Monday, May 31, 2010

Did you give up on it or am I doing it wrong?

My sister gave the link to my blog to my dad about a week ago. I've been busy in Iraq getting ready to leave and have not taken time to write. This morning my dad emailed me to ask, "Did you give up on it or am I doing it wrong?" The answer is neither. I've been collecting knowledge.

I have been reading about things for the farm. I've gone to tractor forums read and asked questions about tractor types, makes and models, bush hogs and loaders. I've been checking tractor web sites looking at prices, HP, PTO, transmissions, engine size and drive. Based on what I have read, I know the class that I need and the initial attachments I want. I even know the engine I want. Now to find one that will fill my needs and not break the bank. I don't want to be cheap but I don't need new either. I've decided to contact my neighbor, (a recommendation from my brother-in-law, who is checking for tractors in Wisconsin), to see what he recommends, as far a service and reliability for our area.

Then there is the livestock preparation. I have a very long reading list. I am finding that Raising Goats For Dummies is very good. I was able to confirm that I want Nigerian Dwarf goats and I am learning about diet and housing. I also have Raising Chickens For Dummies, which I hope is just as informative. I know you can't learn farming from books but I hope it will give me a leg up from starting cold. This summer and fall will be used to get the farm ready for livestock; making sure fencing is sufficient, housing is available and pasture areas are safe and garden preparation. After reading a blog about a fenced garden, which was still overrun by rabbits, I needed to rethink my fencing preparation. I love that there are so many people blogging about their farms with their trials and successes. The trials help me to know how to, hopefully, prevent some of my own and their successes show me what I have to look forward to.

This last month is both going to fast yet is not long enough. Pretty soon, I will actually be doing, not dreaming. I hope I am ready.

1 comment:

  1. The Chickens for Dummies book is great, and it even includes a drawing of my very own coop!

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