77Herford Farm Zoo Journal Moving

[77Herford]

1. What state/province/country are you in and what is your climate like?
Central Iowa, United States on the border of Zone's 4 and 5.



2. How many people are in your family?
I am single.

3. How would you define your farm?

Hmmm, well Chickens, Cow and Calf farm right now though I'm working towards self suficiency, no spell check.

4. What would you do with your spare time if you had any resources you needed?

Have a brand new livestock barn built for cattle and have a small milking building built.

5. Have you ever built a house, barn , or other types of building?

Yes, I have helped build shelters and barns but alone I wouldn't trust myself.

6. Can you weld? Steel, aluminum, MiG, TiG, stick, Oxy-Acet?

No and no.

7. Who or what inspired you to be a farmer/rancher, hobby farmer?

Grandfather and Uncle

8 Is it a hobby or an occupation?

Started as a hobby and became an occupation.

9. In what areas are you knowledgeable and in what areas would you like to learn more?

I know Cattle, and Chickens good. I am decent with Horses. I want to learn more about Pigs, Goats, Llama's and others.

10. In what types of farming will you never choose to do?

Confinement opperation

11. Are you interested in providing more of your own food supply?

Yes

12. Where do you end up when you sink into yourself, away from the outside world?

Riding my Sugar out on the pasture without a care.

13. Can you drive a farm tractor or a semi?

Tractor, yes. Semi, no.

14. Do you make crafts or useful items?

Nope

15. Can you legally have all forms of livestock where you are at?

Yes, Hereford and Black Angus cows, Hereford bulls, several breeds of chickens, 2 Boer bucks and 5 Boer soon to be buckless, 4 dogs, 1 barn cat, 3 Horses, 2 Ponies, 2 Mallard Ducks, 14 Pilgrim Geese.

16. Can you operate a lathe? Metal, wood?

What's a lathe, I think I've used one before.

17. Do you like to garden? If so, what do you enjoy growing?

Yes, I do enjoy it. I plant a vegetable garden every year and am working on growing a small forrest.

18. Do you fish? Bait or explosives?

Bait

19. How much space/land do you have or rent? City farm? Country?

Working towards 400 acres, currently own around 320 acres and rent some.

20. Are you a Novice, Technician, degreed?

No degree but no novice.

21. What is your farm specialty? Or what one would you like to learn?

They Moo

22. If you could create a degree and curriculum, what would you major in and what classes would you take?

N/A

23. Do you do wood work? framing, finish, cabinet?

No

24. Are you interested in herbal animal medicine?

If they work, sure.

25. If you could live any place you chose, where would it be?

Maybe further eastern Iowa.

26. Do you use a wood stove for heating or cooking?

I have one in my old hunting cabin but rarely use it.

27. What would your ideal super hero/villain be?

I would have mind control and rule the world, muawhahaha.

28. Are your family or friends also interested in animals?

A few are and help out. Some thought I was nuts till I made over 20 grand on eggs, HA.

29. Do you like to cook? Are you interested in whole foods and natural foods? raw milk? farm fresh eggs?

Wife does more than me, which is one reason why I love her.

30. What was your best animal experience? Worst?

Our last family dog was a great mutt which I still think about. Worst, um that would be my dumb... going into the pasture of my Uncle and having the HUGE Simental bull chase me out.

31. Do you forage or hunt for part of your food needs?

I deer or turkey hunt once or twice a season.

32. What skills do you have that help you be more a self sufficient farm?
Not much

33. Do you process your own meat? Can or preserve?

I have a local butcher for venison process my meat.

34. Do you use alternative energy sources on your farm?

Yes, we have a few solar panels on the roof "Pricey".

35 What is on your to do list?

Fencing, Barn siding repairs, Coop repairs, mowing hay field, raking hay field, and then balling said fields.

36. Have you ever lived completely off what you produce? Would you like to?

No and yes

37. Do you make and fix things yourself to save money?

Yes

38. Has the experience with animals changed your attitude or habits

I'm more patient but I was already an evironmentalist.

 

[77Herford]

Well welcome to my life. I won't reveal my exact location nor photos of my farm just for privacy. I show some animals but thats about it.

Today looks like a wonderful 80 degrees and I will be replacing fence posts, my least favorite job. The weather will be cool and that's a bonus. I also need to cut a field of hay so that may happen today as well.

 

[Ms. Research]

It was a pleasure reading about your farm, family and your livestock. 320 acres must be great to be able to roam around in. Good luck reaching 400.

Gardens are really nice to play around in, but a small forest? What types of tress are you planning for this forest? The only tree I loving care for from the beginning is my dogwood which has grown very healthy. Definitely different than tomato plants or pepper plants.

I'm impressed with anyone who raises cattle. They are huge animals. And am greatful that you and others do raise them with care and with the goal of raising excellent meat. I really love a juicy steak.

Looking forward to reading your journal. Just interesting to me to read the different ways people do things. The real personal life, well, that to me is your own and yours to share with who you feel you should. 1 am Not one to be nosey.

 

[redtailgal]

Thanks for sharing.

We've been getting some cooler weather too, its nice! We use mostly t posts here, which are really easy. That is until you dirve them into a rock and feel the shudder all the way into your shoulders, lol. We do used wooden corner sections, but in this neck of the woods they dont have to be replaced too often, thank goodness.

I dont like replacing fence posts either, but honestly my least favorite job is picking beans. I'd rather be working with the animals.

 

[elevan]

Thank you for sharing. I'm raising my first beef steer, so I'm looking forward to reading about your farm and your "moos"

 

[77Herford]

Thanks for sharing.

We've been getting some cooler weather too, its nice! We use mostly t posts here, which are really easy. That is until you dirve them into a rock and feel the shudder all the way into your shoulders, lol. We do used wooden corner sections, but in this neck of the woods they dont have to be replaced too often, thank goodness.

I dont like replacing fence posts either, but honestly my least favorite job is picking beans. I'd rather be working with the animals.

Ah, I use old Telephone poles. They last for a long time. I got the idea from my sister's in-laws who raise horses (Arabian, Paint and Quarter). I learned most my carpentry and Horse knowledge from them.

Lets see I didi get in alot of posts today with my lovely drill attachment on my Tractor. If I were using the old manual approach I would never be done fencing.

My wife and I are going to be increasing our chicken population by 200 hens, we are probably going to get RIR's for there production and personality.

Oh and if you see me on at odd hours, its because I have trouble sleeping at times.

No more Goat problems with predators. The mother Llama has proved her worth and her daughter well not so much, lol. Maybe she will learn from mum. I've set up a hanging hay net for the Llama's as the Goat's are still busy consuming the weeds. I did go in one day out of guilt I guess and pull a bunch of the plants that could harm the Goats (stupid softy), as if I had the spare time but the wife helped out and played with the Goats too.

I did get half of my 40 acres hay field mowed and may finish this evening if I can't sleep, yay for headlights.

 

[77Herford]

Ok, seriously not farm related but graphic horror movie previews on during prime time hours is NOT RIGHT. I could live without them all together as I know many kids and adults who will have nightmares over these things.

 

[Roll farms]

They show the scariest / best parts of the movie during them, too...why bother watching?

 

[77Herford]

Well got the last part of the field mowed. Need to see the doctor, I think I'm getting another upper respitory cold or whatever it is. This will be my third one this summer so something isn't right. Starts with a sore throat, then excess mucus production which leads to coughing and runny noise for a week and bad sleep and another week of coughing.

 

[kstaven]

Could it be dust, pollen and seed chaf from the fields?