We have been at Winged Elm Farm since 1999. This ongoing series of journal entries is meant to give you a sense of the tasks, people, and goings-on that fill our lives. Follow the two links to read the blog posts on the events referenced.
2011
Spot: a favorite ewe, just lambed big twins. 16# each at one week.
January 13: Six inches of snow on the ground. The mercury has not been above 32 degrees in four days. The truck and the car are both stuck at the bottom of the drive.
January 14: Projected high of 41. Heat wave.
January 19: Six hogs taken to H&R for slaughter.
February 6: Unrest in Middle East and farm diesel is now over $3. I really need to set up a diesel tank on the farm.
February 12: Planted lettuce, spinach, turnips, beets, onions in hoop house gardens.
March 7: Snowflake began farrowing overnight.
March 11: Put Snowflake down with the 30-30. What a disaster. Hauled her carcass up to the back forty.
April 24: Till garden/plant tomatoes/make lye soap. Judy Fiene to visit us.
July 17: A little quiet time before sunrise on the front porch. Temps in the low 60s. What shall I do today? Hmm, I bet it will start with a list (Long list followed).
August 24: Muscadine harvest begins. Fixed savory crepes with parsley and chives and grilled shrimp.
October 1: Stopped in Ellijay, Georgia, at Johnson’s Nursery for additional fruit trees.
November 11: The challenge in any relationship is to stay engaged, refusing to see one’s partner as either a comfortable blanket or irritating hair shirt. Either assigns a role that is unchanging.
November 12: Two steers to Morgan’s for slaughter.
November 20: 53 degrees at 7 a.m. Completed annual tractor maintenance on Kubota M4900. Left it a little late this year. Customers coming out later for beef.
Christmas Day: Ouch, what a headache. Neighbor Adrienne paid her usual Christmas Eve visit last night. She looked smashing in her green sweater. We drank the usual bottle of her gluhwein … and drank some more, ate some good food, and had a nice conversation before she toddled home and I toddled off to bed.
Spoke with Cindy earlier. She is off to the airport in Florida. Looking forward to having her back home tonight.
Fed the bees this warm morning. One girl was royally pissed at being disturbed and followed me into the house. Managed to catch her and put her back outside.
Time to make some family calls, then cut some cedar posts and feed the cattle. But otherwise, the plan is to take it easy until our Christmas dinner tonight (capon, roasted Brussels sprouts, mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, and creamed kale).
December 31: Worked on the farm plan for 2012 until mid-morning. Completed enclosing the upper 11-acre field in the back forty this afternoon with field fence. Over our afternoon coffee, we joked that we will walk to the top of the hill and see the new year in tonight. But we both know that I, anyway, will be asleep by 10:30.
Good Morning Brian,
Your journal entries remind me of a running joke among our farming compatriots. When discussing a pet project most often the term, “I’ll get to it when I get caught up” arises. Both parties knowing full well that will never happen. My son Dave and I have come to the realization that if you want a special project tackled and completed you must dedicate the time and marshal the resources necessary. Any special project over and above routine chores and maintenance requires a Herculean effort to see through to completion. In other words, you have to “will” it to happen. And, if you know that bit of information, things seem to magically get done.
Practically an open winter here-so far. Not one night below zero-yet. An ideal winter, in my book. Don
True enough, Don. I have so many big projects to tackle, not too mention all of the small extra tasks and repairs that need to be squeezed in to the day. It really takes that extra special commitment to see it through. Some days it is there…other days, not so much.
Glad your winter isn’t too bad. I’m sure come March we will all pay for these milder days.
1. Did you ever set up a diesel tank on the farm?
2. Why did you have to shoot Snowflake after she had her babies? Did “childbirth” mess her up beyond repair?
1. Nope, never did.
2. The story is a bit involved. So I’m going to send you to the link on the full story: http://www.wingedelmfarm.com/blog/2014/03/30/a-pig-called-snowflake/
Hope all is well with both of you,
Brian
Chores on a farm. Interchangeable year to year, except for the “projects.” Sometimes those projects make us cringe, wondering where we are going to get the energy, let alone the time. We won’t talk about the money. Other projects invigorate us giving us hope for the future as we envision the benefits they will bring to our farm/lives.
Most of all, they are calming, at least to me. Life goes on and the livestock, or the beets, don’t care what chaos is going on in our country or the world.
Winter here on my north Idaho mountain….has been different this year. So far we’ve had 55” of snow. It’s been measured out in increments this year with melting in between snowstorms. It’s a nice change from walking and driving around in snow tunnels, lol. The chickens have enjoyed it too. Until April shows up we’ll hold our breath because it’s not unusual for February and March to bury us in snow.
In the meantime I plot and plan the upcoming plantings with relish!
What a different cycle of the seasons you paint of your life in Idaho. Thanks for sharing,
Brian