2011 Lambing Season

We're half way done.   Triska had a single ewe lamb while Giselle had twin rams.  Waiting on the two coopworths now.   Looks like Symphony might be first.  Pictures will be uploaded to the website as soon as we have a nice day to take them.

Nature's Beauty

I can't believe how long it's been since I've posted any news here.  So much has happened in the intervening months and time truly has flown by.  Every now and then we should take a break, smell the flowers, and enjoy the new day.

For your viewing pleasure, here is a picture my daughter took of a sunrise as I drove her to school.  So lucky to have this view at the end of our road.

As for work on the farm, I've planted several raspberry plants to compliment our blueberries.  Soon we'll add strawberries too.   Seeds are on order and the greenhouse is cleaned out and ready to go.  Now all we need to do is wait for a nice day to prep the pots and trays and pick up the organic seed starter soil.

We also had our first litter of Netherland Dwarf bunnies.  Three little kits.   Here is a picture in their furry nest.  The third little one is busy burrowing down to the lower left so he's hard to see.  (I'm using he as a general pronoun, I have no idea what gender they are at this time.)  All three are opal color which is slate gray on top, tan fading to white bellies along sides and on chest.

Time Flies...

When you're busy!   I can't believe it's the middle of October already.   We sold some fleeces and bought some beautiful yarns at the Fall Fiber Festival in Orange Co.   The festival was held at the home of James Madison, 'Montpelier'    It's a beautiful restoration if you haven't had time to visit.

The chickens have slowed down on their egg laying with the shorter days and cooler (thank goodness!) weather.  Leaves are already changing here.   Time to set in the garlic and onions, lift the dahlias, begin the cool season crops (greens and coles), clean out the ponds and greenhouse and decorate for Halloween!  Unfortunately we lost our pumpkin crop during the drought.  I was really looking forward to the warty Knucklehead, glowing Lumina and eerie green Jarrahdale.  Perhaps next year will be better.

Time to Streamline!

With a season of selling at the farmers market behind us, we have decided to reduce our workload and focus on growing produce.   We are offering our bluefaced leicester sheep for sale.  For anyone looking for a nice breeding trio, or a  small spinners flock this is your chance.   Details, photos and prices will soon be posted on our website sale page.

Don't forget the Powhatan Farms Tour scheduled for September 25th!  We hope to see you then.   

Anyone have a rain dance they could share?

It's official.  June was the hottest and driest month on record.  Our first year at market has turned out to be a real learning experience.  First, we're going to need a secondary well.   Right now animal stock tanks, gardens and human needs, including the swimming pool are all met by the one household well.   And water pressure is dropping.   We've cut back on irrigation to hand watering but it's too little, too late.   We've had crop failure of lettuce, broccoli, corn, cukes, squash and melons.   The Kiwano (African Horned Melon), tomatoes, perilla and eggplants are holding on, but we don't know for how long.   Hope we get rain soon!

On the critter front, the hens are getting lazy.  We're gathering one or two eggs a day, total, instead of the dozen or so we need.   The grasses are dried up - we're back on hay.  The poor sheep are lazy too, but I can't blame them carrying all that wool around.   Have to schedule shearing soon.   Turns out Darby (the bunny) was not pregnant after all - so no baby bunnies yet.

Went to see Eclipse on Monday.  This one was much better than the others.   Of course, this was my favorite book in the series too.  Today it's off to see THE LAST AIR BENDER.

Latest Addition --- AR's Buttons & Bows

Just brought home THE MOST ADORABLE little bunny from Angela's Rabbitry.   Her name is Buttons & Bows for her bright little button eyes (half blue and half brown) and the smudges of color on the back of her ears that look like a bow tie when viewed from behind with her ears up and forward.

Button is a Vienna Carrier and a broken carrier.  She looks most like a Charlie with pale tan markings (cinnamon?) around her eyes and on her ears. Looks like she tried to apply some eyeshadow.  Cutest of all, she has a little beauty mark below her left eye.   Button is a bit on the tiny side, but she is the friendliest and most curious bunny I've had so far.   Can't wait to see how she matures.

We might have a baby announcement to make on July 4th.   Yes, I was bad - I let the two youngsters (Jazz & Darby) play together in the bunny proofed kitchen a few times last month.  Thought everything was fine as they didn't seem to show much interest in each other and explored in opposite directions.  I didn't witness any illicit activity either or even see them near each other.  However, but bunnies will be bunnies, and I wasn't watching them EVERY second.

Darby has been acting pregnant (grumpy), putting on a little weight, and today started trying to build a nest in her cage (they all have lots of free choice hay.)  I've brought her inside where it's cool and given her a nest box.  We'll see what happens over the next few days.   If she isn't preggers, I'll still be able to breed her to Kinder for September or October kits.  If she is...lesson learned.  Boys and girls do not get to play together!

MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND

As we enjoy our time off work, picnics with friends and family, please remember those who are far from home in service to this country..   Thank you to all of those who make this sacrifice for every one of us.   Miss you Dad.

And here are some pictures from around the farm.  The sweet corn is waist high and potatoes are growing fast.  Buckwheat is in flower and getting ready to set seed.  Tomatoes already have green fruits.  Basil is leafing out fast and garlic is almost ready for harvest.   Ah, I can almost TASTE summer!

This picture doesn't do justice to the vibrant purple stems of the Peacock Broccoli.