Sights around the farm on a dazzling winter day
The snowstorm that went through last night left 4-5 inches of new white stuff on the ground. After working all morning and getting Noah off to kindergarten, Karen and I couldn't resist the temptation any longer. We quickly strapped on our skis and headed out to the fields. The sunshine was dazzling on the new snow. The cows were crowded around the bale feeders in the barnyard, munching on the hay in the frosty air. The twins, Charlie and Dandee, stood in the gateway giving us a good look over.
We circled through the fields that the cows graze during the summer, checking for signs of wildlife on the fresh snow. There were numerous airholes in the snow made by mice as they tunneled along just under the surface. As we came up by the compost windrow we are currently building, we saw the red-tailed hawk that hangs around the farm take off from a tall white pine. We spied a spot in the snow where the hawk had landed to snag a mouse. Note the wing marks in the snow.
The hawk's wings make marks in the new snow.
We crossed the road, skied below my parent's house, and up into the meadow where the older heifer/steer group is overwintering. Several deer had crossed the meadow at the far end, leaving tracks in the snow. As we approached the house and the end of our outing, the heifers and steers looked over at us as we passed their bale feeder. They looked like they were wondering what were those things on our feet and where was their pail of grain.
--Jonathan, Howmars Farm
Franklin, Vermont
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