Spring Farm Chores

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April 17, 2021

This week Farmer John sits down to describe what has been going on at the farm, as we emerge from a lengthy winter and prepare for the busy growing season.

Winter left its mark on the grounds.

Frequent snowfalls this winter meant that the lengthy driveway had a number of potholes to patch, after frequent plowing. Much of the gravel around the other paths has been raked back into place, and helps us to endure a muddy time of year.

A couple of late winter wind storms have created a number of downed tree limbs. They have been cut, cleared from fence lines, and gathered so that they can help heat the family home in the future. So far 6 evergreen trees and 2 maple trees have been planted near the farmhouse, they will one day provide some additional shade - and maybe even some syrup.

Digging a trench along the egg barn and installing new drain pipe improved the drainage in the surrounding areas. Luckily much of that work was completed this week, just ahead of a few days where we had some rain.

Pastures require nurturing, so they may later return the favor.

Much of the surrounding acreage at Hidden Camp Farm enjoyed a dormant phase while cloaked in winter snow. More recently the transition back to vibrant green has been underway. This week a neighbor has been helping spread an organic seed mix across the pastures that the cows will be rotated over to, in early summer. The seed mix is a blend of many of the things that Jersey cattle love: Red and White Clover, Timothy grass, and Rye.

Closer to the barn, seeding has been put in and new fencing installed for some of our newest members of the herd. A few calves arrived over winter and are recently getting their first chance to graze the day away.

Spring Contrasts

In recent weeks we have had some very warm sunny days and a number of cool rainy ones as well, sometimes in the same week. The Morgan horses have been enjoying stretching their legs, galloping about their pasture and getting used to their “summer” length shoes that were installed last week. The Belgian draft horses look on lazily, perhaps knowing their work will not fully resume until the hay is long enough for cutting. Our laying hens are enjoying the spring showers. They learn quickly that the earthworms are easiest to find after recent rainfall, but that doesn’t prevent them from searching from sunup to sundown - on any other day