Waiting on Water

June has rolled in wearing a full-length cloak of humidity, buttoned up tight to her chin. Breathing deeply is a challenge. Staying hydrated is a full time job as the sheen of perspiration coats one immediately after stepping outdoors.

Today the mares enjoyed a few bites of green in the enclosure down front, eagerly awaiting the day when the first automatic waterers will be installed and a pasture with an endless water supply is provided for them. Right now they have half of a 55-gallon plastic drum serving as a pasture watering hole, but in this weather it's known to get sucked dry in short order. Then the gals paw at their bucket so that it flips on its side and rolls down the hill...ensuring that they'll have to wait for me to fetch it back to where the hose can reach it before they get more.

The closest automatic watering trough will be installed just a few feet from where the gals were grazing today. This project was begun about a year ago when we had a well drilled to provide fresh water for the farm. Days with heavy equipment driving over the pastures and through the woods resulted in a myriad of ditches until the water lines could be installed and the ditches filled in again. Between time and weather, getting the job done has not been easy. One good rain results in ground boggy enough to trap any of the heavy equipment needed for the job and days must pass before the ground becomes dry enough to work again. Since last summer we've had a mountain of ten Ritchie sheep-and-goat watering troughs awaiting installation. Very soon we hope to have the first three up and running.

The plastic troughs themselves are quite affordable, but the rock (at least six inches thick, if my recollection is right) and the four-inch-thick cement pad required beneath each trough gets costly--especially when the trough will be located on a slope, as most of ours must be. Plus, most of the materials cannot be delivered directly to the sites. The rock, gravel, even cement must get carted to each site by the bucket load. We're lucky to have conscientious, experienced help for this job who not only aim to get the job done with an eye on the long-range cost, but who also are responsible working around the various animals on this farm.

When all is done and even after the bills are all paid, we'll be indebted to Ash Drilling and Bowen Backhoe & Dozer Service for years to come.