High Tech Improvements

Even though today was a Saturday and we have a garden to build, the weather didn't cooperate. No one wants to be outside when it's 37-degrees with snow then sun then wind then snow then clouds then sun. So it was the perfect day to stay inside and finalize the set-up of our new computers. We ordered identical all-in-one Dell computers that have tons of storage and fast processors - enough to last us at least another eight years. I spent a lot of time today just moving photos from my old computer to the new one; can you believe that my file of noTTafarm photos has over 17,000 images?

I was able to keep my old monitor and link it to the new computer so I can use two monitors at once. This is what I've been used to at work for years, so it's nice to have the same amenity at home. I can work twice as fast!

Side note: did you know noTTafarm has a Facebook page? If you'd like to see some stuff I don't post on the blog, just "like" noTTafarm and follow along.

Guess who hung out with us in the office? That's right - our former barn cat, Bibbers! He even convinced us to bring the fancy ottoman in from the library so he could sit right next to Scott's desk. What a pal!

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Day Trip to GBAT

noTTafarm-based projects were put on hold Saturday, March 12 so we could take a quick trip west. Scott hung out with my dad in Kearney while Mom, niece Chelsie and I continued on to North Platte. Our destination? Grain Bin Antique Town! This new-to-us antique dealer is situated about 4 miles south of I-80 in cattle country, high on a ridge with a beautiful view of cedar-lined canyons. The owners have rebuilt 20 small granaries on the site, connected by a boardwalk.  Each bin is chock full of fun finds.

G.B.A.T. is definitely worth a trip west if only for the scenery! Check out info on their web site: 

http://www.grainbinantiquetown.com/ 

I always think of my sister when I see skunks. Aren't these cute? I didn't end up making any purchases but Mom and Chelsie found some wonderful things.

The site also has a large metal shed which houses their office and more retail space. Beautiful!

Our long day ended back home at noTTafarm by 11PM so Sunday's gray and cold weather didn't encourage much activity. A late afternoon walk led to an hour or so of picking up sticks - always the best way to end a weekend.

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure!

Unsolved Mystery

When we were deep in the effort of cutting down cedar trees a couple of weeks ago, we couldn't help but notice two dead deer near the trail at the bottom of the west slope. They were laying about 15 feet apart. We couldn't tell how they died - whether they were shot and wondered onto our property or if a pack of coyotes took them. I know . . . it was quite upsetting! But since it was pretty apparent that something had eaten a major portion of each, and you never know when a mountain lion is lurking nearby, Scott set up the trail camera nearby to capture the action.

The first effort was pretty unsuccessful. The camera was so far from the deer that the motion sensor only captured about 10 photos over a 4-day span. We did, however, get a few curious deer taking selfies.

Since the carcasses had been moved, we knew someone had visited. Scott set the camera up just a few feet from one set of remains and hoped for a better result.

The camera might have been too close this time but even with the over-exposed photo, it was obvious that a coyote visited.

Hopefully, the coyotes and other scavengers will do their job quickly, leaving mother nature just a little bit of break-down to do. In the meantime, visitors may want to take walks on the trail's short loop.

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure! 

Harvest Season for Cedars

One thing we have no shortage of at noTTafarm is cedar trees, the scourge of the prairie. It's our duty as noTTafarmers to eliminate as many of them as possible. They hog water, kill grass, and create a fire hazard (plus, they smell like deer urine.) Their one redeeming value is their trunks which make excellent fence posts. And we just happen to be in the market for posts with which we will create a fence around our vegetable garden. So, with a nice sunny weekend and plenty of gas for the Farm Boss, we got to work.

We decided to first concentrate on the cedars growing in a small area near the top of the west slope. Scott trimmed the lower branches off before slicing through the trunk.  

 Go, Farm Boss, Go!

Scott set me up with the "chainsaw on a stick" so that I could help out. I got pretty good with it by Sunday afternoon.

We used the Ranger to tow some of the trees down to the bottom of the west slope where we trimmed off all the branches and created a big pile to burn later this spring. It was a lot easier to drag the tree than trim the branches, load the trailer, tow the trailer and then unload the branches.

By late Sunday afternoon, we had added two big trunks to use for raised beds and eleven fence-post-sized trunks to our stockpile.  Still not enough to complete the garden enclosure but getting closer!

Stay Tuned for Our Next Adventure! 

Spring is Springing!

Today is just March 7 but it sure felt like Spring today! It was a warm and windy day, topping out at 75 degrees. Is it too much to hope that we are really safe from winter's grasp?  Here's hoping!

Happy Spring from noTTafarm!