Mid-Summer Redux, with Pix

I thought y'all might want to see as well as hear what's going on around here.

First, there's the baby goats:

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(Asher with Midori)

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(Isaiah holding Margarita)

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(Poppy nurses little Grog. Stout is in the background waiting his turn.)

The baby goats aren't the only baby things we have in profusion:

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(Marigold gave us 8 baby Cinnamon Rabbits, while Rosemary followed with another five.)

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(Mama hen and her babies)

Meanwhile, the harvest is coming apace!

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Everything is growing like weeds (including the weeds!). Check out the boys in the raspberry patch. They don't leave us much!

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(Lavatera in the cutting garden)

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(Bay Laurel, Elder, Lovage, Lemon Verbena, Lemon Tree)

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(Mugwort (A. Vulgaris) and Echinacea Purpurea)

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(Laden peach tree)

There are some new additions to the farm:

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(Erica and Morgan, our two new does, checking things out)

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(And then there's the big red van!)

On the hottest days, the only ones who can stand to be really busy in the middle of the day are the bees:

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Everyone else wants to nap in the shade. Fortunately, the van has multiple purposes - goat shade being one of them:

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(Jessie, Polyhymnia, Calliope)

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(One of the calves resting in the barn)

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(Athena: "You didn't want to sit here anyway, did you?")

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(Mac: "It *was* the children's sandbox. Now it is a cool dog bed, thanks.")

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(Selene: "It is hot. Am I done gestating *yet*?!")

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(Frodo and Goldenrod: "We *could* go out and graze. On the other hand, we could stand in the doorway hoping someone will bring us some food.")

Meanwhile, those of us who don't have the luxury of spending our days lying down in the shade just keep on keepin' on. There are the farm innovations, mostly involving repurposing stuff. :

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(What do you do when your little ones outgrow their port-a-crib? Turn it into a bunny tractor, of course!)

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(There's keeping up with the preserving)

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(And there are always herbs to be harvested and set in the drying room (aka the mudroom.)

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(Getting the new hay in is always a big job. Heliotrope is glad to "help.")

But then there's the most critical job of all:

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Remaining silly at all costs. But it helps when you can speak fiercely and wield a baby goat.

Cheers,

Sharon

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Curiosity--how does your bay laurel make it through your winters, which are usually tougher than those in Western Washington? I have been told bay "always dies within 3 years" by all the farmers I try to entice into growing it for me...

By Sophia Katt (not verified) on 20 Jul 2011 #permalink

Lovely! Thank you for taking the time to post the photos and the story of your farm this summer. We have a "micro-farm" in northern VT with dairy goats, pigs, laying hens, meat birds (already in the freezer), gardens and the endless work. But what fun and how lucky we are when we can stop and take a moment to savor our life. Thanks for sharing!

Great pictures, thanks for sharing!

The answer re: bay - in makes it through in a pot, and comes into the house in winter. This one is three or four years old and doing well, although it usually is a little ratty by the end of winter.

Sharon

The boys are growin' up so fast!!! Love to see pictures, I'd say they are worth a thousand words... but Sharon, I wouldn't want to trade any of your words. Have been your fan for many years now way, way back to early days of ROE2 and such. Anything new happening in the "Riot"??

Wonderful photos! When you get time (!) could you "show" us some of your gardens and/or food storage spaces? Thanks for taking the time to share the details of life - it's inspiring.