What's the Scoop on Poop?

 We live on just under 2 acres in the city.  Our front yard is probably about 1/2 acre or a little more and the back yard and horse pen take up the rest.  Our 3 horses stay in a dry lot that measures 75' x 225' and are turned out on the back yard for a couple of hours at a time when the weather and grass permits.

 That leaves me with a lot of poop to scoop.  I use our Newer Spreader to spread the dried up manure in the yard, but after a while the yard can't take anymore.  Daily I have to use a regular wheelbarrow and dump two loads a day in a manure pile or dump the manure along the fence line where are hedges are.  I drag the horse pen after the manure is picked up to break up any leftover clumps and to even out the pen.

 Here's Stylin and Maybe sunning during the winter with their picnic house

 in the background.

This is their stall set up.  It originally was a boat shed built on the back of the garage.  They have 24/7 turnout and are only separated at meal time to make sure that Dixie gets her share.

Another view of the horse pen.  During the rainy season, this "dry lot" turns into a muddy mess.  Another reason I have to manage the poo.

You can see the edge of the manure pile on the left of the picture. 

So how does everyone else manage the manure?  I might have to start spreading manure along the roadside soon.

Life on the Farm

OK....so it's not really a farm but it is almost 2 acres and it's the closest we'll ever get to a farm.  .:-)

We've been tackling the yard beginning last weekend. Cutting down little oaks that had started getting out of control, cutting poke weed and stinging nettle off the fence line, pulling vines from the feed shed and generally cleaning up our place.  We created a burn pit around a large pine stump that we burned and got rid of all the yard waste from our clean up efforts.

Hubby feeds the fire

Down to the last larger pieces

I had a load of sand delivered on Friday to fill in some low spots in the horses' dry lot.  So.....today I started tackling the job of putting sand in the stalls and under their shed.  Boy I sure could have used a Bobcat or a friend with a front end loader.  I'll get it done one wheelbarrow at a time - just have to get it done before Tuesday when some rain is due.  I sure don't want to try to move wet sand.  The official hurricane season started today so I'm trying keep from having Lake Zambito in my horse pen this year.

From the pile

Starting under the shed and stall

Stylin stomps thru the finished area

I stopped after a couple of hours - didn't want to overdo it and throw out my back.  It always feels good when I work hard and can seem some results.  I'll do some more tomorrow.  

Had to grab some hay string to make a stampede string for my yard hat

Moving sand is sweaty, hot work.

So after a productive day and a cool shower, hubby and I relaxed on the front porch and enjoyed the afternoon breeze.  Won't be long before it'll be too hot to sit outside except in the evening.