pipeline

Thankfully we were able to do a lot of the work ourselves, on  a lot of the projects that needed to get done. But we did have to hire some help in getting the pipeline set up just right. It needs to be at a certain slope for the milk to work with the suction and the milk to flow properly to the holding tank, to then go into the bulk tank.

I know nothing of this type of work, but I can hold things and be the "gofer" you know, go for this and go for that! LOL  And it was time I got to spend with my husband. We kinda like each other. And being able to work together in all this new adventure we were on was fun.

A little out of order, but none the less the pipeline went in

good qoute

"The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic."


John F Kennedy 

Photo credit goes to our girl DaLaney 

 

the fire truck comes

Not in the way your probably thinking though. Thankfully.

We needed the under ground water drain cleaned out to make sure that all the water we use during wash up would actually go out where it should go. The best way we could be sure it was clean was to have the water truck come and dump pressurized water down it! So we did!
We also had the plumber out to set up the on demand hot water supply system. Our water temp is run on propane and needs to be 185 degrees. So ya, it's super hot. And yes when it hits your hand it is so hot its almost cold then it's instant pain. Gives a nice little burn on your hand. I've gotten one. So we try not to touch the water.

the truck arrives

getting everything ready

worked like a charm! there she blows!!! 

the plumber and my husband

family

The days and weeks went by super fast. There was always a flurry of activity around the farm. New excitement, and stress building as the day was coming closer that the milking herd was coming home.  There was never a day that went by that something wasn't going on.
Life in the big, yellow, farm house was great. We were still not moved in totally. Still needed pictures hung up and making it "home" was last on the list with getting the barn ready for the girls. But we were home, and very happy and content to be where God had planted us. Close to family and friends where we wanted to be. Our farm house was so much bigger then the trailer we had come from. It was a little strange to be in the house and not be so close together all the time. My kitchen is so big along with the pantry that I had no idea where to put my small amount of kitchen things. Not a bad problem to have. It was fun to figure out how to organizer it...ahahaha. I'm not an organizer by nature. It's something that I work at and thank goodness for Pinterest!! I had no idea how to make my kitchen work right for me. It was not a huge big deal, and I've figured it out. I love the big kitchen and was looking forward to having lots of family gatherings and such here.
I felt so blessed. I still do. I haven't forgotten where we came from and how we started. I pray I never do. We took the old number of our place and screwed it to the door frame out in our garage so that we would always have it there to remind us if we needed reminding.

see the number? 338

 The whole life journey we've had together has been lifeful. I don't think that's a word, but my life if full of life. We've had our share of ups and downs as any couple has, but we are stronger for it as a couple and a family. That being said we are very thankful for this big house. That is where family comes in. My husband has a big family with 4 other brothers. I joke with him and say they should have made a movie about you guys, 5 brides for 5 brothers! ahahha. Do you know the real movie of which I speak? It's a classic.
Anyways. His youngest brother, and his wife were selling their house, and looking to buy one closer to the family in our area. They actually had one picked out and were just waiting out all those annoying buying/selling a house details to be worked out. Well, as it turned out their house sold before they could close on the house they were looking at. And then the house they wanted fell through, they couldn't buy it. So as a family we all talked it over and decided that we would offer our house to them to come and stay. The girls have a large room and didn't mind staying together longer. So they could have the 4th bedroom. It even has it's own entrance to it, so that added privacy for them. We invited them to stay as long as they needed, and we were happy to have them. They accepted and moved in. They have one son and he stayed in our sons room. We set up a bed for him there. My sister in law and I get along famously so having her around was great!  She is not a farm girl, but I love her anyways, hehehe. Then she happily offered to do all the cooking so I could be more available to be in the barn! Boy what a gift that was! I knew everybody would be fed I didn't have to worry about getting a meal. Made my life easier for sure, and she's a great cook.
They moved in in October.
And as farm being new farmers and all these new farm things to figure out, their time living with us would be an added blessing.

the first load of grain

At the time we started getting our bulk grain delivered it was coming from Canada. This was our first load to come. We get a load once a month at this time as I type this post.
We usually have a revolving driveway of trucks and people stopping in. Folks seem interested in what we were/are doing and how we were reviving this old farm back to a dairy. Like I said in an older post no cows had been here in 40 years. The previous owners had horses in the stable and hayed the fields.
So on to the grain coming in. All these firsts were exciting.

Good thing we have a loop of a driveway. Makes it a lot easier for these big trucks that come and go. 

It was kinda cool watching all this happen and how it goes from the grain truck to the grain bin. My husband has climbed to the top of the bin before, and I told him I was only too happy to let him do that! I would watch from the ground.

All the girls came up to see what was going on. I guess they could smell the grain and were wanting to get in on the action!!

cement pouring

There is always so much to do on a farm. We never have a problem falling asleep at night. And the milking herd wasn't even home yet! We just had our 12 here. 

 Getting the spot ready for the grain bin we bought at an auction from a dairy farm that sold out. It's really sad to see these old farms selling out and no longer farming. Unfortunately it's happening a lot all over the country.

Cement truck came to pour! We had a little extra help to get it all smoothed out too!!

 Almost done!

Making it all even to keep the grain bin even and level. We put the date in it, and that night while it was drying a naughty barn kitty can across it too. So there are paw prints in it. Kinda funny!

 This is in front of the milk room door. There has to be cement in front so that the hose that goes into the milk room isn't on dirt.

Smoothing it all out. We all put our hand print in it along with Belles paw.

For some reason we never got any pictures of the grain bin being delivered and set up. That was fun! LOL
Oh well.

painting and other such projects

Life seems to pass me by and I don't get around to blogging. Or the computer dies on me. LOL I'm still a year behind on this farm life we get to live. So much to try to catch up on. I'll do my best. I seem to say that often. But when you farm, home school, and are a full time wife and mom, well you know what happens. So here is my attempt to blog again, and again! 

It was  a nice sunny day so DaLaney and I decided it was a good day to paint the boards for the milk room walls. Not much else to say here.

 ^^^ These pictures of the painted walls being measured and put up in the milk room. As you can see part of out pipeline has gone in too! The glass bulb, or the holding tank is to the right. Our bulk tank is the big silver thing behind Matthew!

^^^ These two pictures were exciting. This barn is our old barn! We milked the cows by hand in there! We picked it up and moved it to our new home! It's not being used for anything right now. We'll figure out what to do with it when we have time to think about it!!

^^^ These pictures are of some of the cleanup that needed to be done in order for the milk room to be redone. Probably a little out of order, but none the less. Here they are. As you can see there is a huge hole in the wall, so we could get the bulk tank in the milk room.

I guess that's all I'll bombard you with today. I have to go milk the cows shortly...Lets hope I can get a little more going on here...