One of our most important farm jobs from now ’til around mid-November will be to rotate the animals onto fresh pasture every few days.
But, before that happens, we’re charged with answering these 2 big questions:
#1 Are the fields ready?
We need the grasses to be strong and sturdy and about 6-8 inches tall before the first graze so we don’t put too much pressure on these tender plants.
#2 How do we move all those animals again?
Usually, we’ll move the young laying hens and their big mobile chicken coop first. The big herd of pigs will follow. And then we’ll move the two breeding herds (each with their own boar) out last.
The process takes endless amounts of patience, as we wait on the pasture to ripen and the fields to dry out. And then, take our time with the moving process, making countless trips back and forth on the tractor, with an array of animals, housing and equipment in tow.
Fortunately, it all comes with the sweetest reward. And I’m not talking about chocolate chip cookies, although they may be making an appearance this week, too (we use them to bribe Greg’s Dad to help with farm tasks!).
No, what really motivates us is the scene at the end, where the animals – the ones we’ve been caring for so intently through snow storms and polar vortexes – get to bask in the sun and dig into the Stonecrop salad bar.
We got to experience this magical moment this week. And immediately, it felt like the farm started humming a different tune. It’s one we’ve been waiting to hear for months now…
Your Farmers,
Jenney & Greg
PS – We bought another cow and are fully stocked on that gorgeous grass-fed beef again! We have fresh veggies and a limited selection of our pork, too. If you enjoy this blog and want to know more, we encourage you to subscribe to our newsletter here where you can get weekly updates about our farm, our animals, our lives, and get access to the online store!