Farmer Bert

Well Hell

Bert Dinkins — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 03:56:44 +0000

Most of us rural folks have wells that supply our water. City folks get water from public utilities. I also hear city folks complain about water bills. They think us well folks get our water for free. Let me be clear, HELL NO we don’t.

First lets talk about water quality or the lack of. My water has sulfur and iron content out the ass. Can’t drink it.

Secondly repairing a well is damn expensive. Since moving in January 31st 2010 I have had to work on my well 3 times. The well is almost 300′ deep. That’s a lot of pipe. Average cost each time of pulling and repairing the well is $625 each time. That is $1875 divided by 30 months is 62.50 per month. This is water I can’t drink so add a gallon of water per day that I drink. Average .78 gallon times 900 days since moving here, $702.

I do love it in the country. Just whining about well repair.

107 Baby Chicks

Bert Dinkins — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 17:39:11 +0000

Funny how things work out. January and February have been warm, until my baby chicks got here then we have the coldest day in 2012. We went and got a kerosene heater to help keep the little girls warm. They arrived on Monday 13th and all have survived so far.

Here is a picture.

Baby Chicks

Real Men Don’t Eat Quiche

Bert Dinkins — Sun, 23 Jan 2011 23:32:23 +0000

Unless you got eggs up to your eyeballs.

Yep made my first Quiche today. Turned out great and loaded with calories. I used Paula Deen’s recipe Spinach and Bacon Quiche. Very easy to make and an easy way to use up them eggs.

Spinach and Bacon Quiche

The thing I love about pasture raised eggs is the yolk is a beautiful orange color. I can see the difference in eggs that are commercially raised.

My CSA customers will be getting these eggs each week. Yummy

Wild Turkeys

Bert Dinkins — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 01:17:37 +0000

Not the drinking kind, the eating kind.

Wild Turkeys

DEER

Bert Dinkins — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 21:21:49 +0000

This is what’s cool about the country. Right outside my window.

Mom with fawns

Hot Chicks

Bert Dinkins — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 23:53:37 +0000

That’s right, baby chicks need to be about 95 degrees up until they are a week old. Then you can reduce the heat by 5 degrees each week.

Our new chicks arrived Wednesday August 25th. We ordered 9 Barred Plymouth Rocks (straight run, means 50% chance you will get males) and 8 Rhode Island Reds all females.

Baby chicks eating

Mmm, chicken dinner

Is it hot?

Bert Dinkins — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 01:19:56 +0000

I have a few country sayings for how hot it is but most are rated R. We have had heat indexes above 110 degrees. I posted something to facebook about it and my eldest son Michael ask if I wanted to trade jobs with him. NO.

I spend the mornings and evenings doing outside chores. By 11:00 AM my clothes are soaking wet. I come in, take a shower, change clothes, do some computer work and head back out around 6:00 PM and stay until dark. And then change clothes again.

Some days are so hot I have to take breaks every hour to cool.

Any way, wouldn’t trade this job for all the money in the world. Back outside, still light and I need to water cucumbers.

Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market

Bert Dinkins — Tue, 18 May 2010 00:18:53 +0000

While interning at Downing Hollow Farm, I help at the Saturday market. It’s a great experience.

Read more here about Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market.

Interning at Downing Hollow Farm

Bert Dinkins — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 01:37:51 +0000

Today was the second time I worked at Alex and Lori Green’s farm. They are Downing Hollow Farm. It’s a great experience and I am learning a lot of cool things. I worked with a young couple who are also interning. Ben and Monica. A great couple who work very hard. Makes this old man look weak. We had some interesting conversations while planting seedlings.

The Green’s have a wonderful garden site and a spring feed creek. An ideal country place. Downing Hollow Farm has had several articles written about their sustainable farming practices. Take a look at their web site and see.

Petie, the Blue Tick Hound

Bert Dinkins — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 02:40:22 +0000

A stray dog showed up Sunday. Underfed, covered in ticks, a pathetic looking site. Becky and Nicole feed him and pull ticks out of his ears. She wants to keep him. I don’t want to get too attached in case he doesn’t live. I take him to the vet on Monday. No heart worms. Okay he lives. Cut his nuts, bath him, rabies shots, worm medicine. I pick him up Tuesday. He loves it here. He wants to come in the house. Follows me in the truck down the road. I put him in the truck. He throws up in the front and back seat. He howls all night. I put him in a dog crate in my workshop. He is sorta like Carl in Sling Blade, loud voice but easy to love.

So I only got a picture of his body and not the face, in case I don’t keep him.

Petie

Okay, tomorrow will be a week. He didn’t run off when I left the other day. So here is a picture of Petie doing what he does best.

Porch Puppy