Friday, July 04, 2008

Finn and Sol Take a Walk

I ask them some definitions of words.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Wool is in


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One hat knit from the skeins of beautiful sportweight wool in brown grey and white. Wool spun by Loch's farm in Springville PA. This will be sold at farmers market or christmas time.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

All records broken

Last night was an all records broken night. Sap collected, syrup made. And the weather just keeps on 20s/40s. It isn't supposed to go above 40 until after April starts.

On Monday we put a hole in our big plastic collection tank. While it was 300 gallons full. We didn't notice that the board keeping it away from the wheel had broken and so it rode for a while rubbing up against the tire. Yesterday Margie welded it together with another piece of the same plastic and today we will try out the fix. It was our one big disaster of the season so far and we made it through!

A huge Thank you to all the visitors and bucket pullers who made this season extra fun, enjoyable and easy.

Friday, March 21, 2008

night moon


When we first spotted the moon tonight it looked as if the hill was actually on fire. I had to look twice. night everyone and happy spring. Speaking of spring, supposedly it is arriving 8 hours early every year as tracked by sat images since 1982. You can add your spring observation for the phrenologists: http://www.sws-wis.com/lifecycles/dbase.html#submit

canning not boiling

chilly today, froze last night, maybe a small run, boil tomorrow.

Cam

Sunday, March 16, 2008

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Today

The snow is falling like its not sure this is where it is supposed to be. Slow motion like.
The past couple of days have been cold, but yesterday when we tapped the big tree by the pond the sap was running on both the shady and sunny side. Now Mirah is "hoping not to get the dreaded thing." Today looks like a runner. Sol and Dyl had a discussion about probabilities. Dylan notices that when we are completely under prepared, no wood, the sap runs like crazy. Likewise when all hands are sick or missing from the farm the sap runneth like mad. Sol says there is no relation between things we can prepare for, like wood, and sap run, but there Could be a relation between sickness and sap run. Dylan took last night to write up the sap log. total sap collected this year 8680 gallons.

Monday, March 10, 2008

We just got here

Sol and I left for a week.
We came back just as Mirah was arriving.
Dyl and Marg had made 200 gallons of syrup.
That's half the season or so.
we hope

Friday, February 29, 2008

Winter Farm 2008


setup clips 2008


Sledding

The kids are sliding down the hill
down the hill
down the hill
the kids are slidding down the hill
look how fast the're going... 


Thursday, February 28, 2008

Visiting John Henry

John Henry is visiting the flock.  Around about July there may be lambs.  Syl and I go to visit John Henry. 


Sugaring Season has begun

Well, actually it began a while ago when Dylan came down in early February to start stringing lines and get wood ordered. We have been getting loads of logs delivered from a nearby family lumber business. The wood they delivered this year however will have to wait and dry thoroughly till next year to get enough btu out of it.
If you want to know, the work done so far includes all lines strung, most of the trees actually tapped (although it is tooo coooold to run) 1 large new tank bought to replace the two that were STOLEN last year...(yes stolen for scrap metal from way up on top of the hill After they had been cleaned meticulously and put away for the winter.) Collection tanks set in place, evaporator peeked at and fiddling begun, blower set up, pots moved from storage shed, and probably much much more. All this has been done with a Sick Dylan in the lead but aided by farm family and very appreciatively by new Philly friends. Yeah Philly connections! I think without Billy and Cassie Dylan would have been a much unhappier unhealthy sugaring work horse. On Tuesday Syl, Sol and I joined the crew, but we have been playing city people afraid to go out in the cold. Today Sylvan and I did wander out and get some nice shots which I will pull together in a short video. Dylan is better, the first run to Manning's has taken place (Chocolate and Vanilla) and the tank at Grist Mill actually had 200 gallons of sap in it! Grist Mill is a South facing hillside and is always the first run of the season. Saturday we lay out buckets and Sunday we expect a good thaw.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

What can one little person do

Sol sang this with his class for the school concert.  I didn't have my camera there.

Friday, July 27, 2007

Crystal's Pics

http://www1.snapfish.com/shareereg/p=329251185362211007/l=289725339/g=35241057/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB/pns/share/p=329251185362211007/l=289725339/g=35241057/otsc=SYE/otsi=SALB
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The roof is done

Hi,

The rest of the roofing pictures have been added to the album. The link is the
same.. Enjoy.

You don't need to logon,

Just click on View Slideshow to get started.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=a8252py.2e8w4ydy&x=0&y=-l97yvg

Marti

Monday, July 23, 2007

It does change things

To know where your mmmmhmmhmm comes from makes it something different. More real, less abstract. That might change as the thing in my head gets farther away just by dint of being closer, just like a bend in the road seems to become less acute when you are inside of it. For now, combing out the wool, spinning and knitting it knowing I have met the sheep it came from is a nice experience. Here is swatch one. I would love any suggestions for knitted items you think a nice variegated medium weight wool could produce. In the sidebar is a badge and link to the photos Hope took when she finished off the skirting and sorting process before sending the raw wool off to Loch's for processing as well as a couple of pics of the processing facility.

Wednesday, July 18, 2007

Cindy's great pics

These are beautiful pics taken by Cindy and/or Shelly

you can also see these at: http://www.picturetrail.com/members/edit?p=404&gid=17177162 to buy copies of or see the pics in a different form.

Monday, July 16, 2007

Monday, July 09, 2007

The Reunion

Back from the reunion. The roof is two thirds off, plywood laid and ready for the next steps. Lots of great work in getting this done. Posse of kids played and swam and ran and crawled. MUCH food prepped, cooked eaten. Connections refused. Walks taken. Tents slept in. Grass felt, shep visited, fireflies seen and stars counted. Fireworks, bonfires, family, freinds, new inlaws and old. Send in your links to pictures and they can be put up on this blog. Just ask and you too can become a blog poster! megdyl@gmavt.net