Saturday, June 30, 2012
June 23, 2012 Saturday
June 23, 2012 Saturday
Amy and the kids brought me back to the farm arriving about 2 o’clock. The heat continued until mid-afternoon when a thunderstorm burst over us. I had been expecting hay but it could not be delivered.
We all went straight to the barn and found the mother hen under the mock orange bush. I guess my prayers were answered; she had all 10 chicks including the little cripple. With the help of Amy and Hannah (Henry was inspecting the tractor) we herded the little family into a private stall where she is safe with a buffet of water, yogurt and scratch. A hen with that many chicks is hard put to make a living for them all in competition with 20 or so other hens. Any attempt to give her extra help is impossible. All the other birds swoop in and grab it.
Shireen got all the sheep in last night by herself.
The real news is that Mitra’s cow, Nellie, had her calf last evening, a heifer named Winnie. Winnie is strong and healthy and was out chasing ducks already this morning.
Mitra’s parents, Marie and Alex, are here now so Mitra will have more fun. Max will be home for 10 days at the beginning of August and then back to work in Montana until Thanksgiving. He is now to be in charge of a working group.
June 24, 2012 Sunday
To my surprise and gratification, Ella did not nurse last night. When I popped out early in the AM Fern was still full of milk. I quickly put Ella into the calf pen and made plans to milk. Fern was only down a quart from her usual amount.
The weather is cooled to the point of being bearable even for Mainers. The only thing to deplore is the mosquito population explosion. I am sure I have never seen such hoards even in Alaska. You can’t do anything including opening your mouth.
My 225 square bales from Claude Averill for which Martin arranged came this morning.
It is from a local field and Martin drove the rig over here. DIL Amy and he unloaded half of it; then their friend Brett arrived to help. I did my part by standing on the hay floor grabbing the bales with the hay hook as they reached the top of the elevator. If no one grabs them they have a tendency to fall back to the ground and sometimes bust apart.
Mitra is having a stressful day with Nellie who shows signs of milk fever. The vet came twice. Mitra has taken so many precautions and is so attentive that I feel sure Nellie will pull through. Roshan is helping in every way. The calf, Winnie, is in fine health.
Martin and the kids are staying over at camp. Amy has a meeting to attend so had to return to Biddeford. She stopped in and had supper with me on her way. I had some steak defrosted.
June 25, 2012 Monday
The rain has returned. Perhaps that and my hay exertions yesterday caused me to oversleep. By the time I raced to the barn it was a quarter to 7 and Ella was trying to nurse. Fern was attempting to kick her off. I got her into the calf pen. Fern still had 1 ¾ gallons.
It rained all day.
June 27, 2012 Wednesday
Last night I penned Ella and got more than 2 gallons. I penned her again tonight. It’s a nuisance but I need the milk.
My hen with 10 chicks is thriving in her private room.
It rained hard both of the last two days and a bit today. It is heavily overcast, extremely damp. Some of the paddock garden is flooded. All the squash is up but some hills are underwater. The potatoes look good. Lots of blooms with few bugs so far. The heat has moderated.
My lawn is dotted with rugs. I put them out for the rain to wash. My poor old dog, Bagel, is losing control of his bowels or else has forgotten the rules. He has gotten so he will poop in the house right in front of me. Now he has to stay outside. Fortunately it is not cold. Whatever will I do next winter?
Cousins Holly and Richard arrived back today. They stopped here for milk but I did not see them. I must have been in the barn. Very frustrating.
June 28, 2012 Thursday
The weather today was very pleasant.
Fern gave almost 2 ½ gallons. This is very close to what she was giving before Ella rejoined the party. It isn’t that Ella is not nursing. She certainly is. Fern is responding to the extra sucking by producing more.
Holly and Richard came over this morning with strawberries and pastries and we had a lovely tea party. It was so nice to see them.
I am reading The Devil in the Milk about A1A2 milk.
June 29, 2012 Friday
Fern gave only slightly over 2 gallons but was beautifully behaved as indeed she is most of the time.
She was a bit naughty when evening came and it was time to separate Ella. They were all in the beefer pen. While I got the sheep in, which I have to do first as they otherwise swarm around and are pushy, all three bovines vanished. I finally located them in the sheep paddock. I outfoxed them this time. Fern thought I had a treat for her and led them all back to the gate. When she came through I shut the gate behind her trapping Ella and Milton. Now those two are isolated and can just stay there for the immediate future and Fern can graze where she pleases.
I went today with DIL Amy to Farmington where we visited the farmer’s market and saw Mitra making Kettle Corn. What an awesome device. The bowl is the size of great great grandma’s wash kettle. We all tried tasty sweet and salty popcorn. There were Marie and Alex whom I finally got to greet and even Holly and Richard were there.
It was very hot today. When I got home, Nancy was here whacking out weeds in the sunken garden. I don’t know how she managed to work so hard in the heat. She liberated my cabbages in the nick of time. The slugs are attacking. Tomorrow I will fight back with Sluggo.
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
June 16-21, 2012
June 16, 2012 Saturday
Another very fine day, just perfect temperature with a light breeze to blow away bugs.
The sheep area showing some progress in keeping their lambs organized. Linda and Jacob go out regularly.
Nancy worked all afternoon and into the evening. She planted the corn, Bodacious and some saved seed from last year of variegated.
Mitra called to tell me of her day of taking her meat birds to be dressed off. She received 103 chicks from the hatchery and took 103 birds today. This is unusual. One six pounder had a heart attack while she, Roshan and her helper, a young man named Lou, were loading the birds into crates, but she was able to keep him alive until they reached the processor.
June 17, 2012 Sunday
Some people I met for the first time arranged to borrow the hay elevator. They live nearby and have horses. They are buying local hay.
Shireen dug a bucket load of burdock for Nellie’s calving. It is supposed to suppress edema.
When Shireen came home from work she found the sheep all over the front lawn. The lambs can get through the flabby front door of the barn. No doubt a couple of them got out and the ewes then forced the door the rest of the way. Shireen helped me get them back in.
June 18, 2012 Monday
The weather continues fine.
Fern came in with her right flank so dirty that I had to scrape her with the flat side of the shovel. And Nancy had just spread new bedding. Eew.
I could only find eight eggs. Somebody needs to go on a serious egg hunt.
Shireen brought me my grain and eight boxes of local strawberries. They are absolutely delicious.
Mitra is still awaiting Nellie’s calf. It must be any minute.
June 20, 2012 Wednesday
Definitely the hottest day of the year. In the 90’s. It was hard to function.
Fern gave her customary 2 ½ gallons. Nancy worked on clearing brush along the electric fence until the heat became too much. We froze 8 pints of strawberries.
Right now I am waiting for it to be dark in hopes that the sheep will come in by themselves. I tried earlier to get them in but no luck. Half ran back every time half came in. Either they come in by themselves or the coyotes can have them. It is too hot.
Later…. They did come in but not before forcing open the flappy front door irretrievably. Tomorrow I will have to devise a new closure. Some were on the front lawn. Willie did his best to help round them up.
Shireen arrived in time to share my supper. We had asparagus and a bit of steak.
June 21, 2012 Thursday
The weather continues wilting hot, in the 90’s with high humidity. I can barely function and got little accomplished today. My fingers stick to the computer keys.
I found a tiny chick this morning that was lost from its mother hen. I caught it and carried it around looking for a hen but no luck so I helped it to get a drink and let it go in hopes that its mother would turn up. This evening I found another tiny chick and caught it and set it up with yogurt in a big tub. Then the one I released this morning appeared at the edge of a weed patch with Tamworth, the fluffy cat, eyeing it closely. I grabbed the chick and added it to the tub and helped it eat some yogurt. In this heat they will not be cold. Maybe tomorrow I will find their mother. The best time to reintroduce chicks is at night.
Nancy was here working on brush clearing along the electric fence line. She came early and got out of the sun at 11.
Tomorrow I will be away overnight to Mark and Annie’s graduation party to honor the Senior Residents. After a brief holiday they will take up Fellowships as Hospitalist and Geriatric Specialist.
I was away from my computer Friday night. This is being written on Saturday. Friday was even hotter.
After morning milking I let Ella out of the paddock where she has been living alone so that she would not drink all Fern’s milk. This was the only way I felt able to leave. Ella was in roaring heat. Before leaving I discovered the missing mother hen with 8 chicks and took the chance of setting the two that I had in a tub down amongst her flock, praying that they would be accepted. One has an injured leg and barely walks but is very game.
DIL Amy and the kids came to pick me up. We had some lunch before setting out for Biddeford. Shireen was here to watch over the farm and I asked Nancy to check in on Saturday morning. It was my first night away from the farm in several years. I saw Martin and Amy’s home for the first time. It is a large new house in a suburban neighborhood in the New England style of architecture and backs up to heavily wooded public land, very charming. I took a quick walk into the woods before taking a shower and nap and getting dressed for the dinner and ceremony at a country club in Falmouth.
It was a joyful occasion with a larger crowd than I expected, everyone smartly dressed. An amazing number of people came up to me to say how much they love Mark and have enjoyed working with him. John and Woody Dhyrburg, who have been so very helpful to Mark over the years, were there. Unfortunately DIL Annie’s parents could not make it this time; they would have heard an equal number of favorable comments about Annie. Mark’s daughter Hailey was also there looking very sweet, home for the summer from her first year at UVt.
Little Hannah and Henry were with us and were very well behaved. The presentations lasted until quite late, 10pm. I guess H&H are party people.
While we were at the gala, Mitra’s cow Nellie calved at 6:00 p.m. She describes it as “textbook”. Mitra and her DD Roshan stood back mostly and watched while cheering Nellie on. Roshan took some amazing pictures of the birth. They left Nellie to clean and dry her calf. Two hours later Nellie and her calf were standing outside the barn and the calf was trying to nurse. With little help or interference from Mitra or Roshan, the calf figured it out. It’s another heifer. They have named her Winnie.
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Another very fine day, just perfect temperature with a light breeze to blow away bugs.
The sheep area showing some progress in keeping their lambs organized. Linda and Jacob go out regularly.
Nancy worked all afternoon and into the evening. She planted the corn, Bodacious and some saved seed from last year of variegated.
Mitra called to tell me of her day of taking her meat birds to be dressed off. She received 103 chicks from the hatchery and took 103 birds today. This is unusual. One six pounder had a heart attack while she, Roshan and her helper, a young man named Lou, were loading the birds into crates, but she was able to keep him alive until they reached the processor.
June 17, 2012 Sunday
Some people I met for the first time arranged to borrow the hay elevator. They live nearby and have horses. They are buying local hay.
Shireen dug a bucket load of burdock for Nellie’s calving. It is supposed to suppress edema.
When Shireen came home from work she found the sheep all over the front lawn. The lambs can get through the flabby front door of the barn. No doubt a couple of them got out and the ewes then forced the door the rest of the way. Shireen helped me get them back in.
June 18, 2012 Monday
The weather continues fine.
Fern came in with her right flank so dirty that I had to scrape her with the flat side of the shovel. And Nancy had just spread new bedding. Eew.
I could only find eight eggs. Somebody needs to go on a serious egg hunt.
Shireen brought me my grain and eight boxes of local strawberries. They are absolutely delicious.
Mitra is still awaiting Nellie’s calf. It must be any minute.
June 20, 2012 Wednesday
Definitely the hottest day of the year. In the 90’s. It was hard to function.
Fern gave her customary 2 ½ gallons. Nancy worked on clearing brush along the electric fence until the heat became too much. We froze 8 pints of strawberries.
Right now I am waiting for it to be dark in hopes that the sheep will come in by themselves. I tried earlier to get them in but no luck. Half ran back every time half came in. Either they come in by themselves or the coyotes can have them. It is too hot.
Later…. They did come in but not before forcing open the flappy front door irretrievably. Tomorrow I will have to devise a new closure. Some were on the front lawn. Willie did his best to help round them up.
Shireen arrived in time to share my supper. We had asparagus and a bit of steak.
June 21, 2012 Thursday
The weather continues wilting hot, in the 90’s with high humidity. I can barely function and got little accomplished today. My fingers stick to the computer keys.
I found a tiny chick this morning that was lost from its mother hen. I caught it and carried it around looking for a hen but no luck so I helped it to get a drink and let it go in hopes that its mother would turn up. This evening I found another tiny chick and caught it and set it up with yogurt in a big tub. Then the one I released this morning appeared at the edge of a weed patch with Tamworth, the fluffy cat, eyeing it closely. I grabbed the chick and added it to the tub and helped it eat some yogurt. In this heat they will not be cold. Maybe tomorrow I will find their mother. The best time to reintroduce chicks is at night.
Nancy was here working on brush clearing along the electric fence line. She came early and got out of the sun at 11.
Tomorrow I will be away overnight to Mark and Annie’s graduation party to honor the Senior Residents. After a brief holiday they will take up Fellowships as Hospitalist and Geriatric Specialist.
I was away from my computer Friday night. This is being written on Saturday. Friday was even hotter.
After morning milking I let Ella out of the paddock where she has been living alone so that she would not drink all Fern’s milk. This was the only way I felt able to leave. Ella was in roaring heat. Before leaving I discovered the missing mother hen with 8 chicks and took the chance of setting the two that I had in a tub down amongst her flock, praying that they would be accepted. One has an injured leg and barely walks but is very game.
DIL Amy and the kids came to pick me up. We had some lunch before setting out for Biddeford. Shireen was here to watch over the farm and I asked Nancy to check in on Saturday morning. It was my first night away from the farm in several years. I saw Martin and Amy’s home for the first time. It is a large new house in a suburban neighborhood in the New England style of architecture and backs up to heavily wooded public land, very charming. I took a quick walk into the woods before taking a shower and nap and getting dressed for the dinner and ceremony at a country club in Falmouth.
It was a joyful occasion with a larger crowd than I expected, everyone smartly dressed. An amazing number of people came up to me to say how much they love Mark and have enjoyed working with him. John and Woody Dhyrburg, who have been so very helpful to Mark over the years, were there. Unfortunately DIL Annie’s parents could not make it this time; they would have heard an equal number of favorable comments about Annie. Mark’s daughter Hailey was also there looking very sweet, home for the summer from her first year at UVt.
Little Hannah and Henry were with us and were very well behaved. The presentations lasted until quite late, 10pm. I guess H&H are party people.
While we were at the gala, Mitra’s cow Nellie calved at 6:00 p.m. She describes it as “textbook”. Mitra and her DD Roshan stood back mostly and watched while cheering Nellie on. Roshan took some amazing pictures of the birth. They left Nellie to clean and dry her calf. Two hours later Nellie and her calf were standing outside the barn and the calf was trying to nurse. With little help or interference from Mitra or Roshan, the calf figured it out. It’s another heifer. They have named her Winnie.
Monday, June 18, 2012
June 10-17 2012
June 10, 2012 Sunday
Last night I had a lovely dinner at the lake with Martin. He is up this weekend by himself in order to get the lime spreading done and get their dock out. He grilled a small roast of CF lamb. It was excellent. I brought a cucumber salad and we ate down on the dock. The weather was perfect.
Today Martin got the lime spread and some left over. He says that he did not see where he disturbed any nesting birds but there are many butterflies. He was on the field early. I fixed him a late breakfast of crepes with strawberries. Then he joined his friend Brett in Weld and the kayaked down the Webb River. It is quite high but not like it was a few days ago. There are significant rapids. They paddled about seven miles and got out of the water here at CF. I defrosted beans for his supper.
The ram lamb is now named Jacob and the ewe lamb is officially Beatrice. No further lambs yet. Susie spends a lot of time staring at the wall and Agnes stays in with her so I have to give them hay. Linda and Jacob went out together to graze yesterday and today, a pretty sight.
Usually in the morning the sheep are quiet and sleepy but this morning all three ewes were much disturbed. This was because Beatrice had got herself trapped under the stanchion and could not back out. She was wedged in tight. I had to pull hard on her back legs to dislodge her. After wobbling about a bit she went over and had a long drink from the water bucket. I was surprised by this. I saw her do it twice. She does nurse.
I got my pole beans planted and also planted out two pots of sweet potatoes DD Sally had started early. I have never before attempted sweet potatoes and don’t know what I am doing.
I am going to bed early if I can as I have a sore throat.
June 11, 2012 Monday
This morning I woke up with nasty laryngitis. It makes me so mad to be sick. I think it is a couple of years since I have had any illness. I get very little therapeutic milk fresh from the cow now as Fern stops letting down when she thinks she is done. I am lucky to wring a quarter cup out of her. And this morning she ran outside before I could kiss her on the nose.
Granddaughter Helena and her family arrived today for a few days visit. They have three restaurants in Carlyle PA. Two have managers or partners that can get along without them for a few day but Helena had to close her popular creperie while she is away.
The sheep are still resisting going out to graze. Today I shut them outside for a while but I did not see them graze, the silly creatures. Tomorrow if I feel better I will walk out with them.
June 12, 2012 Tuesday
The weather was very fine but unfortunately I spent it mopping my nose.
First thing this morning Helena made a batch of her excellent honey scones.
They took a day trip to LLBean, leaving the kids with her dad. Helena came home in a cute new dress purchased for 2/3 off. Now they have all gone to meet Mitra at a restaurant in Farmington.
The sheep are stubborn as ever about going out. I am down to my last bale of gourmet hay. I was unable to lead them out to pasture with grain because the cows were interfering.
June 13, 2012 Wednesday
A nice surprise this morning. Susie, the Sussex ewe, had twins. There they were standing up and dry. I do hope they are both sucking ok. One is a male and the other a female. She seems to prefer the ram.
Linda, the small white ewe, is willing to go out and graze now. Her lamb, Jacob, actually led the way when I opened the door.
June 14, 2012 Thursday
My cold is completely gone. I don’t know where to give the credit, the vitamins C & D, the GSE, the cedar tea, Advil or immune support from Fern’s milk. Because she was not entirely cooperative, I did not get a full cup of presumably fortified milk until yesterday.
The lambs are constantly getting themselves wedged into small spaces and needing me to pull them out by the back legs while the moms stand there bleating. This evening when I went to close everybody in all the lambs were outside. Now I have to figure out how to get them back inside. I am hoping that by the time it gets darker they will come in by themselves, wagging their tails behind them. The twins are doing well.
Later: Agnes and Linda and their lambs came in but Susie and her day old twins had gone around into the beefer pen and were running every which way. I had to catch the lambs one at a time and carry them in. Back at the house people accused me of shortness of breath. Hah!
June 15, 2012 Friday
Fern gave 2 ¾ gallons, up a quart.
I had to say goodbye to the Twigg’s, Helena, Ryan, Natalie (6) and Logan (4). They were wonderful guests and I hope they had a good time on their brief Maine holiday. The kids are staying on for a few days with Grandpa Tim and Dalene.
Helena took pictures of the sheep and summer scenes around the farm.
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Nancy planted the squash for me today.
Granddaughter Shireen is now staying here while working her summer job at Kawanhee Camp for Boys. She is on the kitchen crew.
Last night I had a lovely dinner at the lake with Martin. He is up this weekend by himself in order to get the lime spreading done and get their dock out. He grilled a small roast of CF lamb. It was excellent. I brought a cucumber salad and we ate down on the dock. The weather was perfect.
Today Martin got the lime spread and some left over. He says that he did not see where he disturbed any nesting birds but there are many butterflies. He was on the field early. I fixed him a late breakfast of crepes with strawberries. Then he joined his friend Brett in Weld and the kayaked down the Webb River. It is quite high but not like it was a few days ago. There are significant rapids. They paddled about seven miles and got out of the water here at CF. I defrosted beans for his supper.
The ram lamb is now named Jacob and the ewe lamb is officially Beatrice. No further lambs yet. Susie spends a lot of time staring at the wall and Agnes stays in with her so I have to give them hay. Linda and Jacob went out together to graze yesterday and today, a pretty sight.
Usually in the morning the sheep are quiet and sleepy but this morning all three ewes were much disturbed. This was because Beatrice had got herself trapped under the stanchion and could not back out. She was wedged in tight. I had to pull hard on her back legs to dislodge her. After wobbling about a bit she went over and had a long drink from the water bucket. I was surprised by this. I saw her do it twice. She does nurse.
I got my pole beans planted and also planted out two pots of sweet potatoes DD Sally had started early. I have never before attempted sweet potatoes and don’t know what I am doing.
I am going to bed early if I can as I have a sore throat.
June 11, 2012 Monday
This morning I woke up with nasty laryngitis. It makes me so mad to be sick. I think it is a couple of years since I have had any illness. I get very little therapeutic milk fresh from the cow now as Fern stops letting down when she thinks she is done. I am lucky to wring a quarter cup out of her. And this morning she ran outside before I could kiss her on the nose.
Granddaughter Helena and her family arrived today for a few days visit. They have three restaurants in Carlyle PA. Two have managers or partners that can get along without them for a few day but Helena had to close her popular creperie while she is away.
The sheep are still resisting going out to graze. Today I shut them outside for a while but I did not see them graze, the silly creatures. Tomorrow if I feel better I will walk out with them.
June 12, 2012 Tuesday
The weather was very fine but unfortunately I spent it mopping my nose.
First thing this morning Helena made a batch of her excellent honey scones.
They took a day trip to LLBean, leaving the kids with her dad. Helena came home in a cute new dress purchased for 2/3 off. Now they have all gone to meet Mitra at a restaurant in Farmington.
The sheep are stubborn as ever about going out. I am down to my last bale of gourmet hay. I was unable to lead them out to pasture with grain because the cows were interfering.
June 13, 2012 Wednesday
A nice surprise this morning. Susie, the Sussex ewe, had twins. There they were standing up and dry. I do hope they are both sucking ok. One is a male and the other a female. She seems to prefer the ram.
Linda, the small white ewe, is willing to go out and graze now. Her lamb, Jacob, actually led the way when I opened the door.
June 14, 2012 Thursday
My cold is completely gone. I don’t know where to give the credit, the vitamins C & D, the GSE, the cedar tea, Advil or immune support from Fern’s milk. Because she was not entirely cooperative, I did not get a full cup of presumably fortified milk until yesterday.
The lambs are constantly getting themselves wedged into small spaces and needing me to pull them out by the back legs while the moms stand there bleating. This evening when I went to close everybody in all the lambs were outside. Now I have to figure out how to get them back inside. I am hoping that by the time it gets darker they will come in by themselves, wagging their tails behind them. The twins are doing well.
Later: Agnes and Linda and their lambs came in but Susie and her day old twins had gone around into the beefer pen and were running every which way. I had to catch the lambs one at a time and carry them in. Back at the house people accused me of shortness of breath. Hah!
June 15, 2012 Friday
Fern gave 2 ¾ gallons, up a quart.
I had to say goodbye to the Twigg’s, Helena, Ryan, Natalie (6) and Logan (4). They were wonderful guests and I hope they had a good time on their brief Maine holiday. The kids are staying on for a few days with Grandpa Tim and Dalene.
Helena took pictures of the sheep and summer scenes around the farm.
Nancy planted the squash for me today.
Granddaughter Shireen is now staying here while working her summer job at Kawanhee Camp for Boys. She is on the kitchen crew.
Monday, June 11, 2012
June 02, 2012 Saturday
The new lamb is definitely nursing. She looks and acts as though she were several days old. I have named her Bertha. The Cotswold predominates. She has a wide white face.
I ran in and out all day checking on the sheep. Agnes still does not want to take her baby outside. I left her with hay. I left their door ajar and the others came and went.
It rained all day.
I made oatmeal bread.
Dot Mason called to see if I wanted to go with her to a public supper in aid of the son of one of my neighbors. Actually neither of us knew who it was in aid of until we got there. There was a large crowd. The menu was mostly beans. I don’t know whose beans I ate but they did not go to much trouble. There was also mac’n cheese and spaghetti, cole slaw and rolls. No real butter. Many, many pies, some home made. I saw a lot of folks that I had not seen in years and could not remember all their names.
June 03, 2012 Sunday
There was heavy rain all day. Many parts of the state report flooding. “Lake Coburn”, the poorly drained part of my front yard is above my boots.
At about 9am, Linda, the white ewe sired by Bildad, the Finn Dorset, had a nice little ram lamb that is half Cotswold. It is not quite as big as Bertha but is bigger than I expected from her since she is small and never looked very pregnant. It was nursing within a very short time and I saw it feed several more times. I sure hope Susie does as well.
Nancy returned the truck about 9am. She said her children’s archery class at the Farmington Fair was enthusiastically received. She was thrilled.
Granddaughter Shireen stopped by following her job orientation session at Kawanhee Camp for Boys at Weld. She and several others will be working in the kitchen. She thinks it will be a wonderful job.
I just learned that DS Bret and kids will visit in August. This is wonderful.
June 04, 2012 Monday
Martin had planned to come up last night but ran a stick into his eye while cycling and stayed home to see the doctor. It is red and ugly but not a dangerous injury, thank goodness. He came up this morning.
For the last couple of days I have had a lot of trouble getting Fern in for milking. I got her in today about 9am and Ella had gotten the weaning ring out of her nose and left Fern with only 3 quarts of milk. She is going on Craigslist. Martin got her into the calf pen for me.
Both lambs seem to be doing alright. Linda’s wee ram jumped through the tiny viewing window which landed him in the calf pen. I carried him back to his worried mama when I found him. I got worried about the sheep’s’ water bucket and had Martin suspend it up higher where I don’t think a lamb can jump into it. Last year one did and nearly died of chilling.
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Martin tried to do some tilling but it is way too wet. It is no longer raining but a Scotch mist persists and nothing is drying. There is a lot of flooding around the state.
Martin put in a new doorstep at the entrance to the carriage house. The old one was rotting away dangerously.
For dinner Martin and I ate chili, biscuits, asparagus and yogurt.
June 05, 2012 Tuesday
It hardly rained at all today and the sun even came out about 4 o’clock.
Nancy dug out the drainage trench in the paddock garden so Lake Coburn can begin to drain.
Ella was separated last night so I got some milk this morning. Now she is in the sheep paddock. It did not hold Milton – he jumped out so we’ll see what morning brings.
Martin experimented with the lime spreader in late afternoon and was thrilled with how well it goes. He says he will come back Saturday and do the field.
DS Bret sent me a NASA link for watching the transit of Venus. So fascinating.
June 07, 2012 Thursday
Not much rain today, even some sun. I mailed a box of comfrey to DD Abby, also went to Rumford on errands. I fell for a few types of fruit at Hannaford. Disappointing. They all taste fake.
I let the sheep outdoors today. The lambs had fun skipping around but then they lay down for naps and Agnes lost her lamb, “Bertha”. I helped her look for it for about 10 minutes and found it back inside the barn behind some tools. By then Agnes was in such a state that she couldn’t seem to see it when I carried it out to show her and she could not remember how to get back up the ramp. You have to go to the low end, not jump up at the top, you silly sheep. I have renamed Bertha. Nobody liked that name. Now she is Beulah.
June 08, 2012 Friday
I invited the sheep to go outside again today and this time only Linda’s ram lamb went out. Linda was quite upset about this .Eventually he came back in by himself. It was warm and sunny until about 2pm when the world erupted into a brief but intense electrical storm. It swept through the French doors from the deck into the buttery, rolling up the heavy braided rug as it came and sluiced 10 feet of floor. Pushing those doors shut against the wind made ne think of what sailors have to do in a storm. In the barn a lot of things were hurled around but there was no real damage that I found. I had heard that a storm was on the way and had the sheep shut in. The cows seemed indifferent to the whole thing.
Nancy’s troop of little farmer girls came in time for evening chores. They put out hay for the sheep , did the water for the sheep and chickens and collected eggs.
The new lamb is definitely nursing. She looks and acts as though she were several days old. I have named her Bertha. The Cotswold predominates. She has a wide white face.
I ran in and out all day checking on the sheep. Agnes still does not want to take her baby outside. I left her with hay. I left their door ajar and the others came and went.
It rained all day.
I made oatmeal bread.
Dot Mason called to see if I wanted to go with her to a public supper in aid of the son of one of my neighbors. Actually neither of us knew who it was in aid of until we got there. There was a large crowd. The menu was mostly beans. I don’t know whose beans I ate but they did not go to much trouble. There was also mac’n cheese and spaghetti, cole slaw and rolls. No real butter. Many, many pies, some home made. I saw a lot of folks that I had not seen in years and could not remember all their names.
June 03, 2012 Sunday
There was heavy rain all day. Many parts of the state report flooding. “Lake Coburn”, the poorly drained part of my front yard is above my boots.
At about 9am, Linda, the white ewe sired by Bildad, the Finn Dorset, had a nice little ram lamb that is half Cotswold. It is not quite as big as Bertha but is bigger than I expected from her since she is small and never looked very pregnant. It was nursing within a very short time and I saw it feed several more times. I sure hope Susie does as well.
Nancy returned the truck about 9am. She said her children’s archery class at the Farmington Fair was enthusiastically received. She was thrilled.
Granddaughter Shireen stopped by following her job orientation session at Kawanhee Camp for Boys at Weld. She and several others will be working in the kitchen. She thinks it will be a wonderful job.
I just learned that DS Bret and kids will visit in August. This is wonderful.
June 04, 2012 Monday
Martin had planned to come up last night but ran a stick into his eye while cycling and stayed home to see the doctor. It is red and ugly but not a dangerous injury, thank goodness. He came up this morning.
For the last couple of days I have had a lot of trouble getting Fern in for milking. I got her in today about 9am and Ella had gotten the weaning ring out of her nose and left Fern with only 3 quarts of milk. She is going on Craigslist. Martin got her into the calf pen for me.
Both lambs seem to be doing alright. Linda’s wee ram jumped through the tiny viewing window which landed him in the calf pen. I carried him back to his worried mama when I found him. I got worried about the sheep’s’ water bucket and had Martin suspend it up higher where I don’t think a lamb can jump into it. Last year one did and nearly died of chilling.
Martin tried to do some tilling but it is way too wet. It is no longer raining but a Scotch mist persists and nothing is drying. There is a lot of flooding around the state.
Martin put in a new doorstep at the entrance to the carriage house. The old one was rotting away dangerously.
For dinner Martin and I ate chili, biscuits, asparagus and yogurt.
June 05, 2012 Tuesday
It hardly rained at all today and the sun even came out about 4 o’clock.
Nancy dug out the drainage trench in the paddock garden so Lake Coburn can begin to drain.
Ella was separated last night so I got some milk this morning. Now she is in the sheep paddock. It did not hold Milton – he jumped out so we’ll see what morning brings.
Martin experimented with the lime spreader in late afternoon and was thrilled with how well it goes. He says he will come back Saturday and do the field.
DS Bret sent me a NASA link for watching the transit of Venus. So fascinating.
June 07, 2012 Thursday
Not much rain today, even some sun. I mailed a box of comfrey to DD Abby, also went to Rumford on errands. I fell for a few types of fruit at Hannaford. Disappointing. They all taste fake.
I let the sheep outdoors today. The lambs had fun skipping around but then they lay down for naps and Agnes lost her lamb, “Bertha”. I helped her look for it for about 10 minutes and found it back inside the barn behind some tools. By then Agnes was in such a state that she couldn’t seem to see it when I carried it out to show her and she could not remember how to get back up the ramp. You have to go to the low end, not jump up at the top, you silly sheep. I have renamed Bertha. Nobody liked that name. Now she is Beulah.
June 08, 2012 Friday
I invited the sheep to go outside again today and this time only Linda’s ram lamb went out. Linda was quite upset about this .Eventually he came back in by himself. It was warm and sunny until about 2pm when the world erupted into a brief but intense electrical storm. It swept through the French doors from the deck into the buttery, rolling up the heavy braided rug as it came and sluiced 10 feet of floor. Pushing those doors shut against the wind made ne think of what sailors have to do in a storm. In the barn a lot of things were hurled around but there was no real damage that I found. I had heard that a storm was on the way and had the sheep shut in. The cows seemed indifferent to the whole thing.
Nancy’s troop of little farmer girls came in time for evening chores. They put out hay for the sheep , did the water for the sheep and chickens and collected eggs.
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
May 26, 2012 Saturday
There was a foggy start to what became a fine day. DS Mark drove up from Portland to join me for lunch, which was especially lovely. He does not get many days off at the hospital. Annie had to work. We walked around the garden and picked asparagus for lunch. Before leaving he got out his stethoscope and cuff and checked my heart, lungs and BP. All perfectly clear, BP 105/58.
About sundown I discovered one of the 2 week old chicks entangled in some bird netting we put up to defend the dahlias. It must have taken me 20 minutes to free him, the first ten trying to unravel him without using scissors. That stuff is dreadful. After I freed him he settled right down in my hand. Icould not find his family. I suppose they had already settled for the night. I took him for a drink of water and left him alone in the feed pan eating cracked corn as fast as he could.
May 27, 2012 Sunday
I let the sheep out at 6am as usual. At this time I shut the cows into the beefer pen so I don’t have to call or chase them in later.
At 8am when I went out to milk, the entangled chick was back among his siblings looking fine. At this time I always let the sheep back into their own stall for a snack to keep them out of the cow traffic. They are wonderful about always bounding in or out as occasion demands.
After milking when it was time for the sheep to go back out Agnes was lying on her side and would not move so I figured she was lambing. The others would not leave her so I left all doors open for them to come or go. The cows don’t come in that way because there is a ramp. Cows hate ramps.
Forty minutes later after milk chores were done I discovered that Agnes and friends had left the stall and were out in the lean-to. It is not so clean there, the ground being covered with dry sheep dung, but it is dry and airy and inaccessible to Willie who has been known to squeezes into the barn. Maybe Agnes thought of that. She is now lying on her side with Susie facing her. Linda, the one that concentrated the Cotswold Finn/Dorset genes and is smaller is standing in front of her and made a point of stamping her feet when I approached.
4:30 pm. The ewes went all day alarming me with their panting. Twice I brought them water which of course they refused, being sheep. Finally when Mitra and the girls came over we all went into the lean-to with them and I made the hot steamy cows go out. I tried sprinkling water on the sheeps’ heads to cool them down. They got up and trotted away as though there was nothing more to be said. I opened the sheep paddock which has been closed for several weeks and now sports lush foot high grass. I figure there is no way anybody is going to graze close to the ground and get parasites. Now all the sheep and cows are in there gobbling. Ella is racing around being in heat.
Mitra brought my eggplant seedlings from Amy LeBlanc and some herb plants. I gave Shireen seed packets for her garden. She harvested pigweed from the paddock for their supper. I must go out and get some too. We all admired the oats and wheat patch.
May 28, 2012 Monday, Memorial Day
Once again Dot Mason and I were invited to ride with Steve Brown in the town flivver in the Weld parade. The old thing, I guess it is a Model T, bops right along. It has a windshield in front but has no windows on the sides, just the doors, and the top is canvas.
Dot is a great sport at 92. She was town treasurer for 52 years and had a hair dressing salon. She is always perfectly turned out.
The parade consisted of a flatbed bearing the Old Crow Band, a few Legionnaires on foot and kids on bikes, the Town pumper and the flivver. About 100 people watched the parade and listened to the speeches, not too bad for a town with a population of about 400. A State Rep, Tom Saviello, spoke. Light rain started as we were leaving.
The sheep appear to have lost interest in having babies, which was convenient today.
The weather improved and I spent an hour or so in the garden.
May 29, 2012 Tuesday
It was thunder, lightning and rain all day. I kept the sheep in all morning but then they wanted to go out and graze in the rain. No signs of lambing.
Nancy worked here all day doing indoor things. She vacuumed up a lot of spiders. They area early and huge this year. She defrosted and cleaned my milk frig. My repeated efforts to get rid of an unappealing odor had not been entirely successful. She utterly dismantled everything even taking out screws. She fashioned a tool from a wire coat hanger and opened up a clogged aperture. We have declared victory over the smell.
I mostly worked on my editing.
May 30, 2012 Wednesday
I overslept and was behind all day but managed to get some editing done. I visited Marcia’s camp and found her garden looking perfectly charming. Most of her perennials won’t open for another week or two but her many under plantings, hostas, bergania and more are shining green and filled in with clouds of forget-me-nots.
Nancy worked here today and focused on eliminating spiders. We dislike them a lot. She used the vacuum. In the evening she brought the three girls again to do evening chores. They are a jolly lot.
No lambs yet.
June 01, 2012 Friday
When I opened the door this morning for the sheep, Agnes hesitated. Then I noticed that a lamb was staggering after her, a still wet but sturdy and vigorous lamb. I believe it is a ewe. I expected Agnes to have twins, she was so big and in fact still looks big but this lamb already acts like she is a day old. I am assuming it is feeding because Agnes stands pretty well and the lamb seems to have the right inclinations but will just have to keep watch. Unassisted I can’t intervene.
I kept Agnes in. The other two ewes went out but hung about doing little grazing. Agnes is the leader. I set Agnes up with some good hay and fresh water. This evening I put out more good hay and they all had a bit of grain.
Nancy worked here all day but spent part of her time taking my weed trimmer to be repaired. She also filled the gas cans for which I am most grateful. She went in my truck. She is borrowing it tonight and tomorrow to get her archery equipment set up at the Farmington Fair.
I got my peppers set out and did a number of other things in the garden such as transplanting kale. The weeds are getting way ahead of me. None the less I don’t expect to have to buy any more vegetables for a long time.
DS John calls every Friday from Adelaide and this evening I was also able to talk with grandson Harper who was visiting from U of AK. Harper had just given a seminar to the oceanographic institute where John works. We were on Skype so all three of us were able to participate.
Here is a photo DS Martin took of me and my Savarin cake (French Ring Cake) last week.
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There was a foggy start to what became a fine day. DS Mark drove up from Portland to join me for lunch, which was especially lovely. He does not get many days off at the hospital. Annie had to work. We walked around the garden and picked asparagus for lunch. Before leaving he got out his stethoscope and cuff and checked my heart, lungs and BP. All perfectly clear, BP 105/58.
About sundown I discovered one of the 2 week old chicks entangled in some bird netting we put up to defend the dahlias. It must have taken me 20 minutes to free him, the first ten trying to unravel him without using scissors. That stuff is dreadful. After I freed him he settled right down in my hand. Icould not find his family. I suppose they had already settled for the night. I took him for a drink of water and left him alone in the feed pan eating cracked corn as fast as he could.
May 27, 2012 Sunday
I let the sheep out at 6am as usual. At this time I shut the cows into the beefer pen so I don’t have to call or chase them in later.
At 8am when I went out to milk, the entangled chick was back among his siblings looking fine. At this time I always let the sheep back into their own stall for a snack to keep them out of the cow traffic. They are wonderful about always bounding in or out as occasion demands.
After milking when it was time for the sheep to go back out Agnes was lying on her side and would not move so I figured she was lambing. The others would not leave her so I left all doors open for them to come or go. The cows don’t come in that way because there is a ramp. Cows hate ramps.
Forty minutes later after milk chores were done I discovered that Agnes and friends had left the stall and were out in the lean-to. It is not so clean there, the ground being covered with dry sheep dung, but it is dry and airy and inaccessible to Willie who has been known to squeezes into the barn. Maybe Agnes thought of that. She is now lying on her side with Susie facing her. Linda, the one that concentrated the Cotswold Finn/Dorset genes and is smaller is standing in front of her and made a point of stamping her feet when I approached.
4:30 pm. The ewes went all day alarming me with their panting. Twice I brought them water which of course they refused, being sheep. Finally when Mitra and the girls came over we all went into the lean-to with them and I made the hot steamy cows go out. I tried sprinkling water on the sheeps’ heads to cool them down. They got up and trotted away as though there was nothing more to be said. I opened the sheep paddock which has been closed for several weeks and now sports lush foot high grass. I figure there is no way anybody is going to graze close to the ground and get parasites. Now all the sheep and cows are in there gobbling. Ella is racing around being in heat.
Mitra brought my eggplant seedlings from Amy LeBlanc and some herb plants. I gave Shireen seed packets for her garden. She harvested pigweed from the paddock for their supper. I must go out and get some too. We all admired the oats and wheat patch.
May 28, 2012 Monday, Memorial Day
Once again Dot Mason and I were invited to ride with Steve Brown in the town flivver in the Weld parade. The old thing, I guess it is a Model T, bops right along. It has a windshield in front but has no windows on the sides, just the doors, and the top is canvas.
Dot is a great sport at 92. She was town treasurer for 52 years and had a hair dressing salon. She is always perfectly turned out.
The parade consisted of a flatbed bearing the Old Crow Band, a few Legionnaires on foot and kids on bikes, the Town pumper and the flivver. About 100 people watched the parade and listened to the speeches, not too bad for a town with a population of about 400. A State Rep, Tom Saviello, spoke. Light rain started as we were leaving.
The sheep appear to have lost interest in having babies, which was convenient today.
The weather improved and I spent an hour or so in the garden.
May 29, 2012 Tuesday
It was thunder, lightning and rain all day. I kept the sheep in all morning but then they wanted to go out and graze in the rain. No signs of lambing.
Nancy worked here all day doing indoor things. She vacuumed up a lot of spiders. They area early and huge this year. She defrosted and cleaned my milk frig. My repeated efforts to get rid of an unappealing odor had not been entirely successful. She utterly dismantled everything even taking out screws. She fashioned a tool from a wire coat hanger and opened up a clogged aperture. We have declared victory over the smell.
I mostly worked on my editing.
May 30, 2012 Wednesday
I overslept and was behind all day but managed to get some editing done. I visited Marcia’s camp and found her garden looking perfectly charming. Most of her perennials won’t open for another week or two but her many under plantings, hostas, bergania and more are shining green and filled in with clouds of forget-me-nots.
Nancy worked here today and focused on eliminating spiders. We dislike them a lot. She used the vacuum. In the evening she brought the three girls again to do evening chores. They are a jolly lot.
No lambs yet.
June 01, 2012 Friday
When I opened the door this morning for the sheep, Agnes hesitated. Then I noticed that a lamb was staggering after her, a still wet but sturdy and vigorous lamb. I believe it is a ewe. I expected Agnes to have twins, she was so big and in fact still looks big but this lamb already acts like she is a day old. I am assuming it is feeding because Agnes stands pretty well and the lamb seems to have the right inclinations but will just have to keep watch. Unassisted I can’t intervene.
I kept Agnes in. The other two ewes went out but hung about doing little grazing. Agnes is the leader. I set Agnes up with some good hay and fresh water. This evening I put out more good hay and they all had a bit of grain.
Nancy worked here all day but spent part of her time taking my weed trimmer to be repaired. She also filled the gas cans for which I am most grateful. She went in my truck. She is borrowing it tonight and tomorrow to get her archery equipment set up at the Farmington Fair.
I got my peppers set out and did a number of other things in the garden such as transplanting kale. The weeds are getting way ahead of me. None the less I don’t expect to have to buy any more vegetables for a long time.
DS John calls every Friday from Adelaide and this evening I was also able to talk with grandson Harper who was visiting from U of AK. Harper had just given a seminar to the oceanographic institute where John works. We were on Skype so all three of us were able to participate.
Here is a photo DS Martin took of me and my Savarin cake (French Ring Cake) last week.
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