June 2009

Ursa, a Great Pyrenees puppy, arrived at the farm this month. She'll serve as livestock guardian once I've completed her training. For now, she's a white fluffy ball of energy, intent on chasing the goat kids, turkeys and chickens.

Goats turn out to be pretty cool. Not only do they provide milk, but they also work as a land-clearing crew, eating up briars and poison ivy. Electric net fencing allows me to move their pasture around once a week, opening up new territory for them and gradually clearing land. I'm building a milking shed on skids which will enable me to move it as needed. And I built a milk stand using a plan from Fias Co Farm. See the milk house slideshow.

The 14 young pullets purchased in February started laying eggs this month, bringing the hen population up to 24. I have way too many roosters though, so I'll soon be processing a few of them to bring peace to the barnyard and food to the table.

In the garden, green beans are coming in great batches, tomatoes, onions, cucumbers and squash are ready, while sunflowers and other cut flowers provide a beautiful backdrop to the garden. The carrots, peas and Swiss chard are ignoring the hot weather. The young blueberry plants produced a handful of berries. Strawberries haven't been very prolific. Yukon Gold potatoes are delicious and the little French fingerlings were a good choice. I also harvested the garlic crop this month. I set aside the largest bulbs to use as seed in the fall and it looks like I'll have plenty to sell after the curing process is complete.

After trying several soft goat cheeses, I finally ordered a cheese press and made the first one-pound wheel of cheddar cheese, coated in red wax. The aging time on this recipe is just a month, so I'll have my first slice come August.

Flies have been unrelenting this month, with my Jersey cow Isabelle taking the brunt of the assault. I talked to several local feed stores looking for an organic solution, but as in many areas of our society, the "easy" answer always involves some kind of potent chemical. Do you really want to drink milk or eat meat from an animal regularly drenched in poison? I finally found an herbal mixture that, when sprayed or rubbed on her coat, offers some temporary relief, when combined with a fly mask made for horses. She does present a strange sight though, standing in the pasture.