Farm Sale Heaven

Last Saturday was the semi annual consignment sale near Hinton, I had never gone - HORRORS! - but Bruce had and my friend, Kim, went last fall and I was envious of her purchase of an airplane that now resides in her backyard. I vowed not to miss it this year and, since Bruce needs some wooden posts, we were up bright and early Saturday morning, taking not only the pickup but the trailer. We were pretty sure of ourselves.

We weren't the only ones up bright and early, when we heard bidding numbers in the 900's and 1000's, we knew we had competition. There were several piles of posts, Bruce and his buddy, Grassy, were still confident they would prevail.

But as each pile sold, the prospective buyers became more and more desperate, bidding some up to near new price.

Bruce became resigned that getting wooden posts at a bargain price was not in his cards today.

There were three rings going so you had to be on your toes if things you spotted were in different areas.

There was lots of farm machinery but so much other stuff.....

....lots of antiques and garden art......

....I saw a rubbermaid tub of old, dirty child toys that sold for $3.00. What was the point of that?? There were 2 handmade queen sized bunk beds, made from cedar posts that I wanted in the worst way but couldn't think where I would put one. Bruce was happy about that.

We got there about 9 AM and left around 4 PM, famished and foot sore from walking, walking and more walking, trying to see it all. We spent a total of $30, most of it on some horse stuff for me, halters, lead ropes, hay and feed bags and a great set of saddle bags. Bruce got a bucket of hydraulic oil, we didn't need the trailer after all.

A friend watched me try in vain to buy some bundles of tall fence wire, I wanted to corral my raspberry patch that is totally out of control. We watched them, in vain, try to buy a manure spreader for $500, so Bruce told them we have an old one he would sell for that. They came over after we got home, bought the spreader and brought me a roll of tall fence wire!! I was tickled!!

Mollie went into the machine shed and brought out a long dead raccoon carcass....

.....and taunted Murphy with it. I made her leave it there when we went home.

Sunday was a gorgeous day so I set out after dinner to tame the wild berry patch, armed with pruning shears, fencing pliers and bolt cutters. There are 3 year canes, the old ones that produced last year, the ones that grew last year and will bear this year and the baby canes that will be next years growth. The 2nd year canes grow very tall, then tip over, touch the ground and root, making the patch a veritable rabbit warren. Picking berries becomes an extreme sport involving jeans, long sleeved shirt, hat and leather gloves. They put up quite a fight but I persevere and stock my freezer every summer. 

I cut the old canes, pulled the grass that was growing up around them, then cut wire tunnels and corralled the vines.

 Before....

After, I'm hoping I will have an easier time this year, that the berries will drop into my bucket.

Well, I can always wish.

The dogs kept me company by the berry patch, wrestling and snarling, then running through the grove into the stick tight patches....

...you would have thought Murphy did all the work.