Maple sugaring time!

Starting in March and finishing in April, we tapped our maple trees, harvested maple sap and made maple syrup. With a few necessary supplies, a homemade evaporator and a lot of ingenuity we boiled down the maple sap into syrup.

We collected the sap by using a combination of sap buckets and re-purposed one-gallon plastic water jugs.

The finished product.... our own wonderful maple syrup!

Reflecting on Winter

Next week we will flip our calendars ahead to April. We have already advanced our clocks in tune with daylight savings time. Yet, when I check the weather forecast for the next several days, what I read let's me know that winter is still with us. Words like "a light mix of winter precipitation" says it all.

Here is a sampling of what winter looked like on our farm:

The cow's view of the farm from the woods they use for winter shelter.

Our main barn

Our family farm

Snow and more snow...

Keeping the alley way clear for access to all the animals

The cows coming out of the woods, following a snow fall, for hay and water.

Smile! Ours cows and their 2013 babies.

Beary and George, our halflinger team

Greeting a new day following an overnight snow, Beary, George and the cows

Our 2012 hiefers, Dotti, Deliah, Bobbi Socks, Argyle and steers, Duke and Jackson

Driving with hoof power!

In addition to the winter-like weather, the forecast also included the promising news of daytime temperatures in the 40's. Spring will be arriving and with it, green pastures. This is something that we look forward to, the promise of spring.

Green grass and New life

Our cows are moved to new pasture a couple times a week.
With a call of "Come on" the cows come running to the fresh green grass in the next pasture.

Our goal is to provide quality feed for our cattle.
The pastures are allowed to rest up to 60 days before they are grazed again.

Opal, a hiefer calf, born June 23, 2013.

Opal's mother, Debra, enjoys a quite moment and some attention. 

Keeping a watchful eye is big sister, Argyle.

Olive, a British White hiefer calf, born July 13, 2013.

O'Reilly, born July 30, 2013, and his mother, Deedee.

Changeable Spring Weather

Sunny skies with balmy 50-degree temperatures one day and freezing winds and light snow the next. 

Monday morning, April 1st

Tuesday morning, April 2nd

Soon the magic of spring will surround us.
The grass will be growing and the pastures will be lush and green.

Easter Morning Surprise!

No Easter eggs, no Easter bunny... but rather a cow on an Easter hunt for trouble!

Sally, one of our cows, is a curious creature. She tends to be in the thick of things no matter what is happening in the pasture. Today she lived up to her reputation. Early this morning we watched as Sally and few other cows crossed the stream that flows through their pasture and then congregated in an area where a culvert brings run off water from across the road onto our property and eventually into the stream. The cows typically don't go to this area, let alone spend any time there. But this morning, there they were. 

The cows returned to the main pasture and cow barn as we put out hay for them. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, that is until we saw Sally. 

Sally, and only Sally, had tangled with a porcupine! She wore a face full of porcupine quills! 

Sally and her face full of porcupine quills.

The quills were even in the corner of her eye

Using needle nose pliers and working from the top of her head down,
we slowly removed the quills as Sally ate her morning hay.

Sally seemed to welcome the assistance. 

We didn't count the quills but we easily removed about 40 of them from Sally's face.

The quills were removed and Sally,
comfortable again, is back to being a happy cow.

As We Move Into Spring...

we enjoy longer hours of daylight 

and
EGGS!

Spring is announced by a bountiful supply of fresh eggs!

Meet some of our chickens... These lovely girls are Welsummers, Chanteclers and a Speckled Sussex.

Our Americana rooster.

Stepping out of the hen house in the early morning.
Even though snow is in the forecast for tomorrow, our hens are busy!

A Peak at this Past Week on our Farm

Farm life in the winter... it is not always easy but the rewards are great. 

Spooney, a yearling, and Felix, two years old ... best friends!

Heading down the farm alley way to feed the animals.

Our hiefers in the snow

Breakfast after heavy snow overnight.

Hay from our fields, stored for a cold winters' day.

The cows view of the farm from the treeline in the cow pasture.

Water, a daily chore, no matter the weather.  Waiting as the solar water trough is filled.

Family fun... sledding in the cow pasture.

Who doesn't love sledding!

How do we get back up the hill? This is how...

Gus, a loyal friend with a big heart.

A evening with family by lamp light as we celebrate a birthday.