Bring the rain

It's been getting a little droughty out there, our pond is shrinking and looking pretty nasty. Historically this weekend is when we would get monsoon flooding rains, enough to overflow our swales and ponds and course down the hayfield in sheets.

We had a nice rain last night, and the night before right after I'd hand seeded about 2 acres of our hay field.

For Oakley's lesson on Friday evening we wanted to try him with an implement he had never seen before.  It's called a drag, and people use them to grade areas or to dethatch, or to break up piles of manure in pasture.  He did great and started to learn where I wanted him to step, but it was more of a learning curve for me honestly.  Eighteen foot leather lines feel much different than the 14' biothane lines I have been using, and I had to learn how the drag would track and aim for my line and any manure piles, all while not getting tripped up, and taking the topography into account as we were walking uphill, across a flat, then turning downhill, and then a swoop across the hill.  The drag had no weight on it but it would still track downhill of Oakley's direct walking path. 

Coach Steve told me that a horse that is trained well will actually watch and follow the green line of grass and walk straight while pulling a plow.  And at that very moment when Oakley seemed to really be getting it I watched his uphill eye and he was looking directly at the line of thatch that we'd pull up.  This will be a good lesson for both of us, and be a good way to get some work done as well as teaching me some precision in driving! Not easy.

We've outgrown our greenhouse.  Actually we did a few years ago. 

Friday night with my boys

Bloody horse ears from gnats

Fly masks with ear covers are essential here!

Hive 1 is overcrowded and is at risk of swarming. 

More on the bees soon.  I'm pleased that I now have support for beekeeping in the form of a facebook support group for local beekeepers.  I was shocked when a complete stranger emailed me to see how my hive reversals went.  My friends don't even check in with me like that.

Hopefully I don't mull that one over for too much longer.