So You Think You Want To Be a Farmer?

Most especially for Teri in Alaska, but for all of you to enjoy!

Free-range pork anyone? This is how my afternoon went just 2 days ago:

I had my car loaded with wool projects for school projects and eggs to deliver in town. I was ready to head out but I thought I'd better check on the 12 new piglets before I left. I looked in the pen and counted 5. Seven were missing. An odd feeling hit my gut! Poof! Vanished into thin air, or the windbreak, which is where I soon found them. I managed to get all but 2 in and figured they'd stick around the others on the other side of the fence and wouldn't go far, so I zipped to town.

Once I was back home I ran in the house to quickly let the dogs out and build a small fire to take the chill off. I stepped outside for more firewood and heard a sound like I've never heard before. I looked up to see A LOT of little piggies near the back yard rooting through the chick feed in the windbreak. I discovered the source of the noise....the llama! I've never heard her make that noise before! She was clearly upset that those things were close to and sometimes IN her pasture. She was making a noise that sounded like a cross between a hog squealing and a mule braying!

So what to do? I had taken 4 small panels and made a little pen for the bum lamb. He comes running to anyone and I am afraid the mailman or UPS man will come and won't be able to get away! I grabbed the panels and made a pig trap. I set one corner on a plastic milk crate and attached 2 bungee cords to the crate. Then I poured goat milk in a rubber pan inside my trap. I caught chickens right away! Naturally the pigs were not interested in the milk! So off they went in their little herd, like a school of fish, following each other and sticking close together. I knew if I had patience, I could just wait and trap them, but the llama was in distress over them just being there and she kept sounding her alarm. Seriously though, how could I be too upset at something as cute as a school of piglets?

I had a I thought that maybe I could lure them into the barn and just leave them there until Chris and Kelly got home to help, so I opened the little door and closed the big one. Maybe they'd get curious? I hoped, for hope and ingenuity were all I had! Not long after that they headed for the barn! I was surprised, but then they walked right by my open door! UGH! There's a little fenced runway area between the barn and the chicken coop and they were all headed down the runway. I went to the other side to try and block them off. My strategy now was to block them off in the runway, but then they turned and all went into the chicken run! All but one! He was lost along the way and didn't know where the others were, so he was running back and forth along the windbreak squealing. The other pigs didn't care!

I quickly ran around and guarded the door. I just stood there. Guarding the door. I couldn't close the door because there was too much chicken poop piled up to close it properly. Chicken poop as a road block and the pitch fork was up against the barn by the open barn door! My arms were not long enough! So I have no phone to call for help and who would I call and what would I say? I have to MacGyver this out on my own. Sitting close to me were 3 black plastic feed troughs stacked on the ground. I quickly grabbed them and stood them upright in a row across the entrance while I ran for the pitch fork. I was then able to level the poop out and get the door closed. I propped the pitch fork up tight against the door and got wire and pliers from the barn to wire the door shut. Pigs are strong. Eleven pigs are stronger! Then I took a board and propped it up against the door and fence for added insurance and off I went to look for number twelve.

I hopped on the 4 wheeler and went out to the pig pen thinking he may have cried wee wee wee all the way home. He wasn't at the pig pen, but sitting near the garden fence next to 4 bigger pigs I have in there. They were strangers to him, but porcine all the same! He knew his kind! I managed to scoot him down and over and into his own pig pen, but he escaped as quickly as he had gone in! Then he headed straight for the barn again! So off I go on the 4 wheeler, back around the windbreak and into the yard. When I got off of the 4 wheeler, he had stopped at the chick feed again. I stood and watched him. He stood and watch me. Then he turned and ducked and went right into my pig trap! I sneaked over and grabbed the bungie cords and pulled the crate out! Down went the panels and I had him trapped, along with 5 chickens, but I got them out and then stood there wondering now what? I was afraid he was strong enough to lift the panels up with his snout and escape again. I looked over and saw our big dog crate! Ah hah! I grabbed the plastic lawn rake and cornered him, grabbed a hind leg and put him in the crate! All twelve pigs were secure. I just needed to wait for my helpers!
I did all of this with what I had at hand, except the goat's milk, which was fresh that morning....sigh! I had to run to the house for that! So even though I get down on myself for having "stuff" around, a lot of this stuff came in handy for my solo pig round-up!
I won't bore you with the rest of the story, but it took all 3 of us to get them back in the pen!

Narrow Passages

That is my daughter, Juliana. This photo was taken by her husband, Johnathan, at Tunnel Falls in Oregon. I created the meme for them because I think the photo is so amazing in so many ways. If you look directly under the L-i in Life, there's a moss-covered cross. No one was aware of it when the photo was taken, but I spotted it later. Symbolic? Yes!

The same day this photo was taken, some guests of the farm stay were winding up a miserable 3 days in the Yellowstone back country with a guide from hell. He was rude, crude, sexist and racist. The things they told me he said and did were awful. Some things they wouldn't even tell me. They were his paying guests. Karma, dude!

So this morning I woke up thinking about how this narrow pathway correlates with his narrow mind and this is my morning Haiku.

Dangerous, scary
Narrow, pathways, vessels, minds
Faith, open hearts, love.

The Greatest of These is Love!

Remember 7-up being advertised as the "un-cola"? I guess you could call me the "un-blogger". I have 2 blogs, but just don't blog all that much anymore for various reasons. Once in a while something touches me enough that I have to sit down and write out my thoughts to preserve for more than just the usual fleeting moments.
Today is one of those days in which I'd like to preserve the thoughts that woke me up in the night and kept me pondering for a bit.

Yesterday I sat down and counted all of the different countries our guests have come from and by the time the summer is over, 11 different countries will be represented. For a little old farm girl, that's pretty exciting. I am not much of a traveler and quite enjoy staying home. For me to be able to meet folks from different countries would be virtually impossible without the farm stay and the internet because quite frankly, I don't leave home all that often. Just in the past week we have had Belgium, Scotland and Canada represented as well as the US. Some visiting originally came from India and others from Taiwan. It was indeed a busy week for me with my dad visiting all week, meeting friends and other relatives for breakfast or dinner, more relatives here for dinner who we hadn't seen in 10 years and then having guests on top of it all.

A first for us this week was a 43 ft motor coach that pulled in. This is a family who decided to stop the madness of everyday life and hit the road for 7 months with their 4 children. As some of you know, Chris drove a semi over the road for the first 21 years of our marriage, so our driveway over at the shop is already set up for "big rigs". This motor coach is quite the big rig.
Here is this lovely family heading out for more adventures. It was a pleasure having them. You can follow their trip here. as she writes about their journey.

What has touched me the most is the excitement of those who pull into the farm. They often have big grins and are so excited to be here. It's a life style many are not familiar with and are excited to learn about. Sometimes the parents have wonderful memories of being on a farm and want their children to experience the same. Many live in cities and just don't have the opportunity to visit a farm. It is wonderful to be able to share this with them.

It is indeed humbling and heart-warming to know people really want to come here. So as I sat in my chair having my morning coffee thinking, I realized how blessed I am. I am meeting folks from all walks of life that I would otherwise never cross paths with. If I were to go to their city for whatever reason, even though we might pass each other on the street, we would maybe not even make eye contact. When they come here, there is a bond and friendships are made.

This little family came to camp out in their tent. They were so excited to be here and their little daughter was just a doll. She didn't say much, but she didn't have to. A smile and wave when she saw me was enough. I invited them to stay for our felting project with the 4 Carney kids. Sweeny is a photographer and artist, so they were excited to stay. Little Ila had a wonderful time. They are originally from Taiwan and now live in Seattle. Another treat getting to know these folks!

The common thread that binds us all together is love. We are taught from an early age to love one another. As parents it is our duty. Also as a parent I recognize another common thread. All we really want is what's best for our children and a safe and happy place in which to live. There's no greater love than unconditional love and as parents we certainly know what that is.

If we could all just open our hearts, the world would be a much better place.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love.

My heart is full.

Teaching

One thing I never thought I'd be doing at this point in my life it teaching! I've been doing quite a bit of it with my Artist In Residency at Longfellow School is Bozeman, the classes through tart in the Emerson and a few personal classes here and there. I got a call from a home-schooling mom who asked if I would do a pumpkin class! Of course I would! What fun! So she put it out on the "wires" and we had a great turn out. We used the Dry Creek School house. It's always fun for me to see that place filled with kids. That's what it was built for, after all. Built in 1901. It's the same place we have our annual Christmas in the Country show. Here are some pics of the kids and moms making their pumpkins. Some made Pumpkin Moonshines, some just made pumpkins. I had my Tasha Tudor book along to share too, "Pumpkin Moonshine".

Need a hot shower?

I guess I am blogging with the seasons here. Ha! My last post was spring and now summer is about to sneak in on us. I always dread June 21 because from here on out the daylight gets shorter. I love the change of seasons though. We a fortunate that way! So my real reason for logging on here was to tell you about our new shower in the shower house! It's propane-fired, so it's a heat-on-demand shower! It's really quite lovely. I've showered out there twice now and it's very refreshing. The only thing wrong with it is that you don't want to get out of it!

Spring has Sprung!

It's funny how the calendar can change and all of a sudden things start happening! The man who had about 25 of our acres leased for the past few year moved to Idaho to take a new job. They are great people and great neighbors and land tenants and will be missed. This marks the first time in the history of this generation of Stuckys that our land is actually OUR LAND! It's very exciting, actually. We've always had part of it leased out during the 28 + years that we've owned the place. Chris's parents leased it out as well. Chris and his dad have been busy fencing. His dad is 91 and you can't keep him from it! Most days he's just itching to do something, so we just let him. As I type this, there is a very big tractor in the field plowing and getting the land ready to seed. We have decided to plant sainfoin. If you aren't familiar with it, google it or Montana Seed, Inc. They have some gorgeous pictures on their website. The biggest reason we decided to go with it is because there are no worries about bloat. You can graze your animals directly on it. I also started lambing today. I have not sheared yet, however. This is not really the way I like things to go, but you don't mess with Mother Nature. When lambs are ready, they come, shearing or not. I did have to assist in this birthing. The first lamb had one front foot back and then right beside its little white nose were 2 black feet! Huh? Oops, both were trying to come out at once, so nothing was happening. I pulled the white lamb first. It was a boy. Then came the black girl, backwards. I called Chris's dad to see if he would come out and hold the ewe while I trimmed the wool on her belly and around her teats. The lambs are both doing fine this evening. I had to be in Bozeman today for a needle felting project at Hawthorne School. It was an early release day and I was called to do a project with the kids. We made owls. Fun! There were others there who wanted to make them, but with limited supplies and time, I will go back in May. While in Bozeman I got a text message from the company I use to host the sheep wagons, . As it turns out, I got my first double booking for the wagons, yes BOTH AT ONCE for 8 nights! I am over the moon! It's been a long haul here on the farm. Chris was out of work for so long which really forced us to recreate ourselves. It's been at least 4 years since we redid the first wagon. I guess it's time for a change! I am feeling very blessed and very thankful. My best bud, Champ, with the new lamb.

Almost Shearing Time

Mid March brings many things. St. Patrick's Day and then my birthday and not too farm after that the first day of Spring! Along with that is shearing time here. I put my ram in with my ewes on Halloween, trick-or-treat, and should start lambing in April. I had one little brown Shetland Ewe who was getting quite large. She was to the point of waddling. I was nervous and excited to see how many she would have, but I will never know. I came home last night after dinner out for my birthday and she was dead. I don't know why, but I suspect it's because of something called "cast". Here's what Sheep 101 says about it: Cast sheep. A sheep that has rolled over onto its back is called a "cast" sheep. It may not be able to get up without assistance. This happens most commonly with short, stocky sheep with full fleeces on flat terrain. Heavily pregnant ewes are most prone. Cast sheep can become distressed and die within a short period of time if they are not rolled back into a normal position. When back on their feet, they may need supported for a few minutes to ensure they are steady. Heavily laden with lambs! That she was. So sad. I decided to shear her this morning with a pair of scissors and try to salvage her wool. I can tell you that shearing a dead ewe with lambs in her belly is not a pleasant experience. I don't write this for pity or sympathy, I write this to let you know what we go through sometimes with these living, breathing things. Soon the lambs will be popping and bring joy and new life once again to the farm. The circle of life.

Fuzzybutt

'Tis owl season here on the farm. A blessing and a curse. If any of you know me, you know I have a love/hate relationship with them. We have had a pair nest here for at least the last 3 winters. They are Great Horned Owls and I have dubbed them Harold and Maude. The first year they had one baby and I named him Fuzzybutt. Last year I think there was only one as well, but I didn't get to see it much, just the day it flew away. They are really pretty fascinating creatures. They breed in late January or early February and are often heard calling to each other regularly as early in the fall as October. They choose a mate by December and are often heard duetting before this time. The male attracts the attention of his mate by hooting emphatically while leaning over (with the tail folded back) and puffing up his white throat to look like a ball. The female hoots back when the pair meet but is more subdued in both her hoot and display. Pairs typically breed together year after year and may mate for life, although they associate with each other more loosely when their young become mostly independent. Like all owls, Great Horned Owls do not build their own nest. They often take over a nest used by some other large bird, sometimes adding feathers to line the nest but usually not much more. This year I was fortunate enough to see them mate. It was interesting to hear their chatter during their interlude. Their eggs are shaped almost like a ping pong ball. Not quite perfectly round and there are typically 2 eggs in the clutch, sometimes more. The incubation period ranges from 28 to 37 days, averaging 33 days. The female alone does all the incubation and rarely moves from the nest, while the male owl captures food to bring to her. Brooding is almost continuous until the offspring are about 2 weeks old, after which it decreases. The male feeds both the female and the young for around 2 weeks after hatching. Young owls move onto nearby branches at 6 weeks and start to fly about a week later. However, the young are usually not competent fliers until they are about 10 to 12 weeks old. The offspring have still been seen begging for food in late October (5 months after leaving the nest) and most do not separate from their parents until right before they start to reproduce for the next clutch (usually December). Birds may not breed for another year or two, and are often vagrants ("floaters") until they establish their own territories. This is Fuzzybutt in the tree at about 6 weeks old, I presume. I was able to get within touching distance of him, but he hissed at me. The next day he was gone. He had been hopping from branch to branch up until this point and then he took his maiden voyage to the trees back in our slough. He sat there all day that day and then went further West the next day. After that I never saw him.

The Zen of Goat Milking

There are days, which I wish I had more of, when I am out milking my goats in the morning and nothing else seems to matter. I get lost in thought, lost in time, lost in the rhythm of milking the goat. My mind wanders away and sometimes I get my best ideas out there. It really is a lovely feeling. I am sure you've experienced it too, maybe just during another time. Crafting comes to mind. I call it a craft coma. When you're working away at something and time just gets lost. Eerily, it happens to me in the car too. Sometimes I can be so deep in thought I arrive at my destination with no real recollection of the trip and I have just driven the car!

Morning Chores

Today was a beautiful day here in SW Montana. It was a bit on the chilly side, but very invigorating. I was having a face book discussion with some friends about milking goats and I said, "Call me crazy, but my favorite time to milk my goats is when it's cold out." Yes, one did call me crazy, but I will tell you why. Having my goats forces me to get up in the morning and go outside. For me it would be very easy to "hermit" myself away in this house all winter and not go out much. My animals and especially the goats force me out to get started with my day, every day, cold or hot, wind or rain, sun or snow....it matters not to the animals. Just imagine a frosty cold morning. Let's say it's Christmas Day and all of the world is quiet and still, with a coating of fresh snow covering the ground. My animals all look at me and watch me approach the barn, the goats vying for attention first. They want to be fed and let you know it. The sheep lay quietly waiting. One goat in the stanchion, I pull off my gloves and expose my hands to the frosty air. I plunge them into the bucket of hot water and wash the goat's udder. Then I begin milking, her body giving warmth to mine as I sit beside her. From her udder flows fresh, warm milk and on this morning it will be shared with the chickens. The ones that sleep in the rafters of the barn already have this figured out and soon they will show up for a tasty treat, walking around me and the goat with one eye cocked up. On this particular morning I decide to talk to them. Not in my language, but in theirs. I find myself sitting on my milk stool, milking my goat and clucking like a hen. If anyone were to walk into my barn just then, they'd surely suggest I be committed, but for me to talk to the animals is a life-long dream and I am living the dream. Every day is Christmas.

Goodness! Over a year has passed since I've written anything here. Amazing how time flies. We've had a fun and exciting year here on the farm. The wagon rentals are picking up, chickens have been harvested for another season and shearing of my lambs completed yesterday! Lots going on and still lots to do. Today I will join some friends and be a vendor at the Bozeman Winter Farmer's Market. It's always fun to connect after a long summer full of hard work. I feel a bit guilty for even having blogs, yes I have 2, and not posting. I must admit that facebook has cured my need to get the words out of my head. I did more blogging pre-facebook! Not sure if that's good or bad. At any rate, happy harvest to you all.

Wagon Guests

Fall has made an appearance here at Serenity Sheep Farm and Jack Frost came with it. We've had 3 mornings of frost so far. Lots of things in my garden have suffered, but I've convinced myself that it is what it is and next year is another year!
We were fortunate here to have both wagons rented for 2 nights this past week. Such fun! Newlyweds in the Winona, which we pulled over to the neighbor's yard. Their daughter and new son inlaw were gifted the stay.
The Brusett was rented for 3 nights by a man from France and his 2 children. I had a bit of a language barrier with the children, but we still shared lots of smiles and laughs. I hope they had a wonderful and memorable time here.
Both wagons were a bit chilly and required extra blankets with fall arriving.
I can now say I've had guests from all over the world!
This is what Serenity Sheep Farm Stay is all about.

Summer Fun

The lambs here are growing by leaps and bounds, literally.
The baby goats are of varying sizes and still so much fun.
The turkey poults are getting big, meat chickens are all out on free range and I can't seem to keep enough room in the fridge for all of the eggs!
Guinea keets are still in the brooder box. They will be let out when they have their feathers.
The pigs are showing some growth spurts, first width-wise and then length-wise and back again.
The wool for the CSA is currently being worked on at the mill. Soon I will be able to send it off to my customers in the form of yarn.
A few fleeces were shipped off to a wonderful customer in Oklahoma, who has introduced them to a spinning friend.
Lambs have been sold along with their moms to a young couple in a neighboring town for a starter flock.
Other lambs from last year have been delivered to Big Timber and will return for the dining pleasure of 10 lucky customers.
Kids camp tomorrow!
Life is good. So much to share here at Serenity Sheep Farm Stay.

Simplicity in all Things

With the high waters this year, it's really put pressure on my pasture. I made the decision a couple of weeks ago to reduce my flock a bit and help relieve that pressure. That and the fact that if I need to buy hay to supplement, I can use the extra money.
Yesterday we sorted sheep and I was able to send 10 wethers off to market. I am thankful for buyers for most of them and feel confident that I can sell off the extra one or two. In addition to that, I posted sheep for sale on craigslist and had a nice, young family contact me from Deer Lodge, MT. They were looking for a starter flock and wound up buying 12 yesterday. I am very thankful and actually quite shocked that it was this simple. Thank goodness for the internet. Before craigslist and facebook and all of this technology, it was very difficult for me to sell lamb or sheep. I am feeling good about my flock size and it's quite a relief actually.
I still have plenty of fleeces to sell from the spring shearing. Maybe that should be my next goal set. Again, the internet is so helpful.
The mill is currently working on my wool for the CSA and it shouldn't be long before that's all ready to send off to customers. I can't wait and I am sure they are getting anxious as well. I am very grateful, once again, to have customers who makes a purchase months in advance of receiving their item. Truly a leap of faith on their part and I promise not to disappoint them. They are part of my bread and butter in this operation.
We have been fortunate to have guests in the wagon for 2 weekends in a row. This endeavor has been quite slow, but all good things in time, right? The local paper did an article on vacations on farms and ranches and I was fortunate to be included in that. You can read it here.
Have a great week! I plan to.

Flooding Woes

May 25, 2011
My sheep pasture just beginning to sub.

I must admit, I've been a bit preoccupied the last couple of days with flood waters. We live about 300 yards from the East Gallatin River. With so much rain and snow pack at 200% above normal, we knew we'd have some water coming this way. My sheep pasture is about 90% covered in water. Up until today it was just water from it subbing from underground. Today it is actually coming from the river, into the neighbors and now into our field as well. For now it's ok because we have higher ground we can move the sheep to. Tomorrow we will need to let them into the pasture behind the house.
We had high water here back in 1982. We didn't live here then. My in laws were still living here. There was water up to our sheep pasture fence, which is just adjacent to my barn. None of that was here then. No barn, no sheep. Actually, this house was not here either. We built it in 1994. I have not been under the house to check on the crawl space, but tomorrow I will check that out.
This is really nothing compared to what lots of folks are experiencing right now, even folks right here in Montana.
It is unnerving and unsettling, but we can live with it for now.

Spring!

It's arriving in its own due time, but it does say Spring on the calendar! We are now allowed to call it that. I love Spring. I think the fact that I was born in the Spring helps with that fact.
There are signs of Spring all around us. Aside from the wet, heavy snow, mud and general "slop", we have beautiful signs of Spring as well. The Robins have returned. I've seen and heard the Sandhill Cranes, today 2 pair of Snow Geese flew above me on my walk down to the river. My tom turkey is strutting his stuff and the ducks have begun to lay eggs along with an abundance of lovely chicken eggs! All wonderful signs of life, hope and things to come.

It's the little things!

I have a garden cart I bought at a garage sale probably 10 years ago and I use it every single day. I haul hay in it in the winter and I haul veggies in it in the summer. It gets a workout! Well, it fell apart on me. It didn't take any convincing for Chris to put new wood on it for me. He knows how much I use it. He even straightened the wheel he bent about 8 years ago.
It's the little things that make me happy! Here it is with new painted and oiled wood!

In the News!

I am very excited to report that we have been featured in Zone 4 magazine this issue. As a matter of fact, Serenity Sheep Farm is the centerfold! As I told them, it's the only centerfold I would ever wish to be.
I think Rilla did a lovely job telling our story. She and her husband stayed out here last summer so that she could write the article. I saw him recently and he said, "She didn't sugar-coat it. We had that much fun!" Music to my ears.
If you don't live in a zone 4 gardening area and would like to see the article, you can order it direct from them. I've already bought more issues than I care to tell you about. I had to send them to friends and family, don't you know.
Plus, the folks at Zone 4 are just awesome.

Exciting Farm News!

If you garden in zone 4, you probably have access to the magazine by the same name. The magazine is based here in Bozeman. Last summer they came out to stay in the wagon and then attend the kid's camp the next day. The current issue came out this week and I am happy to report that Serenity Sheep Farm is the centerfold! Three awesome pages of our story, right in the middle of the magazine.
Ordinarily I am not one to toot my own horn, but they did such a lovely job, I just had to share.

Granted

Last year I put in for and received the 4% grant available from our local food co-op. The chose Serenity Sheep Farm Stay as the recipient of their 4% day in February of this year. Our day will be the 25th.
The reason I put in for it was to spur Kelly along in his mushroom growing operation, so the grant money will be used for that.
A poster needed to be created and taken in to the co-op by Jan. 31. It needed to represent our farm stay. Where does one begin and end? So many elements I didn't want to leave out. Being a "tad bit" of a perfectionist with my work that others will be viewing every day led me to about 10 hours into this project from selecting, editing, printing photos to the end result. I am pleased with it and plan to re-use it for a summer camp round-up at the Emerson in April! Dual-purpose!
So, if you don't happen to live here and can't swing by the co-op to see it, here are some pics for you.