Good Fences #10...

I've always admired the white fence that runs around the meadow here on the farm.

When we moved here twenty (!!) years ago, it was a pretty wooden fence, but time took it's toll. It was already an old fence, and after about fifteen years of painting and repair, it was time to replace it.  We opted for PVC instead of wood.  Not our first choice, but the maintenance is next to nothing, and from a distance you can't tell much difference. More importantly, it keeps the cows where they belong!

A couple of weeks ago I shared a picture of my iris and rose border along the fence.  There was no color yet, but at least the weeds were pulled.  Now, finally, it's been mulched and the iris are beginning to bloom. The hard winter really took it's toll on both the roses and iris.  The iris are sparse, and the roses struggling, but at least we have some color...

Here's what it looked like in 2011 and in 2012. The colors were much more vibrant!

This is my perennial border along the north side of the garden.  I'm almost finished mulching, finally.  Why, oh why did I plant so many flowers?!  I was young then.  There's that white fence in the background...

And last but not least, here's one just for fun.  I found Gato lounging under the peonies that are about to bloom.  He's actually babysitting his niece, who hides out under the shed, behind the fence...

Oh, the life of a cat.

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A Busy Memorial Day Weekend...

It was a beautiful weekend here!  We couldn't have asked for better weather...for those who were picnicking with family and friends, or for those who had outside work to do.

As is usually the case, there is a lot to do this time of year on the farm.  Our corn is usually planted the first week of May, but with the late spring this year, everyone is running behind. On Tuesday of last week, the planter made it to our place.

Mark has just filled up the boxes on his planter with seed and starter fertilizer, and is making some adjustments to the planter...

He didn't get very far in the first field before there was a glitch.  He's trying to take off a hose clamp to find the problem, while our Amish neighbor Jake looks on...

Found the problem...a clump of starter fertilizer was plugging up a hose...

...and he's ready to go again.   Do you know what that disc sticking out to the left of the planter is for?

It's a marker.  When he gets to the end of the field and turns around, he will line up the hood ornament on his tractor's hood with the mark it makes. That ensures that rows of corn will all line up properly.  It's important that they be evenly spaced for the harvester this fall.  He got a couple of fields planted, and then the rains came and he finished up towards the end of the week.

On Friday morning, looking ahead at the weather forecast, Jim mowed hay here at home, hoping to bale some dry hay on Monday...Memorial Day.

Our respite was on Sunday afternoon when we spent some time with friends at the Holtwood Pinnacle, overlooking the Susquehanna River.  We've had a lot of rains lately, and the river was high, and very muddy, but still beautiful...

When Monday morning rolled around, the day looked like it was going to be pretty busy...and it was!

The soybean planter arrived, and the stack of bags up in the barn were soon emptied.  This is just a few of them...

It's hard to believe, with all the rain we've had lately, how dry the ground was!  The weather this weekend was hot and breezy, quickly drying things out, making the dust fly...

Mid afternoon, Jim began baling, and soon the hay wagons were filled.  Eric and some neighbors did the unloading...

I know it's not the greatest picture, but at this time of day there wasn't any great place to get a picture with good lighting.  You get the idea...two on the wagon...two in the mow, stacking bales...

This mow started out completely empty, but was soon beginning to fill up with stacked, dry hay...

Jenna helped me with some mowing, fed calves, and others pitched in with feeding the cows while I did the evening milking.  Jim finished baling just in time to milk a first calf heifer that freshened in the morning.

It felt overwhelming in the morning, looking at all that had to be accomplished during the day, but the weather cooperated, the equipment worked great, the kids and the neighbors were great help, and we finally reached this place...

Evening...with cooler temps and contented cows out in the meadow for the night.  It felt good to fall into bed tired, but with a sense of accomplishment with all that got done, and thankfulness for good help, good weather, and equipment that worked like it was supposed to!

As I write, on Tuesday afternoon, we're just beginning to see the first shoots of corn peeping through the ground!  All the corn and beans have now been planted, (except for the corn that will be planted after barley) and now we need to be patient and watch it grow!

From Field To Food...

Just for fun, I decided to show you the progression of a field in the past couple of days...

Saturday morning...Jim mowed the remaining rye grass field behind the barn. No more grazing for the cows there...

Monday morning...Jim tedded the rye to help it dry underneath...

Somehow I missed getting a picture of him raking it into windrows, but it happened.

Tuesday late morning, the rye was baled...

 ...and wrapped...

...and identified, so it doesn't get confused with the hay bales that came later in the day...

...and the field is once again bare, ready to be sprayed and planted in soybeans...

There you have it...the simple (?) progression from field to food!  Cow food, anyway!

Good Fences #8

I've been so far behind this spring with getting ready for mulching in my perennial beds.  It's overwhelming.  A late spring, and falling behind had me in a bit of a panic.  Finally on Tuesday, I edged, weeded, and got the first bed ready for mulch.  That might have to wait until next week, after this upcoming rain is over.

The roses and iris usually look so pretty together.  The roses were hit really hard by the harsh winter and are not near bud stage yet.  In another week or two though, the iris will be in full bloom along this fence...

A couple of them are pushing buds.  Unfortunately, I don't remember the colors until they bloom...

I'll post another picture of the fence when the iris are in full bloom.  (and mulched)  It's much more exciting then!

On another note...a week ago, I got an email from my blogger friend TexWisGirl, telling me I'd won the giveaway for her hand drawn Hummingbird drawing.  I was so excited!  Yesterday as I was mowing, the mail lady came and waved a package at me that wouldn't fit in the mailbox. Here it is!  It's even more beautiful in real life, (and there's a glare on my photo)  I will treasure it Theresa...thanks so much!

She's an amazing artist and wonderful photographer.  Check out her blog at the link above...

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Round Bales of Rye Grass...

It's always a challenge...fighting the weather to either get crops harvested...or to get them planted!

After the loooong winter, it's been a late spring here.   The alfalfa has been seeded and is coming up nicely, and Jim finally got the ryegrass baled this week.

After mowing it on Saturday morning, he tedded it, raked it, and hoped that the "iffy" weather forecast was in our favor.  We had a light shower on Monday evening just as he started baling, and the rye seemed just a bit too wet yet, so he stopped after a few bales.  Yesterday morning (Tuesday), the rain came again.  Thankfully it didn't last long, and the afternoon was warm and breezy.

This is the tedder that he uses to flip the ryegrass (or hay) so that it can dry underneath...

This is the field they were working in, at the highest point on the farm...

Looking back towards our barn...I love the colors at this time of evening...

Over milking time, Jim and our Amish neighbor Dave began baling.  For the amount of acres that we bale, it's more economical for us to rent a baler like this, rather than buy, maintain, and store one of our own.  It works out nicely.  Jim pulls the baler with his tractor, and Dave rides on a platform between the tractor and baler.  He tells Jim when to stop, he operates the controls and the bale rolls out the back.

This video is a little long...over two minutes...but I took it after milking last evening as they were finishing up.  You might find it interesting to watch...

They ended up with 28 round bales.  They're now wrapped and lined up along the driveway, just doing their thing...curing so that they can become great feed for the cows in a few weeks!

Now...it's time to get the corn planted, if only the rain would hold off a bit!

Cows in Heaven...

Jim put the cows out on the meadow last week, and they were delighted to be further out of the barn than the barnyard, to kick up their heels a bit more and to chew on the tasty young, green grass.

A few days ago, he fenced off a portion of the rye grass field behind the barn, and gave the cows a fresh field to chew down.  That electric fence is all that keeps them from the even larger field beyond, but they've learned to respect a hot wire.  Usually...

They go to the far end and put their heads down. Ahh...

As a "thank you", there was more milk in the tank this morning...maybe they think they're in cow heaven?!

Linking to Good Fences #7 again this week.

Kitty Fun...

Just for fun today...

What are Little Ed and James looking at?

Getting braver...

Oops!  Not sure...

I don't think I'd get too close!

Brave Little Ed...

Oh, the entertainment we have here!

Good Fences #6...

Spring was in full bloom in the Virginia countryside this past weekend during our visit, and I enjoyed pulling out my camera for a few pictures.

This is across the road from my sister and brother-in-law's house.  One of my favorites, a split rail fence.  I liked the bird house, high above the fence.  I wonder if anyone lives there yet?

I saw these in my sister's back yard near her garden.  I never did ask her just what they were for, but my niece said they might be tomato cages?  Either way, since they're made out of fencing, I figured they count!

We can't forget the Virginia chickens inside their fence!  My chickens would be jealous of all that thick grass!  They wouldn't come close to me, but that's ok.  I'll eat their eggs anyway...

As we headed for home, I started out in the passenger seat.  I snapped a few shots out the window as we headed up Route 81.  You couldn't miss this one, just as we got on the interstate.  I just stuck my camera out the window and snapped.  I like the way the fence borders the bottom of the picture.  Pure luck...

And a few more random shots along the road...

Do you see the steer behind that tiny cedar tree?

The fences here at home are getting a little boring, so I hope you enjoyed the Virginia fences today!

Joining up again today with Good Fences...