What's Happening?

The 2009 growing season is in full swing.  The 21 week CSA has already begun delivery.  Our roadside greenhouse is full of certified organic vegetable plants for sale.  We are furiously tilling and planting the big garden, as the smaller garden is  planted and producing already.  (Dani started planting outside on March 17th this year.)  The pigs farrowed and the goats have kidded, with more probably to come.  We have on cow due to calve in June and another in July.  The chickens were laying delicious organic, free-range eggs until the coyote ate them!

It is not all work and no play on the farm, especially in winter.  We love to cross country ski, skijore, and dogsled with our four dogs: Poco, Gemini, Snowtoes, and Splash.  Our trail system extends across the fields, around the beaver ponds, through the woods, and up the rocky ledges (but only if the snow is deep enough!)  It was a great season for skiing, skijoring, and dog sledding, just like an old-fashioned winter.

People ask us how did  we enjoy "The Slow Season"?  For David, this was a very busy time, building the infrastructure for our expanding organic livestock business.  We completed an underground water pipeline system to provide frost-free water for the livestock all winter. 

Now David is focused on completing the first half-mile of fence that is part of our 15 acre grazing project.  We received a grant from the NRCS (Natural Resource Conservation Service) for a15 acre grazing plan.  We have almost one mile of fence to build, along with water troughs, the water pipeline, and a couple of wetland crossings.  When it is complete we plan to raise grass-fed organic beef, goats, and pigs.  (The pigs, goats, and chickens are already here and the cows arrived two days before Christmas)   The animals are being raised naturally without hormones or routine antibiotics, on pasture, and allowed to express their own natural behaviors, just like nature intended! 

We also bought a new (to us) tractor for the farm. It is a 1967 Massey Fergusen 135 with a front end loader and a brush hog.  This has been on our wish list for the past three years.  With the fencing project we couldn't put it off any longer.  The bucket loader helps move all of the compost, leaves, manure, and other organic matter we need to keep building our soils, and the brush hog is helping us to clear the new fence lines for the mile or so of fence we need to build this year.  Later we will buy other implements to help us continue to build the farm and grow natural food for you.  You can help us pay for the tractor by signing up for Pastured Pork at Cross Island Farms or buying more vegetable plants, honey and maple syrup.  We appreciate all of your support and encouragement.

Stay tuned for the latest news.

A view from the dogsled.  In the lead are Splash and Snowtoes, followed by Gemini.  Poco brings up the rear.  Click the picture to enlarge.