May 6, 2023Liked by Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden
Just in time! I think the spring heat is about to arrive. Funny you should talk about being out so EARLY to beat the heat. The blackflies arrived here today. They chased the donkeys right out of their pasture back to the barn. Do you know HOW much they await their morning pasture treat?! They tried - oh they tried! - to eat the grass as quickly as they could and flapped their floppy ears furiously trying to rid themselves of the biters. But then suddenly all three - plus the two goats - lifted their heads and RAN through the gate and into the dark of the barn. So ... as they are donkeys - naturally desert creatures - they need LOW SUGAR grass. The grass is lowest in sugars from about 3 am to 10 am. The blackflies arrive and thrive from about 7 am to 11 am. Seems I am going to need to let the donkeys onto the pasture somewhere between 5 and 6. Guess I'm going to be getting up earlier and earlier. Maybe I'll have my chores done BEFORE breakfast. Of course ... being the sleep hog that I am ... I may have to go to bed BEFORE dinner! Ha!
Those flies sounds absolutely awful - your poor donkeys - do they go out and graze at night? I feel so sorry for cows in the summer - not only those awful huge horse flies but the flies that cluster around their eyes, Makes me shudder. Poor things.
May 7, 2023Liked by Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden
Some time back I saw a picture at your place of feed bags hung from the trees in the cow pasture/paddock. The cows would walk through them and brush the flies off. That gave me the idea of hanging a sheet in the door of the donkey barn. Then when they come in they can brush the flies/mosquitoes off on their way in. Works VERY well!
Oh yes!! That is great! Do you remember that I used to put DE in the bags - they were hessian coffee bags so the cows got a wee dusting at the same time.
I love the sheet idea. That must feel so good for the donkeys.
Oh - one more thing. Our Rosie (donkey) has a condition similar to diabetes in humans. She doesn't do well digesting sugars. So our group has a very limited time to be out on the pasture. At this time it is about an hour. As the pasture dries out a bit and summer rolls in then they might be able to handle having access at night. That then gets complicated by the coyotes that travel in packs hunting at night. Safer in the paddock then. Sounds like we live in the wilds. Not really ... more like on the 'edge' of the wilds. ;)
May 6, 2023Liked by Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden
The bonus of the hot weather list was wonderful today! I have heard that if you use a fan putting a bowl or large block of ice between you and the fan helps immensely with cooler air blowing. I have been known to wear ice in a wet towel around my neck as well. Feels lovely as the ice melts and runs down the back and chest too ;) I did a little wandering after listening to the podcast searching some of the other posts in that first July. Did you ever write at all about more background on John and you and your decisions to turn away from industrialized farming? The hows and whys of the years prior to the start of the blog?
There was no real decision. I just began. John and I married 16 years ago and I immediately proceeded to go organic. He goes along for the ride but would not have made that decision alone - when I am away he drifts back to convenience. He does not really care either way and spends his days off the farm so it is easy. I keep our marriage as private as I can on the internet.
Oh C, thank you for sharing that with me. I hope I didn't overstep in asking and I know that John is not often mentioned except in passing at least since I have been reading the blog. I had the impression that this adventure was mostly of your doing even from the start, yet you mentioned a few things from these first podcasts and highlighted posts that made me wonder if I had read things the wrong way and he was more involved earlier on. Thank you for clarifying for.
Oh how lovely to have your voice accompanying me this morning... as I made yoghurt, prepped sourdough focaccia, and tidied up the contents of the fridge! You and I began blogging about the same time so it took me a little while to find your blog, and although I had gone back through TKG old posts I hadn't read these. And they are fantastic, still as relevant today as they were in 2011. I thought the timing was good, and I can hear you settling into your stride. You are good at this.
May 6, 2023Liked by Cecilia At The Kitchens Garden
I love the natural feel to how you are reading your posts and commenting on them. Wobbly feels like we are just sitting at the table and you are gathering your train of thoughts.
Just in time! I think the spring heat is about to arrive. Funny you should talk about being out so EARLY to beat the heat. The blackflies arrived here today. They chased the donkeys right out of their pasture back to the barn. Do you know HOW much they await their morning pasture treat?! They tried - oh they tried! - to eat the grass as quickly as they could and flapped their floppy ears furiously trying to rid themselves of the biters. But then suddenly all three - plus the two goats - lifted their heads and RAN through the gate and into the dark of the barn. So ... as they are donkeys - naturally desert creatures - they need LOW SUGAR grass. The grass is lowest in sugars from about 3 am to 10 am. The blackflies arrive and thrive from about 7 am to 11 am. Seems I am going to need to let the donkeys onto the pasture somewhere between 5 and 6. Guess I'm going to be getting up earlier and earlier. Maybe I'll have my chores done BEFORE breakfast. Of course ... being the sleep hog that I am ... I may have to go to bed BEFORE dinner! Ha!
Those flies sounds absolutely awful - your poor donkeys - do they go out and graze at night? I feel so sorry for cows in the summer - not only those awful huge horse flies but the flies that cluster around their eyes, Makes me shudder. Poor things.
Some time back I saw a picture at your place of feed bags hung from the trees in the cow pasture/paddock. The cows would walk through them and brush the flies off. That gave me the idea of hanging a sheet in the door of the donkey barn. Then when they come in they can brush the flies/mosquitoes off on their way in. Works VERY well!
Oh yes!! That is great! Do you remember that I used to put DE in the bags - they were hessian coffee bags so the cows got a wee dusting at the same time.
I love the sheet idea. That must feel so good for the donkeys.
Oh - one more thing. Our Rosie (donkey) has a condition similar to diabetes in humans. She doesn't do well digesting sugars. So our group has a very limited time to be out on the pasture. At this time it is about an hour. As the pasture dries out a bit and summer rolls in then they might be able to handle having access at night. That then gets complicated by the coyotes that travel in packs hunting at night. Safer in the paddock then. Sounds like we live in the wilds. Not really ... more like on the 'edge' of the wilds. ;)
The bonus of the hot weather list was wonderful today! I have heard that if you use a fan putting a bowl or large block of ice between you and the fan helps immensely with cooler air blowing. I have been known to wear ice in a wet towel around my neck as well. Feels lovely as the ice melts and runs down the back and chest too ;) I did a little wandering after listening to the podcast searching some of the other posts in that first July. Did you ever write at all about more background on John and you and your decisions to turn away from industrialized farming? The hows and whys of the years prior to the start of the blog?
There was no real decision. I just began. John and I married 16 years ago and I immediately proceeded to go organic. He goes along for the ride but would not have made that decision alone - when I am away he drifts back to convenience. He does not really care either way and spends his days off the farm so it is easy. I keep our marriage as private as I can on the internet.
Oh C, thank you for sharing that with me. I hope I didn't overstep in asking and I know that John is not often mentioned except in passing at least since I have been reading the blog. I had the impression that this adventure was mostly of your doing even from the start, yet you mentioned a few things from these first podcasts and highlighted posts that made me wonder if I had read things the wrong way and he was more involved earlier on. Thank you for clarifying for.
Oh how lovely to have your voice accompanying me this morning... as I made yoghurt, prepped sourdough focaccia, and tidied up the contents of the fridge! You and I began blogging about the same time so it took me a little while to find your blog, and although I had gone back through TKG old posts I hadn't read these. And they are fantastic, still as relevant today as they were in 2011. I thought the timing was good, and I can hear you settling into your stride. You are good at this.
Thank you!! I did go a bit wobbly at one point there I thought but the scrolling from page to page and post to post needs practice.
I love the natural feel to how you are reading your posts and commenting on them. Wobbly feels like we are just sitting at the table and you are gathering your train of thoughts.