Snow, snow and more snow!  We are running out of room to put it, the snow banks have become mini mountains in the barnyard!  We said we were looking forward to the snow because of the really busy summer and fall but we didn’t mean this much!

We accomplished so much and are happy with how the projects turned out~we thought we would share some new pictures with you.

The biggest project was the new heavy use area.  We removed the old, broken pad and resurfaced and poured new concrete in front of the pole barn.  It was a lengthy project but well worth it.  Greg & Cody took the time to install new 6x6 posts sleeved in cast iron  in the front of the pole barn. A new spillway was added to help drain water off of the pad and also to keep cows out of the mud coming on and off the heavy use area.  Once the pad was finished we added new fence posts and high tensile fencing.  We are very pleased with the finished area-it was so pretty and fresh we almost hated to let the cows on it!

The barnyard was also resurfaced and drainage added-it will seem nice not to fight the mud this coming spring out there.
We want to thank Carroll & Jon Lanpher of Lanpher Excavating for a job well done.  They are great guys to work with and obviously take great pride in their work.  Thanks so much for your patience in working with what seemed like an ever changing design!

We would also like to thank Graham Hanson and Matt Keene for a great job with the concrete work.  The job went like clock work, they were here when they promised and the pour went off without a hitch. 

And one more big thank you to Roland and Rebecca from the NRCS office for all of their hard work and many trips to Bucksport to make sure this project  turned out perfectly.  We really appreciate it.

We also built a covered building over the manure storage area on the Brookside heavy use area.  This was a work in progress beginning in early spring.  From Greg & Cody cutting cedar posts for the frame to drilling and setting them.  Next came roof rafters and metal roofing.   Pause for hay season, fair season and the new heavy use area.  We finally put on all of the metal siding and were ready for winter. 

We have added a few new Lowlines to our herd~we will be picking them up in February and March and are awaiting our first calf in the next week or so. As I have said before, calving season is my favorite time.  I don’t mind the sleepless nights of checking the “maternity ward” as we like to call it.  A pair of binoculars looking out our bedroom window at all hours is just the norm when it is calving seaon!