Planting Dreams...

I've planned since  before we moved here to plant some fruit trees. After seeing how well my plum tree is bearing (now that I have left Texas) I knew that planting some fruit trees would be a priority. Is there anything better than sinking your teeth into an apple freshly picked from the tree? And they are something to get planted earlier rather than later as my plum tree in Texas proves-I planted it about 5 years ago and it was just last year that it really started to bear.

I have heard you can't grow fruit trees here...early thaws will bring the trees into bloom and then a frost will come and make them drop.  The winds are too bad....the dirt is not right.  Yet I see some who manage to grow fruit trees and actually harvest crops. I believe it's all in the selection of the right tree and right place to plant them.

I have done my research and selected just three trees to start-two apples and a cherry.  Though I have high hopes for these trees there is no point in spending the family fortune to be proven wrong is there? I found a very reputable Nursery online, St. Lawrence Nurseries, out of Potsdam, NY.  They have a huge selection of fruit trees, a great reputation and the USDA zone chart puts them as a 4B while they have my zone as 5B-so these plants should be hardy.

I researched success stories, and also read the failure stories and finally settled on the following choices:

For the Apples: 

September Ruby-this one originated from Canada-it should be hardy (I've seen accounts of it growing in Alaska!).  One backyard grower had this to say about the apples "

"I too have September Ruby, mine seem to ripen in late August, early September most years. The taste reminds me of a macintosh, crisp and juicy, sweet, great for fresh eating, but also excellent in pies"

Yum...sounds good to me! 

The other selection I made was is a Norkent Apple. This one is rated for zone 2-another hardy variety.  It's described as "very large apple, sweet crisp, perfumy with excellent flavor".  Keeps well in storage. 

The Cherry Tree-I have always wanted a cherry tree, so I succumbed to temptation and ordered one. Unfortunately it seems sweet cherries don't grow in Northern climates but I did find some pie cherries do, and some are even good for fresh eating.  I chose a Bali Cherry because it was discovered growing near Edmonton, Alberta after withstanding -43F. It's supposedly a vigorous grower and precocious producer yielding large 1 inch fruit. I hope I'll be needing a bird net in a few years...this just sounds to good to be true!

Bali Cherries-I soo want to tast these!

My order came in from St. Lawrence at the end of April-they are ship bareroot and dormant and it is recommended to plant them straight away so I not one to not heed the sage words of those who are wiser than me-I did. I planted them on April 22, the day before we got about 8" of snow.  The instructions said "the weather might not be good for the humans for planting, but it is for the plants".   The first flakes of snow started to fall as I planted

Here are my pictures of the planting.

An Apple tree before planting 

Same Tree in hole ready to fill in

The Cherry tree-I have high hopes for this twig!

I have all the twigs trees wrapped in little cages of poultry wire to protect them from oafish dogs that go by the name of Jasper who I can just see grabbing hold of one and running. I'm faithfully watering them often as per the instructions "5-10 gallons regularly-regularly being every day, 3 days a week or a good soaking every weekend. Dig under the mulch to feel the soil, if it is waterlogged pass for a few days".

It'll be a few years before I get to taste the fruits of my efforts...I hope it pays off!

A sign of Spring...

Today is a day to mark on the calendar.  I collected my first egg of the year! One of the gracious duck ladies decided the days are long enough and the sun is bright enough to grace the laying box with an egg. It's certainly not because this week is any warmer-it's been rather cold with nightly lows hovering around the zero mark.

The First Egg of the Season

The egg weighed in at 2.1 oz, a pretty average size for my duck eggs.  I'll have to see if I can squeeze in some baking time this weekend-there is nothing like fresh duck eggs when baking!

Painted Deserts and 50% Katahdins for Sale

My flock has been growing quickly and it has come time to part ways with a few sheep.  Here is what is currently for sale:

On the left is a 2.5 month old Painted Desert Ram-good stout prospect, dam Santana Sayen -6th place ewes 6-12 months, 2012 PDSS show. Ram $125, Ewe-$200 SOLD

Spot recordable 50% Katahdin ram lamb born Jan 18, 2013, dam Teanna above, sire "Potter" pictured at bottom of page  $175.00 SALE PENDING

Estrella's Ambrosia "Brandy"-PDSS ewe, she was bottle fed and is the friendliest ewe ever $125 (to someone who will love her), Moon-4.5 month PDSS ewe lamb. $75.00 SOLD

Tammy-a great PDSS ewe, dam of Pebbles (pictured below). Currently has a 50% Katahdin ewe on her side who I will be keeping. $200-Tammy will be available at the end of Feb 2013. I will hold her with a deposit. Sold

Bella is a really nice PDSS ewe, born in  2010, dam of Luna (listed below) and Arabella (in photo) a 2013 50% Katahdin ewe lamb (Arabella is not for sale).  $175

Luna 2012 PDSS ewe out of Estrellas La Bella and Estrellas Brennan. Has been exposed to Katahdin ram. (Pictured at 5 months old),  $175.00

Aleshanee Tiponi, 2010 PDSS ewe. Tiponi has produced two sets of twins for me to date. She was 2nd in the tough  6-12 month old ewe class in the 2012 PDSS show.  $200

Hugo fancy recordable 50% Katahdin ram lamb born 12/21/12. Dam is Aleshanee Tiponi PDSS ewe above, and Potter, Katahdin ram pictured at bottom of page. Combines the best traits of Katahdins and Painted Desert sheep.  Badger markings around eyes. $175

Ella 2012 yearling PDSS out of Aleshani Tiponi (pictured above) and Tejas Ranch Red Cloud exposed to Katahdin ram. $150 SOLD

Yearling ewe, Pebbles exposed to Potter registered Katahdin ram. $200 SOLD

"Potter" Registered 100% Katahdin Ram, born Jan 2012. Good size, good natured and proven sire (sire of all the 50% Katahdin lambs on this page) $350

I will offer a discount for purchases of 3 or more sheep.

Revisiting the Bucket List

The beginning of the year is a great time to review what we accomplished the prior year and make plans for the upcoming year so today I'll revisit my 2012 bucket list and see how well I did (this may be scary-I have a  sneaking suspicion I may have been gotten a tad waylaid last year.

The 2012 Bucket List:

• Move (first my dd and I)  ✓-Happily accomplished in May 2012
• Secure the fencing -happily most of the property is fenced, we just need to fix/improve it.  1/2 ✓ -we did get gates put up to secure the perimeter but our guardian dog just jumps over it. Not sure what we'll do here.
• Set-up dog kennel- X-not started, I'm putting this one on hold since I may build a kennel into the house addition/garage when that eventually happens.
• Make sheep shelter X-I cheated, I used the barn, but this will go on the 2013 bucket list so the horses can have the barn back!
• Move the livestock to property ✓
• Research what fruit trees do well at 8800' altitude (no that's not a typo -this property is located at some serious altitutude! Plant test trees. 1/2 ✓ -I did the research but didn't get the trees bought. Thiswas late to get a lot started. 
• Fix greenhouse 1/2 ✓ -I did fix it, but the wind ripped the new door I built off so it still needs fixing! 
•  is going on the 2013 bucket lits.
• Research and plant berry canes 1/2 ✓ -Again I did the research and actually ordered the plants but they are schedule for April 2013 delivery, hence only the 1/2 checkmark!
• Plant vegetable/herb garden ✓ I did get some herbs and vegetables planted last year, but with our May move date 
• Remove fallen tree from pond, remove beaver dams where they are changing water flow-X-we tried to haul it out with the mule but it wouldn't come. We started chopping it up for a pond side fire last week!
• Fence bottom pasture. X-just not enough hours in the day! 

Results:   ✓=3 tasks completed (yikes this is bad!)

           1/2 ✓=3 tasks partially completed

                  X=4 tasks not started

The results don't exactly look stellar but as always there is all sorts of accomplishments that were completed that never made it to the bucket list, such as building the doghouse, fencing the side pasture, seeding the side pasture etc.

And now for the 2013 Bucket List:

• Make the sheep house with at least 3 pens. 
• Fence bottom pasture
• Order and plant fruit trees
• Fence/cover vegetable garden so chickens can range in it, put in duck pond.
• Fix greenhouse
• Get ancona ducks
• Start aquaponic system in greenhouse. Something like this one:

• Stock pond with trout
• Complete alternative driveway entrance

Dog yard (our backyard is about 2 acres-too big to watch them at nighttime. I don't want any predators getting my pups!)

This concludes the 2013 Bucket List.  

A new year...some new babies and a farewell to 2012 and a friend

Well the new year has come upon us despite the Mayan calendar ending.  Maybe 2013 was just too far in the future for them to consider?  I read the other day that Jan 04, 2013 was the day Marty of Back to the Future fame was supposed to land in his Delorean...I haven't heard of any sightings yet, but it sure does make me feel old that the future is now!

Sadly just after Christmas we lost our favourite ewe "Delilah", Katielyn's bottle fed lamb from two years ago.  She was nearing the end of her first pregnancy and suffered pregnancy toxemia. We tried to save her with an emergency visit to the vet, but she passed away while trying to revive her. We suspect she was carrying twins and what with the cold weather, and nourishing the babes in her womb she used up all of her energy reserves.  Farewell Delilah, we miss you and the babies we never met.

2013 has already brought us some bouncing baby lambs...our first offspring by the Katahdin ram, Potter purchased in July. To date we have 3 ewes and one ram by Potter with a few more in the works. 

L to R, Single Ewe Lam born 01/03/13, twins Ram on left born  12/21/12

"Maya" ewe lamb born on 12/21- the day the world was to end!

  

The Start of an Annual Tradition

Yesterday was a much anticipated day.  Long before we moved to Colorado we had visions of the day we'd spend cutting the first Christmas tree at our new home.  We envisioned walking through the forest in freshly fallen snow, with just a few big snowflakes fluttering to the ground around us.  There would be birds in the trees and squirrels hopping amongst the pines chattering at us as we walked through their home. And then we'd find the perfect tree.  We'd cut the tree telling it how it was the chosen one and then take it home and decorate it with all of our treasured ornaments, while we cheerfully sipped at hot chocolate and munched on freshly baked treats and listened to holiday tunes by the crackling fire...

And guess what? The day didn't go quite like that.  First of all there was no snow-not even a flake tantalizing us as it melted on the warm ground. No sir,  it was probably about 60 degrees and sunny.  Nevertheless a great day for tree cutting.

Kt and I set out to Beaver Creek with our tree permit, and saw safely stashed in the back of the car and followed the many cars blazing a trail to the tree cutting area.  Happily there is room for many,we chose to turn off the main drive and make a stop first, to meet a very famous forest spokesman. Guess who we had the pleasure of meeting? None other than Smokey the Bear!

Selena and KT posing with the famous bear!

 There were some mounted trail volunteers who were dressed in the spirit of the season. Here Kt gives "Mrs. Claus a pet"

And then the search for the perfect tree began. We found a spot all to ourselves and began the hunt:

KT points toward a prospect!

Upon further inspection by her and Selena it is decided it is not the one...

There are trees of all shapes and sizes...even ones that would be perfect for a Charlie Brown Christmas show,

This prospect is too small...

 And then spotlighted by sunlight, in a glade (it really was) we see it.  The perfect tree.

Me, cutting it down ,

Dragging it to the car (it was light)

KT tieing the back of it down (she actually did and it didn't come undone)

Christmas tree hunting is hard work, we had to squelch our appetite at Zoka's -a local dog friendly  restaurant.

We obviously weren't the only hungry tree cutters. This is the parking lot at Zokas.

 And then it was homeward bound where in the evening the true show started....putting up the tree.  This tree has a mind of it's own.  It was happily standing in the stand quite straight so I ceremoniously found the tree topper star and went to put it up top.  Of course it didn't fit.

Me in my sheep pj's trying to get the star on..

  Meanwhile the tree decided enough rough housing and made a break for it. It lurched and shiver me timbers there she went!  And so did I...with a bumpity bump (Frosty would be proud).  Not to be defeated by a tree I got my stool and tried again but KT and I were laughing so hard, this time I bumped my head on the stone mantel. Ouch!  We pushed and shoved for about a half an hour, and the tree was just not having -it refused to stand any more.  We'd get it nice and straight and then it'd begin to sway and we'd grab it quickly before it toppled right over again (which I believe it did several times).  Finally I decided it must be subdued and I hogtied it with some ribbon.  I swore I heard it sigh.  And then we were able to decorate as planned except we had no fire as really was quite warm, no hot chocolate (though half way through I did decide the occasion merited a  ceasar! (or maybe that should be a seizure..)

Kt puts the first ornament on...

The little reindeer are all tired out...watching is hard work!

This one's tired too!

I can hardly wait until next weekend to put the outdoor lights up!

2012 PDSS Cyber Sheep Show

Look what came in the mail the other day: A certificate for our 2012 Cyber Sheep Show placements!

The PDSS does a great job with this show each year and it's a lot of fun.  Best of all you don't have to haul your sheep anywhere because it's a CYBER show-the show is judged on photographs of your sheep.