Burnt River Ranch

05/30/2026

Anyone who has ever stacked small square bales by hand will know the excitement of this here contraption!

We are slowly developing an entire collection of red/yellow New Holland haying equipment.

It’s gonna need a bit of love to get it ready for haying season, but I have always wanted a stackliner and I’m super excited to see it in action!

05/26/2026

The cows finally got to go out on grass for the first time this year, and they are so thrilled! It makes my heart happy to see them roaming about on the fresh green meadow.

05/23/2026

Why the whitewashing? Is it just paint?
Well, whitewash is essentially hydrated lime mixed with water. Some people add salt and other things, but it’s mostly lime. When it’s sprayed, it’s more on the translucent side, but as it’s exposed to the air and dries, it calcifies and turns white. It’s kind of an old fashioned thing. Due to its PH being highly alkaline, it makes for a great disinfectant for barns. It helps with any bacteria, viruses, ammonia, fungus and mold. It is also effective at fly control and other critters like mites. This is important because our calves are housed in the barn year round. Things like ringworm can live in the wood and this will kill it. Will also help with preserving the wood. Neutralizing ammonia in the barn helps with overall air quality which is also essential for healthy calves and cows. In addition to all these hygienic reasons, it looks good. Old barns can tend to get a little on the dark side, and whitewashing truly brightens up the space. Certainly doesn’t last forever though!
You can totally make this yourself and paint it on. A recipe to follow is: 8 cups of lime and 2 cups of salt, to 1 gallon of water. We much prefer to hire a professional, but it’s totally possible to DIY it.

Done by: J.A.R whitewashing. 570-960-1058 or 570-878-4105. Give em a call and tell em Farmer Wayne sent ya!

05/21/2026

05/20/2026

I took some updated photos of Flashbang today!

Somehow he is still searching for his forever home, due to absolutely no fault of his own. I am surprised somebody hasn't scooped him up yet!

(I'd be willing to bet part of the reason is because he isn't a "cool" colour, but he is beautifully dappled in the summer, has pangare markings that lighten his muzzle and other points, a thick and luxurious silvery flaxen mane/tail, and is developing some lovely feathering)

He has been doing absolutely wonderful with his groundwork and has been so fun to work with.
Tomorrow he will be getting gelded.

05/19/2026

SpotOn was our solution to wandering dogs.

An LGD needs to be on the farm protecting their stock, but all of us LGD owners know, they are prone to wandering a little too far!

Tethering keeps them home but leaves both them and the stock vulnerable.
Leaving them loose isn't a viable option.
In-ground buried wire is both cumbersome and impractical in many situations.
Collars with small, circular perimeters are often not useful either.

SpotOn has been a reliable option for our multiple dogs for many years now; and one I wouldn't recommend if I didn't truly believe in it!

https://spotonvirtualfence.sjv.io/6ebvyq

05/18/2026

You can’t have your cake and eat it too, or in this case beef! (Or pork or any other farm raised product).
Stop demanding CHEAP meat while ALSO demanding every other ethical point imaginable.

People say they want cheap food.
•Cheap burgers
•Cheap steak
•Cheap milk
•Cheap eggs

Cheap always comes with a cost, and that cost has been the drastic loss of the American farmer.

For decades, farmers have been squeezed from every direction.
•Fuel costs rise.
•Feed costs rise.
•Fertilizer costs rise.
•Equipment costs rise.
•Land prices rise.
•Insurance rises.
•Taxes rise.

Meanwhile, in most cases, the farmer is expected to sell everything at wholesale while buying almost everything at retail.

Think about that last sentence for a second. Don’t skip over it, let that sink in.

A new cattle farmer may spend years building infrastructure:
•Building fences
•Buying feed
•Building handling facilities
• Improving pasture
• And countless other improvements

…….all before even seeing a paycheck for all the work put in. This here is why the farms we have lost will not be replaced. It’s simply too expensive to start for young farmers.

Meanwhile a large part of other farmers are aging out.

I personally don’t see how the cattle industry can improve itself. We are at the smallest herd size since the 50’s in the US. We have extremely high beef demand but not the cattle to meet that demand.

People see the final beef price and think the farmer is getting rich. Most small farms are simply trying to survive and try to grow a little in the process. Surviving and growth both take extremely high input costs. As well as countless man hours.

Industrial food systems trained Americans to expect food to be cheap at any price. Right now we are paying that price for undervaluing the American farmer.

Each year, more small farms disappear because
the math no longer works.

You cannot demand:
•Local food
•American-raised beef
•Higher animal welfare
• Healthier food
•Sustainable farming

…….while also demanding the absolute cheapest price possible.

Cheap food has never really been cheap. The true costs was just pushed onto the people producing it.

I will end with this. I was watching an interview a couple days ago. The person being interviewed was predicting $10 pound ground beef by the 3rd quarter of 2026. He believed this price would not level out till sometime in 2027.

This is a problem that has been decades in the making. It’s not going to fix itself quickly….if a fix is even possible.

Elvin Bradford
Homestead Hollow Farm

05/18/2026

Thinking about complaining about breeder chicks prices?

Here’s the prices of heritage breed layers right from the hatchery. UNSEXED.
These often don’t accurately follow SOP (standard of perfection) for their breed either, and says right in the books that they are not considered show quality.

What you’re paying for, is the convenience of knowing a hatch date (which can be and often is cancelled last minute) and having them shipped to you.

Support local breeders with high quality stock.

05/18/2026

All true but they will eat your garden lol

Ducks are more than cute farm animals — they control pests, fertilize soil, lay rich eggs, and help keep the garden thriving naturally. 🦆🌱

05/18/2026