Hello Everyone!
Well, October flew by this year! It was a busy start to the month but then things slowed down and we ended it with a vacation getaway which was a huge blessing and much needed. Praise the Lord for all His creation in so many different ways. To enjoy the beauty of the mountains and vastness of the sea. October has definitely been the fall temperature changing month as we went from warm to very brisk fall weather. The cows all gained their winter fuzzy pretty fast this year and the bison are going back to their woolly coats. The pigs we have notices are not as muddy as they usually are due to the fact of not needing the ponds to cool off. The seasons is growing cold on the farm.
Summary for October:
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From Summer to Fall
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Big Pigs
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Sorting from the horse
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Always something to fix
The Herd
The herd continues to enjoy rotation grazing and hay combination. They are not moved daily right now as we are stretching out the grazing to have grazing last into winter. We are currently feeding hay to get trampling to stimulate the microbes in the soil before everything goes dormant which will Lord will make spring growing season even better.
The Bison
The bison have continued to stay in the fences for several weeks now and pretty much just chill. They of course are the first to move when it’s time (jumping the fence when things don’t move fast enough for them). They even have become more curious and will come up and just watch us when we are working in the paddock.
The Pigs
The piggies continue to get more round. They probably won’t get taller but the are definitely big pigs with a nice fat layer. They are enjoying the acorn crop this season which is their favorite and will also make an amazing pork flavor for this years Winter pork come up.
Cattle Sorting…the Fun Way…
This month we sold several of our South Pole cows and heifers to bring our herd numbers down for winter. Normally we move the whole herd up to the corral and sort the herd out for the ones we need. This time because we only needed 6 cows we sorted them out in the field with the horses and push a group up to the corral and finished sorting on foot in the corral. It was way easier then on foot (just a lot less walking/sprinting) and way more fun! Our herd is use to being handled by us on foot and normally we prefer on foot because we want them use to us.
Always Something to Fix
There is always something to fix on the farm. Whether it’s fences, waterline, equipment, barns…etc. Farming tests patience, trust in the Lord’s sovereignty, and the skills He has given you. It is a constant reminder from Him the a man can plan his ways but truly the Lord directs his path. We make the best decisions we can in repairs, planning grazing, construction, designs but ultimately He is the one that make it all come together for His Glory and our good!
That’s A Wrap
Well, that pretty much wraps up this month’s update. The Lord has blessed us this summer with a lot of learning experiences, some hard lessons and opportunities to have to completely rely on Him. The farm is His that we continue to strive and manage for His glory. As we go into autumn and winter and are prepping for this season we continue to seek His wisdom and thank Him for His guidance through the year! Until next time!
Your Ararat Farm