Watching the Mountains Turn White

From our house, on top of a knoll, we have a 360 degree view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. I am watching the snow from a snowless vantage point. I can see that the mountains to the South and East are covered and that snow is only just now beginning to develop on some of the ones to the North. In the West, the tops are still green.

This is odd, because precipitation usually comes from the Northwest here.

It's chilly, but not very cold and the wind is picking up. I've noticed just a few snowflakes in the air. We had rain yesterday and some the day before, and it had the effect of setting my mind at ease, as it's been so dry for so long. The grass has greened up just a bit.

The vegetable garden's tilled, with good composted goat manure added. Peas and garlic are planted outside; greens and tomatoes are doing well in the greenhouse. I got an Earthway seeder which I need to assemble. Then I'll plant some beets and cabbage outside. For those of you who don't know, a seeder is a wheeled gadget which has seed plates inside a hopper. You put the seed in the hopper and then walk down the row with the seeder. It places the seed, properly spaced, in the garden row. I've always wanted one, so now will see just how well it works.

Annabelle (the cow) is in labor. Her udder is large and full. I've been watching her for days and hope all will go well.

Yesterday, we moved hay with the big tractor, rearranging the remains of a round bale in the barn so that the reserved kidding stalls all have a fresh supply. The cows also got a new round bale out in the pasture. I've been raking and cleaning out the other stalls in preparation for the expected kids. As I was trimming hooves, I noted the ear tag numbers of the "done" goats on the chalkboard we keep there. When I looked closely, I realized I'd actually put down the date when the buck, Hubba Bubba, came to visit: November 14th. That means we aren't expecting kids until April 13th, give or take...

Fruit Trees in Bloom

Yesterday, in the seventy-something temperatures, several fruit trees and a magnolia burst into bloom. I think they're beautiful enough to memorialize in photos. Now, I will really be worried about untimely frost and freezes. I was also lucky enough to see about twenty wild turkeys trotting and flying through one of the resting pastures. I'm really happy that we're creating a good environment for this type of wildlife on our farm.

Marching on...

The goats have all gotten CDT boosters as of this morning. We're expecting to hear the patter of little feet this month, so that's an important task. I've trimmed the hooves of twelve goats so far. That's 48 hooves. There are a lot more to go.

I've gotten lots of practice on my small Massey Ferguson tractor since yesterday. I'm almost proficient in the use of the bucket to scoop up manure from our huge pile from last year, and placing it on the vegetable garden. It's got a rototiller, too, so I then engage the tiller and till in the manure, preparing for Spring planting. I've got a new asparagus bed readied and will plant that and the seed potatoes this afternoon after a little rest.

It's always to learn a new skill and I'm happy to be able to do this at my advanced age. Speaking of this -- a new friend, who is less than a year younger, gave me a tour of her farm on the back of an Arctic Cat ATV this week. Yikes! She drives fast. Over hills, up and down, over streams and rocks -- we were flying! It was scary and fun, but my back hurt from riding with both legs over (like riding a horse.) The ATV I'll buy will have nice, civilized bucket seats. I've pretty much decided on the one I want and will let you know when I can actually purchase it.

We're at the end of the fencing project. The waterers should be installed early this week.

I've been buried in paperwork, developing spreadsheets to record farm expenses and income and getting it all ready for doing this year's taxes.

In the greenhouse, seedlings are up and I'm already transplanting tomatoes into individual pots.

There are plenty of signs of Spring around the farm now.

32 Degrees and Overcast

It's 32 degrees F. and overcast as I type this. It's been busy here on the farm. We are inching toward Spring and all the frenzy which is usual in that season.

We've had a little snow since I last wrote, but for the most part, it's been dry and sunny, if a bit cool. The lettuces and cabbages, peppers and tomatoes are up in the greenhouse and looking fine. I noticed that the daylilies in the middle section have sort of perked up and are responding to the direction of the Spring sunlight. It won't be long before they are developing flower buds.

Outside the greenhouse, daffodils and crocus have large buds which will, one day soon, burst open with bloom.

Our little Growers' Group met yesterday to discuss the farmer's markets we'll participate in and plans for marketing produce this year.

Goats are looking pregnant. I've got March 1st marked on my calendar for giving the CDT booster shots which are the annual protection for mothers and passively immunize the babies.

Tiny black calves -- seven -- are cavorting and looking cute out in the front pasture. Soon, we will be able to drive them into the next pasture as the fencing project winds down. They will need the waterers that will be installed in pasture #2 and between #3 and #4 pastures. We've also contracted to have one put in the newly fenced area which has never before been grazed. All the sink holes are fenced out and gates installed, so we're almost finished.

There's a tiny black chicken setting on a "hidden" nest under the flight cage where I've parked three adolescent roosters. She is convinced that no one knows its there and seems determined to hatch out some chicks this year.

Eggs are increasing daily. The peacock is displaying his newly grown tail feathers with great enthusiasm, but the peahens are studiously ignoring him.

I tried giving the guineas pumpernickle bread yesterday, but they still will not touch it! What a bunch.

Snow

It's been coming down steadily all day and the forecast is for blizzard conditions until tomorrow morning. We all knew we couldn't dodge the bullet. It looks nice, anyway.

The netting over the chicken yard will surely bog down again. All my work was for nothing. We'll use new netting later in the season. I think my husband took a knife and cut it where it attached to the fence to avoid pulling the entire fence down.

Speaking of fence, all the cross-fencing is up. There are still gates to be installed and ball waterers. I'm thinking that'll have to wait until the snow melts. It could be a couple of weeks. I'm glad we took advantage of the good weather.

I read "One Woman's Army", by Janis Karpinski. It was worthwhile reading. I have a much better picture of Iraq and of the situation that led to the scandals. If you are interested, I'd encourage you to read it and make up your own mind about things.

'On the last chapter of "Freakonomics", which is also very interesting. If I get stuck in the house because of the storm, I'll definitely finish it and whatever other books I've started. Then, when the decks are cleared, I'll read "The Last Fine Time", by Verlyn Klinkenborg, sent to me by my brother and sister-in-law. Thanks, guys!

First Goose Egg of the Year

Yep. I wasn't really expecting it yet, but the first goose egg showed up in the nest box of the brown Chinese geese today. Spring's on its way. The chicken egg production is up, as well.

Winter has returned. We all knew not to let our guard down, of course. It was very cold today, but sunny. Yesterday, there were snow flurries, but none stayed on the ground.

I'm cleaning chicken coops and we replaced nest box floors in the chicken house. This time, I'm trying scraps of greenhouse plastic cut to size. This stuff is double-walled and thick. Last year, I tried metal flashing material, but they managed to make holes right through it. If you've got chickens you may understand what I'm talking about. We've tried cardboard, metal roofing material, and the flashing but nothing lasts more than a year. I think it's all the moisture built up by the hens' setting.

I also worked on repairing the aviary netting over the chicken yard attached to the chicken house. It's a pain. I wish we could come up with a better system.

Zounds! The Scarlet Pumpernickle!

Guineas are wacky birds. They are also LOUD. The bunch of fourteen, as I like to call them, have matured. They are big and beautiful and LOUD and squawky. They do not act refined, like the chickens they share space with. They are interesting to observe.

Yesterday, I gave them some black bread as a feed supplement. They eyed it cautiously, circling with suspicion. Normally, they dig in to the white or whole wheat bread, but this was obviously different. It must be a trick... someone was trying to poison them or something. The pumpernickle bread just sat there for the whole day, untouched by guinea beaks. I finally gave it to the chickens, who scarfed it down quickly.

Chinese New Year Begins

It's the year of the dog. In fifteen days: the lantern festival.

Yesterday, we went ATV shopping. It was fun. I'm looking for a small utility vehicle with four wheel drive and serious tires which can get me up and down the hills and valleys of this farm.

For a couple of years I've been thinking that it would be very helpful to be able to get quickly to the pastures where the cows and goats graze to check on them. Fences need to be checked periodically also and it is very tiring for an old lady to walk the periphery of 120 acres of rolling land.

I don't want one of those things that you have to ride like a motorcycle -- or a horse. I want regular seats. A seatbelt seems like a really good idea when you're being jostled around over rocks -- although I was shocked to find that most of these rugged little vehicles do not have them as standard equipment. Another shock was the prices of these things. It occurs to me that I could buy a used four-wheel drive truck for the same price I'd pay for a new ATV with a small truck bed. I'm thinking I may be able to get an ATV that is perhaps smaller and more agile, however. On the other hand, trucks are enclosed, have windshields and windshield wipers as standard features and, of course, seatbelts. I'm obviously on the fence here.

So far, I drove a Gator, Kawasaki Mule, Yamaha Rhino, and Polaris Ranger. If there are persons out there with experience with these models or other similar utility ATVs, I'd treasure your input.

Some of these vehicles can be purchased with a camouflage surface. It costs extra! I've been musing about this. If I wear an old Army camo jacket (as I do) and drive a camo ATV, would I be invisible? A stealth farmer?

Imagine what I could learn about livestock and wildlife if I zoomed along the pastures and woods unseen!

Hunters, evidently, like the four-seater camouflage ATVs. They even buy matching camo outfits. I can just imagine the deer falling on the ground laughing as the hunters arrive in the loud vehicle with their matching camo outfits -- and bright orange caps and vests.

Rain

Rain is in the forecast for today.

The fenceposts were placed yesterday for the new cross fencing project. Since it's been so mild, they were able to drill the holes easily with the auger placed on the tractor's PTO. The posts are then placed in the holes and tamped down with the tractor bucket.

We're moving along on that project. The placement of waterers is decided. Today, we'll take a look at the map and decide on where to place gates, including small "man gates" which we picked up cheap when the feed store was getting rid of excess inventory. It is important to me to have quick access to pastures when an emergency occurs or when a new baby needs to be taken to the barn.

My seed order arrived yesterday -- a big envelope from Fedco. I'll sort the packets into the clear shoeboxes in which I keep Leaf, Root, Squashes, Tomatoes and Peppers, etc. This helps me find what I'm looking for at the appropriate planting times. If time permits, I'll set up some boxes of soil for planting lettuce in the greenhouse.

Yesterday, I managed to move two large boxes of trays from the greenhouse to the shed attic to store. The trays are heavy and it takes many trips to move them in batches, so is pretty labor-intensive. Still, it's worthwhile in terms of making the greenhouse a better workspace.

I'm counting a new calf in the field and think maybe Lulubelle had hers. It's a matter of getting close enough to see Mama's ear tag to be sure, as she's a black Angus and baby is black, too. We think that Annabelle "has a string", so she's also on the baby-watch.

Late breaking news: Today's newborn calf, a heifer, black with white back legs. We're still working on a name.


Well, time to go see what I can accomplish today.

Socks

Ta da! The socks are finished.

I'm on to other tasks. The fence posts have been delivered for the cross-fencing project.

We're awaiting the digging of the ditches for the pipes which will take water from the well to the new ball waterers which are going in the pastures.

The temperatures are mild, so I'm planning on taking a look at the asparagus beds today and doing some painting in the old house.

No snow today.

If you are a regular reader of this blog and have come over via the link in today's entry at mountainfarmstead, please bookmark this address. I'm planning on gradually moving my blog here, as I am having trouble with the editing process on the old blog. In the meantime, I'll mirror the writing here with images.