Next big project - resurfacing stalls with Stable Grid

I'm posting this partly to psych myself up for this next BIG project. It's likely we will get to it in early fall but the prep work starts now.

We've been here on November Hill for 12 years and when we arrived the stalls were in super shape. All but one had stall mats and keeping them clean was easy with Keil Bay and the pony as our only occupants!

Then Cody came, and then Salina, and then the donkeys, and 6 equines put a lot more wear and tear on stall flooring, especially when 3 of them weigh 1200+ pounds. Then Salina needed "a soft place to fall" so to speak and we re-did her stall with a very thick layer of peat moss and extra fine pine shavings mixed in. All the horses ended up liking that stall best so I did two more stalls that way, removing the mats (which were starting to shift and create urine spots between the cracks) in the process.

We've done minor touch ups on the stall floor as needed through the years but this year it's become clear - it's time to get down to the base and resurface the floors.

UGH.

I decided if we're going to do it, we're going to do it in a way that will hopefully make life easier in the long run. And honestly, I am hoping that this is it for us and resurfacing stalls! The stall mats are great in a lot of ways but getting them in and out when you need to do a deep cleaning OR to repair something underneath is a huge pain (in the back, usually).

I have done some research and decided that we're going to take out the dividing walls (ours are removable), clear everything down to the base, make any repairs to walls, etc., level the entire floor, put in a layer of gravel, install Stable Grids, and then put stone dust on top of that. We'll bed deep with extra fine pine shavings as we do now.

We're also going to need to replace the wooden "doorjambs" in the front and back doors of each stall. These keep the horses from tracking shavings out of the stalls. Keil's stall is missing his and oh dear, it is a constant chore this time of year sweeping the shavings back in where he tracks them out. (Bear in mind that our stall doors are mostly open so the equines go in and out all day long)

The prep for doing this starts with the arena, oddly enough. The arena needs topping off, and the "dirt" paddock needs additional screenings added at the end directly behind the barn. Over time, the surfaces out there have eroded away and everything needs to be topped off again so the drainage does what it's supposed to do when it rains.

So this is the order of business:
Arena topped off
Dirt paddock built up at the barn end
Shelter mats removed, floor leveled and resurfaced with Stable Grids
Three back stalls cleared, re-leveled, and resurfaced with Stable Grids

Then we'll do the barn aisle and the two stalls on this side of the barn, and the new shelter.

I think if we start now the timing will be just about right - with the horses in the barn during the summer days it's just not the right time of year to resurface stalls. Fall will work well, I think, if I can stay on schedule and Get It Done.

Thankfully we have a quarry 15 minutes away and a local man with a smallish dump truck who is very reliable and very affordable. I just hope he will be willing to do the stall part of this job!

Any advice or BTDTs welcome.

November Hill farm journal, 31

Busy week here. One day was spent trying to figure out what was going on with Cody, who had a kicking, biting episode with what seemed to be his fly sheet, but even when I took it off he seemed agitated and a bit wild for the rest of the day. There was no evidence of anything on his body, but in general he's sensitive to bug bites and to pain in general. If something stung or bit him I think he associated it with the fly sheet and somehow just got wound up and it took the day for him to really settle down again.

There was a bit of drama in the feed room when the resident black snake went into a mouse hole and the mice ran out the other end and onto my muck boots. They ended up escaping but I am glad to have some help out there dealing with them!

Baloo went to get his nails dremeled at the local pet supply store, where once a month they have someone come in to do this service. We were in a long line of dogs who all seemed pretty calm about the whole thing and then came Baloo. Oh my, the shrieking and struggling! I felt terrible for him but the moment she was done he stopped and was totally fine so I think/hope it gets easier for him. We elected not to have Bear done as I felt like he would just be too much to handle and I didn't want to start something we couldn't finish! We don't have too much trouble clipping his nails at home but I had hoped the dremel would be easier. Will do this with Baloo again in July and see if it is indeed a bit easier - it would be so nice if they could go every month and get this done. They each got to go pick out a new toy and we ended on a good note.

I've mowed the last of the buttercups, the plantain, and today worked on hand-trimming back the trumpet vine in the butterfly bushes and getting used to the little chainsaw. It's great for thick branches and small trees but not so great with anything smaller. But husband helped and we got a small area near the barnyard gate finished and I'll be moving on to do small sections each day until... well, probably forever!

The light for the front porch isn't here yet but I'm looking forward to getting that up when it does.

It's been nice being busy here on the farm - with down time during the heat of the day inside and evenings working on writing and submitting. The pace seems slower now and I feel like I'm getting my rhythm back.

Summer solstice approaching!

November Hill farm journal, 30

It's been awhile since my last farm journal entry. We've been so busy with finals for daughter, son's graduation, his trip to Ithaca to find an apartment, and trying to keep up with the daily dozen+ things that absolutely have to be done no matter what.

November Hill is in full jungle mode right now. All the leafing out is done and while I am not thrilled with the heat of summer nor the insect pests it brings, I do love the privacy we have when everything is lush and full.

The vegetable garden is in, thanks to my husband, and although it's not as much as we've planted in years past, it is already overproducing lettuces and greens, and we enjoyed our first November Hill strawberries this year also thanks to him.

If the garden is growing, everything else is too, and the grass is no exception. The side strip, what I call the wildflower strip, is more than waist high. The mower needs a part and we've been too busy to pick it up. All that tall grass has gone to seed so I'm looking at it this way: we're reseeding using the natural method!

This is the first weekend in many that I've even had the hope of working on my to do list around the farm. I'm happy to say those porch screens are FINALLY DONE! I'm ordering my light fixture tomorrow. Reward on the way for what took far longer than I counted on.

Because I am woefully behind and some of my to do list tasks are easier done in winter, I'm going to need to reassess what comes next. Whatever it ends up being, it will be good to get started on a whole new project.

Our contractor is returning the end of the month to install the barn gutters and our farm gate. I'm looking forward to finally having the entire perimeter of November Hill enclosed, and even more am looking forward to the new perimeter fencing coming this fall. No more stressing about the neighbor's children's dogs. And Bear and Baloo can run run run once the perimeter fencing is up.

Speaking of Baloo, he is absolutely amazing. He and Bear are best buddies and as puppies do, he has doubled his size and is growing up so fast. I'll post a few photos later this week.

I want to take a moment to stop and write about how wonderful the new barn roof and shelter are. The functional cupola is making a huge difference on hot days. Our barn is sited well for cross breezes but when you combine that with our big fans and the cupola and barn shelters, even on the hottest days we've had the barn is very comfortable and there is air flow. We've also had rainy days and it is wonderful having shelters on both sides so all the equines have space to stand and watch the rain, munch on hay, and stretch their legs without getting wet. I am so happy we went forward with this big project.

My newest farm purchase is a mini-sized, chargeable electric chain saw. I can't handle the big Stihl, and there are so many things I can do with this little machine. It's charging right now and the first mission is to cut the wild muscadine, honeysuckle, and trumpet vines at their BASES underneath the front porch. I could spend the rest of my days walking around the farm and up and down our lane on our long strip pruning back the ever-growing jungle of trees and shrubs. I'm excited to get started on that.

A few things in our week to come: a fly sheet for Cody who is being besieged by bug bites, grazing muzzles for three small equines whose barrels are approaching the size of small tanks, and hoof trims all around.

It's almost summertime. Daughter is digging into calculus 2, son is enjoying a month and a half or so break before moving to Ithaca and starting his doctoral study at Cornell, husband is busy with his own projects, and I have recently joined a weekly writing group which is already making me very happy. Life is busy, life is good.

Big milestone, a proud mom, and a note on homeschooling

From the UNCA website:

Cromer graduated first in scholarship as the university’s 2017 Manly E. Wright Award winner and is headed next to Cornell University where he has earned a full scholarship. He will pursue a doctorate in theoretical astronomy, having had the goal to be a research scientist since arriving at UNC Asheville. “I had in mind becoming a research scientist so that I could spend my time studying a subject I love,” said Cromer speaking to his fellow graduates. “But at UNC Asheville, through all the people around me and the experiences I’ve had, I learned that this isn’t all I want to do. I want to have a meaningful social impact on the world.”

My note:

We homeschooled both our children their entire lives, and by homeschooling, I mean we provided resources, spent time exploring the world, and gave them the freedom to explore their interests and develop passions. My mantra was First Do No Harm; children have a natural curiosity and love of discovery and learning that begins at birth and gradually develops. Having worked as a research assistant in child development studies, and later with many children who were not successful in school when I was a psychotherapist in the public sector, I developed my own theories about what might keep this love of learning intact. Again, it was mostly choosing NOT TO DO THINGS TO THWART IT. 

I am so very proud of my son for all his hard work and achievement as an undergraduate. And I'm glad I trusted my own instincts and did not cave in when it was hinted at and sometimes bluntly stated that I was "ruining" my children by homeschooling them. I didn't do a perfect job and there were times I failed miserably, but I managed to avoid the very deep pit of making learning dull. 

Baloo settles in

He's the easiest pup I've ever known. He and Bear are best buddies and he is winning over the cats one by one. Pixie has been the tough customer but here he is, showing her that he won't chase her but he'll definitely play if she agrees. We adore him!