THE ROUNDUP
Each spring, when the weather warms and forages spring forth, we move our livestock off the main farm so they can graze our many beautiful pastures located throughout town. Each fall when forage growth declines, those same critters must be rounded up and returned to the home farm for winter.
This past week Jared and I finally decided it was time to bring the cattle home from Farm Meadow field. With the drought, the pasture could no longer grow fast enough to feed 12 hungry momma cows, one burly bull, and ten hungry calves...so it was time to load'm up! One thing to know is that since all of our fields are leased, we don't have any permanent infrastructure for handling the cattle (think sturdy, big corrals with gates and chutes), so loading the cattle each season can be a real challenge. All we have to round up the cattle are portable steel gates, our truck and trailer, and the hope that all will go smoothly....and the best chance for things to go smoothly start with a long list of to do's. FIRST, we must have a plan, SECOND, hope the plan is a good plan, and THIRD, have a backup plan in case the first plan fails miserably! Yes, yes, to be successful at farming it's always important to have plans and backup plans and sometimes even backup plans to backup plans...because most certainly things will go awry! That's the joy of farming and keeps us on our toes.
Our plan for the round up was to set up the corral a few days in advance and start feeding hay to the cattle inside the corral. By doing this they have time to become adjusted to the gates and become more comfortable walking into the fenced area without being overly nervous. Nervous or skittish animals are not any fun to work with so we try and reduce stress whenever possible. We always want the livestock to feel comfortable, especially when trying to load 1500 lb animals on trailers. It's best they are willing participants in the process! We have loaded animals many times before but it's always a little nerve-wracking not knowing if they will all cooperate and conform to our plans and expectations.
Farm Meadow field is about 20 acres, one of our largest fields in town. It's actually located very close to the farm just over the railroad tracks behind the rear portion of the farm near Codman Estate. It's really just a stones throw away and when the cattle are at the home farm and at Farm Meadow they can actually moo at each other and easily be heard over the short distance. Unfortunately, due to the railroad tracks we cannot access the field directly but instead, have to drive out in a U on the roads around the farm - onto Codman Road then Lincoln Road, then into the Donelan's parking lot and down the long dirt path to the field. So each season we have to trailer the cattle, three or four or more at a time, to and from the field (see map below).
As planned we fed the cattle hay for a few days in the corral and then after observing them freely walking in and out we felt like they were ready for the move. In the morning we brought them a fresh bale of hay and drove the truck and trailer out to the field a bit later. The first few rounds of catching animals in the corral were pretty easy since there were lots of animals to catch. It's after the first few rounds and the herd thins down to all the nervous nellies that things become trickier. What makes it even more stressful is that with each group of animals we catch and move to the main farm, more and more momma cows and calves become separated and this upsets them all. The mom cows at the main farm moo frantically towards the railroad tracks and their calves which are still at Farm Meadow field....and the whole herd just becomes a panicked mess. Everyone is melting down...including the farmers! With each new load of cows we drop off at the farm the ones we previously dropped off come running to check out who has arrived and who can be reunited. This adds a huge layer of stress and urgency to the whole operation. The last think we want is an upset cow jumping the fence to find her calf so we try and get the entire roundup and move completed as quickly as possible.
True to form, after a few easy loads we were left with a few nervous moms and many jittery calves. Each time Jared and I got close to moving them all towards the corral, inevitably one would look at us cross-eyed and we knew we were doomed, as it would then head off in haste in exactly the opposite direction...and that is definitely NOT a recipe for success when you are trying to herd, HERD animals....when one goes astray...they all follow! So, you can be THAT close to being successful but it can fall apart in seconds. This scenario kept playing out, again and again, and again. We would try this plan, then that plan, and then finally became exasperated. We finally caught a small group but knew we would not have any more success without additional folks to help out. The more bodies the better when trying to get herd animals loaded...so I convinced board member DJ Mitchell and her livestock loving daughters Cadence and Montana, who happened to be at the farm that afternoon, to come out to the field to help us. As I was headed out to the field in the truck I rolled down the window and yelled, "Come out to Farm Meadow, we need you!". DJ looked at me surprised and said," Wait, what...really? For real, you need US?". I don't usually ask for help from folks, so I think she was truly shocked that I was serious. But I assured her I was and told her to meet us out in the field right away.
When they arrived in the field we explained the in's and out's of what to do and how slight movements in one direction or another can alter the movement of the cattle. With the herding class over, we went to work spreading out in the field. Jared had since come up with a new plan and had reset the fencing to encourage the cows and calves to move in a slow arc around and into a fenced area in the shape of a funnel towards the corral. The girls were a bit nervous as I gently barked out orders to move this way or that. DJ and Montana clutched hands in unison with slight fear of the unknown and we all did our best to create a united front in convincing the cattle to head towards the corral. With a little dancing back and forth we were eventually successful and they all trotted into the corral. Whew! Jared hurriedly closed the gate and we celebrated our success with socially distanced high fives and deep sighs of relief that we were successful. We trailered the last of the animals to the home farm and as we released them into the field they were greeted happily by the rest of the herd...reunited... and it feels SO GOOD!!
The End!
p.s. (writing this was almost as exhausting as living it....pete)
FRESH CHICKEN WEEK!
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OTHER PROTEINS COMING SOON!
- CHICKEN: we have TWO MORE fresh chicken harvests to go...
- This weekend....October 9th-12th & October 23rd - 26th (plus CAPONS)
- LAMB: for those looking for where the lambs went...well, it's fall and it was time to harvest them. We have stew meat, ground lamb, chops, shanks, and some 1/2 legs in the store starting this week.
- BEEF: We have six steers at the processor now and hope to have a huge variety of beef cuts within two weeks...stay tuned
- BACON: Is coming soon! We have 700lbs of belly at the processor now and hope to have more bacon within two weeks....along with Canadian bacon! Sorry for the shortage!
GREENHOUSE PROGRESS
As fall progresses so does our new greenhouse! With the cooler temps and fewer animals on pasture, we are taking advantage of this extra time to build our new greenhouse. As mentioned previously, this new 20'x64' greenhouse will allow us to finally grow our own seedlings each spring to help us meet our goals of dramatically increasing the availability of Codman Grown produce in our Farm Store. This new greenhouse will also be used for educational workshops and small outdoor gatherings in fall and winter. FYI, we will be digging a mighty long 2' deep trench from the barn to the greenhouse in the next couple of weeks in order to bring power to the greenhouse.....so if you see piles of dirt...watch your step!
NEW EVENT - THIS WEEKEND!
TOUR DE CODMAN
Sunday, October 11
The inaugural Tour de Codman will start at Codman Farm and will take the rider on a nearly 12 mile loop through Lincoln along roads and paths, featuring stops at three remote pastures where farm staff and volunteers will give a short talk on the farm's sustainable, pasture-based agriculture before returning to the farm for coffee, cider and donuts. We welcome all ages but riders must be comfortable maintaining a 10-12 mph pace along Lincoln's roads. The route will spend as much time as possible on bike paths and quiet roads. Any bike in good working order should suffice. Please plan to bring your own water and snacks for the route. The ride leader will have basic tools but riders should plan to be self sufficient. The total time for the ride, with stops, should be under 2 hours.
$15 per person.
REGISTER NOW!
FRESH PRODUCE- THIS WEEK
Each week availability of produce and fruit shifts a bit. Some of these items are grown by us using organic growing methods (We are not certified organic), most of the other veggies we buy-in from local farms ARE certified organic, and most fruit is NOT certified organic, but IPM (which means low spray or low use of chemicals, when possible).
Available this week
October 3- 10th
FRUIT
Apples (honeycrisp, mac, macoun, fuji, gala, braeburn)
from Clearview Farm and GRAPES on a limited basis
from Barrot Pratt Vineyard in NY
VEGETABLES
Codman farm cherry and slicing tomatoes (limited),
beets, chard, kale
LOCAL organic loose carrots, fresh onions, garlic, fresh ginger,
lettuce mix, spinach, winter squash, and pie pumpkins, potatoes (red, gold, russet),
sweet potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, leeks
and sweet corn and more!
MOST ALL THE PRODUCE WE BUY FROM LOCAL FARMS IS CERTIFIED ORGANIC
THIS WEEK WE PURCHASED ORGANIC PRODUCE FROM:
New Entry Sustainable Farming Project, Beverly
Fat Moon Farm, Westford
Picadilly Farm, Winchester NH
KITCHEN RENOVATION UPDATE
As previously mentioned, the renovation of our kitchen will begin shortly. We anticipate construction to begin October 19th! Keep an eye out for work trucks, perhaps a dumpster, etc... The Farm Store will remain open at all times! We will be providing weekly updates and photos on the progress of the project. Stay tuned for more info!
FARM STORE DELIVERY and SCHEDULE
As we get into more of a routine we wanted to share what to expect each week as far as product arrivals and days to expect certain items...here goes!
MONDAY
High Lawn Farm (early morning)
Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries
Myers Distributor (early afternoon)
Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms -
Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items
TUESDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
WEDNESDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
Cape Ann Fresh Catch
Fresh local fish usually including haddock, scallops, salmon, swordfish, grey sole, and catch of the day
12:30-2:30ish
THURSDAY
High Lawn Farm (early morning)
Fresh milk, butter, cheese, ice cream deliveries
Myers Distributor (early afternoon)
Our local distributor from Massachusetts grown farms -
Local and Certified Organic fresh veggies, fruit, cider, donuts, flowers, and other items
FRIDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
Mi Tierra Tortillas (by 11 am)
Fresh, local, organic corn tortillas
Sweet Tahini
Fresh, gluten-free bread, and Israeli inspired sweets made with no processed sugars
Local Veggies
We will be harvesting our own veggies and buying seasonally available produce from local farms, as available
SATURDAY
Bread Obsession (by 11 am)
Fresh bread baked in Waltham; baguettes, whole wheat slicing loaf, durum levain, sourdough, multigrain
C&C Fresh Lobster and Fish
Fresh fish and lobster
10am- 12pm
MISC INFO...
1. We remain OPEN 24/7, so if you want to avoid contact with others, visit in the wee hours of the night!
2. MANDATORY MASKS: Please wear MASKS in all public places so be sure to have one on when you visit the store. They are a pain for sure but JUST DO IT! ;-)
3. THANKS: Farm store sales remain brisk and we appreciate your support!
If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions please contact pete@codmanfarm.org.
WEEKLY PICS by Pete
Roosting turkeys
Our new batch custom egg cartons finally arrive!
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