New Year - New Farm

The new year has started off snowy and windy after a very mild November and December.  There have been many things happening here, including the purchase of another farm just down the dirt road from Fox Hill.  It's a farm we've all admired for years...I still remember the first time I ever laid eyes on that farm many years ago.  We drove down the big hill and there it was sprawling out in front of us, land sweeping down towards a beautiful setting with the house and barn.  We never expected it to be for sale, and never expected that it might work out for us to purchase it.  But on Labor Day I was driving by and saw the realty sign and a few weeks later we'd made the offer to purchase.  We closed in late November and it's still a little hard to believe it now belongs to our family. 

A few photos of the new farm are included here, more to come when spring arrives and we can take inventory of all that encompasses our new purchase.   The numerous ponds are all frozen over right now, but in the spring, the returning geese should once again arrive to raise their little families and we'll be awaiting their arrival with cameras in hand.

Apple Update

It's that time of year again---time for picking apples! Four trees, planted in Fox Hill Farm's garden in 2009, are now growing beautiful, delicious apples. They're perfect for making that sweet, creamy delicacy we all enjoy . . . applesauce!

And in the orchard, "Duchess" (an antique Duchess of Oldenburg tree that has proven her worth many years running) continues to thrive and produce the crème de la crème.

Here's an interesting fact: in Anne of Green Gables, it is said that Anne and Marilla pick apples from their Duchess tree. (Only the best for Fox Hill Farm!) J

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This post is courtesy of Farm Girl Rosie at http://www.farmgirlrosie.blogspot.com/

18 Beautiful Birds

We’re happy to bring you this guest blog, courtesy of Farm Girl Rosie (http://farmgirlrosie.blogspot.com/), as she shares about her recent experiences in bird watching.

I just recently began studying which types of birds tend to gather in the area where I live. So many birds are attracted to suet feeders, and this is a compilation of the different kinds I’ve seen so far on the feeder:

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. White-breasted Nuthatch
3. Red-winged Blackbird
4. Hairy Woodpecker
5. Pileated Woodpecker
6. Dark-eyed Junco
7. European Starling
8. American Robin

I’ve also spotted these birds in the past few weeks:

1. Canadian Geese
2. Mallard ducks
3. Bufflehead ducks
4. Red-tailed Hawks
5. Killdeer
6. Mourning Doves
7. Northern Flickers
8. American Crows
9. Eastern Meadowlarks
10. Eastern Bluebirds

I highly recommend The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma for those who are interested in identifying birds and their calls. This book also comes with a birdcall player; you press a button on the side of the book, and you can hear the call of every bird discussed in the guide. The Backyard Birdsong Guide has been so helpful to me in figuring out which birds are which!

Hairy Woodpecker	Red-winged Blackbird	Hairy Woodpecker

The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography on Kindle!

Did you know…? Dan’s book, The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography, is now available as a Kindle download! Visit Amazon.com to add this popular book to your Kindle e-reader today. Also, check out the five-star reviews! J

A Special Day for a Special Pony

We should have posted this last week, but a belated birthday greeting is better than no birthday greeting at all…

Ten years ago, on April 22, 2001, a very special foal arrived at Fox Hill Farm/Miracle Welsh. Miracle Maid to Order, a black Section A Welsh Mountain Pony filly, was born in the early hours of that Sunday morning. Sired by Gallimaufry Jaguar and out of Heritage Hall’s the Cat’s Meow, “Chocie” immediately claimed her place as a VIP (“Very Important Pony”) at Miracle Welsh. She was shown quite successfully as a filly, winning multiple championships, and placing well regionally and nationally. She is a Liberty Class winner, a leadline winner, and the dam of Miracle Minute Maid by Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket.

And so, on her 10th birthday, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate Chocie! We ♥ her.

How to Build a Beehive

Have you checked out the latest issue of Hobby Farms magazine? The May/June 2011 issue features a how-to feature on “How to Build a Beehive,” written by Samantha and photographed by Daniel. The article explains all of the steps involved with constructing a beehive, from gathering the materials to painting the finished product. If you’ve contemplated the idea of raising bees, this article provides helpful information to get started.

We are busily preparing for the arrival of our spring bees—they are coming in sometime within the next week, so things will be buzzzzzing around here. J

Waiting on Spring

Spring is quite late in arriving this year—we had 2 inches of snow (again) on the 23rd and it just doesn’t seem to want to warm up. But the ponies are shedding, the birds have returned, and the daylilies are poking up in the garden, so spring must be on its way.
After a particularly cold night last week, we noticed an interesting sight: a sapsicle. At first glance, it appeared to be an icicle, but upon closer inspection, it was obvious that it wasn’t an ordinary icicle—it was frozen sap, dripping from a broken piece on a large branch of a Sugar Maple. It was particularly intriguing to note the amount of sap that was pouring forth from the small hole in the branch.

Farm life—especially in spring time—is always interesting! : )