Freedom Farm Blog
James Miller kept a blog of the things that happened around Freedom Farm from 2006 - 2009. These pages recreate this unique diary, with his own words and pictures
Click here to go the index of all the pages
Click here to go the index of all the pages
Thursday, 4 October 2007
The Underfloor Heating
The stud office will use underfloor electric central heating. This might seem a strange choice, but electricity is a very flexible method of power and who knows what method of generation will be used in the future; wind or solar power.
The key to a good underfloor heating system is good insulation underneath. The wires are laid out here. The interesting point is that the wires for the floor were laid in well under a day.
The Underfloor Heating
The stud office will use underfloor electric central heating. This might seem a strange choice, but electricity is a very flexible method of power and who knows what method of generation will be used in the future; wind or solar power.
The key to a good underfloor heating system is good insulation underneath. The wires are laid out here. The interesting point is that the wires for the floor were laid in well under a day.
Completing the Framework
The front of the offices have an oak beam framework, that mimics the original building that has been replaced.
Lifting them into place is not easy and needs a small hand operated fork-lift
The completed structure is now becoming apparent
The front of the offices have an oak beam framework, that mimics the original building that has been replaced.
Lifting them into place is not easy and needs a small hand operated fork-lift
The completed structure is now becoming apparent
Monday, 8 October 2007
Completing the Floor
The floor is now dry and ready for tiles.
The first picture shows the reinforcement being laid. The rather odd boxes with blocks on top are the power sockets in the floor.
In this second picture, the final coat of cement is being laid.
Completing the Floor
The floor is now dry and ready for tiles.
The first picture shows the reinforcement being laid. The rather odd boxes with blocks on top are the power sockets in the floor.
In this second picture, the final coat of cement is being laid.
The Completed Bridge
This is the completed bridge described earlier in Bridging a Ditch. Note that the top has since been grassed
This is the completed bridge described earlier in Bridging a Ditch. Note that the top has since been grassed
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Painting Starts
The painting of the offices has now started.
Painting Starts
The painting of the offices has now started.
Thursday, 11 October 2007 Foals in the Mist
This picture was taken in the early morning mist, just after some of this years foals had been fed.
Here the next group of foals are being fed.
This picture was taken in the early morning mist, just after some of this years foals had been fed.
Here the next group of foals are being fed.
Sunday, 14 October 2007
It's a Foal's Life
This five really are a lazy bunch
It's a Foal's Life
This five really are a lazy bunch
Deer at Kings Wood
We were at Kings Wood, between Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford on Sunday and this roe deer stood on the walk and just stared at us and the two basset hounds. Note the couple with the dog in the distance.
I've enlarged the deer here and you can see the white patch on the rump.For more information on the six types of deer you can see in the UK, visit the British Deer Society
We were at Kings Wood, between Bury St. Edmunds and Thetford on Sunday and this roe deer stood on the walk and just stared at us and the two basset hounds. Note the couple with the dog in the distance.
I've enlarged the deer here and you can see the white patch on the rump.For more information on the six types of deer you can see in the UK, visit the British Deer Society
Monday, 15 October 2007
Helping Hands
I had a lot of help today making the connections to the drinkers in the field more secure. Lizzie doesn't do much but she does sit around, taking it all in. At least she doesn't run off with the tools.
These foals are the trouble-makers and note how one foal has his teeth in the pipe, trying to rip it off. I'll probably put a bar across to stop it. This bunch are like a bored load of spotty teenagers standing around on a street corner. Anything that happens and they're up to no good.
Note that in the last picture, I've replaced the Hozelock fitting with a Jubilee clip. Well not a real Jubilee clip but a Chinese copy.
Helping Hands
I had a lot of help today making the connections to the drinkers in the field more secure. Lizzie doesn't do much but she does sit around, taking it all in. At least she doesn't run off with the tools.
These foals are the trouble-makers and note how one foal has his teeth in the pipe, trying to rip it off. I'll probably put a bar across to stop it. This bunch are like a bored load of spotty teenagers standing around on a street corner. Anything that happens and they're up to no good.
Note that in the last picture, I've replaced the Hozelock fitting with a Jubilee clip. Well not a real Jubilee clip but a Chinese copy.
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
The Floor Goes In
This is the tiled floor that will sit over the under-floor heating. The building is starting to look good.
The Floor Goes In
This is the tiled floor that will sit over the under-floor heating. The building is starting to look good.
Friday, 19 October 2007
Outside Painting
The various local planning authorities have said that the building must be painted black or dark brown. Here's the preferred dark brown coat going on over the primer. Some prefer the primer. Do you?
Outside Painting
The various local planning authorities have said that the building must be painted black or dark brown. Here's the preferred dark brown coat going on over the primer. Some prefer the primer. Do you?
The Definitive Water Trough
Water troughs can be a real pain on a stud. And although I have no experience on a cattle farm too. You plumb one in and rest assured on the wettest and coldest day in the winter something will fail. In the pitch dark you will be trying to avoid pouring a large number of litres of water from creating a quagmire.
From many years experience of fixing the damn things, I like to think that I've come up with a better way of doing things. I probably haven't, as there will always be better methods and I suspect others have gone down the same route as I have. So what do I do that is different?
One thing is obvious from the picture and that is that there is no back rail, so that the trough can be tipped backwards to both empty it and remove it from its cradle. You will also notice that instead of hard-plumbing the trough into the cradle it's connected to the water through standard Hozelock components. This means that the trough can be quickly disconnected and removed.
This arrangement also has other advantages.
1. Water is often needed in the paddocks on a stud. Just unclip the connector and fill a bucket.
2. You can also use these connectors to join a hose to the trough, so that this can be used to perhaps fill an adjacent broken trough or supply water to trees.
But the whole point of this arrangement is to avoid using tools in a field on a cold and wet day.
Water troughs can be a real pain on a stud. And although I have no experience on a cattle farm too. You plumb one in and rest assured on the wettest and coldest day in the winter something will fail. In the pitch dark you will be trying to avoid pouring a large number of litres of water from creating a quagmire.
From many years experience of fixing the damn things, I like to think that I've come up with a better way of doing things. I probably haven't, as there will always be better methods and I suspect others have gone down the same route as I have. So what do I do that is different?
One thing is obvious from the picture and that is that there is no back rail, so that the trough can be tipped backwards to both empty it and remove it from its cradle. You will also notice that instead of hard-plumbing the trough into the cradle it's connected to the water through standard Hozelock components. This means that the trough can be quickly disconnected and removed.
This arrangement also has other advantages.
1. Water is often needed in the paddocks on a stud. Just unclip the connector and fill a bucket.
2. You can also use these connectors to join a hose to the trough, so that this can be used to perhaps fill an adjacent broken trough or supply water to trees.
But the whole point of this arrangement is to avoid using tools in a field on a cold and wet day.
Saturday, 20 October 2007
A Real Horseman
Jim Bolger won the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, by using every method to get his colt, New Approach, to the start. He duly won.
The horse had a friend with him and he was used to pony him down to the start. it is always in attention to detail that you gain that small edge that creates victory
A Real Horseman
Jim Bolger won the Dewhurst Stakes at Newmarket, by using every method to get his colt, New Approach, to the start. He duly won.
The horse had a friend with him and he was used to pony him down to the start. it is always in attention to detail that you gain that small edge that creates victory