Random thoughts from the moose cave.

@Rockhead,

I keep waiting in vain for some news on your missing goats.
Poor little things! Sad

@msolga,

yeah...

I don't think they are coming back.

Ima call county animal control tomorrow, but I'm guessing they were coyote food.

and now I have a fox problem I didn't know about.

scary sheep guy said he's losing birds to a fox, and I know where the burrow is...

I had looked at it previously but was unable figure out what it was until he said fox. and that explains the scat I have been seeing.

it's on the back of my property.

now I gotta figure out what to do about it...

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@Rockhead,

Quote:

yeah...

I don't think they are coming back.

Ima call county animal control tomorrow, but I'm guessing they were coyote food.

Excuse me for a bit .... I think I might just go & have have a quite weep somewhere .... poor little things.

1 Reply

@msolga,

sorry msO...

I live out in the country. predators are part of the game.

I hope they are safe and happy, but when they weren't with the sheep, all bets are off...

gotta crash, it's starting to get light out.

1 Reply

@Rockhead,

Night night, possum.

Night night, little goats, wherever you be.

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@Rockhead,

That makes me sad too. But I know it happens. I just hate that it does.

Sad

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@Rockhead,

cougars & foxes?

get some nice loud guinea hens - they're early warning systems for predators

http://www.thorpefarm.org/animals/guinea-fowl/

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

no guineas, thankyou. or peacocks...

I value my sleep too much.

when I get the pen finished, it will take a flying fox, or one with a shovel to get inside.

hawks will be my biggest concern then.

gotta decide what to do today. I was going to go over to the salvage and take the A/C hose off'n my old truck.

nope.

its already 104. called old bob and said I would try to make it early tomorrow. before ten.

then maybe we can make the air work as well...

got the sprinkler going.

Ima cogitate on it for a bit. inside in the coolness...

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new day plan...

wait for heat to lessen. (the garden is already mostly in shade, and there is a little breeze) keep moving sprinkler to starving plants.

then I think Ima tackle the hen house. patching it with thin plywood so as to make it snake free.

and then Ima let the dirty little buggers outta their cages.

I'm not sure who will be more relieved, me or them...

they are a lotta work in a small enclosure. hopefully they will not be so stanky in a big wide open henhouse. it's 10 by 20. with straw over the concrete floor. and perches to fly to to avoid snakes should they gain entry.

and I think I can turn off the heat lamp now, Eva...

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the pond garden is now completely shaded. the henhouse will be soon. for Kansas prairie land, we have a large number of mature trees.

and all the really thirsty plants have been watered. gonna move it to the sunflowers soon. I cannot believe how tall my two big guys are. and the thickness of the stalks is crazy.

a pair of orioles are flitting about with innumerable dragonflies. and the bird sounds are amazing...

I love my garden this year. and it's only gonna get more lush and dense as my gourds take off.

eating cherry tomatoes again. I have more than I can eat right now. and two great big ones almost ripe...

1 Reply

FARMERMAN QUESTION...

light in the hen house at night, good or bad...?

I'm off to cut and screw plywood.

and release my flock into the henhouse...

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all 24 chix have been liberated. now I gotta clean their food and water stuff up.

chickenshit little buggers...

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@Rockhead,

mmmm tomatoes

have you got a way to dry some to use in the winter?

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@ehBeth,

ha!

http://www.pickyourown.org/tomatoes_sun_dried.htm

Quote:

Automobile and a hot sunny day: It sounds strange, but the same stifling hot car that burns your legs makes an excellent food dryer. Spread the tomato slices out on shallow trays (they work better than cookie sheets, since you don't need to worry about leaking juice!). Cover them loosely with cheesecloth to keep any potential for bugs to come in contact. Put the trays on the dashboard of your car and roll all the windows up and park in the sunniest spot you've got. It's best to start in the morning and let it go to sunset. It may take 2 days - bring the tomatoes in the house overnight. Some people prefer to sprinkle the tomatoes with sea salt, kosher salt and/or some spices (typically basil). but you'll need to check periodically. See "how to tell when they are done" in step 7, below.

1 Reply

@ehBeth,

http://honest-food.net/2009/07/30/drying-tomatoes-without-an-oven/

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@ehBeth,

mostly I'm getting cherry tomatoes, and they don't make it inside. I eat them while I am gardening.

I traded my first big red one to my friend D for an onion so I could make supper without going to town.

havin' salmon...

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and my chickens are much much happier with a large house to call home. flying and running, and doing that chicken walk thing...

still got 24.

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ok.

got dinner on the grill and hot plate.

got my watering all caught up for now. I will give a bedtime drink by hand before I crash.

now Ima go start running a compression test and installing new sparky plugs in my truck.

it stops nicely now, and it isn't making that horrible power steering death keening either.

and it is all clean and satin black.

progress.

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I been trying to break in a new pair of work shoes, but not tonight.

my left heel is killing me.

back to my chucks. I'm not welding or wading through muck, I'll be ok...

it's just now really nice outside. I'm not sure how much I'm doing tonight. I gotta be over to the salvage around 9.

AM...

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hmmmm.

it's not the left bank, although the numbers drop off as you go back. from real good to barely acceptable.

gonna eat and go do the other side...

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Random thoughts from the moose cave.

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