Building Unity Farm Sanctuary - August 2017

I’ve put down the pitchfork and shovel, returning to the keyboard to update everyone about our Sanctuary progress.    Here’s what’s happened over the past few weeks.

As Kathy wrote on Facebook on July 25, Pippin, our 30 year old Welsh Pony passed away from cancer.   His last few months included daily play with three other ponies, walks in the woods, and generous servings of grain/treats.    He was the centerpiece of our horse work at the sanctuary and we miss him every day.   He’s buried on a hill covered with oaks overlooking the barnyard marked by a large flat stone.

The sanctuary volunteer program now includes over 20 people who feed, bathe, exercise, socialize and medicate all the inhabitants of the sanctuary.    We also have volunteers helping out with the agricultural duties - harvesting, planting, and weeding.    This amazing outpouring of support from the community enables Kathy and I to keep everything (well almost everything) on track.

The new paddocks are almost done and we’ve officially begun placing the half mile of fencing around the new run ins.     After Labor Day, we’ll have enough capacity to take on a small herd of mini-horses, pictured below.    Between the sanctuary and farm we’ll have 20 stalls and 10 paddocks.   With help from a local excavator, we’ve dug the trenches and laid the pipe/wire  so that each stall has heated buckets, lighting, and easy access to water.

Lunchbox Benson, a vietnamese pot belly pig, nipped one of our volunteers on her ankle.   We flushed the area to ensure it was clean enough to bandage and sent her for medical followup.    Lunchbox has never shown any unsociable behavior, so we’re concerned that one of his tusks may be growing into his palate, making him defensive.   We’re searching for a vet with experience in pig dentistry - not an easy task.

Over the next month, the pace of farm activities will continue at a fever pitch as we harvest the remaining summer fruits/vegetables, garlic, plant the fall/winter crops, and begin preparation for winter.    All our construction and improvement projects will wrap up in September.   As Kathy and I joke, when we’re 64 in 9 years, the daily heavy lifting  will need to slow down.   (And Kathy assures me that she’ll still need me and will still feed me)

We set the foundation for the Unity Farm sanctuary flagpole this morning - a 25 foot fiberglass single piece that is weather resistant and will not attract lightening.    Kathy has designed the sanctuary flag that we’ll fly.

As a place of peace and protection, the Sanctuary continues to be a haven for local wildlife.   Yesterday, a dozen wild turkeys visited Star the donkey.    Thus far, all the local animals - coyotes, foxes, fisher cats, raccoons, possums, skunks, hawks, turkeys and deer pass the through the sanctuary every day without a problem.    There must be something about the environment which encourages good behavior.

The carriage house refinishing project is now finished, complete with a coat of USDA approved epoxy on the floors. 

We’ve just completed our 2017 organic certification, following all the rules and documenting our compliance with organic best practices.   The onsite unannounced inspection will happen soon.

The rainy summer has produced a bountiful Shiitake mushroom crop and we picked 40 pounds last week.    We’ve delivered fresh organic mushrooms, cucumbers, basil, and lettuce to Tilly and Salvy’s farmstand in Natick.

Hopefully this gives you a sense of everything that has consumed us nights and weekends, reducing my writing time.     I promise to do better in the Fall!

Unity Farm and Sanctuary Guest Post

Over the past few weeks I've been writing a few journal articles and finishing a book, so my blog posts have waned.    They will start again soon.   In the meantime, my mother is visiting and here is her guest post.

Dagmar Halamka's farm notes from August 4,2017 and August 5, 2017.

The beauty here is infinite - wildflowers everywhere, gushing fountains in ponds with swimming ducks and geese and vast amounts of greenery because of the frequent rain.  60 acres of enchanted forest  that even "House and Garden" magazine could not duplicate surround the farm.  Roosters begin crowing about 4:30am. A very slow moving freight train provides a marvelous whistle several times a day as it moves through the countryside.

Today was Blueberry picking day at Unity Farm.  It’s hard work!  An hour and a half of picking rendered one bucket (I ate a "few"). I am renegotiating my contract!

Palmer, the turkey, followed us around all day - wherever we went. He extends his plumage often so we can admire how grand he is. When I returned with the blueberries, ALL the geese greeted me with extensive honks (males) and hinks (females). I think they believed I had food for them.

Then planting time arrived - I planted 45 lettuce seeds. Really easy since John had already provided the soil blocks.

We streamed "Lion" yesterday evening. I highly recommend it. A beautiful story with an
endearing plot theme.

We visited the new "age restricted" (over 55) condominiums at Abbey Road - just 500 yards from Unity Farm on the trails through the sanctuary. I was immediately surprised by the Revolutionary War era cemetery in the front of the development.

Tuesday, the local Garden club will come to Unity Farm for a potluck. Kathy admitted they will
market living in Sherborn to me.

I decided to walk to the post office.  I was sauntering back when a torrential rainstorm appeared, seemingly out of nowhere. Kathy drove down in the car and truly rescued me.

Dinner with John’s daughter was at a Japanese restaurant in Wellesley. They lived
there before moving to Sherborn. So it has sentimental memories for her. 
More tomorrow.