Busy busy at the farm (notice we haven’t blogged in a while?). Wrapped up a first-cutting of hay with the neighbors (1100 square bales for our steers, heifers, and dry cows over the winter), but we’ll still need winter hay … Continue reading
**graphic pictures of a cow calving that ends in a still birth** *graphic meaning there is blood and a cows birthing parts shown in pictures* First note: Shadow, the cow, likes to roll in poop. That’s our guess. Hope, our … Continue reading
Way way back in the beginning of the beginning with Woven Meadows our goal has been cheese (with some bacon and eggs thrown in for good measure!). This is the most complicated part of our farming goals as it involves … Continue reading
If you follow us on facebook – and were watching for the updates yesterday – you’ll know yesterday was a roller coaster of emotions that ended in the sad discovery that Shadow’s calf was stillborn. It was six hours in … Continue reading
Yesterday was -15degrees when we went out to do chores. This morning the bed was really toasty and it was so tempting to just sink deeper into the warmth of the bed. But there might be a calf. Shadow was … Continue reading
So there is something Good in grazing. Which animals to graze? Cattle, sheep, and goats each have their merits, in terms of feed efficiency (yield of meat and milk in relation to amount of feed consumed), choice of forage (grasses, … Continue reading
So we were going to farm. So we made plans. Plans about how to shift the dairying, gradually, to more and more a pasture-based operation. Plans to introduce some other farming enterprises, like pastured poultry and a market garden, and … Continue reading
I grew up on a dairy farm, and I did not want to be dairy farmer. Yet that now (though in different ways) is what I’m setting out to do. My predominant childhood experience of dairy farming was of my … Continue reading
I used to say we have everything but goats and horses …. now we have everything but horses (crossing my fingers on that one but not holding my breath ). So who are all these animals and what are they … Continue reading
“She’s here! She’s here!” my mom said to said to us frantically. I slowly came to consciousness and lifted my heavy head up to look at what time it was. One of our regular customers had said she’d be early. … Continue reading