New Fence

We have needed to replace the fence on the west side of our plot ever since we purchased it.  All the players have been on notice since January.  However when working with fence builders who make their living planting crops, we've had to wait for the planting process to be completed before they can start.  Looked like it was going to happen when the rains started.  So we wait for the sun and dryer weather.

The dozer will remove the brush so the fence line is exposed again and the fence can be erected in the correct spot.  The survey crew has already marked everything.

Some areas are very brushy.  The brush hides an eyesore on the other side (Boozer's trailer and junk yard).  I have asked the dozer guy to leave as many weeds and brush as he can so we do not have to look at the mess.  We'll see how it shakes out...

Stuff IS Growing

With all the rain we've had, everything is growing including the swarms of mosquitoes!  The only way to be happy is to have a stout wind blowing.
But to happier pursuits...

 The cherry tomatoes are setting fruit and we have a nice little crop coming along.

 The tomatoes are also blooming and setting fruit.  I am looking forward to a fresh tomato sandwich!

Our baby trees are developing rapidly in anticipation of their future mission of reforesting our plot.  I am going to have to transplant them soon to bigger pots!

 Peg is harvesting our wild blackberries.  As long as the mosquitoes stay away and the snakes tend to their business elsewhere, there is a reasonable expectation of a bumper harvest.

Other garden vegetables are progressing though not as well as hoped.  It looks like we need to build up the soil some more in our garden boxes.  I'm not sure if we need more mulch or what.  We'll figure out what needs to be done...

Finally, our biggest planting disappointment...  After replanting the corn two times, we have given up for this season because we've run out of time.  The weeds seem to be the big winners.

There are a few, and I mean a few corn plants that have come up but we've lost the battle.

A Shower

We are always happy to get a rain shower.  This afternoon we got a bit more.  Looks like at least three inches.  The pasture is flooded...

And it is still coming down!

Also for your information, the Thunder Shirt is not working and Winter is a mess!  I am ready to scream she is so annoying.  If I could find something to make her feel better, I would use it or do it.  Nothing works!

We ended up getting close to 8 inches of rain in that 24 hour period.  More on the way!

Tree Update 2016

I have received a bit of criticism regarding my extensive coverage of the calves this spring.  So in an effort to "please" my few readers, I will be more expansive in my farm coverage.

In February of 2015 we purchased three red oaks and one live oak and had them planted.  Below you can see they have leafed out...

 red oak

 red oak

 Levy Family red oak gift

live oak

All the trees are thriving and will provide much appreciated shade in the future.

Before we left our home in the Dallas area, we were given a gift of a red oak tree clump by our beautiful red oak tree in our front yard.  This clump of trees has traveled with us to the farm.  We planted it last spring and today it is doing very well.  

During January we planted all of the small live, red, and burr oak trees we had planted from acorns before we left Dallas.  Amazingly these trees are doing extremely well!  A few are represented below:

This group is very small in tree size, but everyone of these trees has leafed out and seems happy to be in the landscape.

Peg's birthday pecan trees gift from the Arietis are doing well...

A quick check of the recently planted bare root plum trees revealed that every tree was beginning to leaf out!

Unfortunately, the little buds and leaves are hard to see but they are there.

Finally, looking to the future I am happy to announce that the acorns planted last fall are beginning to sprout!  More babies!!!  I am hoping that these trees will be the replacements for some of those lost and we are still loosing from the drought of three years ago.  These trees will go out into the pasture when they are ready.  

infant burr oak

I think our father would be tickled to see us carrying on his legacy of planting trees.  For me it is what I am suppose to do as a citizen of planet earth.

More Baby Pictures

It was a lovely evening so I headed out into the pasture to visit the calves.  They had just had dinner and were feeling content.

Lucky was one of the first to come over to me as I sat in the go-buggy.  I have seen her running around a lot lately which tells me she's doing well.

What a sweet little face!  Although she lead everyone over to me, she did not get as close as the others.
Here is Biscuit.  He chewed on the seats and floor.  I was able to reach down and pet her nose. Surprise is behind her.  Surprise was chewing on the bumper!

Foggie is always curious and comes by whenever I stop.  I am amazed by his growth!  I went back and looked at his pictures from a couple months ago and he's become a big guy.

Think this is the baby crop for the spring.  The bull was a short distance away courting one of the ladies.  So I have more babies to look forward to in the future!

Catch Up

Need to go back and do some catching up from the last couple months.  So...

Peg has wanted to start a pecan tree grove.  So for her birthday Jonnie, Jim, and I provided funds for the first two trees in her grove.  These pictures were taken in February and since then they have leafed out.

Peg has also searched and searched for wild plum trees.  Finally she ordered six little baby bare root trees that we have planted on the north side of house.  No leaves yet but we have our fingers crossed.

And then there is The Castle...  I received it as a Christmas present back in 2014.  Peg bought it for me as the sales person said it would only take half a day to put together.  We worked on it for close to 20 hours.  Finally we quit because we were arguing whenever we sat down to work on it.  I should have known we were in trouble when the bag of screws, nuts, washers, etc. filled up a large cereal bowl. Before Thanksgiving we called a friend who came and got it to put, what we referred to as "the nightmare" together.  He called a week or so ago and said he thought it was "as good as it was going to get" and set it up.  There were several challenges associated with the set up.  He repeated several times under his breath, "and the nightmare continues!"  We missed the March return of the Purple Martins this year because of the late date of set up.  There have been a couple mama and daddy martins by to check it out, but no renters. Maybe next year...