A day to come and tour our farm will be August 21, 2010. Midwest Bio-Ag has put a corn test plot in this Spring here. Doc Paul Dettloff has given us corn to plant and test growth on. A great way to get up close with our animals, pastures and see the critters and places I write about for free. Dress for being outdoors of course and we look forward to seeing you!
Cumulus clouds float freely like white puffs of cottonballs in the sunny Spring sky. I’m wow’ed and vow to sow the seeds of Spring with lightness and follow the way of the clouds. Clouds go with what is and go with the flow of wind or no wind. They know to let go and float freely and when they need to rain they do and when they float it’s always the place to be. There’s so much to learn from nature and the more I know the less I know, I know. It’s all good and the muskrats swim merrily on First Pond and Sunrise Slough. They paddle and watch me watch them. I have a daily escort as I check the beef cattle herd. A pair of Canadian Geese honk their approval and swim alongside me as I walk the sinking path. The path is a lower place and yet it’s a higher place. A dead muskrat lies @ my feet as I notice it wasn’t on the path yesterday. I send it back into First Pond as my eyes notice a mature Bald Eagle sitting above Big Bend. I salute and thank the Spirit for all this is seen and un-seen. It’s heaven on earth when my mind chatter vaporizes and it’s manifesting in every moment. The water flow stops and time opens up.
I love to sing “Ewe are so Beautiful to me-Can’t You See?? You’re everything I hoped for, you’re everything I need.” That song has many meanings and the latest is the ewes have lambed on our farm. They are loafing and grazing on pasture and the youngest are being tended in the shed. Last Summer I personally selected the male sire to utilize for the ewes to be bred to. Yeah, my first solo sheep purchase. I bought a load of feeders and a male to service the female sheep. Let’s just come to the conclusion that he appeared inferior in height to actually reach the females. Tom and I stared @ the wide gap between them and just laughed that the buck needed a 5 gallon pail to stand on to reach the ewes. The buck never really grew and we opted to sell him and purchase a different buck. This Spring the joke is on us. That seemingly too short buck apparantely was able to impregnate all five ewes for the gestation period matches when he was in with the ladies.
Stories-it’s all stories,
Sue Roskos
Easter week we had invited out Jim Solberg to visit our farm and meet us. Jim is a talented photographer and writer for several newspapers. I will share a short section of his time here with you now and how the day un-folded. Tom drove him out in the Farm Truck and I drove the Cavalier to the backwaters through pastures. Jim mentioned about his desire to not walk great distances. I had a plan and Tom first agreed to it,then later we sprang it on Jim. Yep, we’d by-pass the mobility issues and forget walking too much-he’d ride in our sturdy Michicraft Canoe if he wanted.
Now Jim and us have never met and this was me inviting him to come and share nature that we all hold in high regard. We all agreed to bring the metal canoe closer to where Jim was standing in our pasture on the banks of Sunrise Slough. Tom mentioned about the other wooden paddle and I was watching and pointing @ the geese and ducks. I had this vision of Tom and I pulling the canoe from where it was tied to a tree through the boggy grasses over to Jim-why would I need a paddle for that? Silly guy! We arrived @ the canoe and Tom turned the girl over and exposed her belly to the sun. Then he started to put it in the water and I am inquiring what he was doing??? Then the jokes again on me. This time we didn’t have to pull the canoe like last week. There was actually water and we could put the Michicraft in the water and paddle..oh-there’s one paddle. The other paddle is keeping all of Jim’s camera equipment company in the back of the truck. We giggled and thought it’s all about the stories and a lady pointing in the sky or @ the water.
Jim was kind to put up with all the humor and he even wrote us into part of his weekly column. He also included a photo of the Voyager’s as he called us as we pulled up to him in the Cadillac of Canoes and he eyed us up and said he trusted us. He got in with all of his camera equipment and it was a sharing of nature and paddling with hearts filled with Cranes, geese and ducks. Thanks Jim for the photos and we look forward to your many returns and Hawken wants to show you more chickens and the rest of the farm too.
Feel the Spirit of the Backwaters,
Sue Roskos
Canoe Can Do!!
Sue Roskos
We’ve been trimming apple trees in the Spring breeze. For marketing purposes-we classify the apples as natural. Spring time is when we apply Organical to the base of the trees. Organical is a product that we purchase through Midwest Bio-Ag and it is listed as an item that’s compatible with heading towards organic certification.
Tom was caught in my trap when I offered a hand with pruning some of the 60 trees that we have in our orchard. We’re on the vet route and then I’m jabbering about a lovely day and how burnt the regions along landowner’ creek’s are from them wishing weeds and small trees would go away. The van bounces over the sections of local highway that are all broken up from the winter weather. Then I put the bait out and sweetly mentioned that Hawken and I would gladly prune the trees while he was @ the Duck’s Unlimited Banquet in LaCrosse with Dave Leske and Greg. I hear a gasp and then he says, “I’ll get @ that with Hawken!” I croon, “I’d be happy to prune the trees-I did some last year.” ‘Please Sue, hold off.” I caught him in an easy set and he’s looking for a way out. “Now Tom, what are we going to do with all the produce. What’s a few extra branches. I’ll take my time.” I’m having too much fun and he spies my eyes. “OK, You got me good Sue!” I am true to my word and take my goat hoof trimming snipper, and clip off the extra branches on the upper region of the orchard. There’s a Red Tailed Hawk that lives by the trees next to the Sauer Mill Road Bridge. She flies over and celebrates Spring with Hawken and I clipping branches from the Orchard Trees.
Trees are starting to blossom!
Sue Roskos
Easter eggs are all colored with marbled marks from vegetable oil co-mingling with dyes. Stickers are affixed to the boughten white egg shells. Tom had hard boiled them. It’s giving the eggs a bath in bowls of colored water. Hands ladling red water with a spoon across the hard shells. It’s a beaming Grandma Sharon and Grandpa Gerry relishing time with Hawken coloring eggs.
Tom and I took that time in Yaeger Valley, to stroll along the babbling creek after the Good Friday rain. Clouds loomed and lasted and blasted remnants of Winter far away. Shuffling my boots, I stare longingly @ the beckoning creek and found no words. A fond reminiscing on the pond of memories that float in from this Valley that grew my roots. I’m captured by the seemingly smaller creek. It looks so tiny and@ the bridge spillway, a pair of Woodducks flush up and flare their beauty in the chilly air. We hold hands and I’m sliding down the creek bank to admire the stream bank improvement that brother Tim Salwey and lots of helping hands from the Waumandee Rod and Gun Club constructed. A place for the beloved trout to grow and hide under the wooden structures. We admire all the new dams our family put in to hold water for the critters and keep the black soil on the land. I’m filled with the meaning of Easter and realize Heaven on Earth when accepting the Blessings of all of IT.
We’re back @ my folks and admiring our very own Easter Concert. Hawken is the flute playing director and Grandma and Grandpa are marching too while Tom and I are marching while we’re high stepping. Hawken stops and beams and says, “Yeah, we are a band. You can all crap!” Silence..I erupt in Yeah’s and clap heartily as we all are stifling laughter.
Then we gather and watch for birds @ their feeder. Then Tom nudges me and I see what’s captured his eye. There’s a bluebird house on their deck and there’s a small square hole sawed in the top of it . There’s also netting around the entry hole and perch. This is a different patent than we’ve seen and are howling with un-stoppable laughter while Hawken and Grandpa are jumping on the beds and saying, “1 for the money, 2 for the Show, 3 to get ready and 4 to go!” It’s always great to return to our roots and learn so may new things.
Hippity Hop-I am one of the Easter Bunnies,
Sue Roskos
Held @ Welcome Home Farm in our machinery shed-dress accordingly. The Trap Shack and Welcome Home Farm is located 2 miles west of Arcadia off Highway 95, turn left on River Rd go 3/10 mile then left on Sauer Mill Rd -just past Lutheran cemetery. Tom and Sue Roskos are asking interested participants to call Junior Prudlick for pre-registration and information. Junior can be reached @ 715-695-3675. The dates for classes are May 22 and 23, 2010 (Sat. and Sun.) 8 AM to 4:30 PM both days. Tom and Sue will provide beverages, hotdogs and ice cream for teachers and students. Our showroom will be open for students to browse.
My brother Tim Salwey, used his carpentry skills to assemble a variety of cedar bird houses per my request. He hammered and nailed together several Bluebird houses, a Wren house, a Kestrel nesting box, a bat house and a duck nesting box. Thanks to Tim for personally delivering the projects. He recommended I paint the top of the cedar roofs to prevent them from decaying. I promptly found a can of white exterior latex barn paint and left the houses to dry in the Spring rays of sun. The next day I moved the houses to the inside of our screened in porch. I had them all lined up and placed so noone would step on them. I heard the door slam and knew our pal Ed Patzie was present. I make my way to the door and hear an, “Eh!” He’s excitedly discussing the smooth wire fencing project that’s been transpiring over the past week. Hawken is pretending he’s Joe the John Deere tractor/train engineer on Porcupine Hill. He’s hooked up a wagon filled with a wrench, 2 un-used 6 cc syringes, my belt, plastic play kid thermometer and small building blocks. He’s just a peddling the tractor rattling down the hallway and he’s saying, “Toot Toot! I’m Joe the Engineer!” Patzie is oblivious to all this as he’s getting directions from Tom on fencing post placement. Tom is trying to not step outside in bare feet on the cold concrete porch. I’m throwing a load of laundry in the washing machine and we’re also making breakfast. Patzie pauses and notices all the bird houses on the porch. “What kind of house is that one?” he asks. “Patzie that’s a bat house.” “You mean those things that fly around..that kind of a bat?” I could see the look of wonderment that passed across his face.
It’s only fitting to hang a bat house on the east side of the home barn. We love bats for they feast on mosquitos and our lil’ Engineer Joe, also happens to tell us he’s a fruit bat that hangs upside down and eats grapes, every evening while we all do dishes. Then he promptly opens up an un-used tiny cupboard and looks for the worms to feed the bats. Life is good when we just settle into being, instead of thinking we’re better or worse than anyone else.
We’re watching for bats and listening for the sweet serenade of the Peeps!
Sue Roskos
Tom and I attended theWTA District 5 trapping meeting in Independence, WI two weeks ago. It was held at East End Bar on the corner of Main Street. We arrived and immediately in the dining area, friends were inquiring about our sheep and relaying fond memories about raising sheep and bottle lambs. Then we moved to the back room of the bar and the assembly were seated around tables.
The double doors were slammed shut to block out the bar noise, clinking glasses and the wafts of smoke that formed a cloudy haze. It was entertaining to be in the presence of the crew assembled for the meeting. I had never been present @ a meeting before. We said the pledge of alllegiance with our patriotic enthusiasm. Trapping hats were politely removed and then we arose and I smiled as I heard a manly voice mention the flag was around the corner-in the next room. A helpful trapper brought the flag out and we felt the spirit of patriotism arise in all of us. A transfer of leadership took place after the election. Jim Gordon is now the new District 5 director. Thoughts were shared and the request for volunteers went out. Many generous people raised their hand and offered their talents. The group is interested in passing on their knowledge especially to kids. A special thanks to the people that made me feel extra welcome and invited me to attend more of the events.
The Whitetails Deer Classic for Buffalo and Trempealeau County, was held @ Valu Implement in Arcadia over March 20th. The attendance was high all day. Tom was part of the mid-afternoon crew of volunteers that ran the trapping booth @ the Whitetails Classic. Once again the fur pelts were a big draw for observers to get up close and personal with handling processed fur. Tom came home and parked the Red Chevy Cavalier in front of the Trap Shack Showroom. Hawken and I were cultivating furrows with the rake, playing basketball and had a dirt hole dug to hold 3 wooly bear caterpillars and 2 worms. Tom pops the Cavalier trunk and asks me to carry a stuffed otter in the Showroom. It’s Gene Prudlick’s otter looking real with whisps of green artificial grass @ it’s paws.
The next evening I’m wandering outside with tall winter boots, blue long johns and a light blue coat. I’m out to lock up the hens and pull the door shut to the Trap Shack. I double check I didn’t lock the chickens up with a critter in the coop. I then pull the door shut in the darkness of the Shack. I step away two paces. Then I backtrack and fumble with the light switch and aim to make sure we don’t have a live critter locked in the Showroom. Last year my brother and his wife had a coon find it’s way in their garage and it did thousands of dollars of damage. Nope, I better double check that there’s nothing lurking in the Shack. I flip the light on and gasp-then I’m giggling and just look @ my goofy attire and how momentarily petrified I was of an erect otter all stuffed peering up @ the Showroom heater.
I’m a woman, I love change and we went right home after the meeting!
Sue Roskos
Mounds of gravel are mashed into the vet van’s floormats along with tidbits of wrappers and an empty sardine can. It’s just delightful to travel the backroads of Buffalo and Trempealeau Counties while on the vet route. Spring is in full swing and we’re giddy with the warm thermometer readings that have hovered around 60 degrees. It’s been delightful to hear and see the Cranes, Eagles, Mallard Ducks, Tundra Swans, Blue Geese, Killdeer, Robins and Bluebirds. The three deer have made their home again near Big Bend and have met me in the early morning fog.
I’ve grilled the carnivore’s dream twice in the past week on a mound of hot coals. Shrimp, salmon, chicken, hamburger, brats and hotdogs have fed the neighborhood. I am laughing @ our barnyard ducks, geese and chickens as they patrol the yard as I grill. Yoohoo Chicken is a pal and has gathered her friends underneath the dormant Bridal Wreath Bush near the grill. I am flipping and scooping food off the grill and it’s peculiar to see a chicken with feathers as I fry chicken on the grill.
Our first Red Angus calf was born this week and Tom and I re-located the group of heifers that are close to calving. I asked Doc Tom how long it would take to move the newborn calf and it’s Mother to a drier pen. “Only about ten minutes-the Mother Cow knows her way around the yard from last year.” I hear the fencer zapping the electrice current that surrounds the muddy pen. Tom mentions to go around and swing the far steel gate open. He headed to un-plug the fencer and I had sorted out the Mother Cow and her calf after Tom fed the rest of the herd grain at the bunk.
Mother cow is holding her head too high and I sigh. I back towards the side of the pen and Tom has snatched her calf and is attempting to stuff it between the boards, so his Mother will follow. I’m getting centered and stabilized and see the cow’s eyes. I dart under the fence and she takes the bait and follows Tom. She’s too close to him and he grabs a stick. The calf is now dropped in a pile of mud and I’m trying to lighten up the day. “Tom you are such a great farmer and Dr. Isn’t this all great!!??” He bursts out in approving laughter and it starts all over. Now I’ve attempted to grab a flexible poly wire fence post. Yeah, I’m going to protect Tom and me. I clutch it harder and then drop it. I try another fence post and that too is hooked onto polywire. I run and we keep trying to edge the Mother over to her baby. Tom shoves the calf in it’s dry pen. I watch in slow motion as the wirey cow again comes @ him. I holler, “Get up on the tractor!!” He flies up on the tractor and she’s right there and he’s doing a dance to avoid her head. “Start it up Tom!!” He starts it up and she snaps to the attention of her calf and gallops into the new pen.
I’m teasing and mention, ” A cow will never go to a gate on the far side of the pasture when the herd is on the other end. She won’t remember where she was kept in a shed last year when she’s concerned about her calf and chasing us.” I have to mention I told Tom, “I gotta Go!! Time to pick up the lad!,” when the cow was charging the tractor until I realized this was a time to intervene!!
“I Gotta Go!” Wait! I’m right where I need to be!
Sue Roskos
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcf-xJA4HxUhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcf-xJA4HxU
Winter has mellowed and the call of chores and a daily walk to the backwaters has been lovely. The crunching snow under warm boots is the sweet way of it. Moon has been so watchful and rejoices in the voices that sing nature’s triumphant blare. I am the richest person on Earth.
The vet van is slopped full of mud, gravel and is thawing into the lull of the warm afternoon sunshine. Odors permeate us as I come to a halt @ the neighborhood grocery store. The Pig employees politely place the pork chops and honey mustard in a stiff brown grocery bag and we’re back on the route. Tom stuffs tonite’s meat in our lunch cooler and the world resumes for I have the cherished mustard. Tom has switched to an empty super sized French’s mustard bottle for a lubrication holder to be utilized on the vet route for calvings.
Pheasant resides @ the end of our driveway and is a vibrant male. He’s strutting along the grader ditch consuming sandy grit.
Turkeys are abundant and can be found on the snow covered fields or cutting across the road as I’m heading out to Waumandee.
Canadian Geese formed 3 lazy formations as they honked their return last week. They circled around Big Bend and headed towards Arcadia. Bluebirds and Robins have also returned and Tom saw them in the weeping willow tree by the Shack.
I’ve delighted in hearing Hawken asking, “Mama’s going to the backwaters. I’m going too!” The scraping of the blue plastic sled on the bare sandy road could be heard for miles. I pulled hard to get past the wet puddles that entice a young puddler. I told him to crawl through the cattle bunk and load up in the sled. He sat down and I pulled him through frozen cow patties and cattle entranced by the activity. “Mama, it’s kinda bumpy in the cowpoop.” I laugh and tell him to hang on and we’re soon on top of the bright reflecting snow with his sled. “Mama March! ” I’m flying the child across the cornstalk stubble and put all our troubles in a bubble and we blow them away as we march into the month of March.
Where’s your place to sled as you slide into March?
Feel the Spirit in Peace and Love,
Sue Roskos