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Author Archives: bluestempond
Caring for the Pollinators
We have put a lot of care (and money) into creating a haven for the birds, bees, and butterflies out at our farm. We have several acres of native grasses and flowers and last year planted a swath out along … Continue reading
Chicks’ First Day
I guess I was a little cavalier about the baby chicks. I thought I’d given them a nice, safe brood box and we left to go to dinner with friends. When I went out to check them this evening, two … Continue reading
A Moment With the Pond Folk
I had a nice hour or two out at our farm pond, fishing for bluegills. I love sitting quietly, listening the the birds and frogs and watching that bobber for the faint wiggle that means a fish is considering the … Continue reading
Barnyard Breakfast
My favorite time of day is the morning meet-and-greet out at the barn. I feel like a major celebrity. On the walk out, the first thing I hear is the crowing and clucking of the chickens sounding the fanfare that, … Continue reading
How to Feed Goats
I am a trial-and-error farmer who reads up on the wisdom of the internet and takes my best guess on which advice to heed. When we prepared to adopt our two angora goat last fall, we set aside a nice … Continue reading
Posted in Farm Animals
Tagged angora goats, goats in the pasture, growing hay, rookie farmer
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Sunny Spring Day on the Farm
We had such a nice day this week with warm weather and sunshine. The animals were all feeling frisky and friendly to “the staff.” Cooper, my rooster, kept following me around and clucking for my attention wherever I was doing … Continue reading
Ready For an Orchard?
Last week, we added the next big thing to the farm. We ordered fruit trees to begin our little orchard – 4 apples, 2 peaches, and a cherry tree, all dwarfs. These are from a local orchard, as we are … Continue reading
Posted in Farm, Farm Animals, Gardening
Tagged chickens, fruit trees, orchard, planting an orchard
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Spring Colors
I’m really appreciating the spring renewal around here. This was a bumper crop year for the fluorescent yellow “Wintercress” that we last saw in such glory back in 2010. Since then, we added the maple trees, the chickens and goats, the … Continue reading
Mohair Harvest
So, a few days after the goats were sheared, I am deep into the mohair processing. A combination of the boys having grown and a much more thorough shearing generated easily twice as much fleece as I was able to harvest … Continue reading
First Professional Shearing
So much new here, where do I start? Last week, we took Eddy and Ely to an alpaca farm to share the services of a professional shearer. They are now so skinny and small! Here are some pictures from that … Continue reading
Garlic
We purchased a big bag of garlic at Costco last month. It was way too much but you can’t buy a little of anything at that place. So, I tucked the bag away in the pantry and have been pulling … Continue reading
The Pond Awakens
(Enough of sadness, lets get back to wonder.) Our farm pond has been sleeping through the long winter. The fish and frogs have gone down deep to sleep through the cold season, and the only movement is from the dried cattails … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized
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