Ridgetop - our place and how we muddle along

[SageHill]

understand the idea of frugality but why not go back on Tuesday? Because they don't want the children to miss school.

Oh Geeze. Sorry about the dashed plans it’s almost like a why bother thing. Sigh
When my DS was in school I’d take him out whenever I wanted. People would say “but he’s going to miss so much school” and my answer every single time was “He’s MY kid, and I’ll take him out whenever I darn well please”. Come to find out later the schools don’t want to let you take them out because they get paid per student per day from the state.

 

[Ridgetop]

Soon as we get back to Texas this time DH and I will have about 5 days to build a ram pen with a shelter using the 12' and 24' horse corral panels. We will need some hog panels or wire for the bottoms of the corral panels to keep the rams in. We will use a square configuration with 3 panels to make the shelter with a corral cover frame on top. We won't be strong enough to lift up a cover with galvanized metal on it but we have several empty frames that we can put in place and clamp on. Then use lath, heat barrier, and either fiberglass or galvanized panels screwed to the frame to make the shelter roof. They will only be 5' high, but since the panels are just clamped together, we can move them around if necessary. In the winter we can lace canvas tarps to the corral panels for sides against the wind and rain. If we have time, we will make another pen and shelter for a breeding pen for the yearlings and the new ram since it will be time to breed for October lambs. Any ewes that look open can go in with him as well.

We have this trip, and one more before I will be staying permanently with the sheep and dogs while DH and DS1 go back for the rest of the corral panels and jugs. We want to have all the necessary pens ready to unload into when Bob gets the sheep back there. The horses can go out in the main pasture temporarily. Then we can use one or two strands of hot wire to give them a pasture. They will need a shelter too eventually. Maybe we will build shelters off the barn or DH said he may get 2 Connexes and roof over them.

I just filled out the form for the flock evaluation this year. It is very educational, and I learn a lot from the evaluator. I want to see if I am still on the right course with my breeding program. Any sheep under a 4 will be culled. I don't want to keep anything that is commercial grade since I am limited in grazing space. Any sheep I sell will help pay for the rotational grazing fencing. I will be taking most of the lambs to market in July which will help there too.

I talked to Freddy Rossouw this evening and told him that I pull the lambs straight from their moms and off to the sale yard. He agreed that was the best way to do it because the younger lambs bring more per lb. and you save your grazing. With luck I hope to have about 20-30 lambs to sell in June or July. Freddy said I could look up lamb prices by going inline to the Hamilton lamb site.

I am tempted to take the judges course again, but it is in Kansas and would cost about $600 in lodging and meals in addition to the $250 course fee. With the expense of moving and setting up the sheep business and house in TX, I don't want to spend the money. There is always next year.

The whole moving thing is a LOT of work, but the end in sight now. I really think it will be worth the effort once we are there. With the steepness of this place, while it is fine for sheep and goats, it is increasingly hard for us to get out and do anything. The soil here is too alkaline for growing much, and the latest influx of ground squirrels make it impossible to grow anything. DH has me saving egg cartons where he plans to start seeds for his garden. He has said that he plans to plant large one. He was looking at walk behind tillers but I said he should buy one for Baby 'Bota instead. We also have to plant fruit trees again since ours all died. We will have a better market for the sheep with less cost. The expense of having the sheep and horses transported for us is deductible and the lessening of stress feels so good.

 

[Baymule]

Your DH will be in garden heaven! For this year, plant things that do well in heat, since it will be a late planting. Watermelon, okra, cantaloupe, corn, and be ready for a fall garden.

I’ll make arrangements for my animals to be fed and bring your packages to you.

I’ve got to get a night pen up ASAP for soon to lamb ewes!

 

[Weldman]

Y'all make me feel better I'm not the only one doing last minute got to get a pen up or cage for an animal. It's a oh look I need that animal let me grab it before someone else does and get a pen up later.

 

[Ridgetop]

Oops! That lease to hogs in the chicken coop or sheep in the stock trailer for a week! Once you start building pens, just keep going. Don't bother building just one for whatever animal you bought. Build several at a time and you will find that even without bug additional animals you will move animals around and use all the extra pens. Oddly enough, we currently have several empty pens but soon enough we will sort out, rearrange animals, and be wondering where to put some.

 

[Ridgetop]

DH has pulled a muscle in his back. After he moaned, limped like Methusaleh but tried to go feed, I sent him back to bed with coffee, a pain pill and muscle relaxer, and turned on the Hur questioning about Boden and the classified docs in his garage. When the pills took effect he tried to get up and drive DSIL1 to pick up his car, but I vetoed that. DS1 has taken over everything for DH. We will take DH to get a massage later this afternoon. I finished loading the 5th wheel trailer. Hope it is not overweight but probably is. Luckily, we don't have to use the truck scales with RVs.

DS1 used DS2's truck to take DSIL1 to get their car. Naturally the "only one day, Mom" turned into several and DD1 is still using our car. This morning she took our car to work instead of taking DSIL1's car. Then he could have picked up their car and returned our car at the same time. He and DD1 have a PhD and MA between them Seems like the more degrees some people have the less common sense they have. Oh yes, and DD2 still has DS1's car. I think she has borrowed it and used at least 6 months now.

Back to DS1 and DS2's truck. The tuck needed to be jumped a couple times, so DH took it to the shop. They said the batteries were badm so DH replaced them. This morning, the truck started fine, DS1 drove it in from the field, stopped and got out to wait for DSIL1 to arrive. The truck sits very high and has automatic running boards. When DS1 went to get back in the truck the running boards did not extend. The truck was completely dead, nothing worked. DS1 checked the battery cables which made a strange sizzling noise. Then the truck started, the running boards still did not extend so he used the mounting block to get in. DS1's truck has to go into the shop now. Hopefully it is just a burned-out fuse. These new fancy trucks that are all automatic are a real pain. Luckily, we were not going to use it to go to Texas with the trailer. However, our daughters have both our cars. DD2 said that her husband has put her car in the shop so she hopes to only have DS1's car for another week or so. When it comes back it needs an oil change. Last time she borrowed it we had just done repairs and an oil change. Our car is supposed to come back today.

I can't wait to move to Texas. When we were young, we had no babysitters, no extra cars hanging around to borrow, and while DH's parents were wonderful, we sure didn't expect what our kids expect from us. The funny thing is that we did not spoil our kids growing up. They did not shop at the mall, they had to buy their own school supplies, they had to work for their allowances, and they all had after school jobs in addition to sports and their farm chores! DH and I are running away from home. DH said he always thought it would have been romantic to elope. He is finally getting his dream - we are eloping to Texas.

 

[Mini Horses]

look I need that animal let me grab it before someone else does and get a pen up later.

We all do this!! I have some pens, stalls, etc. that can work "temp/at once" usually. . Sometimes you grab it or lose out

 

[SageHill]

seems like the more degrees some people have the less common sense they have.

SO TRUE !!!!

 

[Ridgetop]

OK, I admit it. I am a serial worrier!

Having disposed of the worry about shipping the sheep, now my concern is - How to get our car back to Texas without having to drive it alone? I have gone over several scenarios, all of which end with one of us having to drive back alone.
So dumb.

 

[Margali]

What is your final convoy looking like? Both trucks pulling trailers? If so, you could pay to have it shipped?

Alternatively, you can have someone drive out with it and pay their plane ticket back to California. That is what I did when I drove from St. Louis, MO to Los Angeles and back for a co-op. My dad drove with me, visited vendor in LA, then flew back. His expense request REALLY confused accounting. LOL!