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In ‘n’ Out

Mar
25

My new child! He’s the one on the left.
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My new FAVORITE child! Look at that big smile! Austin is a sailor on Ross’s sub. He came home with Ross this weekend to help Ross get my truck here–and get back to Norfolk. Ross drove my truck here, with Austin following behind in Ross’s new truck, then they went back together in Ross’s truck.

Austin is from Iowa, and he’d never been to a farm before!
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Farms are so out of control! Animals everywhere!

I had a great time this weekend feeding my houseful of big boys. Weston was home from WVU, too. Ross and Weston take my home cooking for granted, but Austin was excited and feeding him was fun. I cooked up venison from Ross’s conquest last Thanksgiving, and made stacks of pancakes with homemade maple syrup. Austin had never had homemade maple syrup or homemade butter before. I had apple pie and brownies and homemade ice cream. Austin was so enthusiastic! I told Ross to bring him back!

So, back to the horses….. There’s a section of fence that they pushed down next to the new shelter. I shut the main gates and left them out till Ross was home. I wanted to learn about fixing fence myself, but I wanted help pulling the fence tighter. So we all got to work.
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First, Morgan spread the fertilizer.
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Then she got a halter on Zip. Shortcake follows Zip. Donkeys are another issue.
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Donkeys follow no man.
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Morgan: “I HATE PUTTING DONKEYS BACK.”
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Finally, we had to get some food involved.
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And everyone was back where they belonged!
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The sailors took off, back to base.
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And I left the main gates shut just in case. And good thing.
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Because guess where the horses are this morning?!

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Speaking of Woolly Sheep Behinds

Mar
21

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Usually by about now, I’d be having my sheep sheared. It’s high time! Well, it’s still a bit chilly, but it’s spring and the sheep need their coats off. However! The Spring Wool & Writing Retreat is coming up May 2 – May 6, and I’m saving the shearing for the workshop. Here’s the description of the wool workshop days.

WOOL WORKSHOP – Thursday, May 2, 2013 – Friday, May 3, 2013

Come to the farm for a two-day woolly adventure! We’ll start with shearing the sheep, and anyone who wants to join in will have a hands-on chance to take off some wool. From there, we’ll skirt, wash, card, and practice spinning with a drop spindle. You will also have the opportunity to see how a spinning wheel operates. You’ll find out what it’s like to keep a small flock of sheep, play with some bouncy new lambs, and learn to cook with lamb. We’ll dine on lamb for supper! (Not MINE!) Evenings will be spent practicing knitting, crocheting, and spinning. If you’ve never tried it before, you’ll leave with the skills and a couple of easy patterns. You’ll also take home a bag of wool from the Sassafras Farm sheep to work with at home. Whether you want to start a flock of your own or just learn more about working with wool from raw to sweater, this workshop offers the inspiration and know-how for all your woolly dreams.

We really ARE going to shear the sheep! I will have a shearing man on hand, of course, but he’ll just be there to manhandle the sheep flipping and as backup. We’re going to shear the sheep ourselves. Every attendee who wants to get hands on will get their hands on! Sheep shearing day is an adventure. Like getting hay, it’s one of those times I really enjoy. It’s a challenge handling animals, and shearing is the big annual sheep challenge. From there, we’ll work with the raw wool. This is going to be a packed two days.

I will have three new lambs on the farm–this time, three month old lambs ready for their new home, not a bottle lamb. The lambs will be coming the end of April and will be on the farm, ready to play. There is about nothing cuter than a bouncing lamb, and those of you who are here will enjoy them. I’m also taking home a fourth sheep, a wether, and I doubt I’ll be taking any photos of him. He will be headed forthwith to the butcher, and we will have fresh farm-raised lamb for our meals and cooking lessons. I truly want this to be an experience that offers it all, from the shearing and the wool to playing with lambs and how to cook with lamb. If you don’t know how to knit or crochet or spin, we’ll be doing that, too, and if you already know, I hope you’ll enjoy learning more or sharing in our evenings together hanging out and playing with hand spun yarns.

I’m so looking forward to the first event here this year. There are still spaces available, so let me know if you want to come. Email me at CITRevents@yahoo.com. You can take a day of herbals after the wool workshop, and there is also a writing workshop. Find out more here.

There’s also a summer retreat with cheesemaking and the family cow, a day of breads/pies and more, and soap and herbals.

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  1. IMG_7347

    March 13, 2013 - Riding

    This weekend, I went to Soggy Bottom Farm and rode the trails with Sheila on my old friend, Sierra.

    We rode out around the pasture, past the other horses.

    Then onward to the steep trails.

    Steep trails are a challenge to my balance. Sierra is a good “robot” horse, though, and she always … Continued…

  1. IMG_7305

    March 7, 2013 - Playing with the Babies

    Maia loves it when she gets to come up to the house. She thinks she belongs in the house.

    Morgan was home sick from school yesterday. Or something. Sometimes she just needs a mental health day, I think. She wanted Maia to come up to visit, so I went to the barn and we played with her for awhile…. Continued…

  1. IMG_7181

    February 25, 2013 - Weekend with Animals

    It was a busy animal day here on Saturday, one of those days where I handle every animal on the farm. The farrier was coming, and Morgan wasn’t home. Moving the horses and donkeys from the field back to the barn by myself is a task. If I do it right, Shortcake will follow Zip. Usually. Donkeys follow no one and generally require some pushing and shoving and cajoling to … Continued…

  1. IMG_7026

    February 18, 2013 - Morning with Bottle Baby

    My mornings these days mean a trip to the barn with the bottle for Maia as soon as it is light. She is so eager for her first milk in the morning! And she’s not the only one. Nutmeg and Fanta would like a bottle, too! So I take Maia out to the milking parlor to feed her separately then take her back to the nursery stall to play with the … Continued…

  1. IMG_7074

    February 13, 2013 - Four Girls and a Goat Burger

    Nutmeg was standing quietly in the goat house on Monday evening at feeding time. Since she’s a pig, it’s not normal for her to refuse to come to dinner. I hustled her into the stall in the barn, to Chloe’s consternation, and next thing you know, she birthed three babies (and looked decidedly less rotund).

    One brown, one black, and one white. She’s into … Continued…

  1. IMG_7012

    February 11, 2013 - Dog Gives Birth for Second Time!

    This weekend, I had a date. As my date pulled up in my driveway and I went out to meet him, I heard crying coming from the goat house. This was after a couple of cancelled dates last week due to baby issues. If you’re gonna date a farmer, you better give up and go to their house.

    Anyway. By the time we arrived at the goat house, Chloe was helping clean up … Continued…

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The Slanted Little House

"It was a cold wintry day when I brought my children to live in rural West Virginia. The farmhouse was one hundred years old, there was already snow on the ground, and the heat was sparse-—as was the insulation. The floors weren’t even, either. My then-twelve-year-old son walked in the door and said, “You’ve brought us to this slanted little house to die." Keep reading our story....



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