The Faith of February

February is the longest month.

I know February has 28 days and I KNOW all the others have more. But, I stand behind February is “the longest month”.  It certainly feels like it.

We’re far enough out from the holiday season that any leftover “good cheer” has dried up and withered.  The days are cold and dark.  The nights are colder and darker.  The thrill of lambing season has passed and the barn is full of grumpy, complaining sheep who have no idea WHY there is no green grass to eat or WHY they are stuck in the barnlot day after day.

The lambs are big enough to be a nuisance to the ewes and everyone has developed a bad case of cabin fever. Or would that be barn fever?

The snow has melted and frozen again and all the paths and footprints are treacherously icy. 

When the ice melts, we will be talking about MUD and flooding.

…we won’t even discuss how the hens hate winter weather.  As they stand perched on one little bare chicken foot (drawing the other up into the relative warmth of their feathers) and huddle against the cold and wind, it is easy to see their misery.  …and the dark keeps egg production to a minimum, too.

It’s far too early to be thinking about summer crops.  There is still at least a foot of frozen-ness covering all of the gardens.

  So, it’s a good thing that the broccoli plants are only an inch tall. It’s also good thing that the cold and dark (even in the greenhouse) has kept me from starting too many other things.

The inventory in the freezers is dwindling rapidly.  But, the farm store won’t get chicks until at least next week.  …and that’s a good thing.  The pen for our pasture-raised chickens is currently buried in a snowdrift. It will be at least two months before we can begin to re-stock the chicken freezer and even longer until the first lambchop of 2014 is ready.

…and speaking of dwindling.  The haypile in the barn is shrinking, too.  Those grumpy, complaining sheep are doing a lot of eating!  We need to get over to the hay guy’s for another load…but, we need the perfect combo of clear weather and clear ground before we haul a hay wagon.  That hasn’t been our reality for some time now.

what's left of the Chinese cabbage
ewww!

Ordinarily, in the dark days of February, I take solace in the hoophouses.  The sheltered environment makes it possible to work the damp earth and care for growing plants regardless of the temperatures outside.  This season the brutally cold temperatures have kept me from this activity as well. Most days the plants and the earth inside the houses have remained frozen, keeping us from work…and the pleasure that comes from it.

Presently, the hoophouses are fairly depressing…and somewhat odoriferous.  Despite what I wrote about lettuce freezing, some other crops (like the Chinese cabbage) don’t handle the cold well at all.  As these crops die a slow and painful death, they begin to reek. It’s difficult, if not impossible to get the frozen, stinking plants out of the ground…so we’re left with a messy, depressing spot with the distinct odor of kimchi. ugh

No…February is not my favorite month.  …and it does seem SO long. 

It really is a test of faith just to get through it.

But, we’re just six weeks (YIKES!) from Opening Day of Market season.  That means that despite the cold and gloom and stinky hoophouse…it’s time to get geared up (if only mentally) for the days of growing and selling that lie ahead.

That means that we have to look beyond the ice and mess (and seriously…forget about the smell). There are a lot of things to do to get ready for the season.

Dig down deep…

                …find a little hope…

                        …have faith…

Warmer days are coming. The ice will melt and we will soon see the fresh, green shoots of new life everywhere.  We will get the hoophouses back into full production. The chicks will arrive.  It will be time to plant potatoes and onions once more…

And…

…look on the bright side…

Things could be worse...

YOU could have a bucket stuck on YOUR head!

"Hay"...girl...did "ewe" know...?

Yesterday's moment of comic relief

February...it will build your faith! 

(or at least...make you laugh)

 

Sunday Walkabout 2-16

This week was all about SNOW. 

view from barn at morning chores (2-13-14)
the snow continues

(and I think you may already know about my personal feelings regarding the white stuff...so I'll try to stay positive here)

this lamb shares my sentiments about snow

First we got ready for the snow. With the feed bins stocked, gas, propane and batteries at the ready…we waited for the first flakes.

Then we watched it snow and snow and snow. (okay, most of the snow fell overnight, so we didn’t actually see it fall…but, there it was…somewhere around 18 inches of it in all)  I concede, it was pretty.  Thankfully, it was a light and fluffy snow. Wet, sloppy snow makes for some serious problems here on the hill. But, no power outages or internet issues.  No collapsed hoophouses or roof cave-ins...just a lot of the white stuff...and lots of shoveling and blowing and plowing.

you know it will be an "interesting" day
when you have to shovel your way OUT of the house!

the Boss shoveling to the barn by headlamp

the view from the barn

he made it to the chicken pen!

We shoveled….and the Boss made paths with the snowblower.

wasn't it nice of the Boss to make paths for Squeekie and Gus?

Then the wind began to blow and blow and blow.

this is not blurry...
that's blowing snow!

We shoveled some more.

This time the Boss used the tractor.

Gus and Ellie testing the new path 

It melted a little...and I finally got the sheep out of the barn. 

digging out the feeders

What IS this stuff?

Then it snowed again. (I kid you not!)

And...now...

The sun is finally really shining…and the snow is really melting…

Gus and Ellie are LOVING it!

which means next week’s story will be all about

                     MUD!

   

Look close...
the willow at the creek is showing signs of life
the tips are turning gold/green!

Oh, well…we’re a little bit closer to Spring.

Happy Sunday!

Thursday Thankful: Shelter

Tony Giamarrino photo
oh, for the days of warmth and sunshine!

As I listen to the wind swirling the snow around the house in the darkness, I am so glad to be indoors. It’s still dark and I have no idea how much snow we have already gotten. (lots, that’s all I can tell)  Two of our three doors are snowed shut.  The front door can be opened, but there is a two foot drift on the top step of the front porch.  At 17* with the wind whipping and snow flying, I do not want to think about what it feels like out there.  (I will get to experience it firsthand all too soon)

I truly hate to be cold…and snow is my least favorite of all of types of weather.  Sorry, snow lovers.

But, here I sit, relatively warm and comfortable, sheltered from the cold, the driving snow and the biting wind.  …and I am thankful. So very thankful!

just a windswept hill
the girls are marking the corners
of our proposed home

Less than twenty years ago, there was no house here on the hill.  No barn.  No…nothin’.  We hadn’t even given a thought to starting from scratch and we had never even heard of Mbrook. (But, that is a story for another time.)

house construction

The house/barn/shop/hoophouses/greenhouses are all the direct result of the Boss’ hard work.  He joined forces with our general contractor and got the house done in record time. The rest of the structures are a testament to his personal handiwork …and not a day goes by that I am not thankful for that effort!

building the greenhouse

working on the barn

We stay warm in the winter, cool in the summer and take for granted that we can turn on the faucet and have hot and cold water.  Our animals are protected from the elements and we have places to grow our crops year-round. Some sort of shelter makes all of this possible. I cannot imagine what life would be like without any one of these.

However, it’s time to leave the shelter of my comfortable chair and toasty woodstove and battle the elements in order to take care of the animals.  I am certain that the “adventure” of doing morning chores will give me new reason to be thankful for this SHELTER.  

Looking back from the barn

Have a great Thursday, y’all!

Watching Winter Storm PAX

early morning BEFORE the storm

Weather is the single-most talked about thing here on the hill.  And, rightly so.

The weather is also the single-most powerful influence on the farm.

You can have the best, newest equipment, the most robust, fertile animals, the most productive, abundant crops…and one single weather event can change your plans, your dreams, your life…in just one moment.

Too much rain, snow, heat or cold can ruin a crop.  As can too little of any one of the same.

While we talk, complain about, worry over, rail against and sometimes even rejoice in, the weather…there’s absolutely nothing we can do to change it.  …and that makes it even harder to deal with sometimes.

For the past couple of days, we’ve been focused on winter storm Pax. (when did we start naming winter storms? …and WHY did we start naming winter storms?)  It looks like the snow lovers are going to be happy.

The forecasters have posted their predictions…it looks like we are in for a good amount with this storm.  Maybe up to 18...20...inches?  Cold temperatures are to follow and there’s another round of snow predicted for next week.   It’s the aftermath of a snow storm that I find the most challenging.  That part seems interminable.

We have made our preparations…the tractor is in the shop (where it will stay warm-ish so it will start easily) the feed bins are stocked and there is plenty of hay for the duration. We’ve got gasoline, propane and batteries just in case of a power outage.  The wood box is full and the woodstove is cranking. The snow shovels are conveniently located and the snowblower is primed for action. 

Yep, we're ready!

All we can do is wait. 

See you in the Spring!

Hoping YOU stay safe and warm in the upcoming storm.

Sunday Walkabout 2-9

Oh….winter…please go away!

 I am not alone in my dislike of the weather.  Squeekie has taken to hanging out on the backporch, making faces and guilting us into giving her cat cookies.

 

I can’t say we got much accomplished this past week.  We slogged through the mud, complained about the cold and fought an epic battle for internet connection. But, the mud froze…the temperatures moderated and we were able to make our sales despite the frustrations.  Our Winter Customers are awesome.  Thanks, y’all!

Hard to believe that in two months this will be full of green,growing plants
Can't wait!

There was a cloud of gloom over the week as we worked through the loss of our neighbor. The incredible sadness of Friday’s service is tempered by everyone’s fond memories.  Each of us who had the privilege to know her were made a little richer for that experience. She will not be forgotten.

The few things we got accomplished were somewhat noteworthy.

two little lambs sure can make a mess!

We finally moved the lambs from the shop to the barn.  This should have happened at least a week ago, but the weather was way too cold to leave the small, unattended babies on their own.  But, they got to the point where they were moving the entire hospital pen across the shop in their frenzied hunger whenever they heard my voice. Each and every movement scattered pine shavings everywhere and the entire pen was in danger of destruction. It’s so quiet in there now!  If anyone is keeping track, they are both tipping the scale at nearly 20 pounds.

The whole move was fairly anti-climactic and they are beginning to fit in with the rest of the flock. 

Gus has become their watchful companion in the barn. I’m not sure if he’s that concerned about the lambs or if he’s just hoping they will forget about their bottles and HE can have the lamb milk! (we had a very serious “discussion” when he stole the bottles out of the barn…okay, no discussion…just mama doing a bunch of yelling) Gus loves his milk.

working at the barn is incredibly challenging
the bottle babies are ALWAYS looking for food!

the mud was truly epic

All the mud behind the barn that I have been complaining about for so long is now frozen…frozen solid.  That means that the feeders are stuck to the ground.  Completely stuck…immovable. It will probably be Spring before we can move them again.  At least I can't complain about having to do the "dance of the mud turtles" every time I do chores!

(yes, I have seen the TEN COMMANDMENTS one too many times)

The Boss chipped and dug and got the gate to the winter paddock pried out of the frozen mud so that the sheep can finally get out of the barnyard. That gives the lambs room to run around wildly while the ewes feast on hay outside. I must admit to wasting a fair amount of time (and camera batteries) watching lamb racing. It should be a recognized sport…really. I never get tired of watching THIS.

check out the leaping action in the back of this shot

The seeds I started on Monday are germinating.  Hooray!  The sight of all those teeny, tiny little green sprouts in the midst of the cold and gloomy weather is more than a little encouraging and uplifting.  

chard seedlings
LOVE the colors!

More will get started this week…and we may even get to do some real work in the hoophouses. …and there are signs of life in the hoophouses despite the weather.

The pullets are adjusting well to their move and will complete their assimilation process this week. (that means they will be able to go outside)  There are a fair number of pullet eggs, too.  This is a very good thing.  Egg production is WAY off…and demand is way UP.  But, that’s just part of winter.

egg comparison
large egg on left, pullet egg on right

Somebody asked us for the exact definition of “pullet”.  Do you know? It just refers to a young female chicken…some say prior to laying eggs, some say prior to the first molt, some say one year… We use the term to refer to those young hens that are just starting to lay eggs.  The eggs are small and the laying somewhat sporadic, but it isn’t too long before the eggs (and production) are fairly consistent. By the time the Market opens, we should see the Spring flush of eggs when production is at its peak. (well, that’s the plan…can’t say it always works out that way)

…and that, my friends, was the week on the hill.  Hopefully in the upcoming week I will find my long-lost motivation and have accomplished all sorts of exciting things for next week’s post. (don’t hold your breath)

no signs of green yet

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you are having a very

                                              Happy Sunday!

Please come back and visit again.