2006-06-03 - 11:11 p.m.

Quote for the day: "In the depths of winter I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer."
-Albert Camus

I can’t believe its June already how time has flown. We got a little drizzle the other day but so far not a lot of rain just enough for the ground to wet its whistle.

We have yet another addition to our ranch with another baby lamb this time a little boy. They keep popping up on us just when I think it’s over and done with for the year. That makes a total of 18 baby lambs born this year; it’s a new record that is for sure.

Poultry:

We got a surprise call from a downtown restaurant in San Antonio that wants to “Feature” are broiler chickens. I like that word “Feature” however since we have no broilers and haven’t really planned on any with coops needing to be repaired and wondering if it was worth it or not we haven’t decided yet.

We were looking into become a distributor for a place called Ferrell organic goods, but they are ridiculous on what they require to become a distributor. They want us to be able to sell $10,000 the first year and the quote for the falling year even more. Are they mad!!!

We need more time, I am not worried if we lose them or not there are a lot of other restaurants out there and we need to really think this through it’s a lot of work for us, for me!

I still want to do the Thanksgiving turkeys gosh that gets me to thinking we really need to order them NOW. They require a pre order months in advance for turkeys. This time around we are taking a small deposit if not half of it per bird.

Last year we got a good customer base but we had a few decide not to take any and left us high and dry with extra turkeys, thanks goodness I had back up customers waiting to grab them so it didn’t affect us but made us grumpy about these people backing down. We gave around 3 birds to people we knew who needed them for free. We made out pretty good in the end.

I loved raising the turkeys I just didn’t like the processing that much cause it was way to big for the plucker machine which meant we need extra help this year with the plucking or we need to modify the machine. I am thinking we will go with the extra help cause I doubt Tom will have time to get too it.

Our bee hive was in danger the other day as one of the local farmers called us to tell us it’s required by state law now to spray for these bugs that are in the cotton crop.

Luckily that day there was not that much wind when the plane came by to spray. We didn’t even get a chance to cover them. I am sure we lost a few hundred that were out there that day hunting for food. I talked to the association that runs it and they were very cooperative with us, suppose to drop us off some pamphlets.

It wont be so bad when we move them under the pecan trees even with the wind blowing it wouldn’t hit it however we can’t move them there yet till we spray the orchard for webworms and scabs this year which is more powerful the meds we are getting. Before we can spray we have to move the one ram in the nut orchard out and shear him.

Sheep

Speaking of shearing we finally bit the bullet and bought us some $320 shearers Ouch yes it hurt us. Yes they cost us that much. Have we ever sheared before no, but I have watched, dad has sheared before though he can’t now cause of the bending and Tom just has to read about it to become an expert hehehe.

He told us today if he does it well he will go into it part time on weekends cause there is a market for that here no one shears! If they do you can’t get them to come over to shear for you. That’s about $10 a sheep then charge them another $10 just to drive up to their place.

A lot of people have those wool sheep but can’t find anyone to do it for them, that’s the problem we have. We found one guy but he is so overbooked and he was going to come over last weekend but never heard a word from him. I left two messages not doing another.

One of our boys Rom we let out even with all his wool on, it’s getting late in the season and we really need him to mate with the ewes if we want any babys next year. The other Rem will stay in the bachelor pad till next season then we will switch them out.

It was funny cause he took up after those girls and they ran away like a bunch of teenager girls running away from a boy chasing them hahaha it sounded like they were screaming to me, it just looked funny poor Rom he is so ready to mate.

Family everyone is doing fine still, my parents lost one of their good old friends over the weekend, mom and dad have become a bit depressed this last year about the deaths of so many of our late uncles and Aunts and their friends, its pretty sad.

I found a buyer for Barrels my goats boys, we put the bands on them a few days ago to castrate them so it will take a week. I will get about $50 for each one. They will become pets or more like lawn mowers hehe.

Dad put up his hammock the other day when we went out to buy a gate for my back fence I told dad to buy his pole he wanted and the hook for his hammock, right away he put it up so he has been waiting for the dirt to settle to lay on it, in the mean time the grandkids have been swinging on it having a ball on it oh my.

We got rid of two kittens, two more to go anyone want a black and white kitten?

Toms family reunion is coming up soon in Oklamhoma we really want to go but we have so much to do here and we are trying to save money. We will see I will let y'all know it will be a nice break for us.

"Police Report only in the country" I know some of y'all were missing this!!!Its from my local paper, it actually happened!

Police: Person came to police depart to drop off three kittens. Me: Hell at least I know what to do with my remaing two kittens!

Police: Bat in store, Bat removed from store unharmed Me: Again I didnt know they would do this I wonder if I can get them to get the skunk out of my barn?

Police: Complainant advised her 15 yr son would not come home. Officer located son and advised him to go home. Me: That must be embarrasing!

Police: Complainant advised while out of town his 8 inch pliers went missing from his garage. Me: He actually knows that one single pliers are missing? Talk about organized. I think mine are out in the field someplace!

Police: Complainant advised her sister slapped her while they aruged. Did not file charges. Me: Ok so you called them cause of why??

Police: Complainant adviced he lost his cell phone. Officer attempted to call the cell phone, but was diconnected. He was unable to locate phone. Me: Gosh officer why didnt I think about doing that???

Police: Complainant stated her nine year old daughter did not want to go to school. Officer adviced girl to go to school. Me: AGain I didnt know I could do this, so the next time Randy does not want to do school work I will call the cops!

Local Yokel - First time Shearing