Looking forward to Spring

We're a week into 2010 and I can't wait for Spring! While waiting for the garlic greens to peek out of our frozen ground, I'll pass the time by sharing things that are happening on our little family farm. I know it's winter but you'd be surprised at the little things that bring me joy. Luckily we live in the Gorge of central Washington State so our winters are only moderately cold. Now and then our temps dip into single digits, and we have been known to have several feet of snow at any one time. That's a typical winter. The old timers can remember when typical meant -20 degrees F. but that's too cold for me.

It's the muddy season - frozen ground, then thawed and muddy - repeat, repeat, repeat. The poultry pen is muddy, the dogs track in muddy paw prints, and we have to wear calf high boots everytime we go out. Yak Traks are never far from the back door where we leave our shoes in case the ground is frozen. Oh yeah, I was going to talk about what brings me joy. Well, that would be when it's not the muddy season ;o)

Our heritage Bourbon Red turkeys stay close to the poultry pen in the winter and this year we have a new comer. A wild turkey hen went lame and her flock left her behind. I guess she decided it would be safer to stick with our turkeys. We have this "gang of six" hens that rush around to see what's happening so, when she decided to stay, they rushed around her and scared her into the oak tree tops. She can fly 50 feet up to roost even though she's gimpy on the ground. We named her Gimpy Girl. She's been with us over a month and we leave some poultry feed out for her but she's pretty self-sufficient. She's getting used us, the gang of six and even the dogs who pretty much ignore our poultry unless we ask them to help us herd them into the pen.

So, welcome to the first blog from High Prairie Garlic farm where the oak savannah and towering pines meet the tall grass of the High Prairie.