Protecting our Children?

70 million children killed by abortion. How many by Covid? If you support a mother's right to kill her baby why don´t you support a mother's right to decide if her child must wear a mask? Think about it.

TRUE COMPASSION ON DISPLAY FROM THE FARMER

During these hazy lazy days of the Covid-19 pandemic I just wanted to drop a note to all of my followers. Overall, the COVID craze has been good for me. At work, production and quality is WAY down, but my pay has not been affected. My boss is a true believer in the having an ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION so anytime someone gets a positive COVID test we all get paid time off. Not too bad. Let's hope the work being left undone doesn't get noticed. At home my workload is also reduced. Without sports and social activities I get to stay home and catch up on whats happening on The Bachelor. True love is born there, you simply must watch too. In the kitchen things are great. Because it is too dangerous to go outside or certainly into a grocery store, some people are really struggling, not me though. I simply pay someone, who's life is less valuable than mine, to pick up my groceries and I pay them a couple of bucks for putting themselves into danger. The avacodos have never been so fresh. Now with the COVID vaccine being made available, I am really in a good position. Because of who I know, I was able to get a vaccine before almost everybody in my group. Yes, there are people who have to work to support their family, who can't get the vaccine, but there time will come, probably by June of 2022. Just be patient. Besides I have heard that my spinning class won't allow me back until I show my vaccine card. I am so glad I voted for Joe Biden, remember ALWAYS VOTE DEMOCRAT, we a care about all the little people and we are doing all we can to make sure they stay that way. Take Care.

Tapping Begins

Tapping has begun in the sugarbush. Spring is right around the corner with only sugar and mud seasons standing in the way.

March Snow Coming

As I lug wood to the stove in the living room I look out into the night sky for the arrival of the first snowflakes. The firewood pile has really shrunk over these last two months. I am comforted by the growing warmth of Sun and looking forward to the upcoming maple sugar season. The barn is quiet these days. After over 20 years of raising goats, I have decided to take some time off to consider what is next for the Farmer. More vegetables, more fruit trees, more open space. Smaller grain bills, less worry about the uncertainty of the hay crop and less daily chores. Three old hens await my daily trips to the henhouse with the table scraps and a warm drink of water.

We've cut some firewood for next fall, but lots more will be needed. Gideon helped salvage some pine logs from the old homestead, a result of the October 2017 windstorm. I hope the lumber will be of good color and quality when we saw it. I've been doing some much needed maintenance on Ol Rusty, the 384 International. A new hydraulic pump and fluid replacements are done. Still more to do. Dad was so good at this stuff, I miss him.



The old Farmall C sits awaiting her next assignment. She is always ready to work. Probably the best $600 I ever spent.

Land Surveying has seen a few busy years now, with another on the way. I wear lots of hats, but also enjoy being able to focus on becoming really good at something. When I know where this leads, I will let you know.

Long time gone

It has been almost more than 2 years since my last post, where has the time gone? The Farmer has been retooling a bit I guess. Less goats, more gardens. Less haying, more sawing. Building, repairing, surveying and watching the kids grow to adults. After 14 years as a rec coach, retired at last. Said goodbye to my longest friend, my dad, in February. I think every day of how I learned from Dad, I miss him. I don't miss the Alzheimer's, I miss the teacher, the mechanic, the sawyer, the mentor. I am 46 now and want to continue to accomplish big things. Gideon is heading to UMaine in three weeks to embark on his dreams. We will all look forward to his time at home in the coming years. Exciting! Making progress on the project house. Finally. Home repairs this fall and sawing more lumber on the Hud-son mill. Caroline´s cabin is underway with Mary's coming later this fall I hope. Isaac is growing and continues to be a devoted athlete at whatever he puts his mind to. The Gardener has the homestead looking better than ever with lots of flower gardens and weed free vegetable gardens.

I hope to report back again soon. Don't hold your breath though. The Farmer.

Sweet Saturday 2016 - March 26, 2016 10AM-4PM

Just dropping a note to remind you that our annual open sugarhouse will be on Saturday March 26, 2016, 10AM-4PM. Our "Sweet Saturday" celebration will include a tour of our small sugarhouse to see maple syrup production, the dairy goat barn to see the baby goats, the beginnings of our tiny house village and we are planning on demonstrating our Hud-son band saw mill. Wear your boots and we hope you'll have a great time.

Juniper Hill Farm Sugarhouse - 693 West Road, Bowdoin, Maine
Hope to see you here - Reuben, Angela, Gideon, Caroline, Mary & Isaac

Project House Progress

After a long delay, we have restarted the rebuilding of the Oak Hill project house. With the snow covering the woods and fields of Maine, I'm taking a few days to work on the old house to fix the things that need to be fixed. Some new posts and stringers will be first as we improve the house for its future occupants. The builder's level isn't being used as much as with new construction, but in some ways having a little tip in the bedroom floor will remind us of the history contained within these walls. One interesting piece of history we have discovered lately is that the Alexander family, the original occupants of the Oak Hill house, back in the 1840's, trace a connection to the Wheeler's through a maternal relationship.

After I've repaired the bones of the house we'll be adding the features that we would want if we were to make it a home for our own family. Whoever lives here down the road I want them see that the repairs were done the right way. Insulation, never a consideration back in the old days, will be an important consideration going forward. I'm considering closed cell foam right now, it isn't cheap, but I think it will repay in the long run. There is still a bit more ripping to be done, it's hard work but it can be fun to uncover the good while stripping away the bad. If we had won the Powerball we would probably hire out the hard stuff, but for now I guess I'll use my skills and maybe pick-up a few more skills in the process.

Check back in later, I'll post pics again soon.