I was asked, well not me exactly, but those who follow along with Celilia’s Farmy, to show viewers at home what we see from our back porch. The Gascon farmhouses don’t porch much. But they do have a rear window. I’ve looked out through this window many times. When we bought the farm, this rear window had its shutters closed and the window was not included with purchase. We were missing quite a few windows which made our late September move exhilarating as we ran around in wool, fleece, scarves and jackets ( did I mention I was eight months pregnant? ) trying to mind all the gaps before winter set in. The view above is what “Nebraska” and “Yukon” look like right now. I took this photo with my food lens because Miss C said, “take a photo.” I do what she says. She’s a New Zealander. Despite making the best Cadbury chocolate bar in the world ( it’s the milk ), you need to keep an eye on them. They’re cheeky. There were some very moo-y cow noisings out there when I opened the window, thankfully not ours. Our fatties are munching away in the front. They’re full at the moment; we have a lot of grass.
Above is the soon-to-be-repaired roof we look over to check out our backyard. We are grass farmers, no rooftop or tractor is spared.
Brent put a lot of work in getting these two paddocks ready for cows. Below he was mowing the old corn field ( we call it “Nebraska” ) a year after its very last harvest. He let it grow over the months. He was doing a choppy mow of the grass and weeds that grew to put some fertility back into the soil. He did all sorts of other passes on this paddock, but that is a post for grasspunk. The brown in the background is Yukon. Another monocrop field that was très fatigué.
Another look through our rear window porch and you see that Yukon is getting greener. After some serious perimeter chopping involving blackberry hackers and chainsaws, we finally pushed in posts with help from a friend for the girls to see what all this Yukon is about.
Nebraska got greener and my veggie garden awaited garlic and shallots. And with this bundle of lovely two-year-old joy, garlic and shallots is about where I stopped. Next year, dam* it, this veggie bidness is on!
At last, for the first time EVER, cows meet grass meet soil. Cow poo has never been so welcome. This cornfield has completely turned around. There are still spots of monocropping casualties, but the rest is looking lush and ready for a third graze. Munching cows makes our back porch view a happy place.
Last year, while waiting for the Lucerne ( alfalfa ) to grow, a few sunflowers snuck in. Minty took care of those.
This is our back porch view to the left.
And this is the back porch view to our right.
It’s quiet here in the Gers. A beautiful place to write about what you see from your back porch.
Stunning! I especially love the rainbow…but then again who wouldn’t!
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
And underneath the rainbow is a pool of unicorn tears. Tears if joy. Unicorns love the Gers.
THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH! –for sharing this fabulously wonderful, frustrating at times I’m sure, experience. LOVE your writing, humor, family, love of the land and passion and support you provide those girls (and guys) to give good beef. Not to mention the joy and rise you give to me and the rest of your followers.
We love beef! We love it here :).
The moment I read the word Gascon, Dartagnon (sp?) came to mind. Your countryside looks very much like ours in Basse-Normandie. Lovely.
Last night I was reading a magazine called Resurgence (online) which was scathing about monoculture, anxious about the decline in worms – apparently France is losing soil at an alarming rate. The ubiquitous maize (corn) culture is doing so much damage, not only to the soil, but farmers are grubbing up ancient hedgerows (called bocage here) to get ever more gigantic machines in to the fields. So good on you for the mixed farming..
I’m a HUGE fan of the worm. If only the worm had a fluffy tail, it would be the poster child for the environment. These worms make soil. If you kill them off with fancy techniques, we will loose our pasture.
What a lovely post. You have quite a view, but obviously it has required much work. Thanks for sharing.
Yes. Lots of work by Brent. I get out there and do what I can. The paddocks have completely turned around.
Wonderful views – was hoping to see one or two goldens laying around. Joy
Hee. Yeah, Tosca doesn’t get to the back much. She optimizes caloric intake by sticking to the front where the bunnies and leftovers are.
I am so glad that you are not in Seattle jetting around doing software stuff. Your quality of life is so much richer and healthier. Did you hear about the I-5 bridge that toppled into the river north of Seattle? Amazingly no one was killed. Happy you are where you are.
Glad
It’s nice here. We have a lot of work, but it’s fun work. No meetings!
Amazing about that bridge. I drove over it many times.