It's always busy here on the farm. I haven't taken many pictures, but do have some from August I haven't shared yet. AND I've got some from my cellphone (I upgraded to a 3G iphone and WHAT a difference!). So, I'll get started and work my way backwards... I hope all of you are well and your year has gone well.
This is Emma that I bought last year in milk with Moose the buck (at the right in a white collar). Moose is less than 6 months old and HUGE. I didn't name him but the name is appropriate. His sire was at the farm where I bought him and was extremely beefy, large and graceful. Oberhasli are or should be deep mahogany brown and he is! He is gorgeous, friendly and should give me pretty babies from Emma. I started with an Oberhasli and an Alpine. The Obe presence has stayed with me over the last 12+ years but Alpines and I were not that impressed with one another.
I have a young Oberhasli doeling that won't be big enough to breed for a while yet so he should be around for a while. Emma decided he was pretty nifty and was bred within three days. Oberhasli babies should be arriving in early March!
I have a young Oberhasli doeling that won't be big enough to breed for a while yet so he should be around for a while. Emma decided he was pretty nifty and was bred within three days. Oberhasli babies should be arriving in early March!
The tractor path before all the leaves fell. The colors don't show very well, but all these maples made the area glow with gold light. I love seeing the woods in all seasons.
...and here are some of the logs from my property (even some from this lovely path). I have a sizable mess but the tops of the trees are also firewood for me for some years to come and my friends who also heat with wood. Still breaks my heart, but my trees will fund a new roof for my house, funded an older S10 truck, new storm door, hay, etc. This will be the last year of a shingled home. I plan to put a shiny metal roof on the house. It'll reflect heat and should make a big difference in cooling the house.
When I got the official paperwork, only the walnuts had value. One of the trees only brought $2.62 for the entire butt log. I'm heartbroken I tore up my woods for less than $2,000 (the value of the other trees) but I'll know to tell others not to harvest anything else other than walnuts. The younger trees will grow and I'll replant. *sigh*
When I got the official paperwork, only the walnuts had value. One of the trees only brought $2.62 for the entire butt log. I'm heartbroken I tore up my woods for less than $2,000 (the value of the other trees) but I'll know to tell others not to harvest anything else other than walnuts. The younger trees will grow and I'll replant. *sigh*
on to other *sigh* items. The electric company cleared this area under the highlines. I understand and approved, but still wince over anything clear cut. However, I plan to bring up some logs to make MORE planter/bunkers and this time I will plant asparagus in them. I believe I can use the Ford tractor to STACK them to make a bunker about 1 1/2 foot tall that will be deep enough for asparagus roots. It should be an excellent place for asparagus and will be decorative as well. After asparagus harvest, the asparagus is left to grow. It produces a lovely, 3-5' tall, frondy, feathery top. Lovely. Should be a nice backdrop for my existing iris and daylillies that have been overshadowed for years.
Poblano peppers from my strawbale planter. I dried most of these after taking out the ribs and seeds. My fear was that they would be very very hot with the drought. Nope. Sweet and wonderful. When I butcher the 4 hogs, I plan to make sausage again with the dried poblanos ground up in the sausage with other spices. Probably make a "Sweet Italian" sausage. Wonderful.
I had to water every day to keep these going, but the straw bale planter performed well in the drought. I planted flowers IN the bale, but these peppers were planted in the inside of a cube of bales in rich dirt. I've already set up another VERY large strawbale planter. I like them! Looks like I'll have to replace the bales every year but that's just not a problem...
I love my new snips. I found them at the Asia store (a local ethnic grocery - mostly Asian). Love them.
I had to water every day to keep these going, but the straw bale planter performed well in the drought. I planted flowers IN the bale, but these peppers were planted in the inside of a cube of bales in rich dirt. I've already set up another VERY large strawbale planter. I like them! Looks like I'll have to replace the bales every year but that's just not a problem...
I love my new snips. I found them at the Asia store (a local ethnic grocery - mostly Asian). Love them.
And some of the jalapenos I harvested as well...
A pair of American Guinea Hogs!!! They were about 3 1/2 months old here in mid October. They're naturally friendly, grow fairly slowly and top out about 300#. A little bigger than what I wanted, but perfect in every other respect. These little things came from Kentucky. Not registered (American Guinea Hogs are a fairly rare breed according to the American Livestock Conservancy) but still. Nice looking. They decided mud was glorious. Uh huh. They did. I'll have to get some new pics. They've grown quite a lot and filled out A LOT.
I have access to a pumpkin patch. About 6-8 acres of leftover pumpkins and culinary pumpkins (Jarrahdales, etc.) for pigs and goats and ME! I love roasted pumpkin chunks with goat cheese, balsamic vinegar, kosher salt and rosemary & jalapeno olive oil. It's a lot of work, but they need the fields cleaned and we all love pumpkin! And yes, I can and do put pumpkin in soap. Now that I have a truck - an older S10 - I can load a truckload and I have access to a trailer that the truck will pull. I don't know how much I can get this year - I have a lot of other things I'm doing and it gets dark so early.
Happy Veterans Day by the way!!! These are red, white and blue potatoes I grew. The blue ones are good tasting and the flesh stays blue. I grew a very limited amount of potatoes, but hope to have more next year. The blue ones are almost irridescent in color. My connection to the internet is very slow today so I'll quit while I'm ahead.... I hope to update again this week with more pics and info. Have a good eveningl!
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