Frozen With a Thin Sheet

Saturday November 7th in 2020

Morning starts at around 5.30. Time to get the coffee made and a cup or so down before the 6.30 mark for heading out to take care of the animals.

At this time of year we will start seeing the temperatures drop below the 32 degree mark which makes for a thin sheet of ice on the barnyard watering tub. Just to further spoil the crew, dog and goats, we will break it up for them. This is of course is after we have let them out of the barn aka overnight sleeping quarters and checked their hay. Some mornings we feel a bit of extra compassion and give the goats some alfalfa pellets. Just a few now, don’t want to over spoil them.

This morning the water was low indicating they have been drinking much more, may because of their diet now consisting of hay more than green foraging the woods. Lilah’s treat to match the level of attention given to the goats would be her weekly brushing. She was quick to even lay over on her back so here chest and belly could be brushed this morning. Side note; brushing for Great Pyrenes is a must. If not they get extremely ratted and gather much debris.

This hay supply is not going to last as long as anticipated having to separate the boys into the kennel with their own bale. So it is bale times two per week. Twenty-one bales left of the thirty one we started with. Do the math, eleven to twelve weeks left before we visit Dave Holland Hay Farm again. $3/ bale for small squares at three foot in length instead of previous at forty-two inches long.

For the farm there is of course much to do to keep it looking nice, like leaf removal. Four weeks ago we started mowing the 1.5 acres but as it would have it, the leaves came back with a vengeance. I contacted a local landscaping company today to find out what they would charge to take care of them. Maybe we can recruit some guests to ‘work for food’….. Do I hear any takers?

(If you can’t come to the farm, make sure you get outside and enjoy your slice of creation) …

Colors are captivating!