Unity Farm Journal - Christmas at the Farm

It’s Christmas Day on Unity Farm and the every creature has had extra attention, special meals, and new toys.

What better gift for our livestock guardian dogs (Great Pyrenees) than soft fluffy beds in the barn loft?    As the pictures below illustrate, this was an ideal gift - the most fun they have had all year tearing each bed into a 1000 pieces.     It seems strange, but we made them deliriously happy with their gifts.

The ducks, chickens, and guinea fowl got fresh spinach greens from the hoop house, peas, mealworms, and oats.    Below you’ll see them grazing in poultry heaven.

The alpaca got alfalfa with molasses, grain, and freshly cleaned stalls.   Here’s a photo of Sunny, our baby alpaca, sitting in the Christmas Day sun with her grandma Ella.

The humans roasted root vegetables and Tofu.    Gifts including warm clothes for the cold barn chores of January, books (paper and electronic) to read by the fire during the 100 days of winter, and a few updates to the home electronics we use every day.

One strange observation today - in a Monty Python-like event, a “killer squirrel” caught a goldfinch and began eating it, shown below.   Comparisons to the “killer rabbit” of the Holy Grail abounded.

I spent the early afternoon with all the creatures given them extra play time and love.

Over the past 100 years, many cedar trees have lived and died on Unity Farm.   Since cedar does not decay, the Unity forest is filled with fallen cedar.   I spent the late afternoon hauling cedar trees to serve a trail edging along the Woodland trail.  The trail is a bit obscured with leaves/snow in the winter and the cedar trunks will now guide the way year round.

All of the family - Kathy and me, my daughter, her partner David, David’s parents, my mother, and one of  Lara’s friends are gathered together for the holidays.  Unity Farm is buzzing with activity and I stand ready as master of ceremonies, plumber, electrician, farmer, and friend to make sure the warmth of the holiday season is enjoyed by all  - a sort of Unity Farm bed and breakfast experience.

As I’ll write about next week, 2014 has been a year of remarkable change with new life, death, joy, sorrow, and endless activities.    The family, the creatures, and the natural world around us are all healthy and happy.  Who could ask for anything more?

Happy Holidays to everyone!