Year's end...

Another artful presentation by Magnus. This cat knows how to relax! He also knows how to bring live mice inside the house via the cat door as it's been about 1/2 dozen in December alone [that we know about]. Why not bring the mouse inside where it is warm and dry to chase around the living room when the weather is bad? Or better yet the bedroom! But only when your people are sound asleep at night...

We apple tree wassailed on solstice eve this year... one of the few photos taken below. Apparently we were all too busy wassailing or hanging out by the bonfire to do much documenting this go around. Suffice it to say that judging by the empty cider-mead [cyser] bottles, the trees should grow well and bear well come spring/summer!

This is the bed of the truck filled with our steers, just back from the butchers. We hope to do some weighing as to what we got back meat wise, but Doug was 492 pounds hanging weight, Buddy 393 pounds. We sold 1/2 Buddy to family, and we'll hang on to the 1 1/2 beef for now. Our 2 chest freezers are full-up at this juncture! Tonight is sirloin tip steak for dinner... one from each steer and later we'll post our comparison.

This video might be a better display the quantity of beef... it's a lot!

For hibernation season, it has been one heck of a busy month. Not only were the steers taken care of, all of our seeds, and spuds for garden 2010 are ordered. We are also registered to attend the 2010 Country Living Expo and Cattlemen's Winter School <- click for more information.
We attended last year and it was really a terrific experience. As their website says... "the Country Living Expo and Cattlemen’s Winterschool is just for you. You can attend classes on a multitude of topics, network with other small farmers, enjoy a prime rib lunch and visit with local agricultural businesses offering you service..." There are a number of classes this year on business laws for small farms, incorporating, but also hands on courses like beekeeping, raising grains, butchering chickens, mud mitigation, you name it! It's an excellent program that we recommend any small or backyard farmer in the area try to attend.

We are also making arrangements to be at the 2010 Small Farmers Journal Auction in Madras, Oregon April 14-17, an auction of horse drawn equipment, carriages, harness and horses. Pony seriously needs some better harness, maybe even another cart/wagon, and we have been told this is the place to find both selection and good prices. Also should be an opportunity to network with some other people into pulling horses or ponies!

Looks like we'll be rolling into 2010 with all kinds of adventures to look forward to...

Weekend Doings

Weekends go by way too fast. While we got a lot done, seems like there was a lot more we'd have liked to do. At least the sun was out, which made a hive check that much easier. Here's the intrepid beekeeper inspecting a frame.

We were both excited to see that the brood were starting to hatch! The open cells on this frame are where baby bees recently emerged.
This is in contrast to the second super where the bees are just starting to draw out comb. The mostly empty frame below has a few bees getting started on this.

Contrast again with another frame showing signs of hatched bees. Under closer inspection we could see some very young bees who must have just recently emerged! Despite the cool temperatures all last week, looks like we added that second super at the just the right time to make room for all the new babies hatching.

The grown chickens and babies here. Babies are at the waterer, while the grown lady hens are under the house watching them. After this weekend, the older hens are now only able to access their coop or in the barnyard, while the babies get most of the actual chicken run. They love the larger space and tear around it most of the day chasing bugs or each other.
Here the boys are hanging out after a lovely grass lunch. The paddocks have greened up nicely and the animals are glad for some new spring grass.

But we still serve hay at least once a day for those that want it... even if they prefer to lay on it over eat it.

Pony is napping under the old apple tree while being tethered out for a bit. He no longer gets the run of the house yard owing for his goat like tendency to eat fresh growth on fruit trees or other landscaping. He seems to have a particular fondness for the front yard's Rugosa rose! Fortunately we caught on before the damage was too bad.

And last but not least the garden, looking a tad scruffy yet. Many things were either started in the green house or planted out this weekend. Potatoes are up and the onions look quite good!