A rear-end view of the cows leaving the barn has become a familiar every-morning sight. For the last few weeks, since the weather took a turn for the freezing, I’ve been walking through the dim lower barn, toting buckets of warm water and feed, on the way to the chickenhouse. In nice weather, it’s easier and more pleasant to walk outside through the barnyard. This route has the advantage of no wind and no icy patches. It’s a bit of a winding road: into the minimally heated well pump room (heated so the pipes don’t freeze) where the 40kg (88lb) sacks of feed are stored, out the inner door into the dark and chilly lower barn, head down past the empty milking stalls (from dairy farm days), straight towards the window into the loafing barn where the cows come in at night, hard left, down another stretch between pens, unlatch a side door, head outside for a short walk, and it’s in with the chickens… A new daily routine for my first winter with the birds.
Merry Christmas to you and to all friends sharing Tiny Farm :)
Ewa
Yeah some days it is hard to get out to check on the chickies and lug out their water. I hope to run water out to the coop some day but you have to go soo deep here in Minnesota.
Hello TFB,
I love your blog and it has inspired me in many ways. I am hopefully buying a small 3 acre farm in Massachusetts very soon- putting an offer in this week. I can’t believe you do all this on 2 acres! How many cows do you have? How many CSA members do you have? I’m just trying to figure out what I can reasonably do on my future farm. Happy Holidays!
I can’t wait to dive in and read more of your blog – you are a great source of info and inspiration. That picture is chilling – and a reminder of how much work goes into growing and tending the animals and the land who give us food.