Winter on Clario Farms
Posted on March 17, 2008
Blustery, crackly and crunchy, the sheath of winter has had it’s way with Clario Farms. An ice rink stands where Silver Creek once ran rapid over the stones. It is adrift with snow tracked by fox, rabbits and a large wild poodle. We’ve worn a walking trench ’round the perimeter of our brand new high tensile electric fence; Mario’s pride and joy. Pogo recently learned to keep his chin off the fence after the cows came over to say hello to him – OUCH!
Those two cows are named Cassie and Big Momma. After getting knocked up at the neighbor’s place, they arrived in December – just in time to get practically frozen in one of the harshest winters the door peninsula has experience since oh, THE ICE AGE.
The hens are coooold, and huddle together on their perches to stay warm. Blue Boy, carefree about the chill, testifies enthusiastically with his crowing. He does not seem too concerned with the unfortunate frostbite he has suffered on his magnificent comb. No County fair for you, BB! Egg production waned due to the lack of sunlight. . . . and sometimes at the end of the day we collected little brown and shiny eggcicles which taste all the same when scrambled. Now, the longer days have the mighty Orpington girls cranking out the production once again.
Donning our Carharts and woolie boolies we have adapted and embraced the brutal conditions. There is nothing that Clario Farms can do that will send us cowering back to the city. We laugh at your -30 temperatures, your -60 windchills. HA!
For all we need do is slow down, hang out on the couch and drink some spiked cocoa . . . which can decimate even a workaholic’s ambition in seconds flat. But winter gives us time to map out the grand garden for next year and source our seeds. Oh, such planning is wonderful! I can spend hours, days even, mapping out and carefully planning the rows and varieties and cultivation methods for each and every plant, bush and tree. In the end however I know intution will overrule the best laid plans and those documents will become compost. Such is the way, no?
The only thing we miss about Milwaukee is our good friends and family. And Fuel cafe coffee. And Sprecher beer. But mostly our good friends and family.
Regards from everyone here at Clario Farms, Claire, Mario, Pogo, Wilma, Mr. Fuz E. Toes, Izzy, Blue Boy and his harem of chicks, Cassie and Big Momma cow.
- Claire
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Hey Claire and Mario, we loved the website. And congrats on all the wonderful changes taking place on the farm. Looks terrific. Janice