Like a walk through the country side living on a small farm is full of daily surprises, sometimes wonderful and amazing, and other times puzzling and sad. I hope you will walk with me as I live out my dream of living on this tiny farm. You will come to know the dogs, cats, Shetland sheep and chickens that make up this farm and what goes into keeping them happy and healthy. Come and join the journey with me.

Monday, October 12, 2009

The Boys are Getting Ready....

Fairlight Jackdaw

....shining their hooves, striking elegant poses and in Jackdaw's case, adding a little finery to his fleece. Breeding groups...hopefully...will go together later this week. The weather is yucky, but I only have a few more panels to move around. The groups will be small this year--three ewes to Jackdaw and two to Jeffery. Getting Jeff up will be the hardest part, he and his twin wether brother Callum are like wild deer when they suspect something is up. Cal will have to be separated from his brother during the breeding season, so I will make him a nice little paddock where he will even get the shed! I don't think he'll mind a bit. Hopefully I will get some nice pictures of the rams and the ewes in their groups to post. If the sun ever comes out....

Fairlight Jeffery

Did I mention the weather is yucky? Raining, overcast with a chilly breeze. I worked out in it some this morning, moving panels around and will venture out again this afternoon--hopefully by then it'll at least not be raining. The fire is burning, but feels weak and sounds splutterly.

There are plenty of projects to do inside. My website needs to be updated, there are several areas that are screaming out---de-clutter me!! I also need to get some packages ready to mail...(I hope you haven't given up on me Vicki!)..for when I go into town later in the week.

Yesterday I did get the pantry/wool storage area cleaned and organized but it is indeed a slippery slope in there. Roving is not the easiest thing in the world to store, especially on narrow shelving! I was caught in a wool avalanche twice before I could get it all stacked just right.



Really...this is clean and organized!

There seemed to be an enormous amount of junk that needed to be thrown away. I have no idea where it came from. None. Is anyone interested in purchasing a very old cast iron meat scale? Hmmmm? No?

I mentioned that the potato digging was a bit pathetic. I went out and pulled a couple of the shriveled plants up and there were quite a few smallish potatoes clinging to the roots.

With thoughts of a sizable potato harvest I went back into the house and got two baskets to put the haul in. The 'haul' turned out to be about a dozen very small potatoes. Two baskets were not needed.

Even Boone was appalled..."do we have to survive on that all winter?"

On the bright side the soil in the potato growing container is beautiful and full of earth worms. Next year, if the season isn't so rainy, I might have to actually come up with a potato storage plan!


I also got all my winter coats and outerwear washed up/aired out and ready to roll for the season. Little by little....

Outside there is allot that needs to be done--finish the cursed kitty play pen (I hope), get all the front area and yard mowed and trimmed up. Harvest the tomatoes and pull up the plants, fill the wood box and kindling bucket, put up plastic over the chicken house window..not to mention the chicken house needs cleaned out.... I'll get as much as I can done, but there will always be a few neglected tasks, as winter comes blowing around the corner.

For now I'm off to de-clutter.....
(Kitten post coming soon!)

4 comments:

Vicki Lane said...

What a handsome boy Jefferey is! No, I'm patient!

Brenda said...

Wow, you've been busy! The boys look great and are rarin' to go I bet!

Anonymous said...

Please don't tell Allena about your very old cast iron meat scale! :)

Tammy said...

Thanks Vicki, he is six years old now, and has been a twerp at times in his life, but mostly pretty good.
Brenda...well Jeff is, not sure about Jackie..he seems a little clueless..
Beau, my lips are sealed..unless she reads my blog of course. :-)
Tammy