Things are slowing down a little bit around our place, I have started my MBA program at SWU and Clay is working extra hours at John Deere. We were both sick with upper respiratory problems for a week and are now pretty much healed up.
The garden is finishing out for the year due to the extreme heat, and we are getting closer to canning salsa. This year I would like to document the process of canning and make a special post dedicated to the several varieties of salsa that we produce. We picked the hot peppers, and those are in the photo below:
After careful consideration, we sold the Ford 2000 (in pieces no less, buyer was OK with this) for what we had in it, it just wasn’t worth the rebuild time for the money. If the oil pan had not been left off so long, in the elements, it would of been a less time consuming task. It has found a new home though, where it will be either rebuilt or parted out into other Fords.
We can now focus on the Ford 4000 and the Massey 2135, both which are industrial models with much more capability, power and value.
This year has been particularly bad for snakes at our house. We have one snake policy, and that is, it dies if it’s near the house, barn, dog pen, or chicken coop. Regardless of venomous vs. non-venomous, or old wive’s tails of black snakes killing cooper-heads. I will believe that when I see it in person!
We encountered our first pretty aggressive black snake in the chicken coop. Horrifying to me of course to find it in there. I didn’t get any photos sadly, when Luke and I found it, wrapped around the door handle and wedged inside, we ran back to the house to get Clay.
None of the chickens were harmed, although a bit spooked. It took Clay several minutes and two shovels to drag it out of the coop. 6 ft long, which is about the max size for a black snake. It struck out at him over and over as it tried to get back into the coop. Most of the time, the black snake curls up, or moves off. This one was definitely more dangerous than others. RIP black snake. This makes probably the 6th snake this summer.
We are going to set a few minnow traps, like the photo below, out with eggs to see if we can catch anymore, just to get them out of the coop area. Maybe we will relocate them, if they are in a live trap.
Several spots in the coop were sealed up with expanding foam, just in case that is how it got in. It may have come in through an old electrical outlet.
On a better note, kitties are getting along, and a rare moment of Bear actually being nice to Milo. Link below to video of kitties.
Have a happy summer’s end,
Erika and Clay
Hickory Haven Fawn Rescue 