It was a good year for the Butternut(Juglans cinerea).
The tree produced a lot of nuts and winter is a good time to crack them.
Wildlife Conversion
As I am building more wildlife habitat, I have noticed a lot more wild animals utilizing the area.
This can create more wild meat for me to consume and better represents a functioning permaculture system that I desire. I hope to have a lot of wild and animal plant resources I can use in my daily life.
Moisturin Improved
In a past blog(Moisturin-Disappointment) I had mentioned problems I had with the container my Moisturin came in. I did finally get a hold of them and have since learned they did away with the paint can style containers.
This is the plastic container it comes in now. So no more rusting metal cans that are leaking everywhere.
Sun Blaze
Today was a very mild day in the mid-50s.
The day ended with a good sunset display.
Paulownia Flower Buds
I noticed something in my Paulownia tomentosa tree.
When I looked closer I saw they were flower buds. This is the first year they have formed. The very cold weather may kill the flower buds, but has been interesting nonetheless.
Frosty White Fir
It has been over a decade ago that this White Fir was planted.
The White Fir is part of a windbreak line of evergreens. The other evergreens are Colorado Blue Spruces. Both of these species of conifers grow at a similar slow growth rate, so work good together. These trees are thicker than pine trees, so offer good nesting habitat for birds.
Freeze Dried
The coldest so far has been -16 degrees Fahrenheit this winter. All the bamboo have begun to change from their lively green to sage green and lastly will change to a tan color.
Most likely the top growth will be dead and the bamboo will have to come back from the ground in the spring. Last winter was mild enough that most of the leaf buds were viable and the bamboo culms leafed back out.
Dumb Youth
My young white guineas like to fly up in the windbreak trees, currently have been roosting in the Austrian Pine(Pinus nigra).
They were born back in July and are young and stupid, so have slept outside in subzero temps. I have had trouble getting them in the shed at night.
Golden Guernsey Goat
We now have goats that are crossed with the Golden Guernsey breed. Some of our Saanen and Oberhasli goats have been crossed with the Golden Guernsey.
This is a buck that was born earlier this year and is polled like his Oberhasli mother. So far he has looked the most like the Golden Guernsey.
Bamboo Ducks
Many new ducks were born this year.
They are spending a lot of time in the comfort of the bamboo grove.