I've been home for a week now. My parents arrived for a visit the day after I got back, so I've only just started getting back in the swing of things on the farm. At least with the two of them here I've had much needed help keeping the house clean (ish) and Albert has harvested calendula, beans and raspberries for us, as well as emptying all of the dried pods of beans (three different types I will have to confirm with G) While I was away one of my previous calendula harvests went moldy apparently from inadequate drying. So I wanted to make sure we collected a replacement batch.
The harvest moon was last night, ominous and bright with clouds racing by on the high winds. Amercian toads were singing in the fields, and the cows on the neighbouring property were bellowing all sorts of things. If I was a movie director I would chose a night like that for some tense exciting scenes...I really do love the night here.
The tomatoes are still ripening, as well as the peppers. All was going well until we just heard about potential frost as early as this Friday. So we will have to cover them all with frost blankets and hope for the best. If something happens to my baby arugula and mustard in the greenhouse I will be very disappointed! Our first fall here I had arugula and mustard under a poly tunnel into late November.
Fall migration has commenced. Eery nighthawks by the dozens. Geese organizing into huge V flocks, and flying at incredible speeds likely over 80 km/h while practicing their drafting and echelon techniques. (as cyclists g and I find this very exciting, and often end up cheering them on)
Their sounds still give me chills the way they did when I was a kid. The changing seasons were a time of excitement and the promise of adventure it seemed to me. I've always found the great migrations of the world to be awe inspiring--the great expeditions of the animal world going on above and around us, while most humans are completely unaware of anything but their own dramas.
I feel lucky to be privy to at least parts of it.
***
Glenn did an amazing job managing the farm while working full time during my trip to BC. He did the best he's ever done in my absence. He even took the time to go to the farm store when Oakley ripped his fly mask apart, and they ran out of probiotics and msm. All the banties had clean shavings and were fed and watered. He had moved the sheep twice, and they looked happy in one of their favourite rotations, under the ash tree over by the greenhouse.
Princey has learned well from Axle how to become bipedal in order to reach the ash leaves. Pretty amazing balance on those tiny little hooves.
Winston really does look better with his new shoes on, and I had a lesson with him last night. He bucked a bit, wanted to run, was willing and forward. Coach noticed right away. It was a good ride and my aussie saddle fit him pretty well, even though it was custom made for Oakley. So hoping I won't be too sore today despite being horribly out of shape. That saddle is incredibly comfortable.
Winny was feeling so good the other day on a cool blustery morning that he chased the guineas, bucked and spun and was full of himself. Wonderful to watch until Oakley (who'd joined in) slipped on a slick patch of exposed dirt and fell hard on his left hip. He got up right away, when I opened the gate the two of them galloped hard to the end of the aisle before continuing their 'antics above ground' Only later at grain time did we notice that he'd cut a strip of skin off his left hind cannon. Easy to bandage at least. I might only have used silver spray if the flies weren't still bad. I can't always take the easy and quick route--that will only lead to more work later. G has learned this lesson too. Farm is a good teacher.
Miss Blue the amputee guinea was looking off the other morning. I assumed she was sore on her feet, and that one of her bandages was bothering her. So I changed the one bandage and her little stump looked fine--the bandage was dry, nothing had gotten dirty or infected while I was away. Upon further inspection I discovered some wet urates around her vent, which isn't normal, and something protruding a little bit....I grasped and pulled and what came out was a soft shelled egg that she had been unable to pass. I made sure she and Little Bean had a tray of calcium to eat, and by the time I was ready to head into town on some errands she was already looking better. She had a big drink of water and then commenced lazy grazing, the way a relaxed guinea does it. Hoping this doesn't continue to happen to her.
Kitten (house banty) Had been breathing a little hard for a few days. Couldn't palpate anything in her belly. A few days later I found a few chunks of condensed egg shell matter. Then last night before bed I heard something funny, and found that she had just laid a soft shelled egg and was starting to eat it. She has had constant access to calcium, but perhaps she's just starting to lay again and the works are just getting fired up. I'm hoping that's all it is, and not the start of reproductive disease. This morning when I let them out of their cage both she and Captain Jack were pretty focused on nest searching, so I will be watching her closely every day to make sure everything is working as it should. She tends to lay enormous eggs, so if one ever did get fully stuck, I might need veterinary help to deal with it.
I still haven't gotten to my photos from my BC trip. Maybe by the weekend I will have time...Will write about visiting my friend's farm on Vancouver Island, and our trip to Lasqueti Island to look at some properties.
For now I have to get things ready for an overnight away from the farm. We have to go to Thunder Bay to the passport office to get our visas upgraded, and our Minnesota driver's licenses will expire without the upgrade as well. Not great timing, considering the weather change (torrential rain forecast tomorrow and possible frost coming).
I can't believe I actually get to go on a road trip with my sweety! Hoping the leaves are starting to change in northern MN, and northern Ontario. I haven't been to Thunder Bay in 18 years! Hoping it will be a fun 48 hours.
!!:) like the pics, too. xxMOM
ReplyDelete