Redbud Farm March April 2008

The first barn is completed!  The pasture and hay seed has been ordered and recieved, the grazing plan is ready, and we now waiting on Mother Nature to provide us a window to plant.  The plans for the Dairy are being reviewed by the Indiana Board of Health.  We are getting ready to put concrete in the first barn, run electricity, and dig the well.  We should have the blueprints for the house completed in April and will begin getting quotes and deciding on contractors.  We have begun preparing beds for the raspberries, blueberries, gooseberries, and elderberries.  Fence posts and fencing will continue to be installed.   We have discover a number of blowouts in the drainage tiles and that need repair.  The days are getting longer and it looks like we will need every minute!

Pasture Plan The barns are in red, the house in blue, the lanes divide the pastures for rotational grazing of the warm and cool season grasses as well as chicory.  Waterers will be placed in the lanes for easy access.

House Design This is the south facing view of the house, with views of most of the pastures, and porches overlooking the farm

Trees are planted! We picked up 1700 trees from the indiana State Nursery in Valonia on Arbor Day Friday April 25th.  Here are Kristy and Mike using the tree planter to add acres of trees to the Classified Forest.  The trees were planted in three days, Kristy and Mike are sore , old age must be taking over.

Cool season pastures and the hay field are planted.  We have 40 acres of various species, including orchard grass, chicory, alfalfa, white clover, red clover, and fescue.  We rented the planter from the NRCS office in Henry County and we are looking forward plant the warm season grasses after Mother's Day.  Now with a little rain and sunshine we will have beautiful green pastures!