swift star farm blog: blogged down

It has been some time since the last installment to this blog.
Partially because I have been busy here on the farm and partly due to our computer (who I call "Dino" ) that is close to becoming antique status in the world of computers along with connection issues from our server South Canaan Telephone.

Anyway , let's "Ketchup" on what's been going on.

Managed to get some second cut hay off the field the first few weeks of October.

That will be great to have for the very cold weeks ahead. Really nice looking hay.

We have had a bumper crop of Apples this year. More than we could ever eat. Sheep and horses along with the "wild things" have really been enjoying this windfall crop. I also found when out walking the back fields that are a bit overgrown a Sickle Pear tree. LOADED with pears. I picked a bunch , though not yet ripened. Can't wait to taste them.

We have finished fencing in that small pasture we were working on. It looks really good. It will be a really nice place to start dogs and work on "issues" of dogs further along. I had been using it , though it was fenced with barbed wire, had no gates and if the sheep really wanted to they could leave at any time. So, wire was removed, posts pulled and re sunk, H Braces to corners, gates added and on one side we changed the line so to straighten it out. We finished the weekend before this past one. None too soon as Saturday we had an early taste of what is to be the norm for the next five months or so. A very early Nor' Easter blew in.

At first it looked like we might not get hit too hard and snow started later than predicted.

But as the day went on the snow picked up and really started to accumulate.

Incidentally Saturday the day of this storm was my Birthday. The "big one" the 5-0 , "Book 'em Danno" kind of Birthday.

We had planned on going out to Coopers Seafood Restaurant in Scranton but waited until the storm blew out and went on Sunday instead. My Mom made a yummy pot roast dinner Saturday. Paul picked up an Ice cream Cake .

All in all by the next morning we had about 10 inches of snow fall. A winter wonderland in October/Snowtober.

Thankfully we were lucky to have had most all the leaves off the trees and never lost power. It has been mild since so snow is melting off fast and there is just a small amount left.

Mother Nature, up to her old tricks as she has been messing with us here in the North East all this year.

Trick or Treat ?

Flooding rains, earthquakes, Hurricane's , Nor'Easters in October. They had mentioned on the News that this year 2011 has been the wettest on record, EVER. I believe it!

There were a few here in our household who enjoyed the early snow. The dogs loved it, the pups got a taste of snow in a big way. At first they were not too sure about this cold wet stuff, but quickly changed their minds and found it quite fun.

That Saturday night when I let them out to potty and the snow was way over their heads they just had a ball. Plowing through it like little porpoise, or running down tamped trails like lab rats in a maze.

I have also found a new weapon to battle my White Whale (Multi Floral Rose) , A chainsaw on a pole. While I am having some issues with it, it has allowed me access to the old growth woody rose that has a formidable canopy of prickers that has kept me at bay till now . I am able to get in there to the base of the plants and cut it back, saving flesh and fabric from the ripping thorns .

The sheep will be able to keep it managed next spring if it makes attempt at life.

I have made really good progress with this little 8 inch saw blade. It will make it so much easier to clean up other barbwire fence lines that we are planning to replace with field fence.

Also had a visit from my friend Maggie the day before my birthday. Great conversation, good dog work . You know your friend knows you well and shares your interests when she gets you a marking harness for your Rams for your birthday present! I needed one and just have never thought to get one until after the fact. Now I'll have one before the fact and can keep better records of my lambing timetable.Maggie has a pup from Bracken's last litter, named Strike . We did some good works and Strike is really a nice little dog , a good teammate to Maggie. She is taking the little boy pup in a few weeks. I hope he is as nice a dog for her as Strike.