Kenny Ray saves Doc from the pond

                                   We had an interesting evening here tonight. I had gathered the eggs and was on my way out to the mailbox. Kenny Ray had jumped on the four-wheeler to go out to the poop coupe and put the chickens up for the night. When Tari came running out of the house and yelled “Kenny they need you out at the pond now!” I asked what’s wrong she said I do not know but Rob just called and said they need you now! She started running and I jumped in the car. When I got there, I saw my beagle Doc in the middle of the pond; he had fallen thru the ice. And there was my son in his underwear and was in the pond busting ice and going to my dog. Kenny Ray reached him and swam back to the dock and handed Doc out. Rob then helped Kenny Ray out of the pond, both Doc and Kenny Ray both shivering badly. We calmed Tari down and she drove Kenny Ray and Doc to the house. She put both Doc and Kenny Ray in the shower. I came in and took Doc out of the shower and began to dry him off, but he went back to Kenny Ray and snuggled up to him. This is strange because Doc has always kept his distance from him. I finally managed to get Kenny Ray and Doc dried off, and sat them down by the fire to warm up.                                                                                                                                                       As I am writing this tonight I think back a about ten or so years ago. Kenny Ray and I came upon a car accident with a lady trapped in her car and a man and a dog trapped in another car. I managed to pull the man and dog out but could not get the lady out. As I was trying the fire department showed up and took over. My young son looked up and asked me Dad how did you stay so calm and know what to do? Dad I was scared. I told him son I was to but you have to forget that and do what has to be done; when the time comes and you are older you will be fine and able to do what has to be done. And it washed over me here at my desk tonight I was not needed tonight as my wonderful son Kenny Ray was there to do what was needed. A very proud moment and a sad one for me.

Kenny Ray and Doc by the stove

California rabbits

 

Wild Thing

Kenny Ray and I picked up our California rabbit breeding stock yesterday, with help of my cousin Lester. Lester at one time was second in nation showing fuzzy holland rabbits, so he looked the bunnies over to make sure they were healthy as well as showing us how to handle them. two doe's that we named
Wild Thing and Jessica and a buck named Thumper. They are three months old and will be ready to breed in about three months. The bunnies are the first residents in the Poop Coupe which you may see the pics by going to brewerandsonshomegrownpoultry.blogspot.com the Coupe is just about complete, we just need to finish the water collection system. We welcome them home to the farm.

Brewer and sons homegrown poultry

Please visit our other blog brewerandsonshomegrownpoulrty.blogspot.com or just click the photo on the right buy homegrown food.

Wild bees, rabbit's and chickens

Bee tree

Guineas, chickens and coyote's

We have some new guest here on the farm, two guineas which were given to us from a friend of my nephew's , Joe had spent a weekend here on the farm last summer and loved the farm. I have always wanted guinea's as my grandpa Robert Patton had some when I was kid and they take me back. It was kind of weird though , as I received these two birds I lost two laying hens this morning to coyote's, right out of the driveway. I heard the holler and I went to them and even seen one coyote trying to catch another and I ran him off. I spent the better part of two hours tracking the scoundrels and when I caught up to them I squeezed off one shot and missed by about an inch the small tree next to the coyote's head took the round. I will spend the next few evenings reducing the coyote population here around the farm.
On other news, has of yesterday I have thirty two truck loads of firewood now cut, just about ready for winter. The state of Ohio bee inspector was here two weeks ago and went thru my bee's I only had two Varroe mites in his samples that he took which was very good. They are restoring their honey supplies for winter and look like they are in good shape, we will continue to monitor their progress.
We are now sold out of our honey for the year. What is now a flock of just ten Buff Orpington hens are due to start laying this week we are excited about finding the first egg.
All of our frying chickens have been spoke for and we will have more available October sixteen and the week of the November six.
  Our garden is just about done we took our last load of tomatoes to the Bainbridge produce auction last week a one hundred and forty pounds. While our garden did very well we will no longer sell at auction as we are to small of a operation and can not and will not sacrifice quality for production sake. Tari, Kenny Ray and I are now looking at attending one or two farm markets for next year or possibly a CSA if their is enough interest. We will be offering vegetables, honey, maple syrup and pastured chicken's ,eggs as well as turkey's
On this week's agenda we will be cutting more firewood, mowing around the farm and cleaning off one of the gardens as well as root cellar work, digging potatoes and chicken coop work.
  If you are interested in joining a CSA or eggs or chickens or just stooping by the farm to visit, to picnic by the pond or just a tour of the place and listen to my stories or offer an opinion shoot me and email brewerandsonsfarm@yahoo.com.

God help a blind farmer see

How many know what the above picture is, this was a common scene when I was a child. Beans strung and hanging on the porch to dry, for a mountain delight Shuckey beans. I love them cooked with ham and cornbread and a slice of two candy bar onion{ see Appalachian American story two candy bar onion} with a cold glass of milk. It has been a very busy spring and early summer here on the mountain farm, Tari and I extracted the honey yesterday from two hives about seventy five pounds it will be bottled in the morning, it put both of to bed early last night even to tired to fix supper. Beans and tomatoes are ready to start canning this week which is about right as they are calling for ninety degree days this week, we will be starting that between cutting firewood in the mornings , and finishing the nest boxes in the chicken coop for the hens should start laying in the next couple of weeks. Kenny Ray will start picking blackberries tomorrow they are big as nickel this year and are plentiful. We had a storm here last Tuesday and the wind blew my sweet corn down and the heavy rain beat it down even further, I though it was a lost cause but Kenny Ray and I spent Wednesday evening trying to stand it back up, and as of today it looks great, sweet corn will bless the table by the end of the week. We had our last fire the first week of May and Uncle Ken, Kenny Ray and I have been cutting wood in are spare time  ever since trying to get ready for winter.  Kenny Ray and I have also cleared some ground around the house for more garden and pasture for the chickens , the whole farm has been carved out of the wilderness a little at a time from Uncle Ken ,Dad and I to Kenny Ray and I now. Kenny Ray got a case of poison Ivy after clearing around the driveway area for the farm sign. Next week we have chickens to slaughter as the broilers will be seven weeks old Kenny Ray has done a fine job taking care of them, hopefully he will be able to help with the process of cleaning them. I have had some doubts over the last couple of weeks about life here on the farm but every time I get down God and my family bring me back. Last week when the corn was blown down for the second time this spring I was down on myself and Kenny Ray asked me, Dad do you know the story of Job from the bible and I said no , he then begin to tell about Job and how he lost is wealth his children and his wife but his faith in God remained after all his problems. I got out my bible and read Job and my sweet corn was no problem at all. I then also remembered the sermon from church that pas Sunday Luke 16: 10 He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much , and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. I have to learn to take care of what I already have before I can take on more I have always thought if had more pasture or more garden space the farm would produce better , what I have learned is I most meet the problems that I think I have without losing faith and thank God everyday for the weeds the corn that blew down and is now standing once gain the blight on my tomatoes for all of these he has taken away except for the weeds I am still battleing them, as I have attempted to be faithful in the least of things and being rewarded with a bountiful harvest.

A spring update from Paradise

It is starting to get very busy here over the last couple of weeks and Kenny Ray and I have been busy.
The garden is partly in the ground as we got it prepped and the weekend of March 30th , Mom and my nephew Biscuit { Danny} came down and Uncle Ken came up , Mom Ken and I planted potatoes onions , peas and radish's as well as 62 strawberry plants that mom and give me for my birthday. Mom also cooked us a great dinner. I have since planted cabbage ,spinach, lettuce and more onions and another seventy five strawberry plants as well. Kenny Ray and I have also been planting flowers around the house for Tari. Our baby twenty five Buff Orpinton chicks arrived April fourth and we bought some baby ducks this past weekend at a swap meet two Indian Runners and two Mallards. I am still feeding my bees trying to bring along the week hives and will be checking on them today as well.
               I got to meet the Bainbridge fire department two weeks ago as I set my woods on fire. I had been burning brush for a week and Kenny Ray and I even burnt one of my gardens off , as my grandfather's did their Tobacco beds to sterilize the ground. We had no problems but I start a fire in the trash barrels and the wind carried off a spark and ignited the leaves Kenny Ray and I fought it for about half an hour til I gave up and him go to the house and call 911. They arrived and put it out in less than five minutes, very nice guys. They had just finished putting out another fire in the woods when they got our call, Wade one of the firemen told me they had been busy the last three days with brush fire's getting away from people. Kenny ray joked with me as my dad had set the same area on fire about ten years ago , you know dad like father like son. I said yea you had better remember that.
                                        We have also been busy catching fish we have we managed to squeeze in some fishing it was hard Kenny Ray had to twist my arm{ha ha}to go. Kenny Ray gets angry at Belle the wonder Lab as she runs the bank and goes for an occasional swim but the funny part is that I taught her to retrieve a bobber that I lost and now some times she will go after a bobber when you cast and I have to stop her.
Well I need to get my day day started I have fifteen fruit trees to plant today and one very important thing to do today put up my hammock.

God's blessing work and laughter

Such a good day here on the farm, Uncle Ken and Kenny Ray and I  cut and split three loads of firewood today ,  two on Uncle Kens porch and one on mine. We should have enough to last now,  hope spring will show up and stay , we had clear skies and fifty degrees today but a big snow storm is expected tomorrow I have heard any where from one to ten inches, crazy weather. After we finished the firewood, Kenny Ray and I went over to the Mennonite bakery and picked up some donuts for tomorrow morning and some birthday brownies as it is my birthday tomorrow. On our way back home we drove past the home of a Mennonite friend of Mine, and his son was plowing one of his fields with a big team of Morgan horse's. I thought the ground was still to wet and when we got back
the our little farm I decided to try and plow one of my gardens. I did manage to get one plowed but the other one was still to wet. I had spent Friday working on my old IH tractor and it started on the first try which I was very surprised as it has always been very temperamental, I got on my knees and thanked God and has caused me to lose my temper thru the years, but it was Uncle Ken's so I have an attachment. I am hoping it warms up enough and all the snow misses us as I would like to get the garden disced and potatoes and peas planted this week, and mom should have some cabbage plants about ready and she is expecting some strawberry plants in that she is giving me for my birthday.
                       Uncle Ken tried to buy Kenny Ray's dog Belle This afternoon for two dollar's after he watched her retrieve a duck decoy from the pond. Kenny Ray said two dollars was to much and a dollar was more fitting. Uncle Ken laughed and said that two dollars was about a dollar and half to much. Well I think there is hot water now for my shower Kenny Ray has had his and gave the Belle
one and she is past out by the wood stove. My body is aching but my soul is very satisfied , as I sat out by the freshly plowed garden with my pipe and thanked God for bringing me to this point in my life as I have never been happier all that is missing is my lovely bride and she will be here soon.

The first days of spring, here on the farm

One thing about Ohio if you do not like the weather wait five minutes and it will change. Yesterday was a beautiful first day of spring, clear blue skies and forty seven degree's. Today looks more like February, gray skies twenty eight degree's and snowing.
                Yesterday morning I got to burn some brush, which for some strange reason I always enjoy.
It brings back memories of days past when Uncle Ken , dad and I first cleared the ground here and burnt brush for two days. It never seemed like work when we spent time together burning brush , or cutting firewood for winter, or putting in a garden. We laughed and joked as we went, Kenny Ray at times all he understands is the work. I say son it is not work to me, when you are improving your land and taking care of your family, at the end of the day you can see what all your efforts did. When you work in a office or factory you see no fruits of your labor at the end of the day. In Ten years no one will say Hey remember the day I typed that report or The day I built that washing machine, but they will remember the day you planted that apple tree or cleared that piece of ground for the garden.
       I finished burning brush about noon Yesterday and came in for dinner, Kenny Ray had just finished his math we ate and discussed what we were going to do that afternnon. I said son we need some more firewood, we need to drag some out of the woods I will cut it up while you haul some top soil and leaves from the bottom of the hill to fill some of our raised beds, we finished around four thirty, a truck load of firewood and two raised beds filled, and after supper I went out and planted onions, lettuce , as well as set some cabbage, brocclie plants that my mother had gave , and covered the boxe's with some row cover. The job of placing the row cover was made more difficult as Belle { our six month old Lab pup} wanted to help I covered and she pulled it off. I finished the day as it began Belle and I walking the farm together thanking God.

GOD has a plan for me

Once again GOD has stepped into my life and altered my plans, he has humbled me and my ego. I feel he has been working on me for the last couple of months, as I look back over some of my writings I see he was preparing me now for what lies ahead. Those people that know me , know that I have always planned on trying to retire from the body shop business at age fifty, well I did not make it to fifty as my employer let me go on January 28, I would have been in the shop thirty one years come April eighteenth. I have worked a job everyday  since I was sixteen years old. It was kind of weird as I was relived, it was like a great burden had been lifted off my back.
I have spent the last month working on getting my affairs in order, and reworking the cabin as my families new home. Kenny Ray and I have been moving our family belongings a pickup truck at a time. My wife Tari is taking care of things in our city home and is still working until the end of May or til the that house sells. I have ordered our chickens as well as some more fruit trees which should all be here by the end of the month, and in the process of planning the garden for the year.
While I have had some sleepless nights I have not been all that nervous about what lays ahead.
I walk and talk to GOD every morning as I walk over this little piece of mountain land, and wonder what he has planned for me next. I will take things one day at a time and enjoy each day and prepare the farm for my wife's home coming.