With warmer weather just around the corner, I feel like a racehorse standing in the starting gate. I feel that at any moment things at the farm are going to exploded in activity. Which after this long winter, I'm actually looking forward too.
We will be buying chicks pretty soon. Woooo Hooooo!!! New life on the farm will be such a good thing. It makes us feel like new beginnings and hope. The chicken coop isn't fully done yet, but it's getting there. And with the weather finally getting better, we will be working on it more. It's just about done as it is. I can't wait to show you pictures of it. Hubby has done such a good job!!! I told him that I'm wanting it to be a pretty coop. That way I can put "sexy" chickens in it. LOL!!!!! (Don't ask me what a sexy chicken is. I just made that up. lol)
Another thing that we are looking into is material for a barn. We are checking the cheapest way that we can build one. We might have a line on some cheap lumber. Let's hope. Believe it or not, one of the hardest thing about building isn't finding the material, it's finding people to help build. No one wants to help on farms anymore. When I was younger, I would have given my arm to be able to work on a farm with animals. In fact, I use to work with race horses just for the cost of gas to get there. Oh, and a cheeseburger for lunch. Working with the race horses are some of my best memories. But these days, finding someone to work on the farm is like finding hen's teeth. They just aren't there. We have offered good money to kids (13 and up) to come out and work. They don't have the time or it's too much work for the money (which is way above min). And if you find someone to work, they either don't know what they are doing and you have to teach them every. little. thing, or they are so lazy that you have to stay on them like ticks on a hound dog. I don't know about you, but those kind of people are hard to work with, let alone pay them to work for you. Right now though, I'm thinking more about the costs and materials than the help. Maybe if we have a big "barn raising" like the Amish do with a ton of food and stuff, it will make people want to come and help build a barn. We shall see. We have plenty of time right now.
So until next time,
Small Farm Girl, barn raiser.
13 comments:
Wow... I guess I never thought about not being able to find kids to help out on a farm anymore. My husband did it growing up and I took care of our hogs. I hope you guys find the help! What part of Kentucky do you guys live in?
You should try the barn-raising idea...maybe there are other folks out there that feel the same way you do. Because of the drought this year a bunch of us divided up our garden efforts and instead of trying to grow everything, we each are growing several different things we'll share...there's just not enough water or time...I think it's gonna' work out just fine.
I'm hoping we find help too. We were wanting to do square bales of hay this year. We won't be able to if we can't find help.
We live in Eastern Ky.
I think it will work out too. Someway, I'm sure. I do like how you dealt with the drought. That's a good idea!
Might be worth a shot to try your local high schools' FFA? I know it sounds cliche but I know that our kinds in the local FFA are hard working, talented and always willing to help on a farm! Although, many of them don't live on actual farms, so maybe that is some of it! Good luck! We are getting chicks soon too!
There are sexy chickens, like the polish crested and the french coco marons (sp?) with poofy heads and slick feathers with such beautiful colored feathers! Cant wait to see your chicks and coop. Id work on. Farm if I could but I would be a trainer for sure. Hubby grew up on one which he always reminisces about, sometimes so much any more that his memories are becoming mine. We haven't had a drought in a couple years atleast, farms have been flooded for a few years now. Theres no middle ground.
We have the same "labor shortage" here. Although we just found a GREAT way to get some....we went to a "Labor Auction" at the local highschool's FFA supper! We "bought" two young men for 16 hours! The money goes to their FFA program, but if they're good kids, and they want to, we'll hire them for other things. It's hard to find anyone willing to work here...young OR older. Sad.
Good idea! I'll see what I can do!
I figure all my chickens are sexy! :-).
That would be a good idea! I need to talk to our FFA dude. :-)
Jealous of your flowers and warmer temps. It's still freezing here, and no flowers to be found. Still too much snow on the ground.
As for good help that has a clue, it's sad really. Kiddos and well lots of folks are too disconnected from farm life. They have no idea.
Have fun building your barn. Can't wait to see pics!
SFG,
Flowers!!! It's cold here again and raining something terribly.
You should try doing a farm raising, and maybe get your local church involved?
We have chickens and are trying to hatch our own with the help of an incubator. We have never had any luck with good hens. lol I need to take a better look at our chickens to see which ones are sexy. lol
Post a Comment