I just thought I might give an update about happenings on the farm- both good and less than delightful. The good news is that both Harley and Maisie are expecting calves, Maisie is due early April- about the same time as the new batch of farm crew- and Harley is due in early June. Nova will be in milk through the winter, and so assuming all goes well with calving, we’ll have 3 in milk. Minerva the barn cat is loving it around here: the mice are coming in frequently. Matilda the pig will get her new “boarfriend” in mid-late December and the sheep and goats are getting plump, presumably with babes.
For those of you have been around the barn a bit, the less than delightful news is that both Moon (born in July 2011) and Hibiscus ( born in April 2010) were sent to the Royal Butcher on Dec. 11th. As many of you know, our cows have very distinct and amazing personalities. The barn is definitely not the same without them and will need to go through some shifting now that these amazing ladies are gone to see who will take the matriarch position.
I am grateful that I have their daughters to help keep things going, but I will miss Hibiscus and all her large-and-in-charge sass, and Moon’s opposite, unimposing calmness (but maybe not her tiny teat). I am grateful for all that they have given us over the years: warm bodies to snuggle in the winter, milk, calves, nutrients for our soil and plants, lots of laughter and some frustration- and in the end, food.