Filed under: June 2020 | Tags: bee problem, extended grazing, patience, sorghum/sudan grass, Suffolk Punch horses
June 1, 2020
We are all preparing, watching and waiting for the days ahead. Unsettling times seem to surround us presently. Keep in mind that God is in control. This too shall pass. It will take patience, forgiveness and love. I am at a loss for words over the current unrest. The protests are valid, the rioting and destruction are a sad aftershock. Covid-19 had us in its grip and now an old ugly wound has been scratched open again. We need healing. We need resolution and we need prayer.
Bree, our five week old baby horse, continues to grow and learn. Her training amounts to simple lessons, kept short and always ending on a high note. She will join her mom at work soon. She will walk along beside and learn all sorts of things.
We were getting swarmed by wood boring carpenter bees. I hate to spray poison around. My wife read somewhere that a paper bag hung up will mimic a hornet’s nest and keep the bees away. I humored her and hung up the bag. To my amazement, I haven’t seen even one bee since hanging it up! I don’t know if it is because of this bag or not, but I’m not taking it down! (Thank you honey)
Yesterday, I hauled many loads of composted manure and applied it to last year’s corn field. Today, I worked up that field. I disced it up, then broadcast sorghum/Sudan grass and some rape seed. The seed will provide summer grazing for our sheep flock. The grass grows quickly and rank. The rape is a forage that the sheep love too. The combination can be grazed off and on all summer long. It is a warm season grass that winter kills. I will however, plow it down in very late summer. This field will be planted to speltz in very early autumn.
We rushed to beat tonight’s coming rain. I was pleased to get it in. Sam the border collie kept me company. Now we wait and watch for new growth in the days ahead.
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RicelandMeadows 
Excellent post! It’s nice to hear someone keeping a calm level head at times like these. I love around the corner from you over on Mill Creek Rd. My wife and I just moved into the area last August and are starting a small pasture based livestock operation centered around broiler chickens. We are in need of some grazing animals to help heal our pasture which was soy beans when we moved in. Do you sell your lambs? And if so do you have any available? We see you animals all the time when we drive by on rt. 307
Comment by Stephen Tramte June 4, 2020 @ 8:42 amStop in sometime Stephen, I will help guide you.
Comment by ricelandmeadows July 3, 2020 @ 12:24 pm