Here’s the recent news from Kristin Kimball at Essex Farm:
“We had hot, dry, weather this week, perfect for haymaking. Mark, Phil, Jon, Ben, Brandon, Taylor and Cameron worked long hours mowing, raking and baling while everyone else kept the farm running. We have 1,026 round bales of first cut made and under cover now, most of it very good quality. Then, yesterday, we got a much-needed .7” of rain, which will help coax the pastures and hayfields back to life, bring the vegetables, corn and soybeans along, and plump the summer raspberries, which are just beginning to show some color. We know good weather like this doesn’t last forever but we will enjoy it while it does.
The milking herd is shrinking fast, but only temporarily. Our heavily pregnant cows need a few weeks of rest from making milk before their calves are born in the fall. Stevie and Kite were dried off last week, and Calliope and Cori were milked for the last time this morning. Now they go into the covered barnyard, to eat the boring dry hay and moo plaintively as the rest of the herd comes in and out at milking time. Their udders will be full and uncomfortable for a few days, and then begin to soften and shrink. We have plenty of whole milk for everyone for now, but the supply is beginning to tighten up and will continue to do so until the dry cows freshen in the fall…” Continue Reading this Essex Farm Note.
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