Friday Farm Favorites: Gratitude and Reverence
“Gratitude bestows reverence, changing forever how we experience life and the world.” ~John Milton
Friday Farm Favorites: There’s No Place Like Home
I’m truly grateful for this place…Green Hill Farm. And, what I’ve come to realize is that no matter the challenges of living here, my love for this farm is constant and irreplaceable. I love it for its enduring ability to lift my spirits, fill my heart, and give my life direction. The very thought of it…is joyful. I hope these photos of Green Hill Farm bring a bit of joy to your day. Have a wonderful weekend! 🙂
Eggs, Eggs Everywhere!
Growing up on a farm as a child afforded many wonderful experiences. Meaningful experiences that shaped my values and inspired me. I remember when I was about 6 or 7 years old, Dad decided that it would be nice to have fresh milk and eggs. So, he bought a Holstein cow named Bessie and ordered chicks. I remember sitting in our living room early in the morning before school with an old towel on my lap, carefully cradling a warm, fuzzy chick in my hands–marveling at its tiny body and feet as well as the soft, little sounds it made. Every morning over the next 2-3 weeks, I would hurriedly get dressed and eat breakfast so I could hold one for a few minutes before the school bus came. I loved those little chicks! As the chicks grew into hens, they free-ranged all through the pastures and even around the house; but, for some reason, though, they didn’t like to lay their eggs in the coop. Much to my surprise and joy, while walking along outdoors, I would just FIND an egg laying in the yard or under a bush. It was like an Easter egg hunt! After making the discovery that the hens were laying eggs all over the place, I remember enthusiastically running into the house and searching for my Easter basket. “This is going to be fun!” I thought. And it was. The hens free-ranged and laid their […]
Friday Farm Favorites
What could be more fun than hanging out with cousins…and a cute piglet? Farmgirl (far left) with cousins and baby pig circa 1975
The Weekly Bleat: An Important Lesson
Apparently, huge temperature swings are something that we’re just going to have to get used to this time of year. Lately, we’ve been experiencing what I like to call “yo-yo” weather. Our forecast this week is 65 degrees F. today, 72 degrees F. tomorrow, and snowing on Saturday. This weather isn’t great for people, but it’s especially not good for sheep and chickens. Their bodies acclimate to the cold, winter weather, and when there’s an unseasonably warm day–they may feel overheated. After a week of balmy, warm days, a 40 or 50 degree drop in temperature is jarring to these animals’ systems and may cause illness. So, to help, Farmguy and I feed the sheep and chickens extra grain to supplement their diets, especially on cold days. Yesterday, I was feeding the sheep their afternoon grain, when I noticed the grain bin was getting low. Well, let me just say, getting caught with no grain on Green Hill Farm is definitely a no-no. Anyway, it reminded me of a lesson I learned last year. And, I thought I would share it again. 🙂 Last weekend, Farmguy and I gathered our sheep for their spring shearing. We’ve had a number of warm days since early April with temperatures in the 70’s and 80’s, and the sheep were appearing a bit stressed by the heat. I was happy to finally get a shearing date, but also a little nervous about rain as […]
Tuesday Tunes: Meet Me in the Country
“Meet me in the country for a day. We’ll be happy. And we’ll dance. Oh, we’re gonna dance our blues away…” ~Tom Johnston
Tuesday Tunes: What a Wonderful World!
We all know that life is full of ups and downs. It’s just a part of living. Sometimes, however, we tend to focus more on what’s wrong instead of what’s right. I believe there is more beauty in this world than anything else. And, this year, I refuse to be defeated by anything ugly or negative; instead, I have resolved […]
Tuesday Tunes: Holiday
Originally posted on fourth generation farmgirl:
As a child of the 80’s, I grew up listening to Madonna and Cyndi Lauper as well as other artists; however, in eighth grade, I was probably more of a Cyndi Lauper fan. Much to my mother’s chagrin, I occasionally sneaked out of the house wearing iridescent pink and green eyeshadows applied in a…
Tuesday Tunes
Originally posted on fourth generation farmgirl:
Most days I feel very grateful to live on Green Hill Farm, surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains and pastures as well as our farm animals and pets. It’s not always easy, but I do feel enriched by the work that we do here and the special interactions we observe and have…
Tuesday Tunes
Photographs courtesy of Farmguy xo Farming, whether it’s a huge farm or a hobby farm, means staying busy. Recently, Farmguy and I bought a tractor that would allow us to address a few issues as well as take care of routine chores more efficiently. And, I have to say, operating this new tractor has been a lot of fun! […]
