Cutting/loading/splitting/stacking wood on our little farm fall of 2018

JW, this is a Heck of a compliment, coming from the wise wood burner himself!!!

I agree great pics also

 

These three pictures are due to requests and comments. I do utilize a couple of teams. Due to my arm issues, the last couple of years have been work free for the team. This year will change that! Anyway, here are some old photos of when the farm was green, I was mowing the pasture with my team of Norwegian Fjords. Wife's flowers in front of the house. And yes, the grandkids are getting some tastes of the old ways. Both of my girls can trim horse/pony and goat hooves. I have been a horseshoer since I graduated from Oklahoma Horseshoeing school in June of 1977. This is the front pasture on the South side of the driveway. Warmer days are coming!!

 

I hope the team still wants to work. All that green looks like paradise, at this time of year.

 

I found some pictures of Audrey. She is 4 years old. She is an animal lover. I bought this llama for a customer and she fell in love with him. He was standing and I told him to get down here and talk to Audry, he laid down! They had quite the conversation. She still tells me, "that was my llama Bop!"


Here is Audrey helping Mrs. JW water the ponies. Pictured are Fancy (the bay hackney mare) and Star (her colt, now 3 years old) bought her bred so the kids had a foal to play with that year. Behind is either Cowboy or Cowgirl (can't tell which in the picture) one of a matched team of shetland ponies.




In this picture Audrey must be 3, we retired Brownie last year from riding. He is over 40 years old. Now he gets the run of the lawn, grands can lead him anywhere and just brush and make over him. He showed up one night. Have publicized all over, no one has ever claimed him. Have had him for years. He is about 30" tall. Jack, Jill and Jenny are behind them, mini donkeys. What can I say??


Okay, this is my side track of my youngest grandchild. She is Tess and Eric's only child, the others belong to Fina and Josh. As I find pictures of the others, will find a way to sidetrack them in! Next ones will be back to the topic at hand, Wood!

 

Tess, Audrey and Mamaaw stacking the first load we bought. She like all the other grands, is a big helper.



And if you work them in the cold and bring them into a warm home, nature takes its course. I did not get a picture of her getting up because I was following her example!!!!


If you ever wondered what a basset female crossed with a Rottie would produce, here it is, Missy!!! When my oldest daughter told me she was getting a pup with that combo I told her she was crazy. Well, they picked up the pup, brought her to our house for the day and she (Missy) has never left. They let her out of the vehicle, she ran over to me, sat on my feet and looked up at me. I just told the kids (Fina and Josh) that they better go back and get another cause this one was mine. She stayed with me all day, ignored them and they left her with me. Man that has been 6 or 7 years ago. Been a good dog but is getting grouchy at strangers and the dogs the girls bring to the farm to run or swim in the pond. This is the way she usually is, nose to the ground unless a stray empty milk jug is around then she acts like a cat with catnip.

 

Yeah, they are a great group to hang with! They do burn fast and are great fire starters in the winter or for a good fast fire in the summer to get the water hot in the house.

Debarked really spoils a person! And the best part, they load the trailer!

Good, was hoping that was the case.

We bought this farm specifically to raise our two girls. They showed horses, cattle, pigs, goats, turkeys, rabbits and clothing and such. I am having more fun with the grands as I have learned to take the time and enjoy the time (or I can afford it now or just don't care). I read somewhere, "raise your kids so you can spoil your grandkids".

It is quite the operation where I get these. Might be another thread for another day after I visit and take pictures.

Thanks, trading my flip phone last year for this samsung has helped create these pictures.

I am sure when he said nothing my jaw hit the ground. And then the wood showed up that day!

Thanks, a photographer I am not, but the objects in the pictures are priceless for sure! And thanks for the kind words about our little farm.

I have identified him as a wise man, and that compliment did not go unnoticed by me. I appreciated it! Thanks for the kind words.

Funny you mention that. As three year olds they were the second highest selling team at the Waverly, Iowa sale. The people were older and let the team go for a while. Then when they hooked them, the team ran away, actually two or three times which really sets a habit. I heard about this team, ended up buying them and meeting a middle man in IL to get them. The off mare is a little skittish, but they have proven to be good honest workers. I will take it a little slow with them and do not expect anything but them appreciating the attention.

 

Looks like a great time. Good use of the new phone.

 

Feel like adopting a hard-working 63 year old?

 

This is from the same weekend when I showed the picture of the crew. CJ is here with the log handles as he calls them. All the grandkids love using them. I don't know what I would do without them. They save my back and I can carry two pieces at one time when otherwise I would carry one. At the end of the day, steps saved is good for me, I'm not on that step type diet!



Here are the brothers. CJ and Jon Boy. CJ is tall and wiry, Jon is short and stout. But boy they love to help. They are good boys.



I have had to work and hope the original engine would start and run. This year I called it quits, ordered this engine from the Small Engine Warehouse (in Muncie, Indiana). Told them what I wanted, what I had and three days later this showed up. Oh, for $50.00 extra, I got the electric start option. Bolted it up, got the pump mounted and second pull it started and ran. It is a joy! I fully recommend the Small Engine Warehouse.


This load ended up being 3' tall end to end. 6' X 16' hay wagon. Tarped and parked. Actually pulled this load up to the stove for this past cold spell. I will end up getting about 12 days from this load. The tractor you see is my Oliver 1650 gas tractor with loader. Been a great tractor.