Summer News

Pulling into August I thought we really have nothing to report since we’re now four years into this adventure, routines have been established and we mostly “get” the sheep, but actually nothing is ever exactly the same. 

I’m not the same. While I can’t say “retirement” out loud to anyone including myself, I stood watching a trainer fill out a form about me and in the “occupation” line he wrote, “retired.” Really? Am I? I don’t feel retired.  I feel as busy as ever and think about starting different companies and projects all the time. Couldn’t he at the very least have written, “farmer.” I have a to do list a mile long that I often copy over to the next day because avoiding my list is just as important somedays as making one. Each day I start a new list and for the last week I’ve carried over, “pickle the damn cukes.”  Maybe tomorrow I’ll cross that one off.  I chair a board for the local cable access channel and somehow find myself on the town’s energy commission and I volunteer for open hours at the Sew Op, a place anyone can drop in and learn to sew. It’s all a long way from running a TV channel, but for now, it fits me well.

The weather’s not the same.  We’re officially now classified as a drought area and it has put real pressure on our grass supply for the flock.  All the grass inside the permanent fencing is nearly chewed to dirt and with zero rain in the forecast, we have had to move them beyond the wire fencing on to fields that normally get hayed.  And since grass is growing slowly everywhere in this upper bowl, the hay farmer and dairy farmer need all the grass they can cut.  Months ago we put our order in for next winter’s hay but I know firsthand these guys will be pressed to come up with enough for all their clients.   Some folks have asked why we don’t hay our own fields and to them I say, “are you nuts?”  The equipment and man-hours to hay these fields, in normal weather or drought, is daunting.  On the Vermont Sheep and Goat Association list serve, a member recently wrote asking about the pros and cons of haying your own fields.  A very established sheep farmer replied, “I love haying (and have 100 acres in hay) but I have had two extension agents figure out that if you have a small number of sheep the only reason for haying yourself is you like riding on a tractor.”

Our leisure time is not the same.  Jack, our one year old rescue dog, sets the agenda for our weekends now.  While we still tackle farm chores, picking a good hike to wear us and the dog out goes to the top of the list.  Sunday we headed north and across the Connecticut River to Lyme, New Hampshire to hike Holt’s Ledge.  On the trail, which is part of the AT (Appalachian Trail), we can let Jack off the leash, but he always wears a dayglow orange bandana so that we can spot him against the browns and blacks of the woods and trail.  Just under two miles in we hit the pay off, a glorious vista with few fields or farms in sight. Just rolling green hills in all directions.  Jack took liberties with Todd’s cap at the top – see video.

Jack and Todd's Cap

Jack and Todd’s Cap

 

Jack & Todd at the top of Holt's Ledge

Jack & Todd at the top of Holt’s Ledge

We took the wide open ski trails of the Dartmouth Skiway to hike back down – video below.

Skiway Hike - Top of Papoose Trail

Skiway Hike – Top of Papoose Trail

Saturday, we drove about 20 miles west of the farm to Barnard, Vermont.  We drove to the end of a gravel road where we found a small parking lot.  After about a 30 minute hike uphill (again on the AT) we came out of the woods at “Lookout Cabin” – a private cabin just off the AT that the owner lets hikers use.  We found three hikers resting on the porch.  To really get the view one must climb a very steep staircase to a widow’s walk on the roof – spectacular views to the west, north and south. Jack didn’t take the stairs, but I did (not a big fan of heights).  Came down the stairs the same way I went up – facing the stairs (Todd did the same).  Jack was great on that hike, too.

Peg and Jack - trail buddies

Peg and Jack – trail buddies

The one farm chore Todd tackled was removing the fence wire that had gotten wrapped around the rotor of the brush hog.  With the forks on the JD tractor, he was able to hoist up the mower and without too much trouble, he wiggled, tugged, and twisted it free. 

I spent a little time in my garden tying up tomato plants and checking on the insane amount of vegetables that are growing like crazy thanks to long sunny days and a boat load of pure sheep poo that was rototilled into the dirt. New Business idea #256 – Ewe Berries: pure poo for the perfect garden.  In addition to the usual plantings of tomatoes, zukes, onions, basil, cucumbers, acorn and butternut squash, eggplants and cabbage, we have a small field of dreams thanks to my sister Eileen planting a handful of popcorn kernels in the spring.  I thought they were sterile plants until just a few days ago when tiny corn cobs suddenly emerged!

Toward the end of the day, we took Jack down to the White River which is running as low as we’ve ever seen it in this website.   We, and by that I mean Todd, are helping Jack learn to swim (video after gallery, below).   The air had cooled off, we didn’t stay long, but headed home to enjoy a breezy evening on the porch with the rest of the Sunday paper. 

Jack Swimming

Jack Swimming

Todd found a good recipe for our huge zukes – dip wedges in an egg/milk mixture; coat them by shaking in a bag filled with grated parmesan and romano cheeses, bread crumbs, basil, oregano, garlic powder and parsley; put them on a cookie sheet sprayed with oil, and bake in a 400 oven for about 30 minutes, turning them over halfway.

Is any of that News? Don’t know, but its life.

Peggy

Zuke recipe added by Todd

 

 

 

 

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