Homestead mailing list

["Lisa K. V. Perry" <lkvp AT floydva.net>]

Gene GeRue wrote:

> Life in the hills has been a challenge for the last five days. Busted water 
> system, no propane, no Internet connection, three-foot-high weeds 
> everywhere, chigger bites you wouldn't believe, and now, a major case of 
> poison ivy rash. Just got a new water heater installed and am about to take 
> my first proper shower in a week. Of course with the poison ivy rash I have 
> to make it only a cool one. I will write more when I get this place back in 
> hand.
>  
Aaaaah, life in the country, aint' it grand?  Seriously, I hope your 
rash is under control and beginning to go away.

We were lucky enough to recently borrow from a friend his used 
commercial-grade mower with a 5' adjustable height deck.  Hubby went to 
town on that thing, it was a substitute bush hog.  For the first time in 
five years, our fields are mowed and look darn good.  We're spoiled 
now.  We've hired someone to bush hog the fields twice a year, since we 
didn't yet have our own equipment, and the end result was never as good 
as what my husband just did with this mower.  A used tractor w/bush hog 
attachment is on the list, but only for the right price and it seems to 
take back seat to other priorities.  The mower did a fine job.  Hubby 
went over the fields with it in the highest setting at about 16", then 
cranked it down some with each pass in succession.  It looks like we'll 
be able to borrow the mower 4-6x during the season and it will cost 
significantly less than what we paid for bush hogging.

Happy Early Autumn to everyone.

Lisa