Farm ramblings cont.
The rain has come back, which I’m real happy about. We have gotten almost 1” of rain in the last 5 days, and only 1 of those days we did not receive any. It feels like that is the way it should be, a little bit of rain everyday. Droughts are scary stuff. I hear about major droughts in the rest of the country and I don’t like that one bit. No rain=no grass=no milk= no cheese. I’m not sure what I’d do with myself if that happens.
Cheesemaking and markets are in full swing this time of year. I really enjoy doing markets. Of course they take up time, but they are also a really sweet way to spend the day. I love having community and building community, and getting to know people and provide something that is rare and of good quality. I think most people that come to market understand all of that, and those are the people I like to be around.
It’s a big birthday month. We just celebrated our farm interns(my Dad) 80th birthday. Honestly, I wouldn’t be able to do what I’m doing without my Dad’s help. He provides me with his graceful companionship and he helps tremendously with both farm and cheese work. Don't we all wish we could be doing farm work into our 80s? . The time spent together is worth all the cheese in the world. Cheers to another 80 more! Adalyn’s birthday is coming up. She is turning 7. WOW, 7! That sure makes me stop and contemplate.
Our calf is growing. Queenie is gettin big. I need to build her larger area to eat and run around. Last year, my Dad and I built 2 shacks out of scrap material laying about: old roofing tin, pine logs, beaten up cattle panels, scrap lumber and large sheets of plastic. It’s fun to come into a project and try to scrounge a shack from nothing. It’s a different sort of challenge. Anyway, the ramshackle of a calf hut keeps Queenie cozy at the moment, although she needs a new home soon.
All the ducks we incubated and hatched gotten eaten by a black snake. Life and death is part of the farm. But there is something about baby ducklings being eaten by a black snake that is a little sad. Especially after having the eggs in the kitchen for a month and then watching them being born and flutter their wings and take their first bath. Put them outside and then…
Cheesemaking is going well. I will be doing 4 makes this week:Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Tomorrow I will make a Caephilly style cheese. I have made 2 large batches this year so far of Caephilly. I haven’t tasted it yet, so I hope it’s a winner. I will pasteurize on Tuesday and make from that milk a Fromage blanc and an herb encrusted soft cheese. Thursday I will make our monastic cheese and Saturday, I’m not sure yet.
We will also being doing 4 markets this week. We will be at Marshall 3rd Thursday on Main, which I’m really excited to get a chance to hang out in downtown Marshall.
I always want to sit down at the computer and write a few words about what we are up to on our little creamery hill. So here, I did it. I’m calling it a day.