Tuesday, July 17, 2007

The smell of rain

We awoke up to the lovely aroma of rain this morning. Rain was in the forecast for the middle of this week, and thankfully, the weatherwoman was right. We probably won't get much, even though we need it. It is DRY. Our well provides delicious water, but with an output of seven gallons/minute or less, it's not big enough for irrigating, just providing for our household, animals and garden.

The garden, of course, likes the hot, dry weather. With the timely application of water, everything is looking good but the corn. All but one of the potato plants died, so Brian and Rick harvested a nice "mess" of new potatoes on Sunday. We're also getting a few cherry tomatoes, raspberries and blueberries (the berries aren't pictured).

Here, looking east, you can see our browning lawn in the foreground (with the edge of the deck on the right), the crispy pasture beyond. There is no food value left in the pastures to speak of, just room to move and something to chew on out of boredom. Soon Rick will mow them so they look a bit neater. The lambs are enjoying a bit of green in a little pocket pasture; I guess they're special. :-) They are walking politely on their leads to the pasture every morning, and following the grain can (my invisible halter :-) back to their quarantine pen in the evening. I need to take them out for individual halter lessons as well, or their training will have a big hole.

Yesterday the farrier was out to trim and reshoe the horses. Our next appointment is Sept. 10, and I've asked him to bring his sheep shears. Dinah will definitely be ready to give up a nice-sized fleece of clean, coated white wool; Valentine's and Bella's fleeces look like they will have plenty of staple length, too. Not only will I get a second crop of fleece to sell or spin, I won't have to buy bigger coats to get them through until spring. That's a good thing; right, Martha?

That's it for now at . . .

5 comments:

Kathy said...

You were right...your place looks as brown and crunchy as ours. Tonight our weatherman promised us better chances for rain later in the week - I'll believe it when I see it although we did have a microburst that took out the privacy fence off the kitchen deck.

I just wish my garnden looked like yours...oh, wait a minute...I didn't plant one and planted the tomatoes and peppers int he flower boxes off the deck instead. Well, let's hope we get some fruits before frost! :)

Sabrina Wille Erickson said...

What a beautiful blog you have! And thank you for visiting mine. I also love to keep up with other shetland folks' blogs. I'm so far out in the boonies it's about the only way I get to "visit" other farms. (Your photos are terrific, by the way)

I'm sorry you haven't had much rain lately. Last summer we had a bad drought here. It is certainly no fun.

I haven't looked up your town yet, but I went to Reed College in Portland, OR from 1991-93. I loved going to the coast. Your photos were such lovely reminders of that time. I knew I wanted to move back to MN, but my time there was a pleasure. Oregon is so diverse and so lovely.
Very glad to meet you, Michelle!

Franna said...

Wow! Nice garden! We're getting more produce than we can eat from the SCA but I'm looking forward to our own garden some day. ...maybe now that I'm retired... hah!
You'll love the fall fleeces. They're so clean, and especially since they're coated. You'll have beautiful sheep for OFFF. :-)
- Franna

Lauren Dorsee Dillon said...

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade; when your potato plants die, harvest new potatoes (and then roast them in parchment paper sacs with rosemary, garlic, and olive oil).

I'm glad you got some rain. I hear we did as well, though not much. Anything that keeps the dust down a bit makes me happy.

I miss my ruminants and am thinking about heading home Thursday instead of Friday because of it. I love the beach but it is no substitute for fun fleecy animals.

Nancy K. said...

The rain missed us and we're actually starting to dry out. Very unusual in the Bluff Country. Wow ~ you have a REAL garden! VERY nice. I noticed holes in the leaves of some of my pumpkin plants and am wondering if I should "treat" them with something. I don't want the bugs killing my plants. Whadaya think, Martha???

;-)