Barn on the Web
  • Who am I
    • Lessons Learned
    • Contact Me
  • My Animals
    • Animals For Sale
  • My Horse training
    • Training Photos
  • My Blog
  • The Farm Shop
  • The Family Farm
    • Spring Farm Event
    • Fiber Notebook

Sorting, working and weaning

8/11/2013

 
    Today was a long day.  I started out by penning all the Flock before Mom got home from work this morning.  When she got home Dad and I worked the goats and sheep and sorted everything while Mom sprayed the pens for weeds.  All the men, including the yealings, are now back in the man pen.  Wendy, Hope and Sorghum have now joined the ewes and the weithers in the pasture. While the yearlings, are split into two pens.  The yearling weithers are in the pen with Chief, Elliot and Phinny.  The 4 ewe yearlings are in a pen with Yuchi and Twix who both are for whatever reason are limping. 
Picture
Picture
Picture
The Momma's are not happy to have to give up their babies ... They won't leave far from the gate
Picture
Charlie and Jorden are not happy about having to join the men in the man pen but we don't want Jorden taking Wendy away from Sorghum again ....
Picture
After all the flock work I helped Dad get the lawnmower running so that Mom could mow the yarn.  With all the rain it was looking pretty bad too.   Then Dad and I went to get the Tractor so we could get Mom's boat put up... Well, it wouldn't start either.  It needs a new fuel filter and then it should be good.  After that Mom set an appointment with a photographer.  She wants good pictures of Ice and I and some of Storm and I.  She says she wants some for the web page as well.  So next weekend look out Mom will be picture happy.  The lady is going to spend about 2 hours taking all kinds of pictures then Mom gets them all on a disk to use as she wants. 
    At this point my day wasn't going to bad but nothing was going right either.  Then Dad and I got the bright idea to tell Mom that we needed better feed for the horses ... As all those on Plurk can tell you that wasn't the brightest idea we have ever had.  You see Dad took over ordering the feed and to save a few bucks he started buying cheaper feed.  Well, now Coop is starting to loose weight just like Ice did when I rode him everyday.  When we tried to talk to Mom about it she just looked and Dad and I with that Mom look.  I am sure you all know the one.  Then She gave us a lecture about saving a few bucks at "what cost to the animals?" I wish we had never switched feeds and I wish we had never asked Mom to "fix" the problem.

Sale day ...

8/10/2013

 
    So today was Saturday ... That means I could be found at work at the sale barn.  Dad and I did our shift and came right home to get to work here on the farm.  To bad we were nap attacked.  Dad and I both fell asleep.  We didn't get anything done until Mom called and said she was on her way home.  Then I got up and worked Storm and roped.  After that it was time to eat do chores and call it a day.  I did take some time to check over the shop again.   I have to admit that I am still finding mistakes.  The new way of handling the shop is different and I know that for reasons I don't understand it is necessary but YUCK!  I know I will get used to it but please hang in that with me and you will see it will get better.  And at least this way we can not only take paypal but we can take phone orders with credit cards... and international orders can be addressed too.  
      Moving on... I have one last item to get posted in the store and you see it is kind of a funny story ... Well, we were dying ... Okay No funny story ever started with someone dying but this one does...  LOL ... we weren't dying as in passing away but we were dying yarn... anyway, we tried a formula on the internet that was suppose to be a certain color and everyone knows that if it is on the internet it must be true right.  So we tried this formula and we didn't get the intended color.  We got something that neither Mom nor I really like... so we tried again ... and still it didn't turn out very well... It now looks like this
Picture
    So what are we going to do with it ... Well, we came up with a solution... We aren't going to name it or anything since we can't repeat it.  But I have decided that we will sell it as what we are going to call a Shelter Special.  That means that I will sell it at a discounted price and donate the money to my Mom's Animal Shelter.  Okay, so It won't happen very often but who can go wrong with that.  Besides those that buy the not so great yarn can make snuggles for their local shelter and it will be a win win solution...

Another Fiber Day

8/9/2013

 
Today we started our day with a meeting with our Tax Man.  The farm is taking shape as a business and we are happy to work to keep costs down so that your fiber budget can go further.  With that in mind when we got home Mom helped me take this...
Picture
And this ...
Picture
And all of this
Picture
And a whole lot more and get it all on the web page.  
    
    We worked all day and got not only the fiber room back under control since we hadn't unpacked from the Fiber Christmas in July Festival but we also got all the products from the booth online.  We actually got to lower prices because we now only pay fees for Paypal and we are including the shipping in the price.  The only down fall is that right now we can only take credit card orders over the phone and international orders will have to pay the actual Shipping.... But over all we cut out all the other listing fees that we had to reflect in our prices and I am proud to be able to say that we do our best to keep prices down.  
    With all that done and over with I am feeling pretty bad that the whole mystery spinning thing didn't work out.  I actually had people on the list for the second round but not getting feed back does defeat the whole purpose.  And since it is costing me to send the stuff out it is just not worth the work or the hassle.... 
    While I was cleaning I did find my research though and well since I don't need it I think I am going to give it away... So here is what I am calling my research...  
Picture
If any of you want this to end up in your mail box all you have to do is comment telling me what you think of the Shop.  You can find it by clicking on the shop link at the top of the page... Then Thusday at noon I will be drawing to see who will be lucky enough to get a bit of this and that... 
    Oh you want to know what breeds they are ... Well, there is CVM, Merino, Shetland, Cormo and there are two long wools that I forgot to mark so they are going to be surprises to you as well as me ... LOL  So get to commenting and lets see who will get this little sampler package...

Rainy Day Pictures

8/8/2013

 
It was another rainy day.  Mom's surprize Lillies showed their heads today so she had me dig them all up and she will be moving them to where the sheep and Goats can't get to them.  I decided to use the day and take a few pictures.  Check this out.
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
    We ended the day with a bit of bad, but not to bad, news ... Angel our great rescue horse will now have to have shoes on her front feet.  Due to the lack of good nutrition before we got her, her front hooves are still having issues.  We have tried everything to keep them from cracking but nothing has worked and her front hooves have a couple of deep cracks that are getting bigger and not working out.  So to save her feet she will wear shoes on her front hooves until all the cracks are gone.  The shoes will hold the cracks from getting any deeper or wider.  That means now we just have to wait for her hooves to grow and over time we shouldn't have any more trouble

And Finally I got Wolford .... I call him Wolf for short check him out ... Sorry it isn't a better picture he wouldn't stand still while I took a good one... LOL
Picture
Tomorrow a Fiber Blog ...

My First Invitational

8/6/2013

 
    So today I worked on the web page.  I have everything in order but now I just have to get everything posted.  We still accept paypal but we have added taking credit card phone orders as well.  Now the only fees we pay are paypal and shipping.  With the extra Etsy fees out of the way Mom is refiguring costs and we will be taking pictures and posting all our products to the web page.  That is right now we have everything right here in one place.  
    In time Mom will have her own webpage but we will be using the same server so both will be separate but still in one place for us to manage.  I just have to get the new photos up and the products up.  I hope it is easy for everyone to use. 
    While I was at the computer working on the page I got a really cool email.  So how many of you are going to be at the Texas State Fair in October??  Well, I was invited to come and take part in my first invitational roping called the Big Tex 4X4 Chute out.  It will be at the State Fair of Texas Livestock show in Dallas Texas.  I was thinking that if I was going I might have to bring some yarn and stop by a yarn shop or two on the way ... So would anyone come watch me rope if I went??

Making Changes ...

8/5/2013

 
    Today I spent the day in town going from sponsor to sponsor letting them know how I did.  I took a printed copy of my story and left it for them to read but they all got to see what I won and they heard a shorter version of what went on.  I also explained how Mom didn't get any usable pictures so we will have some for them in a few weeks when they come in the mail. 
    With all my travels behind me I have turned all my attention to three things.  The first is Tropical Storm... I will be working her her from here on out everyday so that in about a month I can start driving her and getting a saddle on her.  Next, I am working on riding Dad's Horse Cooper.  This is giving Ice a well earned break.  He is out in the pasture getting fat and sassy.
    The final thing I am going to give my attention to is the web page.  Mom and I are working to seperate her farm from mine.  We have a plan to get some new photos for the page and get it all updated.  I am also trying to get away from Etsy and paypal.  Mom and I are working to get everything on one page.  We are hoping this will give us more options and allow us to offer things without having to charge fees for listing it on Etsy, paying on Paypal and then topping it off with shipping charges.  We are hoping that we will be able to cut most of the fees out.  That means being able to save you money.  In the mean time make sure anyone following the blog to learn how to break a horse check out the "Storm Tracker Blog"
    On a side note I am looking into doing another fiber booth and this time in Kansas in January I think. 

Not so good news....

8/3/2013

 
Today things kind of got back to normal.  I worked the sale barn as I do every Saturday but there was nothing exciting about that.  When I got home I found an email in our inbox where Mom had emailed the story from the Blog to the Paper.  The Editor of the local Paper Replied with the following ... 
 "She sent this to you too but it needs to be cut way down to a simple cutline. Leave it until I get back if you haven't already sent it to Denton. We don't need to run a mini series on her and her kid, just the basic  info.
Thanks"
    Okay so Mom wasn't the one that wrote it ... I was.  I edited to take out the I's and Mom and changed those to our Names and stuff but The editor was very rude.  Mom left her a Voicemail and said it would have to be edited and we expected it but the email was so Rude.  I am going to print the whole story and take it to everyone who supported me.  Mom posted the whole thing on her Facebook page and is directing those that want to read it to read it there ... So God's story will get out... One way or another. 
    Anyway, There are a few other things that I want to get out on the blog as well.  First, the Mystery Wool Experiment was a bust.  It was Turtles Fleece.  She is a meat sheep that has a bunch of breeds in her.  She has some Southdown and some Suffolk and some Dorset as well as others.  Only a few people did what was asked.  Most took the free fiber and I never heard from them again.  So, even though I had planned on making it a regular thing ... It will NOT be done again.  Sorry to those who were already on the list and looking forward to the second round.  
    And the last bit of news is on the good side for one lucky winner ... The Green Wesleydale lock give away ... the Lucky winner is  ...  MaryE ... (email starting fred0331) You have one week to email me at rj@barnontheweb.com 

Time to catch up...

8/2/2013

 
    Let me start by saying we are home... And man do we have a story to tell.   I have to admit that I thought when I asked Mom to Blog for me that she would tell everything that happened but she got so excited she just posted that I won ... So now I will post the whole story ...
    First, we have to back up to Tuesday night when Micheala and I went to the practice ring together.  We were riding and racing and just having fun together as we only see each other every few years.  Well, You see, there were some home town kids that were mouthing off and not obeying the rules of the arena.  We tried to  ignore them but in the end the Arena officials had to step in and straighten them out.  We tried to keep the peace and didn't make a scene or anything but it set the tone of the speed event competition between the states and with out knowing it,  It became an us against them kind of thing.  The us was the ones following the rules and trying our best to keep good sportsmanship in the competition.   The them was the kids from Louisiana that thought the hometown advantage would be enough to make them winners.  
    Everyone agreed that I did great at keeping a good atitude through it all.  I supported my team and helped them anyway I could.  When it came time for my events I sat to the back of the arena and only spoke encouraging words to everyone.  Things like "good try" and "nice run" became big in my vocabulary.  I held my head up high and did what I do best ... Be Me. 
    In my first event, the Break away Calf Roping, I was second to last to go.  Mom was in the stands keeping track of times so that I can see how everyone placed when it is over (it is fun to go back and see how close the times were)  Anyway, There were only 9 people that caught their calves and of those only 5 had done it in a normal time.  Most ran long or missed all together.  (I think everyone got nervous because there were alot of people missing and having to use their second loop which takes longer)  When I entered the arena I paused and prayed out loud "Lord, please let me draw a time"  The gate man looked surprized the first time I did it but he got used to it.  
    I made a good clean first run with a time of 3.7 seconds.  It wasn't a bad run but it wasn't enough to take the lead either.  Then I went back to my back spot and encouraged all the other riders.  One girl was thrown off her horse face first (I took my Roping on Faith decals and tucked them some place on the stalls of contestants that I felt "needed" them for what ever reason ... I had Mom taking notes with the times)  When it came time for my second calf there were only 4 that caught both calves and there was two of us left to go.  I again prayed and entered the ring.  I went out and made a nice clean run in 4.8 seconds giving me a combined time of 8.5 seconds on two ... That put me in second place ... Known in 4-H as Reserve Champion.  The last young man didn't rope well enough to move me so that is how it ended.
    While on a short break after the Break away roping some of the Louisiana kids started to mouth off about how I thought I could rope and I just smiled and said things like "I try my best and God does the rest"  Next up was the Tie Down Calf Roping and there weren't as many entries but every entry was someone who had taken part in the Break away event. 
    The one difference was that this time I was last to go ... Again as I had before I sat at the back of the Arena on Ice and encouraged everyone with each run.  One young Man got kicked in the mouth (yes I stuck a decal on his stall too)  When it came time to run my calf I did nothing different from the first event.  I prayed and entered the arena and Ice and I made a good clean run with a time of 12.76 Seconds.  Then I was off to my spot to cheer everyone on.  When it came to my second calf I was in place to win if I just drew a decent time of less then 26 seconds. (I didn't know what I had to do but I knew I was setting pretty good)
    At this point Mom was in the stands.  She could see the times and She was praying every run I made too.  She said a quiet little prayer asking God to let his will and word shine through.  Anyway, while I sat waiting to enter the arena one man told me that since I didn't have a parent helping me in the chutes he wanted to let me know that all I needed was another consistant run and he then tried telling me that he had watched the calves and that the calf I drew was going to do this or that.  I told the Man thank you, but that My Mom was in the stands cheering and that God was with me in the arena.  I explained that with God by my side I would anticipate nothing and expect everything and God would help me handle it.  The Man looked at me and said he would have to remember that and walked off.  Once more I said my prayer and entered the Arena....
    I made my run and by the time My hands went into the air to signal I was done ... The crowd was Quiet ... Mom was to her feet and my friends and teammates in the stands didn't understand... Mom just squeeked out "he did it .. he won ..."  The Crowd looked at Mom as the calf stayed tied for the 6 second count and when the time came over the loud speaker the crowd went crazy .... I have never heard Mom scream so loud before .... And Ice heard her too ... I just smiled and rode back to my spot to await the final standing.  
    While I was waiting, I took the time to shake everyone's hands and tell them thank you for competing or for helping run things.  From Chute help to contestant I made sure to let everyone know I appriecated everything that took place that day ... One kid wouldn't shake my hand until he saw everyone else talking to me and shaking my hand as I thanked them.  I told him he made some good runs and he said I did too.  I think he started to understand and lightened up a bit.  I then took time to Thank the Lord for what he had done as well.  
    When the official times and placing were announced It was official ... I was the Champion of the Tie Down calf Roping.  Mom is very proud of me and keeps saying it ... And that Night when I went to the dance (and when Mom was suppose to blog about everything that happened)  my teammates made sure everyone knew I had won.  So much so it was kind of embarrassing.  Mom says the drama was the stuff Movies are made of and that the story book ending was one only God Could have written in real life.  
    We spent all day yesterday in the truck driving home and laughing and talking about the day before.  Today, we are taking it easy and for the record, Ice will be pastured for the next 30 days, only coming out of the pasture for a photo session Mom has set up for Ice and I in about 2 weeks.  It is now time to get Tropical Storm

Mom Post

8/1/2013

 
So as most of you know when Mom posts to the blog something is normally wrong .... Well, NOT THIS TIME!!!  I get to bring to introduce to you the Break Away Calf Roping Reserve Champion and the Tie Down Calf Roping Champion of the 2013 Southeastern District Horse show. 
Picture
At the nights end With his winning attitude and wins under his belt he lead the entire team, under the Oklahoma Flag, in the Parade of States.... Such an honor

We made it to Louisiana

7/30/2013

 
Well, we made it.  It was a long haul and Ice did great.  He was very nervous when we stopped to walk him but he did okay.  When we got here we set up the table with the goodies for everyone and put up all our stall signs...
Picture
We took time to get checked in ... I will be rock the number 503.  Then I took time to talk to the other contestants that were there from Oklahoma and gave them all my number and told them if they needed anything to call me... I even took time to meet up with Michaela.... She is a girl that I met two years ago at Regionals.  It was great to see her again ...
Picture
After we got dinner we met back at the arena and we rode and raced the horses.... Then it was off to get some much needed sleep  Tomorrow we bring it all on ...
<<Previous

    Categories

    All
    Alpaca
    Angora Goat
    Birth
    Carrie Clothes
    Cattle
    Deaths
    Dorset
    Everyday Life
    Fleece Police
    Give Away
    Horse
    Merino
    Mom
    Projects
    Rodeo
    Shearing
    Shetland
    Video

    Archives

    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011

    RSS Feed

    Plurk.com
Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.