We are a family of archers, fishers, hunters, gatherers and farmers.

Our land provides everything we need, including big game.

We process our own meat and utilize every part.

Farm Life: Co-existing With Wildlife

By now you’ve likely heard about our raccoon ordeal from last summer, but now that the chicken runs are made of chain link and fully enclosed with “tops” on them we haven’t had further issues. And you have likely heard about our ongoing battle with the overhead threats, too: our resident pair of red tail hawks, the frequent visits by the bald eagles and the occasional heron in the pond (which other than eat all the frogs does nothing more than terrify the chickens!) However, would you believe that we have wild ducks joining our domestic flock? Hooded mergansers and wood ducks are trying to infiltrate our flock! We often wonder why our little mallard drakes, Frank and Jake, haven’t taken flight with the wild ducks!? But that’s not the least of it! Did you hear about our beaver? (Any conversation with the kids will bring him up!) Yep! We had a beaver trying to enlarge our pond! Every night he (she??) would lay freshly debarked limbs, grass and mud on the pond overflow grate (no small task as there is raging water going over a 36″ square steel grate) and every morning Patrick dutifully unplugged it! However ~ big pause ~ the ducks didn’t care for the nocturnal workings of the beaver and so would vacate the pond at exactly 5 minutes before dark and loudly make their way up the hill to come around to the front our home… where they would spend the night, noisily, under OUR bedroom window! And don’t even get me started on that black bear… Yawn!

We did ask for it, after all. Living in the middle of the forest. Sheesh! Just another day on the farm. We love every minute of it.