Soon, until then...

The farm is hibernating, waiting for some sustained warmer weather to burst forth with new growth.  Two year old Christmas tree tops just peek out from their cozy white blanket, teasing the deer with the bounty they hold inside their buds.  Keeping the snow machines out of the tree fields has proven slightly more difficult than keeping out the deer so fencing may be in order this year for both human and animal alike. 

We have been making progress on a few pre-spring projects; getting organized two weeks ago has certainly helped in that direction.  Like many people this time of year, our thoughts have turned towards spring and summer.  I completed revisions to fliers and contracts for an August pow-wow we help with in Dummer, NH.  The seeds have been added to the inventory.  Crop planning and tracking is the next step; right now I don’t know which crops are doing really well for us and which ones we should stop working on altogether.

Educational opportunities abound and are pretty the underlying theme for project planning.  I have learned either weed killing spray or mulch is required as we do not have enough time keep the grass in check in the Christmas tree fields and weed the gardens.  Our attempts at remaining as organic as possible will probably dictate mulch in the garden over herbicide in the trees.  Changes will be required over the summer as water from melting snow which drips slowly off the garage roof has managed to infiltrate the chicken coop.  Fencing is also in the planning stages as we lost some of our squash, corn and other vegetables to wayward chickens not to mention to resolve the deer and snowmobile problem.  Lists of tools, supplies, fertilizers, nails, staples, sealers, etc. that have been scribbled on scraps of paper are starting to come together into project outlines.

I am beginning to ‘see the light at the end of the tunnel’ with the scanning project.  As I sat at the computer this morning, DH snapped a couple of pictures of the wildlife which has ventured out from the woods.  Whether they are running out of food in the woods or they were just happy with the momentary availability of the lawn poking through the snow, it is neat to see them just a few feet from the house.  The cats don’t quite know what to make of these big birds on the lawn.  Two of them watch, perched on half of their favorite chair which only now can be enjoyed as so much of that paper has been scanned and recycled.