Filed under: November 2016 | Tags: fencing, Small Farming, woodland stewardship, woodlands
November 2, 2016
Last week and this past Monday, my fencing contractor was here. We changed a couple things in our fence. We added a gate in a spot that I had thought I’d never need. I was wrong. It’s all fixed now. He also replaced the section of fence that got crushed by the big tree. In his equipment line up, he has a brush hog that mounts to the front of his skidsteer.
His machine is a tracked machine, so his footprint is very light. I had him mow a few problem spots that had gotten away from me. They were wet areas that seem to never dry out. The marshy areas make perfect growing conditions for red brush and brambles. The next thing you know it is an impassable pain in the neck! Ed made short work of those areas. I will work to add drainage in the future, but having the vegetation cleared out will help them dry out on their own.
I continue to pick corn. It is going very well. I expect to finish by the weekend. The horses get better with every load. My helpers continue to show up and lend a hand and I am very grateful. We picked 24 rows today. The crib is filling fast and I am finding all sorts of aches and pains….but the fall clean up continues as we clean up the harvest and few problem spots as well.
Filed under: September 2016 | Tags: Amaryllis, Christmas cactus, contentment, gardening, peace, woodlands
September 12, 2016
Okay, so we had this crazy plant blooming in our living room last Christmas. It was a pretty thing, showing off in the dead of winter. I read up on the care of the plant. I thought I had done everything right. The last step is to move it to a darkened basement for sixty days. Then it will once again bloom in late December.
So, we put it on the porch where it would get sun and fresh air. The greenery is supposed to be feeding the bulb now. Apparently, it was so happy out there it decided to bloom. I don’t know, perhaps it has been talking to our Christmas cactus. That crazy cactus also blooms two or three times a year! I guess like me, they are happy here on this farm, in this time.
I learned a long time ago not to hold anything back. I don’t want to stifle ideas, deeds or works. I have found that love unlimited is more valuable than gold. Any living thing that is happy with its surroundings will excel in any manner that it chooses. We raise and sell meat that is raised stress free. The animals are well cared for at all times.My horses look for me each day. They welcome me to the barn or pasture. The woodlands open up and share shade and the peace and quiet found there with me. This little plant is blooming her heart out. I will take that as a compliment and just enjoy the view!
April Babies
April 19, 2014
It’s time for the 2014 lamb crop. The weather is beautiful. We lost three little ones born the night of the winter storm. So far, these babies are doing great. We have several more moms to lamb yet. Soon, the pasture will be jumping with cute little fluffy lambs.
The sugarhouse clean-up continues. I am very slow I guess. It seems that I have been working for a week, but it looks like I have only been a couple of hours. Maybe, I’m just too picky, but I want it clean, not sticky and neat…even the woodpile 😮
A walk through the woods revealed a whole list of things that I would like to do. I had a great walk. The ramps, wild onion, trillium and other small wild flowers were blooming. It warms my heart to see the signals of spring and the beginning of another life cycle.
The sun has been warm these last few days. The soil is drying out some. I can’t plow yet, but it won’t be long. I will keep working on my clean-up job while I plan for manure spreading and plowing. In the meantime, the lambs will play, racing and chasing one another around the pasture…. I will watch, laugh and remember my grandpa Rice.
RicelandMeadows 