Filed under: January 2021 | Tags: bacon, Draft horse training, family, home cured meat, homemade bacon, Suffolk Punch horses, Suffolk stallion
January 31, 2021
It is hard to believe that today is the last day of January 2021. It has been a full month. Our Christmas gatherings were pushed into this month as we celebrated in small groups. We, of course, had lots of chores and work to do, but we found plenty of time for some fun too. In the photo above, Hank (in the center), got hitched with the mares for the first time. He did remarkably!
I have been driving him single for a while. We would take walks around the farm as he got used to the harness and being driven. His progress is steady. He is a baby , so we are going slow. Hank won’t be two years old until April. Hank is a stallion. I hope to keep him busy with daily work, to keep his mind busy, as his body struggles with all those teenaged hormones.
I didn’t expect any problems, but I still enlisted the help of my buddy’s boys. They are driving in the picture while I took the photo. It was good insurance to have the help, even though I didn’t need it. One can never be too cautious. Hank learned fast what to do. The mares beside him did amazing, as they worked and paid him no mind. The noise behind him and the weight they pulled, did not cause any concern for Hank. He just did what the girls did. We have many more days of training in our future, but this was a wonderful “first time out”.
February, brings us maple syrup season. I have been busy preparing for this time too. Things are getting completed and a few blog posts in the coming days, will show and explain my efforts.
The last of the pig butchering is behind us now too. We worked up the last smoked meat last week. It is a blessing to have the knowledge, the ability and the equipment to do our own processing. This year small processors are backed up for months on end. We, by law, can’t process for others, but we can do our own. The place smells wonderful as the hickory smoked bacon gets sliced…and fried :o)
Bye bye January, thank you for the harvest, the accomplishments and the gathering of family and friends!
Filed under: January 2021 | Tags: maple syrup, snow, winter, woodland roads
January 28, 2021
In the photo above, taken very early this winter, you can see my road we use for gathering maple sap. I am pleased with the roads condition, especially when considering that I harvested over 60 trees late last spring. We have since cleaned up most of the treetops. This road saw many trips of not only sap, but heavy logs as well. The light impact on the land by our horses can really be seen here.
We have plenty of work to do as the 2021 maple syrup season quickly approaches. Supplies and equipment must be made ready. We are doing well in that effort this year. I am even working on a few upgrades and improvements to the sugarhouse and sap handling equipment.
The horses are getting ready too. Training the young horses continues as well. Even in the winter, there is much to be done. Animal feeding and manure handling are daily chores. These chores make me happy and feed my soul. January is all but gone. It is hard to believe that winter is waning and the days are getting longer.
Today, mother nature is sending us soft snow. Its the snow globe kind that is pretty. The woods and fields are asleep, waiting on spring, then summer. I am content to enjoy the beauty of the snow, the warmth of the shop stove and the time to rest and enjoy the farm.
We are keeping an eye on the calendar and the thermometer. The time to tap the trees is fast approaching. The road to maple is a year long journey. It begins with the last clean up of the year and starts with the first one, as we scrub tanks, pans and barrels. The wood has been stacked and dried in the woodshed for months, but the woodcutting goes on all year. Making maple syrup is a labor of love, especially when done the old-fashioned way…but for me, it is the only way.
Filed under: January 2021 | Tags: Compost, daily grooming, Suffolk Horses, Suffolk Punch, sunrise
January 10, 2021
What a beautiful sunrise. If you look close you can see the steam rising above the compost pile. Perhaps a fitting tribute to recent events? Well, wherever you stand, keep your eyes on the sunrise and not the compost!
It has been an unseasonable January so far. The temperatures are warmer than usual for this time of year. The whole farm is muddy, but today, the entire landscape was frozen solid. What a relief to walk on firm ground, no matter where I stepped. It was wonderful.
I turned the horses out to run, roll and romp. They did just that. Then, once the sun came out and warmed us all, the frost left the ground. In celebration, the horses promptly rolled in the softening soil. In other words, they rolled in the mud! Their coats will be thick with the mud, but it must feel good to them. Oh well, it’s not the first time that I have worn a mask, to brush them clean.
It takes a little effort to keep them clean and make them shine, but to me it is worth it. I get to talk with them. I get to feel their whole body, watching out for any new bumps, cuts or potential problems. I also get to let my mind wander, far from anything that bothers me. I get to enjoy a peace not found in many places.
Maybe for me, clean stalls and clean coats make for a clean heart? All I know is that I am at peace with myself, in tune with my animals and in the right spot in the universe. I am a man truly Blessed.
Filed under: January 2021 | Tags: chickens, farm chores, Fence work, manure
January 5, 2021
We welcomed in a New Year a few days ago. I honestly don’t expect things to magically change, but I have no fear. God is in control, I just need to remember this in all things.
We had just enough freezing temperatures at night to freeze the chicken poop in the coop. The recent thaw in the last few days made it possible to finally clean things out. It is amazing how much manure 20 hens can generate. The compost pile loves the manure, I like a clean coop, so I guess its a win win.
We are working steady with the young horses, as their training continues. The fields are wet, muddy and simply a mess. This makes for a few jobs to be put on hold, but no worries there is always stuff to do.
A recent wind storm laid a few trees across our fences. I am still working to clean up and repair the mess it made. I am salvaging the logs and firewood, as well as, fixing the fences as we go.
Daily chores, a little butchering and repair work keep me busy. I also manage a little time at my forge, just for fun. Soon, maple syrup time will be upon us, but for now I will enjoy the daily grind and the normalcy that comes with it.
RicelandMeadows 