Category Archives: Farm
Nothing Special
I love those blessed days of “nothing special.” We already had most of the holiday rehearsals and concerts, the parties, the present-buying, etc. Now, it is happily a smooth ride into the final holidays of the year. I find myself … Continue reading
Lessons Learned About Grapes
Ok, last year I thought I was smart to prune my concord grapes in the early summer, giving the lovely little green baby bunches lots of sunshine and air. At the end of the season, I was so disappointed to … Continue reading
September Shift
We are moving into the next stage on the farm, with new crops coming ripe and new colors taking precedence in the fields. The goldenrod is becoming king of the landscape, and all other flowers are stepping back to make … Continue reading
Posted in Farm, Farm Animals, Gardening
Tagged goats and sheep, goldenrod, orchard, parsnips
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A Couple Interesting Things
This week I attended the Michigan Fiber Festival, at the Allegan County Fairgrounds. I go every couple of years and it is a special treat if I can take a class while I am there. This year I signed up … Continue reading
Posted in Farm, Fiber crafts, Gardening
Tagged homespun, insect eggs, michigan fiber fest, spinning yarn
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Reptilian Repose
We have our own “Brutus” the snapping turtle living in the pond this year. I normally only see him (or her) in the spring at egg-laying time, but I was surprised to see that he dragged himself up onto the … Continue reading
Posted in Farm, Farm Animals
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The Busy Season
August and September are crazy busy on our farm. All the summer crops are ripening up and we are switching out the spring plantings for new fall crops, such as spinach and lettuce. My husband went to town planting potatoes … Continue reading
Moist Days in Michigan
After an unusually dry spring, the weather has finally caught up and it is very humid and rainy. We needed it! The prairie fields around us are waving in the long-awaited yellows of cone flowers, brown-eyed Susans, and tall clover, … Continue reading
Cat in the Patch
Mickey, the barn cat, is lonely. The other cat does not come around much and doesn’t want to play with him anyway. When one of us is out at the barn and Mickey shows up, he “meows” loudly, rubbing against … Continue reading
Posted in Farm, Farm Animals
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The In-Between Weeks
Ah, the sweet moments between Spring and Summer! The fields are back up to a foot or two of growth after their spring mowing and the earliest wildflowers are beginning to bloom — purple vetch and bladder flowers. The concord … Continue reading
Posted in Farm, Farm Animals, Gardening
Tagged asian bittersweet, feeding produce to goats, poison ivy, spring crops
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Fleece As White As Snow
The sheep are sheared and vaccinated, and now on to the fiber! I am amazed how much wool came off those two little sheepies. I decided to work on Cookie’s first, as she is smaller than her sister. I laid … Continue reading
Protecting the Orchard III
The weather forecast says the freezing scare is now past us, at least for the next week. Last night I repeated the sprinkling strategy to apply another coat of ice to the orchard. When I looked out the window at … Continue reading
Protecting the Orchard
Ok, last April we knew the last freeze was on its way and we lovingly covered the apple and peach trees with sheets to save them from damage. Three nights in a row. The blossoms stayed on the trees and … Continue reading
Future Tree Dreams
As we have been locked down this past year, we saved a lot of eating-out and travel money and are debating where to spend the savings. We settled on the future. Specifically, we are buying trees and supporting the Arbor … Continue reading
Some Serious Snow
February seems to be the big month for hard freezes and deep snow. Last night, we got our biggest snow dump so far and I did a lot of shoveling this morning to make a path for myself out to … Continue reading
Remembering to Play
It’s been cold, 18 degrees at mid-day. Still, I was thinking that Michigan is really a special place in the winter and I need to get out there and quit hiding from it. I am so glad that I forced … Continue reading
Bluestem Pond 