It's Wet Up Here

Well, this area of the garden was our corn.  This area was also our beets and rutabagas.  This isn't just inches deep of water, but at least 6 inches deep.  I should have known better when I planted this field in the mud.  You might say I'm a bit discouraged about our gardens.

Peter heard today that last night we received 3 inches of rain.  That was on top of a bunch more we've received since Memorial Day weekend. 

I do know the Lord is in charge.  We do what we can, but the outcome is up to Him.   I'm sure glad it's not up to me.

Turkeys

Turkeys 2011 from Bartlett Farm on Vimeo.

Jonathan ordered his turkeys a bit later than last year so we can butcher them closer to Thanksgiving.  Hopefully the weather won't be too cold when they are ready.

I'm always amazed that turkeys are so curious, and have better personalities than chickens.   It's so much fun to get them to gobble!  I think the poults were a week old when Andrew took the video.

Stormy Weather

Storm from Bartlett Productions on Vimeo.

Peter caught the end of one of the storms we've been having lately.  The ground doesn't seem to get a chance to dry out before we receive another rain. 

Yesterday we were continuing our efforts to finish up planting in the garden areas.  This is an unusual year, because normally everything is in by Memorial Day weekend. 

Today is one of our first warm, humid, sunny days.  The crops should start growing now, but then so will the weeds and mosquitoes!  We have our work cut out for us.

Pigs and Fences

Last night I about 10:30 I heard the sound of a bucket being tipped over.  I thought it must be our dog Samson, who is characterized by pushing an old sled from in front of the cat house (which is Samson's dog house that was taken over by the cats) to get to the cat food.  It was a bit surprising to find Zorro -- our boar -- eating Samson's dog food. 

I'm very thankful that Zorro is a friendly pig, but at approximately 500 pounds he doesn't like to be pushed around.  I got Peter up and he brought a bucket of milk to entice Zorro back to his place down the hill and into his electric fence.  It wasn't quite as easy as that, but eventually Zorro was back in his home. 

The next hour was spent trying to determine why Zorro's fence wasn't receiving a charge.  I think we finally fell into bed about midnight. 

And then Zorro was out again this morning.  Hopefully we can get to the bottom of this and keep him happy where we want him to be.

Old Faithful

In December of 2007 the boys received this 1984 Ford F-150 truck from one of my brothers.  My parents' neighbor had purchased the truck, and gave it the best of care.  After the neighbor passed away it was given to one of his son-in-laws, but was never used.  A year or so later my brother made an offer on the truck, and then gifted it to our sons. 

We sure found all kinds of jobs for the truck, and the 4-wheel drive came in handy when our road turned to mud or we had a snowstorm and someone needed to get out of the driveway.   The truck was Jim's mascot when he campaigned for state senate back in 2008. 

The longer we had the truck the bigger the holes grew in the floor and bed, too.  It was all those wonderful Minnesota winters complete with lots of road salt that did a good job of deteriorating the body of the truck. 

Last December Jim, Jonathan and I took a trip to Minot, and returned home in a very bad ice storm.  I was sitting in the middle, with Jim driving and Jonathan reading a book to my right.  I could glance down at the bottom of the door on Jim's side and see the yellow lines in the middle of the road.  You'd better not wear good clothes during mud season or rainy weather, since you would end up getting splashed!   Jim always told us to keep everything off the floor -- or it would be gone.

Well, yesterday the guys took a trip to Minot with the old truck.  They didn't even get to Bottineau when the drive shaft disconnected and they had to pull over.  Someone stopped and Jim used their cell phone to call us; Peter took the car down and Jim used it to get parts in town.  They were able to repair the truck for less than $5.00, and once again they were off. 

The guys completed some of their errands in Minot when someone noticed the trailer had a flat tire ... Always something.  Thankfully they were close to Home of Economy and drove over there for a new tire. 

And then they were able to arrive at their final destination to receive a very special gift.

It's a 1994 Ford F-250!  We are so blessed, and thrilled!  The other truck will definitely be used around the farm, but we'll use this one when we need to go on the road.  

There's been a lot going on lately, and I will try to post more often. 

Spring

Does this sound like a SPRING FORECAST to you?

A BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM CDT /NOON MDT/


SATURDAY TO 1 AM CDT /MIDNIGHT MDT/ SUNDAY.


* RAIN WILL BECOME ALL SNOW BY MIDNIGHT TONIGHT.


* WINDS WILL INCREASE TO 50 MPH SAT AFTERNOON. THE

COMBINATION OF HIGH WINDS & HEAVY SNOW WILL CREATE BLIZZARD

CONDITIONS SAT AFTERNOON & EVENING.


* TRAVEL WILL BE HAZARDOUS DUE TO SNOW COVERED ROADS & BLOWING

SNOW SIGNIFICANTLY REDUCING VISIBILITIES.


* STORM TOTAL SNOWFALL AMOUNTS SHOULD RANGE FROM 6 TO 9 INCHES IN

GARRISON, MINOT & BOTTINEAU.
 
Hard to imagine.  We had a couple of nice days, complete with mosquitoes and woodticks.    We'll see what tomorrow brings.

Living on an Island

Check out Andrew's blog to see why we just about need a boat to get off our land!

Our road also goes back up onto a state highway in another direction, but there is water over the road in 2 spots and another culvert that is sinking.  We've had so much precipitation this year that many roads in the county are deteriorating.  Overland flooding has been a major problem in the state.

Today is a sunny day, but the day before yesterday we had more snow.   Yesterday was cold and cloudy.

This photo was taken on Thursday the 21st. 

I should have planted some spring flowers last fall ... We sure could use some color around here!

This Week's Happenings

Well, the above photo is what our driveway looked like this week.  On Monday Peter was able to head down the driveway with our car, but on the way home ended up parking it about midway up so we could still use it if we walked down to where it was sitting.

The top of the driveway is the worst.  Needless to say, wearing rubber boots is a must.

Our little pig friend has done very well.  I was thankful when he was brought back to the barn to his mom and siblings, since I no longer had to be up twice a night to feed him a bottle.

As you can see, the piglet's left front knee is enlarged.  I guess he isn't walking on it much, but sure keeps up with the rest of the crew.   Jim said he is the best eater when it comes to the feed they are giving them in the weaning process.

And no, we didn't let him out of his box in the house on a regular basis, it was done only to see how well he could walk before getting him back to the barn.

I think the above photo was taken on Friday.  Yes, we still have quite a bit of snow.  The latest forecast is for another storm to hit Monday night and could last until some time Wednesday.  May can't come soon enough for me!

The area surrounding Jonathan's chicken hoop house is fairly clear of snow, and the laying hens  enjoyed getting outside once again.  However, the chickens drifted closer and closer to the house, so Jonathan set up his electric poultry netting around the opening of the hoop house so they could be out but away from the house.

We are in a flyway of sorts, and it is always enjoyable to watch the Canadian geese returning.

One day last week David came running up to the house to let us know that Ebony had just had triplets!  We knew she was huge, and suspected she would have a bunch.  Last year she also had a set of triplets, but one died. 

Jonathan and Peter held Ebony while the triplets had their first taste of colostrum.  The last 2 born were on the weak side, so the day involved helping them to nurse every 4 hours.  Everybody was doing very well by the end of the day.  Goats only have 2 teats but all 3 seem to be getting enough milk.

While all the hoopla was happening, Samson was checking out Leah's kids.

Leah's kids were born almost 2 weeks ago, but they are the same size as the newly born triplets.  We think Leah had her twins prematurely.  Thankfully, all went well.

Jonathan's Rhode Island Red chicks are doing very well in the brooder.  Every day he lowers the temperature so they will be acclimated to cooler weather when they go out of the brooder.  I think Jonathan is scheduled to receive his first batch of broilers around May 1.

This is Milkah, Della's heifer calf.  She sure is cute!  We have her in with the goats.  A lady we know from the area came over one day to burn off Milkah's horns, and showed Jim and Peter how to do it. 

David needed something to help him climb onto Darla's back, so he and Peter constructed a stand to do the job.  Darla is doing very well during her daily training sessions by Peter and David. 

Doesn't this look wonderful?  We had snow again yesterday!  Thankfully most of what came down melted today.  We'll see what we receive during the next storm tomorrow night.

And Now a Word from My Sponsors

Below is our latest ad for Bartlett Farm products.  Make sure you check out the video of our farm!

Dear friends of Bartlett Farm,

We hope you are enjoying spring as much as we are! The farm has seen quite a population growth, having already hosted the birth of 13 baby pigs, five goat kids, a milk cow heifer calf, and the brooding of 100 layer chicks. More of everything is on the way…

In this email we are reminding everyone that the best time to order meat is in the spring. Many people buy their meat in bulk at this time to save money and to stock up enough food to feed their family for an entire year.

If you order with a deposit before May 1st, 2011, we can ensure that prices stay at the current rate when picking up the meat this fall. The reason we can do this is because we would purchase more feed and supplies early in the year before costs increase.
Call us for more detail at 701-263-4574 or simply send in your order using the form at: http://bartlettfarm.us/documents/BFOrderFormPDF.pdf

Thank you for your business!

Sincerely,

The Bartlett Family (Jim, Lynn, Jonathan, Peter, Andrew & David)




The 2011 farm video.

 P.S. Our new farm video will give you a glimpse into our farm activities. It is embedded on the website at http://bartlettfarm.us/.

____________________

IN CASE YOU ARE INTERESTED


1. There is a pdf copy of the spring “order meat now” 2011 reminder handout on our website at: http://bartlettfarm.us/spring2011reminder.pdf

2. If you are wondering what is different about our home grown pastured meats and the value of these farming processes, here is a quick review:

WHAT IS THE BEST METHOD OF RAISING MEAT ANIMALS?

To produce the highest quality, pure, healthy, and tasty food it is necessary to: (1) maintain the highest degree of animal sanitation, (2) ensure an adequate supply of green pasture, sunshine and fresh air, (3) use small natural animal group sizes, (3) minimize animal stress, (4) process the food in the cleanest, most efficient way, (5) avoid vaccinations, antibiotics and growth hormones, and (6) use organic hay and grains.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE WITH HOMEGROWN PASTURED MEATS?

Meat, eggs, and dairy products from home grown pastured animals, compared to commercial products: (1) are more tender, juicier and taste better, (2) contain more “good” fats, and fewer “bad” fats, (3) are richer in antioxidants; (4) contain more vitamin E, beta-carotene, and vitamin C, and (5) do not contain hormones, antibiotics or other drugs.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

More nutritious and safer food, well cared for animals and environment biodiversity, pleasant family farm working conditions, and local economic development.

Gourmet restaurants buy pastured meats because these differences and benefits are proven!

As Shannon Hayes writes in her 2004 “Grassfed Gourmet Cookbook,” “Your decision to purchase grass-fed foods is an important one. The production of grass-fed meats and dairy products helps heal our environment, it ensures the welfare of the livestock…And grass-fed meats are healthier. But the benefits don’t stop there. Grass-fed meats and dairy products taste better than their conventionally raised counterparts. Grass-fed pork and lamb have a particularly rich and savory flavor. Grass-fed beef tends to be lean and juicy, with a rich, robust flavor. Pasture-raised chickens have a firm texture and the type of flavor that older generations remember from their youth. Once you’ve experienced these superior foods, you’ll never want to purchase conventionally raised meat or dairy products again.”

“Those who do what is right take good care of their animals.”

Proverbs 12:10

Another Tune by Peter

Please check out Peter's blog.  He was thrilled to purchase a new guitar and Andrew helped him to record a new tune.  It's one of my favorites.

Farm Tour

A while ago a homeschool mom about 1-1/2 hours away asked Jonathan if he could provide her with 2 dozen fertilized chicken eggs.  He agreed, and when the time was close to pick up the eggs she sent an email and asked if she could bring along some friends to tour the farm. 

Last Thursday 59 people drove over for a farm tour!

The weekend before we had a storm that dumped about 10 inches of very wet snow on top of very muddy conditions.  The tour day was very warm -- probably in the 50's (we still don't have an outside thermometer!), and created very sloppy road conditions.

All the vehicles parked on the gravel road and Jim drove them up in the back of the pickup truck which was filled with straw. 

At least the children enjoyed the sloppy, slippery ride!  Some people opted instead to walk up the quarter mile driveway.

Jonathan converted the front of our old semi trailer to a brooder for his 100 Rhode Island Red chicks which arrived by mail a week earlier, and that was everyone's first stop.

It took a while to get the tour going, since the younger children thought it great fun to play in the snow and mud!  I guess I've forgotten what it's like to live with concrete sidewalks and paved roadways and no mud to be found.

I've never seen lines forming on our farm to check out the animals!

The chicks would have had too many temperature fluctuations if the actual door to the brooder was opened, so everyone had a look from the window in its door. 

The chicken coop was another stop.   Peter picked up a hen and let anyone that wanted to give it a pat.  I don't think the chicken was too thrilled. 

Down in the main barn the children (have to be careful not to call them kids, since we have some of those as well!) were introduced to Sandy and Della, our dairy cows.  Milkah the calf got her bottle while some of them were checking out the cows.

It was great fun to hold one of our new goat kids.

After everyone had sloshed through the mud and seen all the animals (forgot to take a photo of the tour meeting our pigs) the Bartlett Farm provided refreshments.

Hopefully a good time was had by all and their moms were successful in getting the mud stains out of their clothes.



Some people elected to take our very muddy driveway back down on foot.

Thanks to Karin for organizing the tour and enabling us to meet a bunch of very special families.   Thanks as well for some of these photos.  I was also thrilled they took 2 of our kittens! 

Party Animals

I'll direct you to Andrew's blog to find out where the party is at the Bartlett Farm.

No Joke from the Weather Service

How wonderful ... The Weather Channel has declared Fargo, ND as America's Toughest Weather City Champion.  You can read all about it here



Fargo is where we lived before moving to the Turtle Mountains, which is even farther north.  So far north that we could walk or swim into Canada if the Border Patrol would allow us to do it.
 
And of course, we now are in a winter storm watch for late Saturday night through Monday morning. 
 
It's been relatively mild outside, and the driveway is mudding up quite nicely.  Tonight Jim and I traveled to town to pick up the first baby bottles we've ever purchased (more on that later), and I felt as if I was riding in a race car as it careened through patches of heavy mud.   So much for having a clean car.  And now they tell us it's going to snow -- and even snow heavily at times.  The only thing to keep in mind in times like this is the fact that the snow can't last long when it's April.
 
A MIX OF RAIN & SNOW IS EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE WEST


SATURDAY NIGHT, THEN SPREAD EAST & CHANGE TO SNOW SUNDAY.

THE SNOW MAY BE HEAVY AT TIMES WITH SIGNIFICANT SNOW AMOUNTS

POSSIBLE. IN ADDITION, GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT BLOWING

AND DRIFTING OF SNOW & LOW VISIBILITIES, SIGNIFICANTLY

IMPACTING TRAVEL.



THE LATEST MODEL DATA HAS SHOWN AN NORTHWARD SHIFT IN THE TRACK OF

THE STORM, WHICH WOULD PUT THE HEAVIEST PRECIPITATION OVER THE

NORTHERN HALF OF WESTERN & CENTRAL NORTH DAKOTA.  HOWEVER,

UNCERTAINTY STILL REMAINS REGARDING THE EVENTUAL TRACK OF THIS

STORM & THE AMOUNT OF PRECIPITATION IT COULD PRODUCE.
 
Marci at Down on the Farm keeps telling me we're crazy for living up here, but when it's almost all I've known since birth it is just something you get used to.  Usually.  I must admit I am very, very ready for a real spring.

The Ultimate Pet

I've had kittens in the house, and I've had puppies ... I've had goat kids and a calf; but this is the first time I've ever had a piglet!

The poor little guy is two weeks old.  He must have been stepped on by his mom, because he was limping.  His 12 siblings saw that he was struggling, and thought nothing of shoving him out of the way to take the best teat.  So, this morning we found he had been shoved away from mom and away from the heat lamps, and was very, very cold. 

Andrew brought him into the house, and we used a small syringe to give him some cow's milk.  We placed him on a blanket on top of our wood stove to try to gradually warm him up.  It was about mid afternoon that he started perking up, and is actually taking milk from a lamb's nipple on an old pancake syrup bottle (whatever works -- we didn't have a pop bottle). 

He isn't out of the woods yet.  Hopefully he will be more perky by morning.

Maybe we should name him Wilbur, and maybe some day he will have a tiny friend named Charlotte ...

Spring in North Dakota

No one is going anywhere in the state tonight.  The solid red lines show where roads are closed or blocked, and the broken red lines show where no travel is advised.  Even the two interstates in ND are closed. 

This storm is supposed to bring us up to 18 inches of snow! 

It's a Girl!

 I guess I should really say, It's a Heifer!

She was born about 4:15 this morning.  It was kind of a long night, but we are very thankful for a healthy calf this time around.  We lost our other cow's first calf last year.

Della the mom is doing very well.  Peter did great in handling the evening's activities, and Della acted like a pro at milking, even though she is a first time mom.  The yet to be named calf is resting comfortably in the barn.

Della is pure Jersey, but before Peter purchased her she was bred to a Red Danish. 

More news later. 

Chow Time

Introducing Bartlett Farm's 13 little pigs, who are half Hampshire and half Berkshire:

Long Night, But Good News

Our sow delivered 14 piglets.  One hadn't fully developed, so it was dead on arrival. 

Since this was our first time with pigs we had someone stay with them through the night, in the event the sow would  accidentally crush any of her babies.  It worked well, but everyone is very draggy today. 

I had to get Jim up and running at 4:15 a.m. in order for him to drive to Bismarck to see what he could do to sway the opinion of legislators who voted unanimously in committee to send SB 2150 for a vote.  This terrible bill would lower compulsory school age to 6 and raise mandatory school age to 17.  The change may not sound like a big deal, but it certainly is.   North Dakota has some of the strictest laws in the nation concerning homeschooling, and our legislature seems bent on giving us laws that are even more intrusive.   It's been a rough legislative session for the homeschooling community.

Jim took our camera loaded with piglet photos to Bismarck, so it may take a while before I can post any  of them. 

Babies Everywhere!

Seven and counting ... Our sow has delivered 9 very cute piglets.  I'm sure there will be more.  Photos will follow shortly.

Let's see:  Five kittens, 9 + piglets, a Jersey soon to freshen, goats in April, along with another Jersey -- life is booming on the Bartlett Farm!

The ND Home School Convention is History

Jim, Peter and Jonathan headed to Jamestown, ND on Thursday for the state's home school convention.  That left Andrew, David and I to hold down the fort.  Della, our newest Jersey heifer cow is due to calve in just 2 weeks, and was showing signs of an early delivery.  That story for another blog entry.

Friday evening of the convention was a family sharing night and Jonathan and Peter decided to participate.  Their friend Andrew Bornemann filmed their songs: