What do we do about all this?

In the wake of the Sandy Hook killings, "What do we do about all this?" On Friday, it is shock. It is disbelief, it is numbness to the numbers, the victims. On Saturday it is listening, it is reeling from the innocence lost. It is a feeling of grief. On Sunday it is praying, it is crying, it is folding our hands, listening to our pastors and being told that it is God's will. NOW IT IS MONDAY - GO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS. There is still grief, there is still sadness, there is still mourning. But, "GO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS". What do I mean? Crying is normal, praying is noble, wringing our hands asking why is ok, But for God's sake "GO DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS". So you ask, what can I do?. Talk to your young kids, talk to your teenagers, talk to the young adults in your life, talk to your husbands. Yes, talk to the boys and men in your life, talk to the girls and women in your life. How do we fix a broken society that would raise boys into killers? Yes, I said it, it is the society we need to fix. It is the society that tells single mothers that boys don't need fathers. It is the society that sits our boys down in front of the gaming console with a digitial M16 rifle. It the society of killing all around us, on the news we watch and on the entertainment we support. We have a society that surrounds our boys with women teachers, kicks dad out of the house and leaves the boys to make their own path. WHAT DO WE DO ABOUT ALL THIS We can blame the guns, they share in the blame for sure. We don't need high-powered killing machines placed in civilian hands. We need guns though. We need protection, we need security and we need tools to stop violence. As you may have known, The Farmer believes in our right to bear arms. I own several guns and will fight for MY right to keep them. I have guns for hunting and I have guns for the protection of my life, the life of my family and for YOUR PROTECTION AS WELL. I have registered guns, I have a concealed weapons permit, I have taken days of training on how to carefully handle, store and use a gun. I have used a gun for more than thirty years. I know where I can and cannot carry a concealed weapon. I cannot carry on school grounds, in a post office or a bank. I cannot carry in bar or on an airplane. Criminals know this as well, making schools "soft targets", filled mostly with female teachers and little kids. Let's DO SOMETHING ABOUT ALL THIS. Let's turn over every stone. Let's point fingers at everyone and everything that is to blame. Don't be blind to think that there is a single cause that leads to a single result. There is plenty of blame to go around. NOW GO DO SOMETHING.

Where is my Maine?

Election day is over here in the USA. The results are in and the banners and posters are coming down. During my second cup of coffee this morning I was more sure than ever that the world had changed. Will I become a "bitter clinger" that Obama has described, clinging to my Bible and my gun? Or will I get more involved in politics in a my own life? Or, should I turn off the media and simply get on with the more important things?

In Maine the state motto is "Dirigo" or I lead. It is simply a fact that we lead the nation into each new day, but we also lead in other ways as well. For years we led the nation in high taxes. We have led also in environmental protection and with our generous welfare programs. We do in fact lead, but down what path? Do we lead over the cliff of uncertainty, or do we lead on to a better tomorrow? It's our choice.

In the formative years of our great nation, "The Maine" as it was called was a part of northern Massachusetts. That was before the rise of liberalism that has crippled most of the original 13 colonies. Mainers, like Joshua Chamberlain's 20th Maine became famous for their tenacity and toughness under pressure. Local farmers and loggers were renowned for their strong work ethic and their independence. Preserving the "rural character" of Maine is one of the most important goals of most local planning departments. This character was what had set us apart, but I'm afraid no more.

Maine is now just another welfare state, with more than 25% of our residents on one kind of welfare or another. Work is no longer a solution to our problems, but has become a problem itself. Work and the income in creates will limit the public assistance that you may be "entitled to". Going to work is now more the exception than the rule. Let's hope something happens to get people back to work and to help Maine get back on the right track!

Welcome Rain - Goodbye Rooster

On this rainy Sunday, things are looking up here at Juniper Hill Farm. The gardens had a decent start, despite some poor seed performance, but have been waiting for rain. I've watered the garden here a couple of times, but today Mother Nature provided. Maybe an inch of needed rain will make the pastures, field and gardens grow. In my spare time, my brother and I have finished sawing a few pine logs that we cut back in January. We got the old sawmill working good after swaging the saw teeth for the first time in years. Linc & I continue to learn what makes the saw cut good and what gives us fits. We had a near disaster though. After resharpening the saw we started into a big log, but the saw heated and laid over like never before. I was 4 inches from sawing into the last steel log bunk before I reversed direction and averted disaster. I guess a miss is as good as a mile. The cornish cross meat birds have now found their way into the freezer after eating their weight in grain several times over during the last 10 weeks. Just for good measure I sent our aggressive rooster along for the one-way trip as well. Every time the rooster chased the kids or the Gardener (or heaven forbid the HUNTER), across the barnyard I swore that I would get the last word on his future. I have a strict policy here on the Farm that I am the biggest and meanest thing that is allowed to roam free. Our goat herd has leveled off at 9 goats right now, with maybe two more bucklings heading to new homes before fall. I'm milking 3 does right now and will likely cut back to two when the calves are weaned. I find that raising a calf on goat's milk is easy and economical, and so far the calves have been doing well. My Land Surveying workload seems to be picking up a bit despite the weak housing market. It's been four years of declining demand that has really put a hurt on many in my field. I feel blessed that I've got so many good clients that provide all the advertising that I need. As July is nearly over I'm getting my list of summer projects into action so I can make some progress on those as well. I've got a few irons on the fire to say the least. I hope to post some updates in August, so I'll save the pictures for then. Thanks for visiting. Take Care.

Early Morning

This day the early morning sunrise was a sight to behold. It was nearly 6 months ago, not the longest day of the year, but the shortest days of the winter. The sun rose slowly in the eastern sky, ran a low arc to the south and set early in the west. The trees sleep, tucked into their tight cold bark. If you havn't seen a sunrise lately, give it a try. The house is still dark as I walk past the sleeping kids. The blankets kicked down or pulled tight up. The dogs lift their heads, look at me and seem to say, "Are you crazy, it's still night". To the east the sky is beginning to show light. This time not from a distant city or truck stop, but from the first light of dawn. I step onto the back deck and listen. Quiet. The rooster is still sleeping. The goats are lying quietly, heads drooped as they sleep. The beef steer chewing his cud. Quiet. A car rumbled down the road. Someone is starting their trip to work. The snow lays on the old Farmall C. Awaiting his next call to service. Sleeping too in a way. The morning is such a quiet time. Good time to think. To think about what today holds. To think about the frozen ground. To think about the firewood for next year. To think about the upcoming maple sugar season. Just to think, in the quiet morning air.

Up to Camp - Working Vacation

Spring is racing by so fast as we say goodbye to May and welcome to June. We managed to make it to New Sweden last weekend to enjoy the clean air and beautiful views, and to work on the camp. Vacations for us are usually enjoyed best with busy hands. This weekend we insulated some more, installed some interior sheathing and built the porch deck. The kiddos were helpful and we are glad to have been able to spend a few days away. If all goes well we will have the camp ready for a winter visit this year.

Girls enjoy some quiet time in the camp loft.

Family enjoying the new porch deck.

This trip north we also delivered two of our spring lambs to our neighbor in Stockholm. The Small's 50 acres of grass fields will be a nice home for the lambs. The lambs will also enjoy the scenic views as they grow big and fat this summer.

Kidding and lambing season is almost over for the spring. We only have one more doe left to kid anytime now. So far this year has been filled with little buck kids. 7 bucks and only one doe. Brownie and Queenie's kids have been weaned, so we now have lots of milk for our use. Fresh homemade ice cream tonight, yum. The beef cow is now out to pasture at the homestead. We've spread manure on the back field, so we are really looking forward to the rain that is forecast. The "new" manure spreader worked like a charm behind Gideon's Allis Chalmer's C. Baseball and Softball season are keeping us busy right now, but we are still working hard on our off days. Keep in touch.

Maine Maple Sunday - Sugarhouse Open

Visitors Welcome - Maine Maple Sunday

Where: Juniper Hill Farm
Home of: Reuben & Angela Wheeler & family
693 West Road, Bowdoin, Maine

When: Sunday, March 25, 2012 - An Open House from 10 AM – 4 PM



What: We will have our small family run Sugar House up and running, as well as family and kid friendly activities. Sugar Houses across the State of Maine are open for folks to come and enjoy this sweet New England tradition.

On our growing and developing family farm, we produce food and goods for our family such as maple syrup, goats’ milk, eggs, meat and garden produce, seasonally. We always love to share with others who are interested in learning about how we provide natural food for our family and like to help encourage others to see how farming may fit their life.

What to expect on Maine Maple Sunday:
•Visit the Sugar House and learn how maple syrup is made.
•Take a walk on the Sugar Trail – learn to identity some Maine native trees and other scavenger hunt activities.
•Journey to the Barn and meet our newborn baby goats as well as our other barnyard animals. Learn how we care for our dairy goats. The first chicks of the spring should be hatched in our small incubator as well.
•Enjoy Homemade Ice cream, Sweet Treats, Maine Made Pottery and other Special tidbits.

Remember that it is mud season in Maine, so for a more enjoyable experience on the Trails and in the Barnyard, bring your mud boots, warm clothes, and maybe a change of clothes for the little ones.

We look forward to seeing you on Maine Maple Sunday!

The Farmer is Back

Hello folks. How are things in your corner of the globe? After a long layoff, the Farmer is back. Things are slowing in my day job, so now it's time to focus on the firewood for next year, getting ready for maple sugaring season and kidding time in the goat barn.

As the human children get bigger both the Farmer and Gatherer are continuing with our coaching duties in the softball, baseball and basketball programs here in town. It's fun to see our kids enjoying the benefits of growing up on a farm and getting the opportinities to play sports, a luxury for sure.

My latest project was installing a snow plow on my pickup truck. Back in 1996 I bought a 1964 International Scout with a plow for $50. It needed lots of work, but I had it running the first day, and it kept our driveway plowed for fifteen years. A good investment for sure. Last winter I decided it was time to enjoy power steering, a heater and brakes on my plow truck. So I traded the old Scout with another local farmer for a manure spreader. So it forced me to get a plow for my work truck, which I did. Let it snow.

I'll post some pics soon, so you can see the new sights here at Juniper Hill Farm.