Water Water everywhere

It has been a wild week. First the B&O fundraiser was rained out, we had about two feet of water over all the trails and pastures, that was a week ago Saturday. Then Wednesday we had about 4 feet of water over everywhere and about 25% of our fencing was knocked down and we started fixing it. Then three days after that, we had another flood and had about 2 feet of water over everything again. Our 100 year flood plain is up to about 300 years worth of flooding now.

The main problem where we are is not just that we are in a flood plain, it is the water that gets dumped into the creek from up North. When they did all of the building North of town they did not factor in where all the water would go when everything got paved over. Unfortunately it goes into White Lick Creek that runs through the middle of my property. New development now they try to have a zero water emission policy. All the storm water from the developments is kept in catch basins that either evaporate or absorb the water. A much better policy then what they had before.

Last year we had a drought that caused high hay prices, farmers now don't want to lower their prices because they are used to getting good money for their hay. Now we have had so much rain, locals have not been able to cut what has been growing like crazy. The problem now is a lot of the hay has gone to seed which lowers the nutrient density of they grass. The first cutting is going to be pretty bad, but hopefully we will have better as the season goes on.

Trail rides have been pretty much non existent over the last month as we have been rained out for the last three weekends in a row. We have been discussing alternative business plans if hay prices don't come down, and trail rides don't pick up. Let us know if you have any great ideas to share, we would love to hear them.

Cows have finally been moved. We used the belt and suspenders method of fencing. We first put up hi-tensile wire, but they kept walking through it, (thanks Jeff S.) We then put 48"farm fence over top of that. Seems to be keeping them in so far. The steer is going to slaughter probably the middle of July, he needs to put on a couple hundred pounds first, so we will see how that goes. Probably have to feed him up on some grain to get him there. They have plenty of grass where they are so ?

cd