A Full Day Retreat!

I finally made it to Marshfield, MA to see my farmer friend Tim.  It was a long overdue visit, one that I am ashamed took too long to take place.  However, as with all my visits, spending the day with Tim is wonderful!  I stop and grab coffee and tea, and muffins and we sat for hours just talking and catching up.  Although, the day flies by, it also stands still and it let me forget about my troubles and struggles and to just relax and be in the moment.

And always I never leave empty handed, he will NOT let me! Typically, I leave with a car load full of plants, which means work for me when I get home, and this visit was no different.

He sent me off with a dozen or so outdoor plants, perennials, that needed to be planted, which I took care of yesterday.  However, I'm finding it harder and harder to find places to stick all these due to full flower beds and lack of sunny spots.  My yard was once mostly sun, however, over the years and with the all (small) trees I've planted (now BIG trees), the yard is mostly shade.

He also sent me home with the below house plants.  He was offering and pushing more and I would have taken more but the foolish cat I have will not leave them alone and is always finding a way to eat them, GRRR, so I was selective and passed on many!

A beautiful Aloe Vera plant, which I transplanted into this larger pot -

A nice Bamboo plant, in a fancy elephant pot -

This unique plant is called "Hoya Kerri", also known as "Hoya Heart", which you can see why.   Like the Aloe Vera, this plant is also a succulent and doesn't require much care, and for what it's worth this plant is pet friendly and not toxic to dogs and cats.  However, if the cat does get into this plant, he'll have BIGGER things to worry about than toxicity...ME!  He's already on thin ice!

The last thing I need heading into the cold New England winter are house plants but I welcome them and very thankful for Tim's gestures.

A 90s Throw Back of Goats Licking Cars

Here's a through back picture from the 90s

My farmer friend used to raise goats and always had a dozen or more.  They would roam free and always stay close to home.  During the winter and spring months when I would visit the goats would spend an hour or more licking the road salt from my Explorer, as you can see one pictured above.  

I always left with a uniquely custom (licked) designed vehicle.

One Way To Keep Warm

PIG PILE!!!

They're Coming Too Fast These Days...

I finally made it down to Marshfield earlier this week and spent the day with my buddy.

Here's a picture of the two of us!

Wishing one of my longest and dearest friends a heartfelt happy birthday!

Happy Birthday to my "Farmer Friend"!

A Long Overdue Visit For Sure

 Spent Friday in Marshfield visiting my farmer friend.

The weather cooperated, sunny and nippy in the mid to high 40's, but perfect for walking the property and visiting with all the pigs - 

It's funny to watch them all come running when called - SOOEY SOOEY!  Remarkable how they respond and come from all corners of the pen.  The youngsters bouncing and playful, just like little dogs -

They're all so VERY inquisitive, wanting to smell you with their dirt covered snots -

This sow has white eye lashes, something you don't see everyday or ever -

MOO To YOU Too!

Three Hereford cow enjoying some fresh cut grass!

A Rainbow of Colors

My farmer friend Tim has out done himself once again this year!  With cramped greenhouse space, and after tending to his critters all day, he found the time to plant all the seeds that have produced this awesome flowers, and veggies too!

As with every visit, I leave his place with oodles of plants and endless hours of work for myself once back home.  This last visit was no different and two weeks later I still have some plants that need to be put in the ground.

Homemade Greenhouse!

Spent yesterday in Marshfield helping out my farmer friend.

A project that should had been started months ago instead of waiting for the cold weather to arrive.

The plan is for this to be his new temporary greenhouse.  This will allow him to winter his many, many plants, of which is has a great assortment.  Several more posts need to be set, then the support joists but most of the manual labor aspects of the project are done.  We simply ran out of daylight.

That's a woodstove under the brown tarp and his anticipated source of heat once covered.

Another trip will be in order once the 100' roll of plastic arrives, which promises to be quite a challenge to open, fold in half and put in place.

Moooove Over the Weekend is Here!

I am SO udderly excited that the weekend is upon us!

Enjoy!

A Pig's Life

Let's wallow in this mud puddle!

AAHHHHHH!

Whatcha Got There?!

How You Doin'?

A Pigs Life...

Nothing better than soaking in a warm puddle on a hot humid day -

Or pig-piling on one another in the cool dirt -

Or some solitude in the shade of your favorite tree - 

This rotund lady above is pregnant an her litter is due in about a week.  Perhaps why she's enjoying some along time while she can...

Long Overdue Marshfield Visit

Emilie and I took a drive last weekend to make a long overdue visit to our farmer friend Tim!

I will not tell you the last time I was down or how long it's been.  Suffice to say it's been too long.

It's always a unique and enjoyable time.  We stopped and picked up sandwiches for lunch, then sat with Tim ate and chatted and swatted mosquitoes.

We brought with us six baby chickens about two months old; three Buff Orpingtons and three Rhode Island Reds.  Already weened from the heat lamp, fully feathered and ornery.  I must admit, it was SO nice to see them gone and not have to clean them any longer.

As usual we left with a car load of flower and vegetable plants, which equate to hours of work getting them planted once home. 

His place is a tad overgrown ever since he got rid of the goats.  Off in the distance is the greenhouse -

Here are just some of the Hereford cattle and pigs - 

And here's more of the pigs.  Another pen -

Sure do wish we lived closer...

Winter Succulents

Mother-in-law's Tongue

A type of Graptopetalum or Ghost plant

Here are a couple succulent additions to the ole homestead.  They both seem to be doing well, so far.  The Mother-in-law's Tongue is loaded with babies and could be separated into at least five individual plants.

Zooming In

 

What a beautiful afternoon this past Sunday was.  A bit on the chilly side, especially down in Marshfield closer to the ocean, but a nice day to be visiting an old friend.

Bucket-O-Flowers

 

With Fall underway and Winter around the corner most of the Summer flowers have passed.  However, here is a bucket of Summer colors.  A reminder of things past or perhaps things to come in 2014...

Turkey Bacon

 

Free range no less!

Mmmmm Bacon!

 

The pigs of Marshfield

 

From small to large and young to old, some penned and some not but there is NO questions there are A LOT!

Where's The Beef!

 

Marshfield Herford's

 

These are just some of the many bovine my farmer friend raises.

What a bunch of Asses

 

No, not the donkey kind or the human kind, they're the mother pig and piglet kind.

 

This uniquely colored and marked sow has three little pigs(lets) that she's raising.

 

This clan is not penned, so they have unlimited room to roam and forage.  With that ability these little ones will grow quickly.