March-ing on

It looks like winter may be going out with a bang (or plop) this year, with Winter Storm Ukko predicted to bring us 8-12 inches of snow over the next couple of days.  We have just a few residual patches of snow at this point, but they haven't shrunk over the last week since temps have stayed pretty solidly below freezing.  Now they'll get some moral support from the big drifts coming in...

Elsie and Tyler got a new camera and can now contribute to farm photography.  Here are some from Elsie's first set:

May and April

These girls are waiting patiently for work and fresh pasture, chomping on hay and looking plush in their furry coats.

de-luscious spinach feeding us in the greenhouse

 One of our projects for this year will be to put up a second greenhouse so that we can grow more winter greens.  Right now, the spinach plantings we had harvested from for the winter CSA have grown back and we are eating mountains of it.  I've found it's especially good wilted in hot bacon grease with the bacon crumbled on top, along with a drizzle of really good balsamic and some toasted pecans.  Mmmmm.

Tyler demo-ing on the barn

 Another project for this year will be finishing the barn--it needs replacements for some sills and studs that have started rotting, then new windows, then cedar shingle siding.  Tyler's gotten started by ripping off the boards to expose the rotten spots.

Allium babies

 I think I've made it through my annual week-long held breath between when we plant the first seeds and when they start to emerge, when my background train of thought is going "(am I really a farmer?  what if those seeds don't grow?  what if we fail?  I don't think they're going to come up!  are they too wet or too dry?  was the seed good?  what will we do?  aaaaaaah...)" Strangely enough, those seeds sprout up every year without fail.  But that's no reason not to stress out about it!

Bulk grain!  Yes!

Grain Bin, Up!

The four-ton silo went up on a snowy day last week with help from family and friends.  Luckily, it doesn't actually weigh four tons, but it does hold that much grain.  We're due to get our first delivery of grain in the next couple of weeks.

Graham-Ada-Elsie-Tyler-Gilbert-Jonathan-Seth

Seth with the wrench on the inside...

...and Tyler with another wrench on the outside, tightening bolts.

Our clan has had a bit of a temporary out-migration; at the moment, about half of us are away on trips to Nicaragua, Alabama, the Snow Row, and a spinner's retreat.  Lucretia and Oai are holding down the fort on Stovepipe Alley and making phở while Tyler and Elsie keep critters fed on the Stream Rd.  And I'm keeping my little one fed, snug and warm at home but with many adventures planned for the next couple days.

Also in the news for the week:
Fauna update:  We've sold our lovely, hungry, escapist flock of sheep off to some farmers on Isleboro.  The sheep have been on the market for a while now, but with spring and green grass in the foreseeable future we finally had some takers.  We may get into sheep again at some point, but focusing on the dairy and relieving the pressures of almost daily fence-moving duties seemed like a good move for the time being.

Flora update: We set up the seedling greenhouse and planted our first seeds this week; one thousand shallot seeds and 1500 leek seeds are now waiting on some sun and light to get them up out of the soil.  We're also enjoying spinach and cilantro out of the greenhouse, along with the ability to dig in real brown thawed ground.

And coming up next! Tomorrow we'll be at the Belfast Community Supported Agriculture and Fisheries Fair at the Belfast Boathouse, from 1pm-3pm.  Come see us and buy our eggs and salami!