June | 2014 | Build Me a Dream

Time to Redefine our Lives in Oregon

Archive for June, 2014

An Enemy Among Us

There are times when I am hiking through the forest, and the presence of impending doom lurks over the delight of the hike. I don’t like those moments, as I know there is an enemy lurking, in fact, its tendency is to be very bold. I call to my trekking companions hoping to pull them close, out of the danger area. Caution will need to be utilized the remainder of these next summer months, as this prolific enemy will be lurking in many different areas. They are not shy, yet they are silent. Part of the danger lies with the fact that it prefers to hunt its prey in groups.

My knees shake whenever encountered. I have trouble looking at them straight on, rather I view them with a sideways glance hoping they won’t see me, or rather my companions. These feet…

Tucker’s furry feet!!

and these ears….

Tucker’s fuzzy face and ears.

….attract this enemy with a passion. Have you guessed the name of these dastardly, defiant, dang-there-they-are predators yet?? Maybe this will help…

Brilliantly skilled, opportunistic hunters.

….FOXTAILS!!!!

I absolutely hate them….hate them!! They work their way into ears, inadvertently get sniffed up into the nose, wedge themselves between toes, burrowing into the skin, working their way within the tissues causing pain, redness, and infection.

I decided to try to rid the mound area in front of the house (totally wild, weedy area right now) of these spiky fiends. In my brilliance, I thought, “Hey, why not take the Shop Vac and just vacuum them up” (I had previously weed-wacked the area so they were laying loose on the ground.) Actually, it was a great idea….in the beginning.

The machine…..

The hill (mound) I have to conquer.

I hate these things!!!

As I went, it was harder and harder to suck up the foxtails. I would shake the hose once in awhile, and it seemed to help…so I kept going. It started to become apparent that I probably had made a mistake….

Uh – Oh…that doesn’t look good!

….so I took off the top of the vacuum to see if anything was going into the container…..

Not near enough debris in there.

….okay, now I know I have a problem. I took the Shop Vac back into the shop to try and fix this…situation. My first thought, use the air compressor….

Hoping this works!!

….maybe high pressured air, in combination with the vacuuming power will move the debris clog through the hose. Well that didn’t work. So I got a long pvc pipe, turned on the vacuum and proceeded to shove the pipe into the hose. It seemed to work to one point…then the wall hit. I think what I accomplished was to make one huge, compacted foxtail brick that was totally stuck within the hose. I mean at that point in the hose, it is totally solid…I mean solid!! Whoops!!! Maybe water will work, since it is a Shop Vac water is completely safe…I guess I’ll try that next.

As I left the shop, totally defeated…I saw the other Shop Vac hoses on the wall…there was a short, wide hose that would have been perfect…well at least I can finish vacuuming the mound. Wish me luck!!

At least the area that I was able to vac…the area that is now clogging the hose….is clear of those seasonal enemies.

Can you find a foxtail..I hope not!

Hoping your summer is starting out wonderfully!!
Tami

Category:

building a new home, Cutting grasses, Foxtails, Foxtails and dogs, German Wirehaired Pointer, Hiking in Oregon, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Mowing, Oregon, Shop Vac, vacuum, Weed-Wacker

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A Major Remodel

My hens have been talking to me, very clearly. I can hear them, and their requests have not fallen on deaf ears. Okay, before you call a crisis worker, let me explain….

Hey Ma…Can we talk??

…chickens have a way of looking at you, an impassioned blinking of their eyes, and a subtle, sweet, higher pitched cooing of sorts that lets you know they have something to say. If you listen, really listen with your eyes, ears, and your heart you can start to understand what they are saying. My chickens were telling me that their home was no longer inviting. Given the addition of the, now-laying four Middles, to the, already six laying Originals,…and four near-future-laying-hens better known as the Littles, three nesting boxes were no longer adequate. The ladies were complaining.

Nesting Boxes

First of all…can you imagine having to wait your turn while needing to lay an egg? I don’t think it’s too comfortable…and neither did they. We had A LOT of complaining going on and rightly so! I drew up the plans, and the remodeling began!

Tony removed the inner wall, which included the nesting boxes, that separated the people area from the chicken area, opening up the entire house…

All opened up…

My idea was to create a tiered nesting box area on the left side, back wall. The bottom level would jut out creating a ladder of sorts for easier access. The top level boxes would sit flush against the wall. My hope in this also was to create a poop protected area underneath the nesting box area for those who might want to snuggle into clean(er) shavings to take a dust bath or just take a nap. I have found that not everyone wants to roost at night, some prefer to nestle in. So, Tony and I…Tony…built three more nesting boxes, and in they went!

Stamp of approval…that’s Mama hen, Chardonnay, nestling in.

We had a constant companion helping with the process….

….she supervised the entire project. Even though she didn’t like the sound of the drill, and complained her way through it…she wouldn’t leave..hahahaha!

After the nesting box area was finished, we started on the rousts. We decided to change out the Douglas Fir limbs to wooden planks. I believe they are happier not having to balance all night, and are resting better. I don’t hear the early morning (like 3:00 in the morning) carrying on anymore…now it starts about 5:30. I think we are all happier!!

New nesting boxes + new roosting boards = happy campers.

And here’s the result…..

The first night after the remodel.

…yes, those are the Littles, now totally integrated within the flock. They are finding their place in the pecking order, and are starting to roost on the boards with the older birds. Harmony in the merge?? Not quite yet achieved…but they are working it out! As for the success of the additional nesting boxes…A LOT less loud complaining from the hens…and MAMA CHARDONNAY IS BACK ON THE NEST!!!!!

Nooooooo!!!! Really NO!!! I replaced the eggs she accumulated…. TEN!!! ….with wooden eggs. She is still nesting and protecting her false clutch as she normally would, and I’m supporting her efforts with extra food, goodies, and water. I’m hoping she will abandon the nest at the point where they should hatch but don’t. She is so adamant on the nest, I didn’t have the heart to take her eggs away and push her off the nest…I hope this will be easier for her. She looks at me, and blinks slowly as she tells me she loves her little brood beneath her. She’s a great Mama…thanks to this big guy…

Benedict….our Big Daddy Rooster!! Patriarch to the Middles, and the Littles (aka the Muppets.)

In that vain……our family would like to say…HAPPY FATHER’S DAY!!…to any dads who may be visiting the farm today!! We hope you have an awesome day, week, month, and year!! Take care all!!

Tami

Category:

Brooders, Buff Orphington / Rhode Island Red Mix, Buff Orpington, Chicken Eggs, Chicken House, Chickens, Hatching Chicks, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Nesting Boxes, Oregon, Rhode Island Reds

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Fir Chips in the Garden

Remember my attempt to squelch the inevitable…??

That empty container is waiting for watermelon.

The Douglas Fir mulch lining the garden.

…You know, those dreaded parasites that continually steal water, minerals, and sunlight from their rightful heirs. What are they called? Oh yeah, malas hierbas, les mauvaises herbes, bagīcē mātama, …. weeds…garden weeds. Two months or so later, here’s how things look…

Uuugghhhh the invasion is on!!!

I’m glad the good stuff are in pots.

…well, I guess my experiment in Douglas Fir chips was a wash. Not exactly the results I was hoping for, but easily fixed….

Now that’s better!

I can see the fir chips!!

Lookin’ purdy!

…thank you Mr. Weed-Wacker!!! Nope, I didn’t get the roots, and yeah they will grow back. Mr. Weed-Wacker and I will have a few more dates this growing season, but you know, it’s easier than trying to pull them up, and healthier than using a weed killer. Anyway, there is more exciting news

The zucchini is blooming!

Wee little strawberries.

The peas are awesome.

Future bad boys…my Jalapeños are blooming!!

And did I show you these beauties??

Look at those little red jewels!!

And the most important…. Penni’s happy!!

My happy girl!!

Thanks for taking a walk with me through the garden. Have an awesome day!
Tami

Category:

Chipper, Cutting grasses, First Fruits, Harvesting, Hiking in Oregon, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Mowing, Oregon, Penni the Great Dane, Planting a garden, Strawberries, Vegetable Garden, Weed-Wacker

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First Things First

VERY EXCITING NEWS!!! Okay, those “firsts” in life are usually very exciting, but the firsts on the roster today are the first fruits of our 2014 Garden. Take a look!!

Pretty, little, yellow, watermelon flower.

Not exactly a fruit…but it’s the first flower leading to the fruit. I think it counts 😉

I spy with my little eye…..

You might have to zoom this picture to find the first pea pods.

The first cantaloup flower…leading to the first fruit.

The first really big “fruit”….

Look at that BROCCOLI!!

…that we have actually been able to harvest!!

Look at that beauty!!!

I’m so excited for this next one!! Can you see it? Can you see it?? Look again, it’s right there!!!

Our first, little, itty, bitty, Roma Tomato!

Lots more firsts to come, lots more fruits and veggies on the way……….P-A-T-I-E-N-C-E!! Now, I’ve got to go stir fry a bunch of broccoli.. 😀

Category:

Broccoli, Cantaloupe, First Fruits, Harvesting, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Oregon, Planting a garden, Roma Tomatos, Sugar Snap Peas, Vegetable Garden, Watermelon

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Guinea Pig Ranch..Hmmm

As I was mowing…mowing…mowing this past Friday, I so envied our neighbor’s goats. I could see them from across the far fencing..chomping, chomping, chomping the same green growth that I was mowing, mowing, mowing!!

Automatic lawn mowers.

After 3 hours, I stepped off the tractor looking at the finished product….

…it always looks nice when the grasses are shorter. If we had a small baler, the cut product wouldn’t go to waste…right now it just lies on the ground and degrades over time.

A small pile from one portion of a cut line.

As I gathered up the little pile above, I thought about a guinea pig we had named, Edgre,

Cute, little Edgre

…he could have made easy work of that pile of grass! Guinea pigs eat a ton…really, they eat so much more than it looks like they should. What if there were more of him? What if we had our own little gathering of guinea pigs that we housed, and securely moved from pasture to pasture…eating their way through the grasses and weeds? Hahahah…can you picture that?? Look at the pile below…it’s bigger than our little Karli.

The pile grew like a snowball as I moved it along.

So my mind wanders… Are there ways to securely pasture a guinea pig? I think they would burrow. How would one prevent the great escape by a rogue, burrowing guinea?? A little house to provide warmth and protection from the weather and predators, weatherized to provide the support they would need through the winter…HHMMMM… cute idea!! The following image is not mine…it is from: http://www.guineapigcages.com/photos/data/516/medium/237play_pen_2.JPG , notice how nicely trimmed the grasses are!!

HHMMM…could this work??!!

Goats would probably be easier!!

Category:

Brush Hog, Cutting grasses, Goats, Guinea Pigs, Hiking in Oregon, Homesteading, moving to Oregon, Mowing, Oregon

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Before, After, and Today

For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. – Isaiah 61:11

We’ve had growth…growth in the garden….

SUGAR SNAP PEAS