The USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture data was released last week. You can read a synopsis from the Washington Post here or look at the original document here. As the WP writes, “This census comes out every five years and is the most accurate and detailed look at America’s vast, complicated and shrinking agricultural sector.”…
Patiently Waiting
Our lamb due date was March 17th. Well, that was the first possible date that lambs could arrive. Lambing then usually lasts for a least two to three weeks. So, now I am eagerly checking the barn several times a day. This week there is a full moon that also coincides with the spring equinox.…
Memory Lane
Dean and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary this week. It has also been eight years since moving to this farm. Before settling here I moved every few years or sometimes even months in my young, adult life. Now, these eight years seem like nothing. A blink. Time has flown by and in many…
Snow Day!
We woke up to a few inches of snow, which is a lot for northwestern Washington. Most things scheduled for today were cancelled, including our annual flock check with the vet. There isn’t a ton of snow on the road, but enough to make you slip and slide into one of our enormous, rural ditches.…
So…you are interested in milking sheep?
I remember reading this bulletin almost ten years ago. At the time I had a strong feeling that I wanted to start a farm. I had a strong inclination towards growing herbs and produce, but I also loved sheep. I had helped raise sheep at a bed and breakfast in Vermont, assisted with lambing at…
Heart of Summer!
Hello August! I am not quite sure where July went, but here we are in the heart of the summer! We have had a nice mixture of weather (hot, cold, wet, dry) in the Skagit Valley, so I can’t complain. And the evening skies have been incredible! Our second cheese, Fleecemaker, is OUT and we…
Here We Go!
We have arrived in summer! The year has been busy so far with new farm projects underway and the ongoing adjustment to being a family of four. I won’t lie to you–I am tired. And, I am also severely disturbed by the news these days. However, I want to use the time I have right…
Remembering
Seven years ago today my Grandmother died. It was expected. She had been battling cancer for the past year and we knew it was a matter of time. Yet even though she was on hospice, she was still able to throw an amazing family reunion in the weeks before we lost her. It was our…
My Summer Vacation
With the late spring arrival of our second daughter we decided to make this farming season a transition year. I was already overwhelmed with new ideas and projects for the farm and the thought of a new baby in the mix too was a lot! Thankfully, the pause in production allowed us the chance to take a summer vacation…
Rain Brings Respite
The summer solstice & full moon are Monday and the 2016 growing season is well underway. This is our first summer “farming with a baby” and we are learning how to be good parents and reconfiguring how we get things done on the farm. Each farm season is an evolution. The first full rainbow I have seen in…