Father Joe

This rain has been heavenly!

It's revived the pastures and replenished the watershed, out of which our little stream flows.

The pigs again have mud to wallow in, and since, contrary to the old adage - pigs really cannot sweat, they need the mud to stay cool.

The chickens are thrilled (in their own chickeny kind of way) with all the insects that flourish after a good soaking rain. Ants, worms, and beetles come out above ground, where they are "easy pickings" for the foraging hens.

The sheep, have new growth in their pasture, which whenever given a choice, they much prefer over the old. 

There is a retired Roman Catholic Priest who visits our sheep at Hill-Stead, as he has done for the past 15 years. Our beliefs diverge on a great many things, and probably could never be reconciled, so we avoid those discussions, and instead, have found common ground in our love of farming and all things "nature".

While his beliefs are certainly biblical, and mine are solidly ecological, we both appreciate the gentle rain, and find joy in all the perks that a good soaking can bring.  Whenever we part, he says "May God be with you" - and I respond “I'm a farmer, Joe, that goes without saying"...