Farming in the shade

Rag rugs were a traditional way to use up bits of worn out clothing. I've been weaving rugs for around 15 years, and use mostly bits of worn out clothing or unwanted material. Doing my part in an effort to keep the landfills from overflowing. I make a lot of rag rugs from blue jeans. They're incredibly durable, and who doesn't like blue jeans, in any form? Every so often, I find some colored denim and can weave a jean rug that isn't blue. Just listed this one in the etsy shop :

Honestly? It's a slow day for blogging. Who wants to see yet another photo of planting hayfields (which is what is happening right now)? So today as I picked up the dropped pears and apples in preparation for mowing the lawn, I thought about how we try not to waste things. The pears and apples were fed to the cattle and sheep. As parts of the garden finish, the leftovers (corn stalks, bean plants) are also fed to the animals. And tonight our supper included a roasted chicken. In the winter I might boil the bones for soup, but I'm not in the mood for soup right now. So I picked the meat off the bones and saved it for another day. I removed the bones (which go in the composter) and fed the non-bone scraps to the barn cats. We do feed our barn cats on a daily basis--plain jane dry cat food. But they love to lick up the scraps, and here one is waiting her turn while another eats first. What are other ideas for "not wasting" that you practice?

America's corn farmers are by far the most prductive in the world, growing 20% more corn per acre than any other nation. 90% of all corn is produced by family farms. America's corn farmers exported $9 billion worth of corn last year--one of the few American products with a trade surplus. Source: USDA

Today we sorted the Suffolk sheep from the Polypay sheep. The Suffolks will start their breeding season about two months ahead of the Polypays, so we need to separate them. We rounded them all into the barn, ran them up the chute, wormed those that needed it, and sorted. I got to be the one who opened the designated gate, based on the face color of the sheep heading my way. No pictures, as they don't turn out very well in the darkness of the barn. After they were all sorted, it was time to head them back out to different pastures. Every so often I read the Pioneer Woman's blog. They're always sorting cattle on horses. Sounds like an easier way to do it than running around waving your arms, doesn't it? So the two kids who ride saddled up. Almost immediately, we had a equipment malfunction. The gelding's bit broke. That gelding without a bit is like a powerboat without a rudder. (Do powerboats have rudders?) Loose cannon is an understatement. So we had one of th...

What can be produced on one acre* of land? 46,500 pounds of strawberries. Respondents to a recent national survey labeled strawberry lovers as "healthy-conscious, fun-loving, intelligent and happy." *An acre is about the size of a football field. --from Food and Farm Facts, American Farm Bureau

Now that the wheat fields have been disced down, it's time to plant the next crop. The Farmer is seeding several fields with a grass/alfalfa mix. We chisel plow, then field cultivate a couple of times. The final pass before planting is with a cultipacker. You do not want to run over your toe with this thing. Smooths out the field, which is especially important for hay. Even with all the rain this summer, the dust still rolls.

The oppressive heat of the past few weeks has finally broken. Tonight at dusk I head outside, wondering how long it will take The Farmer to finish planting. I see bats swooping for their supper. I hear individual insect sounds blend together into one distant drone. I feel an old black cat rubbing her friendship against my ankles. As I savor the summer nightfall, the tractor pulls out of the field and heads for the shed. One alfalfa field planted. Tomorrow is another day. "Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." --Lamentations 3:22-24 NIV

"As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease." --Genesis 8:22

What can be produced on one acre* of land? 35,600 pounds of lettuce. Crisphead, butterhead, romaine and leaf are the four main types of lettuce. All are low in calories with a high water content. *An acre is about the size of a football field. --from Food and Farm Facts, American Farm Bureau

What can be produced on one acre* of land? 31,000 pounds of oranges. Oranges were very expensive and eaten only on special occasions or holidays, such as Christmas, until the early 1900s. *An acre is about the size of a football field. --from Food and Farm Facts, American Farm Bureau

A couple of weeks ago, we welcomed two new female llamas to the farm. They will be our sheep guardians (we hope). They spent some time in a pasture near the sheep for almost two weeks, in an effort to get them used to the idea of sheep. Then we turned them out with the sheep. So far, so good!