Carport Repair: Replacing the Old Siding

Ordinarily carports don't have siding, but the builder of ours added a small storage space at the back. Once Dan had the new metal roof on he was ready to replace that siding.

The old siding was some kind of fiberboard.

Old siding removed.

It wasn't a lot to replace, but of course there were hidden surprises to keep things interesting.

Rotted fly rafter

So that had to be replaced. Dan also added gable end studs for support and for something to nail the new siding to.

New fly rafter and gable end supports.

We decided to use the same barn board siding and color scheme we used on the house.

Ready for primer and paint (a warm weather project).

The other place that needed new siding was the gable end in the front.

It came with a surprise too.

Some sort of ridge beam support.

Here's a closeup.

????

The two-by-four nailed to this ridge beam support was apparently only for something to nail the siding boards to. Dan replaced it with another two-by-four and a collar beam.

One fly rafter needed to be replaced and he added a couple of gable end supports too.

Lastly the siding.

Primer and paint will be next, once it warms up a bit.

Carport Repair: Replacing the Old Siding © March 2019

by Leigh  at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Twins for Ellie

Friday evening I went to the goat barn to secure things for the night and found Ellie standing in the corner. She had that faraway look does get when they're concentrating on the early stages of labor. Into the kidding pen she went and about an hour and a half later, she started to push. The only concern was that it looked like it was going to be a tight fit for kids to pass. I helped pull them out and fortunately there was no tearing. She had a boy and a girl.

On their feet for the first time.

The next morning.

Buckling was first.

Then his sister

One-day old

Ellie is a first-time mom but she took right to it. She's given me a couple of looks, though, as if to say "but what am I supposed to do with them?" Like so many things it's a combination of instinct and experience.

Twins for Ellie © March 2019

by Leigh  at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Book Review: Managing Cover Crops Profitably

It's too early and too muddy to do much in the garden, but I can work on tending to those bare spots in our pasture. Working on that reminded me of a book I wanted to tell you about: Managing Cover Crops Profitably  published by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program of the USDA.

I learned about this book from a video by regenerative agriculturist Gabe Brown. (I don't specifically recall which one, but if you are interested in soil building, head over to YouTube, search his name, and pick one - they're all that good). Those videos set us on a whole new approach to how we homestead. When he recommended this book I didn't hesitate to get a copy. It then became a valuable resource for the experiments Dan and I started late last summer:

• Carbon and Soil Building: Designing a Plan
• Soil Building Experiment #1
• Soil Building Experiment #2: Pastures

The book is a collection of articles written by a panel of cover crop experts. It is geared toward farmers in the U.S. who are looking for alternatives for weed, pest, and erosion control on their farms. The techniques are applicable for anyone wanting to manage their land in ways that build healthy soil. The emphasis is on no-till, but also offers strategies for those either unwilling or unable to stop tilling altogether.

The first section is a series of articles spelling out the whys and how-tos of cover cropping. It introduces the reader to the specific benefits of cover crops, how to identify one's goals, and make a plan. For example, reducing pest or disease damage, increasing soil fertility and structure, improving crop yields, preventing soil erosion, conserving soil moisture, etc. Lot's of real-life examples are included in this section.

Charts come next. They are one of the strengths of the book, because they organize cover crop information visually. They include best cover crops by region, specific roles played by various cover crop plants, planting information, and charts listing their advantages and disadvantages.

Section two deals with specific information about many of the commonly used cover crops. It starts with nonlugumes: annual ryegrass, brassicas, mustards, sorghum-sudangrass, and small grains (barley, buckwheat, oats, rye, and winter wheat). Legumes are next with information specific for various clovers, cowpeas, field peas, vetches, and medics. Regional maps help the reader immediately decide if the plant is a good option for their location. Specifics include types and cultivars, best uses for forage and soil improvement, how to establish and manage (by region), and other species to mix with for good results.

Appendices tell how to test cover crops for chosen applications, a 3rd edition update on some of the newer cover crop species, plus resources for finding seeds, support organizations, and regional experts.

For me, the "profitably" isn't about money profit, but about success in reaching my goal of building healthy, productive soil. The more I study it, the more I realize how it isn't just dirt, it's the foundation of all living things.

The good news is that the book is a free download from the SARE website. You can choose online text, PDF, epub, or mobi (Kindle). It's also available for purchase as a paperback there. I took a look at the PDF and realized the information was useful enough to have a hard copy. It's been an excellent addition on my homestead library shelves. Highly recommended!

 Book Review: Managing Cover Crops Profitably 
© March 2019 by Leigh at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Carport Repair: New Roof

With all the rain we've had, progress on re-roofing the carport has been slow. Any time we have a few days without rain, Dan gets busy and finally the new roof is on! You may recall where we left off.

Snoopervisor Sam performing an inspection.

Bracing to stabilize the roof rafters was first on the job list.

The next step was roof battens (purlins) to screw the roofing panels to. What to use for them prompted one of our "time versus money" discussions. Dan looked through his stack of boards by the sawmill but didn't have many of consistent depth. The length and width of the boards could vary, but if they aren't the same depth, the new roof will have dips in it. We have a new "crop" of fallen pines thanks to the waterlogged ground, so should he drag them through the woods and mill new boards for battens? Or would it be more expedient to buy them? After consulting the piggy bank, we opted to buy them.

The most economical choice was grade-2 decking planks.

Dan orders the metal roofing panels cut to specifications from a small local company. It's actually cheaper to buy them that way, rather than buy standard length panels from one of the big-box home improvement stores.

There are three sections to the roof and Dan spent a day on each.

Then new fascia.

Then the gutters and drip edge.

Done!

I think Dan is planning to replace the old siding next.

 Carport Repair: New Roof © March 2019

by Leigh  at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Poised for Disaster

"I play a mental game with myself that helps me bring our progress into perspective. It's a “what if” game, based on whatever imaginary emergency or doomsday scenario suits my fancy at the time. What if Dan was suddenly unemployed for months on end? What if, for some reason, civilization as we know it collapsed? How prepared would we be?" 5 Acres & A Dream The Book, Chapter 5, "The Establishment Phase"

I don't blog much about preparedness. This isn't because I don't see a need to be prepared, it's because Dan and I believe that the very best thing one can do to prepare for __(fill in the blank)__ is lifestyle.

Changing our lifestyle over the years has been a top priority, because we have long seen the root of the world's problems to be its industrialized economic system. I know many people love this system's promises of convenience and wealth, while others hate the inevitable inequality it produces. Trouble is, both points of view are too personal to be realistic. Step back for a bigger picture and it becomes easier to see that as long as industrialized manufacturing and agriculture consume the lion's share of the world's resources, we are headed for global disaster.

People look to politics for answers, but honestly? I think that's a pretty lazy excuse. If politics was actually interested in solving problems, then maybe. But it isn't. It's about power. What we have going on in this country, at least, is nothing more than a giant game of King-of-the-Hill. And it's not a friendly game. It's driven by hate, with one political party literally hell-bent on destroying the other at any cost. Even if it means climbing out on the limb of a tree and sawing that limb off. America's self-destruct button has been pushed. No amount of finger pointing is going to change that.

What's lifestyle got to do with it? Your lifestyle is the one tool you've got that can make a difference. When politicians and government make promises to fix things, it becomes all to easy to assume nothing is required on the part of Self. It's the government's job to provide __(fill in the blank)__ . That mindset enables us to turn a blind eye on problems and needs around us. Self can continue to pursue it's own desires. That's why I say that looking to politics is an excuse.

You can only make choices for you. As much as I wish my opinion may help someone, it's only my actions that make a difference. Dan and I have chosen to decrease our dependence on the current economic system. This is not just some wild, idiosyncratic hair. Historically, folks who live with farms and gardens fare much better when disaster strikes, because they can grow at least some of their own food.

"There are no one-size-fits-all solutions... It is better to grow one potted tomato plant on the patio than none at all. It is better to have a small suburban garden than none at all. It is better to keep a few potted herbs under a grow light than none at all. It is better to do something rather than nothing." 5 Acres & A Dream The Book, Chapter 6, "Food Self-Sufficiency: Feeding Ourselves"

 Poised for Disaster © March 2019 by Leigh

at http://www.5acresandadream.com/

Introducing New Kids to the Herd

I was asked a question recently, about when to introduce new kids to the rest of the herd. It's a good question, because there are a number of variables: herd dynamics, individual personalities, and the dam's mothering style.

I like to leave mothers and their new kids in the kidding stall for their first couple of days. New mothers, especially, need to learn who these tiny creatures are and bond with them. The stall isn't out of sight from the other goats so there's no herd separation anxiety for the new mother. They can see and smell one another and it gives everyone a chance to become familiar with the kids.

This also gives new babies time to learn how to use their legs and get around. They need to be steady enough on their feet and able to run out of the way of any adult who is trying to teach them their manners. Learning their manners includes learning which teats are acceptable to nurse from and which are not! With so much access to milk at eye level, it's a lesson that needs to be learned.

For their first outing, I like to wait until the others are out grazing and then let Mama and her babies out of their stall. That gives them the chance to explore and become familiar with the common area.

When it comes to meeting the rest of the herd, I supervise introductions.

I want to observe how the other adults react to the new babies and how well their mother will protect them. I've had does that let others butt their kids around, and I've had does who butt everybody else away before they can get anywhere near their kids.

Some adults are gentle with kids. They push rather than butt them away. Other adults are rough and rude with the kids, so I'm always on the lookout for bullying. The kids learn quickly and soon know who's way to stay out of.

I also keep an eye on the older kids because they tend to play rough and need to be supervised. Eventually the newbies know how to stay out of the way.

I keep these first times pretty short. If Mom wants to go out to graze, I'll put the babies back in their stall until she's back. They sleep a lot their first week or so and don't miss her while she's out with the others. I keep the adults out of the empty stall during this time, and I'll put mama and the kids back in it for several more nights.

I don't know if it's necessary, but I feel better knowing they can't get too far from their mother at first. Once everybody knows who's who and what's what, they don't need that anymore. Then it's just regular goat business as usual.

 Introducing New Kids to the Herd © March 2019

by Leigh  at http://www.5acresandadream.com/