We great the new year with a review of the past and planning for the future, as well as other routine tasks.
While we continue to get hay to the animals and be sure water tubs aren’t frozen the animal care slows down – unless we get really nasty weather. Our mild winter thus far means there is still quite a bit of “standing forage” in the fields. The Fescue grass in particular becomes more palatable after freezing. The nutritional value of the standing grasses is not as high as in the spring some those animals with higher nutritional needs (young, pregnant) get some grain supplements as well. But as long as we don’t get wet blowing cold, ice, or deep snow this time of year is actually less stressful on the animals than the hot summer weather.
We have raised our own pork and beef for personal use and this entails a lot of cutting up and packaging of meat as well as smoking bacons, curing hams, and making scrapple. This traditionally late fall / early winter project becomes quite the neighborhood gathering. Fortunately, especially this year, it is definitely an outside activity.
Otherwise, like many folks we start preparing for tax season – balancing accounts, tidying up paperwork, and reflecting on what has worked and what hasn’t as we do so. And making plans for the future.
You may have noticed our new building going up. While this is largely for storage we do also hope to be able to have some of our own meat and wool products in there to sell through the tasting room, as well as other products from the farm – honey, produce, local eggs, etc. Stay tuned……