Sunday Walkabout 12-27

I can honestly say I have never seen apple blossoms in December

Well, this week has certainly been one for the record books.

Really.

Everyone is talking about the weather. The high temperatures all along the East Coast are the top story in the news. There have been reports of flooding and tumultuous weather and Alabama saw a tornado on Christmas day.

Here on the hill it has just been wet. Wet. WET.

1st full day of Winter 2015

It has rained every single day. It’s also been very warm and incredibly gloomy. I am not exaggerating when I say that there is algae growing on more than a few flat surfaces. I’m pretty sure we saw the sun for just 6 ½ minutes in total this week. On second thought, it may have actually been less. Ugh!

We missed the full Christmas moon, (last observed in 1977), as it was obliterated by clouds and dense fog. Maybe we will see it in another 19 years. I truly hope we see the sun before that!

While the grass is greener than we have ever seen it in late December, the mud is incredibly deep (not to mention slippery) and the creek is still running quite high.

muddy barnlot

To say I’m tired of the gloom and muck is a sad understatement. I have to wonder how Mrs. Noah managed being stuck in the ark with all the animals during forty days and nights of rain…there is absolutely no doubt, I would have lost my mind!

Despite the wet weather…and a lot of talk about missing winter all together (I still say, just wait…) 

…there were still things to do around here.

getting ready for hens in the garden

The Boss got the hens into the lower garden to do clean-up for a while. They have all the spent brassica plants to eat and plenty of soft soil to scratch through. This will keep the egg yolks bright and nutritious and hopefully cut down on the insect pressure later in the season. And, if it is possible for hens to be happy…they certainly have every reason to be.

the clean-up crew arrives

after just a few days you can really see a difference
(even through the fog and mist)

ewes in winter paddock
12-25

The ewes are still out on grass.

This seems like great news (last year we were feeding hay before Thanksgiving), but, it occurred to me last night that with the entire barn FULL of hay…we don’t have any room for jugs. (Jugs are those little pens we build for lambing season) Guess it’s a good thing that lambing season is going to run a little late this year…maybe we can make more room by then!

building the winter feed corral

checking out the new arrangement

We did rearrange things so that the ewes are now in their winter quarters. They are confined to the paddock beside the house (where we stockpiled grass) and the barn….and they began eating some hay today. The winter paddock still has a great deal of grass growing in it, so the ewes are happily munching fresh, green grass in late December. This change will give the pasture out front a rest and keep the ewes where we can observe them easily as we get closer to the first delivery date.

winter feeder

eating hay for first time in '15

Between the weather and the holiday, it’s been a slow week here on the hill. Personally, I am looking forward to getting back into our regular routine. At this point, I have no idea what day of the week it is. And, quite honestly, I am bored….and I desperately need to do something (anything) outside!

We did get the gardens planned and plotted for 2016. I have marked my calendar with start dates and I began cleaning one of the greenhouses.  The Boss has to do some repair work in the other greenhouse before I get serious about starting transplants. So, a trip to Lowe’s is in the works for the first of the week. And, I need to inventory our seeds before placing the big seed order for the upcoming season.

It won’t be long before we’re up and running for 2016. The first lambs are due in about 10 days and I hope to start some lettuce and kale by the middle of next week. My boredom won’t last long!

Last week I was more than a little bit bummed, concerned, and maybe even distraught about recent events in our little corner of the world. The vitriolic rhetoric spewing forth from the screen every time I turned on the computer was indicative of the anger and animosity that had infected our community (and beyond) and it was more than a little disheartening.

However…this week, I want to share a story with you that while it didn’t affect me directly, nor does it have anything to do with agriculture, it does indeed tell you something about this amazing place. It also greatly restored my faith in my fellow humans.

-facebook photo

Over in Draft, where our eldest daughter and her family live, there is a sense of community the likes of which is not seen elsewhere.  When there is a need…there is always someone ready to step up and fill it. We have firsthand knowledge of the kindness of those in that community…

Stuarts Draft will always hold a special place in my heart, even though I can’t claim it as home. We owe a lot to this place, because without the amazingly committed and talented folks of SDRS, chances are that our daughter would not have survived that awful night in April ’10… a fact I think about every time I drive past the rescue squad building…and nearly every time I hold my grandson…

But, I digress.

Back in September, Meredith (a fourth grade girl from Draft), was very sick. She was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer, requiring lots of costly care and a lengthy hospital stay. In true community fashion, the folks of the town have supported her and her family in countless ways. It has been truly touching.

But, she desperately wanted to be home for the holidays.

Finally, her health improved enough so that the wish could actually come true. 

And, then the Draft community stepped up to make the fulfillment of the wish even more special. Fire and rescue escorted her back over the mountain. It looked like a parade. People stood by the road and waved and held up signs of encouragement. In some cases they stood there for hours, hoping to somehow encourage this brave little girl in the fight for her life. 

-facebook photo

She and her family were given gifts and "Santa" was there to greet them. The community involvement was overwhelming. So many people gave of their time on Christmas Eve…when they could have been out shopping or making preparations for their own families, they were standing by waving, encouraging, giving of themselves…because “no one fights alone”.

-newsleader photo

I have never seen such a shining example of “love your neighbor” as I saw from those folks of Stuarts Draft. It was truly awe-inspiring.

You can read the story in detail here  http://www.dailyprogress.com/newsvirginian/news/community-comes-out-to-welcome-furr-family-home/article_d05e56fa-aa75-11e5-a3fe-bf4f21538d68.html

 And, on that note, I will leave you for the week.

I hope you’re having a Happy Sunday! 

there's not much of a view this week

Thanks for visiting. Please come again real soon!

Since we’re closing in fast on the end of 2015…I am hoping to do a short retrospective post each day this upcoming week.  A lot happened on the hill in the past year and it would be too long for just one post.

So, check back and see if I manage to follow through…or if I should make a resolution about finishing things I start.

Sunday Walkabout 12-20

Apparently, Sissie-the barn cat thinks the whole week has been one big yawn

This has been one of those weeks that I was really glad to see end.

I can honestly say that nothing went as I expected it to. And, that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing in most cases. Still.

The threat of measurable rainfall instilled a sense of urgency to our work schedule. We still had some animal re-arranging to do before the winter set in…and rain would not help those projects. As a matter of fact, any sort of rain was going to make all the jobs of the week far more difficult.

So, the Boss got into high gear with his new “ram hut” project.

The “ram hut” is another one of those projects that definitely fulfills the three “r’s” …reduce, reuse, recycle...as so many farm projects do.

Years ago, we bought a brand-new set of cattle racks. To tell you that they were a big investment will tell you just how very tight things were in our early days here on the hill. They were really nice cattle racks, made out of steel with a locking, hinged door. We hauled all sorts of animals in the back of the pick-up with them. Cows, pigs, a pony…even a llama. Once, when the Boss was hauling a bull, the bull tried to climb the racks and get out over the top! Oh, if those racks could talk…

However, over time, they had become worn and rusty…that wonderful hinged gate didn’t swing so well and actually made things more difficult. They had undergone more than one modification. It was far simpler to load a bunch of lambs into the trailer…and we haven’t hauled a llama in years. (and I’m pretty sure that isn’t in our future! did you read this?) The racks went into retirement.

The Boss saw some real potential so we didn’t throw them out. We learned a long time ago to keep “old junk”. You never know when inspiration might hit. They sat in the backyard for a while, adding a little visual interest until they could begin the next phase of their existence as the framework for the new ram hut.

helping with the construction project

By attaching plywood sides and a corrugated roof, the Boss created a neat little hut for the ram’s winter quarters. In the past, the ram has had to hang out under the trees in bad weather. With the ram hut, he can be sheltered close to his feed and where we can actually see him. 

ready to put into use

Gus lead the way

getting the ram hut in place

Upon completion, the hut was dragged back to the ram’s winter quarters and the next phase of sheep work for the week began.

this lamb seems to be wondering
WHAT is he doing?

at this point, I was wondering the same thing!
Heavy load, uneven ground equals a tippy tractor
the Boss thinks this is FUN

Ordinarily, the ram is removed from the ewe flock by Thanksgiving. We remove the ram for a number of reasons. The ram gets quite ornery after completing his one job for the year and often becomes aggressive toward the ewes. This can prove disastrous for ewes in late-term pregnancy. And, if the ram is not aggressive toward the ewes, he can be aggressive toward the humans. I’m here to tell you that can be disastrous no matter what your physical condition. And, then there is always the possibility of very late lambs. By limiting the ewes’ exposure to the ram, we control the lambing season. Lambs in April or later here on the hill mean nothing but trouble (in oh, so many ways). Then, the ewe lambs need to join the ewe flock. We have never had good success with yearling ewes as mothers, and choose to skip breeding that first possible season, letting them mature first. Exposure to the ram could prove more than a little problematic. So…bachelorhood it is.

Angus sought shelter from the rain INSIDE the ram hut
WooHoo!

For those of you wondering WHY early exposure to the ram can be a problem…read this...   

and this.

Angus - December '15

This year, everything is running a little late, so Angus got an extra couple of weeks with the ladies. I'm pretty sure he didn't mind.

Angus is a great looking ram
can't wait to see what kind of babies he makes

But, the great switcheroo went fairly smoothly. 

ewe lambs -December '15

moving the ewe lambs

The ewe lambs re-joined the ewe flock and Angus headed off to his bachelor paddock.

ewes in winter paddock overlooking Mbrk

protesting the move

Later, Angus realized he was all alone and began protesting loudly. The ewe lambs began protesting as well, although we have yet to figure out the cause. It got a little loud and chaotic here on the hill for a while. Fortunately, things have calmed down since.

the ewe lambs are still adjusting

With that project completed and the threat of rain getting more imminent, it was time to get the hens out of the garden and back to the spot where they will spend the winter. It was feared that the henhouse would mire down in the mud from any rainfall and we might never get them “un-stuck”. The move was done under cover of darkness when all the slightly sleepy hens had gone into the henhouse to sleep.

moving hens

we had all kinds of help
those glowing eyes are two dogs and one cat

the other cat kept watch over the backdoor

even though the chicken move was completed before the rain
the hens still got wet
In case you ever wondered where the expression
"mad as an old wet hen" came from
check out these girls!

That move also went smoothly. …oh, wait. Somehow, moving the henhouse-trailer in the dark, the broiler field pen met with calamity. The Boss had been toying with the idea of a new design. Now that one side of the pen has been “slightly modified” (crushed), I guess he has another project for his wintertime “to-do” list.

One of my jobs for the week was to take Ellie Mae to the vet. Now, after I told you last week how very hard it is to take the farm dog to the vet, she proved me wrong. Completely, utterly wrong. I walked outside, leash in hand, said “hey, wanna go with me?” and popped the back of my Xterra.

…and she hopped in…

…and sat down.

No kidding!

Ellie proves that I know nothing about canine behavior

So, we set off to the vet where she behaved like a dream, got her shots and hopped back in the vehicle without assistance. I thought maybe I was imagining all the past bad canine behavior. (It may be some dog conspiracy to make me question myself and my sanity)

The dogs are set for another year and I got the medications that we will need for lambing season.

you can take the dog out of the country...

One more thing to check off the list. Hooray!

It was time to head home and pick…

broccoli florets

But, first…

You’ll have to indulge me for just a minute. I’ve got something on my mind that just is NOT going away.

I try not to get into controversial topics here on the farm blog and keep the stories upbeat. And, I won’t go into all the details of this particular incident. But, this past week our beloved Augusta County made it to the world news stage…and not in a good way. Social media took a story that should have never have even been a story and made it into sensationalized news. And the angry mob mentality was whipped to a fever pitch. The fact that one person’s actions could affect the whole community and garner reaction from the entire world is truly disheartening and a more than a little disturbing. Every school-age child in our county has been affected by this situation…and it remains to be seen how things will play out in the future.

In light of this, I have a request...for what it is worth...

Please…before you believe, like or share one more of those controversial, sensationalized posts…find out the whole story. (there is much more to this story than made it to the world news)…and THINK before you react. Those click-bait headlines do nothing but make the beautiful Shenandoah Valley, more specifically, our very own community look bad…needlessly. The headlines also stir the anger and vitriol to new level of intensity, aiding no one and hurting many. Regardless of your personal beliefs, every angry word and hate-filled post only magnifies divisive issues and makes the entire situation worse. This would apply to every sensationalized headline out there. But, the recent incident in our own county just hits a little too close to home.

Okay, so…back to our regular programming…

I hate to see this beautiful place sullied in any way

Since this would be the last week of sales for 2015, we wanted to make it a good one. A check of the gardens and hoophouses revealed far more to harvest than I had originally anticipated. That’s always a good problem. Despite the earlier cold, there was a fair amount of broccoli, kale and turnips to harvest, and I hoped to beat the rain…

I made a collage of the vegetables we have available for this week's newsletter
(oops! forgot the broccoli!)

I did not.

not a great day for picking
40* and a steady rain

Picking in the cold rain isn’t a whole lot of fun (particularly because my raincoat suddenly no longer repelled rain) but, it was worth it in the long run.

We had a tremendous sale day! Quite possibly our best off-season sale day ever. And, we got everything delivered without a hitch. That’s always a good feeling.

Another shout-out to our great customers. THANK YOU!

just a dusting of snow behind the hoophouse

Cold, cold winds blew in on Friday night, bringing a few snow flurries with them. Thankfully, it was nothing of consequence and sunrise caused the dusting to melt quickly.

frosty December morning

It’s still cold, although not the 17* that was originally in the forecast. Although it’s still a good day to spend some quality time with the woodstove.  However, the unusual December weather is set to continue with temperatures headed back near 70* later in the upcoming week. This has been an odd month. A lot of people are getting a little antsy that we’re going to “miss winter” this year. All I can say to that is….just wait…JUST WAIT! Winter hasn’t even officially started.

And, that’s about it from here.

I do hope you’re having a Happy Sunday! 

Have a great week and come back and “visit” again real soon.

December sunrise on the hill

Sunday Walkabout 12-13

fiery sunrise December 9, 2015

This week’s hot topic has been the weather...

...mostly because the weather is HOT. (well, for December)

sheep grazing in December
look at the green!

Now, the Boss and I talk about the weather ALL the time, so that’s no real news. But, it seems everyone is talking about the weather this week.

foggy, frosty Monday morning

While the beginning of the week started out with fairly normal temperatures…by Saturday some localities had record-setting temperatures in the 70s!  Attendees of the local Christmas parades were wearing t-shirts and I must admit, the giant snowflakes that adorn the streetlamps downtown looked just a little out of place on what felt like a mid-Spring day.

ewe lambs grazing

I did find a few Brussels sprouts for supper

It’s all too easy to get excited about warm weather and wish that we had lots of stuff still growing. Unfortunately, we did have a few very cold days a couple of weeks ago (that everyone seems to have forgotten) and the last of the outdoor crops didn't fare too well. So, there is no amazing harvest just because it's warm. 

And, don’t get too used to the unusually warm spring-like temperatures. A big change in the weather is predicted for later this week and then temperatures are expected to be BELOW normal after that, reminding us that it is indeed December in the Valley.

Saturday morning 12-12
...no rushing to the Farmers' Market in the dark!

Other than the warm weather, nothing particularly noteworthy happened this week here on the hill. Maybe that’s not quite true…

I did get my most un-favorite job, one that I dread for weeks, maybe months, completed without any dire consequences.

I took Gus to the vet for his annual check-up. I would rather do anything...ANY thing on the farm than take the dog to the vet.

Now, before you roll your eyes and think I’m silly…let me tell you about taking guardian dogs to the vet. I’m pretty sure that no dog looks forward to a trip to the vet. But, at least some of them enjoy riding in the car. At least some of them are used to entering buildings and meeting new people. Farm dogs…particularly guardian dogs…not so much. Make that NOT AT ALL.

Our Great Pyrenees are used to living outdoors, in the elements, roaming the farm. While they do go in the barn, it’s generally not to seek shelter, it’s to check out the sheep, hunt rats, harass the cats and eat their food. I don’t think either one of them have ever been in the house. This isn’t because we’re mean…their thick fur makes them hot and uncomfortable indoors and they prefer the wide, open spaces.

Gus and Ellie
Ellie marked her 6th anniversary on the farm this week

So, a trip in the car isn’t fun (for any of us). Just getting one of them IN the vehicle can become a feat requiring superpowers…first, you have to capture them…then, you have to load 100+ pounds of uncooperative, anxiety-laden fur and drool into the car without escape, knowing that there will be a repeat performance at the vet clinic. It’s not fun. And, it's gross. The amount of dog drool on the vet's floor always makes me feel like I should bring a mop.  The vet clinic is right on a busy road, making that part of the journey even more stressful. 

Gus was fine as long as we were in full body contact
and he was drooling all over my jeans

Years ago, (when we had Jed...who also hated the vet) the Boss figured we would save time and effort by taking both dogs to the vet at one time. We loaded them in the little lamb hauler for the back of the truck that one of our more colorful friends always referred to as the “lion cage”. All was well going to the vet, since they were in the back of the truck, we couldn’t hear the howling as we drove through town. However, the vet tech took one look at these enormous animals in this cage in the back of the truck and was convinced they were some sort of rabid, man-eaters. Can’t say that I blamed her, they did growl. And, a Pyr growl is scary. That was the only time we attempted that particular feat.

Jed and Ellie in the "lion cage" - 2012

Anyway…Gus got to the vet. He then proceeded to become 115.3 pounds of dead weight. It took two of us to get him on the scale. But, he’s healthy and vaccinated and got his heartworm meds for another year so we’re good to go.

 …and this week, it’s Ellie Mae’s turn. Oh, yes, I do have fun...

weeding with fire

The Boss’ priority jobs for the week included fire and power tools. Which, by the way, sound way more fun than hauling giant dogs to the vet…but…

the heat kills the plants and the seeds

after a couple of days, all plant matter will be gone

Hoophouse #2 is in constant danger of being overtaken by chickweed. Chickweed is one of those superweeds that seems to grow despite any and all adverse conditions. And, for some reason, that hoophouse has the perfect growing conditions for a bumper crop of chickweed. The battle for a “weed-free” hoophouse becomes an all-out war sometimes.

weeding by hand

Our options are somewhat limited. We can pull the weeds (giving the mess to the chickens)….time and time again as the weeds reseed very quickly. Or we can flame them. I think the Boss likes this best…”playing” with fire is appealing. By burning the plants at an early stage, we don’t run the risk of setting seeds, and actually kill any seeds that are lying on the ground. After a few days, we can plant in a “weed-free” environment. However, neither method is fool-proof, some plants and seeds always manage to survive. So, we end up spending a lot of time weeding.

You might wonder why we don’t use herbicides. Wouldn’t it be easier to just spray the weeds and have them disappear? Yes, it would. However, it isn’t that simple. Herbicides kill plants. They kill plants without discrimination. That means that unless the crop is bred to be resistant to the herbicide, the crop will die along with the weeds. (and this gets into the whole subject of genetic modification that makes so many people crazy…so, we won’t go there today…)  

In addition to that, the most popular and effective herbicide, Roundup (glyphosate) is also the single-most feared/hated/misunderstood product used on any farm operation. Personally, it’s just easier to pull weeds than try to justify using something that frightens our customers. Plus, the hens benefit from the green matter.

After flaming the weeds in the hoophouse, the Boss was able to turn his attention to his other pending project. He is turning the old cattle racks into a little ram hut for the ram paddock. This will provide some shelter for Angus-the ram in case of bad weather.

next project begins

working on the ram hut
(it will NOT be equipped with coolers)

Hopefully, this project will get completed this week and we can get the sheep re-organized and settled for winter. We should be about six weeks from the first lambs…I hope. I need to detail the long, drawn-out saga of shepherding 2015 at some point…

sheep at sunset on the hill

We had another great week for our off-season sales and I need to take a moment to thank all our customers for their interest and participation…and their patience. Our delivery time gets a little frantic and there is no time to visit, but we truly appreciate every single one of these folks. We work hard to eliminate mistakes, but they do occasionally happen. So, I appreciate everyone’s graciousness and understanding in making this work for everybody involved. Thanks! Y’all are the best!

The warm weather has me itching to start something…and the seed catalogs sitting on my desk are a real temptation. It won’t be long before we will be starting crops for ’16. But, first I need to clean and organize the greenhouses. And, we should really take the shadecloth off them before the snow flies. (don’t know how that job got overlooked) So...I guess I know how I am starting my week.

Hope you’re having a Happy Sunday! 

I just can't help myself...
this reminds me of Peter Pan
"think a happy little thought, any happy little thought..."
...and ewe can fly, ewe can fly, ewe can fly!
(sorry, puns are indeed my weakness)

Thanks for stopping by! Come back and visit again real soon.