June Celebrations Fail to Keep the Raccoons at Bay – the News from Blue Rock Station

News from Blue Rock Station: http://www.bluerockstation.com

Now that spring is finally here and the summer interns have arrived (Melanie Newell) has left a huge hole in our hearts with her departure in May) we’re in full swing with work schedules, gardening, trying to complete the solar installation study guide, and fall planning.  Some days it feels like I’m on a treadmill with the long days of beautiful sunshine.  All of that light makes my brain think I need to work from dusk to dawn, and with so many strawberries to put up, and new goat kids (and all of those weeds), I feel I might begin to long for winter (I’m not serious, don’t worry).

June is a time of celebration here at Blue Rock Station.  This year marks 33 years since Jay and I have been together.  It surely doesn’t seem that long ago.  When we got married, I  worried that we wouldn’t have enough years together.  I was 29 and had significant health issues.   I worried that we wouldn’t have a long time together.   As I tell him from time-to-time, our life together will never be long enough.  It has been over three decades of travel, children (ours and temporary ones), economic prosperity, going broke, loss, gain and learning.   I wouldn’t want to trade one day of it for anything. 

Upcoming Workshops from Blue Rock Station:

The complete schedule for 2014 is now posted at www.bluerockstation.com:

June:

• June 14th – Father’s Day Earthship and Sustainable Farm Tour (SOLD OUT)
  
• June 14th – June 15th – Designing, Building and Maintaining Living Roofs Weekend (SOLD OUT)
• June 16th – June 20th – Solar Electric (Photovoltaics) Certification Workshop – Columbus, Ohio (SOLD OUT) 
• June 21st – Goat College: Hoof trimming, basic cheese making, and natural goat health

July:

• July 5^th – Earthship and Sustainable Farm Tour (Please RSVP early, all tours this year have sold out prior to the tour date)
  

• July 5th- July 6th –  Earth Plastering Weekend Workshop
• July 8^th – City Folks Farm Shop talk by Annie on Sustainable Business Practices, Columbus OH
• July 19^th – Earthship and Sustainable Farm Tour (Please RSVP early, all tours this year have sold out prior to the tour date)
• July 19^th – July 20^th –River Stone Mosaics (Walkways and Patios) Weekend Workshop
• July 21st – July 25th – Solar Electric (Photovoltaics) Certification Workshop – Cleveland, Ohio (several slots are still available but sign up early to avoid disappointment)

You can also join us online at Facebook (Blue Rock Station Green Living Center – https://www.facebook.com/BlueRockStationFarm) OR follow Annie Warmke’s blog at www.motherearthnews.com (Homesteading and Livestock).

The Critters:

So far my new animal protection psychology program is working.  It is, however about to be severely tested.  For the past year or so I’ve been “working with” the predators that make their home at or near Blue Rock Station.  I cope by keeping the chickens safely tucked inside their coop and enclosed run, letting them out to roam only every second  or third day.  I vary the time of their release, in an attempt to confuse the predators.   Yesterday they were out all day, but the day before they were only out for about an hour.   All of this takes some thought and planning, but in the evening when I conduct the chicken census – the numbers are holding fast.  So I suspect it has been worth the effort.

For the past two nights a critter that acts a lot like a raccoon has been pushing and pulling at the chicken wire of the run outside the coop.  The chickens are tucked safely inside the Chicken Chalet at night so, for now, all that’s happening is that the little demon is sniffing around.  Last year a raccoon actually dug out the clay/can wall of the chalet and killed two hens. T o be on the safe side, we’re in the process of building a new bottle wall (this time with concrete) where the coon has been sneaking in.  I’ll keep you posted.

Words that Guided:

Just for today, the world is at peace.

Kindest Regards, Annie