Bowerbird Farm & Forage

Took 2+ hours of shampooing and conditioning, but look who's all clean and shiny after her spa day! Just cause you guard goats all day doesn't mean you can't look fabulous doing it. :)

First instance we've seen of Ma "bellying up" to a sapling so she and her young could reach higher up forage. Also, boop.

These dogs are amazing. Everything I'd hoped for and more. Over the weekend as we were working out at the farm we heard our roo- who I've now named Robert Ford for his tendency to attack me when my back is turned- sound his alarm crow. I walked up at that moment to see the dogs running up the fenceline towards RF and the hens, Bowski in the lead. I mistakenly assumed Bowski was chasing the chickens in a moment of puppy playfulness, and started to scold him. Then we realized ...what Robert Ford was actually on about, and what the dogs were racing towards- a hawk that had perched on one of the trees right outside the paddock, eyeing the free ranging chickens for an easy dinner. Not today, Mr. Hawk. While Robert Ford shepherded the hens back into the safety of the coop, Clara Jo and Bowski posted up in a defensive line and barked ferociously at the hawk until it took off. It was such an amazing display of cross-species teamwork that it took me a moment to process what was really happening. Wow. Good dogs. And, as much as I hate to admit it, good roo. You're still a coward in my book, Robert Ford, but stop taking cheap shots at my ankles and maybe we can be friends again. ;) Happy International Dog Day, everyone. Photo by Jeffro Sobel, doggie uncle extraordinaire.

Let the wild rumpus start!

Even as we welcomed new canine family members Clara Jo and Bowski to the family, we laid another family member to rest with a memorial tree planting. Last night we spread the ashes of Ona Linde, our beloved Black Lab that we lost a few years back to an aggressive form of Lympoma, at the base of a Black Locust tree that Matt nursed from a seedling. Black Locust grow tall and beautiful, with gorgeous white blooms, and in time this one will shade our home from the harsh afternoon summer sun. Ona wasn't with us long enough in life, but her tree will live on and we'll think of her every time we see it. Love you and miss you, puppers. Sadie Mae Cat's tree will come soon- a Black Walnut. Black Walnuts produce Juglone, a chemical that's toxic to many types of plants, but Black Locust are tolerant and so they make great companion trees.