Poppy the pig, it was so cold yesterday Sheila took to her bed and Poppy spent the day gazing mournfully out the door.
The brown cows are all together again. Finally, says Aunty Del.
We have discovered that Lady Astor will stand completely still and sweet if John stands at her head and practically hand feeds her. He dips into her bucket and fills her trough bit by bit and keeps up a running commentary of nonsense. Pure nonsense. I have never heard him talk so much in my life. But he must talk only to her, if he turns and talks to me in a different tone, she starts to twitch and shuffle her feet. He must give her his full attention and she happily munches and lets me get on with the milking. Not one Kick at all.
We are all happy with this step up in milking etiquette.
I am still amazed at how easy it is to separate her from her calf every afternoon. I just walk them both into the yards, Lady pauses at a tiny serving of treat grain and baby keeps on walking straight into the barn and her little dish of treats and hay. I shut the door. Lady turns and walks back into the field. Perfectly easy.
My favourite photo of the day.
Good morning, Gabrielle arrived yesterday on time and repaired to work, she is a delightful, cheerful, intelligent young woman. She immediately gravitated to the animals and the barn. She will do well.
This summer I am focusing strongly (with my guest workers) on combining the farming and gardening with running an old fashioned kitchen. I call that role the 1940’s housewife. The person in the kitchen is the pivot for everything in a home and on a farm. They determine what is grown, what is picked, what is preserved and what is cooked. So every day one person will be the 1940’s housewife. From morning to night. For the whole day, they will wear the pinny and work in the kitchen, doing the meals, the bread, making the jams or stocks, dealing with the milk and cream, making the butter and ice cream and baking, cleaning, tidying, stocking, ordering the gardeners and kitchen hands about. Playing loud music and making delicious feeds. An old fashioned Mama in the kitchen. Making the house sing. Culminating in dinner around the big table. With everyone pitching in to help with the clean up at the end of the day.
The last few days I have tried to make a list of what I do every morning. Often before the guests even wake up. The list is long. But it is a cycle. A good one. Everything kind of works together. Running an old fashioned kitchen is an incredible skill to learn. Both Gabrielle and Federico are willing to give it a try. And next week when there are two more girls as well it will a delightful riot.
I will be on hand as the consultant. But they will not need my help for long. (And very quietly I am looking forward to being able to spend entire DAYS outside.)
I hope you have a lovely day.
Your friend on the farm,
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
48 responses to “Cows, cows, cows and a pig.”
I felt all warm and fuzzy reading on the kitchen person being the pivot of the home and the farm. My grandmother’s were those women. I am thankful I was part of harvest lunches and dinners, helping in every aspect of the event. From greeting the farm hands and neighbors who came to help, to assisting in the kitchen and serving the workers. Oh, the fond memories of cleanup and lady laughter and so much good food.
I would love that book… aquila.. are you OK?