Teresa & Mike CHS - Our journal

Plus, you never know when something my get her riled up just enough to go over. Better to keep the predators on the other side.

It is amazing how many 'small' things need to be done when you think you pretty much have everything done. I went back and wrapped all of the end posts and and did all of the T-post clips that I had skipped in order to at least get sections done. That took most of the morning and I came in around 12:30 to eat something and get hydrated to keep my Lady from getting on to me.

About 2:00 I went back out and hung the last gate and went and cut 2x4's to fill some gaps at a couple of the gates. I wish I had a camera but when I opened the gate and called the sheep, they came galloping down the hill. They had been laying down by where I have been working since they know that if I'm out doing they will soon get some of that lush grass. I didn't let them graze it too long since it is more lush than what they have been feeding on. Tomorrow Teresa and I will section off the main paddock and half of the new paddock with the netting to let us control the rotation better. than two big paddocks.

Never done is it??? Actually, I have a lot of clips not yet installed in the west fence line. I figured they were something I could do to spend time with Merlin. But they are relatively unimportant now, nothing to put much pressure on the fence.

I'm sure you miss him. Shame you weren't able to make it work.

I enjoy building fence but installing ties on the bottom strands is my least favorite thing to do in fencing. Too much bending over or getting down and then having to get back up to move to the next post. A necessary evil tho.

Your situation is different, with the rolling, well drained terrain, but my property is all relatively flat ground and stays soggy much of the year. Gateways tend to turn into a muddy quagmire with the cattle making their way thru them several times per day, not to mention the wheeled traffic that goes thru there. Not surprising considering the amount of weight transferred to just a few sq inches of hoofprint.

More gates allow for alternate pathways, and closing one while opening another lets the first one dry out some. I try to hang gates a little high, and bring in good soil and build up in the gateways to just under the bottom tube of the gate. Helps keep it drained and extends the time before the cows hooves form the area into a rain holding depression.

If there is a high spot along a fence, that's where I try to install a gate. Not always possible tho.

Over 4" of rain since it started last night and we're supposed to get another bunch this afternoon but we aren't griping.

We just took some water out into the new paddock and locked the sheep in there where there is no shelter. They are as bad as goats and as soon as it starts sprinkling they go running for the shelters. As a result of that some of them are in dire need of a bath. Hopefully some showers this afternoon will get their hair white again.

I'd love to have 4" of rain!

We haven't gotten near that amount, but the ground is soaking it up like a sponge. I think we've gotten about an inch here, so far, and the bulk has moved past us....a few more showers could happen this afternoon....it is 83° here now and I can breath outside again.....

There is nothing major going on now except regular maintenance of the farm which is nice not to have to do several hours of fence building and then go do the maintenance things. The weather is perfect with the high in the mid 80's. It was nice weed eating and mowing and never breaking a sweat.

We are going to separate the lambs from the ewes this coming week to get the older ewes ready to breed. Two of the December born lambs are plenty big enough but we are goingto wait until November to breed them. They are both bigger than their moms but still nursing so that will stop soon. The 5th paddock will be done by then and we will have more than enough pasture for rotation with them all.

Once we get everyone settled into their new routine we need to spend some shop time to build the cabinet doors for the oak cabinets in our loft storage. Plus one of our summer helpers (Jay) is being home schooled but enrolled through one of the Christian Academies where he can get school credit for wood working projects he works on as a learning process.

It is SO great that Jay has you to mentor his wood work! I think a lot of kids would like woodworking but don't have access to tools that make the job easier.