Summer is on and with the solstice just past we will start to see some more diversity in the share over the next few weeks. Look for carrots, summer squash, and peas in the upic field as we move into July.
Animals Have Jobs
The farm is a place of function. Everything and everyone has to be a working piece of the larger machine. This is especially true for all of our animals. Unlike pets, farm animals have to earn their keep. The sheep graze the hilly and heavy parts of the farm that are not fit for growing vegetables, converting grass in food. The pigs turn winter bedding in the barns into compost and plow through the perennial weeds in the fields all while growing big and bacony (spell-check does not think bacony is a word). 
We also have a pair of barn cats that have worked hard for over ten years, keeping the mouse population under control. Jack, the male of this pair plays mascot to anyone who will give him a ear scratch around the farmstead.
Of all our animals, none take their job more seriously than Nell the border collie. If any of you have ever come across one of these dogs you will know they are diagnosably focused on their “job.” Nell is lucky to have a couple hundred sheep to focus her energies on and will happily drop anything at anytime to work. She routinely moves 75 ornery ewes up to a mile through the fields to new pastures with only one person along for the ride, mostly to remind her where she’s going with her flock. We used to think our fencing was just to keep the sheep where we want them but we’ve found it also does a great job keeping Nell from putting in for overtime pay.
What’s in the Share this Week?
Broccoli
Beets
Scallions
Strawberries
Chard
Kale
Kohlrabi
Cabbage