After two days of above freezing temps the snow is now pretty much all gone. Along with all the ice that isn't hidden in a shady spot and you know what that means?
Mud.
There is literally liquefied mud everywhere. The barn lot is just a mess and it's slick as hell too since only about the top 3 inches or so is truly thawed right now.
One of the joys of living on the edge of the Southern Plains and Northern Ozarks is we don't have a traditional Spring thaw. No we generally get to experience the joy of slick, nasty, cold mud everywhere ten or more times a year!!!! Lucky us right?
Some of the chickens didn't care though they were just ready to get out of the barn so they braved the mud and puddles.
I had to pull the 8N out to get some more hay bales from the stock trailer and I made some good squishy ruts let me tell you. I use the 8N when it is really muddy because it generally leaves less ruts than the larger 100 or 01 series Fords. Not that ruts in the barn lot bother me that much anyway the sheep do a good job of leveling out the ground when I leave them in at night. Once the mud hits the right consistency those little sheep hooves will beat it down and smooth it out quite nicely.
Right now though the sheep don't like the mud anymore than I do. They prefer to stay on the areas where I have placed round bales for them. As you can see a round bale hay rack does little good at keeping the sheep out. I need to get one with the wire mesh along the bottom but then they just jump over it.
These two ewes were over laying in the left over hay from the last bale. I move the bale placement each time I put out a new bale so I won't get too much hay in any given spot. As soon as it dries I will burn the old hay off and move the temporary fence in because right now the hay bales are actually in the garden area.
Another month and it should be time for the late Winter tilling. Looks like the 861 diesel will be finished just in time too.
Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!
It will be nice to see mud especially if it means the road is clear of ice and snow so I can get out of her with out walking 1/4 mile to the main road. Chickens don't seem to mind mud as much as snow, they simply hate snow.
ReplyDeleteLove the sheep in the hay ring!
ReplyDeleteWe were a few days behind you in terms of the winter storm, but we're in a thaw now and have mud and small lakes everywhere. Very annoying.
Boo hoo.... Quite yer complaining. :-) I'll trade for your mud. Right now ours is all froze up again since we're back in low digits but give it some time and it will be a bog soon. It is always entertaining to go up the road and have the back half of the van going one way and the front half going straight. Yea, for front wheel drive. But it does keep the kids alert. hahaha
ReplyDeleteThe lounging sheep look quite content in their nest of hay. The white one looks like it is smiling.
Hang in there, it will be dry soon enough.
No mud here, just snow. Not excited about walking up my very long, unplowed, hilly driveway in the dark tonight when I get home from teaching a night class. But at least the main roads are clear, and my kids go back to school tomorrow.
ReplyDeleteWhy do you burn the hay? Why not just till it in?
ReplyDelete