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Welcome:  Lucky member #33  |
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Sarah Blue
outbound
37 Posts
Squaw Valley
California
USA
37 Posts |
 Posted - Apr 09 2007 : 8:46:10 PM
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Thanks for letting me be part of your forum. I was "referred" here by the gracious grrrls at MJF, where I'm also a member. I live on a small cattle ranch in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains in California (where I was born and raised), and although I have to have a "real" job  to pay all the bills, I dream of the day I don't have to commute to the city to earn my paycheck.
I love the mountains, every color of every season, wild things, and people who are like minded and committed to making a difference in whatever way they can.
I'm inspired by Mary Jane as are all of you, and I came here for the support of other women who understand what it's like to have mountain girl dreams.
Best wishes and see you around!
"i believe in god, i just spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Apr 09 2007 : 9:42:57 PM
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Welcome to the Forum Sarah!
It will be great to get to know you more. It is such a great dream/goal to become self-sufficient. How many cattle do you run on your ranch? Do you have any other animals other than the cattle? Do you run beef cattle or milk cows?
MaryJane is such an inspiration. Did you know her operation started with just five acres? At least I think that is correct if I remember what her book says properly. :) Hopefully some of her ideas and hints and tips can help you too :)
Elizaray |
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Jen
Expedition Leader
1384 Posts
Jennifer
Calico Rock
AR
USA
1384 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2007 : 07:13:53 AM
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Yes - welcome, Sarah! It's so exciting to see our forum growing. Isn't it great that we can find eachother here when we're all tucked into the amazing, faraway places we love?
Jen |
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Sarah Blue
outbound
37 Posts
Squaw Valley
California
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2007 : 08:11:42 AM
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Elizaray, we have about 30 head of hereford/limousin beef cattle, but a bunch are going to the sale asap since summer is coming and we want to save our grass as long as possible. They're beautiful and they live a good life here. We also have two retired, spoiled, wonderful gelding horses - an appy/arab that I grew up with who's almost as old as me and a paint with one blue eye that must give him his mischievous streak.
What inspires me about MaryJane is that she didn't give up on getting what she wanted, even when it seemed impossible.
"i believe in god, i just spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Apr 10 2007 : 08:36:44 AM
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Sarah-
I wish I lived close to you- I would buy beef from you :) Do you expect a dry year and a poor grass crop?
Your two horses sound like such fun. I hope you get some time for a little riding :)
I agree, the fact that MaryJane never gave up on getting her dream is truly inspiring. I am really inspired by how she creates beauty all around her- especially when she finds ways to use scraps that most people would throw away!
Elizaray |
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Sarah Blue
outbound
37 Posts
Squaw Valley
California
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 09:51:25 AM
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Here in California we're below 50% of average rainfall. So, yeah, I'm worried about our grass crop and our oak trees because it's stressful to them. I'm sure I don't even have to mention the fires.
The grass looks good now though, so it's just a matter of conserving what we have. I love having a barn full of hay in the winter, but it sure ain't cheap to fill it up!
BTW - I think it's really cool to be able to chat with women from all over
"i believe in god, i just spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
Edited by - Sarah Blue on Apr 11 2007 09:52:14 AM |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Apr 11 2007 : 12:08:45 PM
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Sarah-
Do you grow your own grass or do you buy from others? I know hay is pretty expensive when you have to buy from others and it always seems that the animals eat more when you have to buy it! ;p
Elizaray |
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Sarah Blue
outbound
37 Posts
Squaw Valley
California
USA
37 Posts |
Posted - Apr 13 2007 : 4:12:29 PM
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We have a great selection of wild grasses including oats, rye, vetch, filaree and a lot who's names I don't even know. It grows and stays green roughly between December and June, but that's very dependent on our rainfall. This year it didn't start greening up until February and it'll start drying up any day now unless we get some more rain. We usually don't have to start feeding hay until September or October and you're right, it's real expensive. We buy alfalfa from a local feed company that will bring us about 100 bales at a time. Most other places around here won't deliver unless you buy a whole truck and trailer's worth which is somewhere around 400 bales and way more than we need! I want to cut the herd down as soon as possible so there are fewer mouths to feed throughout the summer and fall. I also think this will be less stressful on our pastures. We're trying to rotate the cattle so one or two pastures are always "resting." As I've mentioned in other parts of the forum, we've got a lot of fence work to do though and quite a ways to go before we're managing things the way we want. Life is a work in progress :)
"i believe in god, i just spell it nature." - frank lloyd wright
http://www.myspace.com/svgrrrl |
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Elizaray
outspoken
680 Posts
Elizaray
680 Posts |
Posted - Apr 14 2007 : 09:12:39 AM
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Sarah-
Hay is really expensive around here too. The last couple of years have been really hard on the hay crops. I hope you get some rain soon so that your fields can be as healthy as possible!
Elizaray |
Edited by - Elizaray on Apr 14 2007 10:06:06 AM |
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Welcome: Lucky member #33 |
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Lucky member #33
