The month of October has been so busy. It is hard for me to even think the month is over, but here I am in November. I have been tired, physically and mentally, and not writing much. I am feeling good about all that has been accomplished.
The first terraces I built are working great. Last week we received rain for five days in a row, not a huge amount about 5 inches total. Thankful for the rain. After the first three days of rain, I had to check my terraces. How did the terraces hold up? Did the terraces slow the water and redirect as planned? I was thrilled to see the terraces do the job I had planned and built them to do. With the rain, the grasses started filling in the area. Satisfaction in having planned and completed a project that did as I had hoped.
Another huge accomplishment in October was getting the pasture seeded in winter wheat. My husband and I were trying to figure out a way of seeding the pasture since we do not own a no till drill or any type of seeder to do a large area. Then, I seen where a neighbor was seeding others’ pastures, pastures he was leasing. I asked if he could seed my pasture as well and the cost. He said yes, but did not give me the cost. He seeded my pasture with my seed for no cost. I was relieved to have the pasture seeded. Now to have rain for the seed to germinate and grow. Thankfully we received the rain, the winter wheat germinated and started growing. Along with the winter wheat growing, the pasture grasses started growing after receiving the much needed moisture.
The first week of November we are able to put the sheep on pasture, and not feed hay.
There was another project scheduled for October, a new water filtration system. Our water is not from a public utility, we have well water. Our filtration system and water softener only did a limited amount of purifying our water, so we did not drink the water or use it for cooking. There was nothing harmful in the water, it was just high in salts. We have our water tested yearly for safety in drinking, and the water tests safe to drink. But we did not like the taste. We purchased a better filtration system, softener and an osmosis system for under the kitchen sink. In order to put this new system in our barn, we had to make some changes of moving things around to create the needed space for the new system. On October 28, they put the new system in place. Now we have cooking and drinking water in the kitchen. This new system is supposed to pull all the iron and calcium elements from the water resulting in no more deposits on faucets and brown toilets.
Meat training in Amarillo was cancelled. The company I work for decided it was too expensive to send and pay for hotel rooms for those wanting to attend the meat training school. Meat cutter training is being done in each store. Two days a week I go in for meat cutter training. I am progressing quite well. I enjoy learning from my supervisor. He is a really good meat cutter and department manager. The store where we work is one of the smallest in the chain of stores, yet this meat department has the highest profit percentage and often out sells the bigger stores in nearby area. I want to learn to be as good and profitable meat cutter as he is.
I work two days a week as the meat department employee on my own. I have been limited in what I can do in putting meat on the shelf for the customer as I was not able to cut meat to replace. My supervisor would work extra on the days before he was off, to have cut meat for the shelf the next day. Not anymore. My training has progressed to the place I am able to cut meat for the shelf on his days off. I still require training on the meat saw. Any meat product that has a bone, I am not able to cut. But everything else, I can cut for the shelf.
Yesterday, my supervisor informed me that my meat cutting abilities were really good. My cuts were beautiful and varied. I am able to see the various meat products that can be cut from a portion of meat. My cutting ability allows for a pleasant presentation of the product. I still need to identify all the different steaks and cuts that I create, and to learn to safely operate the meat saw. My skills are of high level meat cutting, and when training is complete, I will be able to get a job in any store.
It is common knowledge among employees that the company we work for does not pay much. My supervisor makes more than any other department manager as they want to keep him at this store. He could make more and has, but that requires traveling to the metroplex, something he does not want to do. Like me, he works there by choice. But having the option of going somewhere else in a high demand profession is a comfort.
Yes my time has been busy with projects, work and training, not allowing for much time to write. I have missed the writing and will be working on my schedule to create more time to write. There are still many projects that need to be started and completed on the farm. I need to get to riding two horses so they will be ready to sell in March. I am going to be in lambing season in a week or two, as the ewes are getting ready to have their babies. I have some of last lambing ewes being bred, for lambs in five to six months. Since my time is limited, I am starting to decorate for Christmas now, in order to have the decorating done for my son and his family visit this Christmas.
So much to do but with joy and hope for a good outcome in the next few months.
amtolle
Me, Myself and I 