-
The Part of Livestock Keeping Nobody Talks About
As a general practice when you buy a goat you always make sure that the breeder has tested for CAE, CL, and Johne’s diseases. That is common sense. If you’re bringing a new animal into your herd then you’re going to quarantine the animal as well. On our small farm, with a closed herd, (meaning… Read more
-
Eek! A Walk Around the End of Season Gardens at Point 6 Acre
The gardens at Point 6 Acre have definitely seen better days. This year has been busy, and between kidding, markets, illness and everything else that farm life has brought, the gardens haven’t received the attention they normally would. But here’s the thing about gardens: even when they look awful, they can still surprise you. There… Read more
-
A Small Farm Grows Older Too
A small farm changes over time. So does the person caring for it. In the process of creating this small working farm, I wondered how the bones of what I have created over ten years would change as I become less flexible — or perhaps I’ve placed those bones exactly where they needed to be?… Read more
-
Point 6 Acre Evening Chores: The Nightly Duck Routine
Every evening the ducks have pretty much the same basic routine: water buckets are emptied, washed and refilled, the kiddie pool gets fresh water, oyster shell is topped up, and their food is prepared for the morning. Then there’s the final job—getting the Ladies into the duck house for the night. It isn’t glamorous. It… Read more
-
The Quiet Math of Small Farming
Decisions are rarely straightforward and rarely have one answer. What may look like a simple decision often brings many things into play, such as: the animal, the farm, finances, future plans, time, experience, and frequently — my lack of experience. I’ve spoken of Willow’s kidding elsewhere, but it caused a major shift in how Point… Read more
-
Mystery Mushroom
There’s a mushroom popped up in the old chicken run. I still use it occasionally for the ducks. Seems an unlikely yet likely spot to find a shroom —rich, moistish soil, but only one? I didn’t want to disturb it, hence the blurry underside photo, but how gorgeous is that?! I had no idea the… Read more