Dart Creek Farm

by Michael Lobby

Well, it’s almost the end of July and I can’t believe the Summer is going by so fast. We had quite a busy week, lots of horsey stuff. The barn was full of activity with lessons, hoof trimming, hay bucking, egg hunting, and a nice visit from my uncle and cousins from Eugene. Repairs were made to the chicken coop in addition to a new shade area so all the hens could take their dirt baths out of the hot sun. We obviously have to make more repairs as the smaller hens can be found wandering around the yard outside the coop. And an enlightening discovery (or just a realization) about a certain “hen.” I had been trying to convince Kim that her beloved Babs was not the unique and beautiful hen she was hoping for, but a quite lovely and colorful boy chicken. I knew this by the not-so-henlike behavior of jumping on the others and going for a ride. Kim was in denial (I think the kids were too) about her being a, yes I’m gonna say it, Rooster. The final giveaway was the loud cockadoodledoo out of his beak after having his way with one of the girls. Oh well, he’s still Babs, only now will probably be on his way to a barbeque nearby.

Kim and the kids (mostly Kim) cleaned up the barn and rearranged the feed room into one stall and the tack room into another temporarily until I can get the official tack room finished. It needed to be done as we have new sets of saddles and bridles and, yeah, that stuff for the new boarders. I was able to empty another stall of hay and get another 50 bales up into the loft. That was after I discovered I started the stack too far from one end and wouldn’t be able to fit all the hay up there. So I spent half a day restacking 110 bales before I added the next 50 to make sure there would be room for all of it. Whew! Great workout. Let’s see, that was probably a week ago. Still have 160 bales up. My workout plan has, so far, fallen flat. But, thanks to Kelli I found and old a hay elevator that I’m going to try and pick up this week. We’ll see…

I added another cross fence to divide the lower pasture and make room for Velvet, the new mare that will be staying with us. The initial visit between the mares didn’t go so well. Pretty much as soon as I tied the last wire and turned on the fence charger, one of them, I think it was Molly, kicked through and ripped down the fence. Grrrrrr…hours of work demolished and a few seconds. I went and got Kim to help me get the big mares moved before they did the same to the next fence. When Kim went in the pasture (wearing shorts), sure enough, the same thing happened again - one of the mares kicked through the fence. The wire got caught up in one of their legs and as they ran pulling the wire, it cut right across the back of Kim’s legs at the knee. Ouch! It looked like she had been whipped and then burned. She was ‘hurtin for a few days. Poor Kimmy. But we learned our lesson…shorts + fence wire + horses = pain. So, I spent the rest of the day rewiring the fence and getting the mares situated in the pastures to the sides of the geldings. Sometimes girls just can’t get along.

Kim had taken our cousins and the kids to Sauvie Island to pick berries. She came home with a few flats that we canned. It wasn’t a whole lot compared to the super-canning-homesteader Kelli Wright, but it’s giving us some practice and help planning for next year. We have made a master plan of our future garden that we hope to start on at Summer’s end. Right now we’re just waiting for the blackberries to ripen so we can pick and then get rid of the overgrown buggers. Oh so much to do…and loving every minute of it.

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by Michael Lobby

110 bales so far (a little over 3 tons) and only 350 more to go. I’ve decided this will be my daily or every other day…mmmm… or every other other day workout…50 bales, five at a time up into the truck, ten up into the loft, then up the ladder and stack. I’ve got a system going where I load 2 bales onto a platform I built to sit on top of the truck bed. Then I load 5 bales at a time into the truck, stack the bales onto the platform, then climb onto the platform, standing on the 2 bales, and load the 5 bales up onto the loft floor. After two cycles of 5 bales, I climb the ladder up into the loft and then stack the 10 bales. It seems a little like Daniel waxing Mr. Miyagi’s cars or sanding his floors, but then the muscles begin to remember and the progress is slow but steady. Only 6 more workouts until the job is done! Next year…a hay elevator.

my temporary hay elevator

the first hay in

I did have a couple of bonus discoveries…eggs. The chickens have been out of their coop during the day since all the hot weather started so they can find some cool shade and take dirt baths. The downside to this is we have only been getting a couple of eggs out of their nesting boxes every day. Well today, after taking bales of hay down out of the stalls, I discovered two different nests with eggs totaling a baker’s dozen. And some new darker ones that I’m sure are from the youngest hens. Score! I have two people at work who have prepaid for a dozen eggs and I haven’t been able to deliver…until now. We picked up some chicken wire on our supply outing to mend a few holes in the coop fence. Tomorrow, Kaitie and I will put up a platform for shade inside their yard. We’ll add some nice fresh dirt to the yard too for them to bathe. That, along with the new nesting boxes we added this week should make them happy enough to give us a good dozen and a half eggs a day.

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by Michael Lobby

We made a multipurpose trek to Longview Washington on Thursday for much needed farm and menage supplies. We have cross fenced the lower 6 acre pasture and made three large ones. The next step will be to cross fence 2 of those to make a total of 5 decent sized pastures. With Molly and Sadie in one and Pete and Harvey in the other and the warm weather we’ve been having, the horses are quickly emptying the smaller buckets of water. We bought two 100 gallon stock tanks and have placed them where they will supply two pastures each.

Pete was a little skeptical at first, but then he came around. He’s the one that spooked at a rolled bale of hay. He’s very inquisitive, always has to be into what ever you’re doing if he gets the chance…kind of like a big puppy. The menacing gray barrel I was putting in his pasture kept him at a distance for awhile until he discovered it contained his second favorite thing after food…water. Now everything was okay. Harvey, on the other hand, isn’t fazed by much…except maybe flowers and a group of loud Hunter/Jumpers. I’ll try to talk Kaitie into writing that blog.

The tanks were working out very well. I only had to dig out a small amount of earth to get them level. Kim brought the long hose out to the first tank and it filled while I took a break. I then had one of those moments where I look around at where I am and get sentimental and thankful for all the good fortune we have. I thought about how hard we all worked this last year and how lucky we were to sell our last house and be able to get into this one. The work is very hard and their is a lot of it, and much more to come, but it’s the best most rewarding work I have ever done. I feel good knowing my family is in a place that will help build strong character and teach responsibility and the value of hard work.

Whew! Back to the tanks. I filled the first and then moved on to the next one, leveled and filled it. Then I saw it…the drain plug. It was leaking. Arrrrgh! Two hundred gallons of water before I realized I didn’t put pipe tape around the drain plug. So it was back up to the shop to search for the tape, get a drink and check in with everybody. Kim was finishing up showing Red (One of Rachel’s two horses that are staying with us) to potential new owners. Kaitie and Dilbertini were playing with the potential new owner’s kids. I went back down with the pipe tape and a plug for the inside of the tank. I took the tank plug out, wrapped the tape around the threads, screwed it back in, went on to the second one and did the same and all was well. No more leaks. Yay! Two new stock tanks for the future four pastures and no more filling of buckets twice a day.

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by Michael Lobby

Our horsey friends Bob and Gloria Rice will be hosting a trail ride from their place coming up soon. They invited us for a ride to help them mark out the trails with ribbon. The four of us started out bright and early (8:30 am has been bright and early for us this Summer) and met the Rice’s up at their place. With Dilbert, Kaitie, Kimmy, and me riding Chatta, Harvey, Sadie, and Pete started off on what would become a 4 hour, approximately 6 mile ride for two of us. The Rice’s have done an incredible job marking out and clearing nearly 20 miles of trails. We are so fortunate to live around horse people and have the opportunity to get on our horses and ride for hours through beautiful trails…right from our own barn.

Kaitie and I on the bridle path near the Rice’s

Kaitie and Dylan in the forest

I was a very pleasant ride through the forest, stopping periodically so Bob and/or Gloria could tie ribbons to mark the trail. It was good for us to go because there were places where we would have to ask “do we go this way?” or “should we turn here?” It’s so nice I still have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real.

Gloria and Bob tying ribbons

Gloria tying a ribbon

At one point Kim and Kaitlyn broke off from the group to head home for a scheduled lesson with Rachael. Dylan and I stayed with the Rice’s for the rest of the ride so they could finish marking. Dylan had the best time stopping to sample wild berries. Pete was content trying to get a mouthful of anything in his path.

Dylan and Chatta on the hunt for berries

It turned out to be nearly 4 hours when we finally got back. Kaitie was about to begin a lesson with Rachael. Before the day was done, I think she rode 4 different horses. Kim saddled up Sadie again and joined the lesson along with Sarissa, the mother of one of Kaitlyn’s friends from school. She is a horse person who was away from horses for about 5 years. She has been very interested in getting back into horses and learning Dressage.

So even though I had the longest ride since we moved here, I was still able to walk and actually got some more hay stacked in the loft (with a little help from Dylan). All is good on the farm…

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by Kimberly Lobby

I remember saying goodbye to horses at the same time I was given the choice between wheels or a horse when I was 16. My Arab mare was sold to a polo trainer and I got a car. I remember keeping my tack and groom kit, but as time went by and I moved around more I slowly let go of everything. I never dreamed I would ever have horses again. I spent 17 years horseless minus a few vacation trail rides here and there. Then came my daughter, Kaitlyn, who clearly inherited my “horse gene” , with no prodding or encouragement by her mom.

Kaitie getting a good look at Pete’s chompers

There was this old grey who lived across the street from our first home and Kate would just sit in the window staring dreamily at Haley’s Comet, named for the comet which blazed through the night’s sky when he was foaled. Ah, horse names, a whole other reason to be head over heels with these amazing animals.

Chattanooga Choo Choo

Dylan and Chatta having fun

I’m telling you all this because I never thought I would own a horse again in my life, much less 4! So the thought of being able to board other people’s horses was never even on the radar. And now this last weekend two horses were unloaded and tucked into their new pastures, complete with their new pasture mates, our horses! Our family farm is really growing up, everything was as if a different light was cast it. It really was a something I never expected even in the earlier days of living here. Michael kept telling me he was going to build a barn and we would board. Now you know there is a barn saga that Michael is slowly dolling out, I think his tactic is if he dolls it out slow enough he may actually be done when his story comes to an end. But the joke there is it never is done…

I really don’t want to bore you to death with my first post so I want to share the pictures that inspired me to jump on the blog boat in the first place…

My sweet, loving, gentle, cuddly Sadie May with her Winter coat

Rachel’s Molly…1400 pounds of sugar

You can tell a lot about a horse by their eyes

Sadie…Dr. Jeckyll and Mrs. Hyde

Sadie showing Molly who’s boss

Molly patiently waiting for Sadie to get over herself

To be continued…

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by Michael Lobby

This is the third year I’ve picked up hay out of the field for our horses…the first year out of our own field. For some reason I never remember how exhausting the work can be. In 2006, with Kim driving the truck with our two-horse trailer being pulled behind, I loaded a total of about 140 bales in two trips (nearly 5 tons). It was then unloaded and stacked in the small barn at our house on West Lane Road. Being a rather large fellow and not exactly in the best of shape, I tend to sweat…a lot. By the time the day was over I felt as if I had contracted tetanus as my entire body was in a state of cramping and contraction from dehydration. Note to self: Drink some water the next time!

Last year, again in the same field, with Kim pulling a new (used) flatbed trailer I was once again loading hay. And again thinking “Oh, this shouldn’t be too hard, just a couple of loads.” And again not drinking enough fluid brought me to the state of complete body tetani. Geez, why am I so daft? I did hire a kid to help me load the trailer that time, but still being in the “out of shape” state, I found myself, once again, writhing in pain at the end of the day. And I haven’t yet mentioned the bum foot and the fact that I can’t walk the day after this type of activity. It sounds quite miserable and full of self pity but for some strange reason I now look forward to this every year. There is just something about it. I’m not exactly sure what it is, but the work I do for the benefit of my family and animals, however difficult, brings me such a great feeling of satisfaction.

This year was the best so far. We worked hard all year mowing and spraying and babying our new field. We had help…a lot of help (the city boys Craig and John came from Portland). And even though it was more than 3 times as much hay, everything went so well. Four loads over about 10 hours and all the hay picked up, the last bale being thrown on the trailer just as drops of rain were felt from the thunderstorm rolling in. The loaded truck and trailer were parked in the barn just in time to protect it from getting wet. Only one thing wasn’t thoroughly thought out…how to get the hay into the loft. Next year I will have a hay elevator. Until then, the hay stacked on the trailer will serve as a stairway to get the majority of the hay up top. Today I managed to get 30 bales neatly stacked up there. And…Kim kept us well supplied with a cooler full of drinks and lots of encouragement…and forced me to stop and replace everything I was losing in sweat (which was a lot, sorry) and keep the full-body muscle contractions at bay. She was a trooper, driving and bucking hay and making sure we had a delicious meal waiting for us when we were finally finished. Oh I can’t wait until next year! It will be a hay bucking extravaganza!

6/29/08 The First Bales

Almost done.

First load going into the barn.

View from the loft.

Stairway to the loft.

Pretty impressive for a city boy John.

Hay, sweat, and tears.

Our motivator and resident horse woman in her big truck.

Elsa, Zoe, and Kaitie

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by Michael Lobby

She has given us a plentiful amount of food for our horses. It was touch and go for a few days but everything came together and we had a bountiful harvest. 460 bales…enough for the entire year and probably more. A humongous thank you goes out to all who helped…Daryl, Mr. and Mrs. Kreman, Craig, John, Zoe, Elsa, and of course the whole Lobby clan.

Charles Barkley hiding in the soon-to-be-cut grass.

View from the driveway.

Wider view from the driveway.

The end of the week brought us hot weather with temperatures up into the high 80’s. All of the elements have to be just right to cut the most nutritious eats. No chance of rain for a few days and the ground dry enough under the uncut grass.

Finally the hay gets cut!

It was a long year of hard work and patience and it all came down to this…the hay was finally being cut. Our first cut of hay ever and mmmmm it looks good!

Cutting…

…cutting…

View from the barn loft.

Ah, the beautiful cut grass hay.

The hay was cut on Thursday the 26th. It then had to dry for a couple of days. Normally it can take up to several days for hay to dry but we live on a hill with a nice wind that comes form the West and dried it out quickly. The next step was to turn the hay and fluff it up into rows to be ready for the baler.

Our first casualty…Kaitie’s vollyball.

The cut hay before being formed into windrows with the hay rake.

Closer view. Our driveway is to the left of the white posts.

Our Field Queen Harvester Maddie and mama to all those Labradoodles.

Oops…a preview of THE barn.

Stay tuned for baling and bucking.

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