EXCITEMENT ON THE FARM-MORE HAY-MAKING SALVE

7 09 2015

GREETINGS

Heat and humidity coming back.  

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A truck load of watermelon at the hay farm.

EXCITEMENT ON THE FARM

last night while putting my side yard chickens to bed I heard the sound of a coyote in the back .  This is the first time that I have heard that sound on this mountain range.  Often they are heard howling on the mountain range across the river.  Well I expected this sooner or later.I will have to do some researching before winter comes.

This morning the sheep were out munching on  my son’ts lawn.  Somehow the gate was unhooked.  They came right back home when they saw my son.   I wonder how that happened.  That is the first time that has happened in all the years I have lived here.  Something else that has to be checked.

How dare someone accuse me of being out I would never do such a thing!

How dare someone accuse me of being out I would never do such a thing!

A skunk is visiting the farm and I am very glad when skunks are around there are no mice or rats.

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MORE HAY

Betty and Dylan came on Saturday and got more hay and Cindy and Chris got hay on Sunday.  My barn is almost full.  The hundred bales of hay are for the spring April through June.  I will keep buying hay throughout the winter but in those spring months there is often not much hay around  this way I should be safe till next haying season.  Thanks so much.

Cindy with a bale on the front seat

Cindy with a bale on the front seat

SALVE MAKING

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Yesterday I made another batch of salve.   Still have another batch brewing and the Poison Ivy Salve which I hope to make this week.

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MAKE HAY WHILE THE SUN SHINES

Yesterday everyone was making hay.  Great weather for it.   I think that there will be a good supply of second cut although it’s pretty pricey.

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Many thanks for reading my blog on this beautiful summer day.  Carole

 

 

 


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Categories : HAY, LIFE ON THE FARM, MAKING SALVE, Sheep

SALVES STARTED-ELDERBERRIES=LAVENDER HEATING PADS

8 07 2015

GREETINGS

Today its cloudy with some showers coming in.  I spent yesterday morning planting some lettuce, sage and some flowers.  The whole place is overgrown and weedy, will have to spend some days attending to that.

THe pathway to the side yard

THe pathway to the side yard

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I started two batches of healing salve and hope to get the poison ivy salve started this week.  Comfrey is drying in the dehydrator for future use.

ELDERBERRIES

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I am going to have a good crop of Elderberries this year.  SO happy about that.

LAVENDER HEATING PADS

I started making the heating pads and hope to build up a supply for fall shows.  They can be heated in the microwave and the heat can last up to 3 hours.  Or they can be put in the freezer.

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Many thanks for reading my blog today and I hope you have a wonderful day.    Carole

IMG_5336You can only see the tail feathers of Hazel who is finding bugs for Mrs. Brown and Morticia


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Categories : CHICKENS, LAVENDER HEATING PADS, MAKING SALVE

CANADIAN GEESE-THE LAVENDER FEST-THE ROBIN

28 06 2015

GREETINGS

Its been raining hard off and on all night.  At this point it seems that I won’t be setting up at the Fest today.  Chris made sure that everything was dug out so no water came in the barn.

CANADIAN GEESE 

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Since I moved her 18 years ago geese have made nest on this property, showing their goslings how to walk on the side of the road and how to cross it and the best places in the neighborhood to get a meal.  Its one of those things in this fast pace world that slows you down for a few moments just to watch them.

THE LAVENDER FEST

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Yesterday was a perfect day for the Lavender Fest.  Cooler temps and a cloudy day made things perfect.  They had the biggest attendance ever.  I sold quite a bit of salve and met so many nice people. 

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This is Marty she is Sandy’s sister (Sandy hosts the Lavender Fest).  SHe bought my Norwood Loom and want to show me her first project on it.  I am so glad that the loom has gone to such a wonderful home.  Great Job.

ROSE GERANIUM SALVE

The rose geranium salve is done.  I thought i had a brilliant idea but ir didn’t work out.  I thought I would grind up some rose petals to put in the salve. but had to strain them out.  A lesson learned.  The salve came out nice with a subtle, musky smell of roses. 

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THE ROBIN

A the fledglings should be gone from the nest in the Crabapple tree but there is one  who won’t leave the nest.  It’s as big as its mother.  There are some kids that never want to leave the nest!

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Sorry its a bit blurry taken through a window.  Thanks to Gary for a few of the lavender pictures.

Many thanks for reading my blog today, I hope you have a wonderful day.   Carole

 

 

 

 

 


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Categories : LAVENDER FESTIVAL, MAKING SALVE

STARTING A NEW SALVE-CRAFTS OF COLRAIN BROCHURE-WILLIE

8 05 2015

GREETINGS

It’s another beautiful day here, it looks like we have jumped from spring right into summer.  Some rain For Mothers’s Day maybe.  We are in desperate need of it.

STARTING A NEW SALVE

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Yesterday I cut up some hot red peppers and put them into the dehydrator which was called for in the recipe I found online.  Then they will be warmed up in oil and I will leave them to set on the wall of the porch for a few weeks.  This salve is for sore joints and muscle pain.  It like the capsaicin rubs you buy in the store.  I am going to add a few herbs  and maybe ginger to the mix and see how it works.  I spend a fortune on this stuff and it would be great to make my own.

AN ADVENTURE IN THE GROCERY STORE

I have spent more time in the grocery store lately.  I use to be one of those shoppers that knew what I wanted and was in and out.  Now with so many product originating from China I want to know where things are coming from.  I was surprise how many products that I though were made here are not.  I will be making my own or going to River Valley more.

CRAFTS OF COLRAIN BROCHURE

I have been with The Crafts of Colrain when it originated some years ago.  Had to step away for family issues and now I will be in it again this year.  The brochure is wonderful in itself with some many lovely pictures with artist and their crafts.  I wanted a picture with Carol K and myself but unfortunately she made herself unavailable.  Marley stepped right in so one of these two will be in the brochure Read the rest of this entry »


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Categories : CRAFTS OF COLRAIN, MAKING SALVE, WILLIE

JULY’S SALVE DONE-LIL PICKING BLUEBERRIES FOR THE FIRST TIME-LIFE ON THE FARM-PARENTS FOUND

21 07 2014

GREETINGS

JULY’S SALVE DONE

Yesterday was overcast here and the temps were good.  A great day for making Salve.

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 The salve smelled great even before I added a some drops of lavender essential oil.  It had been brewing for 3 months.  Today I will make up another batch and set it in the sun to infuse and make it up in late September.

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LIL PICKING BLUEBERRIES

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One of my blueberry plants has a good number of berries on it.  It happens that Lil just loves blueberries and I wanted to show her where they come from.  Well she would have eaten every one and was so delighted that she could just pick them and pop them into her mouth.

LIFE ON THE FARM

Chris and I have been moving fence almost every day so the sheep get a little fresh grass.  There is another big area that I can fence in but there are some plants  that I have to investigate first.  SOme plants make sheep very sick.  In a big field they would avoid them but where there is not a lot of grass they might eat them.  I can’t take that chance so I will seek out some advice before that area is fenced in.

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So far I have filled up 7 bags of kindling from broken branches and trimming of large shrubs.  I hope to get at least 20 bags done and that may last through the wood heating season.  The town will be cutting a tree down across the street from my house, I hope I can get the wood from that tree, that will be a big help this winter.  There are two tracts of land in back of me one is a 5 acre parcel and the other a 6 acre parcel.  At some point I hope I can buy the 5 acre parcel and have some trees cut and increase the area for my sheep, planting some good grasses in it.  All will have to be done by hand because it’s very rocky but 100 years ago it was pasture so I know its doable.

All the flowers and roses have overgrown the path to the back yard.  I have been putting up old fence posts and tieing bailing twine on them to hold them back.  Its working well and the pathway is much clearer.

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PARENT’S FOUND

Yesterday my son found this poor little baby bird on the chicken fence.  It was crying and its tail feathers were just coming in.  It held onto my finger with all its might and was calling and calling for its parents., meanwhile a neighbors cat was hovering around the area.  My Son put it on a branch and we walked away watching it and then its parents came and fed it.  I am sure it fine.  This year  there are so many birds nesting here and visiting the farm.  I am sure a lot of it has to do with permaculture.  The land and the plants on it are so good now.  Plenty for them  to eat. The songs in the mornings and evenings are so delightful.  I would like to record them for wintertime listening.

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Many thanks for reading my blog on this delightful summer day.  please visit the farm again.  Carole


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Categories : BIRDS, BLUEBERRIES, LIFE ON THE FARM, LIL, MAKING SALVE, PERMACULTURE, Sheep