Itsumo Mawaru

Last weekend was the first of many future cleaning and reno weekends at my new farm house. The time was spent taking care of the low hanging fruits, the simple jobs that could be done by whoever wanted to do them. It was pretty much a free-for-all, pick what you want to do and do it!

We got a lot of work done. My partner chose to work on the living room, as it is one of the primary rooms in the house. He took down the faux brick paper which opened up the fireplace’s air circulation and fan switch. This means we’re one step closer to having this guy functional again! In addition we spent some evenings this week prepping the walls for fixing and painting.

Seen above, also in the living room, is the strange opening in the wall. It is occupied by a custom rolling… something. Our best guess is that it was used for storing wood for the fireplace, as the piece extends the depth of the hole for fitting common firewood cuts. The previous owners used it for their entertainment center. We plan on patching up the hole.

I chose to focus on cleaning up the walls. The upstairs hallway walls had lots of wallpaper residue and glue on them, in addition to crayon marks and little handprints smudges that result from a household of many young kids. This picture was taken closer to the end of the day after all the work, it’s my best impression of a Renaissance painting showcasing my suffering!

Not documented with photos includes the cleaning and moving of the appliances, fixing of a toilet seat, patching of walls, ripping out ugly drawer linings, and other various cleanings. It was an exhausting but accomplishing weekend. Here’s a link to this weekend’s Flickr set.

We are planning on another weekend of moving and working, so look forward to another Cleaning Weekend blog post next week.

A blog I just discovered, Silkie Sue written by Samantha McPhillips, is having a painting giveaway… the closing date for entries is today so be quick!

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Ugh, enough posts about dead sheep! Here’s some nice photos of the house and surrounding areas, taken in the past few days.

A nice view of the back of the house… it’s still a bit hard to accept that this is the back of the house when it looks so much like the front, especially with the stones leading up to the back door (not in the shot) and the fact that it’s the side facing the road. Oh well, at least it looks better than the back of any other house I’ve seen.

I got mail! My mailbox is the dinkiest of all them around, the rest are these rigid plastic things. I kinda like this one though, and it certainly works just the same. Now to get a webcam and program working so that I get an email every time the flag is put up…

This is the path to the treehouse/back lot. In this shot we’re looking back towards the house, the treehouse is behind us. Even though we’re not too far out, the house cannot be seen at all. It was here that we stood and listened to nothing but the wind.

And here she is, the treehouse! Well, the starting of a treehouse at least. It was used more as a deer blind before. We’re thinking of situating a hanging-out location around it, clear some area away from the tree to set up a campfire location, etc.

Here’s one of the neighbors… yeah that speck on the horizon, that’s them! The neighbor to the left is much closer, and there are two more neighbors directly across the street. Not enough to be annoying and burdensome, but enough to lend a hand if a problem arises. Perfect.

And finally, this adorable picture of a child’s scribble. The previous homeowner had 5 young sons, so the house and leftover furniture are pretty much covered in drawings and scribbles of all colors. I found this guy, henceforth named Happy Man, right beside the main door of the house. I kind of like him, I think he will stay.

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There are many ways of dealing with dead animals. You can bury them, burn them, compost them, leave them in the forest to be munched on by other animals, et cetera. Unfortunately none of those were options – I have no tools, not a lot of time, and the ground is frozen solid. So I chose to go with the most appropriate option, paying a deadstock removal company to remove the corpses.

We ended up finding 5 whole ewes, and noted 5 other spots where remains were too frozen into the ground to remove. That’ll be a job for the spring, I’ll haul them further back on the property and let nature continue its process.

The previous homeowner and flock tender did not have any guard animal guarding the sheep. In addition, the accumulation of hay and snow may have made it easy for some of them to jump over the fence and escape out into the side brush area. While exploring the area for carcasses I did notice areas of sheep poops, that and the lack of coyote prints near the barn would seem to indicate that the sheep were hanging around in the brush for a bit and then the coyotes made their move.

As unfortunate as this incident was, I continue to learn from other people’s mistakes, and I’m confident my sheep will not be met with such a gruesome fate.

We went up to visit the house today and take a walk around the property. It’s one empty place! It’ll be rare to ever see it as quiet again as it is now. We actually stood out in the fields listening to nothing but the wind. I don’t think I’ve ever been somewhere where I could hear literally nothing but the wind and trees rustling, no people, no cars, no planes, no water, nothing. It was a moment of bliss.

The moment started to end when, while exploring an area closer to the house, I found these prints. I had just finished a book containing a comparison of dog and coyote prints, and I remembered that coyote ones have elongated toe pads and more pronounced claw marks. Perhaps just like the ones pictured?

Then I turned around. What I saw there I won’t embed in this blog post, but those with strong stomachs can see the pictures over on Flickr, here’s a link to the deadstock tag itself. Yes, I had my first experience with dead animals today. Scattered in the area were at least four sheep carcasses in various stages of decomposition/consumption. Since it’s cold outside I can’t bury them, they weren’t my property so I can’t redeem them for compensation, I don’t have a compost pile going so that’s not an option… I’m not really sure what to do with them, but for sure I’ll have something figured out by the end of next week. I dislike encouraging the coyotes to venture anywhere near my house.

This event has only reinforced my feeling that Spirit’s services are very much needed! These coyotes are bold sons. I don’t want to think what would have happened without a guardian animal for the flock. In fact, even with one, you never know what will happen. I guess I shall be investigating even more serious coyote deterrent methods.

One thing’s for sure, you can’t have livestock without deadstock too. It’s just a part of the circle of life. But let me tell you, I’m so happy to have had this experience with animals that were not my own. These poor ewes’ lives were ended in fear and violence – I never want that to happen to my animals. This experience, as distasteful as it was, has strengthened my desire to protect my flock and let me see another side of life.

I’d just like to take a minute out to say how excited I am to get on my farmland! I mean, this is plainly obvious to anyone who talks to me, or those who come with me on my various farm field trips to scout out animals etc. But as we get closer and closer to moving in, and as all of the pieces are being put into place, I’m feeling so happy and excited and passionate about this adventure!

I mean, look at these faces. Aren’t they just so precious and adorable? These are the sheep who were living on the land previously. They look so happy and without a care in the world. In addition to being able to provide my animals with such a wonderful life, I’m very excited to be able to document and share their lives with you via pictures and blog posts and visits and whatnot.

Man, they have it made. I can’t imagine a happier existence, having everything given to me, all my needs taken care of, my only job being to live and be healthy, and having a fan club to boot.

Picture of Spirit is from Heidi’s blog post about her.

Yesterday we went out to meet this potential livestock guardian dog for the flock. Her name is Spirit, she’s a 5 year old Maremma, an an excellent guardian for sheep. She’s currently guarding a flock of Shetland sheep at Ruis Dair farm. They had taken her in when another sheep owner had to let her go, and unfortunately she doesn’t get along with one of the other Maremmas on the farm. It was sheer luck that I found the blog post talking about her, the result of a google search gone right!

Her demeanor is exactly what one wants in a livestock guardian dog. She was very skeptical of us when we came into the yard, we stood around for a great deal of time chatting and letting her feel comfortable around us. Eventually she sniffed us and calmed down even enough to have a nap in the middle of the sheep. But she was always on guard, a few times she started barking when she thought we were up to something, and she wouldn’t let anyone but the owners touch her. She’s an Alpha dog and it comes though loud and clear.

Here’s a shot of her with her flock. She’s over on the right. See how well she blends in? When she was taking a nap she was almost invisible in the midst of the flock. A coyote would be making a fatal mistake messing with her and her crew. Hopefully it won’t ever come to that though, the coyotes should be deterred by her scent markings as well as the sheer proximity of the flock to the barn and house.

As you can see, Spirit impressed me greatly, and it looks like she’ll be joining the farm to guard my quartet of Shetlands. I was really concerned when I heard about the large number of coyotes in our area, but knowing that Spirit is in my corner really makes me feel better. And of course I’m glad to be able to help out with Heidi’s situation and provide her with a great home where she can spend her days doing what she loves.

My internet has been acting really strange for the past while. It’s effectively stopped me from being able to upload pictures as I normally do, which makes me not remember to take pictures, which makes me not want to blog cause I love sharing a photo as well as my words with all of you.

In light of this I decided to post a text entry over at my Happy Panda Rainbow Farm website about packing up to move and getting ready for the Shetlands to come join the farm.

Every time I mention my sheep supplies purchasing to a friend, they kind of laugh and seem amused at the thought of a sheep supply store. I have to admit I found it comical too, but more than that I found it so handy to be able to buy all my needed supplies at one place. I guess I’m what, 10% a farmer now? Awesome! Though I’ll admit, I am not too excited about the thought of having to castrate little boy lambs. Thankfully Youtube is there to guide me in even these kinds of tasks. I can just see it this Spring, one person holding an iPod with the Youtube clip playing, one person holding the boy lamb open, and me ready to get the job done… Let’s hope for lots of girl lambs!

My heritage seed order from Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds came in the mail today! Happy times are close by, my friends. I saw some adorable and inexpensive mini greenhouse trays and plastic plant holders (just like what holds the baby plants one buys) at Ritchie Feed and Seed a few days ago, and I can’t wait to get my hands dirty and to watch the little seedlings come to life. I’m also looking into other ways to hold the seedlings, such as using egg shells or making straight up soil blocks.

What exactly is a heritage seed, you may be asking? Simply put, heritage seeds are seeds of uncommon or rare versions (aka cultivar) of the vegetables we know and love. The vegetables you see in your grocery store are versions that are selected for longevity, maximum production in minimum time, slow ripening, hardiness to bruising, and other traits which are advantageous to the long distance nature of today’s global food trade. Taste may not be their #1 priority, as one can easily see by comparing strawberries during their peak with ones flown in from far away in December.

Heritage vegetables, on the other hand, focus not on high yields and low spoilage, but on taste, appearance, and uniqueness. Did you know that tomatoes come in every color of the rainbow (minus blue of course)? There are even many striped versions. Little zucchinis that look like UFOs, tromboccino squash that can grow taller than you or I, purple broccoli, these are just a very small sampling of the unique and crazy veggies that are heritage vegetables. Here’s a picture of some of the veggies from my order that I am super excited about growing:

Long black radishes, atomic red carrots as well as little roundish one, orange cucumbers, what strange and unique veggies!

The only drawback that I’m currently aware of regarding heritage seeds is that they are slightly more expensive and might require more care due to less focus on disease-resistance. However I don’t really see there being much of a difference for myself as a hobby gardener as I shall be giving attention and care to each and every one of my plants. The benefit of growing some absolutely unique vegetables, and in some cases even helping to save some veggies who are on the verge of extinction, easily outweigh the negative points!

I promise I’m not rushing into the farm life too much… I mean, what kind of a farm would it be without animals? I’m not rushing in, I’m just making it more farm-like.

Pictured above from left to right are Maggie, Ginger Rogers, and an unnamed third one. Maggie and Ginger Rogers will be joining the Happy Panda Rainbow Farm in early March, along with Franklin:

Franklin is a strapping fine lad who is the father of Ginger and Maggie’s 2010 babies. He was a bit sad and frustrated at being stuck inside the barn (to protect the little goats who are frolicking around on the farm), so I’m happy that he’ll get to enjoy running around in my pasture in a month or so.

Their arrival in March gives me plenty of time to clean up the barn, secure the fences, acquire and transport some hay and other supplies, and learn as much as I can about taking care of them. These guys aren’t without risk, I’ve been advised that it’s not the best thing to jump into lambing your first year, luckily both the ewes are great mothers so it will hopefully be without much drama. As a plus for me, they’ll be shorn within a few months’ time, so I’ll have fresh fleece to play with during the summer nights!

I’m looking forward to their arrival on the farm! And I’m doubly excited for welcoming the little lambs into this world. I’m open to name suggestions, although I have to admit I do enjoy the thought of naming them after old painters, Picasso, Monet…

Today’s blog post is at Adventures with Yarn. I talk about my newest spinning wheel purchase, the John Bryce wheel pictured above. What a peculiar device!