Recent events

We have been pretty busy with WWOOF volunteers, trying to adventure into local canyons with friends and maintain the farm.....

Its a baby praying mantis in the greenhouse!

We butchered 2 billy goats for meat and rendered tallow for goat milk soap. Our cool garage became a butchering spot.

Yes, I am talking to the pigs over a glass of wine but am also inspecting Chorizo's ulcered eye:(

The greenhouse in its glory...quickly overgrowing the space.

Our flock of 33 should be laying eggs soon!

Parents in the house.

Nate's parents made their first trip to the farm just in time to meet a few new cows and mail order turkeys!

Jersey was pretty friendly right away.

Margaret with Sugar.

The greenhouse greens are doing great!

Racking the newest batch of beer.

Day old turkey. All 16 arrived alive and well!

All together now....

We just put the chickens out in the pasture with the cows and pigs. Their job is to eat the bugs in the cow patties. Surprisingly, everyone gets along. Jersey even licks a pig every once in a while.

Our most recent WWOOF, Eric, helping with the set up. Him and Nicole have been awesome to host!

Hanging out.

Pigs and things...

The newest additions to the farm...3 Large Black pigs. They are a heritage pasture pig known for their docile temperament and foraging abilities. They have very large floppy ears that cover their eyes and are known for their bacon producing abilities. There is a momma pig and piglet along with a yearling. They seem to be late sleepers. We are often waking them up around 9 am during our morning rounds.

Relaxing in the sun.

They have become fairly acclimated after just 1 week at Ford Farm.

More farm projects

Our first WWOOF, Nick!

Not only did we welcome our first WWOOF volunteer in April but we have been busy preparing the garden space with furors, setting up the irrigation and planting spring crops.

 

Nick's first project...a lovely set of nesting boxes for the quickly growing chicks.

Getting to know the ladies

Parentals in the House

This somehow did not get posted in a timely manner and is a little dated. The government and national parks shut down in 2013 and then my parents arrive. We still got a day in Zion National Park and a little poaching on the side.

Poaching Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Baby goats galore...

Ford Farm now has more baby goats than adult goats. It is pretty fun and entertaining. We are bottle feeding 2 since their momma is not feeding them. Nate and I are unsure what the future holds for all these goats but it sure is fun right now.

Milk room

Preparing the land

This is the largest area we have planted! 

Nate is preparing the furrows for planting and irrigation. We will plant this area, the area to the left and the greenhouse.

Seeding the lot next to the orchard for animal foder and to improve soil health.

Lucky gatos

Homemade cat food from the heart and liver of the cow Nate helped slaughter.

Riley and Egypt supervising the process. We had to make a special mixture with sardines to suit Riley's taste...she is a non-traditional feline.....a very picky meat eater.

Spring chicken

Just arrived....35 or so chicks.

Not just a type of chicken but spring chicken is the most recent IPA. Yes, that is a peacock hanging out.

Greenhouse

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        Spring arrived early this year so we where able to get the greenhouse up and running sooner than expected!

Finishing the last panels!

Green manure nitrogen fixer to get us started.

This is the season of the kid.

Well, while in Costa Rica, we lost a few more birds, but when we returned, Barry had stuck a momma and two chicks in the mobile coop. The one likes to ride on mom's back.

Meet Rosie and her baby billy, Samson. They are residing with us temporarily.

Cleaning up the barn a bit, getting ready for some kiddin'! There's not just one, nor two, pregnant goats in the barn, but several. as of today (Feb. 10th), there's six new kids in the barn.

This is the new kiddin' area for the preger does. This is Dodie, on about
Jan. 12th, getting ready to kid.

Tara, helping the newborns find the milk.

Dodie, after kidding two goats, one more to go!

Dodie's last was 'Sugar', the one on the left. we had to assist that little one a bit. She's a little sweetheart now.

Proud mother of three new kids!

Started with 42 chicks in the oven, after candling them, like 20 - 25 of them are
still viable. Should get a good turnout. They're due on the 16th of Feb.