We finally have fiber internet installed. Wooo hoo! The “phone in the window” strategy is working quite well, and we want to keep it that way. Therefore, no WiFi. If we need to access the internet we must use a computer. This makes screen time more purposeful and less of a time-suck.

Have you ever heard the sound of air rushing out of an inflated tire? 1 outta 10 stars, would not recommend. I’ve had some slow leaks in the tractor tires for the past year now, but this is my first puncture flat. Filling the tires with ballast fluid and a hole sealant has been on the list for a long time….but so has a lot of other stuff. In the meantime, I’ll keep plugging away at keeping air in the tires (pun intended).

A few of the trees I took down late last year were left there due to wet weather settling in. I just couldn’t move them with the tractor because of where they were. So they sat all winter, harboring pine beetles. We had a bit more waste than I hoped for on a few trees and had to resort to burning them to kill the beetles and get rid of the damaged material. It’s crazy how light a log can get after the beetles chew away half of it. I’m still optimistic that my log piles will yield usable material.

We have a sawmill on the way. The plan for the beetle infestation is to try to stay ahead of the damage. As soon as I notice beetle presence, I need to take the tree down and mill it immediately. That’s the plan of action. I do not think I can 100% get rid of them without clear-cutting, but I also do not think it is a devastating situation. It’s just a situation that requires us to stay on top of to maximize yield.

Affiliates/coupons:

JK Boots:

Hands down, without question, the best outdoor working boot that I have ever tried. They aren't cheap and they aren't inexpensive. The break-in period was brutal for me. But after some boot oil and a few working days for them to conform to my feet, I've never worked in anything as form fitting and comfortable. I wore mine all summer and immediately realized how comfortable they are after being forced to switch to a mud boot when the wet season hit. Once we get the extreme mud under control the rubber boots will get the boot and I'll be back to good foot comfort in my JKs. I have the O.T. Bison - Canyon. Yes, the JKs can handle mud, but excessive full submersion in mud is unnecessary. They have a good sizing system and you can order different sizes for each foot if necessary. JKs are an investment, for sure, so I wanted to wait until I had 6 months of experience before I promoted them. THUMBS UP. Here's my affiliate link. Your cost doesn't change but if you use my link I get a commission when you purchase. USE THE CODE jaybates TO GET 10% OFF!

https://www.jkboots.com/products/o-t-bison-rust-roughout-smooth?bg_ref=BwlWA71DVt

Update 4/5/25
My O.T.s are still great. Heavily worn and holding up great. Still my go-to work boot. I recently got a pair of the square toe western boots (The Buck - Indigo | Chocolate) for days where I prefer the speed of getting in and out of the boots or days where I'm mostly on hard surfaces all day or running errands. Very comfortable right out of the box with zero break in for me. THUMBS UP AGAIN.

https://www.jkboots.com/products/the-buck-navy-chocolate?bg_ref=BwlWA71DVt

P.S. Just when you thik that food cannot possibly call you on the phone, Onion rings.