Look what we got! Over 1 inch of rain in 24 hours. What a treat it was and we benefited from lower temperatures created by a late summer heat wave. My garden went nuts. As you may know for us to get rain from June to October is not considered normal. But I had just about a month earlier put in the front runners of my Fall/Winter garden. The broccoli, brussel sprouts and cabbage thought they went to heaven. The tomatoes knew they had gone to the arctic circle and were none too happy about the highs in the 50's and low 60's. With lows in the high 40's and low 50's had them calling room service for an extra blanket.
NEW LIFE ON THE FARM NEW BEGINNINGS
Welcome to Walnetto Farm in Sierra Nevada Mountain range. Established Summer of 2019 after returning to be closer to family after becoming a widow. Miss my crazy life on 42 acres in True Northern California but life is good!
Thursday, September 22, 2022
Time For Autumn!
Tuesday, July 5, 2022
It Is A Garden Finally 🎉
After too many reruns of winter and two days of spring then two days of summer. Finally we have a rhythmic pattern that agrees with the plants and me . Welcome to a photo tour if the 2022 garden at Walnetto Farm.
Monday, April 4, 2022
Two Weeks Old
Monday, February 21, 2022
IF A PICTURE IS WORTH A THOUSAND WORDS ARE SEVEN WORTH SEVEN THOUSAND?
Friday, July 30, 2021
The Last Week Of July Was A Weird One Maybe We Are In A New Normal?
Saturday, July 17, 2021
Nothing Stays The Same But Change
I often think about people who say "I haven't changed I am the same as always." My silent thought is "well then you must be dead or stagnant for life produces change . " With that said more change here at Walnetto Farm in July.
If you saw my last published post with the backhoe visit you know that I had some ground work done. Part of my reasoning was to take a prepared action for one of my mostly aging herd of LaMancha dairy goats passing. I now confess I knew that time was coming on us faster with each passing day.
On Monday last Walnetto Farm 2 Cute 2 Be Bad or as I called her KC when she returned to me from the 4H'er who had both bought and named her as a kid took her leave from the farm. She was ten years old but she had taken a turn last Fall for the worst. And nothing I could toss out to her was going to change the outcome of her journey. I have a few photos of her but they are a filed way back in Google land and I haven't got my skills up to speed yet on the Chromebook to find them. She was a large correct pure white doe with a lovely udder. She had a even disposition and was never pushy or mean to her herd mates.
Some of you may remember Tubby Tabby shown above with her partner in barn cat antics Snowy River. Both Tubs and Snowy were stray kittens brought in at the SPCA where I worked as a vet tech during cat/kitten season. They found a home with me and made the move from the Golden Westside of Fresno county to Mendocino county , Shasta county where Snowy passed on and Tabs made the trip to the new homestead in Mariposa county marking her fourth barn to run in her 16 years. Tabs was a herpes kitten as so many street kittens are and with age her episodes became more intense and more frequent. The last intense heat event we had last weekend came on a collision course with her most trying event. She took her leave on Monday also and has earned a place in front of her favorite tree where she always laid out her lines of tolerance to any new recruits that were added to the barn patrol since we moved to the cabin. Let me add Tabs always ran a tight ship and brooked no nonsense from any of the new crew but seemed to have a soft spot for the Dude.
For the most part I entertain the livestock and working dogs and cats as valued employees. But like employees tend to do they become family. They deserve respect and gratitude for the services they provide us and the companionship they give us. Some leave larger paw or hoof prints in out hearts but they are always shown kindness , gratitude and are part of the family. They will be missed.
Monday, June 28, 2021
Here Is One I Bet You Didn't Know.
What does this large hole in the ground have to do with ants? Also what do ants have to do with not having water for almost 24 hours? Anyone?
As macabre as this may sound it really was a case of preparing for the worse. Ever since I moved here in the back of my mind was the thought of what would I do if one of my small herd were to die ? If I had no one to help me how would I possibly hand dig a hole large enough for an adult doe or worse yet one of the two bucks? Geoffrey was a stickler for doing things what he considered old fashioned. I considered it just pretty much stupid as we had now "modern " tractors, backhoes, etc. However for the most part he did all the work and if that was his choice who was I to tell him come into the 20/21 century mister?
Therefore my concern with what could become a big , stinky issue was pretty much justified. It was always in the back of my mind and finally I found a fellow with a backhoe about twenty minutes from me to come over and for an extremely reasonable amount dig a hole large enough to accommodate multiple deceased when using the bottom up method . Used very successfully in many places looking to accommodate everyone in rapidly becoming crowded cemeteries .
Engine started the earth rumbled and the digging began. That is until on about the third bite the bucket snagged what appeared to be a DIY waterline. Confirmed by a loud sound of moving water which indicated a strong potential for the pipe breaking several feet up the line. All of that because no water was visible in the area below us. I began to sing "gotta love multi owned old houses that no previous owner made note of what they did." Now the race was on to the front yard (my house has three meters for electric in place this one was in front. It services the pump and the shop.) to shut off the water main and the electric to the pump. Beginning to see the light? The tall lady in the back hollers "but what about the ants?"
Ahh yes the ants. When Bob opened the breaker box to shut off the breaker we encountered ants. Yes it is summer and yes I have ants but no I have never checked my breaker boxes for ants before. I ran for my spray bottle of Bac Out. Yes it is disinfectant as I had no ant spray handy and if you look closely note the word disinfectant has the root word ant in it. I am only joking I know that is not really the root of the problem. HaHa!
So ants abated and water line capped off project was finished and we proceeded to turn back on the water and of course flip the switch. I checked the hose closest to the pump as I leave nothing to chance. Good thing I did no water. I checked several more and determined no water anywhere. SIGH. Bob couldn't get the breaker to stay on nor could he get it to come loose of its attachment to the box. I thanked both Bob and his lovely wife Tammy who had run down earlier to bring him the cap and gluing compound for the broken line. Decided to call my electrician leaving a message for him to call me asap in the AM.
Lance called me at 6:30 prompt and after a short conversation at his urging I called my pump guy because logic dictates that if it was more than just the breaker and included something going wrong in the process of trying to right this caused an issue with the electrical workings of the pump they could address that also. Not to mention but I will because my electrician is a super guy he had his entire crew committed to a job at the other end of the county. He would come if the pump guy couldn't but not until after his full day work. What a guy!
On close examination there were even more ants in the box when Beau got here than were there the night before . He hit it with serious ant spray and gave me a detailed lesson on how and why ants have caused more than one electrical issue . I am well educated , the ants are ding dong dead and gone, the pump is fine and I can take care of and wrangle this issue if and when this ever happens again.
I am also happy to report that currently all goats are still standing and Bob very generously offered to come by if one should met their maker and bring the backhoe to cover them up. Of course leaving an appropriate amount of social distancing for the next victim deceased.