We had a recovery day yesterday. The little chicks are all doing well. The badly hurt one may never walk properly again though. However she is getting herself to her food and drink and stays close to her company through the cage walls. Chooks are pretty tough. 
There was the gentle raking of the rained-on hay. With the wind it was drying back out nicely. 
Daisy dutifully waits at her gate morning and evening. Once I open the gate, she trots into the milking room. I still can’t get her to walk with that lazy roll like a real cow. She has a munch on various cow treats while I brush her, getting her used to the routine. I have taken to bumping a metal bowl and her brush around her udder so she gets used to clumsy working in that area. She has never been milked before and I have never milked before so I need her to learn to be patient with me. So far she has been. 
The grapes are setting but due to that miserable frost that killed off so much of the vine, we will not get a bumper crop. I need to prune back all the dead cane today, so we can grow some vigorous wood for next year. 
The bees got an A+. Both hives are growing nicely. They were busy with brood and honey and ignored me which was a bonus. Both of them have received a new super on top. So they have another layer. Swarming is an issue in the early summer. The first thing we can do to discourage swarming, when they make a new queen and then most of them fly away with her looking for a new home, is to make sure they have room to grow in the hive. I also need to be careful not to give them too much room, so there is a timing issue. Hence the new medium supers. However I think we have it right. Last year they swarmed in the last week of June, and everything is about three weeks ahead this year. 
Once again we cross our fingers. I don’t know how I get anything done with all this finger crossing! But it is informed finger crossing!!
Good morning. It was a bit windy and chilly yesterday. The wind was good for the drying hay though. The cool weather has been great for greens and we are eating huge salads with every meal. The strawberries are being picked daily and are so sweet and so tasty I can almost guarantee I will not make jam. Too much eating going on!!
It has dawned clear and still this morning. It will be a lovely day. This afternoon, when John gets home from work we will bale the grass hay down the back. Our John is dying to see the baler churning out good things to eat. We have never done this before either. The most important thing at this stage is to make sure the grass is dry. If you bale green hay and stack it, it heats up, like compost, and can internally combust! Burning down your barn. Or at the very least you will have moldy hay which is bad. As a kid we were involved in the hay making but I took absolutely no notice of the decisions our elders made of course. I can rake or line bales up really well though!
The land and the animals themselves are great teachers, once you learn to listen and actively experience your life. You read, ask questions, study, then jump in and just do it. It is then that I find out the real lessons. Fear of the jumping is the only thing that can stop us learning the real lessons. And most importantly I have to keep my eyes wide open so I do learn as I go along.
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
71 responses to “Learning Lessons from The Farm”
It sounds like Daisy is doing well 😉
Fab photo of the hive with the barn in the background. I’m getting a right proper education round these parts what with hay making, milking parlours and Queen bees.
Of course, that is the word I was looking for.. Parlour. Thank you Claire! From now on it is the Daisy’s Milking Parlour! c
I still cannot believe you are already eating strawberries and greens. It appears my spinach will soon be ready for a first picking.
I love the scent of fresh cut alfalfa. Hope the haying goes well.
this is grass, the alfalfa is next, even so it does smell gorgeous! c
It sounds so much more peaceful today.. I guess life on the farmy is like that, eh? My fingers are crossed for you all the time (makes it a bit difficult to cook, but such is life:) xoxo Smidge
You are doing really well. Terry is a hay bale artist…he loves making hay (tee hee). He started when he was 12 mowing, baling and hauling for neighbors and running his Dad’s 80 acres of hay all by himself. He still (at 68) loves the hay process. From planting to harvest.
You are a very good farmer, you and Our John!!!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
i think we need a little of his expertise out here with the string.. i think it is something to do with the tension.. c
Lovely, peaceful post – I am sad about the chick but happy it survived. And, before your eldest son stocked you up, I got you some Marmite! So if you’d be kind enough to shoot me an email at seasweetie@gmail.com, I’d love to arrnage to get it to you. Happy day to you, miss c.
AWESOME! I sent you an email! You know what these kids are like! c
I have never before heard of spontaneous combustion of hay.
well it is not really a spontaneous combustion, more like a fire in the compost heap! Though this has never happened to me, i have heard the old farmers go on and on about the dangers of baling hay that is not dry enough! and somebody always has a story about somebody’s mate who burnt down the hay shed! maybe it is an urban myth. or rather a rural myth!! c
just a quick snippet…it really happens, more often than you’d expect….
Spontaneous combustion is always a possibility with stored hay but particularly if hay was baled too wet or too green….the hay cures, or sweats and as a result heat is produced. the heat is not able to escape from the bales when stacked, resulting in spiraling of temps inside bales, hay should be baled at 20% moisture or less. I left out all of the bacteria, and sugar conversion to carbon dioxide…didn’t want to bore you two to sleep.
Jess
Thank you jess, I am being a stickler about the hay being good and dry so it is good to have the info. c
Oh it was nice to have a bit of an update on how everyone is doing. I was especially happy to hear about the bees. I know there is some sort of learning curve involved, but I am looking forward to hearing how milking goes (and I’m so impressed that you are already prepping Ms. Daisy for the experience). I dream of a cow. So yes, milking parlour tales please!
It will be tons of fun.. and i am SO looking forward to that milk! c
Fingers crossed intelligently and eyes wide open – I love it! You remind us of the way to live daily, thank you 🙂
You always have such wonderful lessons to teach and an inspiring attitude my friend 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Good to see that normalcy has returned to the farmy. Great news, too, about the 2 remaining hives. I’m amazed that your strawberries are already ripening, though. I expect them in June — or maybe I’m confusing our growing cycle with Michigan’s. No matter. They’re another reason to get to the farmers market early on Saturday. Have a great afternoon/evening, Celi.
They are bound to have them at the market, I am so envious of the selection you will have there.. c
What a beautiful picture of Ton Ton…sorry to hear about those grapes, and just agog at the challenges you take on, and the adventuring spirit in which you tackle them, Celi. You live life ti the fill out there on the plains 🙂
sorry – to the full!
To the full indeed, ! But so do you i think!
Great post, Celi. Thanks for sharing your farm lessons with us – it feels like we’re growing with you, if that makes sense.. xx
That makes perfect sense celia because i don’t feel all alone out here in the daytimes anymore! You are all with me! What a fantastic thought! c
I couldnt agree more about jumping in.
As a teacher of horticulture for over 10 years it was one of those things I tried to instill in my students – you’ll never know if you dont give it a go. Theory is fine but practical brings it all together and where the learning actually begins.
True of life too I think.
That is so true sue, i am sure you made a big difference to a lot of kids just by encouraging them to take a few risks! c