Grover and Lucrecia Nothing on our little farm is more exciting than a new lamb. Grover, our newest lamb, was no exception. As the due date approaches, we try to keep watch, on our lamb-cam, up at the barn. Yesterday morning, my wife told me to check the camera and meet her and my son up at the barn. My heart sank when I saw what looked to be a lifeless shape still covered in its birth sac behind [...]
Oliver at Sheep Barn Leaves are falling by the boatload and ice is forming on unprotected water buckets. Winter is around the corner, but the animals are as happy as ever. Oliver and Rosie are chasing the sheep every chance they get. The sheep aren't afraid at all and have no problem trying to butt the dogs. We are not sure how many pregnant ewes we have this year, but we know there is at least one and [...]
Cut Grass in the Morning To paraphrase Robert Duvall in Apocalypse Now, 'I love the smell of cut grass in the morning!'. I also enjoy cutting the grass since it is one task that has a definite beginning and end as-well-as the immediate gratification of a tidy lawn. Charlie and Spot The lambs are growing quickly. Spot is a lamb we borrowed from a friend to keep Charlie (the black one) company. Market Lambs Out [...]
Mother and Son Charlie Up Close It's a boy! (Ram) Our ewe, 2%, gave birth the other day between snow storms, to a 15 pound ram we named Charlie. He is growing quickly and gets along with all the other sheep very well. The sad part was the fact that Amy, the other Romney ewe, developed pregnancy toxemia, which can be fatal. Our vet performed an emergency C-section in the barn, which would have made Dr. [...]
2%, Amy, and Gypsy Late this fall, we asked our large animal vet, Dr. Gillian Ferguson of Bluestone Veterinary Services, to check to see if our two ewes, Amy and 2%, were pregnant. Since they had been with our ram for a while, we did not know how far along they would be or if they were pregnant at all. The test came back negative and everyone was disappointed. There is nothing like new lambs to brighten a [...]
Sun Room in the Snow Something magical happens to a home with the first snowfall of the season. Around my house, the kids and the animals are even more excited than I am as we run and throw snowballs. Rosie, our mini Aussie, tracks in the snow, which melts on the floor, while I start a fire and my wife makes hot cocoa. The timing doesn’t always work, but when we can coordinate a photo shoot of one [...]
Caught in the Act The Details My wife texted me the top image of our wonderful border collie puppy, Oliver, who was caught in the act of chewing up one of our kitchen chairs. We have had puppies who have been chewers, but nothing like Oliver. Every time we think he has stopped his onslaught, we turn our backs and he strikes again on undamaged furniture or shoes. I will be investing in some furniture repair this [...]
Newborn Lamb One Saturday, a few weeks ago, my son and I walked up our hill to feed the animals. We chatted about the melting snow and he stopped for a quick swing on the swing set. When I walked into the barn, not believing my eyes I stopped and took a double take. We had a newborn lamb and another on the way! I ran to the door and yelled "Come quick, you've got to see something!". We [...]
Dixie Enjoying the Snow I love snow! Growing up in Galveston, Texas, and Pumpkin Center, Louisiana, snow was precious. Even a few flakes would mean school was out and we would do our best to put together a snowball to throw at each other. My first winter in NYC was magical because of a very snowy season. There is nothing like New York City after a heavy snow. When I moved north, it got even better. Two snow [...]
Plankenhorn Farm Hudson Valley Fresh is a dairy farmer partnership located in the Hudson Valley. This group of farmers are “dedicated to preserving the agricultural heritage of the Hudson River Valley and promoting it as one of the premier food regions of the United States.” Hudson Valley Fresh is the brainchild of Dr. Sam Simon who owns Plankenhorn Farm. Dr. Sam Simon knows (and loves) cows. His father Kurt was a cattle dealer and Sam learned long ago how [...]
