Brigita's Blog

Here are some great short courses offered in the Lehigh Valley, PA, for horse owners and anyone involved with horses. Anyone that wants to learn more equine information can register. 

Horse Owners Listen Up-Things are Changing:
Equine Environmental Stewardship
March 7, 14, 21, and 28 - Lehigh County Ag Center, Allentown, PA

All sessions are evenings, 7:00PM - 9:30PM
Cost: $45 for all four sessions at each location

• Are you aware that all farms with animals in PA are required to have either a certified nutrient management or a manure management plan?
• Do you know how pastures can benefit your horses and how and when grazing may put some horses at risk?
• Do you know how to manage your pastures to increase forage quality and reduce weeds and toxic plants?
• Do you know how to compost manure so that it is a resource that you can use in your pastures?
• Do you know how to feed your horses to supply the proper levels of nutrients in their diet?

The Equine Environmental Stewardship short course is an exciting, four-part educational series that provides practical hands-on experiences that will help farm owners develop the knowledge and skills necessary to adopt environmentally sound farm management practices. Equine research is providing new information that is generating many changes in recommendations in the management practices that have been in place for many years.

Participants in this short course will be made aware of new and emerging information that will benefit their horses, their farms, and the environment. Participants will learn about forage biology, how to reduce grazing health risks, how to rotate and rest pastures to increase plant growth, how to identify grasses, weeds, and toxic plants, how to properly fertilize soil, how manure and nutrient management regulations will impact their farm, how to properly store, compost, and apply manure, and how to develop a feeding program for horses that meet but do not exceed nutritional requirements.

~~~~~

Horse Owners Listen Up-Things are Changing:
Caring for the Geriatric and Aging Horse
March 10, 2012
9:00AM - 3:30PM
Best Western Conference Center, 300 Gateway Drive, Bethlehem, PA 18017-9076
Cost: $45

This short course provides the latest information on managing the health and well-being of geriatric and older performance horses. Owners of older horses usually have cared for them for a long time and have developed a special bond with their animals. Research in the field of geriatric medicine has increased due to the interest of equine caretakers in enhancing the comfort, mobility and health of older horses. 

This short course will present the latest information on how to meet the nutritional needs of geriatric, underweight, and metabolically challenged horses. Other topics include: dealing with equine metabolic diseases, adopting practices to increase comfort and manage pain in older horses, understanding diseases associated with the aging process, developing appropriate vaccination, dentistry and deworming programs, and addressing the mental and physical needs of  geriatric and/or rescued horses.

This short course has been developed for barn managers, non-profit groups that care for older and/or neglected horses, and anyone that rides or cares for older horses.

Registration information, etc.:

http://bit.ly/sYkCDn

or contact

Donna Foulk

dfs5@psu.edu or 610-746-1970

As you can see, this photo was taken during ths summer time.  This horse belongs to one of my friends and was just brought over to her place.  He was only 2 years old at the time and a super friendly boy.  When I went to see the horses, he came up to me and nuzzled me.  He also told me a secret.

Why buy a horse property?

Some consumers are on the fence as to whether or not to buy a horse property.  The best thing to do is make a list of the pros and cons of owning a horse property.

Here are some reasons for you to get started:

1-  No more commuting to see and ride your horse.  It is so much easier to just walk out your door.  (And it saves on gas.)

2-  You get to see your horse more often and in turn, build a closer bond with each other. 

3-  Watch the horses out your window and learn more about your horse's normal behavior.

4-  Very relaxing to watch the horses grazing or at play.  It can actually be very humorous at times.

5-  You have control over how much your horse is fed and the quality of the feed and hay.

6-  You can regulate your horse's turnout and stall time.

7-  Your kids get to learn more about responsibility, not only for caring for an animal, but also financial.

8-  Boarding costs are high.

9-  At a boarding facility, you do not know the quality of care your horse receives and how he is handled.

10- Pleasure of being around your horses more often.

11- Get a workout doing barn chores instead of going to the gym (which can get costly).

12- Peace of mind that your horses are well taken care of.

I'm sure there are more, but this list will get you started.  Just having your horses home with you is a reward in itself.

Here is a challenge for all of you.

It took me a few seconds, but then I got the hang of it... I've seen this with the letters out of order, but this is the first time I've seen it with numbers.

... F1gur471v3ly 5p34k1ng?

Good example of a Brain Study: If you can read this you have a strong mind:

7H15 M3554G3
53RV35 7O PR0V3
H0W 0UR M1ND5 C4N
D0 4M4Z1NG 7H1NG5!
1MPR3551V3 7H1NG5!
1N 7H3 B3G1NN1NG
17 WA5 H4RD BU7
N0W, 0N 7H15 LIN3
Y0UR M1ND 1S
R34D1NG 17
4U70M471C4LLY
W17H 0U7 3V3N
7H1NK1NG 4B0U7 17,
B3 PROUD! 0NLY
C3R741N P30PL3 C4N
R3AD 7H15.
PL3453 F0RW4RD 1F
U C4N R34D 7H15.

Let me know you you make out.

When is a property considered a farm or a farmette?

There seems to be a large misconception about what is a farm or a farmette.

It is when the property has a home with acreage, and outbuildings. 

When I say acreage, it does not mean 2-3 acres.  That is considered more as a large lot. 

A property can be considered as a farm or farmette when there is enough acreage that farm animals can be housed on it.  Just because it has a barn on it does not mean it is a farm or farmette. 

Here is the actual definition of farmette according to Wikipedia:

"A farmette is a small residential farm run by an owner who earns income from a source other than the farm. It is sometimes known as a yokelet or a farmlet.

"Farmette owners are typically city workers who want to own rural land without operating a full farm. A farmette often includes a large vegetable garden, the occasional barn, tractor, and even farm or domestic animals, such as goats and cats. Farmetters usually rely on their tractor to plow or snow blow their driveways during the winter. Farmettes are usually 50 acres (200,000 m²) max. They can have a small hog pen, a few chickens in a chicken coop or a kennel house for dogs." 

It is also considered a farm when crops and plants can be planted on it.  Yes, plants can be planted on 2-3 acres, but this makes it a large garden.  Here is Wikipedia's definition of a farm:

"A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food (produce, grains, or livestock), fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production.^[1] Farms may be owned and operated by a single individual, family, community, corporation or a company."

So, when searching for property, make sure you a clear about whether or not you are just looking for rural property with a few acres, or if you are actually searching for a farm or farmette with numerous acres.  It makes a big difference.

Some of us in BNI tend to struggle with having guests come out to see what BNI is all about.  Well, I came across this video showing a great way to invite someone to a chapter meeting. 

Everyone wants to grow their business.  Right?  Seems like the GRIP method explained in this video is a great way to get visitors to come out to your chapter.

I think you will agree.

A friend of mine had posted this and wanted to share it with everyone.

You lift weights, I lift water buckets, 50 pound bags of feed and hay bales.

You run 1 mile, I ride 10.

You dance in your Zumba class, I dance with an elegant equine partner.

You work with a team, I work with a 1000+ pound animal that I have to communicate with, without words.

Who's the athlete now?

Looks like my granddaughter is a budding musician.  At Christmas time she tried out her voice on the microphone and now she is trying her hand at playing the piano.  The one day my husband was watching her for 30 minutes, and she was playing the piano at that time, too. 

Looking at this photo, it does look like she is enjoying it.  It looks like she has many talents.  I am so proud of her.

JUST LISTED!!  4 Bedroom Colonial in Nazareth Area School District

This well kept home has 3 bedrooms and a Master Suite . . . . .

. . . with walk-in closet and master bath, with vaulted ceiling and skylights.

The entrance to the house off of the front porch is an open foyer with tile flooring.

The home consists of a kitchen with center island, a breakfast nook . . . . .

. . . . . and a wet bar and desk.

Sunken family room has a brick fireplace, hardwood floor, and vaulted ceiling.

The back yard is fenced in and divided into 2 sections: one side used to have the above ground pool and the other side has a deck, patio, and swing set, which will stay but seller can remove if desired.

The home includes a total of 2.5 baths, full unfinished basement, attached 2 car garage, a study/office, large dining room (with hardwood floor), a living room, and a laundry room on the main floor.

All this is offered at $315,000.

Contact Brigita McKelvie @ Cindy Stys Equestrian & Country Properties at 610-393-9424 or e-mail brigita@brigitamklv.com  for more information or to schedule a showing.

This past year I had another odd situation. 

It started out with a Buyer's agent requesting to show one of my horse properties.  The appointment was set.

Now the Buyer that this agent was working with had e-mailed me directly for more information on this particular property.  The request was made before I was aware the Buyer was working with someone already.

I received a text late the evening after the showing, requesting a second showing the next day.  No problem.  I set the appointment up and all was confirmed.

Around noon the next day, I received a phone call from a Buyer stating "I want you to represent me!"  It turned out that this was the Buyer working with the agent that was to show my listing.  She sounded quite upset and frustrated.

I asked what happened.  Here is the story:

The agent met the Buyer at the property for a second showing.  Halfway through the showing the agent looked at her watch and informed the Buyer that she had to go and the Seller was going to show the rest of the property to her.  (This was a complete surprise to the Seller, not to mention the Buyer.) 

Before leaving, the agent told the Buyer to wait about an hour after the showing and stop by the office to write up an offer.  (?????) 

I contacted the Seller to get their side of the story and they told me the exact same story.

Here was a Buyer ready to place an offer and the agent just up and left in the middle of the SECOND showing, knowing that this Buyer was serious about making an offer on this property.  Why would anyone do that?

I ended up working with the Buyer to put together an offer, which was accepted. 

The Buyer was very happy that I was so helpful. 

Little did I know at the time how much crazier this transaction was going to get.  Stay tuned for more.