Equipment...

From Jim: The sanctuary, with it's 80 equines, 4 goats, 2 steers, and so on, is a fair amount of work. Without the equipment we use everyday, it would probably be impossible to keep up. We use the tractor for feeding the 12 to 14 bales of a hay each day. Donna has become quite the tractor driver. The old Ford flatbed and trailer move about 6 tons of hay for every 7 days of feeding. It can haul 100 bales at a time. The fuel savings really add up by taking fewer trips to Lyle's barns. We have a little garden tractor that has stood in for the big tractor when necessary. It can only handle 2 bales at a time, but it gets the job done. We have an assortment of generators. The big diesel is the fall back when the sun and wind aren't doing it. The wind turbine has been getting a new controller and has been unavailable for the last couple of months. There's the pick-ups that serve for transportation and hauling sack feed and the occasional load of hay. They have a hard life. We cut our fire wood from the down oaks that are here. The chainsaws stay pretty busy. There are a few arc welders-one with it's own engine and weed whackers, both wheeled and hand held. There's the water pumps and systems. There's just a bunch of machines that help get the work done. They also create work. Like all equipment, maintenance and repairs are constant. When I have a day that seems sort of difficult, I think of the generations before us, that made do with their own muscles and those of the livestock they kept. Back in the day, a horsepower was just that! The harness and tack took time to care for and the convenience of "turn-key" power was only a dream. Going to town was a day long proposition and that slow ride took time away from the chores that always were waiting. I complain if traffic holds me up for 10 minutes! I can't even imagine thinking of Jake, our Belgian, as "equipment". Cutting fire wood with a handsaw-a misery whip-doesn't sound fun. The tractors and trucks are sure something to appreciate. The off-grid power system makes life better. The ability to stay ahead-just barely-of the work is a miracle! I like my equipment, most of the time.