It’s a beautiful Winter Wonderland out there, and while it adds it’s own challenges to getting around and getting chores done, it’s still beautiful and the animals really don’t seem to mind.
The Weather Forecast is saying it’s a 100% of a White Christmas! Which brings this ole song to mind…
I love this ole song, and I guess if we can’t change then we have to accept this white stuff! Right?
It’s been just a couple weeks short of two years since we moved our animals on to this property.
The Barn Property Sept 2022
When we were asked to come there and use the land and barn, the fields were mostly old and burnt out, full of invasive and toxic weeds. Two years later through the use of rotational pasturing, and regenerative farming techniques these are those fields today…
While the original goals of the Property Owners, of “Just keep the trees from growing in, and the fields from getting over taken” with hopes of getting rid of the toxic and invasive plants. Although we wanted to help showcase the work, and help make this place even more beautiful. We’ve used Goats, Pigs, Chickens, Rabbits, and now Sheep to help improve this wonderful old property. Just look at those hay fields now! A true testament to the capabilities of these wonderful birds and animals!
Not only have we helped keep the fields from growing in, we’ve helped to eliminate many of the weeds, both toxic and invasive. Although it’s still a work in progress! Sheep need adequate pasture grasses and forage to thrive and our shearer and others, and even the wool quality of the sheep have all testified to this being the case! It’s incredible to see the transformation that’s taken place!
We’ve even managed to turn some of this ground into gardens!
Using deep bedding for our animals through the winter helps provide well composted hay and manure to help naturally grow the gardens. The whole thing is laborious and yet rewarding. We work mostly by hand, employing time honoured methods and let our animals do most of the heavy lifting! It’s a labour of love, one where we always strive to be good Stewards.
Today, We’ve seen Snow, Rain, Sleet, and Hail, and a little sunshine. Temperatures are on the rise, currently 2°C or about 36°F and expected to reach 7°C or about 45°F this evening! While we love the warmer temperatures, and even being able to save on wood and so on, it means lots of melting snow and at hightide Bear River was flooding it’s banks!
Thankfully, we sit about 80 feet above the West Branch of the River, and so it’s not likely it will ever reach here. Although we sometimes wonder what would happen if .. !? Well, anyway, I think we’re pretty safe!
Although it’s blowing up a storm out there, and while we’re well protected by the hill we live on, especially from the Winds that blow from the North and West. lately the Winds have been coming from the East and South. So, praying that, with the water soaked ground and softened soils, we don’t end up under a Tree! Or have trees across the Quarter Mile Laneway that leads up to Briden Farm.
At the end of the day, we’re just happy to be warm, sheltered, with a roof over our heads. Wanna come play on my Island!?
We had our first snowfall of the season last night. While it probably means four months of hardships, harsh winds, and bitter cold, it also brings with it it own beauty. That beauty, the beauty of this magical season is captured in this post and video. As is the incredible work our Goats and Pigs have been doing over the past 80 days! It really captures well, the before and after!
