The Big Picture

It's all about keeping the agricultural spaces open, the greenery visible and the livestock benefiting from lush grass, clean mountain streams and great views.

 

This same environment benefits the numerous wildlife in a big way.

Certain birds only nest in fields, flocks of turkeys power graze all the bugs and sweet grasses, deer herds join the cows as they munch on clover and timothy.

Thousands of finches, bees, hummingbirds and butterflies invade the fields in search of weed seeds, flowers, milk weed, pollen and other tasty treats.

Hawks, owls and other sky predators hunt the mice, moles, rabbits and other rodents that make their homes in the fields.        Fields are alive with all kinds of animals, many we can not see.

Many I do see on a daily basis.

A farmer who is a good steward of the land is a good steward for wildlife too.

So the next time you see a content herd of cattle or a flock of sheep, think of all the wildlife that you don't see that are living in the same foot print of the healthy herd.

Don't forget all the wild flowers that live in cow fields too.

Here is my favorite one.    Blooming all over the field in the last 2 days.

Name this flower.

And tell me what is going on in your field.....
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Farm Days

The strawberries are ripe and ready to go and area farms have a variety of fresh produce for sale.

Flowers and vegetable plants are also available by the wagonload.

There are many people to engage in conversation when you visit a local farm stand.  I have met some wonderful folks while shopping for raw milk, berries, jam, spring veggies and pickled eggs. 

 I have also met some very sweet cows that guard the farm gate while......  

 others take an afternoon nap.

My favorite sights are antique weather vanes against a perfect blue sky.

I am lucky to live in a fertile valley of farms, food, forests and bovines.

What veggies and fruits are ripe in your area?
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Co-Habitation

I am fortunate to pass several large beaver-made swamps on the way to work. Twice a day I get to observe the wildlife, in all 4 seasons, that use this body of water in many different ways.

For the last several weeks, in the fog, I could barely make out a shape on top of the main beaver lodge.

When the foggy mornings ended I was delighted to see this duck family using the beaver lodge to raise their family and use it as a guard post.
(Click on the photos to see the rest of the camouflaged family in the water and in the reeds.)

In the morning the female and her ducklings were on it, and in the evening I was able to take a few photos of the drake on the lodge acting as a sentry.

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I was a great distance away, but the minute I sneezed, he heard me and started alerting his family.

I wonder how the beavers feel about their quacky tenants.

What wildlife have you seen lately?
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Flock'n

Every afternoon I let my flock free range and train them to the boundaries of the farm while I closely supervise them.   The ducks immediately go into the jungles of tall grass and start consuming hundreds of snails that they find on each blade of grass and on the soil.

The hens are a little bit fussy about where they go to find their dinner.

They prefer clover and small bugs in the short grass areas... at least for now while they get used to free ranging in a limited area.

Every time I count heads to make sure the flock is within the boundaries, I see duck butts.

There is no happier bird than a duck chowing down on nasty crop destroying snails.

The 2 new pullets have their own technique for bug searching. They head for the back of the garden and start their focused hunt for tasty crawling morsels and clovers.  These two work the area in a sophisticated grid.    Very different from the rest of the chicken group.

If you have a bad snail problem in your garden, get yourself some ducks.

Not only are they effective at eliminating destructive pests but these beautiful birds are fun to watch.

They continually talk to each other in quiet tones. It makes my heart happy to see and hear them. My blood pressure and stress is reduced when I sit and watch them do their happy work in the garden and on the edges of the woods.

After a few hours of grazing they both head to their little water tub and take a quick bath and then head out again to continue eliminating the massive snail population.
They are my super heroes.

Do you have a super hero in your garden?
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Cow Fog

If it wasn't for my one white cow, I would never be able to find the herd in the early mornings.

The fog has been so thick that the cows are almost invisible, especially the black ones.

Have you ever lost your herd in the fog?

How is the weather where you are?
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Out of the Bag

A few days ago I posted about how I was growing all my vine veggies in bags of soil.
I had started planting seeds in them about 4 weeks ago and they had all sprouted quickly.

It looked good and sounded good at the time, but recent developments have shown it not to be a good technique.

A week of rain, an unfortunate snail migration and continual cold temps at night made all my squash, melons, cukes and pumpkins fail to grow or they turned yellow and died.  Even with drainage holes, the bags never drained out and the bottom of the bags never warmed up.

Yesterday when the sun came out I did "veggie rescue" and cut all the bags open and removed the soaking wet clumps of soil and the remaining plants and lined them up at the end of one of my rows.

It was a muddy, cold mess of dirt and rotting roots.

The soil will take a few days of continual sunshine to dry out and hopefully the veggies will look a little better by then.

Sadly, I had used the last of my banana melon, white pumpkin and banana squash seeds in this bag technique and they did not survive.

Live and Learn.

Some of my friends are growing cukes in bags hung from their porches as well as potatoes in buckets, and all seem to be growing nicely.

When the soil warms up I am going to reseed a few regular buttercup squash and call it a done deal.

Anyone have any banana melon or banana squash seed they want to share?

Ever have a garden disaster?
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More Snakes

Things are finally drying out after a week of rain and powerful storms.

Most of my veggie plants are showing the wear and tear of too much water and no sun. Leaves are yellow and a few tomato plants have withered away and died.  Made me sad to see how many plants just faded away.

Just as I was about to go into my gardening shed and get some tools, I stepped on a big, thick snake.

We both screamed and ran in opposite directions.

After the initial surprise wore off, I went back, opened the shed door and there he was curled up in the corner by the door....plus a few of his other "friends" laying in the sunshine near my bale of straw.

One of them left a gift of a freshly shed snake skin on top of my water cup.

Within the first hour I had counted, and photographed 11 snakes in various positions in DRY, sunny areas around my garden.   They too had been waterlogged and bruised by hailstones and flying debris during the 2 powerful storms that ripped through here.

All the tired snakes were garter snakes.  I haven't seen the big mother milk snake today, but am sure I will.

Several of the snakes never moved while I replanted a few veggies and dug trenches to move the next deluge of water away from th garden shed.

They all seem healthy and well fed.

I guess that they are feeding on bugs, mice and other delectables they are finding around the edges of the garden, farm and coop.

I may start marking them with a bit of nail polish to see if I am seeing the same ones.  And of course I will have to name them.

This one I named Makemescream.  Its an old Indian name....

 

Do you have any resident snakes on your property?

Got any you named?

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Scenes From Today

Lots to see up here in Vermont.   The grass is green the barns are red and the cows are fat and happy.

There are many old farms with rolling hills, newly planted crops and family cemeteries.

The sky is blue and the lakes and streams are crystal clear and are full of trout waiting to meet you.

There are snoring steers sleeping on hillsides.

And beautiful Jersey cows up to their knees in lush grass.

Occasionally you will see the wonderful sight of an old manure spreader full of colorful flowers.

Rural Vermont is a beautiful place to experience.  If you have a chance, come visit.

How many of you have a piece of agricultural equipment in your yard as a lawn ornament ?
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DogChick

Mavis tolerates much in her little life.

One of the new pullets is fascinated by Mavis when she lays down.

 The Sussex pullet continually circles Mavis, checking her out, but never putting so much as a beak on the little dog.

Mavis naps as the bird walks all around her, sometimes snacking on a piece of grass or clover near her.

Every time this pullet does her daily dog dance, the other two Sussex pullets stand on the sidelines and watch.

I wonder what the conversation is while this takes place.

The other chickens never participate, just these Speckled Sussex.

Mavis takes it all in stride. Probably thankful its not a cow trying to herd her.

Do you have a hen that pesters one of your dogs?
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Oldest and Best

I discovered the oldest General Store in the USA.

It is located in a very rural town in Northern New England.

One day I was driving by and stopped and noticed the stores claim to fame.

Its a very interesting store.

Guess what town it is in.

Have you ever been to this very unusual place?
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Bagg'n It

I am planting all my squash, pumpkins, melons and cucumbers in bags of soil this year.

Last year I had so many vines growing in my garden that I couldn't find my other veggies AND the snails followed the vines to the other plants.

So, to reduce snail damage and the large amount of prime garden space used by squash and their relatives, I am experimenting with this technique.

I have lots of unusable hillsides that I will be "directing" the large orbs of veggies to head to.

 

I am using 2 different kinds of garden soil from 2 different companies.

From Day 1,  I have been keeping a garden diary on where and how I planted my seeds.

It will be interesting to see which soil grows the best plants.

Have any of you used this technique? 

Any helpful hints you want to share?

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Calf Dayz

The field is filling up with healthy calves.

They are romping all over the fields and jumping over clumps of grass in their never ending games of "chase me."

A few of the calves are real eye catching.

The newer calves stay close to their moms.

Other calves excel in hide and seek.

The fields smell sweet from all the wild roses and red clover.

Its nice to see such happy, healthy calves running free and enjoying the lush grass.

They eat. They drink. They nap.  A great summer life.

 

More on the way.

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Fair Feathered Fiends

Where there are silos, there are pigeons.

But only if the silos soak up the sun and warm the birds during the cold weather and only if sometimes they have grain spilled around them.

The birds leave free fertilizer all over the area, not exactly where its needed, but at least its there for the taking and stepping in....

Every day more show up to share the warm lids of the silos.

They sit like gargoyles on an ancient building.

I hear there is a big interest in supplying fresh squab to restaurants.

No doubt it is considered very sustainable agriculture.

Locally grown, grain fed, sunflower fed, spring water fed, fresh air, blue skys.

Have you ever eaten squab?

What does it taste like? ( don't say chicken..)
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Chicken Art

My chickens have been making art this week. I had never noticed before, but now I have become aware of their artistic abilities and will be spending more time photographing their creations.

Here is what I noticed on the step to the coop yesterday:

Simply made with shavings, red paint dribbles and wet feet.   Sheer genius.

There is a woman in NY whose cat makes art for $4,000 per piece.

I wonder what this step is now worth..

Do you have artistic critters in your barn?

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