#sovt

[studiohillvt]

Egg Vault: Access granted 🥚🥚 https://jmcd.me/2tzZMs3

[alaskan-cat]

[studiohillvt]

Despite the overwhelming nature of the global news, the small world of the farm continues on, mostly unchanged for the moment. Last week the sheep left their winter paddocks, and moved out onto the hay fields to start another season of holistic planned grazing. We still have some snow at the higher elevations—maybe you can see it on the mountains behind the sheep, but down in the valley it has all melted away. In these early days of the season--when the grass isn't growing but the water tanks won't freeze on the field--we are using the bale unroller to feed out out round bales on the hay fields. In a perfect winter feeding system, the sheep would eat the round bales on the same fields where the hay grew. That way, the biomass generated in one spot would be eaten, digested, and have its nutrients returned to the ground, re-enriching the soil in that area. For the moment, we need to use our winter paddocks with permanent fencing and heated water buckets for the coldest and snowiest months of the year. But we are always chasing the ideal of a continuous, upward spiraling ecosystem. One where water, nutrients, and carbon, all intertwine into a state of abundance humans have all but forgotten is our planet’s very nature. https://jmcd.me/2TRQqm5

[studiohillvt]

It’s been interesting to visit the grocery store in the last couple of weeks. Like most places, our supermarket is perpetually out of toilet paper, but do you know what other section is bought out as soon as it’s filled? The natural meats. —————- Jesse and I have been talking about how to plan for this coming season, and we’ve just put up our order form for whole chickens. You can order 15, 25, or 50, to fill your freezer. This year, for every order received, we’ll raise 5 extra birds for local food banks. To learn more, visit the “Regenerative Food” section of our website: https://jmcd.me/3bgGLv8 ————— We're now taking orders for the summer batches of our pasture-raised chicken. Fill your freezer for the winter of 2020 by placing a bulk order for our pasture-raised, chemical-free, regenerative, uncertified organic broiler whole chickens. * These flavorful and nutritious Freedom Ranger chickens are raised in our regenerating, holistically-managed pastures throughout the growing season. They eat a rich, diverse, and natural diet of grasses, clovers, insects, and local regenerative organic grain. https://jmcd.me/3bkkyfO

[studiohillvt]

Hello December. We’ve got a big snow storm forecasted for the next few days. Jesse spent yesterday picking up all of the piles, equipment, and stray tools, that have been hanging around the farm all summer and fall throughout project season. The plow and sander are on the tractor. The sheep have been notified. Here we go. https://jmcd.me/2LbzuCq

[studiohillvt]

Today was a strange one. It was warm and sunny, so the kids and I were outside for about 8 hours of the day—and we were all happier for it. * In the evening we found out that the school closures would continue through the end of the year. I know there are so many people who are being impacted by this situation in deeper ways, but nevertheless, this is a big change in our small world. * When you live on a farm, in an isolated place, school is where you get to be with other kids, try new things, and take a break from your mother’s unyielding hippie nonsense. (“Interesting! Let me answer YOUR question with a question...”) * Also, there’s big wheels, floor hockey, and cheez-its. * I know everything will be ok in the long run. I know my grandparents lived through the depression, and wars, and much more. * But tonight, I’m going to let myself feel sad about this. Childhood is short, and I’m sorry for my kids to miss a chunk of the most playful and silliest time of their school years. We feel so blessed to be able to drop our kids off in places with caring, funny, kind, inquisitive grownups, and lots of friends. * In the morning, I’ll go outside with them again, and I know I’ll feel the bright side of all of this. Much love to you all out there, trying to adapt to what we can not control. ❤️🌎🌻 https://jmcd.me/2Un0vb1

[studiohillvt]

And now, a daily diversion of clear skies, still mountains, and munching sheep, with full bellies.🌞 https://jmcd.me/2wtpqAz

[studiohillvt]

The sheep and I have talked it over, and we’d much prefer the recent two feet of snow, to the monsoon and mud week that followed. These creatures are remarkably well adapted to winter conditions when it’s cold and dry. But everything changes when you combine cold and wet. Looks like we’re back in the clear after tomorrow. https://jmcd.me/38IzUKG