Well, another couple of very very busy weeks have gone by. I have been busting butt trying to get things around the barn done for winter. I got a new feeder to feed the cattle but quickly realized without a concrete pad to feed them on they would be standing in the mud all winter long. So, I borrowed a post hold digger and got to work. I first set all the posts for the new corral/feeding area. Then, 65 tons of gravel and 200 tons of soil later I had the area leveled enough for concrete.
I had Ray Pucci who owns Accent Concrete in Greentown Ohio pouring the pad for me. He does a lot of work on projects where I work during the day and does a really nice job. I had everything close so I fixed the guys lunch while they set forms and then we tweaked the grades and poured the pad.
We were a little short for what I wanted to do but the pad turned out great! I wanted an apron on the left side of the pic for the feeder to set on but we will get it on the next pour. After I get the new shed posts set we will pour the rest of the concrete and be set for winter!
Sunday was my first full day of for the last several weeks so I started early with stuff in the house and then headed out to get things set up for letting the cows onto the new pad. I first mounted the main gate....and I was happy to find I finally got it right and it is level and stays where I put it instead of just swinging one way or the other when you unchain it!
I got my feeder reset in its proper location and had to block it up to level it for the time being. By this time I was ahead of where I thought I would be and I knew I needed to take the old shed down to finish the wall on the end of the pig shed that will be part of the new cattle chute/loading chute that will be built into the barn. So, I pulled all the screws and extra anchor bolts out that I put into the shed many many years ago to hold it together out so I could push it over and take it apart.
Two hours later the shed was gone. I saved all the metal off of the roof to use on the new roofs for the feeders and I managed to save about $50 worth of screws and two long 2"x6"x 12' boards!
Here is a pic of the shed gone. I managed to finish the rest of the wall on the side of the pig shed tonight. I have having my construction guy come tomorrow to help lay out the posts that I need and how they will be set up so I can get the posts and get them set. Once they are set we will be able to pour the rest of the concrete!!
I am so excited. This will change many things here on the farm. Herd checks will be phenomenally easier with the new chute and headlock system allowing us to check the cattle and vaccinate with much much less stress on the cattle and us. I will also be able to sort the cattle out that I need to catch by myself with zero stress on the cows just like I can currently do with the pigs. Another very important but much over looked thing will be the ability to contain the manure from the cattle and be able to clean the barn easier without losing the valuable fertilizer that I need for the fields!
I eventually will have a manure storage pad to the direct west of the corral area once I get enough money to pay off the work I am currently doing now. Also if you look at the second pic from the bottom you will see the south board fence of the corral. I am going to extend this as far west as I can to be able to put in a set of gates away from the corral area so I can funnel the cattle in when I need to catch someone quickly rather than chasing them and stressing them out.
I was excited coming into this year because I knew that we were turning a big corner in where we are headed. This is proof of this and what keeps driving me every night after work to keep pushing onward and getting to the next step. This setup will allow me to go from handling 12 cattle to being able to handle 50 with out any changes. If I want to be able to handle more I can simply add on to the current area and set it up for up to 100 cattle.....that will be way down the road, but I have to think ahead!
Have a great day everyone!
Kenny
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