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Sometimes things get a little wild and crazy on the farm even when you think you have everything planned out. That has been the case on the farm for the past week or so (or actually the last six years if I’m completely honest with myself). We’ve had lots of rain and even some wind storms to go along with it. The storms caused some large branches and smaller trees to fall on the electric fence in the woods shorting everything out. The pigs that just joined the party in the woods last week found a small hole in the fencing that was exploited while the fence was shorted out. We have had some great publicity on the farm thanks to an article in the Des Moines Register. And, all sorts of other stuff has been popping up from 4-H projects to hard lessons learned.
I say all of that to say that this weeks episode is very unique for a couple of reasons. First of all it was recorded in the comfy (slightly breezy and cool) confines of the hoop building, and secondly I sat down to record with out any plan at all. You may notice both of those things come out in today’s show, but hopefully there are also some diamonds in the rough.
As always, I want to thank you so much for listening and supporting the show with your encouragement and reviews on iTunes! I am continually working to produce a better show, and I’m thankful for all of the listeners sticking with me as I learn.
If you do enjoy the show, don’t forget that you can subscribe on iTunes and leave a five star rating and review (by clicking the link). If you are an Android phone user you can also subscribe on the free Stitcher App. It is so very encouraging to know that people are listening and enjoying the show!
I would love to hear your questions, show ideas, or comments about the show. Feel free to shoot me an e-mail! As always you can follow along with “The Beginning Farmer” and Crooked Gap Farm by checking out these links …
I might not have been listening close enough, but why do you need dividing fences inside the hoop building? If I’m seeing it correctly in my head, it seems like internal fences or dividers combined with deep bedding could be hard to build.
I think I saw somewhere that a system of gates hung on the outside walls could be used to divide a hoop building (2-15′ gates to go across a 30′ building). When it was time to clean out the building, the gates could be easily swung open against the walls.
Rich … The reason for having the hoop building divided because we are going to farrow in half of the building (or a little less than half). I’m thinking of dividing it down the middle so both sides have access to the watering concrete platform and feeding floor outside. The deep building will make it a little more difficult, but I’ll hopefully learn as I go 🙂
Hey Ethan….just a quick comment on the LGD discussion. LGD’s are born, not made. Instinct is from birth and if they don’t have that instinct, you can’t train a dog to be an LGD. We have a Great Pyrenese/Australian Cattledog (128 pounds) a pure Australian Cattle dog (35 pounds) and a mutt (50 pounds) and the 2 cattle dogs are LGD’s the mutt isn’t and he can’t be taught anything except to be nice to the goats and chickens and stay off the furniture.
Keep the podcasts coming. we really enjoy them.
Dennis & Family
I agree with you that LGD’s are born not trained. Our experience has been that our Great Pyrenese bond with what they are put with. The dog the family played with when it was young guards the home area all night long and the dog that was tethered near the chickens has bonded more with them and the pasture. We do love our dogs though for the help that they provide … I wouldn’t farm the way we farm without them!