"Marco came over [to Essex Farm] this week to teach Ashlee and me how to artificially inseminate dairy cows. I learned several things. 1. A cow’s rectum is a good place to warm your hand. I was in the house when Marco arrived, so threw my big barn parka over the cashmere … [Read more...] about Surprisingly Warm
The Dirty Life
Going Back to Horse Power
For Essex Farm, "[w]inter is the time we consider what comes next, as a family and as a farm. Mark and I go on a retreat every February, to talk about what we’ve done and what we want to do. But this year we’re starting early. We’re already calling 2012 The Year of the Horse. We … [Read more...] about Going Back to Horse Power
End of the Year at Essex Farm
"It’s been a week of tidying up for the end of the year, both physically and financially. The team put a big effort into moving all the equipment to winter storage, to get ready for the snow and the plowing that comes with it. The popcorn is in, shucked, and drying. The laying … [Read more...] about End of the Year at Essex Farm
Moving the Cows at Essex Farm
"The dairy herd is pastured way out at the eastern end of the field called Superjoy this week, grazing the rich oat and pea mix we planted in September. I was the evening milker yesterday, and as I made the trek out, the sun was beginning to set and the wind was picking up, … [Read more...] about Moving the Cows at Essex Farm