Over time I have accumulated an assortment of tools that work in my daily chore routine. The hand truck carries bags of feed, goose pens and Rubbermaid water troughs. The forks, hay-tines up and manure-tines down, move the hay from the round bales, to the feeders then eventually scrape the manure soaked leavings from the barn floor. After time spent cleaning stalls in a horse barn, I like the look of swept floors so the broom is put to daily use and the feed shovel scoops the sweepings for the chicken coop floor. The fish net transforms into a poultry net on the farmstead and is always handy when rearranging birds. The mask keeps my lungs clear of all the dust.The nine barn cats keep our outbuildings free of rodents in spite of an outward appearance of lethargy. In the fall the felines add weight to their sleek frames and thick coats to protect against the winter weather.Once the weather chilled these lightweight Muck boots replaced my Dunlap rubber boots . When the temperature dips later this season, the heavy Mucks will be called into service.
Managing the north pasture
Developing a plan for improving and utilizing a small pasture on this evolving farmstead does not fit into any manual's list of to do's.
Our north pasture borders the home yard and the orchard. It does not have a permanent fence so for any grazing I need to run polywire on pounded in posts. If I do not get the posts in the ground in the spring or after a soaking rain, the pounding is almost impossible. With easier grazing in the orchard and fenced fields, the pasture can get ahead of me as it did this year, so the hay was cut, baled and stored. Eventually I did get the pasture fenced and the cows and sheep rotated over the ground about 7 weeks after the cutting.
With only 2 cows, a heifer, a calf and and a donkey and obligations beyond the farmstead, my rotations do not look like those described by Greg Judy and the Managed Intensive Grazing crowd. Because the donkey is very protective of the cows, the bovine and ovine cannot graze together in tight quarters and with so few large creatures there is not the dramatic trampling of grasses. Buying enough posts for small paddock creation is costly since they would have to go in when the ground was soft in the spring and stay in the ground through the grazing season. Eventhough I do not move the herd daily, I have seen an improvement in the density and diversity of the pasture over the last couple years.
Next May my pasture will host a wedding so cow pies and rough growth needs to be managed.This event is not covered in the manuals so I formulated my own plan. After removing the fencing, I mowed the field in the hopes that the cut stubble will mulch and improve the soil. Depending on the earliness of the spring, the pasture may need to be mowed, perhaps to be used as green chop or left to mulch the pasture.
Why a scythe?
Choosing to buy a scythe is a rather radical choice in this land of Stihl and Deere yet it may be an appropriate choice for this small property. Beyond the reach of our farmer's haymaking equipment and electric fencing lines, pasture grass grows too tall for the lawn mower and string trimmer. We have avoided purchasing a brush hog because the benefit does not balance the cost, especially since we do not have a tractor to pull a heavy mower. Until now I have donned safety glasses, ear plugs, boots and gloves to run the weed trimmer along the bottom of the fence lines. I have also gratefully borrowed a friend's heavy trimmer with harness and blade to attack the weediest lines. This hand numbing, ear ringing task is one of my least favorite jobs on the farm and I often avoid it until the electricity is being sapped from the fence enegizer. In order to keep our aged string trimmer running well I need to learn small engine repair but I do not know if that is how I want to spend my limited farm time. Purchasing and using a scythe postpones small engine repair lessons and lessens my dread of fencerow clearing.
My mornings of clearing the fencelines have been quiet with no strident motor to compete with farm sounds. Yes, the scythe has worked different muscles but the light blade does not strain my back and periodic honing of the blade gives me a chance to stretch and reposition. Removed from the mad dash to get as far along the fence perimeter as possible before the gas or string runs out, I have been able to check the hi tensile line, watching for areas that need tightening, and observe the sheep and cows in the field.
I have not attempted to clear a swath of grass on a bit of field, the fencerow clearing has been more pressing. Hopefully at some point I will mow with a rhythmic motion and the blade will whisper.
Mowing
There was never a sound beside the wood but one,
And that was my long scythe whispering to the ground.
What was it it whispered? I knew not well myself;
Perhaps it was something about the heat of the sun,
Something, perhaps, about the lack of sound—
And that was why it whispered and did not speak.
It was no dream of the gift of idle hours,
Or easy gold at the hand of fay or elf:
Anything more than the truth would have seemed too weak
To the earnest love that laid the swale in rows,
Not without feeble-pointed spikes of flowers
(Pale orchises), and scared a bright green snake.
The fact is the sweetest dream that labor knows.
My long scythe whispered and left the hay to make.
Robert Frost
Shelter
Over the years we have accumulated an assortment of animal shelters to accomodate different animals in our different pasture areas. The goat pen, built into the hill, outside the big field accomodates goat brousing the encroaching vegetation.
The poultry pens accomodate for small flocks, laying birds and winter protection.
Moveable pens are pulled into new locations with the help of our Subaru or golfcart.
The run in is situated in the lee of the hill, protected fom the winter winds.
Beautiful morning
Chores were a pleasure this morning -- sun is up, light breeze blowing,and pastures are lush. While I was bottle feeding Vanna the February lambs and their ewe, Queen Mab, ambled up to sniff the process. The Saxonies also came up to investigate, most likely wondering when their water and grain would be refilled. Under the last setting goose I can hear the chirps of goslings. Hopefully she has a few to add to the gaggle.
The four steadfast Buckeyes remain on their nests. If they successfully hatch chicks I hope to use the best chicks as replacement hens, to sell if I can find buyers for this heritage breed and to butcher for tender fryers.