Snow

The snow has arrived.

About six inches so far.

roof of dog house

It's still snowing. Forecast another 3-5 inches today. High of 31 F.

barn

The animals are all huddled in the barn. The people are all huddled in the house. But we still have to go out to milk the goats. In the snow. That keeps coming down. Glad we made it town before the snow came.

Snow coming

It's supposed to snow or rain for the next week...or for as far as the extended forecast is available on NOAA.

I really don't like snow. Or the cold. But, since I can't figure out a way to get around this, there is only one solution left: prepare.

Richard finished the turkey/rabbit/duck house enough that we could get the turkeys and rabbits in there. The rabbits are still in their old cage until Richard builds them cages on the back wall of the small barn. It is pretty passive solar with windows across the front. Richard even put adobe bricks (that have been sitting out in the weather) on the back wall to absorb heat from the sun shining in the front windows.

Front of turkey house

turkeys and rabbits in new barn

The turkeys seem pretty happy. They have more space now. The rabbits a least are out of the wind and cold. We have not moved the ducks into the house yet. First the yard has to be fenced and covered so the turkeys don't try to fly out. Then there will be more room for everyone to adapt to each other.

Richard is now working on the milking room in the goat barn. It is not finished yet so it looks like we may be milking out in the snow/rain for a little while longer.

We are planning on heading into town before the storm comes to stock up on animal food, hay, and food and supplies for us too. An hour drive is no fun in the snow.

We did pick up a fridge on CL for free. It's now in the garage. It will be a great place for goat milk and cheese. And extra supplies to survive the coming winter.

Winter is coming

We had our first snow on the ground on October 15. Not much really, but enough to excite the kids. My daughter gathered up snow to make a nice sized snowball, which she then set on the windowsill on the north side of the house, so she could keep an eye on it. It took several days for it to melt. I think it finished melting just yesterday, October 18.

Snowball

Before the snow came, Richard picked a bunch of red cabbagges, which he took to the Taos Food Co-op Farmer's market (no website, but here's an article in the Taos News), which happens every Wednesday afternoon. We also have some catnip and a couple of huge pumpkins at the Co-op...available for sale. We still have carrots, onions and potatoes in the ground in the garden, plus, Richard is trying to nurse some kale and chard along with blankets and tarps to protect it from the nightly freezes.

Red Cabbages

On the way to Taos on Wednesday, we stopped by Farmer Daniel's to sell our eggs for his Wwoofers, who love them, and saw a flock of sheep wandering in the fields and in the road. They have a Great Pyr guarding the flock and maybe functioning as a shepherd as well. I love rural America. Or maybe it's just the magical air in NM that allows scenes like this to make me smile. I'm still pining away for a flock of Churro/Navajo sheep to keep at the farm.

Sheep

We have sold several goat shares this past week and some goat cheese too, which will supplement the cost of hay. A herd of eight goats, one alpaca, five llamas, plus two rabbits eats a whole lot of hay. We are now on the constant search for affordable hay.

Richard is still working on the goat/llama barn and also trying to build a house for the turkeys, ducks and rabbits, who we are going to put in together.

It sure feels like winter is closing in on us and there is still so much to do! The days are getting shorter and colder and sure seem to vanish in the flurry of fall farm activity. If only we had some housing, I'd love to sign up for some wwoofers to help on our farm. Perhaps another season.