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 My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
   
Location: Arkansas | Some of you may remember the devastating year my baby has had with his father dying from alcohol related issues in March at the same time my parents got flooded out of their house. (Thank the good Lord they got moved back in finally about a month or so ago!) Then in July my aunt passed away from a heart attack, which just blindsided us because it was so unexpected. (Chandler and Aunt Angie were very very close.) In the middle of all this he graduated high school AND started fish farming. He had high hopes that Chris (father) would be by his side and a part of the farm because he was my family's fish manager for years. His knowledge would have been invaluable to Chandler. I had also hoped it would maybe help their relationship and slow down his drinking since he would have a purpose again. . . But it wasn't to be.
Now to the proud part! He estimated that he had 30000 lbs of fish to sell Tuesday. Well, when they seined them up, his seiner told him he'd be lucky to have 15000--we were all dumbfounded. And just sick. He called me at 5:45 Tuesday morning and asked where a halter was because Dan got out the open gate while they were loading out the fish. I told him I'd come get Dan and for him to concentrate on the fish. When I got there he had already caught him, and he informed me had a decision to make----whether to call in another truck or not cause he ended up with 48000 lbs!!!! God answered our prayers and those fish were just hiding while in that seine!! So Chandler got his first big pull, and I just had to share cause I'm just so so proud of my son. . . |
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| CONGRATULATIONS ... HARD WORK DOES PAY OFF!!
THIS IS WHAT MOM'S DO BEST ... BE PROUD OF THEIR KIDS!!
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Congratulations!  |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Thank y'all so much!! Yes sir, he is a hard working kid. Excuse me, young man, not kid!! |
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Go Get Em!
Posts: 13503
Location: OH. IO | Wow!that's fantastic!what kind of fish?we need more involved parents!!tell him CONGRATS! |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | jake16 - 2016-09-11 12:07 AM
Wow!that's fantastic!what kind of fish?we need more involved parents!!tell him CONGRATS!
Good ole USA pond raised catfish!! The industry was decimated a few years ago by low prices for fish and high costs of expenses. But the biggest issue was the influx of foreign fish that were CALLED catfish but weren't, as well as the deplorable conditions they are raised in. . . . I bet 95% of fish farmers in our area (AR, MS, AL) went out of business. So to say my parents and I weren't excited about his choice of a profession would be a huge understatement! Not that we were surprised though because it's all he's ever said he wanted to do. . . .
I'm more involved than I want to be, Jake16!! When my parents were having to stay at our deer camp after the flood, Chandler stayed with them; we didn't want them out there alone. So instead of him driving 40 miles roundtrip every two hours all night long to check ponds, I volunteered to watch the fish at night (from 6 pm to 6 am). From April thru July it was all night, but since then my checks usually end by 2 am. I am tired, but I feel like I have an obligation to him as a mother AND father since Chris is gone. If he needs me, I'm there. I'd do anything for that child of mine. . . . |
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 Namesless in BHW
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Location: At the race track with Ah Dee Ohs | YAY for Chandler. Congrats to him. Be proud momma!!! |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Fantastic!!!! |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Congrats Chandler, your were raised a good man. I bet it feels great being who you are  |
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10D Crack Champion
| When you typed 6pm to 6am. What exactly did you do during that time? I don't know anything about fish farming.
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | sodapop - 2016-09-11 11:05 AM
When you typed 6pm to 6am. What exactly did you do during that time? I don't know anything about fish farming.
The oxygen in the ponds has to be checked periodically thru the night. The hotter and more humid it is the faster it will fall. When it reaches a certain point we have to turn on paddlewheels (either hooked up to tractors or electric ones) to put oxygen back in the water. My checks average every two hours. He has 6 ponds in production right now from one end of our farm to the other; it takes me about 45 minutes each check. (Chandler says it wouldn't take me that long if i didn't stop each check to spend "quality time" with each of my 5 horses. . . . I would NEVER do that  ) |
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 Take a Picture
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| Wonderful |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | I have a pond stocked with catfish, buttttt the cats are like pets to us, I wont let anybody fish and I and the grandkids feed them, they can feel the gator coming up and they are all waiting around my little floating pier for their food, I use to let a few people fish a few out every once in a while but havent in the last few years. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | You have good reason to be proud. He sounds like one outstanding young man. Congrats on the big haul of fish!! God sure is good. I'll be sure and eat some more catfish when I can. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-11 10:06 PM
I have a pond stocked with catfish, buttttt the cats are like pets to us, I wont let anybody fish and I and the grandkids feed them, they can feel the gator coming up and they are all waiting around my little floating pier for their food, I use to let a few people fish a few out every once in a while but havent in the last few years.
It bothers me to no end that I'm helping keep them alive just to send them to be killed. I know that's weird beyond belief! I wish he'd raise row crops so there would be no eyes looking at me as I ride past!! |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Nita - 2016-09-11 10:08 PM
You have good reason to be proud. He sounds like one outstanding young man. Congrats on the big haul of fish!! God sure is good. I'll be sure and eat some more catfish when I can.
I've prayed over this farm since the very beginning, and God has blessed us with the people He has put in touch with Chandler and the advice they've given him. I give God all the glory in this endeavor because I know Chandler wouldn't have been able to do it without Him; God has been there leading the way from step one.
Thank all of you for your kind words. It means a lot that I knew I could come here and y'all would care about my good news. . . |
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| Maybe with his unexpected good crop ..
He can think of installing some cheap water pumps from Harbor Freight and install a spray in the air fountain to re-oxygenate the water ..
Or look at an irrigation system with a propane setup car engine running the pump to all the ponds with up side down spray sections run to each pond ...
with a return line from the last pond back to the first one ... to keep all the
water levels consistent ... if you look around these irrigation units can be found cheap!!
Sure beats staying up all night .. |
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My Heart Be Happy
Posts: 9159
Location: Arkansas | Ill have him check into this. I own my own accounting business, and I'm about worn out between my two jobs. Should I call it a job if I'm not getting paid??  |
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Industrial Srength Barrel Racer
Posts: 7268
| Awesome!! Tell him congrats! |
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A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | Chandler's Mom - 2016-09-11 11:42 PM Southtxponygirl - 2016-09-11 10:06 PM I have a pond stocked with catfish, buttttt the cats are like pets to us, I wont let anybody fish and I and the grandkids feed them, they can feel the gator coming up and they are all waiting around my little floating pier for their food, I use to let a few people fish a few out every once in a while but havent in the last few years. It bothers me to no end that I'm helping keep them alive just to send them to be killed. I know that's weird beyond belief! I wish he'd raise row crops so there would be no eyes looking at me as I ride past!!
I love eating catfish, good eating, lol, but I cant eat mine thou.. Befor my mom passed away she would come see me and we would go out and feed the fish and then she would tell me Roxie that one and that one anddd that one, well really all of them LOL but she would tell me Mmmmm they sure would be good fryed up  .. Then she would get to giggling, I would tell her OK mom, lets go to Johnnys {Bar B Q place} and get some fryed catfish.. She was a pill.. |
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