Waste Management 101 Final

We are officially done with Waste Management 101. I’m surprised it went as smoothly as it did. Thank goodness for good neighbors. The Might Massey couldn’t stand up to the constant turning so we borrowed another tractor loader from our farmer friend to finish. We picked up the other tractor loader Friday night.

A coworker of Mike’s came out Saturday morning to help with the Waste Management while I attended a trail ride. I’m glad he came out otherwise we wouldn’t have gotten to it until Sunday. Neither Mike nor I want him working on the farm machinery by himself. It’s best to have someone around while he’s working on a machine.

I was really impressed. On Wednesday, Mike and Dad got the majority of the newer pile (from this past winter and some of last winter) out into the field. There was only a little bit left (a few loads) still in the horse pen. I was really impressed that it went as quickly as it did.

On Saturday, Mike tackled the bottom pile that has been there since we brought the horses to Borderlands in the spring of 2006. We didn’t have a manure spreader at the time so we just piled it up at the bottom of the hill and would figure out what to do with it later. Well, later came.

I figured that bottom pile would take a very long time. By the time Dad and I got back from the trail ride, the entire bottom pile was gone. I was shocked it didn’t take longer. I’m sure there were many loads involved but I figured it would take a few days to get threw everything.

On Sunday Mike and I did the finishing touches of hauling the rest out. We got the rest of the top pile out of the pens. We also got a bit of the lose piles that have disintegrated but still cover the ground. I’m so excited to see concrete again. We were also able to use the tractor loader to scoop out the leanto. I figured I would have to do it by hand but the tractor fit in there with no problems. It saved much time and effort (and blood, sweat, tears, and cursing) from me! I figured the leanto wouldn’t fill up the spreader but it did. I was a little surprised but still glad to see it go.

It was funny to see the horses last night when we let them back out of the barn. We left the leanto door open so that they have a better view of the place. Chaos and Dude hung out by the gate the entire time just watching everything going on. I suppose it’s something new so they were enjoying the view immensely. I guess I really should change up their routine more often.

Last night we took the tractor loader back. We are hoping to use the other little tractor that pulled the spreader and disc up the horse pens. We can use the Mighty Massey but it’s easier with the other tractor since it’s smaller and turns a bit better. I’m excited to see the ground tilled up. It’s getting a bit harder now that the horses are wandering around packing it down. I want a softer landing when I come off Chaos and Maverick.

I’m expecting a call any time this week from the trainer saying Maverick is ready. I need to get Sam and Brego introduced into the herd. I may just pull King and Dude out and put Sam and Brego in with Bob, Chaos, and Rain. Then when Maverick comes, just put Maverick in with Dude and King. King and Maverick are best buddies. I’m just worried what Dude will do to Maverick, Brego, and Sam. I guess I’ll have to do something soon.

I’m also hoping to put up some electric fence so that I can get the horses out on the lawn for a bit of grass in the later afternoons. I’d figured to have the horses out on the pasture already but haven’t done it yet. The pasture isn’t coming back as well as I’d hoped and I haven’t had a chance yet to mess with the horses. So hopefully I can get the horses adjusted to grass this week so I can let them out on pasture for a few hours every evening. I’m sure the minute I let them out into the pasture I’ll never be able to catch them. I’m planning on putting halters on when I let them out although I hate putting halters on when they aren’t tied up.

So that about wraps it up. I’m hoping we can do a bit of Waste Management in the fall so that in the spring it won’t be such an ordeal. Of course, we had three years worth of waste to deal with this go round and Mike was able to tackle it in about three days (and they weren’t even full days).

I guess we’ll see how things go. There’s always some new experience going on at Borderlands.