The photo above has little to do and everything to do with all the farms I've been visiting lately. Farm after farm after farm. Flower farms, sheep farms, clean farms, messy farms. The only way for me to learn is through seeing and doing. I've ordered some books, but in general they collect dust next to my bed. By the time I collapse into our messy dog hairy bed at night, reading is not a viable option.
Yesterday I was at Kinderhook Farms helping to move 132 pregnant ewes through an organized vaccination, weight check, hoof clipping and shearing procedure. There is sharp contrast between my days. One day we're running through rows and rows of ranunclus at Hautau Farms greenhouses, the next I'm using a pair of clippers to pick shit out of sheep feet and snip hooves back. Hoof trimming is a skill I have yet to master, three sorry girls had bloody feet thanks to my inability to know where the hoof ends and the quick starts.
My brain is exploding with things. Each day is so different. I will try to do a better job of chronicling it all here. What does that arrangement have to do with all my farm visits? Building relationships with growers means better flowers. Just wait, you haven't seen nothing yet...
READ THE FINE PRINT! Got a lot of extra fancy Hautau material this week. It feels like a good day for a give away; if you live in Manhattan or Brooklyn and would like to enter to win, leave a comment below and we'll select a winner tomorrow morning for an afternoon delivery.
28 comments:
Can I enter my Brooklynite BFF to win? The wedding arrangement you did for her totally made her cry.
I wish I could enter, but I'm heading home to PA for the holiday - guess I can't complain too much!
PS your adventures sound so fun!
ooh, those ewes!
me please pretty pleaseee.......
katiemendelson@gmail.com
I love your bucolic posts. They make me oddly interested in manual labor.
Oh and I live in Brooklyn.
I'm entering! Glad you got to deal with the sheep...next up is piglet castration (yes, I had to do this once). Oh the joys of farming! Can't wait to hear more of what you have in store.
flowers for my mother's birthday, please!
it is the most reassuring thing in the world to know my bed is not the only one covered in dog hair when i finally crash out for the night! loved your post, i'm still working on mastering animal nail trimming too :)
Oooo, I would love to enter! I'm in Brooklyn.
Thank you for sharing your manual labor and excitement. Good times.
running through ranunculus sounds amazing!
yiching.ong at gmail.com
I love reading about your farming adventures. Keep up the good work and can-do spirit. Some fresh flowers would be an awesome way to start this weekend!
Oh, I would love to get one of your lovely bouquets! Would you deliver to Manhattan?
I wish I paid more attention to farming as a child. My grandparents had a lovely farm and worked it until in their eighties!! Love your photos and stories!!!
Flowers yes please!
flowers, plz! i passed on some beautiful peach blossoms at the market yesterday. must bring spring indoors!
zschaeffer@gmail.com
yes please! love your pretty arrangments.
I am exhausted to the bone from dragging trees, shrubs and carts of plants around all week, so I hear ya. I want to keep one of your lovely arrangements, but if I win one, It's going to my grandma's house (in Brooklyn) so she can keep her Passover dining table looking fine. She loves flowers and I've already given her plenty of potted plants to take care of. Yay for good growers, and your always enjoyable chronicles.
No free flowers for this commenter! Just writing to say how awe....dorable that photo is with the preggies!!!!! Udderly sweet!:)
ooh, ooh pick me!!
Although I work in NY, I have off because of the holiday but would gladly make a trip to red hook to pick it up. Since last valentines day when I got one of your lovely arrangements, I've been dreaming of ranunculus and poppies. I'm even trying to grow them myself this year!
Lovely as always.
Oh I could actually win for once!!! We just drove in last night from rural va where we moved last year and from where I consistently enjoy your lovely blog and (your mother's??) lovely soaps. Thank you for sharing all your adventures in poppies,puppies, and non functioning bathroom with us. We'd be so lucky to have a beautiful saipua creation grace our family table this holiday. Either way, keep it up and stay inspired. You definitely inspire us!! Happy Easter.
Like those sheep faces and would love some flowers for my Sedar table. Samanthalynnweiss @ gmail.com
have car, will travel to Red Hook to pick up flowers!
Schallj81@hotmail.com
Be careful, lest you awaken to the next life an ewe, in the hands of a careless farmer.
What does that mean Anon???
As usual your images are so beautiful! Ethereal..
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