Sunday Reading - A Warm February

 

So far the initial promise of a warm February hasn't disappointed at all. I continued to get last years garden debris removed and spent the afternoon splitting what I hope will be enough wood to get us through now until at least March. I plan on splitting everyday until my supply is gone with this weather. I opened the large hey field up and let the sheep out and they are now ignoring the hay altogether but I need to take another bale or two out for them because they will continue to eat on it when the weather is bad. I counted 12 of the old bales left which I need to get fed or composted this Spring and Summer because it is just getting too old to be fed after this year. Probably why they went through so much of it this Winter as it is losing it's food value I would imagine. I still have 12 bales of last years hay in the shed down in the old pasture I need to feed next year and some four or five year old bales that I plan on spreading out with the manure spreader this Spring if I get the time. After that I will have to negotiate a new deal when I have the fields cut so I have enough to feed and keep my garden supplied going forward.

Unless I get my old baler and rake etc. back out which is making me chuckle to myself just writing it. 

If this weather continues we will begin to see new growth in the pastures and the Maple trees will start leafing out along with the assorted domestic and wild fruit trees scattered around.  Not uncommon to see this happen in February at all around here. Usually kills all the apples and peaches though when we get another cold spell in March. 

As crazy as the weather has been this Winter so far I am expecting a colder and rainier March but Cold in March is usually an entirely different animal than January even though the snow is often more a pain that is for sure. I am  much more patient and pleasant person in March than January.

I need to get that tree out of the gate going to the Goat paddock so I can take my Oaf-dog out with me as he is not at all pleased with my working outside without him. I have taken him out with me and the goats often but the youngest goat Nugget usually ends up baiting him into chasing her and I end up spending more time refereeing their play than anything else so I try and keep things in their separated areas if possible. With all the new traffic out here I also cannot let the oaf run or he will be chasing trucks again sure as anything. 

Also heaven-forbid if I forget something and need to leave whichever field he is in because he will immediately begin dismantling the fence to try and follow.

As a GreatDane Lab cross I figure he would start slowing down a bit by now but he still has the energy and destructive power of a pup  and he is not used to all these new vehicles coming up and down even the side roads like they are again even in Winter. Used to be only big trucks and combines set him off but he really doesn't like these Sidebysides either although that traffic has fallen off a lot since Summer and Fall. I did see a few out and about today though.

I have also started locking up my tractors and trailers for the first time well...ever. At least the ones I leave in front of the barn. There are just too many foreigners around for my taste but I always forget where I put the keys or which work coat I left em in.  It's getting really annoying. I am going to have to figure out a better system this Spring I think.

I am just so happy to have Spring-Like weather nothing can bring me down at this point until they start working next door again on whatever abomination they have cooked up over there. They are going to be aggravated for the next few months though I can assure you of that. Once the rains start they won't stop until June for the most part and I hope the mud eats all that gravel they brought in.

 

Keep Prepping Everyone!!!!