Hay Season Started Early / Reid Ranch/ Small Kansas Farm

 

Hay season started early.  The weather was so much warmer then normal so we started cutting hay in early May.  Usually it’s middle of June.  The rains also were not normal as we usually get a lot of rain in April and May, not so this year.  So we started cutting our own hay and were thankful to get a second cutting off of one of our fields.  Our old equipment made it thought another season.  Brian did hay for our neighbors and they helped us put the hay in the barn.  It’s great to know and love your neighbors .  Here in the country, people try to help each other.  What a beautiful life!

 

 

Yesterday I got a lesson on how to shoot a 22 Rifle.  What fun I had!  I wanted to be confident in the use of a Rifle.  Now, I  feel sure of my abilities.   I needed to know how to load and cock a Rifle and then aim and shoot.  I believe all of us need to have that kind of knowledge especially those of us on a farm.   The farm life demands that we know how to use this tool.  A Rifle in my mind is a tool, just as important as a shovel or farm tractor and must be appreciated.

107 Degrees here in Kanas/ Reid Ranch Farm / Small Farm

107 degrees here in Kansas today. It has been in the hundreds most of the month of July and hot in June too. What’s to complain about? We can find so many reasons to be depressed and complain.” It’s, Oh so hot! “ It’s been so hot the gardens are dying.” I’ve mulched and watered and tended to the tomatoes and the tomatoes are drying up on the vine.” Squash bugs are devouring everything.” Where is the rain?” “ The cows have little to eat.” The complaining can go on and on. I right now, have made a decision with my self to not speak a word unless I can be positive and encouraging about the situation here in Kansas. Things will then look better even if not in the natural. Prayers get answered when offered with a positive, joyful spirit.

Me and My Apples

The fruit love the hot weather

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FARMING IS NOT FOR A COUCH POTATO / Reid Ranch Farm/Small Hay Farm

Brian is such a great man. This heat has been very hard on him but he keeps going. A few weeks ago he wanted to get another cutting from one of our fields as hay will be expensive later, and we need as much as possible to get through the winter. The day he went out to work was the another 107 or 110 degrees. He started to cut and he got a flat tire on the Ford tractor. He walked to the house and the other tractor would not start. Dead Battery. Once the battery was charged he put the sickle mower on the tractor and started to cut the field. Once the field was cut he put the rake behind the tractor and started to rake and after 2 rounds the main shaft on the rake just broke off. He brought the broken rake up to the house and in this heat, he took the parts off the rake and put them onto the rake we keep for parts. With determination and a smile on his wet face he drove off to finish the job. One more thing, the tongue on the rake he was beginning to use in the field broke off. Another trip to the house to remove the tongue on the other rake and attach to the rake and finally the grasses got cut, raked and then baled. I told this complicated story for those of you who do not work or live on a farm. To be successful in farming you must be confident in your self and never give up. The farming life is not for the couch potato.

Dave Berggren & Brian Reid.

HIS NAME IS WALTER / Reid Ranch Farm/English Shepherd Dog/Small Farm Life

 

 

His name is WALTER.  The English Shepherd pup we got in the winter is a WONDER DOG.  To watch Brian and Walter together is so cool.  With a hand signal and a call Walter races  through the grass to find the cows in the back pasture or resting under the trees.  He barks as he begins to make his wonders happen.  He moves so freely, in and out as he finds them and brings them to the barn.  He looks at Brian to get another command and waits as he watches the cows move by.   For years Brian has had to walk through the pastures to bring them all in, but now he waits on the porch and Walter does all the work. He’s our Wonder Dog for sure.

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It’s About Time to Blog again / Reid Ranch / Farm Life

Where has all the time gone?  The winter is over and summer is almost here.  The grass is green again and the crickets are singing their song.  The cows and goats are happy and giving more milk then we can handle.  It’s so nice to once again walk outside with no shoes and feel the grass between my toes.  Planting seeds in fresh turned soil and waiting for the first rain to wet the seeds and watch them grow.  Nothing is more beautiful then the simple things our Creator has given for us to behold. 

Once the grass turned green the cows, who all winter gave all they could, have now doubled their milk production.  I have been making so much cheese and butter I’m beginning to wonder if I can keep going.  We have been able to add a few new families to the farm store but could use more.  These new families are so happy to have found us and we are so thankful too.  They tell me that the products from our farm store are the best ever.

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THE FARM IN WINTER / Midwest Farm Life / Kansas Small Ranch / Natural Organic Farming

We lived through the bad storm!   How do the cows and calves endure such cold nights?  Brian wares layers of clothing and then a jump suit overall.  Yesterday and today nothing will run so it’s Brian walking with totes and wash bucket up to the barn.  I get to sit by the fire and type this short blog until he comes in.

Milking Helpers/ Midwest Ranch / Kansas Small Farm

Last Saturday night all the children came to celebrate their dad’s birthday.  Brian Jr., Tom, Julie, Cheryl, Sam and Greg all came to eat and relax awhile. 

BRIAN & GREGG ON GUITAR

When it came time to milk the cows Brian and Tom, Brian Jr. and Julie went with Dad to help.  The only one who has milked before was Tom.  Everyone took turns milking and they did really well.  Maybe someday they can take over so Dad and I can get away for awhile.

BIRTHDAY BOY (BRIAN)

TOM

BRIAN JR

JULIE

BRIAN JR & BIRTHDAY BOY

How did the Old Time Farmers do it? / Kansas Country Farming / Midwest Simple Living / Natural Farm

Farming the ways of our forefathers in this busy, fast paced world of corporations, big money and overwhelming taxes, takes a peaceful, patience person to survive and be successful .  It takes talents and  determination with a love of the freedom to work for yourself and enjoy the pleasures of small successes.  My Dad was a farmer in the 1930ties and on in to the 70ties.  I didn’t realize how much I had learned from him until we started our own farm.

My father was his own boss and never worked for any other man.  His desire to be a man of means, working only for himself, gaining and living in the freedom this country offers was how he lived.  He helped many people and worked very hard to provide for our family.  Dad spoke freely to us children on how to keep our minds open and encouraged us to ask questions and think before you answer a man.  Farming was in his blood and he tried many things to keep diversified. He raised beef, sheep, row cropped tomatoes, strawberries, raised acres of wheat and  alfalfa. He cleared fields of grassed and planted orchards of walnuts and prunes.  Dad bought land and worked hard to pay the mortgages.  He always tried to be successful but had many disappointments.  He would always say, “If you don’t take chances you’ll never know if it would have worked, so don’t be afraid to fail.”

To work for yourself can be exhausting.  Brian and I have not had a day off for over 5 years. Our gardens have not always been productive, even though we worked hard to plant and weed.  The animals take much care and they are not without cost.  The buildings always need repair or rebuilt.  Brian added on to the barn this year using much of the reclaimed lumber he had stored of several years.  We have lost chickens to the wild life here in Kansas and lost our investments many times over.

The joy of living and working for yourself is hard to express.  It’s spiritual, and never leaves the heart.  Living this way with loving animals and wild creatures,  enduring the weather in summer and winter, evokes a pure way of life that echoes from wholesome, honest, loving farmers of the  past.  My hope and prayers are that more families will find this same desire to live off the land and give their children the same confident,  land loving, positive education I received from my father.  

Curious Jethro / Midwest Farm Life / Kansas Small Ranch / Donkey

Monday, Brian and I went to town.  It’s hard to leave the farm as the work or things to do never end.  Brian and I had to hustle to get as much things done before we could leave.  The last thing Brian did was put bales of hay on the back of the farm truck and drive up on the hill to leave hay for the cows.  I had finished washing the totes and vacuuming the house. We grabbed a second cup of coffee for the trip and off we went.

It was around 5 pm when we got home.  We began to prepare for milking, as we start that task around 6 every night.  As I went out to bring some more groceries in from the car, up walked Jethro, my cleaver donkey.  I said,” Hi Jethro how did you get out of the field?”  I looked around and Valentine a steer was also out.  Long story short, I led Jethro back into the pasture and Valentine followed.  Brian in his hurry had left the gate open, thank God the other cows had not found the opening.

When Brian went to the barn to milk later that evening, what he encountered was a mess created by CURIOUS JETHRO.  Jethro had had a happy day in the barn!  The feed containers with cat and dog food in them were pulled out and flung over to the other side of the barn.  He had helped himself to all the alfalfa hay he could eat, as bales had been pulled open and moved around. The cats’ house had it’s roof off, the halters and ropes that hung on hooks were pulled off the hooks and tossed to the ground. Oh Jethro, what a time you had carousing around in the barn. 

Brian wasn’t to mad, as he knew it was his fault for leaving the gate unlocked, but we might have to put Jethro in with Becky and the calves as he is eating to much; or, we could leave him out to be a Farm  Greeter? Walmart has Greeters, why not the Reids?     He did greet one neighbor as she came for her milk.  She tried to put him in with Becky the cow, but he wanted to stay out and Becky tried to get out to, so  her efforts were in vane.  Life on the Reid Ranch is never dull or real exciting, just enjoyable.

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FOUR NEW CALVES TO JOIN US / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Simple Farming / Cows

Four new calves born all ready!  Trisha, a black Jersey had her calf on the 7th of November. This was her first time to calf and gave birth without a hitch.  We named the heifer calf, CoCo as she is chocolate brown. 


Mae, another black Jersey had her calf on the 23rd of December.  We thought her calf wouldn’t be born until the end of January as our bull was not yet a year old if he  bred her in March, but to our surprise that is exactly what he did.  This heifer calf we named Grayleen because of her color.

June now had her calf on the 31st of December,  New Years Eve.  June started her labor in the late afternoon so Brian and I got her to the barn as it was very cold.  The calf came that evening, another heifer.  We call her Nevey, New Years Eve baby.

I now feed 4 calves who fight for their bottles and suck my coat and hands.  It’s quite a challenge to care for these beauties.  The 4th is a Jersey bull calf we’ll raise to replace Moonlight someday.  We call this bull calf Stanley.

THREE IS MORE THEN ENOUGH / Kansas Farm Life / Mid West Simple Living

THREE IS MORE THEN ENOUGH.  Our goat Ginger had her kids the other day.  It was when Brian went to milk when he heard the sound of the babies crying.  Ginger had three kids again this time.  I went up to clean them off and see what they were.  Two males and one doe.  That night we thought all were nursing and doing fine.  The next day I went to check on them in the afternoon.  One kid looked nearly dead.  He was still and lying stretched out while the others were warm and sleeping.  I picked up this little one, so mad at myself for not checking earlier. Took him to the house and I forced him to drink the colostrum I had taken from his mother.  He didn’t try to suck, only was freezing cold and limp.  Eva and Isabelle held him near the fire place and kept trying to get some colostrum down his throat.  Miracles still happen! AT 2:30AM I heard him crying and I gave him more milk. 

The next morning he was up on his feet, and Naomi held him the rest of the day until we had to put him in the barn.  

Adelaide is here today and Prince Nibbles is now everyone's favorite baby.  Prince Nibbles will be Adelaide’s 4-H project for next years fair.

UPON THE ROOF! / Kansas Farm Life / Mid west small farm / Simple Living

UPON THE ROOF!  Kansas doesn’t have mountains or snow covered peeks but up on the roof the view is spectacular!  The clouds seemed closer and the air fresher upon on the roof.  The day Brian needed help laying black paper over the old boards on the roof of the new barn addition Kathy and I climbed the ladder to help. 

The wind was howling that afternoon and the rain was expected soon.  We held the paper in place and handed nails to Brian.  What an awesome time we had, our hair blowing and eyes beginning to water as we laughed so hard remembering how we were as little girls on our fathers farm in California. We forgot we were grandmothers with graying hair and aching knees even Brian had a good time listening to our stories.  

The Reid ranch looked so beautiful with the cows and goats grazing as the day turned to dusk.” One more nail,” Brian said.  The job was finished for now, but oh how much fun we had on the roof.

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WALTER / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products / English Shepherd Farm Dog

 

Walter is the name we have given our new 10 week old puppy.  Many days out of the year, the cows will not be ready to come to the barn when Brian is ready to milk,even though they are on a 12 hour schedule. Brian has to walk the fields to fine the cows and encourage them to come in.  Walter, an English Shepherd, an old breed of farm dogs, will help Brian bring the cows in from the pasture when he grows up.  He will help with predators, and just be a good working dog and companion for Brian.  He is so smart and already has learned the command to come and stay. Brian has had a lot of dog training experience.  When he was a young man working as a  security guard for a college in Pasadena, California,  Brian and the other guards spent much time training German Shepherds to help them work at night on the college grounds.  Brian’s dog was  Lad.  He would obey arm and hand signals from many distances away.  Never a word was spoken. This education Brian has should help make Walter in to a  terrific dog. 

Carolyn

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EVA and JETHRO / Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products

 

Eva our grand daughter helped her Grand father for most the week-end.  She stayed up on the roof and handed him nails and held boards in place.  She is nine, and loves the outdoors and can be a bit eager but will stick with a challenge.

Brian held her on Jethro  our donkey, for awhile and she wants to ride alone.  Jethro is a pain. He is always in the way and wants to eat your sandwich, drink your coffee, pull on your coat and push at your shoulders.  He means well, but can be obnoxious.

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INCREDIBLE HUSBAND Kansas Farm Living / Midwest Small Farming / Natural Ranch Products

 

It’s incredible what my husband is capable of at his 65 years of age.  He climbs the ladder to the roof and walks the planks high in the air.

 

I can’t watch!  He holds the trusses with one hand and hammers the nails with the other.  These trusses are made with this old lumber, probably 100 years old, and is much heavier then new lumber.  Without the boom truck I don’t think this addition would have been possible.

When the trusses were all done and nailed in place, my sister Kathy and husband Dave stacked 1x6x8 feet boards on to the trailer( no board was exact) so Brian could use them to cover the trusses. Each board is unique and needs trimmed or cut to fit in the spot Brian has picked for it.

 

It took Brian several days to complete the roof, but oh how good it looks.

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MILK BARN ADDITION Kansas Farm Life / Midwest Small Farm / Natural Farm Products / Using Recycled Lumber

 

Brian is building an addition to the milk barn to help the cows with their caving this winter.  It will give them a space to get out of the cold so the calves will be safer.

 

The barn addition is being built using that old lumber taken from houses Brian took down many years ago.

Dave’s old truck with the boom on it that he designed several years ago, has been a life saver.  Each board is winched up and held in place while Brian nails it down.  Dave added an extra height to the boom so it would make it easier for Brian when on top of the roof.

The building process is slower then when using old, weathered lumber, but it is looking so fine.  The money we save makes it so well worth it.

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