Filed under: September 2020 | Tags: daily grind, Small Farming, Spelt, speltz
September 30, 2020
What a crazy, full month it has been! Plenty of work got done and as always plenty remains, as we wrap things up before the winter snow flies. Our baby horse has now been weaned. She had a few unhappy days, but now has adjusted to the absence of milk. Her appetite has always been good, so switching to a diet without mom’s milk, still has her in good flesh
We got our speltz crop all planted. Soil prep and planting went well, but the ground was very dry. Last night we got 3/4 inch of needed rain. The pastures and the newly planted speltz all benefited from the moisture. Now, it is time to focus on picking our ear corn for the animals.
I attended a draft horse, mule and pony fun day in southern Ohio last week. The crowd and participants were condensed due to Covid, but it was still a beautiful time to be outside and around horses. This little team pulled a small wagon, giving children rides. They made me smile.
September closes today, as we look towards the corn harvest and the butchering days of fall. A nip is in the air on this cloudy afternoon. The corn field has been opened up so as to make turning the team and wagon much easier. The main harvest will happen in these next few weeks of October. The horses and I are ready. The corn just needs to dry down a little more so it will “keep” in our crib without spoiling. So, goodbye September, thank you for the nice weather, the final garden harvest and the memories made with family.
Filed under: September 2020 | Tags: firewood, harvest, small farm life, Sugarwood
September 10, 2020
Many people think that working in the tree tops requires a person to be up in the air, at the top of a tree. I am working in the tree tops that are laying on the ground from my recent tree harvest. I am salvaging firewood to be used to boil maple sap, to make maple syrup.
I am cutting everything three inches or larger, that didn’t make lumber logs and hauling them out to be cut to length and split. The brush and smaller limbs are being left for homes for small woodland creatures and to rot to enrich the forest floor.
Our harvest consisted of about 60 mature trees. The trees were removed to allow the growth of many smaller trees, predominantly maple, both hard and soft varieties. The trees removed, also allow for mature maples to have more open canopy for crown growth. It also lets in light and air to the forest floor. I can direct some water puddles towards the nearby stream, allowing the water to runoff through the existing leaf litter. This drys the forest, but assures that water quality is improved by the filtering effects of the leaf litter.
Bree is learning lessons as we work towards her weaning. She is not always happy with me. Here she learns patience. I tied her to a fence post far from mom. She did not like it, but soon realized that she would have to wait on me. This was a short lesson of about 35 minutes. It was good for her. She can be strong willed, but yields fairly quickly. Her training continues.
The garden harvest continues. Our animal corn harvest is starting, as I build shocks. Hand picking will begin soon. I picked a few random ears last night. I am happy with what I see so far.
A busy time is coming, but we look forward to the dash to winter!
Filed under: September 2020 | Tags: farm work, firewood, home gardening, Suffolk Punch horses, Sugarwood
September 2, 2020
On the last day of August, We finished filling the woodshed. The wood will now have many months to dry and cure. The fire will burn hot under the boiling maple sap next spring.
This is a great job to have behind us. Corn harvest will start soon, along with getting the soil ready for our fall planted crop of speltz. I will also continue to work on firewood during the autumn season. I hope to be a year ahead by late winter.
I have started to shock corn. These small shocks I made in the garden from our sweet corn. I will open my animal corn field in the coming days, by making shocks down the center. The shocks make good feed and protect the corn just like a dry crib. The best thing is, shocking the corn divides my field into two small rectangles instead of one big square. It makes harvesting more efficient. I don’t spend a lot of time driving around the ends of the field this way.
We hope to wrap up the tomato season in the next two weeks. The potatoes are wonderful this year too. We have been enjoying all of our garden produce. It has been a good year for gardens and gardeners.
Late summer jobs and early fall work is commencing nicely. The horses are working well. The young stock is growing on the good pastures. Our stallion is learning manners and how to be a work horse. Our young filly is about to be weaned from her momma. Hank, our young stallion, will accompany our mares as we harvest the corn crop. He will mostly just walk along learning to behave and work. I like him very much. Here he is looking over the fence at us last Sunday morning.
RicelandMeadows 