Making Hay and Other Things Before the Hurricane Hit

Until now the only time we saw those big round hay bales weighing around 500 pounds was as we were driving by.  Now, we have our own bales, cut and baled from our own grass on our land.  It was, at least for us, an exciting few days.

Farmer John came to help us by cutting and baling our grass in exchange for keeping the hay and providing us with all the hay we need for our animals until next haying season.  For us this was a great trade.  We don't need all that hay, 77 bales in all, but we did want all that grass cut and we did need hay for our livestock.

He started cutting the grass on Monday and by the time he began raking it on Wednesday morning we knew there was a hurricane making it's way up the coastline.  When he left us to go for lunch on that day we had no idea of what was to come for the remainder of the day.  He returned with several other farmers right behind, all coming to finish getting the hay raked and baled in one afternoon!

This was our first week living at the farm and so much has been happening.  The neighbors pitching in to help the newcomers tops the list, by far.  Then the first hurricane of the season strikes and we were lucky to escape it with just 20 mph wind and 4" of rain.  Our neighboring states to the south were not as fortunate.

Nick added sheathing to the goat shelter in time to keep them dry during the torrential rains.

And has also added an addition which is a shelter for Sophie.  At some point in time she will be sleeping out there with the goats and she will need her own space.

Last night was her first all-nighter.  We missed having her indoors with us, but she is a farm dog after all, and needs to be with the livestock.

The shelter is far from finished.  It has a good floor high and dry.  It also has a small area that has been sectioned off with a bit of cattle fence, and will be used to stack up hay during the coming winter months.  It will be easier than lugging the bales in from the little barn.

We are still debating on how to finish the exterior of the shelter.  I want one thing, Nick wants something else.  So until that is settled it will remain as is.

Last night we moved one of the solar powered spotlights to one of the fence posts and pointed the light to shine toward and slightly inside the shelter.  The goats are afraid of the dark and won't enter the shelter if it is dark inside.  They chose to sleep outside, huddled together against the wall, the previous night.  So we are hoping this little light will give them a bit of piece.  Even with the light, Nick had to convince them it was safe inside before they would enter for the night.

At least they were dry and safe during the storm.  Now to paint that sheathing so it doesn't fall apart from the weather.


The chickens have been hard at work clearing the land close to the house.  It was filled with weeds, brush and thorny vines.  They have been there for a little more than a week and have it nearly totally cleared, and fertilizing it at the same time.

The chickens scratch and eat up the greens and all the grasshoppers, while the ducks work their beaks into the hard ground for other bugs.

They are improving the soil all the time.  They don't have their chicken coop yet, but they do have a make-shift shelter at one corner.  Crazy chickens they stayed outside during the storm and had a feast with every bug that dared to come out of the wet earth.  Now if they would just get back on track with laying eggs.

Rocky, the rooster, has been happy.  The first thing we did upon arrival was to remove his "crow silencer" and since then he has been free to crow for as long and as loud as he pleases.  It's great!

The goats are happy too, they finally have plenty of forage and much bigger yard.   When we prepared to build their shelter the grass was waist high so we needed to cut it back in order to start construction.  But we only cleared the area around the shelter and to one side where we would be coming and going.  The remainder of their paddock was left tall.

They have been happily munching away at all that goodness since arriving at their new home.

Next week we will need to move them to another area for fresh forage and to clear for us.

That dead tree in the photo is on the to-do list to be removed as soon as possible.  For now, we continue to pick up bits and pieces as they fall to the ground.