Welcome to Legal Tender Farm

Welcome to Legal Tender Farm

Monday, August 15, 2011

Slow Season

It's the slow part of the year for me right now, especially with the drought going on.

With all the goats and donkeys foraging in the hayfields and pastures, I don't have regular feeding time.  I've let the milk goats dry out because (1) I was tired of milking and it really ties me down; (2) I was concerned that the heat was stressing the goats who were producing; and (3) they'll be bred again in September or October and I wanted all babies weaned and all the mothers to have time to rebuild their strength before then. 

The only thing producing in the garden is peppers, so all that is necessary right now is pulling up the few weeds that can survive the heat.  I started planting my fall garden last week, but so far the only thing that has come up is one winter squash and one pumpkin.  It's a little soon to expect much, but I don't know if anything will make it since as soon as it comes up it will be blow torch scorched with this heat.  I'm watering every evening to give the seedlings a fighting chance.

Tom has still found plenty to do even though he has finished goat fencing the perimeter of the entire property.  He cut down the worst one of those maples in the front yard that really didn't come back after the Arbor Barber pruned it severely.  That's OK.  It was ugly anyway.  We put a red oak in its place and we're hoping it will survive.  He spends the day fixing things, mowing, cleaning the chicken coop and taking frequent breaks in his office drinking gatorade and trying to cool down.

I think the heat is stressing the chickens because we're getting an average of three eggs a day, whereas we were getting over a dozen a day before the heat got so severe.  They could be hiding their eggs or a snake could be getting them, but I mostly think that they just aren't laying.

So, I actually have a lot of free time right now and have started on a project.

I've made much progress on it since taking this picture, but it's a gift and I don't want to reveal too much until it's done.  Then I'll explain what it is and why.

1 comment:

April said...

ooooohhhh...a present for mmmmeeeee?! lol