Browse by Tag: farmwork

Canning in Bulk!

Really that should be harvesting, canning, dehydrating and freezing in bulk!  August and September are busy months.  Not only are we still tending all the livestock and crops in the field, but harvesting them in earnest and then turning some portion of that into delightful options for the colder months ahead.  Some days veggies will […]

Now That is a Village!

The Floating Bridge opening and celebration was amazing!       As we arrived in Hippo Park, Sandy Schmitt, VTrans Bridge engineer and Brookfield resident was scooting around with a wheel barrow tidying up final bits, green volunteer shirted folks and balloon arches were visible and the air was full of excitement and a good dose […]

Swarms in the Making

As last week’s newsletter indicated, it is chervil season. Unfortunately this intimidating invasive plant (See the Vermont Invasives.org website for an overview), is marching toward early flowering and seeding — on the same timeline as planting out annual vegetables, getting animals out on pasture, amending the orchards, etc. So if anyone wants an excuse to […]

Above and Beyond

While our snowfalls haven’t been worthy of news, the farm is a winter wonderland. The deep snowpack has a lovely layer of powder on top. Persistent cold temps have made extra hay and straw bedding necessary. (Working digestive tracks are the ruminants’ internal furnaces). Who remembers the scene in the Laura Ingalls Wilder book (not […]

When Millimeters Matter

What thrilling and tough weeks! We sent an abbreviated newsletter last week as we were without power, running what we could on the barn’s generator. We figured many of you were also out of power – some for more than a week. Yikes. We were relieved to get power back in time to host the […]

Rainy Days and Roots

Really it was rainy day prep with livestock moves — when farmers hear Nor’easter, we pay attention.  Wet, cold and windy….not the best for our pastured livestock, especially tough on the goats, but we have made sure they all have good shelter, plenty of hay as a buffer and thanks to harvest and gleaning they are […]

Time Together – Farmer Lunch!

The funneling whirl of harvest season hasn’t stopped spinning but today we hovered quietly in a circle inside all that. Hay bales for seats, the team put on exfoliating gloves and buffed the potatoes in order to grade them. The hardiest of all will be tucked in the wax boxes to the back of the […]

Farm Tours Bring Perspective

While our farm tour participants come from a variety of places and walks of life, often the responses converge. The view appeals. The distant Worcester Range a purple silhouette, with Paine Mountain and other near ridges in the full relief of peak foliage. Clean lines of the old fashioned barn and modern high tunnels occupy […]

Weasel Understands Loving What is Plentiful

“This could be our revolution,” writes Alice Walker, “to love what is plentiful as much as what is scarce.” Walker’s poem We Alone could be useful in light of the fact that due to vacillating temperatures and other factors three successions of head lettuce plantings have matured at the same time! We’ve been grating and […]

2013: A Big Year on a Small Farm

Now that winter has come in earnest we have had some time to look back at the year. There were a lot of surprises, both good and bad, some bumper crops and some crop failures. We met a lot of new teammates and customers and said goodbye to others. 365 sunrises, 365 sunsets later we […]