It is that time of year again when I am chomping at the bit to get outside. Unfortunately, because of the weather, I am still often confined to the house drooling over catalogs.
So far we have a list of outdoor jobs that is three, single-spaced pages long. I have my priorities circled in blue ink and Alan has his circled in pencil. Of course, very few things are circled by both of us. LOL!
Three days ago we got our new Black Angus steers. We only got three this year because we got tired of paying $400 a month for feed through the winter. I am already regretting it. Going from 6 to 3 is a big change. They look lonely out there. I am checking around to see if I can round up one more. He charged me $1.15 a pound for them and they averaged 675 lbs each.
They look pissed, don’t they?
So far I have kept them in the feed-yard as they seemed pretty anxious. After having last year’s bunch immediately run through my electric fence upon arrival, I wasn’t eager for a repeat. If they have calmed down enough this afternoon, I will let them out into pasture.
Today I spoke with one of the officers of ISBA (IL State Beekeepers Association) and arranged to buy at least 10 medium honey supers with drawn comb from him, for the terrific price of $15 each. That is less than half what they would cost me new, and with drawn comb, my bees will be able to put 90% of their efforts into producing honey right off the bat. If I am able to arrange for the purchase of two new queens from Hawaii, I will split my hives and buy 20 supers from him instead. It is a bit late to arrange for queens, but I am hopeful. I emailed Kona Queen Bees about availability and hope to hear back from them soon.
I also spoke with my bunny guru concerning the replacement of three of my Flemish Giant does. Two got sick over the winter and died, despite my ministrations, and another had to be culled as she had developed the nasty habit of killing her litters for no apparent reason. He has agreed to sell me one fawn doe that is ready to be bred, and hopefully connect me with a raiser in the Peoria area that has a few available.
In the last week, we started spring cleanup, got 2 tons of feed delivered on 3/31 that totaled $406.26, took Jake and Reba to the vet for their 3 year rabies vaccinations, worked on fence, dug a drainage channel and am in the process of building a new feed-bunk for the steers, but need to go get more lumber.
I am also eagerly awaiting our first windless day so I can get out and burn. Ahhhhhhhh… Spring!
I finished my feed-bunk! The materials cost about $50. Can you believe how much lumber is going for? Alan came up from working on the electric fence and commented how great it looked in an obnoxiously surprised voice. (When is that man gonna learn that the woodshop tools are really mine and I just let him borrow them?) I think it looks great, if I do say so myself. The steers let me know that it meets expectations.
