Johnny's Farm Projects

 Admittedly, I write mostly about my projects and my interests (birds and flowers) on this blog. Johnny works on farm projects that are harder to photograph and explain. For months he has been replacing our 40 year old decrepit fences with old used fencing. If that doesn't make sense, well, it's like this... Years ago we became acquainted with and friends with people who had a 500 acre spread not far from us where they kept endangered antelope and other creatures that zoos gave them to raise. They gave us permission to do our monthly winter raptor survey through their property and to come other times to visit the red pandas and giraffes and other fascinating animals. But eventually, they sold and moved their exotic antelope to Arizona, where the weather was better for those animals. Here is the post I wrote about the fencing we bought from them when they had it taken down after the animals were gone. https://lindafink.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-fence-project.html  The "new" fencing is 74 inches tall rather than the 39 or 48 inch that we normally used. However, 74 inch tall fencing requires 8, 9, 10 or 12 foot posts which we also got from them.

Other than the tall posts for gates described in the above, the wire has sat coiled behind the machine shed for years. Here are some of the fences Johnny has put up in the last few months with this very tall, used but quite usable, fencing. 

This is the south edge of the "C" field, where the goats have access. The area in front is our new winter road area since the former road farther south was too muddy this winter to navigate. So nice to have a high and dry route to the lower "pump pasture"

The west side of the "A" field, where the dog used to escape at will. No more!

 

The east/west fence of the South field from horse barn to Qi Gong wildflower meadow

 This is the north/west corner of the South Field with the Qi Gong meadow to the right (west).

All our animals now stay where they belong. No longer can Annie the dog get through the fences to forbidden fields, leaving "her" horse, Nightingale, screaming and running up and down the fence line hysterically. (Nightingale seems to think Annie is her foal.) And we will be able to cut hay this year without "help" from the goats since Johnny has gated all the fields and between the fields. 

Although we have more fences to replace, the critical ones are done, so Johnny started preparing for haying season. That means getting the equipment (all very used) ready. The mower is an ancient one we borrow from a neighbor. Every year it seems to have more broken parts. This year one of the round discs was totally mangled. I'll have to get Johnny to explain. I just take photos.

I did not get a photo of the contraption before the broken disc was replaced. But this photo shows what the mower looks like. The disc on the left is the replacement one.

 

 

 

Here is the rusty, mangled disc.

 

 

After talking to Johnny's various repair guru friends, it was determined that a cast iron fry pan, large size, would work

And here it is. I wouldn't let him use mine so a friend bought him a new one.

Here is the disc repaired with fry pan bolted on.

Having the mower repaired and the weather turned hot and dry, Johnny was itching to cut hay. Our lotus fields are not ready since lotus come up later than grass and grows slower. But the grass around the barn area and pond was tall and heading out, so Johnny cut it with the repaired mower... which worked just fine. 

When he came in for lunch he said he thought he should cut the orchard grass, too, as it wasn't going to get any better (or some such reason). I think he just loves to cut hay. I went upstairs to check the weather on the computer... and came downstairs laughing. "You aren't going to believe this..."

Here is what it said: 

...FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM 3 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 PM PDT THIS
EVENING...

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.

* WHERE...Portions of northwest Oregon and southwest Washington,
roughly including the Coast Range Crest and points eastward.

* WHEN...From 3 PM this afternoon to 10 PM PDT this evening.

* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations,
especially in urban areas. Debris flows are possible in areas of
the 2017 Eagle Creek Fire, the 2020 Wildfires, and the 2022 Cedar
Creek Fire.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- Slow moving thunderstorms and high atmospheric moisture have
produced conditions conducive for localized very heavy
rainfall. Amounts in excess of 1 inch per hour may occur with
the most stationary storms.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood 

Meanwhile, back at the ranch at 2 p.m., nary a cloud was in sight. 

By 3 some thunderheads were visible to the north. Johnny paced...