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“If people let government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as are the souls of those who live under tyranny.” Thomas Jefferson

Sunday, February 19, 2012

What a mess!

Oh my goodness did we have the rain yesterday! I certainly don't mind a good long steady rain to help with our rain deficit, but really did we have to get rid of the drought all in one day?! We had so much rain yesterday, which started about noon and was still going at 11 last night when I fell asleep. It was a hard steady downpour too, not a drizzle or light rain. I was driving home from my mother's yesterday and was seriously worried when I saw several neighbors with fences that were underwater with nothing but the top of the posts showing. As I have mentioned before we have a water issue with our horse barn. We have to re-dig a trench around the side of the barn to re-direct any water run-off. Well, last night there was so much water coming down and too running down the hill to the barn that the trench was overflowing and the excess water that couldn't run around the barn fast enough was running straight into the barn. I let two of the horses loose, whose stalls were completely under water. I do mean completely underwater with a good 4 inches of standing water in the stall and more coming in the barn. They could go around to the tractor bay on the other side of the barn which was dryer to get out of the rain. Thunder's stall was wet in a good many spots, but half of it was still dry so he was good for awhile. There was so much water coming down that it was coming over the concrete into the feed room and rabbit colony. In the 10 years we have been here I have never ever seen that happen. The rabbits had a thick enough bedding that they were ok, but it will have to all be cleaned out today. It will probably take me all day to get everything mucked out and new bedding put in so that they are all dry again. I don't know what we are going to do about that barn, but we will have to do something thing year more than the trench. It takes forever for that barn to dry out. I am thankful for the rain as we did need it, but my goodness did we have to get a year's supply all in one day. I guess I am just thankful that the house sits on top of the hill instead of down the hill. Well, I guess I better get my boots on...looks like it will be a long day. Blessings, Kat

3 comments:

J Daniel said...

Hi ,

Maybe a French drain on either side of the barn supplemented with a concrete barrier would do the trick... beats a trench... googled your farm and noticed your property borders a pond - would have to see the lay of the land to perchance offer any other options... maybe we'll see you in class this Saturday...

Peace,

J Daniel

Kat said...

Yes, a french drain would definitely help. It just hasn't been economically feasible and when we stopped using the barn much we simply didn't think about it. There seem to always be "fires" that need putting out around here! Hope to see you Saturday, Kat

J Daniel said...

Life on the farm - always something to get done, take care of, fix, etc etc etc - but am speaking to the choir, eh...??? As one of my favorite comedian Gilda Raydner was fond of saying in her role as Rosanna Rosanna Danner "It's always something, if it's not this it's that" ... :)

Look forward to Saturday...

J Daniel