Winter Feeding

We've settled into our winter routine here on the farm.  Luckily this winter has been fairly mild so far and even when its cold its much easier to feed without snow!  Though It doesn't quite feel like winter without it!

Looking east past the barn

Roy loves getting to come along in the morning when I feed the sheep.

I took these photos this morning when I went out to feed. I go out early (Liz works at the school so we get up bright and early!) and feed hay to the sheep in our hayfield. During the year we rotate the sheep through our pastures but in winter they are kept in the pastures closest to the house and barn - particularly as we get close to lambing!  That's when we need them close so we can keep an eye on everyone.

Dopey, Charles the Third minding the sheep as they eat their hay.

Woodcutting

Winter Woodcutting on the Mountain Meadows Farm

Outback field

I cut wood because I like wood heat from a stove inside the house--a place where you can go and always get very warm!  I am especially glad for it on cold winter evenings.   It is so comforting to have the glow of the fire through the stove door, the independence from oil, gas or electric heat & having good heat when the electric goes off. I would rather spend 10 days cutting wood than $2000 on oil or gas to keep us warm!  And besides, there is the saying, wood keeps you warm 3 times, cutting it, stacking & hauling it,  and burning it! 

When I first bought this farm it was slowly growing back into woods.  In the last 35 years we have re-cleared most of the fields.  There are still many field-edges grown up in trees on land that was once grassland.   Those areas are still suitable for pasture (i.e. not too steep to get a tractor & brush hog over it) but need to be cleared first.  Most of our firewood over the years has come from clearing of old pastures and pasture-edges!

Sometimes some of our wood comes from along fence lines as we build new fence.  Our son Cal was a major help this time helping load and unload the trailer and stack it in the woodshed.  

Till next time, 

John

Cal having fun posing with the woodpile

Holiday Angels

Happy Early December!

We hope everyone is doing well.  Things at the farm are good.  Getting ready for the Holidays and busy with feeding and trying to avoid getting too muddy!

We just celebrated St. Nicholas Day on December 6.   The story of St. Nicholas is the basis for the Christmas Santa story, however, St. Nicholas was a real saint and has his feast day here in early December.   In many traditions (European and Eastern- though some Eastern calendar celebrate it on Dec. 19th) children leave out a shoe on St. Nicholas Day in hopes that it will be filled with treats!   Liz has several traditional french songs that she teaches her french students during the holidays about St. Nicholas coming to fill up children's shoes! 

We don't have small children in the house anymore but St. Nicholas Day can be a nice pre-Christmas tradition that has some great history and stories to go along with it!

Anyways, enjoy this holiday season!  and check out some of our newest wool products that Annie has been making to get into the holiday spirit:

We have some of these Christmas Angel Ornaments up on our store and we'll be taking them with us to the farmers market in Beckley.  Handmade and unique wool angel ornaments are all set for Christmas decorating and gifting! 

Wool angels are one of the more fun wool products to make!   Here are some quick instructions:

1. Take some carded wool and tie a string around the center
2. Using the knot as the top, fold the wool back on it self (like in a U) and tie a string around the first 1/2 inch or so to make the angel head.
3. Then, take a separate piece of carded wool and place it between the two sides
4. Tie a string around the middle to create the body and wings.
5. Trim the wings and fluff the dress
6. Add any decoration you want!

Red, red Roy!

Dog introductions and more wool crafts

Today Annie (daughter) and Jake came out to visit and they brought their red Border Collie "Red" along. Here are a few photos of them meeting for the first time.  They could almost be brothers! 

First introductions

Seemed to go well. Much tail wagging all around.

What a face!

Also, we've been looking for things to do with all our extra wool! check out one of our holiday wool ideas below!  Annie also said she may put together a do-it-yourself wool angel kit for Christmas! Wouldn't that be fun? 

October in Greenbrier County

October is already here!  The Fall comes so quickly sometimes.

 We've been keeping busy here on the farm! We put up more hay for the winter and we've been selling at the Beckley Farm 2 Table market each week since we've had freah lamb in stock. Along with a few markets in Roanoke.  Follow our facebook or get on our mailing list to know where we'll be set up next.

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A sad farewell

On a sad note we did have to say goodbye to our Border Collie of 12 years Kate at the end of September. She'd been sick for a while and had an inoperable tumor.  She was a great farm dog and lived a full and happy dog life as queen dog of the farm! 

She'll be buried in our dog graveyard that our kids started for our loyal dogs that have passed.

Kate as a younger dog of the farm

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New beginnings

Roy, our new border collie on Mountain Meadows Farm

Usually we get a puppy when its time for a new dog, but, as luck would have it this time, our sheep shearer was fostering this good-looking fellow.   

We have decided to name him Roy.  A respectable Scottish dog name for a breed that comes from the border of Scotland and England!   He's adjusting to his new home on the farm well and will soon start learning more about how to work the sheep. 

Have a wonderful October from all of us at Mountain Meadows Farm!

-Mountain Meadows Farm