no sitting around

May 1st we got all those little lambs separated from their mommas. 48 hours of non-stop baa-ing.



May 2nd and the asparagus is beginning to poke forth from the soil. two shoots for dinner tonight, more by the end of the week for sure.




We've begun expanding the garden slightly - making more room for more potatoes, sweet corn, and asparagus. Finally we spread some black gold over the garden....

12 months to the day.

After several days of upper 80-degree weather and even low 90s Virginia is finally cooling down, slightly. The journey north to Maine begins tomorrow and another 12 months of unknown. My time at Smith Meadows Farm carried its fair share of ups and downs, but in the end it was a good experience. I am glad to be getting out now as chicks by the hundreds arrive to fill brooders, turkeys and ducklings are scheduled for later in May, lambs are on the loose, and calves being born. But the Shenandoah Valley is graded in 50 shades of green while blossoms of white and pink fall on tree branches like spring snow.


Now my second spring waits for me in the brown tones of Maine, 30 lambs and their mothers that will need to be sheared come May, and pines to be cleared out of pastures


No sad farewells to Virginia for I’ll be back again and no new hellos to Maine as I know her well.