Belgian sputnik drop in traps

I recently upgraded the traps on my pigeon lofts to some 32" wide sputnik traps. The sputnik serves as an aviary and as a trap which can allow birds to enter the loft, allow birds to exit and enter, or prevent birds from entering or exiting.

The birds like the traps, the traps work well and are fast and easy to operate.

Handsome Lad and Pup

Chilly spring day

We had several late frosts this year.

Beautiful and Handsome

Chicken Defense squad!

Intoxicating fragrance

Right now on our farm and in the nearby region we are enjoying the most wonderful fragrance. Clover is in bloom, honeysuckle is in bloom, but we think the primary source of the fragrance is some type of bush with white flowers which has just come into bloom in our area. We have several of these bushes/trees around the edge of our pasture and they can also be found along the nearby roads. Truly delightful!

Farm visit

On Saturday May 22 we visited nearby Shady Grove Farms in Lancing, TN. Shady Grove Farms is run by a home schooling family, they are involved in some interesting farm enterprises which include mob grazing, pastured poultry broilers and eggs, grass fed hair sheep/lambs, grass fed beef, and Devon cattle seed stock. Also of interest is that they are in the final stages of completing a beautiful timber frame home which they built themselves. The farm also features a sawmill operation managed by one of their sons which features both a woodmizer band saw mill and a peterson swing blade mill.

Chicklets outside

We've started putting the chicks outside in the chicken tractor during the day.

Horse time

Spending some time with the horses.

John's new bike

John is enjoying his new 24" mountain bike.

Snakebit!!

May 2, 2010: I was working on the driveway trying to repair some damage from the storm that flooded Nashville when Puppy came up and he was looking really pathetic. I picked him up and guessed that he had been bitten by a snake. I took him to the house but got worried when he started to swell up and wanted to sleep and tried to hide under the bed. I took him to the animal hospital and they checked him and said he had been bitten by a poisonous snake but that his temperature, respiration, and heartrate were OK. They gave him an antibiotic and some pain medicine. They had antivenin but it was $800 per vial, it was good that it was not needed!
It took a couple of days but Puppy has recovered and is feeling well. Puppy weighs 16 lbs. The swelling under his neck has gone away, he still has some damage near the wound on his right upper muzzle.

John's Birthday

John's birthday came just a few days after Mary's first Holy Communion. In our house birthdays are celebrated for several days, sometimes up to a week. One tradition in our home is being served breakfast in bed on your birthday, it looks like John requested chocolate pancakes! Kids don't sit still very long, especially when presents are involved. John requested one of Debby's fabulous chocolate birthday cakes as well.

First Holy Communion April 25, 2010

Mary celebrated the sacrament of first holy communion on April 25. We were very blessed to have Nanny and Mamaw and Papa present for the event.
Debby made a coconut cake at Mary's request.

Baby Chicks

We decided to increase the size of our chicken flock, here are the newcomers, 11 Rhode Island Red chicks.

Just Relaxing in the Pasture

Upper pasture, pond leak

Mr. Collins said he noticed that the water level in the upper pond had dropped, turns out that the cows had decided to rub on a drain pipe which was not adequately protected, resulting in a broken pipe and a loss of water. I provided wood posts and gravel, Mr. Collins and his son installed and repaired the pipe. The pond has since refilled.

Pretty in Pink

Picture taken April 17th.

Bush Hog Repair

Recently the slip clutch on the driveline of my bush hog went bad. It took a little work, I had to take things apart and replace a couple of friction disks and rebuild and now it works fine.

"Drive Thru" Window

I called this the Drive Thru. We routed the pasture fence so that Morgan and Spirit could visit Nanny during her visit. Nanny and the kids enjoy giving carrots, apples, etc. to the horses. I had to make sure that Spirit would not eat the house or damage the heat pump.