Newsletter #279 2024 Oct 11 Friday
With the help of Kenton again this week, a lot was accomplished, in the Sugar House, and on the Farm. Things are coming together...but the Sheep fencing task still looms large.
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Primal Woods
Another vet visit, today, this one for Lena. She’s had both knees worked over in her younger years, analogous to ACL surgery in a human; now is seems arthritis might be a problem, in her hips in particular. She’s 9 years old, and we think a cross between a pit bull breed and a chocolate lab.
Sawmill Services
I have a job on the calendar yet this week, but it won’t be complete until after I’ve pressed “publish” on this post. It’s another smallish job, but I’ve come to enjoy those, even if they don’t result in a relatively big paycheck. I did though complete some work on the Homestead for Matt; if you'll remember, I re-sawed barn timbers for Matt a couple of weeks ago.
After we milled the timbers, Matt brought over this walnut crotch-piece. My job was to cut “cookies,” though most cookies don’t have two hearts as does this crotch-piece.
Both end pieces are scrap, but the work yielded five pieces about 3-1/4 inches thick, which was one or two more than I was expecting.
Once dried and planed, these will make wonderful tabletops.
Pure Maple Syrup
For this week I will point you to the separate post I put up on cleaning the evaporator in preparation for this coming spring.
Pure Maple Syrup Season 2025: Fall Preparations
Below is the “after” picture of the evaporator pans and steam hoods back in place on the arch. All of the smaller gadgetry that makes this piece of equipment go, semi-automatically, is not yet remounted in this photo.
Homestead Rebel Farm
A lot of progress was made on the “Barn water” project this week.
Drain valves were installed to make winterization of the pump easier.
A new 30-50 psi pressure switch was installed, and the pump tested; it’s a “GO.; and no cycling of the pump.
While I was installing and testing the pressure switch, Kenton was pressure washing a second 275 gallon tote we had on the property. The tote had not been used for awhile because in winter we had broken the valve stem on the tote drain valve; it had frozen and a little too much muscle was put into trying to open it. A new drain valve arrives today.
Once the barn tote is back in operation the Water Wagon can be used exclusively for the pigs; saving a lot of 5 gallon bucket trips to their location.
Kenton repaired and tested the log splitter; I’ve been splitting firewood by hand for the last two or three years. The repair came down to a thorough carb cleaning, and splicing of the 12VDC wire to the ignition coil, which had evidently been gnawed on by mice. It’s back up and running, and since I’m attempting to put up firewood in bulk this year, the splitter will come in very handy.
Kenton has some applications in; he is looking for a job as a diesel mechanic, and he has acquired some experience at Miracle Mountain Ranch in western PA over the course of the past two years. I can attest first-hand to his work ethic, and his small engine repair skills. If any of y’all know of a diesel mechanic position in southwest Michigan in particular, please let me know, and together we can hook Kenton up to the lead. Thanks!
Installation of the two tubes (think drainage pipes, or culverts, running under a roadway), one to the NW of the High Tunnel, one to the NE, will be started and finished tomorrow! Matt, a milling customer, and owner/operator of Four Seasons Excavating and Landscaping in Coloma, will do the work. Another huge improvement to the farm. Matt and I also discussed how we intend to store water at the High Tunnel, and Matt will probably have a hand in that work as well.
The pigs are doing great, just so ‘ya know. Going through lots of feed, naturally. I’ve been surprised recently that in the cooler, drier weather we’ve experienced, they seem to be drinking more water, not less, than in the hot, humid months.
Farmhouse
We have guests in the Farmhouse the next two weekends. The big news is that Geri achieved “Superhost” status on Airbnb. It took less than a year, but anyone who knows Geri also knows that it was foregone conclusion. She is indeed a super hostess.
News
Also this week I put up a post writing and talking about Babylon The Great, of Revelation chapters 17 and 18; sometimes referred to as Mystery Babylon.
Mystery Babylon
Below the video is associated text; the video is discussion of the text, while forking manure pack onto a compost pile. One take, no editing; just thinking out loud.
And I put up several Notes regarding the newsworthy, at least in my opinion. Here are just a couple.
Books
I pretty much took a reading break this week; not by design really, but it’s just been busier than I’d like. I’m fond of saying, “busyness is an enemy.” Being too busy to lift our heads up from the immediate tasks at hand is what the “higher powers” want; I simply don’t want to spend any more time giving them what they want. True enough, it hasn’t just been the non-productive sort of busy, but busy nonetheless, which means I haven’t had sufficient time to continue my education. So. My advice is to not use being “busy” as an avoidance strategy; regardless of what you might be avoiding.
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All the best, and may God bless you and yours,
John & Geri
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Thanks honey for the shout-out. You know I always try to the "A"...LOL