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- #2,461
Ridgetop
Herd Master
November 1 -
Decided to put dates on this as I often forget to upload then come back and add stuff days later!
Marv wants to put carport on north side between garden and house. Problem is that we would have to back the trailers into it since we can't get a new culvert and driveway put in without state approval. Not too much problem For DH and can address permit, culvert and additional driveway later.
Talked to gardening man today. Buying 12 fruit trees, tilling and planting them in new orchard space and caring for them until spring will be $1,000. Wrote the check immediately. He will also care for the trees and make sure to poison any fire ants and watch for gopher damage. He will water as well is necessary. I emailed the varieties I wanted and he will discuss with his Lindale supplier which would be best in the Yantis area. I was only planning on about 6 trees but he said that with the fire ant danger planting 2 of each would be better. No problem. Any fruit I don't use or give away, I will put a hog pen around trees and turn hogs into the orchard to eat the fallen fruit. Can also rake up and shovel into the compost pile.
Next, I got hold of an Enrolled Agent for taxes in Quitman. DH wants an EA since they are approved by IRS to argue any audits, etc. He is a CPA in Quitman. Has farm clients, NNN clients, etc. and is familiar with everything we need. Has had his own office for 6 ears so hopefully he will outlive us, and we won't have to find another tax person. LOL Our old tax man retired then died on us and while we are ok with his partner, we don't like her as well as we liked Mel. Kevin is in the process of reworking some office staff but since we don't need to change tax preparers for the 2022 taxes, he is willing to take us on for 2023. I told him we would make an appointment during the summer and bring our returns back for him. He gave me some info on farm taxes which I appreciated.
Third, I ordered some yarn online which is the brand and kind I really like working with. On sale lots of different colors. I realized that the yarn I had bought at the Hobby Lobby sale was the wrong size. I prefer the chunky yarn that is worked with a size 10-11 needle. I will return all the Hobby Lobby yarn. Love the colors but don't like knitting the baby blankets with a lightweight yarn and small gauge needles so back it goes.
Checked with a gentleman about buying some square bales of Bermuda to bring back to California after we unload the flatbed trailer in March BUT since eastern Texas is a "fire ant quarantine area" The hay must not be stored on soil and has to be inspected when entering California for evidence of fire ants. If any infestation is found (even one ant) the load must return to east Texas or be destroyed. I will check with the hay guy - he keeps it in a barn but it is probably on soil. Fire Ants have already established in Orange County and a county in New Mexico. The entire southeastern part of the US is infested. In Texas the only counties not infested are the panhandle and the farthest west southern counties. I emailed the CA USDA for more info so we'll see. We had hoped to bring in some Texas hay to start the sheep getting used to it.
November 2
NOTICE! Can't bring any hay into California from most of Texas and points east. There is an "Imported Fire
Ant Quarantine" on all of east Texas and LA, MS, AL, GA, FL,SC,NC, most of AR and southern OK. The only areas in Texas not affected are the panhandle and a couple of the farthest SW counties of the state. One county in NM and one county in southern CA are also infected and under the quarantine. So no Texas hay for the sheep to get used to. Instead, we will have to bring California alfalfa to TX while the sheep get introduced to pasture.
I hope we did not make a mistake in selecting east Texas as our Garden of Eden. Instead of a giant snake, we have Barber Pole worms and the Imported Fire Ant Quarantine! At least the snake offered Adam and Eve refreshments in the form of apples! We do like Waldorf salad.
Our garden man said he is picking up the trees today and will plant tomorrow. He has to run an etra hot wire to keep cows out of orchard. Is planting "12 trees total, 2 of each kind (Plum, peach, nectarine, fig, pear, and apple). Apricots will be available in December. Your Peaches are Freestone varieties Red Haven and Majestic. Your plums are Santa Rosa and Methley(Desirable raw and processed). The nectarine trees are not labeled, but were the only variety he recommended for East TX. Your figs are Black Mission. Your pears are Moonglow and Kieffer. Your apples are Granny Smith and Honey Crisp. "
Hopefully they will survive. And they will be in a year earlier than I could do it myself. Wish I had known about this guy last year.
Still waiting for the fence guy to return from vacation to get quote on fencing. We will be doing it in 800+/- sections one after the other. Then DS1 and I will draw up scale drawing of property to decide where to put in the sheep pastures. According to the Sulphur springs Dorper grower, I don't need to fence off the ponds. Once we get back there I will get geese and ducks from Erick. The geese and ducks will hopefully deal with the liver fluke snails and pond weed. Then I can get the large pond stocked through Texas F & G. More to check up on. I have been told that the correct pond mix of fish will keep the pond healthy too.
Speaking of Erick - got a text today that he had his bred bitch x-rayed and she "is full of pups" according to the vet. The puppies are due the end of November. We will pick up our new protector in March when we are back there for the wedding. Angel has taken over most of the guardian duties. She works all night and during the day too. She has taken to sleeping on the patio and driveway where Bubba used to lay to guard the approach to the house. She will welcome the help once we get the newbie trained. Rika is still working but has started slowing down and is willing to come into the house more often. Once we get to Texas I will let Rika be the house/yard/baby lamb jugs guardian while the younger dogs cover the pastures.
DS1 and I went through his magnet sheep tags showing where each sheep is. He had me give him the tag numbers and verify which ones were sold, died etc. We found a discrepancy in that the number of young stock on the field did not compute with what should have been there. We agreed on the correct number but he had 12 ear tag numbers and one should not have had an ear tag. Finally realized that he was counting the ewe lamb that was sold as one of the 12, while the ewe lamb that was not tagged was not being counted. All correct in the end and we agreed we needed to tag that ewe lamb. Then we had a missing ewe in the barn until I realized that I was working off the Application for Registration form and she was not on it because her single ram lamb was destined for auction instead of registration. The only ram lambs being registered were Snowflakes twin rams. I have pretty much decided to take them to the Western States show in Reno in May. Entries there are shown and auctioned. I am considering looking at the ewe lambs and maybe taking a couple of them too. Of course, I have to train them on halter, and shear if they don't shed out. Minor shearing since they don't carry wool lower than halfway down their sides. Will have to start working with them soon.
Decided to put dates on this as I often forget to upload then come back and add stuff days later!
Marv wants to put carport on north side between garden and house. Problem is that we would have to back the trailers into it since we can't get a new culvert and driveway put in without state approval. Not too much problem For DH and can address permit, culvert and additional driveway later.
Talked to gardening man today. Buying 12 fruit trees, tilling and planting them in new orchard space and caring for them until spring will be $1,000. Wrote the check immediately. He will also care for the trees and make sure to poison any fire ants and watch for gopher damage. He will water as well is necessary. I emailed the varieties I wanted and he will discuss with his Lindale supplier which would be best in the Yantis area. I was only planning on about 6 trees but he said that with the fire ant danger planting 2 of each would be better. No problem. Any fruit I don't use or give away, I will put a hog pen around trees and turn hogs into the orchard to eat the fallen fruit. Can also rake up and shovel into the compost pile.
Next, I got hold of an Enrolled Agent for taxes in Quitman. DH wants an EA since they are approved by IRS to argue any audits, etc. He is a CPA in Quitman. Has farm clients, NNN clients, etc. and is familiar with everything we need. Has had his own office for 6 ears so hopefully he will outlive us, and we won't have to find another tax person. LOL Our old tax man retired then died on us and while we are ok with his partner, we don't like her as well as we liked Mel. Kevin is in the process of reworking some office staff but since we don't need to change tax preparers for the 2022 taxes, he is willing to take us on for 2023. I told him we would make an appointment during the summer and bring our returns back for him. He gave me some info on farm taxes which I appreciated.
Third, I ordered some yarn online which is the brand and kind I really like working with. On sale lots of different colors. I realized that the yarn I had bought at the Hobby Lobby sale was the wrong size. I prefer the chunky yarn that is worked with a size 10-11 needle. I will return all the Hobby Lobby yarn. Love the colors but don't like knitting the baby blankets with a lightweight yarn and small gauge needles so back it goes.
Checked with a gentleman about buying some square bales of Bermuda to bring back to California after we unload the flatbed trailer in March BUT since eastern Texas is a "fire ant quarantine area" The hay must not be stored on soil and has to be inspected when entering California for evidence of fire ants. If any infestation is found (even one ant) the load must return to east Texas or be destroyed. I will check with the hay guy - he keeps it in a barn but it is probably on soil. Fire Ants have already established in Orange County and a county in New Mexico. The entire southeastern part of the US is infested. In Texas the only counties not infested are the panhandle and the farthest west southern counties. I emailed the CA USDA for more info so we'll see. We had hoped to bring in some Texas hay to start the sheep getting used to it.
November 2
NOTICE! Can't bring any hay into California from most of Texas and points east. There is an "Imported Fire
Ant Quarantine" on all of east Texas and LA, MS, AL, GA, FL,SC,NC, most of AR and southern OK. The only areas in Texas not affected are the panhandle and a couple of the farthest SW counties of the state. One county in NM and one county in southern CA are also infected and under the quarantine. So no Texas hay for the sheep to get used to. Instead, we will have to bring California alfalfa to TX while the sheep get introduced to pasture.
I hope we did not make a mistake in selecting east Texas as our Garden of Eden. Instead of a giant snake, we have Barber Pole worms and the Imported Fire Ant Quarantine! At least the snake offered Adam and Eve refreshments in the form of apples! We do like Waldorf salad.
Our garden man said he is picking up the trees today and will plant tomorrow. He has to run an etra hot wire to keep cows out of orchard. Is planting "12 trees total, 2 of each kind (Plum, peach, nectarine, fig, pear, and apple). Apricots will be available in December. Your Peaches are Freestone varieties Red Haven and Majestic. Your plums are Santa Rosa and Methley(Desirable raw and processed). The nectarine trees are not labeled, but were the only variety he recommended for East TX. Your figs are Black Mission. Your pears are Moonglow and Kieffer. Your apples are Granny Smith and Honey Crisp. "
Hopefully they will survive. And they will be in a year earlier than I could do it myself. Wish I had known about this guy last year.
Still waiting for the fence guy to return from vacation to get quote on fencing. We will be doing it in 800+/- sections one after the other. Then DS1 and I will draw up scale drawing of property to decide where to put in the sheep pastures. According to the Sulphur springs Dorper grower, I don't need to fence off the ponds. Once we get back there I will get geese and ducks from Erick. The geese and ducks will hopefully deal with the liver fluke snails and pond weed. Then I can get the large pond stocked through Texas F & G. More to check up on. I have been told that the correct pond mix of fish will keep the pond healthy too.
Speaking of Erick - got a text today that he had his bred bitch x-rayed and she "is full of pups" according to the vet. The puppies are due the end of November. We will pick up our new protector in March when we are back there for the wedding. Angel has taken over most of the guardian duties. She works all night and during the day too. She has taken to sleeping on the patio and driveway where Bubba used to lay to guard the approach to the house. She will welcome the help once we get the newbie trained. Rika is still working but has started slowing down and is willing to come into the house more often. Once we get to Texas I will let Rika be the house/yard/baby lamb jugs guardian while the younger dogs cover the pastures.
DS1 and I went through his magnet sheep tags showing where each sheep is. He had me give him the tag numbers and verify which ones were sold, died etc. We found a discrepancy in that the number of young stock on the field did not compute with what should have been there. We agreed on the correct number but he had 12 ear tag numbers and one should not have had an ear tag. Finally realized that he was counting the ewe lamb that was sold as one of the 12, while the ewe lamb that was not tagged was not being counted. All correct in the end and we agreed we needed to tag that ewe lamb. Then we had a missing ewe in the barn until I realized that I was working off the Application for Registration form and she was not on it because her single ram lamb was destined for auction instead of registration. The only ram lambs being registered were Snowflakes twin rams. I have pretty much decided to take them to the Western States show in Reno in May. Entries there are shown and auctioned. I am considering looking at the ewe lambs and maybe taking a couple of them too. Of course, I have to train them on halter, and shear if they don't shed out. Minor shearing since they don't carry wool lower than halfway down their sides. Will have to start working with them soon.