Misfitmorgan's Journal - That Summer Dust

[Pastor Dave]

Yah, you guys are fast. Even when you say something is on hold, you accomplish it. Puts me to shame. The improvements shoukd really help you out in convenience and time, etc. You have a lot of ideas to what needs done. It will all come together.
Blessings on your new place, family, and herds.

 

[Bruce]

I also got 4 hoses fixed so we can run a hose instead of buckets down to water the pigs, until winter

Supposed to go down to 30°here tonight which likely means 25°. High tomorrow 39° (probably lower), low overnight again 30°. The alpacas' auto waterer has already had a thin sheet of ice on the surface twice in the last few weeks and the temp wasn't much below 32°. I drained the hoses today! First I filled 4 cat litter "Jerry jugs" and put them in the barn near the alpacas' area. Shouldn't freeze in the barn just yet.

 

[misfitmorgan]

The gilt didnt have much on her at all for meat or fat. She was getting pushed off feed by the bigger pigs which was ultimately the decision to go ahead and take care of her yesterday. Knowing walking is painful is one thing but seeing the sudden weight drop because they are half starving is another. We do not tolerate animals going hungry very well and we could not justify building her a pen of her own when she was going to be butchered. She was boned out and ground up the killing and boning took about 1.5hrs including set up, grinding took about 3hrs. I also processed 3 chickens for our friend while they were working on the pig.

That type of field fence by gaucho is what we use we just use the redbrand version of it. We have the electric net so anyone with a baby will be in the net until the babies are weaned. Adults cant get thru the fence and we have the llama which so far keeps all predators out.

We plan on filling large barrels and putting water deicers in them. Then we only have to do water once a week, so we can reel out the hoses, fill jugs, drain hoses and put them back in the basement.

 

[Bruce]

Depends on how cold it is! I once tried draining my well tank (thought it was water logged) in the depth of winter. Um, no good, the water in the part of the hose that was outside the basement froze. It was a pretty long hose and I'm sure that didn't' help. I had to do it with 5 gallon buckets which was not fun. I can't even get water out of the frost free sillcock at the house when it is much below freezing, the water freezes up at the spout so no "reel out the hose" for me.

But I do have my @CntryBoy777 inspired "in barn winter water" rain barrel. Similar to yours, deicer in there and the barrel is boxed on all sides, top and bottom with 2" rigid foam. I will refill it come the inevitable January thaw.

 

[misfitmorgan]

We would plan to drain the hose and coil it up and put all of it in the basement no longer attached to the outside faucet. If the outside faucet is froze we have a blow torch to thaw out that 3 inches of pipe but we also plan on putting one of those winter cover thingys on it. We also have two outside faucets atm. We contemplated fixing the water pipe that runs to the two story barn but for this winter it wouldn't make a difference because the building wouldnt be heated or have livestock in it.

I dont think we get quite as cold here in winter as you do up there but we shall see, worst case we will be bucketing water all winter like we have for the past 3 winters.

Next 3 days we have 43/27F, 44/31F, and 36/20F....snowfall up to an inch on thursday then 29/21F for friday.

 

[Pastor Dave]

Sorry to hear that abt the gilt. I see why you sped up the slaughter now. Good to have compassion on even the things we eat, all the way up to and through dispatching them. With all the work you guys had going on, it shows a lot of character.

 

[Bruce]

I imagine the only reason to fix that water line now is if it goes to one of those "drain down" freeze proof faucets AND is closer to the animals than the house is.

 

[Baymule]

Ya'll sure make me glad that our water freezes up maybe 2-3 times a year. Toting hot water to pour on the ice is no fun.

 

[Bruce]

I'm still surprised it gets that cold down in TX! Never would have guessed, it isn't like you are way up on a mountain.

 

[Baymule]

It can get down in the low 20's or high teens. Once in awhile we get snow! But it never lasts long.