We are now through paddock 15 of our 23 shifts. At first when I decided to begin rotating the cows through the new rye grass, there was a bit of uncertainty in doing it. However, after being half way through the rotations, I am glad I did it. The cows are looking great, and the pastures are really changing.
This is one of my favorite steers
Along with rotating them through, I have been applying compost in behind them to help with some nutrient issues and also begin to build organic matter. As I stated before, if pastures were equivalent to hands in poker, we were holding a 7-2 off-suit. But through proper land management and a little help being applied in terms of organic matter, natural fertilizers, and forages, we are going to be in good shape. Man, in just under a year you wouldn't recognize the place from what it was to now.
In a day this will be pretty much gone.
So with the dawn of spring officially around the bend, many things will be happening here on Yonder Way Farm
The PIT
Last night we had a relaxing time of family time. Not that we don't usually have family time at night but this time we were going to sit outside around the FIRE PIT. We made this thing this year as a "togetherness project," as my dad would say, just the wife and me. It started off very simple but in time began to get bigger and bigger. Eventually, it was about 2 foot deep and about 8' in diameter. The pit turned out way better than expected.
I could sit and watch a fire all night long. Ironic I put them out for a living.
So our tradition for these nights is burn a lot of wood, drink hot chocolate, and on occasion, eat God knows whats in them, full of nitrite, hot dogs. Only around a fire that is big enough to burn the exterior off your face off and make you feel like your clothes are about to spontaneously combust can you forget what your putting in your mouths. But we usually do it on these nights.
But this night, we just drank hot chocolate.
Boy thats a lot of hot chocolate
Then today was a good ole relaxing day. KK has been wanting to go out in the canoe ever since I brought this thing home. So I told her yesterday that today would be today. Wouldn't you guess that today is the most beautiful day in the world but also the most windy. But try backing out on a 3 yr old. These guys you have to show that it won't work very well. So out we set. I think her favorite part was riding in the canoe while being pulled by the Ranger.
So we get to the water and right off the bat I know this isn't going to work very well. I am in the back and she is just in front of me leaving no weight in the front. So now I look like a speed boat doing a hundred mph across the lake except I am in a canoe going maybe 1/2. Needless to say, we just kept getting blown in circles, up onto the bank, and try paddling while fishing with your little girl. I got all twisted up in the line. Within 5 minutes she said, "I think it is too windy, maybe we should try another day." Thats my girl. The good that came from this though, besides just getting to hang out, was that her verse for the week was "Even the wind and the waves obey Him" Matt 8:27. No better visual aid than this because lo as we tried, they weren't obeying us. What a mighty God we serve in deed.
This is one of my favorite steers
In a day this will be pretty much gone.
The PIT
I could sit and watch a fire all night long. Ironic I put them out for a living.
Boy thats a lot of hot chocolate
5 comments:
What a good and patient dad you are! I love this verse. The farmer's version would say, "when you feed pigs, when you are in canoes fishing, when you are moving cows, and when you are sitting around the fire sipping hot chocolate."
"These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates." Deuteronomy 6:6-9
sounds like you did good on planting the fields as you did awhile back...how pretty and green they are...well at least you tried to take kk fishing in the canoe...yes, doesn't GOD always know things' like the bible verse matching up with kk's awanna's verse and the wind being in the way of fishing..kk also showed here awareness and smartness saying too windy...HE always knows all...AMAZING...aren't we blessed that we know HIM as our heavenly father...hotdogs, hot chocolate,i'm there next time...love you momma sandy
nice fire pit. i'm jealous.
i like your description of pre-industrial as the way you choose to live. i was just talking to tabitha about the fact that our vernacular is missing an elegantly poignant term for this. it is like choosing to live the way people did 100 years ago. not to dismiss technology but have consideration for your actions. when you don't buy locally i hurts our earth. if you must, buy in bulk. we struggle everyday but at least we are making a conscious effort to make an impact.
this movement or term for it is yet to be attractively named. organic has been sold-out. farm fresh is closely on it's heels.
organic can mean that whatever you are eating has been industrialized and given the minimum to make it look viable. i don't want anything that has been industrialized entering my children's bodies. i want nature to affect them as it has for millennia upon our ancestors.
Your grass looks great! We were late in planting rye in our pasture and so it is still looking very immature right now. Definately not ready for grazing yet, but when we have a paddock for the cows where some of this rye grass is on the edge they eat it right up! We keep hoping for warm temps so the grass will grow. Oh well, we're learning a lot for next year.
I love you Lyns
Sandy, thank you so much for reading our blog each time.
Karl, your right. I don't think we are going to seek any labels. Tim at Natures Harmony Farm said it best to me. That they want to be labeled transparent. I think that is the best way. Then your only dealing with customers that are educating themselves and really want to know what they are eating.
Liz, isn't it funny how many times you look back in the first years and say, "If I did it again, I would have done it this way?" I feel I do that all the time. Good news is there is a next time, bad news, things are done in seasons so you usually have to wait a whole year. Thanks for reading.
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