Fresh From the Farm ~ The Official Blog of Fox Hill Farm & Fox Hill Photo, Phelps, WI

Garden Dreamin'

2012-01-10T11:42:00.000-08:00

It's that time of the year when the seed catalogs are arriving and we begin pondering over which varieties we'd like to include this year. We always have our favorites that we put in each year, but we also like to try new vegetable varieties as well. One of our favorite companies to order from in Seed Savers Exchange in Iowa (http://www.seedsavers.org/) We enjoy perusing their beautiful catalog and have yet to be disappointed in any seeds or plants we've purchased from them.

We've plans to expand the kitchen garden a bit more, seems like there's never enough room for all the things we want to grow. Each year we put in a lot of tomato plants and it seems they're taking up more and more room in the garden.

The new farm will be getting its own garden too, maybe two...one up on top of the hill and one near the house. There's a great little log building that will be perfect for a garden shed. Choosing the right site is important, ideally close to a walkway or to the house, so it's convenient to weed, water and harvest when we have spare moments.

Also this year, we're hoping to improve the fencing around the gardens...in efforts to keep out the two most difficult pests...the Whitetail Deer and the Thirteen Lined Ground Squirrels...both species are cute, but very hard on a garden. Last year the deer ate the cucumbers and squirrels ate the peas. The squirrels were making a go at the strawberries but we trenched around the beds and buried wire to keep them from digging in...it worked pretty slick!

New Year - New Farm

2012-01-02T11:14:00.000-08:00

The new year has started off snowy and windy after a very mild November and December. There have been many things happening here, including the purchase of another farm just down the dirt road from Fox Hill. It's a farm we've all admired for years...I still remember the first time I ever laid eyes on that farm many years ago. We drove down the big hill and there it was sprawling out in front of us, land sweeping down towards a beautiful setting with the house and barn. We never expected it to be for sale, and never expected that it might work out for us to purchase it. But on Labor Day I was driving by and saw the realty sign and a few weeks later we'd made the offer to purchase. We closed in late November and it's still a little hard to believe it now belongs to our family.

A few photos of the new farm are included here, more to come when spring arrives and we can take inventory of all that encompasses our new purchase. The numerous ponds are all frozen over right now, but in the spring, the returning geese should once again arrive to raise their little families and we'll be awaiting their arrival with cameras in hand.

Apple Update

2011-09-30T14:36:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again---time for picking apples! Four trees, planted in Fox Hill Farm's garden in 2009, are now growing beautiful, delicious apples. They're perfect for making that sweet, creamy delicacy we all enjoy . . . applesauce!

And in the orchard, "Duchess" (an antique Duchess of Oldenburg tree that has proven her worth many years running) continues to thrive and produce the crème de la crème.

Here's an interesting fact: in Anne of Green Gables, it is said that Anne and Marilla pick apples from their Duchess tree. (Only the best for Fox Hill Farm!) J

**********************

This post is courtesy of Farm Girl Rosie at http://www.farmgirlrosie.blogspot.com/

18 Beautiful Birds

2011-04-29T13:47:00.000-07:00

We’re happy to bring you this guest blog, courtesy of Farm Girl Rosie (http://farmgirlrosie.blogspot.com/), as she shares about her recent experiences in bird watching.

I just recently began studying which types of birds tend to gather in the area where I live. So many birds are attracted to suet feeders, and this is a compilation of the different kinds I’ve seen so far on the feeder:

1. Black-capped Chickadee
2. White-breasted Nuthatch
3. Red-winged Blackbird
4. Hairy Woodpecker
5. Pileated Woodpecker
6. Dark-eyed Junco
7. European Starling
8. American Robin

I’ve also spotted these birds in the past few weeks:

1. Canadian Geese
2. Mallard ducks
3. Bufflehead ducks
4. Red-tailed Hawks
5. Killdeer
6. Mourning Doves
7. Northern Flickers
8. American Crows
9. Eastern Meadowlarks
10. Eastern Bluebirds

I highly recommend The Backyard Birdsong Guide by Donald Kroodsma for those who are interested in identifying birds and their calls. This book also comes with a birdcall player; you press a button on the side of the book, and you can hear the call of every bird discussed in the guide. The Backyard Birdsong Guide has been so helpful to me in figuring out which birds are which!


Hairy Woodpecker	Red-winged Blackbird	Hairy Woodpecker

The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography on Kindle!

2011-04-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

Did you know…? Dan’s book, The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography, is now available as a Kindle download! Visit Amazon.com to add this popular book to your Kindle e-reader today. Also, check out the five-star reviews! J

A Special Day for a Special Pony

2011-04-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

We should have posted this last week, but a belated birthday greeting is better than no birthday greeting at all…

Ten years ago, on April 22, 2001, a very special foal arrived at Fox Hill Farm/Miracle Welsh. Miracle Maid to Order, a black Section A Welsh Mountain Pony filly, was born in the early hours of that Sunday morning. Sired by Gallimaufry Jaguar and out of Heritage Hall’s the Cat’s Meow, “Chocie” immediately claimed her place as a VIP (“Very Important Pony”) at Miracle Welsh. She was shown quite successfully as a filly, winning multiple championships, and placing well regionally and nationally. She is a Liberty Class winner, a leadline winner, and the dam of Miracle Minute Maid by Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket.

And so, on her 10th birthday, we wanted to take a moment to celebrate Chocie! We ♥ her.

How to Build a Beehive

2011-04-26T08:54:00.000-07:00

Have you checked out the latest issue of Hobby Farms magazine? The May/June 2011 issue features a how-to feature on “How to Build a Beehive,” written by Samantha and photographed by Daniel. The article explains all of the steps involved with constructing a beehive, from gathering the materials to painting the finished product. If you’ve contemplated the idea of raising bees, this article provides helpful information to get started.

We are busily preparing for the arrival of our spring bees—they are coming in sometime within the next week, so things will be buzzzzzing around here. J

Waiting on Spring

2011-04-25T15:37:00.000-07:00

Spring is quite late in arriving this year—we had 2 inches of snow (again) on the 23rd and it just doesn’t seem to want to warm up. But the ponies are shedding, the birds have returned, and the daylilies are poking up in the garden, so spring must be on its way.
After a particularly cold night last week, we noticed an interesting sight: a sapsicle. At first glance, it appeared to be an icicle, but upon closer inspection, it was obvious that it wasn’t an ordinary icicle—it was frozen sap, dripping from a broken piece on a large branch of a Sugar Maple. It was particularly intriguing to note the amount of sap that was pouring forth from the small hole in the branch.

Farm life—especially in spring time—is always interesting! : )

News from Fox Hill Farm: Bees, Birds, Bunnies and Brrr!

2011-02-02T14:29:00.000-08:00

Northern Wisconsin in early February is filled with lots of snow and very cold temperatures. Last weekend brought an additional eight inches and today is very cold and windy. It will be interesting to see if spring comes early again as it did last year.

We've spent time building some additional beehives for the upcoming season. Our bees have been successfully overwintered every year, even in our very rigorous climate. We feel the key is making candy boards in the fall and putting them on the hives. The bees love them and feed on them throughout the winter and make it to spring successfully. This eliminates having to purchase bees every year unless you're adding new hives.

Some of the ponies have started shedding their winter coats, but some won't let go of their coats until June. I have noticed that our palominos and buckskins are the first ones to shed out each year, with the roans staying furry far longer. The birds on the farm love it when the ponies start to shed and especially love it when we thin manes and tails. Then in the fall we find the abandoned nests and see which pony was the favored choice of that particular bird.

Our rabbits enjoy their winter quarters, in the former milk room of 1932 bank barn, the milk room is heated to 50 degrees and the rabbits are so happy, neither hot nor cold... and just like the three bears... they're "just right." We acquired another breed of rabbit last fall, the Harlequin, a beautiful breed with loads of friendly personality.

Photography and writing keeps us all busy as well, we've had some good snow sessions with a few breeds of dogs and plan to attend the Three-Bear Sled Dog race this upcoming weekend. Loads of dogs and sledders and hopefully it won't be so cold this year. March will bring Klondike Days with a sleigh rally, horse pulls and dog pulls. Lots of great opportunity for capturing unique images. Last year's sleigh rally was a lot of fun.

Starting out fresh again!

2011-01-01T14:26:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year to all! Fox Hill Farm rang in the new year with very cold temps and 30mph winds, making for a brisk day outdoors. The ponies all cheered this afternoon when they heard us coming out to bring them back into the barn for a well deserved meal.

The seed catalogs have been arriving and making plans for the garden is always more than a good time. I have some ideas for expanding the garden a bit more and getting started a bit earlier, maybe with a cold frame or two. It's always enjoyable to ponder on the things we hope to do and accomplish each year.

Have you visited us on facebook yet? You can find Miracle Welsh Mountain Ponies at www.facebook.com/miraclewelsh and you can find Fox Hill Photo at www.facebook.com/foxhillphoto

Have a great year!

Farm Happenings for early December

2010-12-05T13:53:00.000-08:00

Winter has arrived and is officially here to stay, we have several inches of snow on the ground and it's snowing fairly heavily right now. Fortunately all the winter chores got done in time and we have turned our attentions to some indoor home improvements. Thus far, we are giving the main floor bathroom a much needed paint job and the hallway has been vastly improved with the addition of white beadboard and moldings. It looks sooo much better now. After seeing how nice the beadboard looks in the hall, I can picture it continued down in the laundry room and mudroom. That's how home improvement goes...first one thing gets done and that makes everything else look tired and in need of an update.

Dan's new horse calendar is out, the 2011 Horse A Day calendar by Voyageur Press comes complete with a small Breyer model horse so it makes a great gift for just about any horse lover on your list. You can find it at most bookstores as well as online at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Qbookshop.

In addition, if you're interested in photography, Dan's book is getting great reviews and people seem to be really enjoying it. The title is the 4-H Guide To Digital Photography published by Voyageur Press. It's also widely available. Don't let the title fool you, it's not just for 4-H-ers, it's for anyone getting started in photography or who would like to learn more about photography.

The ponies are all in their winter coats and settling into the winter routine. We have no foals due this coming spring, but have several breedings planned for 2012 foals and are having fun matchmaking pedigrees and happily contemplating the future of our beloved pony program. I was just outside bringing in the ponies from the snowstorm and as I was catching Buttons, I put my hands on her nose...she began nickering and the soft vibration and almost purring sound put my heart in a happy place, to be sure.

Winter on the farm, a time for reflection, planning, fun-filled holidays and hopefully catching up on all things indoors.

2010-11-08T12:59:00.000-08:00

We've been having a nice stretch of weather for the past few days, it's been sunny and warmer than last week. We don't take these warm days in November for granted, each one is a gift. The gardens are basically put to bed for the winter, but out by the barn I noticed a few leaf buds on the privets forming, are they thinking its spring again? I wish they were right, but I'm sure the snow will soon arrive and take away all thoughts of spring for several months.

Our farm has a very small pond on it, and it has slowly grown smaller and smaller over many, many years and my hopes are to have it re-dug in the spring. I can just picture it all finished and full to the top...a place for the birds and animals to enjoy along with me. Perhaps a nice gazebo next to it, a place to sit and dream. I think I will pond(er) on this idea. :-)

Sumac goes un-noticed all year until late fall, when it's deep crimson leaves add to the beauty of the season.

I love the seed pods on the Milkweed, each one bursts open and sends off it's fluffy seeds to the wind. Every year I'm fascinated by the various plants, how they grow, how they flower, how they fruit and how they propagate. Works of art, each one.

Birds, birds, birds

2010-10-30T09:24:00.000-07:00

For your viewing enjoyment...

a collection of recent photos depicting the birds that frequent our garden in the late autumn...

Here comes November!!

From Puff Ball Mushrooms to Albino deer!

2010-10-23T10:43:00.000-07:00

It's been a beautiful fall, lots of nice weather though it appears to be finally coming to an end. We're supposed to have rain now for the next several days, so that means wet feet and muddy trails on the farm. We had our driveway regraveled and so now there are no more pot-holes to surprise the Fedex and UPS delivery guys. The pot-holes worked well as a sort of speed bump, helping to remind the drivers to slow down. We also had the entrance to the barn regraveled and it's sooo much nicer now, though of course most of the ponies had to look twice to make sure it was ok. :-) The ponies are now covered in their heavy winter coats and so I guess they know some colder weather will soon be approaching. There were snow flurries in the air yesterday, but thankfully only a few. Here are a few photos from around the farm and one from a recent visit to a friend's home.

This giant mushroom was at least a foot in diameter, it started out white and then turned this brown color once the weather changed. It's a type of Puff-ball mushroom, biggest one we've seen here on the farm.

Leaves! We've had plenty of leaves to add to our garden and it's always appreciated when one of the family members pitches on the raking duty.

Due to the warmer weather, a bewildered daisy thought is was summer again and rose from the depths of the fallen leaves to show her lovely face to us. I miss you Daisy, can't wait to see you again next year!

Another spectacular sunrise on the farm.

My beautiful Myferdog, my constant companion for the past 11 years. When I first saw this photo, it brought tears to my eyes....because that's me she's looking up at...how do you not love someone who so obviously devoted to you? I don't know how much longer my sweet Myf will be by my side as she has some major health issues, but I cherish each day with her.

The last shot for this post is a photo Dan captured while we were on a photo shoot earlier this week. This albino doe walked into the yard and it was a real treat to see her.

Visitors on the hill.... and giveaway winner!

2010-10-10T11:06:00.000-07:00

Look who came for a visit!

These photos were taken on the hill behind our house--we watched them from the dining room windows. :-)

Quite an attractive little group, aren't they?!

In other news... the winner of our book giveaway is Jenna, who says that her favorite season is spring. (We agree!)

Congratulations to Jenna!!

Book Giveaway! "The Quotable Farm Animal"

2010-10-05T11:34:00.000-07:00

To celebrate the arrival of Autumn, we've decided to have a book giveaway. :-)

This week, we're offering a free copy of The Quotable Farm Animal. This 96-page hardback book features full-color photographs and inspirational quotes. A fun treat for anyone who loves cows, chickens, or goats!

To enter the giveaway, simply leave a comment on this post and answer this question:

What's your favorite season?

For an extra entry, mention this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook, or your blog, and leave an extra comment here to say that you did. :-) Spread the news of the giveaway and earn an extra chance to win!

The winner will be randomly selected from all entries and will be announced on Thursday. Check back then to see if you're a winner!

***********
Enjoy!

Apples, Apples, and more Apples!

2010-10-03T20:50:00.000-07:00

Sometimes we like to let the pictures speak for themselves. . . :-) Suffice to say that it's apple season in Wisconsin. :-)

(Check back tomorrow for a book giveaway!!)

Autumn Colors

2010-10-02T20:10:00.000-07:00

To usher in the month of October, we thought we would post a few pictures that illustrate the beauty of Northern Wisconsin at this time of year.

The autumn colors are particularly vibrant this year--positively breathtaking.

Trying something new...

2010-09-21T13:50:00.000-07:00

We have been working on a new video of Miracle Lili Maiden, and thought we would share the results with you all. Lili is a 4-year-old Section A Welsh Mt Pony mare, sired by Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket and out of Doncardeb Miss Sunny Ruby. Enjoy!!

Is it September already?

2010-09-17T08:58:00.000-07:00

We're not sure exactly how it happened, but somehow or other, it's September.

I guess it came up on us while we were busy doing other things:

Going to the fair:

Picking tomatoes...

Hosting a farm party

and photographing ponies

The leaves have started changing and the geese are headed south--not to mention the fact that we've had rain (and rain, and rain! 3" on Wednesday night)--it's beginning to feel a lot like September.

Happy Autumn!

You Guessed It: More Garden Updates

2010-08-28T21:06:00.000-07:00

Our apologies if you're growing tired of the garden updates, but since it IS that time of year, we can't resist sharing a bit more of our veggie fun:

These guys are HOT... but they are so pretty with their brilliant foliage and fruit, they earned a place in the garden simply for that reason.

Here are the White Wonder cucumbers. They have produced abundantly and are positively crispy--truly delicious.

And last but not least, here is a pepper that is decidedly not hot--a delightfully sweet King of the North that is turning a deep red.

We ♥ Potatoes

2010-08-23T13:19:00.000-07:00

We're harvesting potatoes!

The Yukon Golds were ready first--so we had a few meals of new potatoes and now are letting the rest of them wait underground so that they will be better suited for storage.

(There are a couple of Purple Vikings in the photo, too--we wanted to test them out)

And here is how they grow--rather amazing, isn't it?

If you haven't yet checked out Samantha's article in the current issue of Hobby Farm Home, don't miss One Potato, Two Potato in the September/October 2010 issue.

Have You Seen Jimmy Lately?

2010-08-15T20:55:00.000-07:00

About a year ago, this was Jimmy (known more officially as Miracle Jack Bee Nimble). He was a week old in this photo:

We thought you might enjoy seeing how Jimmy is looking now, just after his first birthday...

and another view....

He has certainly grown a bit, hasn't he??? :-)

*************************************************

(BTW, Jimmy is available for sale, visit our pony site www.miraclewelsh.com for more details)

Garden Update : Heirloom Beans

2010-08-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

It's August, and we're harvesting beans.

As you may recall, we planted three varieties of heirloom beans this year:

Empress
Dragon's Tongue
Bountiful

As usual, Empress is outproducing everyone else. We've been picking and picking and eating and eating and there are still more coming along. Here are a few:

But we have to admit that Dragon's Tongue is holding its own--the plants are loaded with these delightful speckled beans. They have been very prolific thus far, in addition to being of superior taste.

As for poor Bountiful... it wasn't. Sadly, it didn't meet our expectations in terms of production. We harvested a few, but the amount was nothing like that of Empress or Dragon's Tongue.

But that's part of the fun of experimenting w/ new and different varieties. Some are better than you expect, some don't quite measure up. It's always enjoyable, though!

Flowers in July...

2010-07-28T21:24:00.000-07:00

are simply beautiful. Look at the marvelous colors, the delicate petals, the unique qualities of each individual flower... and then smile. :-)

For those who like ponies... Part II

2010-07-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

We love summer for a myriad of reasons--but it's also our favorite season for Pony Photography. Since it has been awhile since Miracle Maid to Order (a.k.a. "Chocie) was photographed, she had a quick photo shoot last week.

Chocie is a daughter of Gallimaufry Jaguar and Heritage Hall's the Cat's Meow, and she is the dam of Miracle Minute Maid. She has many championships to her credit and is just generally a fun pony to have around. :-) We like her, and we think she's pretty cute, too. :-)

A Very Charming Visitor

2010-07-22T20:47:00.000-07:00

We see Whitetail Deer quite frequently here at the farm, but it isn't every day that we spot such a charming visitor right outside our dining room window:

Don't you love those spots? And those eyes? And how about those ears?

Just as quickly as he arrived, he took off for the woods again with his Mom and his twin sister. Happily, Dan was able to snap these pictures before the little guy disappeared. :-)

A Rose by Any Other Name...

2010-07-21T10:53:00.000-07:00

"What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." -Shakespeare

For Those Who Like Ponies...

2010-07-12T21:10:00.000-07:00

(Which we do, incidentally... :-))... here are a couple of recent pony photos, showing a couple of our young Sec A Welsh Mountain Pony fillies:

Miracle Lady Fiona, 3 yrs old, sired by Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket and out of Doncardeb Miss Sunny Ruby. As you can see from the photo, Fiona enjoys having a good time--she exudes joie de vivre. :-)

And here is Miracle Minute Maid, aka "Cadi." She just turned 2 yrs old on June 16, so this was her birthday portrait. Cadi is also sired by Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket; her dam is Miracle Maid to Order.

We're quite pleased with how these lovely girls are maturing. Hope you enjoyed seeing them as well.

From our flower garden...

2010-07-09T20:26:00.000-07:00

"They speak of hope to the fainting heart,

With a voice of promise they come and part,

They sleep in dust through the wintry hours,

They break forth in glory--bring flowers, bright flowers!"

-Felicia D. Hemans

[Variety pictured: Cherokee Sunset, Rudbeckia Hirta]

Daisies: Part Three

2010-07-07T21:09:00.000-07:00

We recently posted pictures of Daisy the cow... and then followed that up with a series of daisy chain photos... and while we have daisies on our minds anyway, here's one more that you might enjoy:

Celebrate... Summer!

2010-07-06T08:52:00.000-07:00

Everyone stay cool this week with the record-breaking heat across the country! Find some lemonade or iced tea and relax in the shade. Isn't it refreshing just looking at these photos? :-)

Things that we might not have mentioned...

2010-07-05T14:05:00.000-07:00

#1: It's looking to be a very promising year for blackberries:

#2: We planted watermelon again this year--Petite Yellow, an heirloom lunch box variety:

And #3: It has been raining quite regularly:

(Because we *know* that you were wondering about our blackberries, watermelon, and rain amounts! :-)

Red, White, and Blue...

2010-07-04T12:44:00.000-07:00

Best Wishes for a Happy 4th of July from all of us at Fox Hill Farm!!

Daring young bird on the flying trapeeze

2010-07-02T15:28:00.000-07:00

Upon awakening, I heard a "thunk" on the window. It was the kind of "thunk" that is unmistakeably a bird "thunk." I went out to investigate and sure enough, a baby bluebird was laying upside down in the grass. As I gently turned him over, he came back to life and flew over to the clothesline where he proceeded to try to land on the line itself. Being such a baby, he didn't do too well on the ever-moving line and as he gripped it at tightly as he could, he just swung upside down and hung there for a second or two. If a bird can have a perplexed look on its face, then I'm sure I saw one. Suddenly he let go and flew off again, in that swoopy up-and-down flight pattern of a "new to flying" baby. Out of the trees, mama bluebird came and zeroed in on her beloved child and followed him to wherever her little one wanted to go. Just like a good mom does. Just like she should.

Garden Update: Heirloom Peppers

2010-07-01T11:03:00.000-07:00

The pepper plants are coming along nicely and the King of the North plants are producing particularly well this year.

The potatoes are coming along beautifully--we can't wait to uncover our "buried treasure" later on in the season! :-)

Of Monarchs and Milkweed

2010-06-30T08:20:00.000-07:00

The second generation of Monarch caterpillars have hatched and are now eating their way through the milkweed plants on the northwest corner of our farm. We love having the Monarch butterflies visiting the flowers every year and so too we welcome the caterpillars. There is little that is more fascinating than the transformation of a caterpillar into a butterfly. We'll be keeping an eye out for the chrysalises and try to get some photos of those as well. The farm is a splendid place for a naturalist, there's so much to look at and so many discoveries to make.

Daisies, again

2010-06-25T15:23:00.000-07:00

...only this time, they really ARE the flowers.

There's just something about daisy chains that epitomize summertime... making one should definitely be on your agenda. :-)

Daisy

2010-06-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

No--not the flowers this time!

We had the opportunity to photograph Daisy, a lovely Guernsey/Jersey cow, a few days ago. With such a beautiful face as hers, we felt that she deserved a place on the blog. Who wouldn't want to look into her sweet eyes each morning? We actually photographed Daisy as a calf, so it was a treat to photograph her again, all grown up. It was a moo-ving experience. :-)

New Corgi book!

2010-06-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the cover of the new edition of "Welsh Corgis: Pembroke and Cardigan, Pet Owner's Manual" (Barron's Educational Series, 2010)? Dan's photos appear on the front cover, inside front cover, inside back cover, and multiple times inside. Cover girl is the ever-famous Myferdog of Fox Hill. :-)

Garden Quotes

2010-06-17T12:31:00.000-07:00

"In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous." -Aristotle

"The best is yet to be." -Robert Browning

"Gardening is the purest of human pleasures." -Francis Bacon

Summer Greetings from Myf

2010-06-16T10:32:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Myffie the Corgi, who is looking pretty spiffy at eleven years old. She was outside supervising as we worked in the garden; she's positive that no one can work effectively without her assistance. :-)

New in the Garden: Velvet Red heirloom tomatoes

2010-06-15T08:50:00.000-07:00

We've planted a wide variety of heirloom tomato seedlings again this year, but this is our first experience with the "Velvet Red" variety. It truly stands out from the others with its frosty foliage, and adds a lovely touch to the garden. Stay tuned for updates once we begin sampling the fruit later in the summer!

Monday Greetings

2010-06-14T20:45:00.000-07:00

I love this picture, and couldn't resist sharing it. Is there a prettier color than robin's egg blue?

The sun peeked out for a while today and we were able to make some more progress in the garden: things are coming along well and the beans are well on their way--should be officially "sprouted" tomorrow.

'Bean' There, Done That (aka: the beans are planted!)

2010-06-13T10:50:00.000-07:00

We're slightly behind in our posts, but we wanted to be sure to post the photos from last week's Bean Planting Day on Fox Hill Farm.

According to our best estimates, we put in about 600 heirloom bean seeds. The bulk of these were Empress, as you probably could have guessed if you've frequented our blog in previous springs. :-) Empress is our hands-down favorite in the heirloom bean world, and so we devote the majority of our bean space to that variety. Here they are:

But in the interests of diversity--and never let it be said that we shy away from diversifying our heirloom beans!--we also planted two other heirloom bush bean varieties. Here is Bountiful:

and here is Dragon Tongue, which is an interesting name for an interesting-looking bean:

Now for the interminable wait until we can harvest these delightful and delectable beans!

Lilacs and their friends :-)

2010-06-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

"When lilacs last in the door-yard bloom'd,

And the great star early droop'd in the western sky in the night."

-Walt Whitman

The Joys of May: Update

2010-05-29T14:43:00.000-07:00

If we are to judge by the lack of blog updates, we would venture to suggest that May has been a very busy month on Fox Hill. As the days have grown warmer, we've been spending much of our time outdoors--working on spring projects. Never fear, though--we've been photographing everything. :-) Here are a handful of photographs illustrating the joys of May:

Apple blossoms

Chives, with their gorgeous purple flowers

Lilacs (these are the original Lilac bushes that were planted many years ago, before we even moved here)

Heirloom potatoes--of the Purple Viking variety. These have been cut into smaller pieces for planting.

More potatoes--digging the trench for planting.

How many baby birds can be squeezed in this tiny nest? (Hint: there are five--see the fifth beak in the back of the nest?)

Someone else is nesting too--did you know that Chickadees think that Bluebird houses adapt just beautifully for their own use?

We're leaping into summer--here comes June!

On the Agenda

2010-04-23T20:34:00.000-07:00

We still have about seven weeks until our average last date of frost here in Northern Wisconsin, which means that it's the perfect time to work on starting some seeds indoors. By the time these little guys are sturdy seedlings, the outdoor temperatures will have risen sufficiently for them to be transplanted into the garden.

Wapsipincon Peach tomatoes--here we come! :-)

In other news... the ponies are shedding like crazy, and some of them are finally shed out enough to have their spring photographs taken. We hope to have some fun new pony photos to post soon.

It's SPRING!

2010-04-22T08:39:00.000-07:00

And we're delighted! :-)

Busy as Bees

2010-04-18T14:28:00.000-07:00

This week brought the arrival of more bees at our farm. These are Minnesota Hygienics, and they were buzzing merrily when they arrived:

"Let's all congregate on the right side of the box!"

"Now! Everyone to the left side of the box!"

The queen bee herself, in her private quarters, with a visitor. The marshmallow is in place, and that's all that is between the queen and freedom. In no time, the marshmallow will be eaten and she will be free to come and go as she chooses.

Time to transfer them into the hive--the Minnesota Hygienic girls got a little rowdy at this point, but most of them made it safely into the hive.

Dan's new book! The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography

2010-04-16T14:30:00.000-07:00

We are overdue in announcing some very exciting news... but we are very delighted to belatedly announce the publication of Dan's latest book:

The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography (Voyageur Press, 2010) text and photos by Daniel Johnson

According to the product description: "This book takes the basics of digital photography and makes them the tools for creative, interesting, and artistic picture-taking. Illuminating the most popular of 4-H projects, Daniel Johnson instructs beginners in the basics of composition, lighting, and the use of flashes--among other fundamentals of capturing a picture that’s more than just “flash.” With step-by-step, illustrated directions, along with spectacular examples, this book is the perfect starting point for 4-H’rs taking up digital photography--and for anyone who wants to learn how to take superior digital pictures."

School Library Journal published an excellent review of the book in their 4/1/2010 issue: The 4-H Guide to Digital Photography "features numerous excellent photos that support the text. It explores types of digital cameras, how to take good photos, the complexities of lighting, managing images (including clear definitions of file types), and the importance of just enjoying this activity. Types of photography such as landscape and macro are explained. The author does an excellent job of discussing the importance of both technological details and artistic creativity...appealing, well-organized format... thorough and pertinent information for novices and for those who are already enthusiasts and are looking to improve their skills." –review by Carol Schene

Dan's book is already being utilized in 4-H programs and we're happy with how well it has been received.

Happy Things

2010-03-12T10:32:00.000-08:00

"Flowers are happy things."

-P. G. Wodehouse

Is it almost spring??

2010-03-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

The past few days have been quite warm here in N. Wisconsin, with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, so our snow is slowly disappearing. There's still quite a bit left, but far less than we had a few days ago.

While we wait for spring, here are a couple of recent photos... these were snapped by Dan on a frosty morning.

Happy Valentine's Day!!!

2010-02-14T09:05:00.000-08:00

Just a quick hello...

2010-01-31T21:08:00.000-08:00

...from the frozen north. We've been working through some frigid temperatures this week (-22 degrees yesterday morning, thankfully the winds were light), but we're hoping for a bit of a warm up soon...

However, the sun was shining yesterday and the ponies were enjoying the warmth by napping in the sunshine. Miss Lili sends her greetings (below):

In other news, we're happy to say that we recently received our year end award certificates from the WPCSA, and Miracle Lady Fiona (Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket x Doncardeb Miss Sunny Ruby) is the 2009 WPCSA North Central Regional Champion Sec. A Filly. Fiona is our 4th homebred Regional Champion filly; previous winners were Miracle Lili Maiden in 2007, Miracle Penny's a Pip in 2004, and Miracle Maid to Order in 2003.

We were also happy to hear that Severn Buttons 'N Bows (Severn West Wind LOM x Alliance Designer Bow LOM) is the Reserve Champion Sec. A mare. :-) Fun news on a cold January day!

More updates to come--and hopefully some fresh photos to share!

The Beauty of a Barn Window in Winter

2010-01-25T20:39:00.000-08:00

Look Who's Been Visiting!!

2010-01-18T13:29:00.000-08:00

At this time of year, it's fun looking at all of the tracks in the snow. We can pinpoint just who's been walking around the farm lately. . .

Deer. . . naturally :-) They think they live here. :-)

A Welsh Cob. . . oh yeah, he does live here. :-)

Wild rabbits . . . note the hole in the snow--there's one on each side of our driveway, with rabbit tracks in between. Looks like some-bunny has been burrowing into the snowbank. :-)

New Article!

2010-01-16T19:54:00.001-08:00

We're happy to say that Samantha has an article in the current 2010 edition of Rabbits USA magazine ("What Breed is My Rabbit?" by Samantha Johnson), and Dan has a number of photos inside. Check it out!

Sleepy Princess Cadi

2010-01-12T20:42:00.000-08:00

Here is a sleepy Princess Cadi (aka Miracle Minute Maid, 2008 Section A Welsh Mountain Pony filly) taking a nap in the January sunshine. . .

And here she is not taking a nap in the January sunshine. :-) We can't resist sharing these pictures, as we think she's pretty special. Actually, she thinks she's pretty special, too. :-)

Checking in. . .

2010-01-10T21:04:00.000-08:00

Hello! It's nice to be posting again after a holiday hiatus from blogging. :-) Our weather has been very snowy (we have about 16" of snow at this point), and we've had a couple of extra-cold snaps, but things have moderated somewhat and they are actually predicting temps in the low 30s for this week, which is very good news. :-)

We've been busy working to meet several early January deadlines, so that's keeping everybody hopping. We have some exciting news to announce shortly, and lots of updates to post, so be sure to check back this week for more news. :-) We have new pictures to share, too.

In the meantime, here's a quick peek at a bit of winter:

New Year's Greetings

2010-01-01T14:15:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas!!

2009-12-26T06:15:00.000-08:00

Update - and Giveaway Winner!!

2009-12-09T20:39:00.000-08:00

We're in the midst of a major winter storm here--we have a lot of new snow, but the winds are blowing and gusting so hard that the drifting snow makes it difficult to calculate exactly how much new snow we've received. We think about 9 inches, give or take a bit.

So, indoors was the place to be today, and we're happy to say that we are ready to announce the winner of our book giveaway! Our randomly selected (by a computer calculator, no less!) winner is. . .

"Fiona, age 9"

Congratulations, Fiona! We hope you enjoy your prize! (Did you know that the chestnut pony at the top of this blog is also named Fiona??) Drop us a note at welshponies@miraclewelsh.com so we can mail your prize out to you right away.

We really enjoyed reading everyone's responses to the colts vs. fillies question--there seemed to be a fairly even split between colt enthusiasts and filly fans--and some of you couldn't choose. Foals are delightful, aren't they?? :-)

Pictures of the snow--hopefully tomorrow!!

Poster Book Giveaway!!

2009-12-06T12:42:00.001-08:00

We had so much fun with our first book giveaway that we've decided to do it again. :-) This time, the prize is a copy of The World's Greatest Colts & Fillies Poster Book, which features 43 large, full-color, pull-out posters with photographs of adorable colts and fillies. The photography in this book is by Daniel Johnson. :-) This book would make a fabulous Christmas gift for any young horse or pony enthusiast!

For your chance to win this book, you can enter by leaving a comment to this post, answering the following question: What's your preference: colts or fillies?

Winners will be chosen randomly and announced on Wednesday.

Also, look on the right hand side of this blog, you'll see where you can click to "follow" us. . . we've just added this new feature. :-)

HAVE FUN! :-)

Sunday morning visitor

2009-12-06T06:49:00.001-08:00

(Photo snapped from our kitchen window this morning)

Happy December!!

2009-12-04T21:16:00.001-08:00

It's December, and we have the snow to prove it. :-) Naturally, we're turning our thoughts towards Christmas, and we've been busily decorating and shopping.

In the spirit of Christmas fun, we're having another book giveaway this weekend. Be sure to check back tomorrow for the details and to join in!! :-)

One final post for November. . .

2009-11-30T20:36:00.000-08:00

and that is to announce that we had an unexpected snow storm this afternoon, and now there is a 3" blanket of snow covering the farm.

All of a sudden, it looks quite a bit more Christmas-like outside! :-)

Thanksgiving Weekend

2009-11-28T20:09:00.000-08:00

We're enjoying this Thanksgiving weekend and the weather really couldn't be nicer. We've had a couple of dustings of snow, but nothing substantial and it's been warm enough each day to melt it again. The ponies are quite happy and content in their pastures and are enjoying the pleasant weather.

We had so much fun with our book giveaway that we're getting ready to hold another one. :-) Check back very soon for details on the next prize!!!

In other news, Samantha and Dan's 2008 book, Horse Breeds: 65 Popular Horse, Pony, and Draft Horse Breeds has been doing well in sales and was #8 in the Horse category on Amazon yesterday--this book makes an excellent gift for the upcoming holiday season. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/Horse-Breeds-Popular-Pony-Draft/dp/0760332657/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1259468149&sr=8-1

We'll close with a couple of photos for your viewing pleasure. :-)

Happy Thanksgiving!

2009-11-26T08:20:00.001-08:00

November 25th. . .

2009-11-25T20:38:00.000-08:00

. . . and we're still without snow!

They're predicting a bit for tomorrow, but the temperatures are still warming into the upper 30s and low 40s each day, so it shouldn't stick for long. We've been enjoying the extra-long autumn season and are looking forward to the Thanksgiving weekend. We should have new photos to share over the weekend, so be sure to check back soon. :-)

The Winner!!

2009-11-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

Thanks to everyone who entered to win our book giveaway over the weekend--we had a lot of fun reading your responses to the question: What is your favorite farm animal? Your replies were wonderful! Many of you had difficulty in choosing from among all of your favorite farm animals--everybody loves their farm animals, and so do we! :-) We had such a hard time choosing a winner that we ended up putting all of the entries in a hat and randomly selected a winner.

And the winner is. . . . "Pony!"

Congratulations--you've won a copy of The Quotable Farm Animal! Drop us a note at welshponies@miraclewelsh.com and we'll get your copy sent off to you right away. Enjoy!! Everyone else--check back again soon, because we're planning to give away more books during the upcoming holiday season. :-)

Thanks to everyone that entered!

Book Giveaway!

2009-11-19T20:31:00.000-08:00

We're happy to say that we're having a book giveaway here over the weekend, and so here's your chance to enter to win a copy of The Quotable Farm Animal. This is a small hardback gift book, published by MBI Publishing. The book is filled with full-color photography of farm animals, accompanied by inspirational quotes.

To enter, simply leave a comment on this post, answering this question: "What is your favorite farm animal?" Entries will close at noon on Monday the 22nd, and the winner will be announced on Monday evening.

Have fun!!! :-)

Some Things are Just Too Cute. . .

2009-11-15T20:54:00.000-08:00

. . . to resist sharing! During a recent photo session, 5-month-old Louie had lots of fun playing with a set of plastic toy bowling pins. He tipped every single one over and then played with the fallen pins. It was a treat to watch him enjoying himself, everyone was laughing! :-)

Candy Boards: Part II

2009-11-14T19:56:00.000-08:00

It was another busy day in the candy board factory today. :-) Three additional batches of candy mixture were prepared today, and these should be sufficient to carry our bees through the winter, hopefully. Tomorrow's project: adding the candy boards to the hives.

Empty branches

2009-11-13T20:17:00.000-08:00

The leaves are gone from the maple trees, and now we are left with empty branches. The blue sky is cheering, however! :-) The fact that it's November 13th and there is NO snow is another reason for cheer. :-)

We're working towards meeting some important deadlines on Monday, so please forgive the short posts these past few days. We do have some exciting news to post about, so hopefully we'll have a chance to get to that tomorrow. Stay tuned! :-)

Golden Leaves

2009-11-12T21:13:00.000-08:00

Busy as Bees

2009-11-11T19:58:00.000-08:00

The weather over the past few days has been simply splendid. Sunshine, temperatures in the 50's and 60's. . . calm winds and puffy clouds.

We worked outdoors for much of today. . . we're inching our way towards finishing up our pre-winter projects, but it would help if this fabulous weather would hold out for a little while longer. :-)

But then again, weather like this in November could go on forever, as far as I'm concerned. :-)

"Exclusively Etsy"

2009-11-10T20:25:00.000-08:00

Don't miss the January/February 2010 issue of Hobby Farm Home magazine. Samantha's article, "Exclusively Etsy" appears in this issue. Check it out! :-)

Autumn Leaves

2009-11-09T20:14:00.000-08:00

"Climb the mountains and get their good tidings.

Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees.

The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy,

While cares will drop off like autumn leaves."

-John Muir

Candy Boards

2009-11-08T19:51:00.000-08:00

Today we had a very important project to undertake: making candy boards for the bee hives.

What, you may ask, are candy boards? Excellent question! Candy boards provide food for our bees during the winter, so that our colonies can survive through the harsh winter months.

While making candy boards isn't a quick process, it is relatively simple. A mixture of sugar, corn syrup, water, and cream of tartar is heated and prepared, and then poured into wooden frames, as you can see in the photo below:

When the mixture hardens, it turns white, and then the board can be added to a beehive to provide nourishment for the colony until spring.

All in all, a satisfying project for a Sunday afternoon! :-)

Gorgeous November day!

2009-11-07T20:08:00.000-08:00

This was a picture-perfect November day. The sun was shining, the temperatures were in the 60's, and there was a gentle breeze. It's simply delightful to be enjoying this type of wonderful weather in November in northern Wisconsin.

It's a treat!!

It's Here!!!

2009-11-06T05:50:00.000-08:00

We're very pleased to say that we've just received the advance copies of our latest book! The Field Guide to Horses (by Daniel Johnson and Samantha Johnson) is scheduled for release in December, and we're really happy with how it turned out. The book contains over 80 breed profiles, and also covers colors, markings, and patterns. There are full-color photographs throughout. You can take a peek inside of the book on Amazon.com

Our Birdbath Runneth Over

2009-11-05T20:15:00.000-08:00

There has been so much rain in the recent past that the birdbath in our garden is overflowing. The birds are quite satisfied with the arrangement. :-) We've been seeing large quantities of chickadees and robins.

Countdown to Winter

2009-11-04T20:24:00.000-08:00

Things have been busy on the farm. . . busy, busy, busy. For you see, winter is on its way. We are very thankful because it seems to be taking its time in arriving, and we're trying to take advantage of each warm and dry day to finish our pre-winter outdoor chores.

And so today's photo is quite representative of our recent activities: working on fencing. :-)

A visitor. . .

2009-11-03T19:57:00.000-08:00

Someone has been visiting us recently, or so we've discovered by the "calling card" that was left for us in the remnants of a mud puddle:

This track, if you look carefully, was made by a Coyote. . . we've been hearing them quite often at night.

Starry Night

2009-11-02T19:55:00.000-08:00

"Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to live and to work and to play and to look up at the stars."

-Henry Van Dyke

Crisp November Mornings

2009-11-01T20:04:00.000-08:00

Well, perhaps "crisp" isn't exactly accurate. . . more like "cold!" :-) But we can't complain---we've had several days of fairly nice weather and very little rain or snow. So we complaineth not and keep proceeding through our list of "to-do's before winter" as quickly we can while the weather holds. :-)

Happy November, everyone!

Halloween Greetings!

2009-10-31T10:56:00.000-07:00

A special Halloween greeting from Pierre! :-)

Pretty Pony

2009-10-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you have to post a photo simply because it's cute. :-) Such is the case with this recent photo of Miracle Minute Maid (Mt. Ridge Yellow Jacket x Miracle Maid to Order by Gallimaufry Jaguar). "Cadi" is a yearling Sec A Welsh Mountain Pony filly, and of course we think she is pretty special.

The Leaves are Falling

2009-10-29T21:00:00.000-07:00

What a warm day we had today----warm by October's standards, that is. Temperatures in the 50's felt quite toasty as we worked outdoors today. The winds picked up this afternoon and the rain has returned, and the leaves from our Sugar Maples are falling swiftly.

As we mentioned earlier, the autumn colors were not quite as vibrant this year as they usually are; nevertheless, the leaves are still a myriad of autumn-y shades, ranging from bright gold to peach to rusty red, and some brilliant oranges as well.

Check it out!

2009-10-28T18:23:00.000-07:00

We've been working on a brand-new bunny blog, so "hop" right over and take a peek: http://www.howtoraiserabbits.blogspot.com/ There are articles, photos, links, reviews, and more, so be sure to bookmark the page and check back from time to time. Also don't forget to vote on this week's poll. (Above: "Bonnie," tort Holland Lop senior doe. . . isn't she cute?? :-))

Interior projects

2009-10-27T20:39:00.000-07:00

While the rain and snow filled the air last week, we were hard at work indoors, where it was warm and dry and cozy. This was quite unlike the outdoors, where it was cold and wet and unpleasant. It was an easy choice to make. :-)

For our project, we decided to paint the foyer a brand-new color. After much deliberation (emphasis on the "much"), we settled on Benjamin Moore's "Thornton Sage," and we're really pleased with the color and how it turned out. In this photo, you can see part of the scaffolding we needed to reach the highest portions of the ceiling. It was a tricky job, but it's all finished and everything looks super.

Of course, now we're making plans for painting another room---stay tuned as we deliberate over the next color choice! :-)

As Promised---No Snow!

2009-10-26T20:10:00.000-07:00

We're having a bit of a reprieve from the wintery conditions. . . . temperatures in the 40s today and no snow in sight. :-)

The autumn colors weren't quite as vibrant this year as they usually are, but Dan snapped some nice photos showing some of the golden Sugar Maple leaves against the bright blue sky---beautiful!

The forecast for tomorrow is sunshine and 50s---and we're glad, as we have a list of outdoor chores to get through while the weather holds.

Leaves 'n Snow

2009-10-25T20:17:00.000-07:00

The snow is gone again, but these photographs from yesterday are so unique that we can't resist sharing them with y'all.

The trees still have the majority of their leaves---this is not something that we usually see in conjunction with snow. :-) Thus, it makes for unusual and interesting photography.

We promise----we'll post something besides snow photos tomorrow! (at least, we think so . . .)

More snow

2009-10-24T20:47:00.000-07:00

We woke up to more snow again this morning, but the sun finally came out at around noon, so most of the snow has melted again.

We're still working on finishing up the last of our autumn chores and winter preparations---another couple of weeks of good weather would help us achieve that goal! According to the weather forecast, there isn't any more snow in the foreseeable future---so here's hoping that we'll be able to accomplish these additional tasks before winter sets in for good.

Look Closely - October version

2009-10-23T19:55:00.000-07:00

These are the scenes that you find on the farm in October, if you look closely. Snowflakes, ice, water, and sparkling light.

They are beautiful in their own way.

Late October Scenes

2009-10-22T20:04:00.000-07:00

The days are growing shorter. . . the temperatures are getting colder . . . and we had a bit of snow when we woke up this morning. Here are a couple of late October scenes from the farm.

Aerial Viewpoint

2009-10-21T21:00:00.000-07:00

As promised, here is one of the photographs from the experiment with the "kite camera." The camera was set to take video, and then the best still frames were selected. The white line along the left side of the photo is the kite string. It's a treat to be able to see the farm from this viewpoint.

Stay tuned. . .

2009-10-20T20:56:00.000-07:00

There have been some interesting photography experiments going on here lately. . . check back tomorrow for some "aerial" farm photos, courtesy of the kite camera. :-)

Checking on the bees. . .

2009-10-19T20:25:00.000-07:00

"Where bees are, there is honey."

--English 17th Century Proverb