David Hinman My husband and I have only ever sheared three animals in our time as farmers. Usually, we schedule a sheep shearer to come out to the farm in the early spring time. With the dwindling of winter, fleeces hang heavy on the sheep, hiding rounding bellies beneath them as lambing draws near. Shearing takes skill and practice. I … Read More
Every neighborhood has its own distinct sounds. As a farmer, I have become very in tune with the noises outside, and I rely upon them to inform me of danger. I can tell by a hen’s clucking if the resident fox is near by, and I can tell when the fox is in the woods behind the house, just by … Read More
Chloe Enjoys a Good Back Scratch Several of the ewes gathered around the outdoor hay feeder in absolute bliss as they scratched and rubbed on the side posts. Moments earlier, our shearer had worked her magic, clipping all of the wool from each sheep and exposing their skin, which had not seen daylight since shearing a year ago. The … Read More
A couple of weeks ago I had a phone conversation with a woman who is heading up a new bed and breakfast association. She embarked on a long description of how to “triple sheet” a bed. It took her about 5 minutes to give me each detail of the process as I quietly listened at the other end of the … Read More
Most of us find comfort in routines. We find ourselves almost on auto-pilot as we go through our daily rituals, whatever they may be. Routines are predictable and bring a gentle calmness to our day. Animals, like people, find comfort in routine. In the morning, all of the animals know approximately what time I show up with hay and water … Read More
