Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Getting Simpler


 A few weeks ago I was standing by a nice replica of a Red River cart. Quite the masterpiece if I must say so. Of course being one of my main interests sure made my day. Hard to imagine back in the day, pre settlement for this neck of the woods, how the folks lived and thrived. I guess the 500 mile trip from Winipeg to St Paul could be called the once a year shopping trip. The moderns might have a hard time with that one nowadays. 


Now almost 200 years later the area is crowded with people. Most have nothing to do with farming. I yearn for a time when the land would be important again instead of a place to slap an over priced house on and act like they are important, Nope, this could be almost a paradise of small farms and homesteads but people would rather be basically slaves to the modern system. Too bad. But as long as we are out here there will be a place apart from the modern system. And getting simpler daily. 

Monday, October 9, 2023

Doing Good

 

Was a dry year to say the least. This is a picture from a few weeks ago in our east pasture. Zero green. The Hereford heifers and cows still did good out there. Proud of em. Lately we've been getting some small rains but it's cool enough now not to evaporate before noon like in July. Now we're getting ready to wean the calves any day now. They are growing good despite the year.


In any spare time I like playing around with wood. Here I'm peeling bark on some big spruce poles to keep them from rotting and dry them out better. Hope to get back at working with wood a lot this winter. Hoping for a non eventful winter too. Peace is cherished. And at the moment I'm trying to get back to blogging. New laptop and better glasses seem to be doing the trick. This and the last couple posts were just to see how it would go. Seems smooth. Can still type a little. So it's a go then. I'll try and give it a whirl again.

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Chopping Done For The Year

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 Nice day in the northland. Fifties and not too much wind. Chopped about three acres of silage corn for October feeding and are done for the season with that job. Went good this year except for the 100 degree days a month ago. That was a test in a non air conditioned tractor cab. But that's history now. This week, haul some manure, try and wean calves and a multitude of other jobs.

  Looking forward to a nice Fall.


Saturday, October 7, 2023

Fall Has Finally Arrived

 
October in the northland! I for one am glad it's here. The summer heat was getting to me somewhat. Now the last few days its been cooling down, quite a change really. Yesterday we got all the cattle home so now all of em are within a half mile radius of the main farm. This sure does make it nicer with no more running around the countryside every day checking pastures and feeding them because of the drought. 

It's also wood making time and I love it! Good for the soul! Hoping for a semi open winter so I can fool around in the woods a lot more than last year's winter. A week ago today the rye and cover crops were drilled in and they are starting to emerge. Hoping for some rapid growth and maybe some later fall grazing in a few weeks.


For the record, this is my Bible and it's my favorite by far. Any verses ever quote on this blog will be direct from my "farm" Bible. Nowadays it's good to go back to the real things and this Bible is the real deal. 
 

Our Laying Hens

There's always a few chickens around here. Never have to buy eggs. Predators are a problem here so the hens have to be protected from th...