Hassles on the farm

Our farm, like most businesses, always has some emergency to deal with, but it seems this week we might have more than our share.  We normally winterize our barn because we have running water to the top floor where we have a kitchen and bathroom for our farm help.  We fully drain the pipes each fall, which protects the pipes from freezing and bursting, so last week we turned the water on to the barn so we could begin using the space for the season.  My husband had to cut a pipe last winter, and tried to repair that with a compression coupler fitting because it was too cold to glue the repair, so that we could turn the water on.  Monday as we were ready to leave the farm to go to our computer job, where we normally go for half a day in the afternoon once we are done with morning farm chores, we noticed the plumbing compression fitting had sprung a leak.  Water was everywhere – but thank goodness we were home to fix the issue – so my husband rigged up a light and blow dryer to warm the pipes enough for the PVC glue to set and it worked beautifully.
Just a couple weeks ago our truck brakes went out so we are waiting to receive the part from the Auto Parts store.  The truck seemed like no big deal because we have our van, which we mostly use for produce delivery and hauling fertilizers and grain.  So after fixing the pipes Monday, we were in the van on our way to the computer job, when the van started making bizarre noises – which our guess was that it was the transmission – so my husband checked the transmission level.  Sure enough, we are low on fluid.  So we called the auto parts store and they had to special order to correct brand for our Ford van.  So currently we have 5 vehicles and none are running!  When we returned home and were doing evening chores, I noticed that the goat barn was flooded.  One cold day our water hydrant froze open and could not be closed; however, Monday it warmed up enough for the hydrant and hose line to thaw, so water gushed out into the goat barn the entire afternoon while we were away.  The goat babies were not to sure what to do because goats hate getting their feet wet!  Thank goodness, Ruth who works with us, drives to Spring Creek from Marshall.  She has agreed to pickup the transmission fluid and brake part so that we can get one of our vehicles running.  We are so lucky that the folks who we do computer work for are very flexible with our time.  They let us telecommute much of the time which is such a huge bonus!