Sorry, I haven’t been updating the farm blog very well.  One thing that happened is that we got to the bottom of the hay in the hay barn and discovered three very moldy bales.  Considering the amount of flooding we had, this isn’t bad.  But given the high price of hay, any loss is a loss.

We have been surveying the damage from the snowstorms.  This is one tree down on the back of our yard.  Tom found another that fell on the fence in the back of the orchard.  The bamboo in our orchard is collapsed.  We know of one tree down in our back “forty” but haven’t been out there to really assess the damage.

It had been raining here quite a bit and started to flood, yet again.  This is the rain gauge on January 13,

and on January 20.

I have been feeding the blown down pine and spruce branches in our yard to the sheep.  They still seem to like them.

Our new bull Rory seems to be fitting in.  Unfortunately we didn’t take the auction tag off him before we released him.  We were thinking it would come off naturally but hasn’t so far.  We might need to get courageous.

Sadly, he doesn’t seem to be the smartest bull in the world.  He couldn’t figure out this gate even though the cows had gone through.  Tom had to help him.

Ryeleigh continues to entertain us.  Here she is wanting to get to our peacock.

I have been participating in the Country Living Expo & Cattlemen’s Winterschool over the last couple of days.  I have always wanted to do this, but it never worked out.  This year it is virtual again so is easy.  So far I have done Aching Hands & Stomped-On Feet, Rain Water Catchment and Vegetated Treatment for Rural Property, Wintering for Ruminants – Sheep & Goat Mud Mitigation in a Heavy Use Area, Pasture Evaluation and Management, Water Rights Basics for Rural Land Owners, Grow Luscious Tomatoes – Even in the NW! and How to make a Vegetarian Felted Fleece Rug,  Unfortunately I need to work tomorrow so I will need to watch the classes I signed up for (Fruit Tree Pruning (by Gary Moulton!), Make Hay When The Sun Doesn’t Shine, Solar Powered Water & Electrics for Small Farms, and Seed Saving for Home Gardens) later as recordings.  My friend Denise Mor is doing Wool Processing tomorrow at 3:00.  It has been fun and very educational so far and highly recommended.

By the way, the reason I haven’t been posting much farm stuff is because I haven’t been feeling well.  My reactive arthritis (and possibly adrenal insufficiency and/or long Covid) have been acting up.  I haven been limited in what I can do.  I still do the animal chores with Tom’s help but not much else.  It may be because we (my wonderful rheumatologist and I) were trying to stretch out my Remicade doses, but there may be other factors at play.  I am feeling a little bit better but trying to listen to my body and not overdoing things (which is my usual M. O.)  So hopefully with some R & R and increasing my infusions I will be up for the upcoming spring farm activities.