This weekend we hope to bring all the cows and calves and bulls in from the prairie.
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| View from the Southwick place |
There's still enough grass, but the ponds are getting lower and muddier. It's time to go. And the Southwick place is calling us, with it's tall pines and grassy meadows.
The yearling herd has been at Southwick's half a month already, and Mike brought in one bunch of pairs from the prairie earlier this week. I'm glad Paul was there helping out. Mike said everything went fine.
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| Paul and Bird and Punch gathering off the prairie |
Later, I heard Chester exhibited his equine snake-killing maneuver. Mike stayed on. It's like riding a pile-driver. One enormous leap with all four feet off the ground, rearing position, and then front feet extended on the way down and hammered into the ground like a battering ram. A big bull snake slithered away unhurt. Paul said, "Maybe if I hadn't of pointed it out he wouldn't have reacted."
At the beginning of the month, we delivered to Portland, where we met our customers at Jon and Prairie's house. It was a pleasure to be introduced to new folks, reconnect with friends, and have this big trip off our list for the year.
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| Portland delivery day - Yay we're here! |
We learned more about what the people who buy our animals are interested in, as we shared stories and wrestled a lot of boxes of meat. That evening we had a yummy dinner with delicious grapes, tomatoes and beans from Jon and Prairie's garden.
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| Sara enjoys visiting with a customer |
I'm sad to see the days growing shorter. I miss waking up to the long early light, and the evenings with their balmy languor. Still, there's a quickening and we gather as much squash, as many onions and apples as we can. Laying by what will keep for the winter months ahead.
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| We only grew two kinds of winter squashes, but we got 16! |
There's a lot to do still, to get ready for winter. We haven't cut a single load of firewood yet. And our hay still needs to be delivered and stacked in the barn. But the basement larder is filling with jars, and bins and braids. And every day it seems we get another call to come get apples. I think it's going to be a heck of a cider year.
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| Apple pear galette with dried red and yellow cherries and pear syrup |
From Sara at Magpie Ranch, home of Bunchgrass Beef
