Plants and Maternity Wards

Hope that April finds you all well and healthy. Winter is nearly behind us and spring is upon us. (I can tell because my fingers are sore and bleeding.) The green house has sprouts of lettuce and spinach, and the onions are in the ground outside. The seed potatoes are impatiently waiting for this last snow to leave so they be buried. The newly acquired apple orchard is getting its trim, and we will finish up this coming week, if the snow lets me. The barn is 9/10ths cleaned, thanks to some hard-working boys from Warrensville with some time on their hands. The Hoffman sons, AJ and Josh, have lent a hand with the manual labor in the barn, and I could not have done it without them. Next years manure pile is now in the works.

The Maternity Ward:
The nanny herd is expanding in two ways - their sides are bulging, and the nannies are multiplying! I purchased a Toggenburg at the livestock sale for my personal milk supply, and two days later purchased an orphan nanny that decided to make the Toggenburg her momma, so now I'm back to no milk. Molly the Percheron-cross mare is looking somewhat like a blimp, with short legs that keep getting shorter by the day. She will deliver on May 5th if all goes with nature. The sows are starting to look like mothers-to-be, with the tummy-drag contest going till May 5th and 9th. I am getting eggs, but I am saving them for the loaner incubator (like I need more chickens with 150 in the brooder room!). The Muscovy ducks have multiplied from out of nowhere! We were surprised with 4 new hens in the creek this week. I think they came to see the drake, who is quite the handsome fellow. I am looking forward to Mother Nature taking over the --cupid duck-- role. I am expecting delivery of two hair sheep and a buck next week. It is a feeble start to a herd of sheep, I know, but I have to start somewhere.

Also, a big Thanks goes to the horticulture students at Ashe County High school who learned how to prepare shiitake logs, and helped me complete the last of the workshop logs. Thanks to Jane Gardner, who is the instructor for the program.

I will be sending emails as soon as some of the early crops start producing. Remember the Ashe County Farmers Market opens April 22nd this year.

Eat well, stay healthy.

Shiitake Mushroom Workshop a success!

Thanks to all who attended the Mushroom workshop and made it a success. We appreciate your hard work, and hope your logs will yield a bountiful harvest next year. A big thank you also goes out to our organizers, Richard Boylan of the Ag Extension, and Dr. Omon of NC A&T and his assistants. Out of the 201 logs we cut, we were able to place 76 on the mountainside for next year's flush. More photos from the workshop are available by clicking on this picture, and to see more of the farm, click on Big Jim and Cody.

This season has already been incredibly busy for us. We created a glass greenhouse to replace the plastic one from last year. Carrots, spinach, lettuce and onions are started on their way already.

Big Jim has done a great job pulling down white pine from the mountainside, with the help of Ian and Josh, our natural logging guys. (More information about their coming workshop here in PDF) We have about 5 acres cleared, giving the livestock more grazing area, and giving us lumber, which will be sawed in a few weeks. Big Jim now has a helper in the field, our newest addition, Cody. Cody is a 2 & 1/2 year-old gray Percheron that we're glad to add to the farm. Our quarter horse Missy was bought this week, and we're excited that she's got a great new home.

And speaking of new homes, we have a load of Orchard trees and bushes that will be making RMF their home this week. They consist of 10 each of apples, plums, cherries, pears, blueberries and hazelnuts.We also have attained the management of an established 29 tree orchard here on Horse Creek that became overgrown. As a result, apple butter and apple cider will hopefully be added to our list of products this fall.

Little peepers have filled the brooder room, on which we've worked extensively this week. 50 Dominques will be ready for egg production in the coming months, to supplement the mature Red Stars.

Lots of supplies are coming in, also, including our new egg cartons, the Zip Greenhouse, and fencing materials.

We're tentatively planning a Farm Tour in July (details forthcoming), and we'd love for you all to come out to see 'from whence cometh your food'.

Until next month, or whenever a new update is necessary...

*update* We have new links in the sidebar ---> Check 'em out! *end update*

Eat Well, Live Healthy.