It is official: lambing season on Good Heart Farmstead is over. Deisha gave birth last Friday to a beautiful ram lamb, who has been dubbed Amaranth. His coloring is similar to Acorns, with patches of white and moorit. All of our lambs, even those born to our two black ewes, have come out white or white and moorit, though some of them do have the tiniest spot of black near their eyes. It is a bit of a relief to know lambing season is over–no more constant checking on the flock, no more wondering if one will give birth today or tonight or early tomorrow morning. Now there is just a cute gang of lambs running and jumping around the barnyard!
Yesterday we moved our first round of seedlings outside under low hoops to begin hardening off, and we are just about ready to transplant some beautiful Napa Cabbage into the field. Edge seeded 50 feet of salad mix the other day, too, and it is tucked in under row cover as it germinates. Yesterday we received an exciting package: new broadforks!
We lost our original ones in the barn fire, and are so excited to have the replacements, which we got from Meadow Creature. They make solid and sturdy broadforks, and we were so excited that we went down last night to try them out. While some of the garden space is still too wet to work, we did get in some drier areas and are really happy with these tools. Since our goal is a no-till system, broadforks are essential, as they loosen and aerate the soil without breaking its structure.
The last new addition to the farm this week is 20 new pullets, crosses between White Rock and Rhode Island Red. We brought them home last night from Daisy Hill Farm in Wolcott, and they will be laying eggs within a month. We are selling eggs now both on the farm and to friends and family, and will have even more eggs for sale at the farm throughout the summer.
Now, it is off to work! We hope you are all enjoying this traditional Vermont spring–we are so close to May, the warm weather is bound to be here soon!