• Finding Alaska: The Life and Art of Shannon Cartwright
    Finding Alaska: The Life and Art of Shannon Cartwright
    by Shannon Cartwright
  • Trapline Twins
    Trapline Twins
    by Julie Collins
  • Riding the Wild Side of Denali: Adventures with Horses and Huskies
    Riding the Wild Side of Denali: Adventures with Horses and Huskies
    by Miki Collins, Julie Collins
  • Dog Driver: A Guide for the Serious Musher
    Dog Driver: A Guide for the Serious Musher
    by Miki Collins, Julie Collins
  • Two in the Far North
    Two in the Far North
    by Margaret E. Murie
  • Alaska's Wolf Man: The 1915-55 Wilderness Adventures of Frank Glaser
    Alaska's Wolf Man: The 1915-55 Wilderness Adventures of Frank Glaser
    by Jim Rearden
  • Back Tuva Future
    Back Tuva Future
    by Kongar-ol Ondar
  • Cave of the Yellow Dog
    Cave of the Yellow Dog
    starring Batchuluun Urjindorj, Buyandulam Daramdadi, Nansal Batchuluun, Nansalmaa Batchuluun, Babbayar Batchuluun
  • Mongolian Ping Pong
    Mongolian Ping Pong
    starring Hurichabilike, Geliban, Badema, Yidexinnaribu, Dawa (II)
  • Making Great Cheese: 30 Simple Recipes from Cheddar to Chevre Plus 18 Special Cheese Dishes
    Making Great Cheese: 30 Simple Recipes from Cheddar to Chevre Plus 18 Special Cheese Dishes
    by Barbara J. Ciletti
  • Grain-free Gourmet Delicious Recipes for Healthy Living
    Grain-free Gourmet Delicious Recipes for Healthy Living
    by Jodi Bager, Jenny Lass
  • Cooking Alaskan
    Cooking Alaskan
    by Alaskans
  • Stocking Up: The Third Edition of America's Classic Preserving Guide
    Stocking Up: The Third Edition of America's Classic Preserving Guide
    by Carol Hupping
  • The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables
    The Big Book of Preserving the Harvest: 150 Recipes for Freezing, Canning, Drying and Pickling Fruits and Vegetables
    by Carol W. Costenbader
  • Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation
    Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation
    by The Gardeners and Farmers of Centre Terre Vivante
  • Dersu the Trapper (Recovered Classics)
    Dersu the Trapper (Recovered Classics)
    by V. K. Arseniev
  • In the Shadow of Eagles: From Barnstormer to Alaska Bush Pilot, a Pilots Story
    In the Shadow of Eagles: From Barnstormer to Alaska Bush Pilot, a Pilots Story
    by Rudy Billberg
  • Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun
    Bird Girl and the Man Who Followed the Sun
    by Velma Wallis
  • Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
    Two Old Women: An Alaska Legend of Betrayal, Courage and Survival
    by Velma Wallis
  • Rock, Water, Wild: An Alaskan Life
    Rock, Water, Wild: An Alaskan Life
    by Nancy Lord
  • Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)
    Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times (Mother Earth News Wiser Living Series)
    by Steve Solomon
  • Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
    Root Cellaring: Natural Cold Storage of Fruits & Vegetables
    by Mike Bubel, Nancy Bubel
  • Beluga Days: Tracking the Endangered White Whale
    Beluga Days: Tracking the Endangered White Whale
    by Nancy Lord
  • Fishcamp Life on an Alaskan Shore
    Fishcamp Life on an Alaskan Shore
    by Nancy Lord
  • The Snow Walker
    The Snow Walker
    starring Barry Pepper, Annabella Piugattuk, James Cromwell, Kiersten Warren, Jon Gries
  • The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat)
    The Fast Runner (Atanarjuat)
    starring Natar Ungalaaq, Sylvia Ivalu, Peter-Henry Arnatsiaq, Lucy Tulugarjuk, Madeline Ivalu
  • Heartland [VHS]
    Heartland [VHS]
    starring Rip Torn, Conchata Ferrell, Barry Primus, Megan Folsom, Lilia Skala
This form does not yet contain any fields.
    « Long story short | Main | Deep breaths »
    Sunday
    May092010

    Notes

    I feel like so much is happening recently... I suppose it's much the same story as every spring, but this year it seems magnified.  I'm overtired today, and a bit overwhelmed.

    We have 11 kids on the ground now.  8 boys and 3 girls.  One of my leased does kidded the day before yesterday, a big and beautiful 10 pound buckling.  He's been moved out to the kid pen with all the rest, because he pees bucketloads and is sucking down 1/2 a gallon a day already.

    I think all that's left for now is Iris, who is as big as a house.  If Yesna is bred, then she's hiding it pretty well... though every once in a while I think I can see a kid in her, but not most of the time.  Iris has milk now.  She could go anytime.  It'll be twins or triplets for her... wish for some girls for me.

    This week we're switching up the feeding regime for the chickens.  A reindeer farmer in Wasilla has been getting spent grain from a brewery in Anchorage for years, and is recently selling it by the tote.  Add that to the freezer full of burnt salmon that came home this week, and the birds are happy.  

    Arnold, the pig, got new digs this week.  I wish we could just let her free range, but she chases the does around trying to nurse.  So now she sleeps in the old generator shed and has a 600 square foot pen all to herself.  I might move the big bucklings in with her soon.  There's plenty of space.

    Mango is suddenly giving nearly 2 gallons a day, pushing our daily take to over 10 gallons.  That's alot of milk, and more than I have shareholders for.  So it's time to make ice cream, and sour cream, and fool around with some lowfat cheese recipes.

    I sampled the Tomme d'Arles sheep cheese last week... everyone loved it.  I'm getting ready to make another.  Now that there's a "catch lane" built, it's no problem catching Honey twice a day- and don't tell anyone (like Ben) that I'm thinking about getting another milk sheep.

    Speaking of Ben, he came home from spring bear hunting for something like 36 hours.  And now he's off to the Alaska Peninsula to guide and fly for his brother's outfit.  I'll see him again at the end of May.

    Meanwhile, things are moving along.  I've got ads up at WWOOF and ATTRA looking for a summer intern to help me manage the farm and take over for me when we're gone fishing.

    It's getting greener... the leaves are just about to pop out on the trees and there's grass coming up here and there.  The garlic is ready to be uncovered, and I'm just waiting for the pump to get things rolling.  It should be here any day now!

    I'm a little behind on the garden front... with as much going on as we do in the livestock world, it's totally possible the garden will just have to take a back seat this year.  But maybe I can get organized enough to really make it happen.  All I can do is try.  I'm stretched pretty thin right now.

    Well, I think that about catches us up.  I better get chores started and make a plan for dinner.  Cheers!

    PrintView Printer Friendly Version

    EmailEmail Article to Friend

    Reader Comments (2)

    If I covered all the involved costs, would you be willing to ship cheese to Arizona? Is that even logistically possible?

    May 9, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterGraham

    I can be there by next week! I'll be your woofer :) Did I tell you I learned to milk a goat? I'm still kinda slow though.

    May 27, 2010 | Unregistered CommenterAriana

    PostPost a New Comment

    Enter your information below to add a new comment.
    Author Email (optional):
    Author URL (optional):
    Post:
     
    Some HTML allowed: <a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <code> <em> <i> <strike> <strong>