From the Pastures: A lesson in farming

Tonight, we joined our granddaughter for a family 4-H Halloween party. The party was outside and, wow, the weather has sure changed. Fall made a cold, windy entrance here in northern Illinois. Hopefully, there is still some Indian summer in the forecast.

The pasture has been showing signs of the lack of rain. My son-in-law mowed off the top and told me to start feeding a little hay to supplement the pasture. I also replenished the mineral supply for winter. I would really like to find new homes for some of the ewes and one ram as we start to downsize. A special thanks to my son-in-law for also helping clean out the barn and rebuild some fences. I am glad these chores are complete before it is too cold.

We hosted a farm and mill tour as part of our county’s Farm Stroll. The local University of Illinois Extension office coordinates the day with small farms and more in Boone County participating. The Farm Stroll is an excellent way to educate people about different aspects of agriculture. Over 100 people visited our place. We gave them tours of the mill and demonstrated how wool is turned into yarn. We discussed the benefits of wool and how to raise sheep. There were a lot of kids who enjoyed seeing the sheep. Everyone enjoyed learning how yarn is made.

Harvest is going strong in our area. So nice to watch the combines in the fields. Be safe driving around farm equipment.