More Snow.

It’s official. We’ve had record-breaking snowfall this winter. And winter isn’t over yet. The Valentine’s Day storm brought another foot, plus, of snow, and high winds are making drifts of monster proportions. This was the scene on Sunday morning that my intrepid shoveling men faced.

back door

 

By the afternoon my son waded out, just to see what it’s like to walk through epic snow.

wading through snow

 

Steve shoveled. And shoveled. I think that we need a snow blower. Perhaps something like

. He resists. What do you think?

snow to barn

 

This is the path to the Little Barn.

T in snow

 

The goats get their paths shoveled, too. I fear that they are now very out of shape (more so than usual!) because there’s not much exercise that one can get when one’s paddock has been reduced to a snow canyon. Goats digest their food in their rumens – and to break down the tough forage, a lot of fermentation goes on, which acts as a natural furnace. To keep them warm I’ve been feeding extra hay. The goats are rather enjoying this winter!

goats in snow

 

The rabbit has had a path shoveled just for her. I don’t know what we’ll do when it snows again – there’s no place left to toss it.

Phoebe

 

This morning dawned sunny, but the temp remained at zero. That didn’t stop the hens from coming outside to get scratch grains. The extra carbohydrates will compensate for the calories that they need to burn to stay warm.

screenshot

 

The winds, though, are fierce today, and the hens prefer their coops. Lucky for them, I designed them to be sunny, spacious and airy. Inside, the temperature is a comfortable 20° F.

space in coop

 

There’s just one thing to do on a day like this. Find a sunny spot and wait for spring.

Scooter

Keeping A Rabbit With Your Flock

It’s been a couple of years since I wrote my FAQ on keeping a rabbit in with the flock. It was pre-Phoebe. There were no photos. I’ve revised it. In doing so, I went through years of photos and found this gem. Some of you will remember Candy, the Empress of the Barnyard. Here she is, talking to Pip, when he was still a youngster.

No doubt she was imparting some kernel of wisdom. Did Pip listen? I’m not sure. His brother, Caper, is the smartest of the Goat Boys.

Candy and goats

Happy Birthday, Tonka!

Tonka was born in Dripping Springs, Texas on February 11, 2006. His sire was a black and white paint stud, named Last Chance Investment, who was known locally as quite a good roping horse. Tonka’s dam was also a black and white paint. Her name was Moon King Bea. As far as I know, for his first four years he was pretty much left alone by people. He lived in a large group of horses, likely with his aunties and cousins. He learned how to read horse body language from the mamas who kept him in line. He was outside 24/7, able to graze all day and during the night, too (horses wander and graze at all hours.) That made him strong and kept him sane – horses are designed to forage, not stand in one place and eat only a few times a day. Tonka and the other youngsters played games, which is essential if you want a horse to know how to relate to others. Animal ethologists and behaviorists have recently learned that play isn’t about asserting dominance or even, among predators, all about learning to hunt. Rather, it’s about cementing social relationships, and it’s important for brain development. For horses, who are amenable herd animals, and who must get along with others in order to survive, play is not frivolous time. It’s necessary.

Tonka was lucky to grow up in a herd. Socializing with other youngsters and aunties is more essential than constantly being handled by people. In fact, foals that are kept stalled and separated from the group often have behavioral issues. When Tonka was four, he was purchased by a kind rider, who taught him gently about saddles and life with people. She brought him up to Maine, and although she loved him, could no longer own him. When I first met Tonka, it was clear to me that this was a horse with a sound mind. It’s why I bought him. The fact that he is handsome is icing on the cake.

Back there in Texas, in his herd, Tonka learned how to gallop, to watch his footing, and to take care of himself. And so, when I ride him out on the trails, I respect what he has to say. Some people teach their horses to be compliant – to always and only do exactly what is asked of them. You see this with horses trained in “natural horsemanship” in which they are chased around until they give up and either do as told, or do nothing. I don’t want that relationship with Tonka. I want a cooperative horse. I want a dialog. Here’s an example. Last summer I was riding Tonka on a trail in the woods. We were walking along when he stopped dead in his tracks. If I had a compliant horse, I would have told him to go on, and he would have. But, I have a cooperative horse, one who trusts that if there is an issue, that I’ll weigh it with him. I looked to see what he was alerting me to. A yellow jacket (a very nasty wasp) zipped past. It’s uncommon to see them in the trees. Tonka took a moment to cautiously look for a ground nest. There wasn’t one in our way. We continued on. I was grateful not only for his caution, but also that we were able to communicate about what we both knew about the trail. This is not to say that I let him do what he wants. I do assert my right to be in charge of the decisions. He’s learned that if we disagree about something that worries him, (for example, he has a fear of wild rabbits) that if I insist that we go on, that nothing bad will happen. Trust is built, not forced.

Tonka's face

 

Today Tonka turns nine. A horse reaches his prime in his teens. With luck and good care a horse can be ridden into their late twenties. Here’s to a lot of good years, Tonka!

on Tonka

(That’s his I just had a peppermint candy face.)

Snowbound Chores

We’re not exaggerating. This is record-breaking snowfall – more than has been recorded in the last 150 years. I’m feeling housebound. And so I tidy. Yesterday, I cleaned the pantry. I organized my flours (I have more than six types that I bake with, including my favorite for pizza, King Arthur Italian-Style Flour). I’ve been meaning to put labels on the canisters. Yesterday I finally got around to that task.

There. Now I feel better.

pantry

 

I’m also sorting through my collection of vintage chicken things. These were originally purchased for the photoshoot for Tillie Lays an Egg and for future books in what was supposed to be a series (until my editor was laid off, long story, but typical in the publishing world). I’ve some lovely things that I never look at. I might as well send them off to new homes, and so I’m listing a few on eBay. This egg crate label is up for grabs.

egg label 1

 

If this snow keeps up, I’ll go to the next level of tidying up – ironing. But not yet. Setting things right by smoothing out wrinkles is a last resort. It’ll take another snowstorm for that. Unfortunately, I hear that it is on i’s way on Sunday.

Do you clean and organize when you’re restless?

And More Snow

As you’ve noticed, it keeps on snowing. It’s like we’re in a fairytale with an evil King who won’t allow the seasons to change. We’re New Englanders. We’re used to challenging winter weather. But this is record-breaking snowfall and although we like to think of ourselves as stoic – we pride ourselves on our fortitude in the face of adversity – this is a bit much, even for us.

snow on coop

 

Here I am heading out to check on the animals. It is 2 pm. Steve snapped this photo from inside of the mudroom door. Just so you know, although he often, very kindly, does the barn chores first thing in the morning, I also do them in this weather!

trudging out

 

There’s a reason that I had a barn built – not a little prefab coop the size and height of a rabbit hutch (that I’ve railed against in numerous posts.) On a day like this I’m oh so grateful for an indoor area that has storage for tools and the chicken feed.

Ladies

 

The hens are grateful for the light and the space. It’s a winter like this that confirms that my criteria for chicken coop design of a minimum of 4 square feed per hen of inside space is not excessive. My chickens are active and despite the lack of outside time, there aren’t any pecking order issues.

active hens

 

In fact, the Girls are content enough to be laying.

Twiggy laying

 

The biggest challenge so far has been what to do with the manure.

chicken manure

 

The manure pile is out back, beyond those two trees.

snow

 

I am not about to trudge out through snow up past my waist. I have an alternate manure pile in the goats’ paddock, and a short path will be shoveled out to that tomorrow.

My family doesn’t ski, and the snow is too deep to take the dogs for walks in the woods, so none of us are particularly enjoying this bounty of snow. For now we are all staying safe and cozy indoors. Even Tonka is dry and well-cared for at his stable a half-hour away. There is, however, one amongst us who is having the best winter, ever.

rabbit in snow