High Tunnel Project Completion | The Richard Mason Show

With my high tunnel finished earlier this year, I have been very busy! So here is a montage of all the video that I recorded during the construction. Don't worry it's only 3:20 minutes long! If you like this video, give me a comment!

Clover Creek Farm Store!

So I decided to empty my repertoire of photos I've took this year. I've used all of these photos on Facebook, but its just not the same as sharing on my blog. I hope you enjoy!

So early this year we began to plant in our high tunnel for the first time! First I plowed, then I tilled and then...I picked up rocks. Lots and lots of rocks! Enough to fill a pickup truck! I tilled multiple times and after each time, I picked up a more rocks. If I had a penny for each rock I picked up, I'd have a million pennies. After the ground was smooth like we wanted, Rachael and I began to plant. First we transplanted broccoli. Then we planted spinach and lettuce. A couple months later, we had a delicious salad harvest!

Tilling in the high tunnel.

 Rachael transplanting the broccoli.

So one of our cows had a calf. We had bred her to a purebred Guernsey Bull, so that would make this young'un half Guernsey, half Jersey!

 "Why'd you wake me up?"

Here, Rachael and I decided to sift our compost so that we could have better planting material while starting seeds. When you sift it, you eliminate all the large chunks of debris that just takes up space in the planting containers. Here I am with our finished product.

"Looks good enough to eat!"

 So this year, I decided to open a roadside produce stand on the farm. So far I have sold zucchini, yellow squash, cucumbers, beans, tomatoes, petunias, tomato plants, mushrooms, blackberries, strawberries and honey! I have had a ball selling at the store. It's only open on Fridays from 2:00pm-6:00pm. Whatever I don't sell on that day, I take to the Harrogate Farmer's Market on saturdays and tuesdays.

 I hope you enjoyed my pictures. If you'd like more information about my farm you can go to my facebook page at www.facebook.com/clovercreekfarm.

Big Announcement! | The Richard Mason Show

The Udder Side: Dairy Cow Supports Ag Gag Bill

The Udder Side: Dairy Cow Supports Ag Gag Bill: Don't support the Ag Gag Bill! Don't support the Ag Gag Bill! That's what some celebrities and animal rights groups are hollering. Click the link to see what one "secret agent cow" thinks of Ag Gag Bills.

A Tilling Adventure | The Richard Mason Show

I have a very tilling adventure while preparing my garden.

Transplanting Tomatoes | The Richard Mason Show

How to start seeds | The Richard Mason Show

Ram Trucks Super Bowl Commercial "Farmer"

I've heard the late Paul Harvey's "Farmer" speech before, but it always brings tears to my eyes when I hear it. So when I heard that Ram Trucks used his speech in their Super Bowl commercial, I was exceedingly happy. Us farmers don't always get the appreciation we deserve, but Paul Harvey certainly saw the hard work and dedication it takes to live the life style of a farmer. And no one in the world can put into words to describe it, except Paul Harvey. I used to listen to his show all the time, and while listening to this Super Bowl ad, I half expected him to sign off with his signature phrase: "And now you know...the rest of the story. I'm Paul Harvey...Good day!"

watch this commercial here.

We are now listed on farmermaps.com!

Click here to find Clover Creek Farm - Get GPS directions to our farm, products availability dates & reminders, pictures and much more!

Winter Weather | The Richard Mason Show

Last week, here in Southeastern Kentucky, we got three inches in three hours! That may not sound like much to you folks in the northern states, but this is a mountainous area. The roads were so treacherous! My dad who is a school bus driver was stranded on a hill for two hours when a 18 wheeler jackknifed in front of him. There were more accidents than there were rescue crews! Well, anyways, while all this was going on, I was home safe on the farm where the only treachery was the risk of snow falling down your shirt collar! Here is the video I made for my youtube channel: The Richard Mason Show.

Doomsday 2012 | The Richard Mason Show

Happy December 21st, 2012!!! I hope the Mayans don't get you!

Newborn Calf!

 So I'm a little late getting these pics up on the blog. These pics were taken on the day this little guy was born. He was only a few hours old when I took the picture on the left.



Later that evening, we separated him from his mother. It caused a little stress on mama cow, but not as much as I expected. I've separated kid goats from their mothers before and they cry aaallll night long. But Caramel is experienced in calving and the separation stress was minimal. We remove the calves from the cows because we want control of the milk. If little guy stayed in the field, he would nurse all of the milk and by evening, we would not get any milk for ourselves. So we become the new mommy and feed little guy a ration of his mother's milk through a bottle or bucket. We can devote time to working with him to grow him into a big, strong, healthy steer.

Another reason we separate the calves is because of the coyote problem in the area. I have lost goats the same size as this calf to coyotes. By putting him in a tight pen until he is large enough not to be threatened by predators, we ensure his safety. Soon he will be out grazing grass and growing nice and strong!

I'm a plow boy | The Richard Mason Show

Yeah I'm a plowboy, I ain't no city boy, Oh, I was born with dirty hands...well not technically, but soon after that, I got dirt on my hands and my Mommy had to teach me how to wash my hands. Anyways, here's this week's video. Enjoy!

A Beautiful Fall Day

Caramel grazing next to the hay pasture.

 I just wanted to put up a blog post to share with you some photos that I took right here on Clover Creek Farm! It was a beautiful fall day and the leaves hadn't all fallen yet. The mountains were in an array of shades of green, red, orange, and browns. The neighbors (who are our next of kin) had just finished baling their hay. Caramel, our jersey milk cow was out grazing and lazily acknowledged my presence. She could have cared less as I snapped picture after picture. Anyways, here are my favorite pictures. Enjoy!

I thought this picture was a lost cause with the sunlight's glare
but my computer editing program made me see it differently!

Hay. It's cow food!

I think it's worthy of a frame!

A black and white of the scene.

Clover Creek Farm Commercial--Richard Mason Show

Here is a video I made of Dad and my brother working in the hay. It's almost got the feel of a commercial! As a matter of face, thats what I'll call it...a Clover Creek Farm Commercial. What do you think?
Watch until the end and give me thumbs up for the huge fail!

Feeding the calf--Richard Mason Show

So our most recent calf to be born on Clover Creek Farm is an angus/jersey cross. We feed him twice daily after each milking. During the middle of the day, he grazes grass. I'm surprised he picked it up so quickly, most of our calves don't learn how to graze so soon after being born, but I'm glad he did learn because it will cause him to grow much faster. If you have any questions, comment below, or on the youtube page. Don't forget to subscribe!

Putting up the high tunnel hoops--Richard Mason Show

During this step of our high tunnel, Dad and I raise the hoops into place. Now we're getting somewhere!!!

Working like John Henry--Richard Mason Show

After grading the construction site, Dad and I sink 2" posts into the ground. You can't see it, but there is a plumb line stretched out that tells me when to stop pounding. Dad is seen using his level to make sure that the posts are being put in straight. Driving these posts made me feel like I was John Henry a working on the railroad!!! LOL!

In the jungle, the mighty jungle! --Richard Mason Show

Uproot it!!!--Richard Mason Show

Here is the site where we will begin to construct our high tunnel. But we have a problem. There is a huge walnut tree in the middle of the plot! After cutting it down, Dad and I work to remove the enormous stump.