Wow. If you had asked me a month ago where things would stand on the farm in the middle of May, I would have said that hopefully I’d actually be able to get some tillage started. After a cold winter and tons of late-melting snow, I really thought we’d be spinning our wheels in the mud until June. Thankfully, that’s not so. After 2 weeks of summery weather all wrapped up in a July-style drought, the fields have dried out sufficiently for me to get some tillage done in even the wettest places. Potatoes, onions, radishes, leeks, mesclun mix, arugula, carrots, and beets are all in the ground after a busy week of planting. Now we just need a little rain to get those seeds germinating. Just a little… I mean it, OK?
In spite of the droughty weather, our wet hillside pastures are green and growing like crazy. The cows have just moved to the field at the very top of the hill. Feel free to come up and take a look – it’s a nice view with the cows on green spring pasture, dotted with dandelions, and Wachusett in the distance. Check out the pigs, too, for a different view (see above) while they are still in fence training boot camp. Once they reliably respect the electric fence, we’ll move them down the hill where they can graze and root on pasture of their own. And, yes, pigs do graze. Even with a trough full of grain, they will choose to eat grass and clover in addition to digging for subterranean goodies.
If you like the idea of eating pork that was raised locally in an ecologically conscientious manner, with an eye towards animal welfare and good husbandry, then sign up for our 2015 Pastured Pork CSA!