Farming is a lot of work. I am lazy. (The first step is admitting there is a problem) So, currently I am spending a considerable amount of time and energy trying to develop systems that will make the workload tolerable enough for my lazy self to actually be able to enjoy the good parts – like iced tea on the front porch with family and friends, the breath-taking stars, walks down a quiet road (on flat ground, in 60 degree weather, quiet mornings of bird calls and animal sounds . . .
We bought a tractor – not that the purchase of that tractor will help ME out too much – it won’t. But, it will make it much easier to keep the hillsides mowed and will carry heavy things to the top of the hill. I’m sure we will use it for everything now that it is here, but for now it is a big mower! As we awaited the delivery, my mother asked me if the BGM (big green machine) had arrived yet – so now it has a name!
figuring out the controls 
Should have picked up the manual when we signed the papers so we could have read ahead a bit!
My daughter, Jennifer, stood next to me as we both watched Farmer Man rev up the bush-hog and begin the process of getting used to the controls. She said I sounded like a t-ball mom as I encouraged him from the ground. “Good job, okay that looks good, oooooo far enough, um that’s good come back down now, that’s okay it looks much better, great job” None of which could actually be heard by Farmer Man over the hum of the engine nearly 100 feet away. But as we continued to watch him play with his brand new toy, he figured out a few more things and the mowing got smoother and he backed ALL the way up the hill – and he grinned like a kid crossing first base! Jennifer said – Exactly like a kid crossing first base! Now the analogy had come full circle for her! I’m glad we could entertain her!
And, much less glamorous, but just as important – a head gate and squeeze. I think that is what it is called. Really it’s a thousand pound cow holder – but quite necessary. A very large toy which has been sitting in the back of the truck for days because we have to figure out where to put it and how to get it out of the truck! Hopefully we will be able to use the BGM to get the new toy off the truck and give a couple of those elusive cows a shot! Because as we continue this farm life, I would like to DECREASE the number of bruises I am accumulating daily!
Cow holder 
Farm looks nice mowed! Cowholder still in the truck
In that hope, we have been trying to work out a less difficult way to feed 38 goats (with horns). We created and built a new feeder for the goats out of a gutter and some treated 2x4s. It is pretty efficient and much easier to get the feed into. Then, we purchased a U-bottle from Rural King. I think it might actually be for gas but it makes an efficient feed pourer. The side of the spout is roughly the size of the gutter opening. Also a perk – the goats can’t try to eat out of it as I walk across the field to fill the feeder. The feeder seems large enough and spread out enough that all of the goats are getting to eat, but light enough to drag to different places when we want to move the madness! This is a general success, but I am contemplating those pool noodles for a few goats at feeding time!
New goat feeder – will add some close ups later 
dinner time
And finally we bought a chicken coop a week or so. We hope that getting them separated from the big barn will help us get the big barn clean and keep it that way, AND might encourage them to lay eggs in laying boxes so we don’t have to hunt eggs every day! And as an added bonus, poor barn kitty might get to eat his own food – protected from the bully chickens who think cat food is their dessert! We finally took the time to put it together, and the other night we convinced the chickens to spend the night in there. I mean, we did bribe them with food, but at least for one night – it worked. But, they wouldn’t even come close to it yesterday evening! Ugh!
Even though I am feeling a bit overwhelmed by the list of problems that need to be solved or addressed, and the farm house renovation mess is no closer to being over – at least we are making headway in solving a few issues. I do like trying to come up with an intelligently designed solution for a given problem, and there is no shortage of situations that need that particular skill on the farm.
The joy on Farmer Man’s face as he figures out how to run the new machine, that “just crossed first base” smile – I am a sucker for that – and that is how we became brand new farmers! The adventures continue . . .
brandnewfarmers 