January Farmstead Update
Hi friends,
While January is only half over, I thought I’d pop in while I had a moment and give you all a quick update.
We ushered in the New Year with a lovely couple from Canada staying in the bunkhouse. They said, and I quote, “We absolutely love it here. Everything about this house is absolutely wonderful. This is literally a house we can live in for the rest of our lives!” Aww, we love it when our guests appreciate and adore the bunkhouse as much as we do! The rest of the month is pretty open as far as guests go but that is ok because…
Central Montana just had quite the storm! The highways were shut down all around us and it was emergency travel only. Interestingly enough, the brunt of the storm actually missed us, which doesn’t happen very often. We still have plenty of snow and drifts to contend with to keep Jayce and the little guy busy plowing for awhile. In fact, school was even canceled on Monday which rarely happens around here!
For all the wind and snow we received the last few days, we were very fortunate to not have bitter cold accompany it. It actually stayed relatively warm: 20-30 degrees throughout and we were very grateful for that for our animals. The cows and pony had their sheds to ride out the storm and plenty of hay to keep their bellies full.
The sheep were a little more spoiled and were put up in the barn for the worst of the storm. Part of the reason for this is because the cows kick them out of the sheds and we wanted them to have cover from the blowing snow.
We are only 9 weeks out from lambing! I am impatiently waiting. The ewes all look great and have maintained an excellent body condition so far this winter. Starting next week, when they are 8 weeks out I will begin feeding grain again to help maintain their nutrition as the lambs rapidly grow.
I finally dried up ol’ JG, my milk cow. She is only about 11 weeks out from calving and her milk supply was dropping very low. We are drinking the last of the fresh milk, while using my frozen stock for cooking / baking. It is at this point every year that I tell myself I am going to have a fall calver so I have milk year round!
However, I also believe in the natural seasonality of things and that it makes certain things more special when you only get it one time per year. If you always have access to something, it doesn’t make it as special, does it? When the cows and sheep freshen in the spring, the dry season makes that fresh milk taste so much sweeter!
I do feel fortunate though to be able to stock up to get us through the dry season. We normally put up approximately 30 gallons of milk, LOTS of butter, and of course, cheese.
We are just starting in on our supply of frozen milk, we should have plenty to get us through. The butter and cheese is another story however… Raegan has been baking up a storm and really putting a hurting on my butter.
We opened a 6 week old Colby the other day and it is already half gone. As much as I’d like to hoard my butter and cheese so it will last, where is the fun in that? Also, Jayce taught me that if you hold too tightly to something, if you have a scarcity mindset, you will never have enough. However if you give freely, and have a spirit of abundance, somehow that abundance will find its way back to you.
So I have been letting my daughter bake her little heart out, using my delicious golden butter in hopes that somehow, it will last until the cream again begins to flow in the Spring. When we butchered our old cow, I sliced up a bunch of my cheese for others to try even though I didn’t feel like we’d have enough to get our own family through, but you know what – I think it will be ok. Somehow every time I go to the cheese fridge, it still seems to have more cheese even though I haven’t made any more in months. Abundance.
It wouldn’t be January without talking about goals. Some of our goals around here include:
Spring breeding of ewes for fall lambing
Onsite classes: blacksmithing, metal working, perhaps some homesteading skill type classes?
Tanning lamb hides
Learning to use my vintage singer sewing machine
What are some of your goals for this year? Tell me in the comments, I’d love to hear. Also I’d love to hear what you think about our class offering idea!
I’m looking forward to the rest of the month. Winter is really not as bad as they say…for the most part. I enjoy the slower pace. Having the chance to curl up in front of the wood stove and catch up on some reading, or diving into a new (actually old) skill. What are your plans for the rest of January?