Farming in the shade

I am thoroughly enjoying the slower pace of winter, though I'm not wild about the extreme cold we've been enduring. I've worked a bit on decluttering, though there's plenty more to work on. I've read a few books. I've spent time weaving and crocheting. I've spent some time doing things that refresh me and contribute to long-term health. But I hear some rumblings that winter is not widely-enjoyed by the rest of the general public. Something about cabin fever. Mutterings about endless white and cold. Some have escaped to warmer climates for a few days or a few weeks. If you're stuck here in the great white north and need to get out of the house and do something different, why not come to our Fiber Fridays? We'll hold these each Friday from 10 - 4, until the work of the farm ramps up in the spring. Bring your wheel or spindle or table loom or needles and hang out in our studio. We'll have water/tea/hot cocoa/coffee available, and there is a...

Sometimes you just want something hearty in the deep, dark cold of winter. Soak and cook Jacob's Cattle beans. Yes, you can use another kind. When they are fully cooked, drain and discard all but 1 cup of broth. Chop carrots and cook in saucepan. Drain. Chop veggies. Yes you can vary these, based on what you have on hand. Cook bacon in pan (use your imagination for this--someone forgot to take a photo). Remove bacon from pan, reserving some bacon grease in pan. Sauté veggies in bacon grease until soft. Combine all ingredients together and place in a slow cooker for a couple of hours just to combine flavors. Winter Bean Stew: 1/2 pound Jacob's Cattle Beans, cooked 1/4 pound bacon, cooked 1 small onion, chopped 1 bell pepper, chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 3 carrots, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 3 tsp. rubbed sage 2 tsp. salt Cook beans in saucepan following directions on bag; drain, reserving 1 cup broth. Cook ca...

The Farmer went out to check on the sheep this morning and found a cast ewe. From sheep101.com: A sheep that has rolled over onto its back is called a "cast" sheep. It may not be able to get up without assistance. This happens most commonly with short, stocky sheep with full fleeces on flat terrain. Heavily pregnant ewes are most prone. Cast sheep can become distressed and die within a short period of time if they are not rolled back into a normal position. When back on their feet, they may need supported for a few minutes to ensure they are steady.  This ewe fits the bill on all counts: short and stocky breed, full-fleeced, and heavily pregnant. Apologies for the poor quality of the photo. It's hard to take good quality pictures in the darkness of the barn, even when you are not in a hurry to right a cast ewe. The good news is that she is fine. When telling me about this cast ewe, The Farmer said: "Roll them over and watch them run." We have not alw...

Lambing season 2015 has begun! A first-time mom, with her twins--a ram lamb and a ewe lamb. We really didn't expect lambs for a couple more days, but yesterday a real humdinger of a weather system moved through, and it seems that atmospheric pressure (or just plain bad weather) makes those babies want to come. These were born this morning.