Along came someone else who also intended to farm...
And another...
And Shoestring Farms was born.
Now, it seems that, daily, things move forward on their own -- here a chicken, there a cow... connections for a pile of old lumber, for a stack of new hay. Today, farmer Jack walked in with the news of an old-world Jersey he's bringing in to Shoestring Farms. Most animals will wait until Spring, but this one needs its home pretty soon. I don't know if it will be here at the Goodly Homestead (part of Shoestring Farms) or if it will be wintered-over at Jack's place.
A friend gave me a pretty good milk goat nearly a year ago, one she was culling from her herd, but I think she got tired of waiting and likely found its home somewhere else. Goats are herd animals and need two (at least) together to be happy. And the one found two more. In talking about the milk goat, a neighbor up at the old homeplace suggested we take a couple of Boer whethers off his hands. We didn't do that -- because we weren't ready and still aren't.
The goat barn, so far, looks like this.
Winter is coming on fast, and one of our main concerns is getting in enough wood to last the season. We'll get out and about and cut up some of the downed trees, even into winter. We have quite a bit of wood, already, but it's an on-going job. This house has a rep for being a cold one. Thick walls (log inside the outside) give us wide windowsills, perfect to hold a lantern.
We've got ample room for multiple gardens, so the potatoes will get their own space next Spring. Right now, I'm working on my winter garden and on getting the ground by the kitchen door ready for the kitchen garden.
2 comments:
Wish you were doing this up here in Maine! It would be good to be able to work with like-minded folk.
I wish we were near each other, too, Jj. I love to read of all you're doing. We're just beginning here, but it's fun to watch it unroll in front of us. I remember your process in making the place you have prosper, from the scything on through fence building and plowing and planting. and now, fiber rabbits! Hurray!
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