Working Goats

 I hope there will come a time when using sheep or goats for landscaping our home lawns and woods is a norm. Those of you who followed On the Pond Farm eight years ago and more, know how effectively the goats could cut a straight line in the field or on the pond hill.

The fear for people who haven't had the up close experience, including one of my old neighbors, is smell. At least for goats, unless you have a breeding age buck (intact mature male), the smell you will find is in a dirty barn. Grazing and "fertilizing" on pasture, or in my suggested case, on a lawn, spreads the wealth and there is little to no smell. You don't believe me? That's okay, but when your neighbors decide to give goat landscaping a try, wait to judge. 

This week an old Ligonier friend posted this WSJ article and I'm glad to see the positive comments within the article. But best of all the good news to one neighborhood in California.

Well-Employed in Pandemic Times: Landscaping Goats - WSJ

"And they leave no cut grass behind. He credits their appetite with saving his neighborhood from a 2018 blaze called the Woolsey fire, which destroyed more than 1,500 buildings on 97,000 acres and took several lives. Mr. Gerstel said the flames reached the edge of the area the goats had grazed on, then stopped."

Sheep grazed on the White House lawn in 1919.

PHOTO: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

Cabin Fever Festival, Windsor, CT/ Ice Festival, Ligonier, PA

We have four town facilities that we use for going for walks and hikes with Jock. Northwest Park is the largest, and has umpteen choices of lengths and variety. Basically, you could switch and join and combine and walk all day if you wanted to. Its mostly woods and field type trial, some going by a reservoir and some by barns and soccer fields. Depending on the weather and time, you can be in mostly shade or predominantly sun.

These days, I prefer as much solar help as possible. I don't recall the last time above freezing. Poor Jock's feet are either not as tough as they used to be, or the cold is just taking its toll. We tend to choose our destination by temperature this past month. Some days we get to the park, only to turn around minutes later because Jock begins to limp on three legs, trying to hold up one foot, then another. Its also hard to tell if its just the cold, or the product being used on the roads to melt the ice. Either way, we haven't taken too many walks past a half hour in the past month. We've tried greasing his feet with salve before we head out, but its hard to know how effective that is. Its actually too bad we didn't attend the Cabin Fever Festival yesterday as one of the features was a show with huskies from the Connecticut Valley Siberian Husky Club. Maybe they could have given us some advice.

Left over today was this ice sculpture that I imagine will be there for a while with our weather staying frigid for the rest of this week.

It was a fun reminder of the week-end Ice Festival back in Ligonier, PA, also this week-end. 

If you are passing Ligonier in the next week, I bet you can enjoy the many sculptures there - and maybe a hot drink too!

My Bridge Project

Once or twice I've mentioned this project and after almost ten years of involvement, the end is in sight.

Today the main part of the bridge was set in place over Mill Creek on old Ligonier Valley Railroad abutments.

Yes- a real rail to trail project.

To see the latest, see the link below.

http://ligoniervalleytrail.blogspot.com/2013/04/construction-progress.html

Absence Of Light/Memory of Color

Its been eight or nine days since the sun shone here, and Sandy left us in a severe, gray gloom for half of it.

I found a gorgeous collection of photos I took while Ligonier was preparing for Fort Ligonier Days last month. 

Here are a few bits of blue sky and Fall color to raise some East Coast spirits. 

Tornado Follow Up

Last evening I stopped by the newest goat farm to see how everyone was faring. The place was a beehive of activity.

(That is not a short construction worker. That is a young boy who came to help.)

My photographs do not even give a glimmer of the devastation. It is nature at its most ferocious, and yet, knowing everyone is safe, quite amazing. What I couldn't appreciate was although the walls are still standing, the insides of the house blew out. Mementos and memories lost.

Barn before:

After: Notice the tree by the barn? 

And the other tree in the foreground from before? Gone! As are many more.

The tornado passed through on this side of the barn, pulling up some of the roof and shearing the trees, but for the most part, leaving the building intact. Sadly the house was not so lucky.

 Apparently I don't need to feel terribly guilty worrying about the goats. When the fire department arrived, one of the first questions was, "Are the goaties okay?" Yes!

And no babies yet!

When I was driving home yesterday I passed this area where the tornado had crossed and blew out an area of trees.

I wasn't able to slow down and focus on the video, but I think you can see how it looks like there was a huge explosion.

Tornado Hits Our Goat Family

Remember this beautiful sight a few weeks ago when I visited Ariel, Abi and Belle at their new farm? 

Well, of all the houses that received major damage from the tornado in Ligonier yesterday, it is the family that has this farm.

Read about their ordeal here:
http://triblive.com/news/1900513-74/ligonier-township-county-tornado-westmoreland-afternoon-late-touched-711-damage

Through the goat grapevine I got the news last night after Allison saw their home on the 10pm news broadcast. I turned on the telly just at 11pm to see that everyone was safe, but their restored historical home was without a roof, and their SUV now had two roofs. 

After an email to offer help was returned, Steve said the goats were out grazing afterwards like nothing had happened.  Meanwhile I hope their two young boys can carry on the same way after time passes.  They are counting on the goats to be a distraction. We are so glad to see everyone safe.

The Ice Festival and Warm Snow

Isn't this ice sled beautiful?!

We have had frigid cold weather for over two weeks, so last weekend was perhaps too perfect for the Ice Festival. We, like most people we observed, walked briskly around the displays in the Diamond. We might have lingered a bit in a gap with some sun.
Or to take a quick picture - -but finding a warm place to shop for a few moments was more popular than usual.

The past couple days' warming trend into the twenties, and even above freezing, seems like a heat wave.

One thing about snow in these warmer temperatures is the big fat flakes that really stick to everything. Its a "Winter Wonderland".Watching the video below, the snow almost seems fake. The goats don't care.

They just want breakfast.

VIDEO OF THE LATEST SNOWSTORM

Jock's Day Out With The Dogs

Jock and his friends came out today for Bethlen Communities 2nd Annual Memorial Walk for Ando, a walk to honor Ando the police dog, who we lost last year to cancer. The event started as fundraiser to help pay the medical bills for Ando, but after he died, it became a way to help defray the cost of training and maintaining the new K-9 dog on our police force.This day was about Jock and his well behaved friends, and their good owners, and how they can help the community. There are many of them, and they all were shining examples of how to have fun, and still be gracious in a crowd. After some socializing, they all were quiet for the blessing of the dogs. Then it was down to the business at hand. The walk through town. It was quite a parade, and quite orderly. And quite hot! We followed the route marked by the colorful paws. When necessary, we used the pedestrian walkways so that the owners would be safe, and kept off the grass. Not one angry word was heard from all the sizes and shaped pals that came to help raise funds for the local K-9 Unit. Our newest Police Dog Blek was with Officer Eric, and a partner K-9 team, to walk with us. Then they talked about the work they do, and demonstrated some of their techniques. Jock was terribly proud to help in this second annual walk for Ando, and plans to practice the limbo for next year so that he can take first place. (He got second!).

To see more about this event, click here: Ando

Clark Hollow Road During the October Rain

Friends and Food

Today I enjoyed visitors at the farm for brunch and a quick tour. The fresh eggs were stars in omelets, with the last red pepper from the garden, along with some other veggies and homemade breads.On our walk, Vinegar and Uno were assisting in the photography session. Luckily no photographers were electrocuted before I remembered to turn off the fences (but it was close!).
Neo just wanted to be in the middle of all these females!
The ladies bonded with the goats before going for a walk along the pond and in the barn to see the Massey Ferguson and the John Deere, and the wonderful beams. Then a quick ride into Ligonier. After a whirlwind tour, where even I discovered the newly arranged stores, and some new ones, the ladies headed back home to school bus stops and kids. I headed back to enjoy two of my favorite fun things - hostess gifts and leftovers. I've been nibbling all day - and night! Such treats! Thanks!

Loved sharing the farm today!
Love my other new hen this week.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massey_Ferguson

Fort Ligonier Days

Food and fun...Fort Days!

The town is decked out with charm.

Volunteers working hard. Lindsey making change.

Helping the cause with an overstuffed potato.

Every sort of knit hat to buy and get ideas from.

The crowd at the Diamond where a lot of the food and music was centered. I wish we had these pedestrian roads every day.

The Beatles!!

Great garlic hat!

Sidewalk musicians with lots of talent.

Exhausted Lori, owner of the new Ligonier's Landmark Bakery at the end of a good day.

Love the schmutz on the apron~
Canton Friends - this could be the new Truffles.

Come over tomorrow. There's a day to go. Crafts. Music. Art. Food. Entertainment.
Check the Ligonier Living Blog for hundreds of images and more information.
Also the official Fort Ligonier Days site.

VIDEO OF THE BEATLES - REALLY!