Ararat Farm Newsletter February 2023
Hello Everyone, We hope you all have had a wonderful April like February. Here on the farm it has been challenging to remember that we are still in winter with spring still suppose to be around the corner. Everything is budding out and animals are starting to shed their coats a little early. We have also been fighting the urge to start normal spring chores. It’s JUST NOT TIME YET! Anyway, the farm is doing well weathering the rain and storms and moving along through this season. Let’s get on with the update and pictures now.
Summary of February:
Spoiled herd ready for grass
Piggies New digs…
Flooding over night
Little Farm Hand hard at work
The Herd
This month has been so warm that the herd has been very slow and lazy most days. They have still been grazing through hay steadily but are definitly ready for grass. Especially on these warm days as the grass begins to green up. We are getting close to calving season starting so hopfully in another month or so we will have calf pictures in the newsletter!
The Pigs
The piggies are all doing well. This month they were moved to the barn with deep mulch bedding to provide them some shelter for the duration of the winter and to give the field a rest. They have really appreciated it because they are growing really fast. They are extremly playful causing us to have to start pushing them off more. A small pig rubbing on your leg is a lot different then a 200lb pig doing it.
Flooding
Tis the season for flooding. We normally get our seasonal flooding during February and it is usually influenced by snowy winters but this year we simply have had a lot of rain. Over the period of 24hrs we got at least 2 inches of rain dumped on us. This flooding the creek high enough to cover both springs that supply water up the ridge to the cows. This tested the new spring we dug out and started last fall and we thank and praise the Lord that it held. The berm held around the spring and the pump didn’t float away. The Lord is so merciful!
Little Farm Hand
Little Farm Hand has been a very busy bee. She has been helping with gathering eggs and walking the dogs (to keep them behaved). She has been busy with helping with pigs and itching to start working in the gardens. A toddler working on the farm can have challenging days but other days are enjoyable and so rewarding to see her face when she accomplishes a task (all by herself)!
We come to a Close
Well, that wraps up February. It’s been a pretty normal winter month sitll maintaining the same chores. We really appreciate winter months to rest before we hit the ground running for spring. Lord willing we will still have a few more seasonal winter days before spring arrives. We hope you all have a great day and thank you for visiting.
Your Ararat FArm