April 2002

This month our lives have been blessed by the magic of nature once again. Four little fluffy goslings hatched from the pile of eggs the geese have been laying and sitting on for the last month. And just when we thought it was all over, a final fluffy squeeker appeared from under the feathered breast of a mother goose. He (can't tell what sex they are) is smaller than the others and keeps getting pushed out of the way and stood on... we've named him Fiver and he's currently holding his own.

Geese are very interesting. Unlike chickens, they don't seem to "enjoy" life, just wander around getting on with it, there energy seems constant, except for the peaks every now and then when they squabble. We were surprised when the community went quiet, this was just around the time of the goslings hatching out. Everything unfolded in perfect timing and the adults knew exactly when to take the next step ~ why are we constantly surprised by this? At first, no one left the goose house. The goslings spent most of the time under the mums or tucked in their wing feathers. Then they began wandering around the goose house and a "guardian" stood at the doorway as lookout. The next step was for the goslings to be introduced to the big outdoors and for this the whole ommunity took an outing. The step back up into the goosehouse proved a bit of a hike for the little ones, so we made a couple of ramps to help out! These outings are gradually increasing in distance and time. They have been introduced to the field and the long grass, which must feel like a jungle to such little legs. They have rested in the sand pit just outside the house and grazed the herbs along the farm track. I guess it won't be long before they're off round the horses field and meeting the cows. As they wander, the adults honk gently to the little ones who "wiffle" as they waddle along, keeping their balance with those little undeveloped winglets... what fun. Photo's on the photo page (where else?).

As the sap is rising this month, so too are our plans. We have ordered biodynamic compost preparations and Mark is researching the "best" way to build a compost heap to make the most of our farmyard manure.

He's been out playing with his digger, making a very nice, deep ditch along the side of the horse's winter field. This is in a bit of a state it has to be said, so we're planning on having it power harrowed and then putting some grass seed down in the hopes of making it halfway decent for next year.

The helping hands weekenders rallied round to erect a beautifully straight piece of electric netting (with the guidance of Jules, expert straight line maker!). We then herded the cows out of the yard and onto the grass. What a treat to watch the calves frolic in the grass for the first time and learn the hard way what electric fence is. I've often wondered why cows have their heads through the fence grazing roadsides when the field is full of grass and it's occurred to me that that's exactly why... on the roadside there are different herbs and flowers growing, perhaps that's what they need. This has strengthened our resolve to ensure a supportive environment for wildflowers and herbs in the fields.

Our friend Nicky has been researching some of this and come up with some books recommending an enormous variety of forage which should be available to grazing animals. We have also been thinking about this home paddock and looking at how to create the diversity of the farm and farmyard therein so that the chickens, geese and turkeys natural browsing needs are met ~ some grass, herbs and flowers, some hardstanding, somewhere to have a dust bath and "sunbathe", some water, some sand, grit, compost with worms and bugs and larvae...

What a lovely time of year to be out on the land.