Chewing the Cud 10, Falll 2008

I must say that for me, today, hay harvest is the most beautiful site. The site of the fresh cut field, the smell of the grasses, the sound of the tractor humming over the field, plopping out it's perfect bails. And after such a dry summer with hay prices soaring, it is a simple satisfaction to have a loft full of our own grasses stored away for winter's chill.

10.14.11

A gentle scene across the field and through the sycamore tree today.

Farm house porch in the fall breezes.

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An afternoon of photographing the herd--and then some.

Husker is pretty to photograph. He is a prince of a horse.

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9.21.11

Taking more photos lately. Love this time of year when the does have fattened on pasture all season, have been bred, and are heading into the cooler temperatures looking good.

Four Oaks Farm Scarlette...a nice solid doe; mini sized

Seven has a sortof "buckskin" color and a dark spot w/ a swish of buckskin mixed in. She was bred to new buck Jackson, and if we don't see another heat cycle, we'll be expecting their offspring in Dec.

March 22, 2011

Puddle ducks in the afternoon. And while they explore this puddle with their perfect ducky beaks, they make a sound like a bicycle tire spoke that has a card clipped to it; remember this from when you were a child? My husband purchased 5 new yearling ducks last weekend. This seemed to be a big thrill for our one lonely drake duck and goose. Now it is nothing but fun watching the antics of the new ducks and the freshness that they bring to the little pond.

One surprise that came with the new ducks is the change that has come over Dustin, the gander. For 3 years Dustin as been the sole goose on the pond w/ only the other drake duck to be his companion, and me. Dustin has been my little darling, loving to follow me whenever I do my daily chores around the barnyard. He is always keen to be right near me and to get all of the conversational "honking" possible in during our daily time together. Often as he is honking directly into my face, I wonder if ever he will outgrow our friendship and will peck me or pinch me. Last week, a few days after the new ducks arrived, Dustin did outgrow our friendship; now he seems to think he's in love. Sadly, I have to hurry my chores inside the fence to avoid Dustin's "affections". Next purchase; a female goose. :)

***Our Dustin***

..................from the farm,

Rhonda

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March 19, 2011

Need I say more? Sunny afternoons are good for finding a "thinkin' spot" and using it. I used my thinking spot last Sunday afternoon.........today I only dreamt about using it. Today was house work and no fun farm girl work, except for a trip out to a friend's farm to buy some hay. If you haven't had time to enjoy a few minutes of contemplative solitude, you might be missing a blessing.

......................from the farm

Rhonda

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March 17, 2011

Well, it has started, hasn't it? The constant peering out the window toward the pasture, making endless trips out to check the goats; not because there is a problem, but because they are just so pretty to look at. :) My new billy goat, Dillinger, who I've decided to just call Dill (mostly because it is cute), is a pleasure to look at. I realized today that he is only a year and a half old which means that even though he is very nice now, he could become even bigger and wider in the next couple of years. The herd is beautiful all year long but the nice weather, combined with the new babies, plus the greening up of the pastures seems to keep me preoccupied.

Some of you know just what I'm talking about already, and some, if you are reading this little post, are probably not far from doing the same thing. :)

Rhonda

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March 5, 2011

Busy, busy w/ bouncing babies in the fields. The mothers watch carefully that their cherished baby doesn't stray too far. I watch carefully over all of them, and lately I'm more aware how the heavenly shepherd watches over me.

................................what a wonderul thought.

........from the farm,

Rhonda

March 3, 2011

The farmer's co-operative has seen a lot of me lately. I like the chit-chat with the lady behind the counter on these trips to town. She seems a true farm woman to me, not a 4-H wannabe like me. She is bright and sunny and seems to love to be helpful. She raises goats as well, and can appreciate the questions that I have. Although I have lived on a small farm for over 10 years now, I still find that I forget the time to plant beets and turnips, forget what the best fertilizers are, forget many things that the co-op lady and the rest of the fellows there never forget.

Today was more hoof trimming and checking the goats over from head to toe. I noticed that I needed a few bails of hay to tide me over in the buck pen until these grasses pull up a few more inches, thus my trip to town. If you read the post from March 1, you will understand why I was compelled to share this short tid-bit from my day, for after I paid for the hay and headed for the door, an older man, once again, passed me coming in. He was a little younger than the elderly man from last trip, maybe in his 50's, he looked serious and focused about his business, so much so that I passed him respectfully without so much as a "howdy" to pass between us. Before I could swing the big glass door open I heard from behind me the counter lady calling out her unique greating to the man, much in the same way as last time; "Well look what the dawg drug in!!" Since I speak the language around here, I knew that the man loved such a greeting, and it put him to smiling right away. It made me smile awhile too. :)

...................Rhonda

March 1, 2011

I had to make a quick run to the co-op this morning for probios. As I walked in the door with my two young sons, I heard the lady at the counter addressing an elderly man who had walked in behind us. "Well, how in the world are ya, Earl!" I hadn't seen you in a coon's age!", she said. His face beemed at her happy welcome and he responded, as many an older person in our area do, "I'm not doing any good at all." I had to smile and note to myself what wonderful varieties of people live around me. They are some of the sweetest, kindest, "make you feel like family" folk in the country. I love my sons learning the way of hospitality and kindness to your neighbor, and today they learned a little at the farmer's co-op.

Little Apple Blossom was the reason for our trip. She somehow ended up on the wrong side of the fence on only her second day of life. She was unable to stand; listless, limp. We already loved her, esp. because her mother is Jaby, a doe that we bottle fed after her mom died. Now Apple is being bottle fed and destined to be the darling of the farm if she is blessed to survive her tricky start to life as a goat.

Hope you're having a wonderful week. Spring is on it's way!

Rhonda

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December 25, 2010

Ponies running full speed through the barn yard is a funny site, especially since all of the goats felt as if they were being chased. With each pass the roaring ponies barrelled passed the goats causing them to scatter each time. Some of the babies, Copper and Veedy Pearl, thought it was a game and began to chase after the ponies. There is something so beautiful about seeing a horse run, though, and I watched out my window until they were mostly tired out.

The wind is quite sharp and cold today, Christmas Day, but the animals are contented, almost joyful. Or is it my own joy that I feel when I look out at the farm and thank my God for these wonderful gifts on Christmas. Every year that passes I realize that Christmas is just one of the days that we rejoice over HIS coming to us as a baby, of the plan to redeem all mankind. This is the gift we hold in our hearts each day. Merry Christmas!

From the farm,

Rhonda

pony love