I think goat kids are among the cutest creatures on Earth. But most backyard farmers are more interested in goat mamas — does. That’s what happens when you’re keeping goats […]
On the Landscape
ANIMAL RIGHTS
Eastham Adopts New Rules on Noncommercial Farm Animals
‘You want to see animals raised humanely. That’s the whole point.’
EASTHAM — The board of health voted on July 29 to adopt a new set of noncommercial farm animal regulations. The rules require households to apply for permits to keep […]
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE
Beauty and Quirkiness in Full Bloom in Eastham
A garden tour that prides itself on being a little on the wild side
Nearly 400 garden lovers turned out for the Eastham Garden Tour on July 13, which benefits the town’s public library. Visitors roamed six gardens that fit the event’s theme: Creative […]
IN THE BUD
Is It Wrong to Be Horny?
Why some backyard farmers are reconsidering ‘disbudding’ their goats
Goats have horns. That’s something I always took for granted. I grew up seeing goats on mountaintops throughout my childhood in Austria, and every one of them had horns. But […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Lilacs Tell a Story
A lonesome plant, found in the woods, might have marked an entryway — or an outhouse
In a recent conversation with a friend, the subject of lilacs growing in the wild came up. My friend had been on a walk in the woods of Wellfleet when […]
TOOLSHED
The Right Tools for the Job
A plantswoman on the hand tools she cannot garden without
TRURO — There are catalogs full of gardening toys to consider at this time of year. You can start to imagine that, if only you had the right apron, swivel-headed […]
HOMESTEADING
Sorrow and Joy on Buttercup’s Birthing Day
Two lively kids comfort a doe and her homesteaders
Last summer our sweet Nigerian dwarf doe, Princess Buttercup, gave birth with remarkable ease, which is typical for her breed. I barely noticed that she was in labor before her […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Bonsai Brings Untamable Nature Close
With fearless cuts, a caretaker tends the conditions for healthy growth
My introduction to bonsai was an encounter with a collection of straggly little junipers in pots in a friend’s yard. The plants were root-bound and malnourished, and they had taken […]
FARM & GARDEN UPDATE
Birthing Suite
Princess Buttercup, here in her birthing suite, is in good company, in spite of being separated by a fence from the other goats. Goldie Hen has stayed close by her […]
HOMESTEADING
What to Expect When Your Goat Is Expecting
It’s kidding season on the Outer Cape
At first, it can be hard to tell whether your doe — your female goat, that is — has gotten pregnant. For those new to animal husbandry: don’t expect a […]
PLOTTING
It’s Time to Start Planning and Planting
Seeds, soil, and other steps to get your vegetable garden underway
The earth is coming alive. Beneath the oak leaves that I pile on my garden plot every fall, I am beginning to see the first sprouts of green. Garlic is […]
PEEPS
Easter Chicks, the Easy Way
Because a few feather-footed fowls are good for flock diversity
Though our “Cogsie,” a.k.a. Rooster Cogburn, has been proudly prancing and mounting, he and our hens have not yet succeeded in producing any new chicks. I know they’ll get there, […]
HOMESTEADING
Birds Do It. But It’s Hard to Explain How
Crowing and squawking and going broody for spring chicks
The days are getting longer and lighter at last, heralding the season of birds and bees. When it comes to those of us with yard birds, it is time to […]
ON THE LANDSCAPE
Lichens: A Love Story
Everywhere, intricate, multicolored couplings take hold for dear life
There’s a bend in the road on the way to the dump in Wellfleet. The road winds through a low, wet area, a tributary of the Herring River. As far […]
HOMESTEADING
Ode to a Chicken, or a Goat
The primal love we feel for farm animals is co-evolutionary
How do you measure your love for a chicken? Or describe that warm-fuzzy you feel when your goat greets you with a headbutt? I’m not sure. But I want to […]
