Two of the first building on the new
Thunder 5 Ranch. They were not
much to look at and still are not much
to look at. The open one has became
the Boar house and the enclosed is a
combination great Pyrenees house
feed shed and roost for the wild
chickens and turks.
Thunder 5 Ranch. They were not
much to look at and still are not much
to look at. The open one has became
the Boar house and the enclosed is a
combination great Pyrenees house
feed shed and roost for the wild
chickens and turks.
In the Spring of 2011 we picked up a
fairly new/used carport for a few
hundred bucks and it became the
brooder for 240 Americuna, Barred
Rock, and Buff Orpington chicks that
are almost chickens now :) Going to
enclose the ends before winter.
fairly new/used carport for a few
hundred bucks and it became the
brooder for 240 Americuna, Barred
Rock, and Buff Orpington chicks that
are almost chickens now :) Going to
enclose the ends before winter.
The next project was the mill house
framed and floored with solid oak and
the wall boards are hickory. I milled 6"
by 8" x 8' oak timbers for the mill base
and used big lag bolts to attach the mill
track to the timbers once leveled. With
this set up I can mill about 1000 board
feet of lumber a day now by myself and
1500 with help. I am adding on a
10x20 drying room on the back of the
mill house and am going to build a 16'
x 48' open side drying shed on the
north side next year.
The mill house had a cost of $220 for
new roof tin and $42 for air gun nails
and $35 for hinges and door handles.
It is 14' by 20' That does not of course
include the cost of the new sawmill
LOL.
framed and floored with solid oak and
the wall boards are hickory. I milled 6"
by 8" x 8' oak timbers for the mill base
and used big lag bolts to attach the mill
track to the timbers once leveled. With
this set up I can mill about 1000 board
feet of lumber a day now by myself and
1500 with help. I am adding on a
10x20 drying room on the back of the
mill house and am going to build a 16'
x 48' open side drying shed on the
north side next year.
The mill house had a cost of $220 for
new roof tin and $42 for air gun nails
and $35 for hinges and door handles.
It is 14' by 20' That does not of course
include the cost of the new sawmill
LOL.
After the Mill House was done, I moved on to the Goat barn oak framed and wall boards on the sides, went with tin on the ends and roof. The
goats moved in before the roof was even started and had to work around them to finish. Still need to build the corner trim and a slider door.
The best part is the cost, this barn cost less than $350 to put up.
goats moved in before the roof was even started and had to work around them to finish. Still need to build the corner trim and a slider door.
The best part is the cost, this barn cost less than $350 to put up.
I hate doing it so I put it off for 3 years!
But now the home has a front door
and storm door. I hate framing doors.
I also built a small deck/porch I used
some treated fence post left over from
the new fence and our own milled white
oak for the deck. The door bell is on
top of the tall post, so if my truck is
here just pull the chain until you get my
attention.
But now the home has a front door
and storm door. I hate framing doors.
I also built a small deck/porch I used
some treated fence post left over from
the new fence and our own milled white
oak for the deck. The door bell is on
top of the tall post, so if my truck is
here just pull the chain until you get my
attention.
The last project was to get the solar
something more stable and solid than
leaning on a couple of boards and
logs. So I built a frame out of some
scrap oak 2x4 lumber left over from the
mill house and mounted the panels to
it. Getting the angle right again and
the dust cleaned off the panels
improved their efficiency by 200% the
charge controller is actually shutting
the current off to the batteries now
since the battery bank is fully charging
again. We are going to add another 12
panels hopefully next year and have
the bulk of the house running on solar
again.
something more stable and solid than
leaning on a couple of boards and
logs. So I built a frame out of some
scrap oak 2x4 lumber left over from the
mill house and mounted the panels to
it. Getting the angle right again and
the dust cleaned off the panels
improved their efficiency by 200% the
charge controller is actually shutting
the current off to the batteries now
since the battery bank is fully charging
again. We are going to add another 12
panels hopefully next year and have
the bulk of the house running on solar
again.
Top left, the new Hereford pigs a
pretty good size investment that will
give a good future return. Left, some
of the almost finished hogs, they are
pushing 190-200 pounds each now
and after the next ton of feed they
should all be in the 230-240 pound
range and then off to our inspected
processor to be ready for next years
farmers markets. Top I couldn't resist
snapping a picture of her taking a leak
:)
pretty good size investment that will
give a good future return. Left, some
of the almost finished hogs, they are
pushing 190-200 pounds each now
and after the next ton of feed they
should all be in the 230-240 pound
range and then off to our inspected
processor to be ready for next years
farmers markets. Top I couldn't resist
snapping a picture of her taking a leak
:)
Since the old bumper pull stock trailer
got retro fitted into the Thunder 5 Ranch
Chuck Wagon I needed another trailer.
This is what I came up with. Plenty of
room for a load of livestock and enough
living quarters to make the long trips to
get that special animal or just save on
the outrageous price of a motel room.
got retro fitted into the Thunder 5 Ranch
Chuck Wagon I needed another trailer.
This is what I came up with. Plenty of
room for a load of livestock and enough
living quarters to make the long trips to
get that special animal or just save on
the outrageous price of a motel room.
I have looked high and I have looked
low and finally found one!!! A 1944
case 170 hay rake. I have found
several actually but all were rusted
beyond any hope of use or parts. This
is a twin to the "Clarence Walk" hay
rake I restored last year. This one has
not only been barn kept since 1944
but used every year since by the
original owners and well maintained.
Best of all It only cost $150 and A
couple boxes of 72 1/2 flat chain and
25 extra teeth came with it. The chain
and teeth alone would have cost me
more than $150.
low and finally found one!!! A 1944
case 170 hay rake. I have found
several actually but all were rusted
beyond any hope of use or parts. This
is a twin to the "Clarence Walk" hay
rake I restored last year. This one has
not only been barn kept since 1944
but used every year since by the
original owners and well maintained.
Best of all It only cost $150 and A
couple boxes of 72 1/2 flat chain and
25 extra teeth came with it. The chain
and teeth alone would have cost me
more than $150.
Some of the Dexter heifers picking over the pasture
After one of the 2011
Spring storms.
Spring storms.