We have less than 10 hours of daylight now, as we slip deeper into the Dark Days of the year. The cold and wind of November has finally caught up to us here in western Maine.
Category: Updates From the Farm
The Farmer-to-Farmer Conference
In spite of ongoing winter preparations, I allowed myself to be lured away from the farm for MOFGA’s Farmer-to-Farmer Conference this past weekend…
A Bittersweet Ending
It was a bittersweet ending to Runamuk’s CSA program last week as I laid out shares for our members. Mostly carrots, accompanied by the few squashes and pumpkins I’d been able to produce. This was a particularly challenging season and after careful consideration, I’ve decided to close the CSA for good. Part of me is…
Planting: the Ongoing Saga
The theme of my existence lately has been: “Planting: the Ongoing Saga”. In fact, it’s listed as such on my giant farm-chalkboard…
Grass-Powered Mowers
It’s pretty darn cool to look out your window and see grass-powered mowers on the front lawn─or maybe that’s just me and my farmer mentality, lol. An on-farm housing crisis prevented me from moving our rams onto the field this season. With everything wanting to happen all at once, it’s been a struggle to get…
The Fence-Line
Sore and sunburnt, I stopped at the back of the field to survey the fence-line. Pride and gratitude swelled within me, even as my arm muscles burned from prolonged use of the weed-whacker. That line of electric fencing is a thing of beauty to this farmer. It’s an ordeal to bring the electric fences online…
Random Acts of Kindness
Gratitude for random acts of kindness swelled within me as I sat scribbling by candlelight in the wee-hours of the morning yesterday. Even as I could hear Gilman Stream raging not far off, my mind was filled with the many blessings that have allowed this farm to grow and thrive.
No One Warned Me About Sheep
With the ewe sitting on her rump, her back resting against my son’s legs, I picked the manure from her toes and trimmed each cloven hoof. There are a good many things no one warned me about sheep. Yet, after 5 years I’m starting to figure them out
Nature’s Calling
My heart warmed to nature’s calling yesterday, as I went about my morning chores. The familiar honking of Canadian geese, carried on the wind from somewhere unseen up in the sky. A rush of gratitude flooded through me for the returning Spring. The farmhouse is wonderfully warm and cozy during the long winter months, but…
Runamuk’s Stewardship Initiative
With a sadistic mental laugh, I remind myself that I am sinking deeper into stewardship this year with my “Stewardship Initiative”. The icy 17pmh winds tore my breath away, stinging my cheeks as I carried yet another bucket of water out to the sheep. During the recent polar vortex, when temperatures across the region plunged,…