It’s been a busy spring and summer here on the farm!  The new farm hand has arrived and we have been busy training him! It’s a good thing that so far he loves the farm and helping out.

Although we were able to relax a bit this summer, there’s always a list of projects to complete! One of the first big projects Dan completed was pasture rejuvenation through the use of a no-till drill seeder.

We have been working to add to the diversity of grass the cows graze on.  Pasture diversity helps ensure that the cows are enjoying a healthy balanced diet and that they are getting all of their nutrients.

Dan rented the no-till drill from the Rockingham County Conservation District.  He filled the back with organic clover, hairy vetch, timothy, alfalfa, legumes, festaloium and more.  I honestly had no idea there were so many different types of grasses.  It has been excited to watch the grass grow over the summer, adding to the density and diversity of the food for the cows.

We had fun gardening this summer.  We just grow a garden for ourselves.  This year I reaped the first harvest from my strawberry patch.  Everyday during the spring, I would head out to the strawberry patch to check the progress. I loved watching the flowers turn to green fruit.

And the green fruit turn into beautiful red strawberries!

Throughout June we had strawberries on everything – waffles, yogurt, and ice cream from Benedikt Dairy.  (Shameless plug – if you’ve yet to try any of the delicious, organic, grass-fed dairy products from Benedikt Dairy on Shirley Hill Road in Goffstown, you’re missing out!)

I am still a novice gardener and this summer we focused our gardening efforts at the top of the hill. It was a fun season of gardening for all!