Catch up...

It's been a busy summer. It's August already!! And my garden, what is left of it, has gone to the weeds. There was just not enough time to maintain it with all the other projects that were competing for priority.

We finished the exterior of the coop. We have one more door to cut out and hang and then we can insulate the coop and hang the interior walls in the fall to prep for winter. Then, I will have my garden shed. I've been waiting for one of those forever! The new girls are fine, and we have the most gorgeous rooster. I haven't named him yet, as we only recently discovered she was a he. I think it had to do something with the spurs growing out the side of his legs and the fact that he is huge and showy. And riding all the hens. I think that was the giveaway.

The new girls are starting to lay. I put out the call for month to month egg shares. I already have a few folks signed up. I'll be happy if it covers the feed costs. Right now I purchase local organic non-gmo layer feed from the feed store in town. I am researching sprouted grains so I can move away from the corn/wheat/soy combo of the prepared feed. It will be more work but in the long run healthier and possibly easier. Especially if we could grow our own.

We had a scare in early summer with the trees. They all turned brown and lost their leaves. I thought they were goners. But with consistent watering and observation they have all bounced back. It was close though. I will be much more vigilant after the spring rains/snows stop to make sure I am watering the next batch we plant this fall.

The barn has received a second coat of paint and I started painting the trim. It's looking good. J cleaned out the tall grass/weeds next to the barn where we piled all our building supplies and wood scraps along with other odds and ends. The next project is to finish taking down the old fencing and barbed wire to open up the back area.

J was able to get me two large rolls of orange snow fence. I had an epiphany that our current location for the garden wasn't the best. It's hard to water, direct hot sun all day with no relief in high summer, and when they don't plant the fields behind us (like this year) there is no wind buffer or extra water to count on. While we were camping in the mountains a few weeks ago I realized the best location, which is now drought withered weeds, would be near the orchard. The house and trees offer wind protection and it is near a water hydrant. I will use the snow fence to fence in some chickens during the day to do their magic clearing the area and eating all the weed seeds in the dirt. I'll move the compost pile in there and they can go to town breaking it down further and burying it. Then in the late fall I will cover it with composted manure and straw to be ready for spring. Or if I'm ambitious I'll plant some winter rye to work in some nutrients and deter weed growth in the spring. This way we can take some time to figure out targeted irrigation rather than broadcast irrigation that waters the seeds. I am excited to heal that dirt.

In the old garden bed we will lay weed barrier and start planting rows of berry bushes. It is a better use of the amended soil than row planting crops that we can't water well.

Today I'll be heading down to the county fair to check out the animal barns. My neighbor, Tucker, who is my poultry guru, along with his mom Jody, will be exhibiting 19 animals from his menagerie. This kid raises everything! These are the times I wish I was in 4-H as a kid. I'm looking forward to the shows. I'm hoping I don't miss the auction, though we are not quite ready for pigs or goats. Need more fencing!! However, a barn cat or two would work, maybe (read a previous post on that topic!).

Settling into the farm has been wonderful. Last week I was on vacation, and while I had several soul reviving events like coffee and walks with girlfriends, the best of the week was the time I spent at home. Hanging with the dogs, making pie, cooking, puttering around and making things better. I painted the foundation of the house, which makes the house look a little more finished. I like this pace. I think this is the pace we are meant to live in. I have increased the energy on looking for a job closer. I have one car payment left and the next fiscal tackle is the student loans, along with fencing for the paddocks.

Things are good, and while the summer hasn't been filled with big trips or adventures, it has been immensely satisfying. Writing my other blog has also helped with my state of mind and overall satisfaction. Now, along with the fiscal goals, I have taken steps to get healthier, and shift more attention to home. These steps feel good.

Hunter's instinct

 

Had a little drama on the farm tonight. After closing up the chickens tonight we heard a ruckus in the field behind the house. A pack of coyotes sounded pretty close. I brought the eggs in and came out to feed the dogs. J ran in and grabbed his shotgun.

We put the spotlight on the field and not far behind the coops I spotted five coyotes. After a couple shots they ran off to the west. We drove around the section to see if we could see them. Making sure they really took off and weren't coming back for a second shot at whatever tasty morsels were lying in wait.

Instinct sure kicks in during one of these moments. I was tracking those guys by their eyes. Don't even think of coming near my little rooster Henry. Don't even think of it.

What a difference a day makes...

Or several. Actually, quite a few.

It's been a while since I've posted. I've been busy working, gearing up for the season and writing a new blog, farmingfortcollins.com. I thought it would be easy writing a couple extra posts a week. Well, those posts are not on our life. They require research and interviews and visits. I love it and it is one step closer to creating a life closer to home.

Early spring snows really greened things up here. The coop is built and the hens are diggin' their new run. While it needs a paint job, it is looking mighty fine. We will also need to build a separation wall inside and add a second door so I can have my garden shed.

The herb garden has sprung up and the strawberry patch is thriving. Walking through the west field we noticed some fruit bush survivors that we thought were goners for sure. A raspberry, a currant and a gooseberry. I will be transplanting them near the strawberry patch so I can keep an eye on them and keep the weeds at bay. That is the plan anyway.

The orchard also made it through its first winter. I was thrilled. The trees bloomed a little later than they would have if we were in town. Good thing, cuz the blooms would not have survived the three big snow storms that hit us.

Those storms brought some odd losses. Many small birds and a baby barn owl didn't make it. We found them in the drive and near the house. We will be building owl houses this summer to provide them better shelter. The new trees we planted as a wind break are also doing well. With the exception of a leaner. Not sure how to correct that little problem.

J and I have been dreaming more of farm life than work life. I suggested we make a list and write down what we want our life to look like. Set some intentions for our future.

I visited home last week. It was beautiful in New England and I went to the ocean for a few days and ate my fill of seafood and wild blueberry everything. My brother gave me six packets of seeds from a seed saver he knows. I am excited to plant them and see how they do. He doesn't garden and has had them for a couple years. Next visit he plans on taking me to their farm.

The dogs had a couple run in's with a bull snake. Unfortunately it made its way into their pen and

caused a ruckus. It didn't make it. My reaction and panic at the sight of a snake is dwindling. I think that is a good thing since I need to live with them. And, they keep the mice population at a minimum.

I am suffering a terrible cold from being run down and traveling. Once I kick it I plan on finishing the planting. Especially a flower garden. I'd like to start a large variety of perennials that I can later transplant in gardens around the house. Once we figure out what we are doing with porch building and driveway relocation.

I had a brilliant idea to use the paper bags from the grocery store as a mulch for paths in the garden, covered with hay to keep the weeds down. The problem with that brilliant idea was that I did not take the wind into account. Half of my paths have blown away. I will have to wait to try again once the plants fill out. Lesson learned.

Off to sweet dreams now. Thinking about the seed packets spread out all over my table.

Spring Fever...

Spring fever is catching here on the farm. So many new and exciting additions to our little world.

Last weekend was a tough and glorious weekend. We began building the new garden shed/chicken coop. We completed the floor and and framed the walls up. They are sided and in the coming weekend we will begin to frame the trusses and get the roof on. Then painting and shingling. We had some great assistance from our friend Toby. Nice trade. A days work for homemade cheddar biscuit egg sandwiches for breakfast and chili for lunch. I love love love feeding folks.

The shed, my garden shed, will be a great addition. The entrance faces the garden and keeps my tools close by instead of an acre away. There will be windows in both the shed part and the coop. Two to the south, framing the mountains, and two to the north facing the house and driveway.

The chicks have become unruly and gangly teenagers. And as teens they are anxious to spread their wings and check out the world. It will take a few more feathers in this cold before they can do that. It has been cold and snowing. Welcome to March. They will feel like they are living in the Taj Mahal after their early stint in a reclaimed dog kennel.

We had some losses. Two of the little Egyptian chicks got trampled by their two week older counterparts. Then, our hens killed one of the hens from our friends. They are bunking here until they move into their new home. Introducing new hens doesn't always go over big. While the picture books show docile and quaint visions of hens, they can be brutal stone cold killers. All our efforts for making the incorporation go smoothly didn't work out so well once we went to work for the day and couldn't keep an eye on the prison yard. I may have mentioned before that J uses gangland and prison terms when describing the hen yard. Amusing typically. But not when one of your guests gets shanked.

The final loss was my favorite guinea. She was out exploring the yard when J let the dogs out. We had their training collars, but that was futile. J had to put the bird down and walked it across the field to a hedgerow ditch to complete the circle of life with the coyotes. Needless to say by Sunday eve I was a little over the whole animal kingdom drama. But, this is life on the farm. Not always pastoral and peaceful. Sometimes it is dirty and raw. And even so, would not change a second of it. I only hope I get better at preventing the mishaps I can.

Also in the news, I am the new blogger for farmingfortcollins.com. A regional blog that explores growers and producers and markets for the area. I am thrilled. And happy for the experience this blog has given me. I will continue to do both. As this is my personal journey and the other blog I will be observer and sharer of information. Huge step toward building the life I want to. Which is all farm all the time. Whether mine or working with others in some form or fashion.

Now, time to check the status on today's launch post. Go FOCO!

Lighter Days Ahead...

 

I am thankful for the instant gratification of longer days. Yesterday it was still light some at 7 o'clock. P.M. that is. I know the hens are thankful too. They have been cackling alongside the guinea's all day. I am getting more eggs more frequently too. All signs of longer days.

 

J and I have been talking more about working less. We both have some pretty heavy jobs. They tend to take up more room than a standard workweek calls for. And while we are grateful for the financial security and the dreams it has allowed us to reach for, our sanity and health are calling for some balance. A little less working and a little more living.

 

I don't necessarily see what we do in building the farm up as work. J might disagree. He is the heavy hitter of the two of us. But there is a certain grace and peace working around the farm and watching it morph from our shared vision. The longer days come with unbounded inspiration. Over the weekend we drew up plans for the new coop/garden shed and created the shopping list for it. Building will start soon, as the chicks are feathering out fast and will outgrow their brooder quickly.

 

Speaking of chicks, we had a bit of drama this week, resulting in a couple (5) losses. Monday night I came home and took care of the dogs, made dinner, and went to put the hens away and check on the little bits in the barn. J came home as I was outside. He went in to check on dinner after an extra long day. I came in with quivering lip and crocodile tears exclaiming that all the chicks were dead. The bulb in the heat lamp burned out sometime during the day. While the barn is insulated, it is not heated. They were all lumped in a pile. And of course, the lock to the shed with all my supplies was broken and we couldn't get it open. Luckily my flair for the dramatic proved false. The chicks on the bottom of the pile didn't fair so well. So out of 28 small chicks and keets, four didn't make it. One more casualty was found in the am. J, who was also very sick, got up in the morning to check before I woke and to remove the poor little thing. Again, the hardest thing is when something suffers from my learning curve or error. Definitely a teaching moment to keep track of the hours of use with the bulbs.

In response we brought the brooder into the house and put a 100 watt bulb on them. The remaining birds did great and are thriving. The dogs however, became somewhat obsessed with this large peeping box in the living room. Other than the bedroom, where the dogs co-reside with us, we do not have a door in the house that totally closes shut. Therefore, the brooder in the house 100% of the time doesn't work so well. Especially for the dogs. Who like to pounce on anything that moves.

So, I spent the week hovering and getting new bulbs and putting the chicks back in the barn and then, went to the store and got six more. Egyptian Fayoumis and Blue Laced Red Wyandottes.

Now, it is my turn to be sick. J and I also made a deal to eat for 30 days only what we make ourselves in an effort to cut down on fast food or restaurant food and get healthier for the months (and years) ahead.

I started by making one of my favorite breakfast foods. Kasha pudding, from a recipe from one of my all-time favorite restaurants (sadly closed for many years now) back east, Curtis and Schwartz Cafe. I love warm and spicy so I adapted the recipe some from their cookbook. It is a hearty bread like pudding with fruit and nuts. Perfect topped with greek yogurt (honey flavored or drizzled in is the best). The restaurant used to add a dollop of creme fraiche on top. Mmmm.

I can't follow a recipe truly to save my life. I always have to mix it up. So I added my additions in the recipe below.

Ingredients:
4 1/2 C. milk - I warmed the milk with dried chai spices first to add more warmth
3/4 C. Kasha (buckwheat groats) - I always add a touch more
2 tbl. brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground ginger - I also add 3-4 diced cubes of crystallized ginger
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. salt - I always cook with sea salt
2 Granny Smith apples - I mix this up often. This week I used a honeycrisp apple and an asian pear
3/4 C. dark raisins - I prefer dried cranberries or cherries
3 tbl. unsalted butter
3 eggs beaten

For the topping:
2 C. chopped walnuts (or pecans or other yummy nuts)
1/4 C. brown sugar

I don't have a picture of the final cooked version. We dove into this bad boy way too quick when it was done.

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• If using chai spices, warm on low/medium heat first and then strain milk before adding other ingredients. Don't let the milk boil. We just want to infuse it with the chai spices. Using store bought chai to replace the milk would be too strong a flavor.
• After milk is strained, return it to the pot and add the kasha, sugar, spices and salt.
• Stir occasionally and bring to a soft boil over medium heat and simmer for one minute. Then remove from heat. Keep close watch. I have boiled over the milk turning my attention away for a minute. Not good and a wicked mess to clean.
• Add diced fruit and butter to the pudding.
• Temper the eggs. Do this by whisking a cup of the pudding to the beaten eggs. Then slowly whisk the egg mix back into the rest of the pudding.
• Pour the pudding into a buttered two quart casserole.
• Combine the nuts and remaining brown sugar and sprinkle on the top.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, or until the top is firm. If the nuts are browning too much cover loosely with a piece of aluminum foil.
• Serve warm with a dollop of yogurt or creme fraiche.

Way better than oatmeal.

Chick time...

Big day today. The chicks are here. I had plans to order from the hatchery. Really I did. But then this morning I had mentioned to J how I wanted to head up to Cheyenne to Murdoch's farm and ranch. Looking to get ready for chicks and stock up on some supplies. Well. We went. They had all the brooders set up, but no chicks. J wanted to get chicks (I am becoming more and more surprised at this man's transition to this life.)

It wasn't exactly a harmonious trip. I tend to wander when I am in a store. Like really wander and can't be found easily. I truly believe I will be right in this spot when you get back. But then something catches my eye, for just a second, and then all bets are off. It's a curse. And typically drives those of the spousal persuasion a tad mental.

So, we came home. Chickless.

But then, in an extension of the olive branch, J asked me if I wanted to go to the Feeders Supply store, and of course Jax farm and ranch store after. Well, twist my arm (the right one is the yes arm). So we went to the Feeders Supply and purchased 13 chicks. Then we went to Jax and purchased 12 more. And 3 guineas. Because I love my guineas.

And, because I am not always prepared for such things, we needed to come up with a brooder. Fast. We had planned on building one. Sometimes, decisions do not allow for planning. We had an extra large dog crate and J got busy. In less than an hour he transformed it into a brooder in the barn.

I love birds. All kinds. I chose approximately 10 varieties. I am looking forward to seeing how they fare and which acclimate to the farm the best. So far my favorite layers out of our older girls (Rhode Island Reds, Barred Rock and Buff Orpingtons) have been the Buffs. I have two and today they gave me three eggs. Either that or the guinea that keeps hanging out with them started laying. I haven't yet seen that happen so I can't be sure.

A couple weeks ago I had quite the experience shutting up the coop and collecting eggs. I reached in and thought I grabbed a mouse. I reached again and grabbed something quite squishy. It was an egg laid without the shell. The membrane was there, with something that looked almost like an umbilical cord, and no hard shell. I came in and told J he had to come touch it. I do notice a certain look of WTH and exactly what are you asking me to do. Especially when you describe something as freaky and cool. It tends to raise a bit of apprehension. But, J was game. We even lit a flashlight behind it to look inside. Then it was off to the compost pile with it. No shell means no barrier to bacteria.

With the arrival of the chicks, it really feels like spring is around the corner. I am completely stir crazy from our winter siesta and can't wait to get my hands in the dirt. I also can't wait to build their new coop and get them outside when they feather. J has also been getting antsy with the planning. We have fences to build and livestock to consider. He has been looking at Craig's list daily (as do I) to see what is becoming available. It is sad to see how many animals are being given away for a song or for free because folks can't feed them. I really hope we can get some moisture out here in this high desert to offset this horrible drought and hay/feed shortage.

 

But, as always with spring, there is hope. Hope that the failures in last years garden will not repeat themselves. Hope that the orchard will blossom and the trees will establish themselves well. Hope that the strawberries will be sweeter, if that is even possible, than I remember. Hope that my garden is not overcome with weeds or grasshoppers (hence the guineas). And hope unattached to anything or any idea. Just hope.

Casa de gatos muertos...

We were thinking this could be the name of the farm. "House of dead cats" (has a certain ring in Spanish) since we have had so much luck with trying to introduce barn cats to the property. Four out of four. Not good odds, for us or the cats. The last cat just showed up. A scrappy black and white fella that started eating the food I was leaving for that ghost Frankie Blue Eyes. When I saw the dogs go straight for the cat house one day I thought, finally, Frankie decided to settle in and get neighborly. It wasn't him. It was the black and white barn cat drawn in by the vittles I left.

The cat didn't seem to bothered by the dogs and was there for about a week. We had begun to think maybe he was not a he and was pregnant looking for a place to birth her kittens. Actually, I think it was sick and looking for a place to "go".

J came home from work and Jagger, the new boxer was bloody as an Irish scrapper at a rugby match. J found the cat, or a stiff version of the cat, in the dog pen. It had been there quite a while, likely before J put the dogs in the pen before heading to work. Anyway, Jagger got in a match with our other boxer Ananda. You know, those high value dog toys.

I am not really as cavalier as I may sound. We have come to accept that barn cats, right now, are not for us. We will settle for the chickens, guineas, boxers, hawks and owl for now. And one day, Jagger and Ananda will make peace and stop acting like rowdy brothers. Right? It will happen, won't it?

Juicing...

Last weekend I got a little crazy with the juicer. It was awesome, Carrots, beets, oranges and more. Recently I have had some health issues. One of them being horrible stomach aches. Sad to say, I think it is my regression back to being a carnivore after a very long time as a vegetarian. I am in my 40's. I began eating meat again in the last few years. The last year I started eating beef and pork. I had neither since I was 19.

Well, I fell off that wagon hard. When I ate it angels sang. After that it was serious iron induced cravings. Then came the stomach aches. After torturing myself for sometime trying to figure it out I remembered. I quit eating meat so long ago due to....drumroll...meat. So, I went on a little cleanse of all things hoofed and took a big dose of juice and voila - no pain.

While I don't see this experience returning me back to vegetarianism again (I am not such a healthy veg head), it will bring about that lovely concept of moderation.

This experience did have me rethink the garden in a major way. Love love love beets, and kale, and carrots. So, a big juicing section will be necessary, as will a tea garden.

And, what to do with all that veggie mash? Well, the chickens were very pleased with their mid-winter treat of vitamins. I also made the most delish carrot cake with cream cheese frosting (really, is there any other frosting to be had?)

We've also been cooking a lot. For the week making dishes that we can take to work and have each evening. Again, this makes me think of the garden and how we can work this through the winter. And, with our boatload of potatoes and winter squash this year, makes me think we really need to work out a storage area. The laundry room also has the heater and hot water heater. Not very conducive to doing double time as a cold cellar. And, since we don't have a cellar, we are going to have to be innovative this summer to solve the issue.

This past week also brought on what may be a new addition to the farm. Our luck has been lacking in bringing a barn cat to the property. We are at three strikes with that one. Instead, the food I put out for Frankie Blue Eyes, who apparently hasn't been the one eating it, has brought a little black and white beauty to our stead. He/she has been sleeping in the cat house I built. Problem is my over excitable boxers can't help but mess with it. But, it keeps coming back. And the house is probably welcome as it has dipped into the major freeze digits.

And, it is seed catalog week. I went overboard and ordered a lot of catalogs and tool catalogs, hatchery catalogs. Winter dreaming time is hear. I love planning the garden. Not that I am great at sticking to that plan, but I love the process and unlimited possibilities. Tonight I got back to my park and ride for the rest of the ride home from work and there was still sunlight. Not much, but enough to lift that feeling that spring is a million miles away. A lifting of the dark. Love it.

Now, to test those brownies I just pulled out of the oven. That new cookbook is getting a workout here.

Holidays past...

The holiday season is nearly past. I had a lovely little tree. Which surprises some since I am Buddhist. But the tree, white lights and natural ornaments of birds and such is something I need every year. A little light to get through the darkest days of the year. I guess my tree is more solstice than Christmas.

Our plan had been to spend a few quiet days at the farm. Maybe get a project or two completed and then total down time. That was part of it. Then we decided since it is way too easy to become recluses in our little part of the world, we took up an invitation to have Christmas day dinner at my friends small farm. It was friends and family. She harvested two ducks and two turkeys for the dinner and a friend of her from Longshadow farm brought some amazing homemade cinnamon ice cream. Great meal, great folks. As I always do when I visit, no matter how brisk the air, I take a little farm tour to see what's happening. Mo, with a day job and two kids, and her husband Will, also with a day job, raise duck, turkey, chickens, lambs, bees and now have three milk cows and a beef cow, along with horses, dogs and cats. They do this on 2 1/2 acres. It is amazing. We left with a half gallon of raw milk which is amazing in coffee I must say.

Now it is New Years weekend. Another weekend of friends and quiet time. I am definitely in a place where friendships are very important to cultivate and maintain. I begin the new year very grateful and anxious to see what is in store for this year.

J and I usually spend New Years day, or some time shortly after, writing a list of accomplishments from the year. We are always amazed at what we can do/see/experience in a year. It keeps us humbled and of course grateful. It's easy to get shortsighted and not remember everything when we need a reminder of our bliss.

I look forward to building a new coop, expanding my poultry brood, adding some bees and seeing the fruit trees in their first blossom. I am starting my winter seed catalog review and deciding where J should put his part of the garden. His first.

Now, we are heading out to take the dogs for a walk through the fields. We still have snow cover and the view of the mountains is amazing. Walking more is definitely on the agenda for the new year. As is living life, more and more.

Snow falls...

It's snowing. Like really snowing. Like tap the brakes and still slide by your dirt road snowing. I am in love with this type of snow. Even if it meant spending double time in the dark getting the girls ready and putting some Vaseline on their combs to prevent frostbite, adding more bedding and shutting them up tight for the night. Chores were, well not a chore. More like a meditation.

There is something almost cathedral like when the snow falls and the air is crisp and the sky is dark with bright edges. All you hear is the crunching of your boots and your breath. The world feels big and magical. Like it's all okay.

The picture above is last year during the start of the snow. We were siding the house and trying not to break the lengths of concrete siding in the wind. I am awestruck with the home we have made.

Now, it's time to snuggle down with the pups. And to pray for a snow day tomorrow. It could happen.

The Wants....

I've got the wants today. Lot's of sadness and insecurity in the air. Gives me a glimpse into preppers and hoarders, not that they have anything in common. Other than maybe the desire to be protected and feel secure.

My wants come in the form of hatchery catalogs, seed catalogs and websites on pasture raised pigs. In the form of beehives and rabbit hutches and chicken coops. Fencing and pasture grass and tomatoes the size of my fist.

When I take a breath, I still want these things. They are part of my dream. I just don't need them so desperately. Well, except maybe the chickens. I love my girls.

Things are settling for the winter, though it doesn't quite feel like winter yet. Some snow or moisture would be nice. It is a cold task watering all the trees. The cold we have. But that is it.

My live tree is lit up outside. Apparently you shouldn't host a live tree in your home for more than 5-7 days, or less. Little cramp in the yuletide spirit, but a happy healthy tree to plant come spring is worth it. This tree, if it thrives, will be my annual light up tree outdoors. While I am not especially connected to certain holidays I do believe we need to celebrate things. Often. It keeps special things from becoming mundane and inconsequential. Birthdays, friends, family. All things to cherish and celebrate. Even if it is a celebration of two, J and I. And nothing gets me through the darkness of the season like white lights. I drive through town sometimes in the eve on my way home from work just to get that little lift from the twinkling white lights.

Our new addition, Jagger, has settled into his new pack just fine, albeit there is a lot less room in the family bed. We were a bit worried as we quickly discovered he could leap tall fences in a single bound. Well, I see your leap and raise you an electric fence! Our little rescue weekend turned in to two more projects. Picketing the gate so it is as tall as the fence. That didn't work. So on to project two, hot wiring the perimeter at the top. That worked. So, now they are all safe and happy in their own private dog park.

This week is a short week that will flow nicely into a long weekend. As usual, projects are filling my thoughts. Though these are of the in house variety. I am also working on an idea of how to build a large square bale shelter for my girls come next year. It would be insulated to create the perfect cool/warm conditions they would need without having to rely on dangerous heat lamps. It would also fit a good size flock, which our current coops don't.

I am planning to move one coop with the guineas into the garden. They can wander by day and eat the garden pests.

That is one thing I like about winter. It allows for time to let the mind roam a bit with the possibilities. And provides the right amount of reigns to work those thoughts through a bit before solidifying them with action. I love the introspective time of winter. Envisioning my garden, which is of course perfect in these moments. Looking into the future of what two people can build together. It's nurturing. Taking some time away from all the doing.

I look forward to the solstice. Where we move toward the sun once again.

Black Friday...

Yesterday was a nice quiet day. J went goose hunting in the morning (still no luck). I cooked a small turkey dinner complete with apple pie. The bird was not my own, but that will come in time. I did peruse through the hatchery catalogs picking out next years home grown turkey. The herbs and the onions and the acorn squash were from our garden. A nice start.

I watched Brave from pixar while the bird was in the oven. Then we rented Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter for later. That was surprisingly good. Go Tim Burton. We don't have tv cable service here (by choice), so we do the best we can with what we can download or stream online. Most days are too busy for tv watching anyway.

Today is black friday. I usually pass on shopping but this year I couldn't help myself. I saw this online and we knew we had to get it. So this morning after breakfast in town with a friend I went to pick it up.

How could anyone resist that mug. This is Rocky (name soon to be changed) and he is a boxer. A scrawny little bit that was dropped of last week at the humane society. He will fit in just fine with our other two boxers. He is goofy and gangly and quite a lover. So, black friday shopping it is. Go local and go for making a difference. They also had some roosters and goats and a $5 adoption fee today only for cats. But I was proud of myself. The chick order will be going in to the hatchery sometime soon and we will likely get a rooster out of that, the goats were sadly all male, and the cats were house cats not barn cats. So, all that helped in the restraint department.

So, I am now going to go out and bond with my newest little pack member while J is goose hunting.

Preparations...

It's that time of year where you have a 70 degree day of sun followed by a chilly snowy day. Today is the chilly snowy day. I went into town on errands. We still have some of the large trees to finish planting. We need to use the tractor to lift them into the holes they are so big. Wonderful score. I have become a craig's list junkie. Looking  for deals in the farm and garden section. I sent one to my friend Mo yesterday. $3.50 bales of straw. Because of the drought straw has cost as much as hay used to. And it has been hard to find.

J and I also built the new dog pen. It is beautiful. It has a wind break and is larger then it used to be. It will also have a shade structure for the summer. They will be happy and safer. And bonus, it looks great (and could hold several goats really well).

Today was an apple crisp kind of day. And movies. We so rarely get a quiet day of rest. This one is welcome after a busy and productive morning of errands and finishing the fence. I am already dreaming of planting in the spring. But, I should hold on and just soak in this day. Now, back to afternoon snoozing.

Hope springs...

There is something about planting a tree. Really something when it is many trees. Something about hope. A tree, while small and splendid, is not meant for those seeking instant gratification. When I had the range management folks out here they told me their saying. "When is the best time to plant a tree? Twenty years ago." Or, second best, last Saturday afternoon.

I am already lusting at the thought of picking a ripe honeycrisp and experiencing the universe in a bite (I really like those. A lot.) Oh, Eve, I get it. The temptation. Apples are so many things to me. Comfort, love, nourishment, fall in New England, cider, cider donuts, friends and leaves and cool nights and brisk air. The scent brings a flood of memories held and those to come. Not to mention the peaches and cherries I planted. I don't know when we will have fruit, but fruit we will have if I have to take a little heater out there come spring to ward off frost. A naysayer said I may not have any luck. I told him that may well be, but I got me a whole boatload of stubborn.

I finally got the orchard planted. They look lovely tall and straight. All ten fruit trees in a lovely pattern in the northeast corner of the farm. They are somewhat protected on two sides by other trees, to the south there are three large grain silos and to the east the neighbors outbuildings and treeline. I imagine in a few years it will be an enchanted place.

Growing up in New England apple orchards were everywhere. A couple people showed surprise recently that apple trees, or fruit trees in general, could grow there. I looked surprised myself and hope I didn't come across rudely when I stated of course. There is an amazing bounty there. I guess our reputation for harsh winters has something to do with the notion. But it isn't so much the deep freeze of winter that limits, but rather that Colorado has the undesirable habit of heavy frosts or hail storms at the most inconvenient of times. Like, all year, especially July if memory serves.

This weekend was especially busy. J went elk hunting in the mountains outside of Gunnison. I spent the weekend semi solo. Actually, I was surrounded by friends, so solo I was not. I went visiting friends, planted trees (thank you bobcat man for digging my holes!), introduced the guineas and chickens to each other, danced with the girls to a rockabilly band, hit a movie, and tackled the three tubs of once green heirloom tomatoes I had to pick suddenly because of our early fall frost.

I always have pioneer longings. Filling my pantry with food I canned. Filling my freezer with fresh pesto and veggies. Well, my job and commute don't exactly allow for that. Once a year I pull off a major endeavor but salsa and pasta sauce were not in the cards. Instead I pulled my favorite cheat. I halved and quartered them and then roasted them in olive oil, sea salt and pepper. 400 degrees for about an hour. Once some of the skin was caramelized or slightly blackened I let them cool, put them in freezer bags, and voila, heaven. I add them to everything and the roasting makes their flavor so much richer. It truly was quick and painless.

Green. Very green. And so many. They were really good sliced on homemade pizza.

About two weeks or so and they were ripe. We did loose some of them.

 

Sliced and ready to go.

Perfection.

Now, what to do about the two tubs of squash.

Whew...

Sooo, our big farm party ended up being on the coldest day of the week and the morning after our first dusting of snow. Sunday of course was sunny and beautiful. We were lucky enough to miss the majority of the snow. Even so, J and I built a big cook pit, a fire pit and had a shindig with band anyway. It was a blast and we saw a lot of folks that hadn't yet made it out to the farm.

We cooked 100 lbs of beef and pork roasts, 15 lbs each, in the ground and then threw some on the grill at then end or left it to blacken a bit on the coals. All the food was wonderful and it was truly a great way to celebrate our efforts and our big potato harvest that morning.

All in all, even with the cancellations from the weather, we had 75 folks come through all evening.

The rest of the weekend was rest. Many movies and leftovers and apple crisp later, we were content. Today I had the day off (thank you feds) and while the majority of the day I had a sinus headache, I was able to build the chickens larger temporary fenced area. It is a b***h putting t-posts into concrete (aka northern Colorado dirt), but in the end I prevailed. As did the girls.

Now, to water the fruit trees before dark.

Coming around...

Fall is here. It feels early to have yellow and bare trees and it isn't yet October. Close, but not yet. The evenings are cool and the winds are coming around. I forgot how quiet the air has been these past few months.

We are gearing up for the farm party. It is looking like it will be a big time. Based on the rsvp's it could be up near 100 or more. My friend Jeff Finlin was going to play with his band but he got called out of town for that weekend. Being the amazing guy that he is he lined up another band. A 3-piece blues band. It will do just fine, and the gesture was immensely appreciated.

We are finding the ground to be unforgiving right now. Years of no care or irrigation has made it solid. It took J all day yesterday, with the auger and tractor, to dig six fence post holes. The plan was to do the entire perimeter of the new dog pen before next weekend. Not happening.

I had my first shot training yesterday. It was a gun safety class to get beginners comfortable around fire arms. We just came up on the wait list for the local outdoor gun range. I was very happy for the opportunity to have someone explain the basics and the mechanics to me. I think J sometimes gives me more credit than he should. As a result he doesn't always explain new things to my need level (that would be not much brighter than a fencepost on the topic of guns). But alas, I am joining the female ranks of rifle shooters. Today we attended orientation and then went to the range so I could spend some time using my henry repeating action rifle. I must say, being immediately good at something feels kinda good. I may be ready for next years hunting season.

I also went a little nuts on trees this weekend. I love craigs list. I look at the local farm section faithfully. As a result I purchased 10 fruit trees. 2 each of 3 varieties of apples, 2 cherry and 2 reliance peach. One of the apple varieties was from a graft the fellow brought back from Belgium. I liked that it had a story to it. Then I went and purchased 8 windbreak trees. Some will be used as shady trees for various parts of the property and the evergreens will start the western windbreak. I am excited for trees. Not so excited at the state of our ground and the work it will take to plant them. But as the saying goes, the saying I tell myself anyway, nothing worth having comes easy.

I do believe we may also OD from potatoes. They are magnificent and we eat them often. The tomatoes are finally turning red on the vine, which makes them all the more delicious. We have eaten them several times sliced on a small bed of fresh arugula with small slices of fresh mozzarella and a splash of fig balsamic vinegar. Gardens are truly a glorious thing.

Now, time for some reading before another work week begins. Luckily, it's a short one.

Ode to a hornworm...

These critters, which I think you could seriously ride, were in abundance in the tomatoes this week. As a result, the chickens were ecstatic for the extra protein. J and I picked them every evening for three days. They are huge!!

The tomatoes are also huge, but still very green. Not so good with the recent dip in nighttime temps. Nearing 40 degrees each night. I am hopeful the paper bag trick works on them. I picked a large bowl full today.

This week was also the preliminary potato and onion harvest. I swear new potatoes are a divine gift. Just cooked with a little butter or for breakfast potatoes in the morning. Five plants gave us more than half of a 5 gallon bucket. I planted 8 rows 25 feet long. We are going to have potatoes for a while. My squash is also finishing up. I love squash. Tonight for a celebration pot luck I made baked stuff squash a la Molly Katzen and her Moosewood treasure of recipes. It's originally a recipe for eggplant, but it is great for those baseball bat size squash that spring up over night.

This month we have plans to finally build the dogs pen and a larger chicken/guinea run. And clean some stuff up around the barn and touch up some painting. We are planning a large farm party to celebrate our first year on the farm. This time last year we were getting ready to close on the farm. So much has happened since then. It continues to amaze me. So, it'll be a big time with a live band and food. Yes, potatoes will be on the menu.

It will also be time to plant garlic, clean the beds, till up a small area for fall/winter greens and start dreaming of next years garden and projects, like that hasn't already started. This is my favorite time of year with the cool air coming in, the apples at the farmers market, and everything orange and harvest yellow. It also makes me miss New England. That is really the place to be in the fall. But, my little piece of the universe will do for second best.

Now, time to ready myself for the party and pop those squash boats in the oven.

Breather...

Ahhh. I took a much needed breather and met J at his mom's lake house in Lake Anna Virginia. There is nothing like hanging at the lake, reading, being quiet, hanging with good people and eating good food and sleeping in to recharge a person. I always feel so rested after a visit there. Soul rested.

I also come back feeling inspired from my short week away. J, his mom and I went to Monticello to see the recreated gardens of Thomas Jefferson. I am in awe and completely inspired to revision my own garden, which is ironically of similar shape and length. Jefferson's was a 1000 feet long with orchards and a vineyard below.

This year I was overrun with weeds. Horrible thick ones that were a bear to pull and broke my weedwacker several times. We had to mow them with the tractor on at least three occasions. They shadowed out the majority of my seed plantings and tried to choke out the rest.

One of the ideas I took from Monticello was planting clover and other short containable (if there is such a thing) grasses. Between the plowed sections I will leave clover walking paths. These will also benefit by acting as a green mulch and I believe a nitrogen fixer, while adding a touch of grace to the chaos.

J and I have also been planning a farm party. We will be lucky to pull off our grandiose scheme this late in the game, but it is a chance to invite friends and family to celebrate the birth of this farmstead and crazy agrarian dream.

I also bought some seeds from their collection while I was there. Just a couple. Some flowers and a Queen Anne melon. I am always on the hunt for perfect fruits to grow in this arid high desert climate.

I am happy to be home and am filled with anticipation to pick up the dogs in the morning and check on my birds. I have one hen that has been broody for well over a month now. So I will either have some babies to tend to or she will have a harsh reality check being booted from the box. We shall see. For now, while it lasts, I am just content and relaxed in my little slice of heaven.

Feels like fall...

The mornings are getting darker and cooler. Part of me wants to put the breaks on summer. I feel like I haven't done anything and it is almost over. Especially with cooler days and cooler evenings. Another part of me is thrilled my favorite time of year is here.

The garden, for what survived, did well, but not what I was hoping for. Not bad though for the first year and a million projects that were priorities over it. Squash plants are huge! I mean huge bushes and long running vines. The winter squash are coming along nicely. Today I am going to dig up some of the beat up potato plants to see if we had any luck with them. The other plants are gorgeous. We had one of the onions so far. They are getting larger by the day.

My hope was to have a big harvest party. We are still trying to throw together a party. It just won't be much of what we grew. Luckily, I live in a pretty big Ag community with plenty of farms to buy from. We are also hoping to get some music and have folks just give a donation to the band. I am looking forward to making it an annual gathering, if we can just get the first one off the ground.

Yesterday we picked up a chest freezer from a friend. We have a quarter share of beef coming in a couple weeks. I will also have some veggies to be put up in the freezer and we are thinking of getting some meat birds that we can grow in 12 weeks and harvest for the freezer to cover us through winter.

How we are slowly changing the way we think about food and eating is such an amazing process. I weeded the strawberries yesterday and I am thrilled that the majority of them survived, even thrived, and are shooting off runners. The patch will be great next year.

We have plans for trees in October. While we have to prepare wind breaks, I am also shooting to get the orchard started. The overall plan for the land is starting to come together. We can see how it is going to evolve over time. That makes it feel a bit more manageable. By next year we should be able to introduce new chickens, meat goats and pigs. It will be an interesting year two.

I am putting together a photo book of the first years evolution. It was just barely over a year ago that I put a bid on the farm while J was at Sundance praying. We closed at the end of September and this incredible journey began. The change in the farm and in us in mind boggling. I went through the photos the other day and still can't believe what we bought and what it has become. No wonder I am tired. Good bone tired from a labor of love.

Everythings peachy...

Literally. I have been up to my eyeballs in peaches from the Western Slope. They are heavenly. I made a cobbler and 12 jars of freezer jam. My first attempt with freezer jam. I am hoping it comes out wonderful. I still have a grocery bag full of peaches. I will likely can or freeze slices.

Life, as usual, has been busy. I went back east to visit my family week before last. It was a good and hectic visit, as always. I did take my father and nephew on a farm field trip. I read Greenhorns recently and there were two essays from Ben James. Ben and his wife Oona Coy run Town Farm in Northampton, Mass. I lived in Northampton and the surrounding happy valley for 17 years before coming to Colorado. So, I emailed Oona and she invited me to visit whenever I was in the area.

Let me just say, their farm is stunning. The farmhouse itself is a renovated barn. I was in awe and can't believe they did all they did over five years. There is hope. I took the following pics while I was there for inspiration. It is not enough to have a home. I aspire to have a sanctuary that reflects all the things I love, such as art, music and gardens. It appears Oona and Ben do as well.

I have also spent a lot of time thinking about where I want to go with our farm. J asked me while I was away (it was our anniversary) if I was open to a surprise. Usually that is a resounding yes. But I had a feeling on this one and asked if he was going to buy me a baby goat. He was. While that is something I have wanted (baby or no) for a long time, I knew we weren't ready. (Where did that voice of reason suddenly come from) We have no shelters, no proper fencing and I am not quite sure if we go dairy or meat for our first. We still have to upgrade the dog pen from it's temporary state to the permanent fence with sunshade. So, that is for another day.

But, again,it does get me thinking. I believe if we put things in writing they have a better chance of manifesting. Also, you have a clear direction rather than planning by default. So, if I ruled my world, I would have create the following:

• A ___ mile market. Like a New England farm stand but year round. Selling produce and value added products from the local farmers. It would have a small cafe with a menu that changes daily depending on what is available, local and in season. We would assist small farmers in having access to a year round market so they can expand their income through the year with fresh greens and hothouse produce. We would have an area for workshops for backyard gardeners and an outdoor garden  that supplies some of the ingredients for the cafe. We would be an educational center for promoting and assisting in bringing farmers together with schools and hospitals and corporate cafeterias. We would host workshops for beginning farmers on how to grow on a market scale and handle livestock, marketing and doing the business side. In addition we would have an area of the shop for homesteading supplies. So much is only accessible online now. We would also refurbish old garden tools and give them new life in someone else's garden and have a vintage shop for old tools, flannels and the like. It would be an intersection of all things agrarian for urban and hobby farmers alike. We would also have specialty and heirloom produce from different cultures. And of course, there would be music. I would call it the Agrarian Market.

If you want to know what I do with my free time, that is it. Planning the dream.