Build Me a Dream

I, uh…..I wish we could all sit down….cup of coffee in hand…..campfire roaring (obviously, this will have to happen in the fall because our late summer fire ban is up…no campfires right now)…..marshmallows on the skewers……and talk, share, and pass down the knowledge we have gained while trying to figure out those things called homesteading, cooking, raising a family, livestock handling, etc, etc, etc.  Much like a book club, we could change the “book”, or more appropriately, topic, and meet numerous times throughout the year.  You all have so much knowledge out there….how fun would that be?!!!!  So, on tap for today, a virtual campfire will have to do!!

Do you have your cup of coffee, tea, or whatever beverage you prefer??  Let’s talk!!!

As long we are having coffee, might as well have a delicious sandwich to go with it!!

Summer is a busy time on this little homestead.  You know, in some ways, the animal husbandry lessens, when you don’t have baby animals running around, and all the others are out and about most of the day.  Pooping and peeing outside is easier to manage than the more frequent pooping and peeing inside their shelters during the wet, rainy days….and in Oregon, we have a lot of those.  However, it becomes all about water; keeping the flock, and the herd hydrated is essential to their health

Right now, I do that by filling up buckets of water and carrying them across the way to where they hang out.  It takes about 4 trips with a full, 3 gallon bucket to fill the goat trough.  Another 3 gallons will fill the main chicken waterer….and 2 more gallons for their water dish that sits out in the field in which they run about….originally for the chickens, the goats have decided they like the water in that dish best, so that one gets filled more frequently.  Water is the name of the game this time of year.  Carrying all those buckets is good for the triceps for sure!!!  Have you noticed that your livestock like to drink out of one type of trough, or dish more than the other??  My goats prefer the black, plastic dish over their galvanized steel 6 gallon water trough, and it doesn’t matter that both have fresh water.

Dogs water dish next to the house….same as the 2 gallon waterer out in pasture.

Thankfully, late July up until mid-September, when normally we will have a couple of rains, the burn restrictions here in the Pacific NW prohibit a lot of tasks we might still want to do, like run the brush hog on the tractor one more time over the pasture grasses/weeds; any logging activity, etc.  So at this time of year, it’s about projects, gardening by hand, pulling up foxtail weeds, and keeping the animals cool and hydrated.

Walking with goats.

It’s also about taking walks with the goats to areas of the property that are not fenced into pastures, but have great nutrition.  Since we do not have a guardian animal that hangs with the goats, we are their guardians….they follow us where ever we wish to take them….

…..except back into their main pasture…which requires a little encouragement called, Wheat Thins.  Yep…the crackers….LOL!!  They will go ANYWHERE for Wheat Thins!  Hahaha!

Thank you for visiting today.  I have missed you all.  This time of year, days are long and time for writing is short.  There are events coming in the near future, please check out Have-a-Dane Hill Danes as we pursue the next step in our plans for our homestead.  Exciting times ahead!!!  If you have time, pop on over to http://www.haveadanehilldanes.com and check out the action….big news on the horizon!!  Much to tell about the homestead, the farm, the forest, our dog(s)…….I’ll be back!!!

Your friend from Oregon,

Tami