Animals on Cloud 9 Farm

On these cold days at Cloud 9 Farm, the cows really look forward to a serving of warm silage, chopped fermented corn stalks with plump whole kernel corn. It steams with the composting heat in the frigid air as I shovel it in the trough. Their pleasure is evident because they bury their sensitive noses in the warmth and stir it around before taking [ MORE » ]

Goldy, the rooster, is so stoic as he waits for warmer weather up on his perch in the hen house. Got a little frostbite on those wattles, don’t you old man? It did go down to 10 last night, and even though the Cloud 9 Farm Chickens protect themselves in the wind break of the hen house, a little frostbite on those tender combs [ MORE » ]

When I say neighbors, I mean the neighbors a 1/2 mile away on the other mountain down the road, because Cloud 9, for a vacation rental is a very private spot. But the other day, an alert renter couple who were hiking to Buzzard’s Roost, noticed this cute beagle joined them. Waiting to meet another hiker they just kept walking and the dog excitedly [ MORE » ]

Wildlife is abundant here on Cloud 9 Farm even in the winter. The wild turkeys are starting to gather in preparation for mating season in late February and March which is a spectacle to see. The fanning of the tom turkey’s tail, his head change color from pink to bright red to purple…oh, so handsome. That would be a great time to vacation here. [ MORE » ]

Nawwww, Only in the movies…My chickens know where I feed them and where it is safe from the hawk (I only let them out of their large run coop after I know the chicken hawk has made his rounds.) With the wind the other night, a leaning tree fell on the chicken coop. But, here come first-to-wake-up vacationers at Cloud 9, knocking on my [ MORE » ]

I rarely get to see my own cows having their calf because usually it occurs so early in the morning or night. But Pepper, my favorite cow, because she is such a good mother to her calves and has plenty of milk, gave me the first oppotunity at 4 in the after noon. These pics were taken with a zoom so they are a [ MORE » ]

There’s always something to do with chickens here on Cloud 9 Farm. I keep a flock of about 30 with a rooster, (presently “Goldie”) which gives me enough farm fresh, large, brown eggs to share with renters, to sell locally and to make quiches, custards and cakes anytime I want. Here’s the latest hatch…sort of sad, though. I have 5 mother hens that have [ MORE » ]

Enjoying his reflection in the sliding glass window on the deck, this robin red breast hops back and forth on the deck for long blocks of time. And it doesn’t seem to matter if people are here! At first I marveled at nature’s ways but now, after cleaning up the deck for the umpteenth time, I enlisted the help of a sympathetic renter to [ MORE » ]

When the danger of the (Cooper and Red tailed) hawk’s regular feeding time is over (mid day) the “girls” (and 3 boys) are let loose the last couple hours of the day to free range. Here is the beautiful Golden Comet rooster, “Goldy,” staying out of the way of the alpha rooster, “Ooleroo” by hiding behind the daffodils.