Sunday, March 24, 2019

Mud Season

It's been three weeks since my last post and things are changing fast; mostly for the good!  Warmer temps, only a little more snow followed by melting, and signs of spring are everywhere!  Everyone appreciates the longer daylight hours.

We had a lot of snow on the roofs and when it warmed up a little much of it came off all at once.  On the other side of the pole shed, the does' accessed door is completely blocked.  They really don't seem to care since they do not like to get their feet cold and wet anyway.

Kids are about  three weeks away now.

The chickens are happy because I have let them out of the confines of the snowy coop yard.  It didn't take them long to find the loose dry dirt at the end of the poleshed.  This looks like the chicken version of a hot-tub party!

In the coop, two hens were broody and wanted to set in nest boxs.  The problem with this arrangement is twofold.  Some of the other hens muscle into the nest and lay additional eggs there - and then sometimes the broody hen gets off the nest for a drink and snack and then she gets confused and goes back to the wrong nest because there are eggs there too.  I wonder if this ever happens to people who live in those suburbs you see where there are rows and rows of identical houses...  Anyway, one of the two allowed herself and her eggs to moved down to a crate on the floor.  She's pretty serious about this incubation job.  The other one was a youngster and would not have anything to do with relocating.

The turkey hens, Penelope and Peanut are laying eggs too.  We let the turkey trio out of the summer coop where they have  been locked in all winter and I am hoping the hens will keep going back there to lay their eggs and eventually set.

Meanwhile, Tom thinks that he's pretty hot stuff.  Penelope and Peanut just don't seem all that impressed. 

Hoover and I got out to the woods today for a walk although there was some water in the low areas to negotiate.  There is still quite a lot of snow in the woods.

This is the view from the milking stand from today.

Roye really doesn't care about the view, but is very hopeful for some fresh goat's milk soon!

I will share here a photo from yesterday's Sprout Growers and Maker's Market in Little Falls.  They had Vendor Booth Awards this month and visitors were encouraged to vote based on a number of criteria.  Anyway, I put some effort into this and it paid off - Ole Lake Farm won first place!  Pretty cool.


There is your farm update - thanks for stopping by the Ole Lake Farm blog.  I'll be back in two or three weeks - maybe with some kids news!  Until then, be well folks.


Sunday, March 3, 2019

Spring will come, Spring will come...

Spring will come, Spring will come...My new mantra...

Every morning I greet the does "Good Morning little does! spring will come" I don't know if they believe me.  Sometimes I don't believe me...

Admittedly, the snow is beautiful.  Driving to work in a fresh few inches is no big deal.  It's the cold that is wearing us out.  We are just so tired of below zero chores.  This morning -13.  Tonight's low predicted -18; it just goes on and on and on. Today the high was 1 degree and the wind was biting.

Yesterday was better - sunny and calmer. Hoover and I got quite a workout walking the logging roads that haven't been plowed for a while. 

 Hoover would much prefer to run off leash, but I do not let him for fear of running across a deer.  

The hens are still laying well and out in the summer coop the turkeys seem to be doing just fine with their forced incarceration; Tom has been doing some gobbling lately .  I have no regrets about making them stay indoors for the winter.  I hope Penelope and Peanut like the coop enough to lay their eggs in there when the time comes. 

Back to the goats - they are enduring.  Bellys are getting big. Kids are about a month away.
Not the greatest picture but when I climbed up on the higher spool table they kept trying to follow me - probably because I usually have some kind of tasty treat in my pockets.  My fingers got cold trying to get a decent photo, but you get the idea!

The machinery sleeps but farm work chores continue,  just different chores.  I'll be back in a few weeks with a new post and some spring happenings.  Be well friends, and stay warm!