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We are experiencing the most delightful spring here in New Hampshire. Not too much rain and the snow, all 10 feet of it, melted away without incident.
And because we didn't have a very deep freeze across the winter, the mud season was non-existent. As I write it is mid-April and the birds are migrating
back daily. The bluebirds have returned. A pair has taken one of the houses in the backfield, the swallows keeping guarded company with them in an adjacent
house. All the finches are here, the redpolls, the grosbeaks and our dear phoebes. The phoebes, swallows and bluebirds are very loyal to the same location
here each year and their arrival is almost to the day from the prior year. The Canada geese are flying north. Our farm is situated high in a saddle along
a ridge with the road running east and west. They fly north to our farm and immediately swing to the west, following the road to the Connecticut River,
which from their view aloft is very close. Along the river are hundreds of acres of farmland where corn is grown for feed. The fields in spring and fall
offer great forage for them as they wend their way north in spring and south in the fall.
There is so much to see and hear in the springtime. I sat out on the steps in the sun as I contemplated this writing. Alive are the woods and fields with bird songs, bugs waking up, peepers in the brook, tractors running, a chainsaw in the distance. Our cat, Webster, is stretched out on the granite step in the sun, tail twitching as birds fly by. He could care less; they are just a live video movie he watches with sleepy eyes. The sheep are sheared and the sun feels good on their backs. More than half are resting in the sun today, full bellies, dozing as they chew their cud. An awakening….it's spring! Renewal, new plans, ideas, and energy. The opposite occurs come October when we become weary of the long days of light and outdoor festivities. But for now, no thoughts of that for us! I was working at the barn this morning thinking how wonderful a farm is. And I know for many that does not hold true. I love that there are different strokes for different folks. It's what makes the world vibrant and diverse. I was raised on a dairy farm, Jack worked on a farm through high school and then went on to get his BA in agricultural science from Stockbridge School in Amherst MA. We just like the farm life. Being a farmer doesn't mean you have to have a 100 head of cattle, grow 100 acres of crops or milk 100 cows. To me it means you produce something from your land that you offer to others or use yourself. You produce and use.
The sunshine is calling me. Jack is out turning over pasture to reseed and the tractor humming is making me itchy to get outside! I hope to see many of you at the shows and festivals this year. Do check Events to see where I'll be and stay tuned for yummy fibers, naturally dyed for your fiber projects! May you recognize life's blessings for what they are, whenever they come to you, Nancy
Spring 2008
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Anyone reading this has felt the pinch this past year between fuel costs for home heating and automobiles as well as rising food costs. I hear people
talking about what they will be doing next winter to change their expenses with regard to the fuel issue; wood burning furnaces, wood stoves, pellet
stoves. Each of us is also paying more for all the products we buy due to higher gas prices hence higher shipping costs. Jack and I usually grow a garden
to merely enjoy fresh produce for the summer months but this year we will grow enough to put away food for the winter. Our garden is not large but sufficient
for the two of us. I bought seeds for some veggies and will buy plants in the next month for the rest. It is a lot of work but it is also free. The cost of
the seeds and seedlings, that's all. Jack is a hunter and is able to supply us with enough venison and wild game for the year also. Rethink the little ways
you can get back to the land and save a few dollars while you enjoy growing your own food. Join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) and work on their
land for your veggies and fruits. And if you have enough land to support a garden, do it. I would love to see a resurgence of the farm and garden life.
Do you live in a high rise or a condo? Use the rooftop, use your windowsills, grow tomatoes in pots, make spaghetti sauce in the fall. Whatever you have,
use it and grow your own!
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