Farm Friday, June 7th, 2024

Dynamic weather week

Cultivating the onions. The tractor doesn’t get everything on the first pass, but with two passes it does a decent job. All photos by author.

It was the last week of school and we had a group of 1st-3rd graders out for their three-day visit. They planted pumpkins, learned how to make fire, and did pond study. A highlight was when a parent came out and gave a lesson on rockets and they all got to shoot off model rockets. Wow!

The weather has been stormy off and on for the last two weeks. Grass is growing well, but it interferes with doing fieldwork to prep for planting.

We had the shearer come this week and the sheep and llamas are finally free of their winter wool.

post cultivation on the pumpkin patch. At this stage we leave the rye in between as a protection for the young plants.

We have hay down. It needs a couple more dry days to make good-quality hay.

We opened up a patch of stinging nettle for the llamas and sheep to eat. They love it.

Our school naturalist, Doug, showing off monarch caterpillars.

I love the lingering light on these long summer nights

Twilight

Shearing a llama

Llama hair

This is an example of nest parasitism. Likely a cowbird laid its egg in this other bird’s nest.

Tuesday night we went to see the US Women’s National Team play a friendly match against the Korea Republic. It rained the whole match, but we were undercover. I have never before seen a nighttime rainbow. Happy Pride Month Y’all!