• Home
  • Furrow Archives (2009-2010)
  • Farmbedded Archives (2008)
  • Photos
THE FURROW: The online newsletter of Howell Living History Farm

Spring Plowing

3/29/2012

0 Comments

 
This past week, horse-drawn plowing continued in the field where the Howell Farm oats will be sown. The plowing is not finished yet, but it's getting close.

The next step, after plowing, will be to smooth out the rough, lumpy soil conditions by running over the field with a cultipacker. In this case, Howell Farm will likely make an exception and use a tractor to complete the job rather than the horses. The exception will allow the oats to be planted on time, and will also spare the horses, who have a long season ahead, from a particularly strenuous job.

0 Comments

Star and Stripe

3/29/2012

0 Comments

 
As Star and Stripe continue to grow, Farmer Rob has been training them as oxen. Now that the two calves are getting bigger and stronger, they are able to earn their grain by completing some actual farm work. This week, Farmer Rob has had the young team hauling compost from the farm’s compost pile into a field that will be planted this year with potatoes.
0 Comments

The Kitchen Garden

3/29/2012

0 Comments

 
On Friday, Farmers Rob and Ian plowed the kitchen garden behind the muscle of Jack the draft horse.

The first vegetable plants of the season -- cabbage -- are in the ground.
0 Comments

In Bloom

3/29/2012

0 Comments

 
In the Howell Farm orchard, the first blossoms have appeared.
0 Comments

Chicks and Piglets

3/29/2012

0 Comments

 
In the past week, the baby animal population at Howell Farm has continued to rise.
In addition to the lambs -- another set of twins was born yesterday -- baby chicks and piglets have also moved into the barnyard.

The chicks arrived at the Pennington Post Office last Wednesday -- 50 Barred Plymouth Rocks, a heritage breed known for being a good all-rounder. They are good egg layers, but they're also good for meat.

The chicks are now at home in our coal-fired brooder, spending their days eating, sleeping and growing. When they are adults, they will move into the hen house, replacing last spring's flock.

The piglets -- a mix of breeds -- were born on a farm in Flemington and are now 10-weeks old. They arrived at Howell Farm last Friday and will stay until they're fully fattened.
0 Comments

Mail-Order Chicks

3/20/2012

0 Comments

 
Howell Farm's mail-order chicks are scheduled to arrive at the Post Office on Wednesday or Thursday. So it's time to get the coal-fired brooded ready for service.
0 Comments

Shearing

3/20/2012

0 Comments

 
Today marks the beginning of the Howell Farm sheep shearing season. Photos below.
0 Comments

Lambs

3/20/2012

0 Comments

 
The first lambs of spring were born on March 15 in the earliest hours of the day. They were triplets -- all ewes. That night, two more lambs were born – a ram and a ewe.

This morning, two more lambs were born, another ram and ewe combo.

In total, eight adult ewes were bred at Howell Farm this year, meaning more lambs are expected throughout the week.

When they are first born, the lambs bear a striking resemblance to raggedy dishcloths.

Having spent a previous spring at Howell Farm, I can say that one of the best moments of the year is when the lambs start hopping. It’s difficult to describe the wonderment using mere words -- you look out in the emerald green pasture and see lambs flying through the air with reckless abandon.  It makes you smile.
0 Comments

The Morning Commute

3/14/2012

0 Comments

 
Scenes from the start of the workday at Howell Farm.
0 Comments

Cows and Fences

3/14/2012

0 Comments

 
One of the best parts of spring, for a cow, is that the grass in the pasture starts to get greener.
In the ox yard -- a high hoof-traffic area -- the grass needs a little extra help. So today Farmer Rob went out with a Cyclone Seed Sower and spread four kinds of pasture grass seed: Tall Fescue, Smooth Brome, Red Clover, and White Clover.
0 Comments
<<Previous

    About

    The Furrow is the online newsletter of The Friends of Howell Living History Farm. We will be updating this site about once a week with crop reports and other insights into life on a horse-drawn living history farm.

    Howell Farm is owned by Mercer County and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission.

    Funding for the Howell Living History Farm Furrow is made possible in part by an operating grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. 

    RSS Feed

    Archives

    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    January 2011

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.