The 3-Bell Ranch

WWOOF is an acronym for "World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. People of all ages and all walks of life volunteer on farms around the world, providing essential help to farms that are dedicated to earth-friendly, organic practices.

In 2010, The 3-Bell Ranch had the opportunity to sponsor several "WWOOFers" and with their help, we accomplished oh-so-much. Our hats are off to these fine people.

Many hands make light work! We have accomplished much this year:

• planted another 11 acres of hay fields
• repaired moo vandalized irrigation system
• built the Taj Mahog Pig Palace
• planted three pig gardens and one "truck" garden
• crossfenced pig's pasture and horse/cow pastures

This year The 3-Bell Ranch will continue to focus on the restoration of the land, particularly that which has been fallow for the past 8-10 years.

Toward this goal we will be plowing up the land designated for hay fields and planting various hay crops. We'll break ground as soon as it's thawed enough to work. Usually that's the first part of March.

As the weather warms we'll be putting in gardens-- both for human and animals. Last year Forrest, Megan, Danielle, and Adriana created a fall forage garden for the pigs. This garden complex was a great success, but it was too small. We need to expand it as we incorporate plants that will provide natural parasite control for both the pigs and rabbits.

Our goal to use our horses in farming is still on the docket. It appears to be one of those "sure looked easy in the movies" sort of projects.

• Research and commit to fertilizer strategy for field restoration [DONE]
• Review previous year's seed choices (grass fields as well as human/ pig/ chicken gardens) [DONE]
• Select, order and plant seeds [DONE]
• Construct a greenhouse [ABORTED MISSION]
• Field restoration process:

- clean up remaining debris from upper pasture region and the pasture gone to clover [DONE]
- prep land for planting [DONE]

• Submit periodic blog posts
• Meal preparation and KP duty
• Horse training and trail riding
• Horse driving and training
• Hoof care, trimming
• Painting buildings
• Extending the corral fence
  
• Weed control (pulling, burning, composting)
• Picking up debris left over from the days of the orchard
  
• chores (feeding animals, switching irrigation lines, milking goats and/or cows)
• Keep things tidy and in good repair

       -- tractor maintenance
       -- baler, swather, and other equipment maintenance

• Create How To videos on Ranch-related topics which might include:

        -- irrigation repair
        -- irrigation installation
        -- running and maintaining equipment
        -- hoof care
        -- horse training
        -- goat breeding, birthing, and care
        -- pig breeding, birthing and care
        -- etc.

• Photoshoots (with the horses, of course!)

With the permanent set irrigation systems complete, we turned our attention to the restoration of the land. Forrest and I sat down day after day and poured over Internet sites, books and videos to learn as much as we could about soil testing, fertilizers and poly-crop grass production. We took our list to Monte and Laurie of Ag Tech in Okanogan. Monty accepted some of our ideas, while rejecting others and suggesting fertilizers and seed stock that would achieve our objectives.

When it came time to plow, disk, harrow then fertilize the fields, Dean used the ASV while Ben operated our little 2010 John Deere. We created the most beautiful hay I've ever seen! It passed the equine and moo Taste Test with flying colors!

In the summer of 2009 we installed another 15 acres of electrobraid fences, and we put in 13 acres of permanent set irrigation. Pictured here is an aerial image of The 3-Bell Ranch showing the 13 acre portion we got into irrigation this summer. You can tell it has been many years-- nearly ten in fact-- since the ground saw more than rain water.

On the lower portion of the photo you can see the irrigation pipes on the ground beside the trenches.

This aerial photograph was taken before they were glued together. Shortly after each line was glued together, it was set into the ground.

The top of the photo shows the sage brush steppe that makes up the west 45 acres of The 3-Bell Ranch.

In the very middle of the photo, you can see our alfalfa field which yielded around 5 tons of hay.

The video, below, shows the scope of this project and contains aerial views of The 3-Bell Ranch.

Our horses drive, pack and ride (hence the name of the ranch, The 3-Bell Ranch).

Their driving skills allow us to use them to help us move rabbits, mow hay, and pull carts around the ranch.

We have several riding horses that we share with WWOOFers who have an interest in riding. The riding in the hills above the ranch is spectacular.