within 20 minutes of her birth and in 30 minutes she was nursing.  It was a miracle to see and I wanted to share it with you.

         
Wendy’s First Stand from Tracie on Vimeo.

There are wonderful things around us everyday and we cherish the memories of those moments.  They stay with us throughout the years and the stories we tell are told for generations to come.  Once in a while you get the chance to witness something miraculous and wonderful and capture it on video.  I had such a moment on March 24, 2009.   In a moment you will also, get such a chance to see the miracle I saw that morning. 

Before, we get to that point of my article, there are some facts I want to share with you, based on what I have learned.

Cows need good nutrition while carrying their little one.  That is why cattle supplements are very important during this cycle of their lives.  A  cows pregnancy cycle lasts nine months, during which their bodies adjust to supplement the needs of the fetus.  A cow must have a sufficient amount of protein and minerals in their diets in order to keep up their energy and supply enough nutrients for both her and her fetus.  Two or three pounds of grain a day and grass or hay is good and will help the mama keep up her strength and energy levels to carry to term.  If a mother- to- be does not get the nutrition she needs, she will eventually steal the nutrients from her own body to care for her fetus.  That is why it is so important to supply the extra supplements.  It could harm her health or the fetus’ or both.  “Wendy” has arrived, witness the miracle of birth:

         
Wendy Has Arrived from Tracie on Vimeo.

Last year it seemed to rain forever in the Spring.  I just knew it was wet, muddy, and miserable for a long time.  I wasn’t involved in the feeding of our livestock then as I am now.  Now that I do a substantial amount of the feeding, I have began to learn more about the animals as well as, the equipment and supplies we have here on the farm.

It has rained here in Central Illinois off and on for a couple of weeks now.  Just about the time the ground absorbs enough to, at least, let a person walk on top of it, it rains again. 

Well, we are at that point.  Sunday you could walk around and feed the livestock without getting in too much mud.  You could almost not have to wear your rubber boots.  It’s much easier to get around when the ground doesn’t suck you in.  Today is Wednesday, and if you are not careful, you might find yourself up over your boot top in mud.  It has rained for two days and it is just a mess and leave it to me to find such a hole to step in. 

Anyway, there are many kinds of feeders for your livestock.  Hay feeders, grain feeders, tubs, troughs, buckets and well you get the picture.  Most of our livestock is fed outside so when it rains we want to make sure there is no standing water where we put the feed.  The animals prefer not to eat soggy grain.  The small tubs we use for our herd are not so bad, they just need turned over and drained, then you can add the feed, pretty simple.  It is the big feeders, such as the troughs that are 6ft. long and the hay/grain feeders that are just as long but taller that can be a real pain in the, well you know.  For the last two days, we have had approximately 2-3 in. of rain and those feeders have had to be drained each day.  It really isn’t that hard, except they are slightly heavy and, with a bucket in one hand so the cows don’t get to the feed before you are ready and, the feeder in the other it can be quite a chore.  I was in the process of turning one on its side to drain when it all the sudden came back at me and landed so hard that the water that was on the ground ended up inside my boots.  Now that was not a good feeling!    It is so much easier when you can put the feed into the livestock feeder and go and the ground is, at least, semi-dry. 

When investing in livestock feeders, find the type that is right for your livestock and at the same time, find the type that will work for you.

Allow me to introduce you to Smooth Butter Scotch (Splash), the 2008 Illinois State Champion.  She won champion in Showmanship and Equitation.  She is co-owned by my daughter, Kristen, and her friend, Cynthia.  Here Cynthia is proudly posing with her for her Championship photo.

It takes a lot of training and work to make it in the Equine business.  The girls put in a lot of riding and ground work to make Splash the show horse she is. 

It also takes the right gear and equipment.  Working with horses, you have your ropes, teaching sticks, halters, bridles, blankets, boots, saddles and etc.  In order to keep these articles in good working condition, most of us have tack rooms in our barns or, at least, on the grounds.  In these tack rooms you will find a place for everything.  One specific item is a saddle rack.  This particular tool is used to store your saddle and help it keep its shape.  As you know, not all saddles can be used on all horses, so it needs to be able to keep the shape intended for the horse it is used with. 

Saddle racks can be built in when building your tack room and made of a number of different materials.  Ours is built in and made of wood.  You can purchase pre-made saddle racks and they are just as good.

Store your gear and equipment correctly and it will last you a lifetime.

My favorite garden is peaceful and serene.  Infused with tropical lushness, this garden is characterized by the natural arrangement of plants.  It takes advantage of dense foliage of various texture and color, thriving in a natural setting. The backdrop is a set of boulders and in the background you will hear the sound of gently flowing water.  Sounds very natural, but surprisingly this is a structured garden.

You cannot expect to see a garden like this in the city unless it was planned and worked on to be what it appears to be. Get advice from landscaping experts. Let talented gardeners bring your vision to fruition.  All it takes is a trip to a plant nursery, a set of farm tools and lots of creativity. Fashioning a barren place into a relaxing space will need a lot of imagination, a touch of humor and whimsy and lots of time to dream about it.