New Kids on the Farm

Born Easter Sunday at 2 a.m. Both are female and oh so cuter by the day. Sparky is a great mom and had impressive delivery with no intervention.

 

Especially cute when yawning...

You can already tell this one is going to be a little trouble maker.

We are happy that the babes are well. We have two more does due in May so there should be some more kid pics to come.

Meanwhile in the garden things are really popping. The heat accompanying all this rain has given everything a boost. The peas have just breached the earth in the upper and lower gardens. I've got perennial herbs and walking onions that are starting to grow gang-busters. It's the time of renewal and a quickening. I'm really excited for the season.

Meet the New Logo!

It only took me ALL winter to use a part of an image I carved in 2005!

Good grief.

Winter is finally losing grip.

As of April 7 the soil in the backfield was still pretty saturated. I did a tour and discovered some herbs looking snug under the receding snow. I also found tons of vole damage to our blueberries. VERY DISAPPOINTING! We won't use poison so I guess this will be an annual swear-fest around here. I am grateful the fruit trees were unscathed but now have learned my lessson and will use guards on them ASAP. 

 The ladies are producing at least a dozen eggs a day, fluctuating to as many as 19. We are in the yolk!!

Our beloved Little, the first goat born on our farm is moving on to greener pastures. he yielded over 80 pounds of meat and 8 pints of rendered lard with which we'll make true goat soap in the coming months. He was sweet but getting really big and pushy. He consumed a great amount of hay and we had to make the choice, given six does to keep healthy and happy. I feel great that already his "parts" are being consumed by friends and farm alike. Litlle lives on in the energy of the farm.



Bunching onions wintered over fine

These onions will produce seed for me again this year giving me a huge stash should I need it or want to share. I'll be growing out some shallot as well for seed...just for kicks.

As I prepare for the onslaught of planting that will come soon I have to get clever with my seedlings. I've taken to using my studio as a cold frame. It's helping out and doing a fine job with the cold hardys like leeks and brassicas. The chill keeps the growing slow despite the sunlight. This checks the growth enough to keep the plants sturdy and compact. Nothin' worse than a leggy, thin bit of succulent green to harden off carefully for days before planting the sorry sight. I'm happy to have my cabbages a stone's throw from the garden deep once they're to size.

We also got the pepper hoop house up. I just sowed some early hardy's in there today. These plants: lettuce, turnips, spinach will be out in time before I plant the pepps in mid June.

So we've been busy. I've got my peas in. Trying wheat and barley this year. They are in as well. I sowed a number of other things today, transplanted some lettuce and alliums. It now becomes a paced race. I will leave you with some food for thought, in pictures.

Rhubarb crowning

Getting Robin's attention

Johnny Jump Up's: First Up and Last Down

The ever reliable Chive

Sorrel peeking before division

Catnip that I couldn't bear to compost. A few for a friend.