Farming With (or Against) Animals

Farming in general, and organic diversified farming in specific, means dealing with animals on a regular basis. Sometimes, you're working with them, sometimes you're working against them. Other times, especially when dealing with a neurotic and curious farm dog, it's a little of both.

Here are two examples of working against the critters.

No. 1:

Farmer Jacob has been having a little mouse problem. Right now, they're tied.



No. 2:

Lydia The Dog is a *huge* fan of rolling in manure or -- even better if she can find it -- something dead. This weekend, she got into the car smelling like a stew of rotten meat and week-old cow pie steeped in a terrific sauce of moldy straw. So, Farmer Jacob had to scrub her. Working dogs are not water dogs, fyi. Seriously, look at that face.

Snow, snow, snow and wind.

I posted this photo a few days ago, thinking I had a good shot of Montana spring weather (click on the photo and notice the icicles on the potting shed roof):



Well, it got better a couple days later when big fat flakes started falling and accumulating:



That all melted yesterday but this is what it looks like today:



I had to hurdle the drift in front of the door to get inside.

More Media

In the Great Falls Tribune: Finding the Perfect Seed

After this was published, I came across Jill Davies' organization, Sustainable Living Systems in Victor: http://www.sustainablelivingsystems.org/. Click on "Seed Bank" on the left-hand side. I'm sure there are others in the state who are saving and exchanging seed in at least some organized manner.

An Old Tractor and Spring Weather

This beast is what will be cultivating and planting my field crops. It's a 1969 Case 1030 Western Comfort King Draft-O-Matic 8 speed diesel. Its power steering is out and the tie-rod ends need work. The inside of the cab is a bit roughed up and the doors and windows don't close all the way. Dave and I got it back to the farm a couple days ago. Jerry, the neighbor, had been borrowing it. It took a while to get it started, but it runs and that makes me happy.

I tried unsuccessfully to start it the past two (relatively) warm days. I need it to move the seed drills and cultivator off the field where my vegetables will go. Today it's snowing so I won't be messing with it.

The Farm Loves the Media

The (almost) local paper featured the Farm's CSA program on Saturday! By 7am, I'd already received an email about available veggie shares. Later in the day I got 2 calls and by evening I'd gotten 5 more emails. I've filled all the Vegetable CSA shares and am picking up more Thanksgiving CSA shareholders. There is definitely a lot of interest in high-quality local produce in central Montana.

http://www.greatfallstribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009903210305