New on the farm

Recently, we bought fencing on Craigslist- eighteen 12-foot panels with bases.  
How did farmers ever find anything before Craigslist?

It was a good value for a good price and included delivery so we bought it all.  Rather more than we'll need for a while is a nice change from the not enough we've been doing. 

We have a trial rectangle set up for containing our new hens for a few days this coming weekend while they acclimate.  We'll move the fencing to the lee of the septic mound in October and then once the ground freezes, preventing parasites from multiplying, we'll move the chickens into their winter quarters.  We'll be installing some kind of netting or mesh over the top to prevent raptors from helping themselves.

Thanks to Sam for all the consultation on this!

 photo by Mark

Nearly two weeks ago, we welcomed Abigail to R Farm.  She is a tortoiseshell cat we got at the animal shelter.  Because she was rescued from a cat colony and had only been living with people for 2 weeks total, we were advised to keep her confined to the garage for 2 weeks.  Two long, boring weeks which thankfully will end on tomorrow. 

We got her to be a companion for Zed.  Thus far, hissing and avoiding is the extent of their bonding but according to experienced cat people, the fact that no blood has been spilled and fights have been limited to posturing is a promising sign.

 photo by Mark

Mark got to choose the cat from the shelter and on his own, he came up with 3 things he was looking for in a cat:
1.  Friendly with children
2.  Good behavior
3.  Peaceful and calm

"I wanted to pick this cat so that Zed could teach her to mice and then that cat could teach Zed to be friendly and still catch mice.  The other cat (Autumn) was not so friendly but it could catch mice and was interesting.  But I thought Abigail was better because I liked that I could pick her up."  --Mark

Selfie by Mark

At first, I voted for Autumn, the curious one, but Mark insisted on Abigail, the calm and friendly one. After interacting a little more, I could see he was absolutely right.  She was more personable and mellow, a good combo for a second cat.  

It was a good benchmark to get a second cat almost a year after getting our first one.  Cat #2 was a breeze compared to Cat #1.  It's also good to see that Cat #1 was so helpful that we're trying Cat #2.  Way to go, Zed!

Mark, you're growing up and you made us proud with your thoughtful choice.

Abigail, welcome to R Farm.  It's going to be a lot more fun tomorrow, promise.

Fall walking attire

My neighbor ladies and I walk from 6:30-7:30 a.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings.  This was a good idea in August when I came home sweaty and in need of a shower even this early in the day.  

Late September is a whole 'nother ball game.

It's dark at 6:30 a.m.  Really dark. 
It's the beginning of hunting season.  Ten minutes before dawn is the time to shoot.
My reflective vest for visibility.

The bears have been hanging around huffing territorially at neighbors from across the road at the end of our driveway.
My loud whistle for bear scaring.

Then, the Wednesday morning nobody else could walk, it drizzled.  The sound of dripping in every dark shadow under every shrub and tree along my walk made me feel like breakfast.  

Not like eating breakfast but being breakfast.  

Whatever benefits I gained through exercise I lost in adrenaline flooding.  I couldn't decide whether to feel foolish for walking alone at the crack of dawn in hunting season with grumpy bears about or for worrying so much about taking a solitary stroll on such a beautiful morning.

So I felt foolish for all that and such a classy outfit, too!

The wet hoodie, reflective vest, and extremely loud whistle- I had to laugh and ask Mark to take my photo.

Now what's really funny is that on the next walk, Kifah had on her reflective vest.  Then we met up with the two other ladies that walk together down the dirt road and they were both wearing reflective vests, too!  We stood out at the end of Kifah's driveway and laughed as the pickups driving by slowed and gawked at the four of us in our Fall Walking Attire. 

I also asked advice from these seasoned country road walkers about the wildlife since they've lived and walked there safely for 15-20 years each.  One drives herself down her driveway to meet her neighbor at the bottom since the bears like her wooded driveway.  I felt vindicated since I had driven myself to Kifah's that morning. 

I'm a little closer to making peace with such beauty and danger mingled together.  

End of September farm photos

This morning dew drops hung on the deer fence 

while the leaves glowed.  

 Thanks Tim for remembering to pause for beauty!

 Orchard and forest

  Waterway between lake and pond runs through our place

 

Hidden hanging squash

Do worms count as livestock?

We're about to find out with our new Worm Factory 360.

Mark and Tim assembled it and watched the instructional video.

A pound of red wigglers (aka composting worms) 

are due to arrive any day. 

They come from Uncle Jim's Worm Farm. 

True story- I couldn't make this stuff up.

They will be escorted to their new home where pulverized egg shells, broccoli stalks, shredded newspaper, and coffee grounds await them.

Soon they'll be cranking out beautiful dirt to use in our wheat grass sprouting trays and will themselves become winter chicken food.

Do worms count as livestock- 

animals we feed and shelter in exchange for work or food?

 

 On R Farm they do.

Eggs of our very own

Drum roll, please.

Introducing the very first dozen eggs of our very own!

We've been collecting for almost two weeks now, 

one to three eggs per day, 

ranging in color from a light pinkish tan to brown to green.  

We know that the majority of the hens are laying out under the trees somewhere and despite tracking and watching, 

the kids haven't been able to find their secret nesting sites.  

I've been waiting for a number of pieces to come together to get them laying in spots we can find, 

preferably in the assigned nesting boxes.  

The suspense is getting to me.

We've decided to take all our licks at once and move coops, introduce new hens, and confine within fencing the first weekend in October.

Hopefully, within a month, we'll be gathering several dozen a day.

This morning, I served scrambled eggs sauteed with Swiss chard from my garden.

A year in the making and oh, so satisfying.

This time next year, I'll make it with my own onions and goat cheese, too.

Inconvenient truths

I need more inconvenience in my life.

Truth.

I've gotten so used to everything being perfectly convenient- water, food, heat, eggs, milk, bananas, fresh salad in the winter, frozen chicken, broccoli on demand, perfect apples any day of the year- that I have forgotten how to be satisfied.  There's always one more thing to get and it's never enough.

I need more inconvenience.

When I drive 20 minutes round trip for eggs from our church friends and meet their chickens and chicken-sit in winter while they're on vacation, I appreciate the eggs.

When getting milk involves a 40-minute trip to our 4H friends' dairy farm, seeing the cows, looking out over their fields of corn and oats, filling my own glass bottles and jars from the tank, and cleaning up after myself, I am thankful for the friends and the cows and the view and the milk.

When nobody wants to go, I say to myself, "Goats of your own are a lot more hassle than this."  I get in the car and go and dream of my own goats next year.

Thursday I spent 4 hours working at the buying club, picked up our first order, bought apple seconds from the local orchard, and then unpacked, sorted, and processed food for an hour.  Friday, Anjali spent an hour cleaning out the freezer chest, Tim made a hour round trip to Braham to pick up half a hog from the processors, and I spent three hours blanching broccoli, chopping and freezing peppers, and sauteing and freezing leeks.  Peach sauce and drying apples today and dehydrating apples with a friend on Wednesday.

And contrary to my expectation, it's not boring, mindless work.  It's work but I'm finding it satisfying and calming.  Feeling the crisp fall air while watching my shelves and freezer fill- I like it.  I also imagine that I will really appreciate that broccoli in January.  And some February morning I'll make eggs with those red peppers.  My chickens are thrilled with their pickings and our new composting worms will start with a bin of broccoli stalks. 

This is not meaningless, stupid inconvenience.  That would just be aggravating.
This is honest inconvenience and I'm happier for it.

No snooze on a rooster

Really wish there was when warm-up crowing begins an hour before dawn.