It's All Happening

​There is such an abundance of LIFE everywhere we turn once spring starts lazily drifting into summer.  All it takes is one good rain followed by a brilliantly sunny day and the pastures explode in green, long grass lolling in the breeze.  The trees stand so proudly, decked out in this year's leaves, graciously providing shade for the animals to cool themselves under​.  We almost couldn't put the goats to work fast enough clearing the dense strip between the farm and our house - you can barely tell there are 4 goat kids among the grass here.
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​We eagerly check the fruit trees every morning, watching the buds slowly enlarging, promising many sweet treats in the months to come.  We had a small scare of peach leaf curl on one tree, but luckily my brother is a horticulture aficionado so it was nothing some pruning and neem oil couldn't take care of.  The kitchen garden has blossomed into more of a potager with herbs and flowers heavily intermingled among the vegetables.  They definitely add beauty, but they also attract pollinators and keep many pests away from the vegetables.  Nasturinium, for example, will repel squash bugs, among many other pests, so plant them near your squash, 'cukes and 'zucchs. Let your basil and tomatoes grow together, too, as they'll enhance each other's flavor. We don't need no stinkin' insecticides or GMO's here - just follow nature's template, y'all.

Over the winter, we acquired a trio of pet-bellied pigs.  We originally were just going to look at them because John was only curious (or so he said) but when we saw that the living conditions they were in were less than adequate, to put it lightly, we decided to take them all home.  The owner couldn't tell us anything about them since he picked them up at an auction.  They're still pretty flighty, but we hope with time that they'll become more friendly.  Little Olive's belly recently became not so little, and we suspected that she might be pregnant.  When I walked in her pen to feed her on Tuesday and she didn't come out to greet me, I knew something was up.  We moved her to her own paddock, just in case, and when I checked on her 20 minutes later she had given birth to 4 of the smallest, cutest piglets I've ever seen.  It was such a fun surprise and she is a great mom.

​We met a neighbor a few streets away with a great deal of pasture and no cows to enjoy it, so most of our herd will be spending the summer there.  They have the best view in town.

It's only June, but we've had Thanksgiving on our minds since our chicks arrived a few weeks ago. They are heritage breeds (Bourbon Red and Black Spanish) which means they'll be smaller birds, but we find that most of our customers want turkeys under 16 pounds anyway.  Please contact us to reserve yours as they go quickly!