Our sixth and final litter until fall was kindled Tuesday. We had planned to have lots of grow outs during the lush spring growth since we feed lots of fodder. The weather has been tricky. Stayed cold so late and very dry but couldn't start the drip irrigation in the garden until the hose stopped freezing most nights. The freezes kept browning the tips of the grasses and the clover. Suddenly it is very warm and humid, still dry. The little rain that is in the forecast doesn't arrive but at least the drip irrigation is running.
Our first wwoofer for the season arrived Monday and plans to stay through July. Saki is a Japanese student, doing her international year at Ithaca College and wwoofing with us before a stint as an intern with a Japanese company in NYC. She's a good worker and good company. She's just under 5' tall and we're all between 6' and 7' which startled her at first.
A friend has been visiting for just a couple days. When everyone needed a break from the full sun in the garden we gathered and bundled willow to dry for the winter, a nice shady job. The friend has enjoyed netting minnows from the pond to feed the chickens. He's interested in permaculture so especially likes the different ways we use whatever is here. Gathering willow made me think of the articles about it I read when we first started feeding it to rabbits--how tree foliage is fed in countries where there is drought and the grass dries up. Not there yet but feels headed that way. The grass is already headed out but quite short. Would have cut hay this week except the forecast kept calling for showers that never came.
Found a raven fledgling on the stone wall at the edge of the pine plantation where we'd been watching the nest. I had thought they'd be in the nest for at least a couple more weeks but clearly I didn't find the nest as early in the whole process as I'd thought.
Our first wwoofer for the season arrived Monday and plans to stay through July. Saki is a Japanese student, doing her international year at Ithaca College and wwoofing with us before a stint as an intern with a Japanese company in NYC. She's a good worker and good company. She's just under 5' tall and we're all between 6' and 7' which startled her at first.
A friend has been visiting for just a couple days. When everyone needed a break from the full sun in the garden we gathered and bundled willow to dry for the winter, a nice shady job. The friend has enjoyed netting minnows from the pond to feed the chickens. He's interested in permaculture so especially likes the different ways we use whatever is here. Gathering willow made me think of the articles about it I read when we first started feeding it to rabbits--how tree foliage is fed in countries where there is drought and the grass dries up. Not there yet but feels headed that way. The grass is already headed out but quite short. Would have cut hay this week except the forecast kept calling for showers that never came.
Found a raven fledgling on the stone wall at the edge of the pine plantation where we'd been watching the nest. I had thought they'd be in the nest for at least a couple more weeks but clearly I didn't find the nest as early in the whole process as I'd thought.
I really love the raven pic too.
