Clearing Done Out Front!



Trees Cleared

Well, the clearing out in the front of Wild Rose Farm is done.  Wait until we get a picture of the fenceline clearing taken & put up on the blog.  It's so nice that I can just hear a "gas pipeline" rumor starting ......  All of the stumps are pulled & rye has been seeded.   Next we'll pick up the pasture mix that we ordered & finish it off.   Here's a picture of the JD 2010 & the "free" disk set that we pulled out of the edge of the woods years ago.  A neighbor noticed them & tipped us off that they were back there rusting among the trees. Basically, all of the bolts & fasteners were cut or burned out and replaced.
 Net result is a functional tool that we use occasionally ...... not fancy, but it works!

Disking The Field - note cement block weight .....

Can't wait to see the rye seed starting to sprout & green up!

Rainy Day Auction

Down The Farm Lane

It was a rainy day, so we went to a local farm auction.  The farm itself was beautiful, but it hasn't been operated as a dairy for a number of years.  Although we'd been by this area many times, like many of the old-timers that we talked to, we never knew the farmstead existed.  A characteristic of many really old farm homesteads is that they are located in a low spot ...... that's where the spring water was or where it was easiest to dig a well!   So ..... from the main road, you couldn't see any of these buildings! 

Auction Underway - Looking Back Up The Lane To The Parking Area

Need An Old Combine?

There was nothing for sale that we couldn't live without, but I'm reminded that I used to go to auctions at least several times a year.  Just got out of the habit, I guess, and there's only so much "stuff" that you need! 

Or An Old Ontario Planter?

Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Fest 2012 Vendors!

Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Fest - We've Got You Coming ......

We've gotten the current list of the 2012 vendors  up on the web-site for the Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Fest.  There are more being processed, but these folks all were in for a while before the deadline.  If you're thinking about being a vendor - get in touch soon!  The vendors are listed in order of their acceptance date, so browse through all of them & check them out ......
We take pride in our fiber artists, fiber farmers, skilled crafts people, and their one-of-a-kind goodies! 
The troll was visiting from one of the farm fiber artist vendors in 2011! 

...... And Going! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!



Ewes Grazing & Trees Budding Out!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day, or as the sheep like to celebrate, "the eating 'o the green"!  It has been very warm here at Wild Rose Farm - an unseasonable 70+ degrees the last few days.  Well, the grass is starting to really green up and the trees are starting to bud out with leaves.
Nothing like a nibble of fresh green grass to to tempt the ewes to push out of the electric net fence & abandon the round bales of hay.  They are in full fleece right now and they seem to just put pressure on the fence until someone pushes it down .... then the wooly breakout occurs! 

Cleared For Pasture

Here's more of the mostly small timber from our pasture clearing project with our neighbors.  It's amazing how open the property looks now with this little stand of trees gone. We were out pricing pasture seed this morning, so that will be next once the roots are pulled & the ground is disked .... found a yummy "Drought Proof" mix with chicory & clovers in it.  Of course, it wasn't in stock & they've got to call back with the price .......  a lot of the orchard grass turf will grow back, so we'd like to add other pasture "salad bar" species!

Making Progress!



Clearing Looking East - Puff of Smoke From Brush Pile Burning

Clearing for our fence line continues & quite a bit of progress has been made.  Today we measured off a 30' wide swath so the the fence will run down the middle.  This section being worked on now is a tangle of multiflora rose, poison ivy, & underbrush.

Clearing Looking West Towards US Route 30

We have lots of firewood coming out of this and several cherry butt logs that will make boards.  The goal is to get this done before the trees leaf out.   We'll cut 30' up from the orange surveyor tape ....

Perspective On Where We Are Working ......

2012 Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Fest Shaping Up!

2011 Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Fest Shoppers

The applications have been coming in and the 2012 Waynesburg Sheep & Fiber Festival is coming together for our 9th year.  The festival web-site should have a partial list of the 2012 vendors up soon.  The deadline is this week on March 15th, so the rush of mail is still to come!  Please get in contact if you're considering becoming a vendor!  This will be the first year that the festival is offering some fiber classes.  We'll have a great beginning spindle spinning class and beginners knit & crochet classes.    This year the festival is on Saturday May 19th & Sunday May 20th at the Greene County Fairground in Waynesburg, PA.  See you there!

Wild Rose Farm Meets Lippencott Alpacas!

Llamas & Donkeys?

Shady Lane Farm

I've passed this farm several times along I70 in Ohio, but never stopped before to take pictures.  It's really neat to see a field full of llamas along the highway.  They have llamas of all sizes and colors, plus a few donkeys and an Appaloosa thrown in for more color! 

If you're inspired to buy one of these beauties, here's the number!

Spring Can't Be Far Away ........

Snow Drops In The Front Yard

Signs of spring are popping up around the farm.  First the snow drops, then the crocus starting to show.

Crocus Closed In The Cold For Now .....

<>Of course, one of the real signs of spring is "spring clean up" at Wild Rose Farm.  Here we are on one part of the property after burning a huge brush pile.  The pile was a result of recent clearing, old clearing, & piles of brush from former "neighbors" on the far side of the property.  Obviously, things ended up here that didn't come from the property owners!  Misc. rusted metal, road sign, guard rail post, & tank .... nice! That doesn't count the dozen tires pulled aside. 

Part Of The Scrap Heap!