Hey..Wait a Darn Tootin Minute!

Just wait a minute.  Where are you taking my Deere?  She belongs here. This is her home.  She was just a little deere when we bought her.  Oh tearful day. 

Be careful with her. She is afraid of heights.

 Please mister, make sure all of her tires are secure and she doesn't fall off....

                                                Take care deere girl.  We love you.

 Sniff...sniff...sniff......

 Deere girl has had a strange rumbling in her rear end.  She is going to Hammond Tractor in Fairfield, Maine to get a check up and a fixin.  I can't say it doesn't make me sad to see her go.  I have grown attached and she has proven just how hard it would be without her.  No fences, no snow removal, no mowing, no wood splitting, no...no..no...I want my Deere Girl back. Can you say "thank heavens for a warranty"? Whew.......... tractor health insurance.
Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Prodigal Daughter Returns to the Fold

Before we moved to the farm our barn had 6 pigs being kept in the stalls. It stunk to say the least. The pigs were fed slop. The stalls were horrible and filled with liquefied excrement up to the poor animals belly's. There were a horde of rats inside and out. The flies existed in swarms. We mainly stayed out of the barn. When the pigs were fed the rats would come to eat too. It was horrible. They weren't even afraid of humans. Little did they know but they scared me to death. I kept having this terrible image of falling down and being consumed by rats. Ewww...... Don't get me wrong, I like pet rats, hamsters, gerbils etc. These were far from the sweet fuzzy pets. The pigs were removed but the rats remained. When Alex and I combined homes we also combined pets. I had 6 cats and Alex had 3 for a whopping total of 9 cats. Neither of us had any rodent problems. We were actually afraid for the cats. I had no idea if they would be safe in the barn. Prior to moving we took a trip to Home Depot to check out ways to get rid of the rats. Everything we read would be hazardous to pets if they ate the rats. We were told to take a 5 gallon bucket, fill with water and pour potato flakes on top. The rats would go for the flakes and drown. I just couldn't stand that thought. I didn't like the rats, but I didn't think I could do that. I know. I just couldn't do it. We even thought of getting a 22. and shooting the rats. Ultimately we let the cats take care of the problem. Take care of it they did and very well. At first they ate the rats. Then I guess they got full and left the bodies all over the yard. I would go on rat body patrol each morning and pick up rodents with a stick and bucket. Currently we are rat free. We have 7 cats and they do a great job of keeping the rats away. I guess now that we are rat free there is no challenge. For the past 2 summers we have had Mo (Kizzymoto) leave and go on a 2 month hunting expedition. She just leaves one day and is gone. Last summer she went on 2 such trips. I had given her up both times. We have predators that prey on cats. The Fisher cat is the worst. It belongs to the weasel family and will kill and eat cats. She was in my prayers for a safe return. Then, just out of the blue Mo comes home. She is very verbal, meowing constantly. She stays very close to home after that. Yesterday, I opened the door and there she was. I grabbed her up and started yelling to everyone that "Mo is home!" She was yelling too. We were all excited. The prodigal daughter had returned! She gets her bowl of wet cat food to enjoy all by herself.

Walks on everything. Letting her family know she is HOME. Mine, Mine, Mine.

She meows constantly. I think she is saying, I love you, I missed you. I was out there ridding the woods of rodents, birds and anything I think is fair game. She is our huntress. She may be small but she has tiger instincts.

Oreo was happy to see her but didn't want to show too much excitement.

We are so happy to have Mo home. I hope she will be home with us all winter. I don't like her trips. Cats have such an independent nature. We are here to serve them. We missed you Mo! Celebration Day! Much love and prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly

Guinea's New Digs

Happy 09/09/09. I don't know why I find that a cool thing but I do. That out of the way, it seems like I have been away from blogland for ages. We are on our second vacation. I know that sounds strange but in nursing it is very difficult to get 2 weeks together. It has to do with seniority, school vacation days, etc.... I like it either way. We have been so busy working on the farm. The only trips we take are to Home Depot, Walmart and Tractor Supply. We have gone into high gear getting ready for winter. With the cooler days there is a constant reminder of winter soon to come. The guineas are growing and we have only lost one. That was when they first arrived. Maybe we are getting the hang of this. I certainly hope so. The guineas have outgrown their brooder. They still have room to roam but no flying space. They can't develop their wings in the brooder.

We have the room that the white Cornish X roosters were in before they went to the freezer. It will make a great guinea home until they are big enough to move in with the hens in the regular coop. At that time we will bring in the 2 hen and 1 tom turkeys from their summer home outside and they will have this new space separate from the chickens. The other turkeys will go into the freezer. (I am having sad thoughts about that. I have fallen in love with the turkeys. At least we get to keep 3.) After several comments on the blog from the wise ones, and reading more info we think we have made the wise decision to keep the turkeys and chickens separate. There seems to be research from both sides. Some say absolutely no they have to be kept separate, others seem to have raised the two together successfully for years. We don't want to take the chance in loosing turkeys to black head disease. We hauled several wheelbarrows of old dirty shavings out into the chicken yard. The hens had a blast scratching the piles flat. We wanted to start fresh for the ladies and gents (guineas). After all the shavings were out we spread lime over the area to kill anything left behind on the concrete. The temporary inside wall is ok for summer just not good for keeping winter cold out. Now this will be a permanent area in the barn.

We ripped out the old wall.

Put up a new wall which will add a dead air space for insulation and cut a door. The guineas will stay in until they are much bigger. The door is there so when the turkeys come in for winter they will be able to go out into their own yard.

My daughter Sue came up from New Hampshire to spend the weekend and she got into the fun by spreading the new shavings. Also know as free labor. She loves coming to the farm and hanging out with the animals. With us too, but she loves the animals.

Then it was time to start moving the guineas.

Ted was handing them to me 1 by 1 so we didn't loose any. They really love to fly.

Their first time out and about. They are still afraid of us and run like we are predators but they have so much fun being out in the big space.

One of the pearls flew to the top of the net that separates them from the hens.

They walk together in a flock and do everything as a unit. It didn't take long for them to discover their water. I grew up with the regular grey and black spotted guineas. The assorted kinds are so beautiful. My mother loves guineas and the noise they make.

They finally settle down and take a nap.

The guineas are happy in their new home. We added a heat lamp for the cooler nights. It says off during the day. In the evening we turn on the overhead light and give them white millet seed as a bedtime snack. We are attempting to train the guineas to return to the coop at night. The seed is suppose to be one of their favorite treats. Research is ongoing. We pull blades of grass and grass with seeds to put in their coop. Hopefully by next spring they will be out in the green fields eating grass seed and bugs to their hearts content. We have more projects to post on the next blog event. However, the computer is having issues. You know that aunt who is loony as a bed bug but no one wants to be rude and just call her crazy. She has issues. Well, the computer is in the shop getting an attitude adjustment. I'm on Alex's laptop right now. I kinda like it. Hmmm...... We hope everyone is well and happy. Much love and prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Baby Pictures

As our farm grows so does our family. We have been looking at Labrador Retrievers for a couple of years. They are an excellent breed, smart, funny, playful and become great members of your family. We are very careful to only purchase from reputable breeders. I refuse to buy any puppy from a store. Puppy mills make the lives of these animals pure hell. Riversmoke Labs is a clean, well maintained kennel which produces healthy, happy and sound puppies. Their reputation is exceptional. We will be welcoming Emma and Lucy when they reach 8 weeks of age. I really don't know which will be Emma or Lucy but here is their first pictures. Aren't they cute? Can't you just smell that puppy breath?

We were referred to Riversmoke Labrador Retrievers by a secretary from our hospital. April has a female that she bought from Deb Madore and she is very happy with her girl. She was a rescue dog. The first family didn't understand that puppies take time, love, and patience. April is the perfect match. They are best of friends.

I love their brown noses. Just look how fat their little ears are.

The grow so fast. What a bunch of pups!

We wait rather patiently till Deb gives us a call. We will pack up the truck, head north to Mapleton, Maine (a hop skip and jump from New Brunswick) and pick up Lucy and Emma. If you are interested in checking out the web site it is Riversmokelabs.com

Does anyone know how to put a link in the blog? I want a blue thingy that you can click on and go there. See how my computer vocabulary just grows and grows. We are still in the midst of storms here. We had a big thunder and lightening storm tonight that awakened a few patients from their sleep at the hospital. So far the hay has had to wait. We can't get it cut and dried. It's that patient gene that I really didn't get in my DNA.

Much love and many prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm

Kelly

Meet Fuzzy

We were at one of our other favorite stores last week looking for a water trough for the sheep, minerals, feed, treats. Ok, so they don't need treats but I do. I got me a new pair of shoes! Yehaw! I love Tractor Supply. We are getting one in Bangor and I think I might just have a fit. I will try to contain myself but it will be very difficult. Boy did I get off subject. See what Tractor Supply does to me. Anyhow, what I was trying to get at was we met this very nice sales lady named Tracy and being the shy quiet type that I am, I started telling her all about our new sheep and the goats and how excited we were. We got on the subject of guardian dogs and how we now felt that we needed to protect our loved ones as much as possible. Sadly, she is having to downsize her animals. Happily for us she has a guardian Llama that she would like to find a safe and happy home for. I almost came off the floor. Her llama is names Fuzzy (from the Muppets) and she if four years old, very protective of her fiber goats and needs a home. So we made a play date!

Please meet Fuzzy. She loves goats and sheep, does not like dogs, likes cats and tolerates people. She was a bit shy at first. She is staying at a friends farm in Harmony, Maine temporarily. She has just been shorn and I think she is a bit embarrassed at the new do. Haven't we all wished we had a rock or two to hide behind with that terrible perm era known as the 80's?

She is not a cuddly llama, she was not imprinted by people early in her life. She doesn't spit or bite people but will spit and bite dogs. Just our kind of llama.

This little guy with her is not her cria. He will remain with Tracy. Fuzzy does not like the little one. He is a sweet cuddly llama. But not what we are looking for.

We have to get shelter for Fuzzy ready. The five foot tall sheep shelter just won't do now. We need more space for her height. She has had her CD&T and been de -wormed, but we have to have the vet come out and give her a rabies injection and check up. We have been busy putting up electric fence insulators but we ran out. Darn, we will have to go and pick up more at our local Blue Seal. Not nearly as much fun as Tractor Supply but a heck of a lot closer. The pasture is beginning to take on a Fort Knox look to it. The weather here has been stormy with on and off showers. On our way home we came across the most beautiful scene. This is another reason I love Maine.

And this.......

and this......

and this......

Boy am I glad I'm not standing under that rain cloud. Much love and prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

Kelly

Rehabing a 160 year old farmhouse, just the beginning

The kitchen after the wall is down, all insulation gone.

I never want to see cellulose insulation again!

Air mattresses never felt so comfortable.

Alex in our new kitchen in the dining room
The cows, outside looking in.

We arrived in June 07 and immediately started ripping out walls. The kitchen was too small and the cabinets were inadequate to say the least. It's not like we were destroying something that was antique. These cabinets were recently made by a very incompetent carpenter. They were varying sizes and shapes, nothing we wanted to keep. They were taken out and placed into the dining room to serve as our temporary kitchen. Alex and I went to work on tearing the wall out between the kitchen and adjoining room. We could not find any reason for it to exist. The wall stood no chance against two women armed with a sawsall. It bowed with grace and dignity then fell like a mighty giant. Ok, now the wall was down, why is the ceiling sagging with sewing thread hanging down? Hmmm..... Ok, being the person that I am I had to find out why. So we began pulling on the thread. Remember when you were a kid and there was a thread hanging on your sweater and your mom said to leave it alone? Well, I never listened. So the thread pulled and pulled and all kinds of sewing notions came down upon our heads. We took a hammer and commenced to remove the ceiling. It was actually a false ceiling that had been installed for blown in insulation. Imagine us covered with sweat from the July heat and then heavily dusted with cellulose insulation. Tar and feather really comes to mind. The wall was down, the ceiling ripped out and cellulose everywhere. What to do with it? Stuff it into contractor bags of course and put it in the dumpster. When this day was over we were totally exhausted. No running water to shower. The hose outside was really looking attractive. The neighbors across the street came to our rescue. Kevin and Cheeta have turned out to be great neighbors. They had the wonderful idea of inviting us to a shower (in an actual working bathroom) the use of their laundry for clean clothes and a burger on the grill complete with cold beer. We were in heaven. It felt so wonderful to crawl clean into our air mattress beds and go comatose. In Maine the air cools off at sunset drastically. The next morning we were up early, hot coffee from our New Hampshire water that we brought with us, bacon, eggs all cooked on the two burner camping stove we brought with us. It tasted so good. As we are eating breakfast Alex and I look at the window in the dining room and there are 4-5 cows looking in at us. I could just imagine what was going through their minds. Kevin is a wonderful neighbor but not the best fence layer. As we found out later there were always escaping cows. Even with all the work facing us we could envision the beauty of the land and see it as a farm one day. There is so much satisfaction with hard work. This Post written by Kelly.