Animals

Hay Harvested in 2016

A few summers ago we wrote that we didn’t hay the grass fields because the soil needed improvement. In July 2016, a local livestock producer harvested 1,018 bales of grass hay from the three two-acre fields.  This is significantly more hay than usually produced from this farm. What factors contributed to […]

Animals

Why are we not haying the fields this year?

“Why aren’t you haying the fields?” That’s a question we’ve heard countless times this summer. The answer is both complicated and simple. It’s our one-year anniversary at the farm! We’ve only been stewards of this amazing property for one year. That’s barely enough time to figure out where things like […]

Animals

Rough-skinned newts on the farm

We’ve seen several rough-skinned newts (Taricha granulosa) wandering across the fields and gravel at the farm, but it was a surprise to see dozens in the lower pond! The rough-skinned newt produces a powerful neurotoxin called tetrodotoxin. Skin irritation may result from handling this animal.  Because of the toxicity of […]