Season updates 2010
The sheep barn is the big end of year project. Joe and Aniela helped build the support wall when they were here for Thanksgiving. There is still much to do, but must be done before the lambs arrive which will be February at the earliest.
More summer fun
The summer is flying by, almost faster than those geese can run/fly now. Wink has finished the cooler in the barn to store our fruit when we pick in a few week.
We're talking with fruit buyers, looking for lamb eaters, and matching our grapes to winemakers. It's an exciting time on the farm!
The animals are providing more entertainment, especially the geese. Max reflects on how it might be fun to be a goose, even a silly one. They roam around with their friends, eat whatever appeals to their taste buds whenever they feel like it, and they joyfully play in the water. Then they sun themselves and fluff their fine feathers, and pretend not to notice admiring humans. The geese behave the same as vacationing tourists!
When a human or dog comes near, they "awk" and talk all at once. Obviously they don't concern themselves with rules about polite conversation and since they poop at will, social conventions aren't pressing either. (Goose poop is mostly maserated grass and fairly benign.)
To view a hastily made slide show of a day on the farm in July, visit this link. >>
June, geese growing!
There's some evidence that geese were domesticated as long as 4000 years ago in Egypt. The birds are good to eat, make down for pillows and comforters, weed in the strawberries, and we hope to obtain a few "goose eggs" which are prized by bakers. More on goose for food later!
Our geese continue to amaze us with their antics. To name a few terms in English that we now understand: "silly goose", "goose neck" (wow, 180° no problem), "Loosey Goosey" (think goose poop), to "goose" (pinch) someone, and "Mother Goose." As we herd these geese around the farm to graze in the desired areas instead of the garden, we realize how a retired lady on a farm in the olden days might be called Mother Goose.
The animals on the farm have shown us how deep our agrarian roots cut into our language, for example "birds of a feather flock together." How many people experience a domestic geese gaggle? In the 21st century perhaps we'll say, "mind like a computer," instead of "smart like a fox." Nevermind that computers are invented by human minds in the first place. Self-referencing will only separate us more from nature and impoverish our lives by eliminating the understanding of other life forms!
Gaggle of geese arrive in April
Our Pilgrim goslings were shipped to us on the same day that they hatched. We kept them in a livestock tank with heat lamp for a week and realized that wasn't big enough for 17 rapidly expanding babies. The top photo is third day out of the egg — they are almost too big for chick feeder!
The photo beneath that one is goslings' first foray into the outside world three weeks later. They cannot go swimming yet because they don't have the proper bathing suits - pin feathers, that is. Their down will turn to drown. (sorry)
In late May the goslings are now one month old and going out every day. Their pin feathers are growing out. They are curious and bumble around eating grass, talking constantly to themselves and to us if we're inclined to respond. "Gaggle" certainly describes their chatter well.
MarchOur season began in March. We have pruned the apples, cherries, and will start the peaches soon. We have our crew lined up for the summer. We are planting our farm garden and propagating starts. We will be planting strawberries and rhubarb for market also. We are replanting pinot gris and meunier this spring, also sweet cherry tree replants. We had a springtime bonus — Ben, a Minnesota horticultural student, completing intern hours for his degree on our farm. It was wonderful having Ben's help us with a kick start. Also of note: He is the first person who has raked our orchard prunings single handedly!
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January-February