- Fence in the Farm: This one has to be done there is no way around it. And, it needs to be done as soon as possible. Once we start moving into spring I'm going to get a jump on the exterior fencing because I know that it will take awhile with soccer coaching going on. But, hopefully with the help of some friends and neighbors we can knock out about 3/4 of a mile of fence in no time.
- Put up a Shed: I'm about "this" close to getting this one done. Really, we just need to pull the trigger and go ahead with it because I have the plans picked out and the location picked out. If we can just make sure we have the money picked out we are good to go. In case you don't remember, my plan is to put up a 24x32 (or something) building with 10 ft. side walls. It will have clear span trusses and will be open on the front. Off the back we will be a 14-16 foot lean-to in order to have some extra room. Hopefully we can use a building like this for a little bit of everything.
- Become a Better Mechanic: I can vividly remember my dad encouraging me to sign-up for auto mechanics class in high school. Unfortunetly I can also vividly remember not doing it because none of my friends took that class. Now that I have an old tractor I'm beginning to wish I had those skills! So, this year I would like to learn my way around the tractor a little more and get that girl really working on the farm.
- Become a Builder: During 2008 (with a LOT of help from friends and family) I became a house builder. And while a bit of the house stuff is spilling over into 2009 I hope to become a builder of many things this year. I would like to build a rolling hen house, a woodshed, a water wagon, and so much more. I'm actually looking forward to this type of building though because their will be a little more tolerance for things that come out crooked.
- Share Farming With My Family: The greatest thing about our farm is that it isn't just my dream, it is actually something that we have all grown to love and appreciate. This year I want to continue to share the farm with my family (extended family also) and help instill the values and joy that can come with farm life. It is my prayer that our farm is a blessing for all of our family and all that come and check it out.
Friday, January 02, 2009
The Beginning Farmer ... Goals 2009
Yesterday I reviewed last years goals and how well I did on accomplishing them. All in all I would say that I did a pretty fair job on last years goals, and I know for sure that we are further along the farming path now than we were a year before (buying a farm and all). But, as you look over my goals for this year and compare them with last years goals you will see a bit of a difference ... basically this years goals are bigger! And, I guess they are a bit more physical in nature. I still plan on reading as much as I can and consuming all the information possible, but there is just a lot of physical work that needs to be done on the farm. So, here are my goals.
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4 comments:
Thank you for continuing to share your farm dreams with us--you and your family have been inspiring to me and my wife as we hope to do something similar one day, God willing.
I might have posted some of these links before, but there are a number of different agricultural building plans online at:
NDSU Building and Facility Plans
http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/abeng/plans/index.htm
MidWest Plan Service
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~mwps_dis/mwps_web/frame_p.html
Canada Plan Service
http://www.cps.gov.on.ca/english/planmenu.htm
If you look deep enough into these websites, you can find building plans for everything from chicken feeders to livestock trailers to cattle working facilities to farmhouses. Even if you don’t plan to exactly follow the building plans, you can usually get some good ideas about how you might build something similar by looking through plans like these.
If you want to work on your mechanic skills, the only thing I can suggest is to try to teach yourself to just "dive" into whatever needs fixed. You have to almost have the attitude and self-confidence of a surgeon, unafraid to take something apart and put it back together. Occasionally, (especially when you start trying to hone your skills) you are going to lose a "patient" or make things worse in the short term, but that is part of the learning process (and a whole lot less tragic when you are fixing a tractor instead of a living, breathing patient). Just try not to get frustrated, take a deep breath, and go back to work on fixing the problem, usually anything can be fixed if it is fixable.
Hey Ethan,
My name is Justin Deweese and I am a Professional Speaker and a Church Planter. I love Jesus and love to communicate His Word. If you need someone to speak in a relevant, engaging, funny, life changing way to your students and encourage them in God’s Word, I would love the opportunity. I would love to attend a D-Now, summer camp or any other event you may have. Check out www.justindeweese.com and you can listen to an audio or video message. God bless and Happy New Year.
Hey ethan. It's been cool to see how your farm has come together over the past couple years. Maybe you would like to read about my "farm"
check out my blog
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