The End of Winter?

This week was just another shift in the weather and our mindsets that this winter has had in store for us. We all were beginning to feel as if the trend had begun from coldest, to colder to sunny to warmer. The snow on the southern pastures had melted. We were taking walks to the top of the hill without getting our feet wet and then it snowed all over again (twice) and is quite cold and windy. Last week, once we got the delivery out the door, was a great time here. My sister Bev and niece Laura came to the farm for the whole school vacation week. They got me out each day to take a walk and the sunshine felt very good and full of vitamin D. The snow was still crusty in the woods and the northern exposures. We found an area of pine trees where there were about 5 woodcocks sitting in the boughs above our heads. As we got close to each one (without our seeing them), they exploded from the branches with beating wings and flew off. We found mostly deer tracks and in places they really have some highways through the woods to the streams and springs. Each day Laura would help to tame the barn cats and by the end of the week she was almost able to touch the Mystery Girl cat. The photo above shows Circles and Goldy. We took the pigs for a walk in the woods; they are very happy to follow along to see where you are going. The little stream in the uppermost point of their pastures was running freely and the snow was up to their bellies. When they first saw us walking, they were digging in the dirt around the hedgerow where the snow had melted and their noses were all muddy. By the time they investigated the stream and the snow around the bases of all trees nearby, the noses were a shiny bright pink.

Midweek we went skiing at Bromley Mtn and had a great time. The snow was groomed and not icy and the crowds in the liftlines were quite small. We were pretty tired out by the time it started snowing. We were almost glad to quit a bit early as we had some trouble seeing where we were going. This snow covered all the bare ground over again and took us back to feeling like mid-winter. It snowed again most of the day Sunday while we were at the farmers market and today is cold and quite windy. We even let the cows use the barn shed to try to stay dry and be out of the wind. The shed also warms up a bit when there are 80 animals in there. I'll bet they are ready for spring.

Bev and Laura even helped me get started in the greenhouse without seedlings. The first things planted were 2 varieties of kale and two varieties of arugula. I hope this cold snap does not stop them from sprouting! The greenhouse seemed a warm and cozy space last week - at least when the sun is out. By early April or maybe even late March, I could set these in the garden with row cover or a cold frame and hope for the best of the early greens. In the next few weeks I'll start spinach, cabbage and leeks too. We are looking forward to eating out of the garden again even though the root cellar still has potatoes, beets, leeks, garlic and the freezer still has tomatoes, blueberries and currants.

By the weekend, the girls had gone back to Wellesley and my nephew Chris from Philadelphia had arrived. He came for a winter get away drive as the poor guy spent as much time in the car as he got to spend visiting. We did however have a great farm meal and even opened the first bottle of the rhubarb wine. It was pretty good! We'll have to try that recipe again. It was great to catch up on the family news all week long and now it's back to business and the routine of the season. Hope you all are staying warm.

Warming up in the Pig Pile

The cold days seem to be much brighter and warmer as long as the sun is out. The animals are all feeling the difference as they are eating less, soaking up the sun and seem to be getting sick of eating hay and dreaming of green grass. Jack and Pedro, the horse and donkey, seek the highest point in the pasture in the morning to catch the first rays of the sun coming up over the hill on our eastern side. During this cold weather, the farm is protected by the worst cold simply by being up on the hill. There was not alot of biting wind and the temperatures seem to rise as you get higher because the colder air sinks into the valleys by the rivers and streams. So when the river valley was below zero, we were in the single digits. The Vermont weather man said this morning that was the longest stretch of cold air in several decades. The lovely day Saturday was the warmest since late December. That one day has gotten us all thinking of spring, planting and growing things again. Today is another beauty with glorious sunshine with temperatures in the 30's.

The greatest thing for the pigs in cold weather is climbing into the pig piles! The base level is a row of cuddly piggies all lined up like sardines in the hay nest. The next pig to climb in thries to get in the middle by starting to climb on the hips of the resting pigs. There is a bit of groaning to fit and growling when it hurts until the new addition is cozily nestled in the bunch. The next few new bodies make a bigger disturbance and sometimes the whole pile is moving, groaning, and adjusting to make room for each other. If you have two bodies beside you and one partially on top of you, you are in the warmest position. Every so often, an outside pig moves and tries to get back in the middle to warm up his cold back. It makes for entertaining animal behavior watching while fussing around the pigs bedroom during chores.

Hopefully the winds will warm up consistently, and we'll all be shedding our layers.