- Thread starter
- #41
Jumping the Moon Dairy - the next chapter
- Thread starter babsbag
- Start date
- Thread starter
- #42
babsbag
Herd Master
Haven't posted on this thread but that doesn't mean I haven't been working. It has been INCREDIBLY hot here, day and night, so really hard to work. We had to install an AC in the processing room so I could do the epoxy floor; needed it to be about 70-75 and it just wouldn't get below 98. So last weekend we did that and then yesterday and today I did the floor. I was very nervous as 2 part epoxies are not something I have experience with.
I got up a 5:30 yesterday morning and did chores and then did the first coat on the floor. I ended up doing 2 coats as it is going over wood and the wood is pretty absorbent. This morning I did coat #2 and this one got the pretty flecks added too it as well as a non-skid additive.
The flecks are not as even as I would have liked as I was trying to toss them across a 10' room and it wasn't working so a lot of them fell in the middle of the room. They sell shoes with spikes on them so you can walk through this stuff which would have been helpful...I ordered a pair for use in the next room and the milking barn. Also you can still see the seams in the plywood even though caulked, the next time I will try to find something else to use as a filler. The cove base came out well so that was good. Lessons learned. Next is the plastic wall board.
I have been re-caulking all the seams in the part of the processing room that is already done as the original builder used acrylic caulk and it just doesn't clean up like silicon so I removed it all and I am now redoing it; MY WAY
I have the exterior of the trailer primed; used some really thick primer called peel bond to help bridge the rough siding, it was like spraying marshmallow cream. Hoping to put the topcoat on tomorrow if I get it caulked tonight
The goal is to have this trailer with equipment back into it in a few weeks and them start learning how to use all the equipment while we work on the milking parlor trailer.
The actual barn got put on hold until the weather cools down. I need to rent a "man lift" to do the high purlins and the cables and I will need to use it for an entire day. They are expensive to rent so I need to rent it when I CAN use it for an entire day and right now it is just too hot. Last week was 111-115 for the entire week. We rented one a few weeks ago and the thing broke down on us and we returned it and then the weather changed so now we wait. But it isn't like we don't have anything to do.
I got up a 5:30 yesterday morning and did chores and then did the first coat on the floor. I ended up doing 2 coats as it is going over wood and the wood is pretty absorbent. This morning I did coat #2 and this one got the pretty flecks added too it as well as a non-skid additive.
The flecks are not as even as I would have liked as I was trying to toss them across a 10' room and it wasn't working so a lot of them fell in the middle of the room. They sell shoes with spikes on them so you can walk through this stuff which would have been helpful...I ordered a pair for use in the next room and the milking barn. Also you can still see the seams in the plywood even though caulked, the next time I will try to find something else to use as a filler. The cove base came out well so that was good. Lessons learned. Next is the plastic wall board.
I have been re-caulking all the seams in the part of the processing room that is already done as the original builder used acrylic caulk and it just doesn't clean up like silicon so I removed it all and I am now redoing it; MY WAY
I have the exterior of the trailer primed; used some really thick primer called peel bond to help bridge the rough siding, it was like spraying marshmallow cream. Hoping to put the topcoat on tomorrow if I get it caulked tonight
The goal is to have this trailer with equipment back into it in a few weeks and them start learning how to use all the equipment while we work on the milking parlor trailer.
The actual barn got put on hold until the weather cools down. I need to rent a "man lift" to do the high purlins and the cables and I will need to use it for an entire day. They are expensive to rent so I need to rent it when I CAN use it for an entire day and right now it is just too hot. Last week was 111-115 for the entire week. We rented one a few weeks ago and the thing broke down on us and we returned it and then the weather changed so now we wait. But it isn't like we don't have anything to do.
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Hens and Roos
Herd Master
That looks nice!
norseofcourse
Herd Master
That floor looks nice! Who cares if the speckles aren't even, it's artistic and it's *yours*
I can't imagine all the work that goes into all this, and doing it in that kind of heat... you're doing an awesome job!
I can't imagine all the work that goes into all this, and doing it in that kind of heat... you're doing an awesome job!
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Good job
Goat Whisperer
Herd Master
Awesome! 
That looks GREAT! You're investing a lot of sweat and time (& $$) right now and hopefully it will pay off handsomely when you're all done.
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goats&moregoats
True BYH Addict
You go Women! 
I to have reached the point in my life where it isn't do or die. Just enjoying the choices I have made and all my little goaties, my two GP guardians and those darn ole sheep. Enjoy your journey, I'll be traveling with you through your post. 
I to have reached the point in my life where it isn't do or die. Just enjoying the choices I have made and all my little goaties, my two GP guardians and those darn ole sheep. Enjoy your journey, I'll be traveling with you through your post. - Thread starter
- #49
babsbag
Herd Master
I have put up a white board in my kitchen with my list and my DH's list. Mine is 3x longer than his and also has many jobs crossed off, his stays about the same. The chore board was his idea too; guess it doesn't bother him to see an uncompleted project.
It has been a while since I posted. I have recoated the floor in the original processing room, got the fiberglass reinforced panels installed, got the door installed, painted the ceiling, got new lights, and painted the outside. I am working on getting trim painted. I have caulked every joint, seam, hole, etc. I HATE CAULK.
Found a restaurant going out of business and bought a stainless steel table for a food prep sink and a very small stove top. DH cut the holes to mount them in the table so it looks like a stainless steel counter top. Also got a commercial mixer to use whenadding ingredients to the chevre. I got a steal on the mixer but the best part was finding a stainless steel donut glazing table that has a tray built into it that slopes to a drain. I am going to use it a cheese draining table and I am looking for a stainless steel welder to make me a rack that I can put over the top to hang cheese from. I saved about (drum roll) $1200.00 by finding this table over buying a new one.
I have started moving equipment back into the processing trailer and I am cleaning it as I go of course. My dirt isn't really dirt, but other's dirt is just nasty. The previous dairy used to milk chocolate milk and they either had a catastrophic event with cocoa powder at some time or it was a super messy process but I have been cleaning cocoa powder off of everything. I have a pressure washer and Easy Off so cleaning isn't too bad. Love love love my pressure washer. The equipment I bought used from the restaurants is taking the most work as I want ALL of the grease off, dairies don't do grease. The processing equipment has the cocoa and some hardwater/milkstone deposits to remove, but not grease.
DH got 220 electric wired into the trailer and that means that tomorrow I will start learning to use the pasteurizer and chiller. The chiller circulates cold water around the milk after it is pasteurized. Then I will learn to use the bottler. I had to order a part, it should be here this week and then I need bottles. I am having a heck of a time finding them with the snap on caps. I found one place and they don't want to ship, which means I need to drive 5 hours round trip to go and get them. UGH. Thankfully DH has a friend that lives there and he sees him almost every week so hopefully he will pick them up for me.
It seems that every time I blink I find a new job to do, my list never ends. DH is only home on weekends and next weekend we are going to see my mom and to buy 2 more goats so won't get much dairy work done. The next chore in that trailer is water, sink, and drains; then exhaust fan, and last but not least, finish the store room. Then we get to start on the milking parlor and milk room. Hopefully it won't be as hard; we should be old pros by then.
And in between all of this I milk and care for the goats, play at growing a garden (play this year, normally I really do grow one), and do all the other things that go with keeping a house and farm running. Last week I canned about 60 lbs of peaches (from my trees) and next week it will be time for tomatoes.
Thank goodness I don't live in Alaska during the summer, I would never sleep, as long as it was daylight I would find something to do.
It has been a while since I posted. I have recoated the floor in the original processing room, got the fiberglass reinforced panels installed, got the door installed, painted the ceiling, got new lights, and painted the outside. I am working on getting trim painted. I have caulked every joint, seam, hole, etc. I HATE CAULK.
Found a restaurant going out of business and bought a stainless steel table for a food prep sink and a very small stove top. DH cut the holes to mount them in the table so it looks like a stainless steel counter top. Also got a commercial mixer to use whenadding ingredients to the chevre. I got a steal on the mixer but the best part was finding a stainless steel donut glazing table that has a tray built into it that slopes to a drain. I am going to use it a cheese draining table and I am looking for a stainless steel welder to make me a rack that I can put over the top to hang cheese from. I saved about (drum roll) $1200.00 by finding this table over buying a new one.
I have started moving equipment back into the processing trailer and I am cleaning it as I go of course. My dirt isn't really dirt, but other's dirt is just nasty. The previous dairy used to milk chocolate milk and they either had a catastrophic event with cocoa powder at some time or it was a super messy process but I have been cleaning cocoa powder off of everything. I have a pressure washer and Easy Off so cleaning isn't too bad. Love love love my pressure washer. The equipment I bought used from the restaurants is taking the most work as I want ALL of the grease off, dairies don't do grease. The processing equipment has the cocoa and some hardwater/milkstone deposits to remove, but not grease.
DH got 220 electric wired into the trailer and that means that tomorrow I will start learning to use the pasteurizer and chiller. The chiller circulates cold water around the milk after it is pasteurized. Then I will learn to use the bottler. I had to order a part, it should be here this week and then I need bottles. I am having a heck of a time finding them with the snap on caps. I found one place and they don't want to ship, which means I need to drive 5 hours round trip to go and get them. UGH. Thankfully DH has a friend that lives there and he sees him almost every week so hopefully he will pick them up for me.
It seems that every time I blink I find a new job to do, my list never ends. DH is only home on weekends and next weekend we are going to see my mom and to buy 2 more goats so won't get much dairy work done. The next chore in that trailer is water, sink, and drains; then exhaust fan, and last but not least, finish the store room. Then we get to start on the milking parlor and milk room. Hopefully it won't be as hard; we should be old pros by then.
And in between all of this I milk and care for the goats, play at growing a garden (play this year, normally I really do grow one), and do all the other things that go with keeping a house and farm running. Last week I canned about 60 lbs of peaches (from my trees) and next week it will be time for tomatoes.
Thank goodness I don't live in Alaska during the summer, I would never sleep, as long as it was daylight I would find something to do.
Hens and Roos
Herd Master
wow, you have been extremely busy!! Good find on the used equipment!
