Eddie and Pumpkin

 Eddie and Pumpkin--Goat Love

 

It's that time of the season, at least for our goats when we have a male goat around for a couple weeks. As bucks go, he is pretty civilized, but certainly adds an extra odor to barn chores, barn clothes, and the air around his stall-- this musty smell seems to be very attractive to does...

Goat love is fleeting, a day or two every 3 weeks they are interested in the buck, the rest of the time he has his space to himself, and works on his hygiene!  

Pickles at the Door

 Pickles at the Door

 

It is livestock like Pickles the sheep that is really the omnivore's dilemma. We got two sheep in the early spring with the understanding that they are very stand-offish. It will be easier to send them to the butcher than the goats, which was tearful. As it turns out, Pickles was bottle fed, and acts more like a sheep dog, than a barn animal--she is always the first to greet you in the morning, likes to have her head rubbed, and will eagerly let us brush the stickers out of her coat.

I am closer to becoming a vegetarian again than I have been in a long time. 

First Snowy Morning

First Snowy Morning

 

It always seems to sneak up on us, that first morning when the ground is covered with a dusting of snow. It is the change from one thing to the next, the patio furniture needs to get in, last minute garden cleanup, is there time for another load of hay to be put up in the barn. I am sad to see the warmer weather come to an end. 

Mucking Out a Stall

Mucking Out a Stall

As the weather gets chillier and the threat of snow grows greater, mucking out the main stall becomes more and more immanent. There is a great sense of accomplishment when it is done, and a rythm that can be developed shoveling up the soiled hay and carting it to a pile where it will compost. It is sometimes best to focus on what will grow in the compost, and be reminded that this chore will not be done until spring.

By the way, Santa, a tractor with a bucket would make this job a breeze...wouldn't it? 

From the Cranberry Bog at Nest's Farm

Pechakucha and the Cranberry Bog

From the cranberry bog up the street at the Nest Farm and the puchakucha in Cape Porpoise last week come the cranberry wreaths for this year's Thanksgiving! Last week at the Pechakucha held in Cape Porpoise at Atlantic Hall someone described her cranberry wreath business. A quick trip to the cranberry bog up the hill at Nest's Farm and voila, cranberry wreaths for Thanksgiving. If you stop at Nest's Farm for cranberries get a gallon of the Maine Apple Cranberry juice-- you'll thank me!

In the Cellar

For Tomorrow's Table

Green tomato relish, heirloom yellow pear tomato preserves, that are sweet and delish with goat cheese on a cracker, or right out of the jar by the spoonful, and grape juice concentrate from the concord grapes that grow by the side of the road, stored in the cellar for a snowy, blustery February day, when we will reflect on the garden and the warmer days of summer to come!

Weaving on the Farm

 Spinning Dreams

This is what often happens on our farm weaving, the weaving of our dreams or perhaps the dreams of someone ease's that have been discarded or misplaced. We might weave with Angora wool sheep wool or simply the stuff of stories. There are many half-finished projects around here!

Fall Sun

On the Front Porch

It has been a glorious year for this praying Mantis who is enjoying the last days of warmth in the sun on the front porch. He or she has completed their part of life's cycle and is enjoying the last of the sune.

Thank you Steve for the great pic!

November's Garden Tomatoes

Tomatoes Still

The last 4 tomatoes from the garden pulled in weeks ago before the frost. Fresh garden tomatoes in Maine November 11. We will enjoy them, and think of summer again.