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…
Summer of Love
It’s really hot! I know that 85 degrees F is nothing to whine about in comparison to an average summer heat wave in other parts of the country, but it is hot for western Washington this time of year–and it has been been warm and sunny all spring. No “June-uary” to complain about, with its…
Health Starts on the Farm
The Food as Medicine classes I have been offering since 2011 are an important aspect of what we do on the farm. I can feel the impending busyness of the growing season ahead and I know that once plants are in the ground our focus will be on growing things well and with great care. However, in…
Sheep Season
Happy Winter from Harmony Fields! We have been enjoying some quiet and creative project time on the farm. However, sheep season is upon us and we have to tend to our ewes. Most of them are due to give birth over the next few weeks and we are watching and waiting with much anticipation. It is…