Hayrides

Today was a much less relaxing Saturday than usual. I woke up, earlier than I wished, to haul hay. We were out on the tractor and trailer by 6:10 am. Although it was early, the air was still cool and brisk making it as enjoyable experience as hay hauling can be. In 4 hours we had move roughly 335 bales of hay from the pasture to the hay barn. Now as the sun climbs in the sky and the temperatures reach the 90's, I am glad we got the job done early.

Most of the past week has revolved around pasture rotation of the animals. Blackberries are known to grown well here in the northwest. We most definitely have an abundance of them on the farm. Although they produce delicious fruit, the blackberry bush is thorny and invasive. It can take over a pasture and leave little room for grasses and other forage to grow. A few years back Tim bought a goat herd to help with the problem. We fence the goats in a small area where they can intensely graze the blackberries. They eat all the green leaves and green stems of the bush. It is pretty incredible how much they will consume of a blackberry patch. Tim has said he finds this method much more cost effective and less time intensive than other methods he has used. Around every 5 days we have to move the herd to another patch.

Along with the goats, we also move the pigs every so often. The feeder pigs (who are 6 months old) are growing fast. They are at the age where they aren't scared of us anymore, but they aren't driven by their stomachs either. So herding them to their new pen is like trying to herd kittens. Last week we set up a pen, tried to herd them to it, attempted to keep them out of the squash field, and ended up setting up the fence around the place they decided to lay down. It was quite a circus. But they are pretty cute and I enjoy being with them. The adult pigs are also getting more complicated to move. They have figured out that when we move the hot wire, they are free to roam. The good thing about them is that their stomachs rule. So they don't wander anywhere that we can't bring them back with a little grain. All 9 piglets are doing well, growing so fast. The two other sows will be giving birth within the month. It's quite exciting.

We worked out a deal with a neighboring farm who makes goat cheese. One of the by products of cheese is whey. It happens to be high in protein, and a great food supplement for pigs. Now 2-3 times a week Colby and I drive out to Boone's Farm to pick up the whey. Boone's Farm is one of the more interesting places in the area. The place's namesake comes from Boone, the dog. He is a Mastiff, Pit bull, Rhodesian ridge back cross. He is top heavy and looks as though his massive head and shoulders might make him fall on his face. The human owner of the ranch is a guy named Mookie. He is a 30 year old activist who has been involved with various social movements (those of which I am unsure). He is a strong looking guy with tattoos (including one that says Boone), he used to hitch hike around the states, and now he owns a successful goat dairy. He and two of his vegan house mates have found a new hobby. Mookie has inherited a meat grinder from him grandmother. The 3 of them have recently found pleasure in shooting ground squirrels (which are the equivalent to tree squirrels but they burrow holes) Then skinning the squirrels, grinding the meat and feeding it to their dogs. A pretty quirky crew. Boone's farm has more of a hostel feel than anything. Concerts and gatherings are held there frequently. People come and go as they please. One never knows how many people will be there when you show up. The number seems to always fluctuates as to how many people are living there. At my last count there were 8. I am happy that Colby and I now have an to drop by more often. Last night we went to Boone's farm in the evening and had a nice dinner with the folks there. It is a great place to socialize and meet interesting people. I think that at this farm one gets a good sense of what the community is like here and what is going on in the area. It is said that the gossip spreads fast in the valley. I think Boone's farm does not have to go searching for it but rather has it brought to their doorstep.

Weekend plans include a dinner and hangout at a coworkers house. He has lived in the area all his life so there should be a lot of people from the community there. There is a class Sunday morning at a neighboring farm. Afterwards Colby and I have our last city league ultimate frisbee game on Sunday. It is a mini-tournament so we will be playing 2 games. Afterwards is a barbeque with the frisbee folks. It is a good group with a diverse age range. Beer, meat and veggies are all provided. Delicious!

Finally some light reading for anyone interested. An article about the economic recession and how it is affecting organic dairy farmers.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/2009/06/26/us/AP-US-Farm-Scene-Organics-Recession.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1246031109-TiIEaprJ02Kpv80Iksf75Q