Day 2 of 31 Days of a Farm Family's Life
Welcome back to Day 2! Today was a nice fall day here. The leaves are beginning to turn, and GrandBoy has been collecting the pretty ones. Along with acorns and cicada shells! We try to enjoy each season as it comes.
I got up today at 6:30, and didn't get to wash any dishes. But I was pleasantly surprised to realize that our oldest daughter washed them while I was at work. That was a really nice surprise.
Today is October 1st. I left my morning client early. I do this on the first and last day of the month, because we are landlords, and we need to get our rent money in the bank as soon as we can. So today I left work at 12:30. Just as I was leaving, a few of our tenants started texting me that they had the rent money, whenever I wanted to come by. So I met a few of our tenants to get their money and give them receipts. I went to our post office, but nothing was in our box except a catalog. Then I went to the bank to make a rent deposit.
I went to my afternoon client, and got there early. That means I will get home early, which is always good! I arrived back home before 5:00. When I arrived home, Pappy decided to take a nap, and asked me to wake him up in an hour. A few minutes later, GrandBoy came running inside looking for Pappy. I told him not to bother Pappy, because he was resting. GrandBoy said it was important because the goats were out. I said I could take care of that, but GrandBoy looked at me skeptically. GrandBoy showed me where the goats were. About 6 goats were outside the fence, looking at the ones still inside. I opened the gate, but the goats wouldn't go past me to get in the pasture. So I went and got a bucket of feed. They watched as I went into the pasture and pored the feed out for the goats. The six goats outside almost knocked me down trying to get into the pasture and to the feed. One problem solved.
I had just gotten back in the house and was thinking about dinner, when the phone rang. The person on the phone lives beside a pasture we rent. He said to tell Pappy that the goats were out. What is going on? More goats out? I told the caller that I would send Pappy right over. But I figured it could wait 10 minutes till he was up. I woke him up shortly, and he told me this would be the third time today that he had put up goats. You'd think it was Spring outside. Pappy left to go put the goats up one last time (we hope). GrandBoy begged to go with him. And I made coffee.
While Pappy and GrandBoy were gone, I fixed dinner. We had bean and cheese burritos with sour cream and salsa, milk, and tea. We make, grow, and harvest pretty much all our own food.
After dinner, Pappy told me about his day. After getting up, Pappy wormed the dogs. He fed the dogs and turkeys. He put up the goats here on the farm for the first time of the day. He unloaded his truck from yesterday, and then loaded it for the work he needed to do today.
Next Pappy went to the Farmers' Co-op. He bought field fence, t-posts, and rabbit food. Then he left to go to our middle daughter's home to fix the water leak he found yesterday. On the way, he stopped to get diesel. When he got to our daughter's home, the $200 roll of fence wasn't on the truck. Pappy drove the way from the Co-op to daughter's home twice, but didn't find the fence. He went back to the co-op and bought another roll of fence. He "complained" the whole way back to daughter's home.
While Pappy was gone for fence, our middle daughter dug out the water meter, and got ready to help her Daddy fix the water leak. When he got back, Pappy crawled under the trailer and they fixed the leak together. Then they worked on the sale building. They finished the floors and hung a window. They also hung shelving in the building.
By this time, it is time to pick up GrandBoy. When Pappy and GrandBoy returned to the farm, Pappy checked his stocks for the day, while GrandBoy had lunch. Pappy ate left over pinto beans. The goats decided it was time to get out again.
About this time I arrived home. I could hear Pappy was on the phone when I came in the door. I met GrandBoy in the kitchen. He told me he was going to start cutting Pappy's hay. Bad sign. When he got off the phone, Pappy told me the hay cutter said he broke a $600 part while cutting our hay in the spring, and he only made $500on our job. So he was unable to cut our hay for the Fall cut. We just stood there in disbelief. It is hard to find a hay cutter in this part of the county. Couldn't he have told us this weeks ago? We will have to find a new hay cutter. Pappy got some names from other people we know. I'll check Craigslist. Pappy had already ordered 100 rolls of extra from this hay cutter because we knew we would need extra. We decided we would get our hay from someone else.
Our oldest daughter made more jelly this morning. I forgot how many jars she has now. She is getting married next year, and plans to give away jelly as favors. So she has been busy with this project. Tonight we talked about other plans that need to be taken care of so she can have a farm wedding here.
our oldest daughter also took GrandBoy to school today. That is a really big help to us when she does this.
Our middle daughter worked with her Dad again. He appreciates her help during this busy season.
I noticed today that it won't be long till the cactus pears are ready to be harvested. They are starting to turn a reddish purple. We pick the cactus balls, and juice them. The juice is healthy to drink, and makes beautiful jelly.
Maybe I'll get started tonight on stringing the hot pepper to dry. We have ghost pepper from our farm. My Mom gave them to us. We have bull horn cayenne and jalapeno from a neighbor.
I guess that is about it for today. It was a beautiful day here, and I hate to see winter come. Stop back by tomorrow to see us. We'll be here! Honey
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