Horse and Mule Packing

Radiant Heat

2009-10-29T10:07:00.000-07:00

The lofty high ceilings in a barn home are great for creating an open feel but present a bit of challenge when thinking about how to heat the space. The question being how to economically heat a house this size without breaking the bank.

We research many different heating options. We looked at traditional furnaces and baseboards. We looked at individual heating like cadet heaters. We even considered wood fired furnaces. After much online research we came upon a product call Comfort Cove Radiant Heat. These radiant heaters mount high on the wall near the ceiling and radiate heat down into the room. They were super affordable and even came with free shipping. They are safe, inexpensive to run and can heat a large space at a lower temperature than normal heaters. There's no running fans so they are completely silent.

The cozy heat from a Comfort Cove Radiant heater is like standing next to the wood stove but with these heaters you can control the temperature on the thermostat.

For more information on Comfort Cove Radiant Heaters visit their website at www.radiantsystemsinc.com.

Cost for heaters for entire barn home (approx. 3200 square feet) was $2400

Carport Progress

2009-10-09T06:56:00.000-07:00

Monday the lumber package arrived
Tuesday the posts were in the ground
Wednesday the walls were up and sided
Thursday the roof sheeting went up
Friday roofing
Saturday trim and battens
Monday stain and paint

Sometimes projects can drag on. You aren't sure if you'll ever get started, let alone finished. Every once in a while the stars line up just right and before you know it you aren't just starting but you are nearly finished. That's how it's been with our carport project. A couple of exceptional October days and a crew willing to hustle and by the time Monday rolls around I'll be able to park my tractor.

Not only will this be a great place to park vehicles it will also be the "dirty" shop. It's a place to spread out wet packing gear, make repairs, store packing boxes and get out of the rain.

Fall Reading

2009-09-28T10:09:00.000-07:00

Packing season is coming to a close but that just means it's the perfect time to start planning for next year.

If you are looking for an informative and entertaining read this fall pick up a copy of our Mule & Horse Packers Guidebook. Available through our website at www.mtcanaryco.com or by email at mtcanary@msn.com.

Carport

2009-08-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

The dirt work is done and we just broke ground for the new carport. The Pennypincher Barn Company, a sister company of Uncle Howard's Barns, designed a carport kit to match our house. It will a have high peak 7/12 pitch roof, matching widows peak and cupola.

We are partially enclosing the carport. This will allow for built in storage for things like pack boxes and extra riding gear. The main floor of the house has a warm dry shop and tack area but it's not necessary or practical to store everything inside. There will also be room in the carport to park the tractor out of the weather.

Keeping check back as we post more photos of our progress.

Dormers

2009-08-07T15:23:00.000-07:00

Just because you love the way a design element looks doesn't mean it's always going to fit perfectly into how you plan on living in the space. Sometime even the best laid plans still present challenges. In this case, it's was the dormers.

There was no question that we wanted the two 6 foot gable dormers on the front of the house. The house is breathtaking when you pull up the drive. Uncle Howard's Designs a gorgeous dormer. What we wish we had done differently is run a full length shed dormer across the back side of the roof instead of one gable dormer and one shed dormer. Both kinds of dormers are spacious and a must have in any barn house. The shed dormers are less decorative but in many ways more practical. We had a heck of time trying to figure out how to fit our kitchen into the shed dormer and the upstairs bathroom into the gable dormer. If we'd run the shed dormer the whole way it would have been much easier.

It took some time to work out. We went with our original plan and moved the kitchen back downstairs. The bathroom downstairs has the shower for the days when you come in from riding too dirty to tromp through the house. That left just enough room in the gable dormer upstairs for the clawfoot tub and "water closet". The shed dormer is the perfect size for the office upstairs. With some compromise and inventiveness in the end we made it all fit.

A Barn to Call Home

2009-07-24T11:27:00.000-07:00

As many of you well know packing season is in full swing. Ed is in the saddle most days and will be until Fall. I'm Ed's daughter Anne. I'll be taking the reins on the blogging until the trail work is done. You can still reach him by phone or email, though he may not be quick to respond. In his absence I'll be getting you up to speed on their other big project...building a new barn home.

Not ones to shy away from adventure Ed and Sue undertook a new project this last year It has long been a dream of theirs to build a barn home and they finally did it!

We happen to live near one of the country’s premier barn kit companies, Uncle Howard’s Barns. It all started with meetings with the design staff and after that many a discussion at home. There are several barns in our area to see and extensive photos from other people’s projects. So many choices and Dad & Sue not being the kind to jump into the fire they took their time.

Howard Horton, the owner, personally worked with them to get the design just right. It started with their popular 32’ x 36’ Western Classic style. From there the project took on a life of it’s own and before we knew it they had added two 12’ x 36’ partially enclosed sheds, dormers and an upper deck.

Their goals:

· Open living area with character and room to write, read, watch a good movie or soak in a claw foot tub.

· Deck overlooking the pastures. A place to enjoy a good cup of home roasted coffee, a heavenly cigar and the occasional nip of fine Irish Whiskey.

· Commercial kitchen for trying out Eddie’s infamous recipes. Space to can and dry the veggies from our overly abundant “lasagna” garden.

· Spacious craft room for Sue to paint, sew, wood work or whatever strikes her fancy.

· Warm, dry shop with room to build and maintain packing gear.

· Built in tack area and room to move around

This was the start of something big. Sometimes it was an exercise in patience. Others time a chance to make the dream come true. In the end it will be a place to call home...

Future posts will include the fun and creative ways Ed and Sue are making their barn home unique.

2009-05-31T06:54:00.000-07:00

A new packing year started for us the 27th of May 09. Denny Dargan and I packed a trail crew up into the DuckaBush (Oly. Nat. Park). it was a beautiful day but very long. That was the longest 6.5 miles in the park (rough). We both came out licking our wounds (must be getting a wee bit older each year.

New Packers Bulletin #15

2009-05-15T06:41:00.000-07:00

We have added a new packers bulletin #15 "For the Loss of a Shoe!"...Subjest how we deal with a loose or lost shoe. ...To view the whole article go to our web site ....www.mtcanaryco.com

Getting Ready To Get Out There

2009-05-07T07:18:00.001-07:00

This the time of the year that we go looking for our shoeing hammer and visit the farrier supply store for a fresh supply of mule and horse shoes. It is also the time of the year that we dust of the pack saddles and pull in the mouldy looking(half shed out) gang and, surrounded by a storm of loose hair, check the fit of each one on last years user. This is a very important ritual because our horses and mules can and do change their body size from time to time. They can grow or shrink for age or conditioning. If we size our gear early we have time to get the trees or rigging set up well before we need to use them.

How To Use Our Web Page

2009-05-07T07:04:00.000-07:00

We have developed a pretty large web-site for information on horse packing and mule packing. This site may look a little bit challenging for one who is looking for a quick glance. Our home page will give your just that but your are losing out on the full flavor of your goals if you do not look a bit deeper. We have a on going photo section that is worth examining for examples of how we pack our stock, our packers bulletins are addendum's to the information house in our book "The Mountain Canary Packers Guidebook." If one is interested in our information please check back for up dates.

Do You Think I Ought To Own a Mule?

2008-12-04T13:16:00.000-08:00

Here's some food for thought if you are thinking about adding a mule to your gang:

"We are long-ear advocates. We are constantly visiting with folks in an effort to take the sting out of the idea that mules belong in the horse world. Seven out of ten times when someone finds out you are a mule owner they are lighting fast to spout off, spreading mule horror stories. We are equally as fast to ask them how many mules they have ever owned? They usually get a dumb look on their face, and fess-up that they never have owned a mule. I guess the better you are, the less you are understood and, the faster folks are to spread any short comings they can conjure up, true or contrived about your (mules).

We have been asked over and over again by well-meaning folk the following question: “Do we think they should own a mule?” Goodness what a loaded question! Well, never let it be said that we ever backed away from a chance to put our foot into our mouth; the following is our canned reply. If the querying person does not answer affirmative to our three questions then we think that they ought to reconsider living with a mule.

#1 Do they like kids? Mules are a lot like children. They are honest, do not like pain and are always watching you.
#2 Do they like dogs. Mules are also a lot like dogs. They are honest, do not like pain and are always watching you.
#3 Would they ever consider owning a good Arab Horse? This one usually is the wash-out question. After their eyes roll back to the normal position in their head they get the picture. Mules are a lot like Arab horses they both have an opinion about self and are aware of their own presence. Thus the idea or fear of their stubbornness. With both of these animals you learn to look for the opportunity to negotiate, rather than to order them around.

We do not believe that everyone would be happy living with a mule. We do not believe the mule would be happy in this situation either. Besides you have to be smarter the critter you ride. This is the case with a mule if you can not read them, do not ride them."

For more information like this visit our website at www.mtcanary.com

Welcome to the Mountain Canary Blog

2008-12-04T13:07:00.001-08:00

Howdy! Just getting my feet wet on this blogger stuff.
Check back soon for articles on mule and horse packing, caring for your stock and all things life in the backcountry.

Looking forward to hanging out and shooting the breeze!