Finding Ways to Feed in This Drought

Some of you may be tired of reading about the drought we're having this summer, and unless you've lived it, I know it's difficult for you to understand just how serious this situation is for farmers, ranchers, and grain producers.  Our cattle have had almost no green grass to eat since early spring, and we've only had one cutting of hay, whereas we usually cut at least three times.  With no grass for them to eat, means we've had to feed hay all summer, and the supply meant for winter keeps going down.  Sometimes I go to bed in the evening, and get up in the morning, almost in a panic, wondering how we will make it through the winter.  Not just the thought that there might not be enough for them to eat, but also all the extra work and stress it will mean for us, two older people.

But we're not in this alone; our neighbors are facing the same problems.  If you see the dark red spot in the middle of the country, indicating severe dry conditions, that's us.  So, we're trying to find a way to make the hay go farther to feed now and in the winter to come, and it ain't cheap!!

We bought a grinder-mixer to make a feed for the cattle.  Then we bought eleven bags of various ground grains to mix with the hay.

The hay is put into the grinder,

the grains added and mixed,

then it's augured out into troughs.

This was all done before noon while the cows were still in the shade.  By the middle of the afternoon they had found their new feed, and some were eating while others were going back to the shade; after all, it's been up to l04* today.   Next problem: drinking water shortages.

During all this summer I kept remembering the old bumper stickers which read,

"Don't cuss the farmer with you mouth full."  We'll all be seeing higher prices on food products, but rest assured the person working the fields and the farmer and rancher aren't the ones taking in the extra profits.

Charlotte

August ~~ Little Quilt

After a brief rain shower this morning, Teddy is doing a little day dreaming, wondering what it would be like to live in a wonky little house in a neighborhood surrounded by fields of lovely sunflowers.  "Maybe next spring," he says aloud, "I will plant sunflowers and pretend I live in a wonky house."

The little quilt for August: paper pieced, three inch house blocks; total size 17" x 17".

Charlotte

A Birthday Post About My Baby Girl

Fifty years ago today, at 2:28 a.m., I became a mother for the first time; my little baby girl, 7 lbs, 2 oz. was also the first grandchild, first great-grandchild, and first great-great grandchild on her daddy's side of the family.  She has brought much happiness to us in these fifty years.

To read her take on becoming fifty years old, visit her blog, http://musingreader.blogspot.com , post for June 12, 2012. 

Here are a few memorable pictures from her early years:

Mama's little helper

First birthday with that toy I wrote about, which babies loved and adults hated

Uh-oh! "I think I can do this by myself."

Four years old 

Happy Birthday, Greta Renee'

A Banquet

This morning I had a forced freezer defrosting episode, and you know how it is, once into the job you find there are some things too old to put back inside.  I poured these things into a bucket and this afternoon I took them to the woods for the wild animals.

Edgar Allen Crow was appointed to call out the invitations to a banquet, to be held around dusk this evening.  And, instead of the wolf and the lamb, the calf and the young lion, the cow and the bear, as told in the Bible, these guests will be raccoons, skunks, opossums, and maybe field mice and black snakes.  They'll dine in peace, for their hunger has grown in the drought, and they'll find the goodness of the old fruits and vegetables too savory to fight over.

Charlotte 

Edited 7-13-12:  It seems everyone thinks I threw out lots of food (lol) which wasn't the case at all;  there were a few boxes of things which had lost their color due to age and I knew they'd just keep being overlooked, so rather than put it in the compost bin, I fed the wild animals.  Every piece was gone the next morning, so I don't consider it wasted at all.

RAIN

I figured after all the whining I've been doing about the dry, hot weather, I should share the good news with you: last night we received six tenths of an inch of RAIN!  And we felt very blessed to get that much since some close communities got nothing.

In the past week I've started feeling a bit like Jonah (from the Bible, Jonah, chapter one) when he said, "Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you."  Now of course I didn't really think I was the cause of this drought; at least I hope not!

The hills are dotted with trees whose leaves are turning fall colors.

Many of the oaks have lost most of their leaves, making the ground look more like October than July.  The little pond almost dried up, leaving green, nasty water, so we had to move the heifers to another pasture.

So this morning I watch as clouds build up, hoping by this afternoon there will be more rain, if not for us then for our neighboring communities, because we're all in this together, and it's not easy to rejoice when others are suffering.

Charlotte

July ~ Little Quilt

HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY

We will be getting baby chickens on Thursday, so that means our fourth will be spent working, setting up the houses for them.  So, Teddy decided he would celebrate early with a picnic; no fireworks allowed in our area this year because the danger of fire is so high.  He was hoping his friends from the sewing room would join him to eat the goodies in his picnic basket, while sitting on this month's little quilt.

He really wanted to go swimming, but I told him the water in the creek is almost dried up and therefore it might not be healthy to be in it.

The picnic part wasn't too pleasant in the hot air; a game of pick-up sticks inside was much more fun.  Have you ever played pick-up sticks?  It takes a lot of concentration and a steady hand.

We turned the quilt over to show the pretty lining.

We're hoping you have a happy day, swimming, eating, visiting with friends, but please be careful with the fireworks!

Charlotte

Kitty Love

I've found three litters of farm kitties, all put in places picked by their mothers:

behind the hydranga bush,

beneath the bulldozer,

and in the barn.

Two are white with gray noses, ears, and tails,  others are gray tabbies, or gray with white noses, and some are black or blue-gray.  This little white kitten has long, soft hair; she (?) is small and frail.  I put feed and fresh water out for them; the hot weather makes it very stressful for them I'm sure.  So far, The Dog ignores them, as long as he gets his own dish of food.  Stray dogs are the ones I have to watch out for.

I love little kittens; they make a farm happy!

Charlotte