With heels kicked high into the air, Shanti, our Jersey heifer calf headed out with her mother into their new pasture, ever more green with each passing shower and warm sunny day. She pretended, alongside Daffodil, to inspect the grass but quickly gave that up for the thrill of racing as far and as fast as she could, testing the new fences. Soon the pasture will be fenced as far as the stream and then she can really learn how to skip and prance and race to her heart’s content. She is growing into a beautiful healthy calf and has been sharing her mother’s milk with the piglets whose coats shine and glisten thanks to this rich Jersey cream in their diets!

Spring-Life-02Our piglets, Basil and Parsley have become loved by one and all — snuffling and squealing with pure joy when they hear the clanking of the milk pail. Our Farm Campers this past week delighted in giving them back scratches and rubs, feeding food scraps and grain and trying hard not to spill any of the milk down their already dirty ears. Come early in the morning to do chores and you will be met with donkey brays, sheep and goats bawling, but not so the piglets – still snoozing and trying to get the last of their beauty sleep – they are always the late risers.

Aviva birthed 2 female kid goats the Sunday before Farm Camp began bringing our kid population to 4. They are healthy and feisty and playful — everything is to be climbed on and jumped from — while their mothers look on in weary consternation; in short, true goats. Their names? Maple and Dakota (born to Chinni) and Zola and Hope born to Aviva.

And Soren, our young Shetland/Icelandic ewe, birthed twin female lambs – identical in appearance, with short, tight fleece curls, they are spunky yet shy. Tomorrow, they will be let out into the pen to meet the rest of the flock – it will be exciting for all I am sure!

Chicks are still to hatch and hopefully one more ewe to lamb — so spring has still some springing to do!

Nicki Robb
Land Stewardship Program Director

Spring-Life-06