Hang on, Piggy Lou!
Our voluptuous sow, Piggy Lou, is due to pig today, but I’m praying she holds on for a few days more. continued »
Archive for Animals
Little Lena and Loki
Last night just at dusk, little Lena, a yearling ewe, quietly sneaked off behind the barn to give birth to a single sweet tiny ram. When I came upon them during my evening check of the animals, he was curled up, dry and clean in the bright new grass like a delicate porcelain figurine, with Lena hovering on guard beside him. They made such a darling picture, all alone in an intimate circle of new motherhood, that I involuntarily gasped in wonder. continued »
The Chicks Come Home
Spring on a homestead typically involves growth in all directions at once. Now our chicken flock has grown. By 50. Thanks to the US Postal Service and Murray McMurray Hatchery in Iowa, we’ve got buckets of adorable peeps in front of the woodstove this morning. Which means none of us will get any sleep around here for a little while. continued »
The Calves Come Home
This weekend we picked up our two bottle-baby calves for the spring. Adorable! And one has blue eyes, the first I’ve ever seen on a calf. So of course, his name is Blue. The other, a sweet delicate reddish boy, is named Brownie. continued »
Three.
At 9 am this morning Polly expelled the gargantuan afterbirth of her beautiful family, so we can all relax and get down to the business of keeping the triplets warm and fed. continued »
Three?
As of 6 this morning, Polly had delivered three white, large and healthy lambs. Two rams and a ewe. continued »
Polly, At Last…
I’ve been on hourly barn checks tonight because I felt certain Polly was soon to deliver, and sure enough, at about 2:45 this morning she began the arduous task of ushering a sheep family into the world. continued »
Jeepers Peepers
Once spring lets loose here on the farm, it’s easy to get swept up in the the ferocious current and forget to savor moments here and there among the many wonders taking place. One of the easiest to miss, because of its so-subtle onset, is the return of the peepers. continued »
Shearing Day
Saturday we completed spring sheep shearing (say that three times fast!) and had our first CSA work day for the 2008 season. What a great kick-off to the new year – sunny, 50 degrees, breezy and smelling of green growing things. continued »
Twins for Lynette
Lynette had a quiet and quick birth of twin lambs today, lambs so big and tall they have to kneel to nurse! continued »
