Farming in the shade

I was walking around the farm Sunday with a friend. As we walked, I pointed out the tree line to the west of the sheep barn. It includes highbush cranberries, button bushes and assorted spruce trees. Nice cover for wildlife, including the robin which had built her nest in one of the trees. She flew off and we were able to see one perfect, lovely egg. We talked about how our farm straddles two watersheds. Half the farm drains into a watershed to the south, the other half drains to the north. While we believe it's important for everyone to be good land stewards, we realize that we need to be especially careful. I showed her how we've planted filter strips (they look like grass pathways) along the ditches on our property. She asked why, and I told her the grass catches any runoff--fertilizer runoff, pesticide runoff and soil runoff. Keeps the waterways clean. Then I laughed and said since we are transitioning to organic, it might not be as necessary to have the filter strips. ...

Last week it felt like March or April here on the farm. We were flirting with 50 degrees there for a couple of days. Strange. This is more normal for this time of year... Saturday morning everyone was gone. The Farmer was milking cows for a friend. The boy was at a robotics meeting. One girl wasn't home yet from college for the weekend, and another was helping a friend pick out wedding dresses. I had nothing that couldn't wait 'til after a walk. We planted this tree line several years ago. It's grown up nicely. Though I saw no hard evidence of it, I'm sure the tree line provides wildlife cover. Even the compost piles had a white top dressing. It was a lovely day for a walk. This fence is at the back of our property. I love looking at the trees just on the other side. I may even have woods-envy. What's the weather like in your area?

I step outside and the dusk greets me. The air is alive with the sound of night insects. The glow in the western sky is almost a memory. The oppressive heat of the day has dulled to a heavy coolness. I hear the fans from the chicken coop humming quietly. The stars have begun to peek out overhead. A group of barn cats saunter over to greet me. The dog, who is my reason for coming out, sniffs each one. The mosquitoes sing in my ear. Despite the heavy air, the dog wants to play. Finally, tired, she waits at the door. I grab the camp sleeping bag airing out on the clothes line and head in. The screen door slams behind me. It's been a good day. Good night...

In an effort to get some exercise (ha!) and some sunshine, I strapped on my snowshoes this past weekend and went for a walk. Won't you join me (camera strap and all)? I noticed the tracks of an animal. Couldn't make out what they were, due to the depth of the snow. But I'm quite certain it was something dog-like. See how the creature meandered about, stopping to sniff things? I always get a sense of satisfaction from this little tree line we planted a few years ago. White pine, native to Michigan. Some have died out and we've just replanted them, which makes for an undulating line of trees. But hey--in 40 years we won't notice the difference in age between the individual trees. Here's a view of the farm from the road. Time for me to wrap up the walk and head home...

If you're interested in the $15 bloggy giveaway that ends Friday, click here. I was walking around the farm Sunday with a friend. As we walked, I pointed out the tree line to the west of the sheep barn. It includes highbush cranberries, button bushes and assorted spruce trees. Nice cover for wildlife, including the robin which had built her nest in one of the trees. She flew off and we were able to see one perfect, lovely egg. We talked about how our farm straddles two watersheds. Half the farm drains into a watershed to the south, the other half drains to the north. While we believe it's important for everyone to be good land stewards, we realize that we need to be especially careful. I showed her how we've planted filter strips (they look like grass pathways) along the ditches on our property. She asked why, and I told her the grass catches any runoff--fertilizer runoff, pesticide runoff and soil runoff. Keeps the waterways clean. Then I laughed and said since we are tran...

Today I went sledding with the kids in my free time. I did NOT take these photos today. I took them on Snow Day # 2 (we're up to Snow Day # 5 or 6). I was out and about early that day, and it was such a gorgeous morning that I quickly got the camera. While I was appreciating the view through the camera lens, The Farmer was busy clearing the driveway. Ususally, he uses the large tractor for this cold job. But it was broken that day (PTO shaft troubles, for those of you who want the details). So he used one of the smaller tractors, and bundled up. Mornings like this are Reason #579 why I'm glad I live at Shady Side Farm.

We still have a few fluffies falling today, but the wind has died down considerably, and the temps are climbing from the low of 1 degree F yesterday. Life is good.

Sunday, 7:00 a.m. Sunday, 9:00 a.m. Sunday, 11:00 a.m. Sunday, 1:00 p.m. Sunday, 3:00 p.m., improving somewhat... Sunday, 5:00 p.m. This'll probably be the last photo, as it's beginning to get dark. Still blowing hard--fortunately it doesn't seem to be snowing quite as hard as it was earlier. Thank the Lord for heat and electricity...

I don't get out much. And my pedometer reflects that. This week, I decided that 10,000 steps in a day is a bit too lofty a goal for a winter-bound homemaker. So I'm aiming for 5,000 steps a day--and I've got a little chart that I check off when I actually do it. What can I say? Some people work for gold stars... Today it actually got to be above freezing here. Too warm for cross country skiing. So I took a walk. On top of the snow. I like my new snowshoes! Here's our fencerow, looking north. See the nice clouds? Cold front coming through tonight. They predict wind chills well below 0 degrees F tonight and tomorrow. Here's a shot looking northwest. We put up the grain "leg" when we moved here. As with almost all of our stuff, it was purchased used, refabbed, and given new life here. See the nice new green paint job on the pole barn? The Farmer's parents did that in the summer of 2006. And here's why, when you ask, I'll tell you I like snow. Seem...

Yesterday schools all over the region were cancelled--Snow Day! In honor of the event, school was cancelled here, too. Later in the day, after the sun came out, a couple of us went cross country skiing. Perfect day for it--as long as we bundled up. Tonight and tomorrow they are predicting 6-12" more. Let it snow! I love everything about the snow except the driving...

Tonight I took the two younger children to our local Tractor Supply Co. (affectionately known as "TSC"). They each had gift cards burnin' holes in their pockets, and TSC is famous for putting their toys on sale after Christmas. I wasn't going to buy anything. I was just the chauffeur. But there amidst the clearance Christmas leftovers, I found a treasure! I was first introduced to Eric Sloane through homeschooling using Sonlight curriculum. Sonlight includes in their level 4 Science (corresponding with the study of American History) Sloane's Diary of An Early American Boy: Noah Blake 1805. I fell in love with his folksy, informative writing style, and with his fabulous illustrations. It looks like this Weather Almanac is a reprint of a couple of his books published many years ago. And here's an excerpt from page 199: "The true rural love of weather in America, along with its richness of folklore, seems to have diminished with the passing of individual...

The other day we had an opportunity to drop our schoolwork and run outside for a peek at some wildlife. I don't know the exact type of bird this was (a heron, perhaps?), but it sure was neat to see it perched atop one of our feed bins. We watched it for perhaps 3 or 4 minutes before it flew off.

This is a mud puddle. I know it seems rather boring to include here, but I wanted to take a photo of something we've so rarely seen this summer. "Drought" is the word they've been bandying about on the evening news. I can vouch for the accuracy of their terminology. So tonight, when this mud puddle still remained after this morning's glorious rain, I decided to capture it and post it here. And here is something else we haven't seen for a while--water in the ditch. While I was out tonight I snapped a photo of the end-of-day sunlight. G'night!

The other night the kids and I spent time at the county fairgrounds, cleaning out the barn with other 4H participants. On the way home, the most spectacular clouds began forming. I was impressed to go straight home and begin securing barn doors and gathering things that might blow away. Once we had battened down the hatches, I ran to get the camera. I have never seen such striking clouds. "When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?" (Psalm 8:3-4) "The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands." (Psalm 19:1) "By the word of the Lord were the heavens made." (Psalm 33:6) "In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands." (Psalm 102:25)