Flooding

The snow that we had a few days ago didn't last, in fact, it warmed up very fast. Not such a great thing. The rain has hit hard, snow from the mountains has melted, and our little town of Scio is flooded.

Last night was spent in town preparing for the flood, that at the time, might happen. We went into work this morning. Water crossed the roads in many spots and we had to wait for cars to pass in order to go around logs, but all together, not too bad. Town was bustling with sandbags being delivered and people being evacuated.

Surrounding towns are also suffering and all ways out of town are closed, except the highway. We knew that we had to get home. We had to go around our normal route because our road was closed.

Here at the farm we are doing ok. You wouldn't know it on any other day, but we are a bit higher up than some of our neighbors. We just have lots of puddles -- not much different from when it rains heavy without flooding. Please keep us and our little town in your prayers.

(top) the street between the feed store and the lamb show pavillion

(bottom) the bridge at the center of to

(top) Gilkey Bridge (bottom) a close up shot of the water going under Gilkey, also the space the other side of the tracks is a corn field in the summer

(top) a neighbors field across the road (bottom) part of our field you can

see the difference

Snow Sheep

Yesterday was a busy day here on the farm. It was shearing day...WHAT?!?! You're shearing in January! Are you crazy? It may sound crazy, but there is some logic behind it. We shear our sheep every January right before lambing season hits since a full fleece on a ewe can cause some problems, which shearing can help with. When lambs are born, they don't have a 4 inch fleece on them to keep warm, so if the mother has no fleece, she can feel the cold the baby lamb feels and will take it to shelter. Sometimes lambs get confused and suck on locks of wool when they try to get milk. Shearing also lets us, as the shepherd, to keep an eye on the ewes to see how close they are to lambing. And finally, taking the wool off also lets the younger sheep have a chance to grow.

Now our house is over-run by fleeces, and we are slowly making our way through skirting the fleeces. We had to keep part of our flock inside the barn, because we ran out of blankets that fit everyone. It is too cold out for them to not be wearing coats, because as soon as shearing was over the snow hit as the forecast said it would.

Happy St. Distaff's Day!

January 7th, St Distaff's Day, it isn't a well known date and in truth it isn't even really a holiday. In days gone by it was the day after the feast of epiphany,the first free day after the 12 days of Christmas. It was the day everyone got back to their normal schedule after all the festivities. The distaff was the tool used to hold the fibers being spun to keep it out of the way. In the middle ages all classes of women spun, it was a task that was done after the days chores were done or was taken to a friends house and done while they visited, this of course was before the spinning wheel was invented. But on St. Distaffs day there was some fun mixed in with the work. The men did not return to there ploughs till after plough Monday, when the ploughs had been blessed. So often the men played pranks on the women, lighting flax on fire and the women in return soaking the men with water.

"St. Distaff’s Day; or, the Morrow After Twelfth Day” by Robert Herrick

Partly worke and partly play
Ye must on St. Distaffs Day:
From the Plough soon free your team;
Then come home and fother them:
If the Maides a-spinning goe,
Burne the flax, and fire the tow:
Scorch their plackets, but beware
That ye singe no maidenhair.
Bring in pailes of water then,
Let the Maides bewash the men.
Give St. Distaffe all the right,
Then bid Christmas sport good-night,
And next morrow every one
To his own vocation.

Though it may not be widely recognized we would like to honor it, even though most of us have probably already gone back to our normal lives. From Jan.7th- 9th we will be having a sale use the coupon code: DISTAFFDAY to receive 10% off your entire purchase from our shop.