We rely on the Eye On the Sky boys. In fact we are weather junkies. Cross any farmer with a former ski racer & coach (choose the right wax!) and you are likely to wind up with this breed. But as we managed for last weekend’s storm we were focused on drainage for the rain and melt out and were completely flat-footed and eventually amazed by the snowfall! Skiers of course prefer to be leaning forward. Anyway, Monday was given over to defending the hoop houses from the weight of the blowing snow. Add on making loafing areas accessible to the other animals and the household level responsibilities like clearing for the mail and it tallied up to 16 person hours plus 7 tractor hours! Much of it was enjoyable but the 3 plus hours clearing each panel of the new hoop house roof while the old one shed its snow consistently made us bitter that the USDA grant disallowed the double plastic layer and the fan to inflate it into a bubble. Subsequent to our construction they’ve changed their policy. We will be installing another layer of plastic and the inflation fans prior to facing another winter! Hopefully all you are fairing well. As one drives by small hotels shoveling rooftops and cranes lifting tarps of snow off big-box stores one questions how businesses small or big can profit in the month of March?!
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| Jenga delivered Set & Isis in the storm |
Somehow, none of it bothered the goats as they kept delivering healthy kids throughout. In fact all does have now delivered and we have 15 kids bouncing around the hoophouse. Now, the countdown to piglets begins.