Winter on the Farm

After days of thick fog we had our first bright and sunny day. It was as if nature herself was celebrating the return of the sun to our farm. The girls all got outside to play with animals and clean up a little after the winter winds we have had.

We are still expecting baby goats soon. On of our Nigerians looks like she is carrying a bowling ball on each side of her. Once they are born we will let then nurse off of mom to ingest the colostrum and then bring them inside to be bottle fed. We feel that this creates the most friendly goats and most willing to share their milk once they become mothers themselves.

Unfortunately we have lost our two beautiful Russian Orloff Roosters. We had been given them by a friend and had let them free range around our property. We have been visited recently by two stray dogs and we believe that is what got our roosters as well as two of our hens. They had also attacked our goats but we were able to run them off without the goats being hurt.

We do have lots of persimmons left on the tree if anyone would like to come and get some. I have been drying them for snacks as well as freezing them for midsummer smoothies. I am really looking forward to making a banana and persimmon smoothie when the weather gets warm.

Finally our pamillos are ripe and delicious. I think the flavor is like a light grapefruit but it has very thick skin. So far we are just eating them fresh but I will be on the look out for recipes to try.

I am starting to dream of all the wonderful things we want to do on our farm this year. Starting with a dog proof chicken coop. Our dream of an organic farm has begun we have a long way to go but hope to have a CSA on a limit basis for friends and family by fall harvest next year.

I hope that everyone has a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

Farmer Shayne

What is a Farm? According to Dictionary.com a Farm is a track of land usually with a house, barn or silo on which crops and often livestock is raised for livelihood. I have called myself an urban farmer for years. On my little city plot I raised goats, chickens, ducks, rabbits even quail not so much for my livelihood but more for lively living. I was proud of my urban farmer title and was honestly sad from the loss of that identity.
So now the new dilemma is when can I call myself a farmer? What act defines me as a farm, as opposed to a crazy city girl with lots of animals. We have the track of land, with a house. No barn yet but there are plans for that, a few fruit trees and livestock but does all that make me a farmer.
I felt there was something missing from the definition, something that states YES I am a farmer. That something was a cow. Not just any cow, but a dairy cow, ready to be milked morning and night, rain or shine.
Today I became a farmer.