Catching Up, Fall 2014

Hiking season is over. Deer season is over and the venison is in the freezer. Now it is time to finish buttoning everything up for the winter and try to catch up on all the work that didn’t get done this summer and early autumn while I was out running around.

This last weekend I started on the list of work that has been building since before summer started. Saturday I went down and picked up the beef and took it up to the big freezer at mom’s. We had discovered several days earlier that the big freezer was running continuously. This was bad news. It means that the freezer is on it’s way out. We discussed getting a used one to fill in until spring when mom can bring one that she inherited up from California but used freezers, while cheaper up front, can be pretty unreliable. In addition, I would have to move the old freezer out and the new one in. Finally we decided to buy a new one. For about $300 more than a used one, the appliance company would take the old one out and put the new one in.

This was a relief to me. It will save me a lot of time and aggravation and we will have a reliable freezer that probably won’t cost me a bunch more time and aggravation in the near future by breaking down like a used one might. Luckily mom could afford this solution. It was not too long ago that our budget was tighter and it isn’t hard to imagine having to go with a used freezer because of cost and then having it break down and not only lose the time and money invested but a winter’s worth of food in the bargain. Sometimes if you have enough money, it’s easier to save money.

With the freezer issue out of the way it was back to the maintenance tasks. I moved and winterized the roto-tiller by emptying the gas tank and running it out of gas so the gas in the tank wouldn’t go bad over the winter. Bad gas will shellac your carburetor and cause a lot of problems. I winterized the weed-eater in the same manner. I talked to a neighbor who is a mechanic about getting help with the clutch on the ¾ ton farm pickup. I had replaced the clutch master cylinder this spring but was having trouble getting it bled properly. We set up a time to look at it on Sunday.

Then I discovered a spot where the cows had knocked down a section of fence. And, it was obvious from the tracks, that several had gotten out. This wasn’t on the list. This was a little fire that needed to be put out even if it cost me a lot of time. One of the cows had gone out by the highway. I saw its tracks and several cow pies there. Somehow the cows had gotten themselves back into the pasture. Sometimes they decide they want to be back with the rest of the herd and just do it. Getting back in by themselves happens only rarely. Usually some herding and chasing is required. Luckily the cows that went out by the highway weren't hit. We have had cows hit before. Fortunately no human has gotten killed. You usually lose the cow in these kinds of incidents. 

It was getting late so I did a temporary fix to the fence by propping up the broken wooden posts with some steel "T" posts, did a quick blessing and prayer and headed to Concrete to get a few more "T" posts and a salt block.

The fence was the first thing I worked on Sunday morning. The fallen posts were red cedar that had rotted at the ground line. I propped them out of the way and drove steel “T” posts in behind them and then, moving the wooden posts back against the "T" posts, wired the two together. I guess this is where the term lash up comes from. Then I nailed the rails, the long poles running between the posts back up. This isn’t a long term fix but it should hold for a few years. A long term fix would take a day or two to do properly and I didn’t want to take that much time right now. These are the types of decisions that I often end up regretting. The lash up I have should last (hopefully) until I can get the old house and a few other major projects dealt with.

After the patching up the fence I nursed the farm pickup up the road. We tried bleeding the clutch again and it seemed to work for a bit. I took the pickup for a run and lost the clutch at the end. I nursed it home and bled it some more. I think it is going to take some more work to get it fixed.

Finally, I went back to work on the calf shed. I need to get it sheathed and secured before the really cold weather sets in and one of the cows has a calf. I got the back half on the north side covered before it got too dark.

I finished the day by picking a small batch of chanterelles for Sacha. They are still abundant.

A long list of tasks awaits me for the fall and winter. We still have venison sausage to make and I need to finish the calf shed. Then I need to organize space in order to clean out the basement in the old house. I hope to have it emptied out enough by next spring to have it assessed for soundness. Whether it is salvageable or needs to come down, getting that done will be a major task as well. Another important item that needs attention is a failing crown that has been bothering me off and on for years. I haven't gotten it fixed yet, not because I can't afford it but because I can't seem to find the time. This could turn into something dangerous and it might be that it finally flares up to the point I can't stand it anymore and I am forced to make the time to deal with it. The list goes on and on, more fence to fix, outbuildings to fix and maintain, equipment to maintain, firewood to cut, etc, etc.      

Broken fence (as if it isn't obvious). 

Broken red cedar posts propped up with steel "T" posts. This is what I did for a temporary fix and got away with it. I left the posts propped up while I drove new "T" posts in. 

"T" post lash up with wooden posts wired to "T" posts. 

Next was to nail the fence rails back up. 

Job completed. This isn't a long term solution. The surface area of a "T" post is pretty small and the ground is pretty soft so over time they will tend to sag under the weight of the posts and rails. A more permanent solution would be to replace the wooden posts with new ones or with stand alone "T" posts. I decided to not replace the broken bottom rail in the photo, hoping that none of the cows will want to try to crawl through that space. Another decision that I hope I don't end up regretting. 

More downed rails. Mostly this just required nailing the rails back up though I did have to brace one broken rail. 

Job complete. The cows like the salmonberry and thimbleberry brush on the other side of the fence os they are constantly testing it. This fix might last until spring. 

Calf shed as I left it this summer. 

Sheathing on back or north side of shed. 

Chanterelles for Sacha.