I'll take the dirt road...

...going right through our farm.

Last week we constructed our cow lane. Saying we "re-constructed" our cow lane would be incorrect, because that would make one assume that at one point we had constructed one, when in reality, we only put up the fence and did nothing with the actual lane.  So, we finally know the answer to the question "how long can a start-up farm go without constructing cow lanes?" .....12 years.




Looking to the South, towards the farm, you see the original lane on the left.  This year's by-pass is on the right.  All the spring rain made the by-pass necessary, just to get the cows to the barn.

Here, you see even the by-pass getting bad.  We knew we would not be grazing this section of the farm next spring if we did not fix this.
 

This was Rick's emergency fix so we could leave the farm and go get that bale unroller.  It rained just prior to our trip, and this was unpassable.  (looking North from the barns)
 

What a waste of pasture!  This picture just makes a grazer's stomach churn.

First, the dozer took off the mud and topsoil from the original lane. 

 

We rolled out an 8ft wide layer of geotextile cloth.  The cloth keeps the gravel and crushed concrete from sinking to China. On top of the cloth is a layer of gravel.

 

On top of the gravel is a layer of crushed concrete.

 

Each layer is packed with a roller.

Rick and I, with help from the boys, framed up pads for the water tanks to sit on.  The white tube is protecting a water hydrant that we plug into with a hose hooked on the water tank.  We'll back fill around the drinker pads with clay and soil, and replant those areas.  The cows will stand on the drinker pad to drink.

 

Ta-Da!!!  If it only went that fast.  A predicted two day project turned into three.  We did two half days of school and took the third day off.  To finish this project we will replant the by-pass areas of the pasture back to grass along with the area around the drinker pads.

 

I'm sure you noticed the increase in the price of the milk and butter you have bought at the store.  For various reasons the price of milk is up, and I am glad to share with you the ways we have been trying to be good stewards of the additional income.   By fixing the lanes, our cows will be less stressed and cleaner, employee moral will be raised and we will be relieved of some of the effort needed to maintain the quality of milk we strive for.  We are always careful and intentional when the price of milk is up. We tithe accordingly.  We pay bills, put money into savings (for dry time and taxes), then work on project(s), and finally pay off debt.  We look at it as an opportunity to use the high year to prepare ourselves for the lower year that usually follows.  I told Rick it seems as though God has provided financially for the abundance of repairs we needed this year (up 60% so far) so next year, with potentially lower prices, we will be okay having already fixed those things.  Its just as (or more) important that we not waste God's blessings when they come in abundance...and always be thankful.

 



The new addition...

It took a ton of logistical planning, including 4 people to do chores and 2 people to care for the kids, for us to make a quick trip to Pennsylvania to pick up our new purchase.

We’ve been looking for a vintage Ford truck. Earlier this year I had plans of picking one up, and even showing it at the Don Boak benefit car show at Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers. 

So, here it is, folks! 
(You might have to use your imagination. A little black paint... some tires... an engine would help…..)

 

No, it is not a John Deere!  However, it matches that one yellow rim on the tractor quite nicely!

…yeah,   I know.  It’s not my truck. It’s Hustler Bale Unroller.  Reality kicked in and our responsible selves won over our desire to reward ourselves for hard work.

The closest dealership that carries these is located in northwest Pennsylvania.  We made arrangements with our friends who farm there, had the machine delivered to their farm and picked it up on Saturday.   We negotiated the price as best as we could, gaining an extra 5% off retail (for %15 total) if we paid in full ahead of time.  So we got to pick up a new machine, visit with old friends, and enjoy some time off.

If you know these folks, you know we had a great visit!  Our 4.5 hours seemed like mere minutes.

In the winter of 2003 into 2004 we owned 1 tractor with a set of bales tines on the back.  It didn’t even have a loader.  To feed the cows hay in the winter we would roll the hay out by hand.   We milked at 10am and 10pm then, to accommodate Rick’s job, so around midnight each night we would go out and roll enough hay out for the next day.  It was a lot of work. A LOT.  When the snow got deep for a time, we borrowed a skid steer and lined up bales of hay in a small paddock. We used round bale feeders and polytape to feed the cows one row at a time.  The problem with the round bale feeders is the mess the cows make when they congregate around a bale feeder.  Remember, at this time we only had 1 tractor for our line of equipment.  We couldn’t afford to create more work.  So we started rollin’ them out again. 

In November of 2004 we scraped together every last penny we could spare and bought a DML bale unroller.  The relief that thing brought is almost unexplainable.  It was the best $4500.00 we spent and the first piece of equipment we bought with cash.   Winter was much more tolerable with the bale unroller.

Our old Bale feeder.

Now, 10 years later, it needs some serious repair.  The chain that unrolls the bale is British Standard Chain.  British Standard Chain is a custom-order only item that requires 4 months for delivery, and total repair costs were going to be around $2000.00 As is, the DML can only unroll off of one side now, and let’s just say you operate it with as much care as possible.

 The thought of getting rid of that first bale unroller was almost unbearable.  I know-it’s a piece of equipment, just a hunk of metal.   But if you rolled out as many bales of hay as I did that first winter, you’d understand why I feel that way.  So let’s just say it’s not going anywhere anytime soon. We’ll keep it as a back-up, and then when the chain breaks we’ll take it to the scrapyard.  It wouldn’t be ethical to sell a machine that requires that much effort to get it repaired, anyway.  British Standard Chain….really?

My e-devotional this week included a verse from Proverbs 24:27
Do your planning and prepare your fields before building your house.
(we should carry out our work in proper order)

 Growing up we were often reminded that “the barn will build the house”.  The verse in my email was conformation that we did the right thing.  While it would have been more fun to drive home a “new-to-me” truck, not having to roll out bales by hand when the chain breaks on the old machine sounds way more appealing.

Here are some other snapshots of our quick trip:

I often think how enjoyable it would be to farm down there....until the hay on those mountains need to be raked. Then I change my mind.

Getting ready to milk at our friend's farm.

Kid #4 was very excited to see this "blue" load the machine.  He wants one with a cab, too!

It was fun to see the impression on other's faces while we drove home. I wonder what they thought this machine was used for?

We made a stop at a popular cheese house on the way home.

Yeah.....we like cheese!

No, we're not trying to turn the 806 into a JD one piece at a time...

Thanks to Mom, Dad, Chloe, Chris, Carrie & Kid #1 for making this trip possible!