Sometimes you just have to run. And yesterday evening The Bobby was doing just that. After waiting out yet another strong storm, standing in the drenching rain and high winds, there was no way he was going in for the night. He just ran. Running rings around me. 
So I left him out.
We will have less milk this morning but never mind.
These beautiful blowsy pink fluffy clouds, that folllowed in the wake of the storm still had jags of lightning messaging from inside them. Like the forked tongue of a snake flicking in and out of cotton candy on a stick. Each time lighting up the clouds from within. It felt ominous.
Surprisingly the wild flowers have survived every storm. I see no damage in this field of light and gold.
Even in the dusky light, that lends a silver to the vibrant green of the corn in this patch, the flowers stand up straight and tall.
I have family coming in two weeks, I hope they last so I can show them off.
The hay is officially ruined. Again and agaain it has been rained on. i was able to flip it over the other day to try and save the pasture below the sodden messes and was going to do this again today but we had a lot of rain again yesterday. These wild squalls are coming on days when no rain is forecast. Flying across the coutryside. Moving fast. Every day it has been rained on – i have stopped counting how many.
I was going to dry this hay then get the hay man out to bale it for straw but I think it is even past that. I was feeding it to cows by hand but no-one will even eat it from the field now. The rain and incredibly high humidity is turning it to slime. It smells. I am thinking the only thing to do it literally roll it to the edges of the fields and gather it up for compost when I have the time. We need to clear it off now so the next crop of pasture and hay can grow. I have never had quite this thorough a disaster.
Today I will call my other hay man and see about buying the two hundred odd bales I just lost.
Farming is fickle. As fickle as the weather. 
And exciting Annoouncement: I have been working on a new spin off platform from the blog. I get frequent requests and suggestions to create a page from where I can sell prints and cards and merchandise with images from the farm. But I don’t want to sell on the blog – it feels wrong the few times I have advertised the calendar on it. The farm pages are for the farm.
So, for a long time I have wondered how to raise money for the farm and its community of dependent animals (the ones like Wai who do not make money but need care) without it impinging on the farm emphasis of the farm pages. I love how you and I and the Fellowship gather here for a cup of coffee and a natter about the farm. I really do not want to break the simple joy of the daily blog by allowing it to become commercial.
I have hit upon an idea that takes that slightly tacky side of selling right away from the blog pages. I am devising a newsletter that will go out monthly with all those money raising buttons and links attached. It is being beautifully designed by my new personal internet assistant, who I will introduce soon, and will have a monthly cartoon from the Farmy resident artist who I will introduce soon too and as well as advertising my products it will have brand new farm news and favourite inages from the month, etc. Lots of new material. This newsletter will link to the Amazon page where I have listed many of my personal favourite and frequent purchases, like Wai’s lotions and potions – the farm gets a small percentage of anything you purchase from these links – and my brand new Zazzle page where I am creating the cards and aprons and cups and prints and tons of exciting stuff. Here is a sample!
Our artist at work here! Stand by as I would like to introduce her properly but need her permission of course.
This will also be the forum where I sell the yearly calendar and Christmas children’s picture books.
The newsletter will be small, will not take up much of your time and if you sign up for it then it will arrive via email in your own inbox on the first of every month. There is so much potential for this medium. This is my exciting new venture. Stand by!
What else can I put in it? Any ideas? What do you think?
This week my personal internet assistant Samantha will create a button for you to sign up for the newsletter. Then we will launch our first Letter from the Kitchen’s Garden on the first of August.
I am hard at work creating all the cards (as well as the first cups and tote bags). I am excited! I am running with it.
This is a much more fun way to pay for hay!!
I hope you have a lovely day. I really, really do.
Love celi
Weather – Out of nowhere a COOL day. A day to regroup. I will have to get out Wai’s beautiful new warmie blanket for tonight!
Monday 07/24 10% / 0 in
Sunshine and clouds mixed. High 77F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph.
The Kitchen's Garden 
68 responses to “An announcement as we run”
What a great idea and way to support the farm!
I hope so – and good work for me during the winter – not that I am actually short of work to do!!
J & D > An interesting dilemma about commerce. Our own small following will no doubt have noticed that our solution (more by default than design, to be honest), is to weave the business side of things into the very fabric of our blog. It’s not prominent, never pushed, but it is an integral part of what we do (in fact it is pretty much all of our income). We were agreeing, this morning, that we’d probably blog pretty much the same if we didn’t have to earn income from what we did, but in truth we would do less, there would be fewer problems to solve, the troughs of life wouldn’t seem so painful, the highs so exilerating, and there would seem less of a point to it all. In short, no jeopardy, no narrative, no drama. But in your context, Celi … well, let’s say we see that it’s different. We wish you very well with your new ventures. We’ll be signing up ; though unfortunately we’ve found that customs duties for goods from the USA entering the UK are absolutely extortionate – plus there’s handling fees on top.
There will be other stuff on there too – not just for the buying – a very cool once a month cartoon for a start. The shopping bit is just at the bottom, not too prominent. Hopefully.. c
We look forward to it!
What an excellent idea! I’ll be signing up for the newsletter pronto!
Thank you – it will be funI think! Lots of work to do to get it ready though..
You need a lasso!
Ha ha – yes! He was being straight naughty he usually just trots straight in..
Suddenly discovered he has a will of his own, lol!
You are so industrious! I have a friend who keeps prodding me about marketing my photographs and stories, and even to go non-profit with the wildlife rehabilitation that I do, but it all overwhelms me. It has to feel right in order to do it. When I read about your plans, it feels right, the way you plan to work this new venture. You seem to flourish any time you take on a new endeavor. I admire that about you.
You mentioned the other day that the hay man doesn’t work on weekends because those are worship days. Growing up, my grandparent’s practiced the same “no work” on weekends, but especially Sundays. My dad did not follow those practices. I cannot tell you the times we lost hay, or crops were less quality for harvest because we couldn’t harvest on good weather days on the weekends. It frustrated my dad a lot. Hay is not cheap to buy… I’m so sorry you lost your chances to bale what you worked hard for.
Yes I understand how your Dad feels – but never mind – worse things happen at sea – now I have to work out how to get all this stuff out of my fields – it just will NOT stop raining n it.
Sadly, you may also need to wear masks, if it does start to dry out? Such bizarre weather this year):
Great idea. Congratulations on this endeavor!
Thank you – fingers crossed.. c
I remember losing hay to bad weather in Germany, it was devastating . I am bombarded by people wanting to advertise or help me with advertising and promoting products on my websites. At my age, I really don’t want to go there . Good luck with your new site .
There will be no bombarding on this site – that would be so nasty.. c
I can’t wait to see what you have to offer! And of course I’ll sign up for the newsletter. So sorry about the hay, but hopefully your new sales will more than make up for it!
I think it will probably start off small and grow from there – you will all be my ambassadors and marketers!! c
I love the idea of a newsletter!
Thank you – i think it will be nice – we will see
Not ever wanting to miss anything anywhere on the Farmy I will be signing up for the newsletter for sure. The sunflowers remind me of you a bit, hurricane, drenching rain, beating sun, sick cows and injured pigs you both stand firm and strong and happy soon after 🙂 Laura
Wishing you every success with these marvellous ideas and getting that flippin’ hay up safely…
Hopefully naughty Bobby’s hunger overpowers his independent streak; )
If I were you, I think I would just tedd that hay out and leave it on the field. It will add organic matter to your field, and the new grass will easily grow up through it. I am sorry you have had bad luck haying, but you sure are not alone. I need to do my second cutting soon, and am really watching the weather for a break. Your sunflowers are stunningly beautiful!
Sorry about your hay. Your new venture sounds very exciting. I’ll sign up for the newsletter too.
OH CecI! I had to laugh at your statement…” I have family coming in two weeks. I hope they last so I can show them off.” I’m assuming you meant the sunflowers, not your family – giggle!
Loved seeing Bobby run – full tilt! The forked tongue and cotton candy is a winner, for sure! Photos are superb!
Count me in as being one of the first to push the button to sign up! Thanks!
Go The Bobby. Nothing like the feel of the wind in your face and under your tail 🙂 Love the sound of the newsletter, maybe a featured animal every month? What about guest spots from the clever fellowship mob who are doing interesting things too? And I will sign up of course.