Missing The Little Things

We have left the farm, but the farm has not left us. We cannot have a day where a conversation won't end with, "Too bad we don't have some goats for that,", or "The chickens would clean this up".

FIL Francis feeding fries to the hens last summer

Yep - throwing perfectly good scraps into the compost seems such a shame. Watching the chickens waddle over to tear the latest contributions apart was part of the fun, but knowing we were recycling and feeding them at the same time felt good. You've seen the chickens. Healthiest bunch for miles, or at least fattest. Best eggs ever! I miss those too.


Weeding and Weaning - 2011 -Sweet Pants babysitting

We hate having to mow this little lawn. A couple of goats could take perfect care of it, and then knock back some of the brush. Sigh!

We also really miss the bats in the barn (really cool!) AND...AND - the barn swallows.

Now a year ago, I don't think I would have included the barn swallows. By now the barn is full of their mud nests and they are dropping nesting scraps and their droppings everywhere. We had to be careful where water buckets and food sat. Anything of value was covered with feed bags or plastic. But the one thing the barn swallows and bats were good for - BUGS! They ate lots of them.

Mosquitoes. They love me. I can honestly say that in a mere week, maybe even a day (its been wet lately), I get more bites on my body then I did in ten YEARS at the farm. True. True. True.

Never EVER complain about bats, no matter how much guano is in your attic. Luckily for us, it was all in the barn, and yes, I hated them when I first got the spanking new John Deere. Covered it with plastic for months. Then I just finally figured out where there were the least bat homes, and flipped my seat forward and parked there. It is a tractor!

Boots and Brianna May 2012

One of the things I can luckily do, is follow the farm with the help of the new owners, and you can too. Here is the link to Rush Around Farm. They have already expanded and are having new adventures. I'm jealous, but...I'm glad they have taken on the farm as they have. I think you will appreciate what they are doing also.

http://www.rusharoundfarm.com/blog/

Last Looks. Lasting Memories.

This has been a difficult past couple of months.

Budding blueberry bushes

Mostly because it has been difficult to have to say goodbye to so many friends and to the farm that we have grown with - and helped grow - for the past ten years.

As we continued to the last days as if we would be there forever,

Can you see the egg?

...the hens continued to entertain us with their antics like hiding eggs in silly places.

The cats got along with the hens;

the dog got along with the cats;

and with the chickens;

but the cats couldn't get along with themselves

(Look in the background)!

I think it was my neighbor Karen who said that if we weren't On the Pond Farm, we would be named Harmony Farm, because everyone gets along - usually!

It some ways, I am glad the weather became cold and the skies dismal, so that it was no pleasure to venture outdoors.

But the last few days of our stay at the farm brought the blue skies, the warm breezes and dry air that would drag anyone outdoors.

The days became gorgeous.

Moments to cherish.

And then the tears came really close many times.

A barn swallow takes over the blue bird house.

I took my camera out in the fields again, as I had been, but not sharing because I didn't know how to end our stay at this beautiful place. 

Our last Sunday breakfast

Hill of bluets

It all came together beautifully on its own.

Here are the last glances and happy wanderings for me at On the Pond Farm.

The farm's reputation and pride and joy has been the Boer goats. I would love to take them with me, but the last four girls stay with the farm to carry on the herd with the new owners.

Blue gill came to visit in full force

The striped bass were the biggest I've seen in the pond this spring

Blue, green and barn in the middle. My favorite combination.



Jock has his last run of the farm. He is joining us in the move to Connecticut.

 Our final farm memory in Ligonier, taken by the new owner Kris, as we lingered one last time.

Home Construction

Browsing On The Hill

This morning we had a good soaking rain. Good for the garden after a couple of hot days.I think the cats were caught far in the field, because they both showed up with wet fur. Not their favorite condition, as you can see by the annoyed look from Snickers.

While it rains, I thought I'd update you on the browsing on the hill.
Do you remember this scene two weeks ago?
Lush and thick. Full of variety.

Here is pretty much the same spot.
You can see the ground, and although it might look green in spots, there's not a lot left.

As the growth is getting thinner...

...the goats are depending on team work to reach the higher branches.

Not easy to do on the hill.
I must say, Pants looks a bit embarrassed to have Aziza standing on him.

Here you can see the crisp fence line area on Saturday, as the nannies and kids were introduced to the left side of the hill.

The yearling side is on its last days, but for the roses and a few tall brambles.

After two days, the left side is already thinning out.

Those big girls can really clear. And they do it happily!

The sun is coming back out. Time to work!

VIDEO OF THE TWO HERDS CLEARING THE POND HILL

Hay and Happy Swallows

Today a delivery of hay arrived for the horse, and then Dave went out and cut down our "hay". The only problem is that we can't bale it since we don't have the machinery.

For the little amount of hay that we use, it really isn't worth the huge expense. We just cut the grass high so that the new growth has a nice start.

Hopefully it will be in perfect shape for the goats later in the fall when we put the electronet outside the main paddocks. They'll come out of this gate and access this area. Then they can eat the hay on the stem - no machinery involved.

It was my idea to mow some of the fields, but then I had to run out and get a few pictures of the flowers before they were cut. As much of a pain the thistle seeds will be later, the flowers are stunning now. They look like fireworks exploding.

This flower attracted a few busy pollinators. Later, the goldfinches will share the seeds and spread a few around.

The Queen Anne's lace looks regal.

The butterfly weed had so many bees loving its flowers. No shortage of bees here.

The butterfly settled on this thistle as I was shooting it. The camouflage eyes on its tail are impressive, and make it look like a bat.

The barn swallows were feasting as the mower stirred up the insects. They looked like a Hitchcock movie, sweeping around Dave's head. The babies in the nests will be fat and happy tonight.

This should be perfect hay for the goats in the fall. They'll do the next mowing. No machinery - no diesel. As it gets colder, they'll be less choosy, and clean up this area pretty well. That will let the areas inside the high tensile fences gain more growth for the winter. Makes for happy goats!