Summer: The Time to Get Things Done

Pierce

Alex after work.  Hosing for bug control and to keep her coat from bleaching

Summer: bugs, buying hay, hauling hay, and fencing

Frankie's bug control

Insects

Bugs: ugh.Though I don’t think we get the bugs other people have. We don’t have a lot of biting bugs (only some horseflies, sometimes). Wasps but they will tolerate horses. Mosquitos in early summer.  

Dealing with bugs: fly sprays don’t really work. 

What does work is hosing off the horse that has worked and rolling in the dirt. Applying goop to the belly and chest when the horse gets bites there helps as well. I have used coconut oil hair stuff and Belly Balm which has an interesting smell The horses didn’t care for it and I had to catch the horse before they ran away.

Hay

Will it rain? When will it ever stop raining? We only get one crop a year so the weather really matters. This year it rained all June and half of July then it stopped and the ground dried in no time. The growth was late so the heads were out but barely bloomed. 

Ziva

Getting the hay from the field to the farm was interesting. Last year I decided not to haul it. The bales were just too big. I  had decided after last summer's adventures moving hay I would have the recommended friend haul the hay. It turned out he wasn’t that keen. Didn’t want to haul on a Sunday, not after work, and not the long weekend. He got strong-armed (not by me) to move the hay on Friday (2 loads possibly and 1 on Saturday).38 bales on the trailer and he had to go to the turnaround at the end of the road. It would have taken me all night to move the bales one at a time to the farm. Fortunately, I have great neighbours. One loaded the trailer and one drove the truck and trailer back and forth. Only a couple of hours of work.Thank you!!

In all, moved 123 bales. 23 from a neighbour. Top dollar at $140.It should be ok. (After feeding one bale we had to get rid of about 50 pounds of hay that had gone mouldy.). Oh please don’t heat up and burn anything down!

97 bales from Ron Tiani. Beautiful hay as usual. 

It was so hot. Water ran down me. I was only comfortable moving 3 bales but Marlene was able to haul 8. For the last load, I drove Marlene’s truck and 8 bales using Ron’s trailer. I imagine she is still trying to get her seat adjusted back. Marlene drove Ron’s truck and trailer with 20 bales.28 bales a trip. That’s ok. 

Hay usage:1 bale/month/horse.From October to May. Consumption will be lighter in October and May, possibly November and April. It is all stored under cover. Plastic blows off. Almost 40 are in the arena. 

I am looking to buy more slow-feeder nets. I think it is Marigold that is eating the holes into the nets. Holes appeared when only Petra and Marigold were eating the hay. I must talk to her about this. The nets cost just under $300 each. I prefer the Bale Buddy slow feeder nets. They are white nylon. They don’t freeze in the winter.

hauling hay

Fencing

Usually, after July 1 the ground is too dry to pound or dig. This year, in the middle of August, the ground has moisture in it. (Planting shrubs along a new fence). 

Pierce in the clover and yarrow

Thimbleberry in bloom

The feared cresty neck.