Blog Archives - THE FURROW: The online newsletter of Howell Living History Farm

Spring Plowing

3/29/2012

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.

Star and Stripe

3/29/2012

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.

The Kitchen Garden

3/29/2012

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.

In Bloom

3/29/2012

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

Chicks and Piglets

3/29/2012

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.

Mail-Order Chicks

3/20/2012

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.

Shearing

3/20/2012

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

Lambs

3/20/2012

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.

The Morning Commute

3/14/2012

Scenes from the start of the workday at Howell Farm.

Cows and Fences

3/14/2012

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.

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.

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