We have some real excitement at the farm this week!
On Sunday, Kristine brought home a puppy. We had been looking for a sidekick for Nelly for a while. The coyote pressure at our farm is intense. The sheep come inside for the night, but despite that last January, Oskar had lost an ewe lamb. And early this summer, we had multiple sightings of coyotes from the house, during the day. This seemed a safety issue for both animals and children! So we went on the search for a suitable dog and decided that a livestock guardian dog was probably a good fight. An initial potential pup turned out to be a bad fit, because it had very little exposure to people during its first 3 months. But then we found a breeder that seemed knowledgeable of the breed and whose farm includes various poultry and kids. Livestock guardian dogs bond with the creatures around them and have a strong instinct to protect them. So it's important who they grow up with!
So our pup is now getting to know the farm and all it's creatures. Nelly, our big black dog, seems a bit skeptical of this little white bundle. But we are hoping she'll come round, encouraged along with lots of love and attention.
In terms of veggies, it is definitely tomato time! Enjoy the bounty while it lasts and if you have larger canning projects in mind, please be in touch!
