FergusonK's journal - Goodbye Java Jewel.

Ferguson K

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As I'm sure it has for most of you, rut has officially hit the winds around here. The boys have started spraying their cologne at every gust of wind and dash of fall. That come hither smell is strong against the usual crisp smells of fall.

Leaves are falling, temperatures changing, days have begun to shorten. Its my favorite time of year!

There's nothing quite like waking up to a cool, bitter morning that steadily warms you as the day goes on. I wish it was like this year round. Then I remember I live in Texas and only have a few weeks of this beautiful weather.

So. We take advantage of it. My husband has been leveling the house and replacing rotten siding on his off days. He, and a family friend, have been busting their rumps while I go on with daily animal husbandry. The Muscovy have taken this golden opportunity to hatch their final clutches for the winter before they clam up and shut off all egg bearing ability until spring.

Uno, our buck with one teste, is trying his luck at breeding again this year. The girls still think he is the bees knees. I still think he's sterile. That's why two young boys are coming of age behind him. Being short a little man power isn't shortening his ability to cover the ladies, that's for sure!

Hummingbirds are few and far between with this winter air moving in. I think they've already begun the great migration across the gulf. I've gone from over a hundred to less than ten. My feeders are staying full, as they will until march or so when I clean them out for the spring birds.

With hurricane season here I can only pray the little birds have an easy migration.

On the homestead front, we have persimmons coming out of our ears. They're about to start ripening and have already begun changing colors. I can not wait to see how this winter folds out with our fall fruits rushing to best it.

The back gate has been replaced. The former front gate now hangs in its place. Upside down, but in place. We shall see if the horses tear this one up too.

Earlier today I enlisted the help of my goats in cleaning spilled feed from the feed room. They mostly just jumped can to can and yelled at me.

My break is over, I must get back to repairing fence lines before I lose the rest of the day. Here's some pictures! ( Curtosy of my camera phone. )
 

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Baymule

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Looks like you have it going on! Good job! Your Muscovies look nice, what color are they?
 

Ferguson K

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We have dark chocolate, chocolate, blue, black, and black and white. Standards, barred, and piebald.
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Things are finally moving around here!
 

Baymule

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Do you still have the runner ducks I gave you? We finally did get moved from Livingston to the Tyler area, and the few chickens I kept had a rabbit hutch for a coop with horse panel sides and chicken wire top. LOL. I finally built a nice hoop coop and have 6 red sex link pullets just starting to lay.

I have always wanted muscovies. And there you are with some beauties! At some point I will be ready to add muscovies and I will be coming to see you! I love the chocolates!
 

Ferguson K

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Yes! They live with the Ancona's because the Drake was over mating the hen. They've got full run of the front acre almost every day. They're mid molt and it looks like a disaster zone in the duck house.

We've got thirteen Muscovy ducklings now thanks to done determined broodies.

They took the oldest out for a swim lesson in the washing machine run off today. It was so cute.

We've started leveling the house and replacing broken windows. Pulled some plywood planks down and found out there is two more windows and a door in the bedroom. Which is nice because were about to add on to that side of the house. We won't have to cut out a doorway. I'm positive these windows and door are at least from the 60's.

Beneath the ugly green siding is some really nice wood. Things are coming along around here!

Glad y'all got settled in! The girls enjoy life here, I'll have to get you some updated pictures. I have tons of picture from today but I'll have to go into town to upload them.
 

Ferguson K

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The last of the feeder hogs go in the freezer Friday night. The guy who bought them will be having a party and we are invited. We will be replacing them with two breeder quality hogs, one former show gilt and her Hampshire mate. We need to finish the breeder pen before they move in. I need an alley to keep them separated until she's ready to breed.

I hope we are as prepared as we think we are in keeping and maintaining a breeding boar. Really hot fencing, lots of posts, and a wooden exterior fence. It'll be constructed mainly of pallets and under lots of shade trees.

The farrowing barn will also be made of pallet wood. We will construct it in the spring before we breed the gilt. She's only about 100-150lbs right now. Way to small to breed yet, her dam was a 300+lb pig. I expect her to be at least 250 before we breed her.

None of the does have come back in. I believe everyone, including the yearling Aelia, is expecting. I will leave the bucks another month so we make sure to catch their recycle I'd they didn't take.

I'm supposed to be going to look at some whether bred Boers next month when they become available. Lord willing I'll be bringing home one or two future show dams. Although I'd really like to get my hands on more milkers.

The Boers were bred to Uno, a large bodied Nigerian, so I'll have some nice meat cross for the freezer. If a nice doe shows up she might get to stay. Otherwise, it'll be cabrito!

I also found out that Boer bowl( spell check MW here) which is a dish made specifically from Boer goats, translates directly into the farmers meat. A customer of ours is from South Africa and absolutely loves out does. They remind her of home. She plans on getting some of the crossed wether's from us in the spring to ASD to her own freezer.

I really can't wait to gety computer running again or get a replacement. It'd be nice to be able to post pictures off of my camera.
 

Ferguson K

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So many spelling errors. Bless this auto correcting phone.
 

Baymule

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Girl, I can feel for you on the using the #$%&*$$ phone! We were without internet for 7 months. There was just no service here. There are lots of internet providers, but they would come do a site test and at 80 feet up, there would be a weak signal. :tongue Not enough to actually receive a signal. And we would have to put up our own tower, blah, blah, blah, to the tune of $1600 for a signal we can't even receive. :rant Finally got HugesNet, satellite internet. I read some horrible reviews on them, but as the ONLY provider we can get, I am thrilled. Hope you can get a computer soon!

Glad the runner ducks are doing good. I knew they would have a happy home with you.
 
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