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Not so much to the future as to the same old, same old. The John Deere 4430 has once again earned its reputation as one of the worst tractors we have ever owned. Will not be buying green again I do not think. Major issues this time requiring splitting the tractor to repair it and having a rental to keep working at the hay. We need to trade that junk in!

Two of Alan's friends were in a regional medical center when we left for camp, one with a life-threatening illness and the other with terrible injuries from a motorcycle/deer accident. Both are moving in the right direction, which is wonderful news, although they still need prayers. Over the past few weeks the power of prayer has been demonstrated a number of times, which are not mine to mention, although I am sure grateful for the outcomes. Hope things turn out all right for these two nice boys.

A pretty day today, a lot less humid and much cooler, for which I am grateful. I am sure the cows will be too. They hate the heat and don't do well in it. Liz and the boss had five cows in season in one day while we were gone and didn't even breed them...so hot there wasn't much likelihood of them conceiving anyhow. We had a heifer to breed yesterday, one that was running out with the cows. She obligingly came in the barn without being asked, but wouldn't leave when we were done. Amazingly, although she is not trained to lead, she let Liz throw a halter on her and ambled out of the barn behind her, as tame as a kitten. Too bad she isn't a pretty one to show, as she is evidently came from the factory already halter-broken.

****Unless I get a chance to pause in the cleaning up a week's worth of Godawful mess in the house and barn to get out the camera I am going to go with more pics from camp for a bit. Above is Becky with the bubble stuff she so cleverly grabbed at the Dollar Store for camp....and Alan, blowing bubbles with scissors and a cut off soda bottle. The bubbles were brilliant...there isn't much that can add to the serenity of a clear, blue mountain lake, but bubbles, floating way down the lake on the breeze do the job nicely.

Hark! I hear a wren! I wondered where the heck they had gone......first one this summer.

Sunday Stills....Farm Animals

Click to compare me to a dinosaur

The girls, coming in to be milked

Thought you might find this refreshing, as hot as it has been lately.

This one would have been easy for me, except that I spent the past week in the woods overlooking a lake wallowing in my love for the wild and the light and the song. And swimming and fishing. And takings hundreds of photos of sunrise and geese and herons. Not seeing a single farm animal (and not minding, not one little bit)

However, here is a pic of one of Miss Laura's chickies and a couple from the archives.

For more Sunday Stills......

Still More...

Photos from camp. I watched the sun come up this day.



It is amazing how quickly it goes from being just a bright orange glow in the east to half to whole.

And there are even more here.

Photos from Camp

This sunfish had amazing luck, but lousy judgement. If you look closely you can see big gouges on its side where a predator sought lunch. Then Alan caught if off the porch and released it. Two days later his cousin caught the same fish right in front of the porch and released it again. Instead of live and learn I guess it's live but don't learn.

Home Again

A little bug porn...er a pair of damsel flies

The Men

Discussing kayak advertisements....me, I like the canoe.

Foundation for the Future

FFTF-Rainbow Stew for the Dairy Farmer

Is a new dairy pricing program that the National Milk Producer's Federation is foisting on farmers proposing to Congress. It includes monetary assessments on milk checks, some of which will go straight to the Treasury to help lower the deficit, the rest of which will be administered by yet another board. We dairy farmers already have boards reaching into our pockets to fund the Dairy Check Off and CWT among other programs, so of course we should be just delighted to crowd a couple more hands in there. The board will decide what generic milk promotion will get the funds that they take from us. Of course generic milk promotion has been proven not to work...or at least not very well, but why worry about that?

And then there is the whole supply management thing. If the supply management tool kicks in farmers will only be paid for a percentage of their previous three months average milk production. The theory is that they will produce less to avoid that. Since cows don't have on/off switches I wonder how that will be done. Feed less? Kill a few cull some cows? I don't imagine that it will be pretty.

Plus I figure if they lower the amount of milk US farmers are permitted to produce, someone else will step up to the plate...er.....glass...and fill the void. Melamine anyone?

Supposedly farmers are in favor of this new, improved, dairy policy, but really, I have yet to talk to one who is, unless they are on a cooperative board and toeing the company line although I have read a few positive comments on ag media stories. Most folks seem pretty skeptical.

One good thing I can say is that it is planned to decouple prices from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, a move that is long overdue.

However this pup, and it is a pup, will probably fly through Congress because it does away with the dairy support price program and milk marketing orders are "simplified".

Most ag publications are talking about FFTF as if it were Rainbow Stew for dairy farmers. Of course it is obvious that they listen to the pundits at NMPF and not so much to actual producers. I don't really think that many cooperatives ask farmers how they feel about things like this....they are more inclined to tell them what to think instead.

Here is some analysis of what is going to happen if this is passed.

Almost Butter

These are pink from the front, a sort of washed out, not terribly appealing color. I like them with the sun behind them though. I wonder if adding something like Miracid to the soil would bump up the color a little. When I had them planted up near the house they were a much nicer shade.

Sunday Stills...People

Oh, wait, update...here is a brand new one of Liz with Bling.

Pictured the latter yesterday for her registration paper and she is being trained for the fair.

I always get a kick out of this pic of an Amish horse pulled up to the gas pumps....fill 'er up!

Had to use the archives this week...sorry Ed. It has been such a crazy week what with haying, planting and getting ready for camp and no one has been around the house when I wasn't working myself.

For more Sunday Stills......

Saturday Before Camp

We are off to camp today.

The dog now has tags on his collar, which will definitely need to be taped together if anyone is going to sleep. License and rabies certificate is stowed and packing is about done.

Noodles, poles, life jackets, tackle boxes........I love the smell of an old, well-loved tackle box...melted rubber, wood smoke, Skin-so-Soft...there is nothing like it.

The weather forecast is for rain and library books.

I have left a series of posts for the week, but will be out of reach of a way to answer comments. However, I will talk to you next week when we get home from Peck's Lake NY.

Hope you all have a good one!

Company for Breakfast

*Do click any for detail

Lettuce Begin

We have grown this lettuce several years now and have been only moderately impressed. However, this year it has outdone itself. Where other years it has been rather pale and bland in flavor, this year it is a gorgeous color and has a robust flavor and delightful texture. It is called Beleah Rose and comes from Pinetree garden seeds.

Get Goats

That is my answer to this problem.

It worked here. And as to the fencing thing, the guy we bought the original border collies from had a business out in California grazing goats on the power lines to keep down brush. One man, one dog, no fence needed.

Behind the Scenes

Phoebe watching for insects.

They nested right under the eaves of our bedroom window.

It has been fun to watch the babies peering down at me while I hang out the laundry.

Right up there center stage here at the farm...the boss finally finished planting the Sudex. What a wet year! Now they can get serious about finishing up the hay.

Alan I and I got the barn all cleaned, every corner scraped and swept. Makes it a nicer place to work.

The car is back from its inspection ordeal. It is an older car and it is always a delightful surprise when it passes.

Farm Side deadline was met. We ran into someone who reads it and to my surprise, also reads this, and had a very nice conversation. I do love surprises like that.

Fishing licenses are now in hand. Alan has a lifetime, but Beck and I bought 7-days. What with my ankle and her job we probably will only fish camp week anyhow and they raised all the fees a lot. I will be debating whether I will get a sportsman's this fall. I don't hunt that much any more, but I can get a resident doe tag. However, the new fees are pretty bad.

Alan received the most wonderful college graduation gift a kid could imagine. A shiny new Henry 22 rifle. He has always wanted a Henry and is a very happy young man.

All in all a pretty nice day until chore time. Then, behind the scenes, the Case 4490 developed electrical problems and refused to work. Couldn't chop for the cows, so Alan spent most of milking toting baled hay out for them. The heifers broke an overhead waterline after the parts stores are all closed. The electric fence quit. Actually both of them did, but one is an easy fix. A windstorm popped up suddenly and blew out a big attic window showering the yard with glass and requiring a major clean-up which made milking late.

We should have shut the day clock off at four is all I can say. Guess today will be fixit day.

Roosting with the Roosters

Who is that, w-a-a-a-a-a-y up there in the box elder tree?

Hmmm, orange and speckled critters,

spotlighted in the light from the setting summer sun

Why, it's the chickens! Enjoying a strong sense of enrichment!

Right over top of this chicken-eating dog,

who evidently also keeps them safe from the wild things

that want to get to know them better

Been working on a Farm Side column about the new agreement between HSUS and UEP on a national standard for hen cages. You know, those "enriched" colony cages that will cost $4 billion bucks to construct. Just thought I would show you the reaction of chickens to the ultimate in enriched environments....the great outdoors.

Here is another column I liked that addresses the topic

Tonic

A good porch is like a tonic. You can step out there full of worry and care, brimming over with problems and pains.
In a word...glum...

Then the sun peeks out from behind a bank of foggy clouds.

Company arrives.

Light mantles the land like a glowing golden blanket.....and along with the light and the birds and the beauty and joy, comes peace, stealing in on the song of a secret catbird singing in the grape vine, sliding home on a carpet of dew, creeping up to curl in your lap like a contented cat.......

Yeah, I love a good porch.

Product of Colorado

Pinto beans from Linda

Cows Hate Mud

So you can just imagine how they are loving this summer. We pay extra when we buy their grain to have a special kind of zinc included to strengthen and improve their hooves and help them fight lameness. Still a few of them are getting tender feet just from walking in the godawful swamps produced by all the rain.

They also get a fancy (and expensive) mineral pack added to their grain so that every bite they eat helps them stay healthy and do the best they can. Their selenium is the best organically derived kind too. (Meanwhile their valets buy generic vitamins at Wally World).

A balanced diet is so important to them, so we shop for the best grain we can find.

Sunday Stills...the Letter F

Flowers and finches

For more Sunday Stills......