I am anal about grass and hay, two things you absolutely have to have enough of if you are living on a farm with animals like donkeys and sheep. Today, Ted Emerson came and brushhogged all three pastures, he leveled them to give the grass a chance to establish itself and dominate, there is a lot of crud among the grass. Sheep eat low, donkeys eat higher, but by brushhogging now, we are ensuring good grass the rest of this year and into the future. I’ve already ordered my hay for the fall – 200 bales. We have three cords of firewood already delivered, Maria and I have begun stacking it, it’s hot and sticky now, I see winter coming just around the bend.

A farm challenges me to think ahead, to plan, to monitor the grass, to keep the flow of maintenance going. We now have plenty of grass through October, possibly longer, will shortly have enough firewood in the shed for the winter. A farm is a game of chess, you make a move, it makes a move. I’m okay for the summer, I think, barring something surprising.