tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79496042698243701922024-02-07T14:55:53.376-05:00Cair Paravel EnterprisesDaily Operations, Observations and Oddities at Cair Paravel Farm.<br><br>
We now have a new "tab" feature just below our e-mail subscription bar. Now you can explore our farm, meet the inhabitants, check the weather, and reserve our BnB with a click of the mouse!<br><br>Don't forget to follow us by e-mail! Enter your address below and hit the return key to have new posts sent directly to your inbox.Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-87736386594702166872012-10-28T13:33:00.000-04:002012-10-28T13:33:16.791-04:00Help Save Tsuki!Our 4 year old hound mix Tsuki needs your help! She is in need of
surgery to remove her left rear leg. She was found last Tuesday wrapped
up in a wire fence, and despite our best efforts to save her leg, the
tissue damage is too severe. The surgery is going to be more than we can
afford, so anything helps! We can't imagine life without her. She is
already so fortunate to have been found alive, and wants to keep
fighting! She is such a good spirited pup, and we love her so much.<br /><br />Visit our donation page to make a contribution in any amount below to help save Tsuki. Thank you so much!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><a href="http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=12532&url=helpsavetsuki" target="_blank">Tsuki Surgery Fund</a></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=12532&url=helpsavetsuki" target="_blank"> http://www.youcaring.com/fundraiser_details?fundraiser_id=12532&url=helpsavetsuki</a></div>
Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-73895298091505985742012-05-22T13:10:00.000-04:002012-05-22T13:10:36.238-04:00Welcome BackHello all! After a very lengthy absence, I am back from my journey abroad. I have traveled just shy of 11,000 miles through the lower 48 states in seven weeks, and have never been happier to be home! Needless to say, there is an overwhelming amount of stuff that has happened in my absence. I'm going to do my best to get all caught up. In the meantime, enjoy this adorable video of one of our lambs chasing the geese. Yes, the lamb is new; and yes, an introduction is due.<br />
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<br />Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-24803374036179231782012-03-02T05:30:00.000-05:002012-03-02T05:30:01.127-05:00Barn Awning We're always looking for more ways to make our animals more comfortable. All of the renovations we've been working on recently have had that end goal in mind. One great feature about our barn is that the entire south facing side is completely open to the outside. This is ideal in the summer and really allows the air to flow freely through the barn helping keep down mold and mildew, as well as keep our animals cool. However, in inclement weather the open face of the barn can prove more of a problem. We set out to devise a plan to help keep water, snow, and cold out of the barn during rainy and/or wintery weather.<br />
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Here's what we came up with!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRW_nSYNNBdmEf9g-qLayZ5OqO7eel4IJC-olAqMRkiG_AA6UvbfX_hRsi0IVOUqFWOW9cbNSXwakeYwBmJtOZljJ7Uvm8JZPKkifSvAt263vTQbNcrWexH_GcPjw8ViDLe25jJJexCnU/s1600/IMG_1001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZRW_nSYNNBdmEf9g-qLayZ5OqO7eel4IJC-olAqMRkiG_AA6UvbfX_hRsi0IVOUqFWOW9cbNSXwakeYwBmJtOZljJ7Uvm8JZPKkifSvAt263vTQbNcrWexH_GcPjw8ViDLe25jJJexCnU/s400/IMG_1001.JPG" width="400" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA4QFVszvMGPrPXIGEhrG0HEsHxxUHMYumH-YDpTntnWTzobMNdutvFBAI1kFToHrDnZ0Jmza2sE93fj7ASDjGSGu03_Hl7KuFqdECa4Ty1Y3EiyWkEojC_NKp2UK4yIOZ3Hp7Yr4QBOq/s1600/IMG_1301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAA4QFVszvMGPrPXIGEhrG0HEsHxxUHMYumH-YDpTntnWTzobMNdutvFBAI1kFToHrDnZ0Jmza2sE93fj7ASDjGSGu03_Hl7KuFqdECa4Ty1Y3EiyWkEojC_NKp2UK4yIOZ3Hp7Yr4QBOq/s400/IMG_1301.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Healthy goats and sheep can handle the cold very well, however it's the wind that can cause the most harm to an animal trying to stay nestled for warmth. The tarpaulin is the perfect (and inexpensive) solution. Not only does it keep the wind from whipping through and chilling the livestock to the bone, but it keeps horizontal rain and snow drifts out as well. It was important to make sure the outside wall design was modular so we didn't lose the best aspect of the barn in the warmer months, but durable enough to withstand the mountain winters. A simple pulley system allows the tarps to be rolled up, essentially turning them into huge blinds. We're pleased with the design and the barn stays much warmer now even on the coldest of nights. The water containers are frozen less frequently than before. Feel free to click on the above pictures for a more detailed look at the tarp and pulleys!Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-16664695403467836432012-02-29T14:01:00.002-05:002012-02-29T14:01:41.000-05:00HAPPY LEAP DAY!! Happy leap day from CPE!! We can't wait to see the changes from now until February 29, 2016!! Thanks for following our progress, and remember your input is always welcomed and valued!<br />
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Cheers to four more years!Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-25401931105279348152012-02-29T05:15:00.000-05:002012-02-29T13:26:29.601-05:00Coop Swap!!We've recently swapped coops! Here is what our old chicken coop looked like, we used five gallon buckets as the laying nests for convenience and ease of cleaning. The chickens seemed to like them too!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyVpm_iAacvCFL-Kw3N_7SvKYTlLLL1lN2HLpDy0gWPQ4ZDI7slew7avNRW41YJCG122zx00DgEM7etrVcYy4ViyyGcGTZ4GgUmAkXVBZlYlmzIZYApVnU3DvB106TJHv325TIJPU44M7/s1600/DSCN4113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVyVpm_iAacvCFL-Kw3N_7SvKYTlLLL1lN2HLpDy0gWPQ4ZDI7slew7avNRW41YJCG122zx00DgEM7etrVcYy4ViyyGcGTZ4GgUmAkXVBZlYlmzIZYApVnU3DvB106TJHv325TIJPU44M7/s320/DSCN4113.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see the wall on the back of the coop was painted by Martha, trying to use up some old house paints. I think that the chickens enjoyed the murals, maybe we can do it again in the new space this spring!</td></tr>
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However, our flock has grown and we are anticipating it continuing to grow during this summer. So, we've re-worked our horse stalls as part of the overall barn remodel to
become the new coop for our laying hens, turkeys, and guinea hen. You can see the direct access that the birds have outside through the small doors in the barn wall. We close these up every night to keep them safe from outside predators.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OVfMc2aCgLEta-Wv2Aan5nWaftyrQIYr8pYjux7G6YAVuEAJN68oLuCiug4bW_9zz0eNqUUpRcaM2ZK50h5yj8Nj_BKnu-Awl7fJK7EZKVH4RqcYcpyH33vszN-PhAyjH1mYthIpUcL_/s1600/DSCN4111.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7OVfMc2aCgLEta-Wv2Aan5nWaftyrQIYr8pYjux7G6YAVuEAJN68oLuCiug4bW_9zz0eNqUUpRcaM2ZK50h5yj8Nj_BKnu-Awl7fJK7EZKVH4RqcYcpyH33vszN-PhAyjH1mYthIpUcL_/s320/DSCN4111.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">You can see some different nesting boxes on the walls in this picture. We still used the five gallon buckets for other nesting boxes and those are located along the opposite wall to these boxes.</td></tr>
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The new coop is four times the size of the old one which really gives the birds some more room to move around. We tried to make the transition between coops as low stress as possible, but unfortunately right after the initial swap, our egg production dropped down to a mere
few eggs a day. We were worried about this drop and started trying to figure out how to increase the egg production in other ways. Luckily all that the chickens seemed to need was time. After having two or three weeks to become
accustomed to the new space, the eggs are booming! We get about two and a half to three dozen fresh eggs a day!<br />
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Here are the chickens enjoying their new space!</div>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-10806654721588320922012-02-27T05:41:00.000-05:002012-02-28T17:43:07.949-05:00Barn Remodel We've been busy in 2012! It's only February and there has already been SO MANY things added to our to-do list, gotten underway, already completed, or soon to become project numero uno. One top priority was the barn. It was in desperate need of a good organizing and ultimately a remodel to best suit our and the animal's needs. Unfortunately, I did not have the forethought to take some "before" pictures prior to picking up the hammer and having at it, so enjoy only the "after" shots.<br />
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Moving in the direction of having goats and sheep as our primary herd animals, it was necessary to build pens for them. We also don't want to only accommodate the animals we have currently, but allow for expansion and have a place to put little ones, interim goats b/w the time they are born and the time they find a new home, and any other animals we may need a place for. Accommodating the animal's needs is one thing, but we also need the barn to suit our needs for storage, influx of livestock, ease of feeding and watering, and ultimately easier upkeep and ability to keep the barn clean. We decided to go with a lane design for the barn. Essentially this just means that an aisle is set right down the middle of the barn with animal pens on each side. This way when it's time to clean, we can muck everything into the center lane and then scrape it all out at once as opposed to having to hand shovel and wheel barrow every last bit of manure and used bedding. Our barn was already set up perfectly for this design since it has two big bay doors that open on the west facing side.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_YF4JcCLSWkzBCI4hD8dluYF4abetScUkog9D-zhdVBJk3dl2YbQeFjCSB1_BbuCy1jGoU2InwVLxNCmbAdIVfpaaHchUVGw_c7NPaWvORBfSmoElTATvPOdcoksTsB7PU4tCC8DYWQ8/s1600/DSCN4100.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEia_YF4JcCLSWkzBCI4hD8dluYF4abetScUkog9D-zhdVBJk3dl2YbQeFjCSB1_BbuCy1jGoU2InwVLxNCmbAdIVfpaaHchUVGw_c7NPaWvORBfSmoElTATvPOdcoksTsB7PU4tCC8DYWQ8/s400/DSCN4100.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here you can see the lane that goes straight back to the sliding bay doors.<br />
Each pen has two doors into the lane. Each door can be opened into the lane<br />
and secured to create one large pen from the front to the back of the barn<br />
allowing for even more flexibility in the use of the barn! </td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3YajCvT_Od10584BuoYBXBW5FOAHC_UBTooEpXASqDJKs7Cr81UL3HOAt-8KM30gWnZemg2EKaeDeQXHYuJJsIWT4kbnqkcwvvpn5hhPDzZiziUdjpUNFCCO8EzNew9kzXflKcw7MZB0/s1600/DSCN4102.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjm3YajCvT_Od10584BuoYBXBW5FOAHC_UBTooEpXASqDJKs7Cr81UL3HOAt-8KM30gWnZemg2EKaeDeQXHYuJJsIWT4kbnqkcwvvpn5hhPDzZiziUdjpUNFCCO8EzNew9kzXflKcw7MZB0/s400/DSCN4102.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Eglantine and Rosie happy in their own pens!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjYL24YJEy6Yq2dDpFY9Bws6e10Q5u-aB4J6Y-nZga7wUY7AqXq7oV-T9PqZDP2v_Vhzcy-aOmgN_7ABPl2sb2VnszrU5j18hOViOf35lczrmSECejojjdsT30aqTA81rC6BPyhZihI6V/s1600/DSCN4101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtjYL24YJEy6Yq2dDpFY9Bws6e10Q5u-aB4J6Y-nZga7wUY7AqXq7oV-T9PqZDP2v_Vhzcy-aOmgN_7ABPl2sb2VnszrU5j18hOViOf35lczrmSECejojjdsT30aqTA81rC6BPyhZihI6V/s400/DSCN4101.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the milking pen, which also doubles as our birthing pen<br />
since it has better lighting mounted directly over head.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmCHzA6CGFe9O28NCRtxExmaomzGQVmMmSpX-OMNdVM-V-GcLWLcXKHI0DpYf5kC8cridIn3kfkRuOvChud5XgYSDDzdTj0PJwSka9JlOVizio6craf3qd69lJtEXzZxJ9JpfxpdhjS7M/s1600/DSCN4103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPmCHzA6CGFe9O28NCRtxExmaomzGQVmMmSpX-OMNdVM-V-GcLWLcXKHI0DpYf5kC8cridIn3kfkRuOvChud5XgYSDDzdTj0PJwSka9JlOVizio6craf3qd69lJtEXzZxJ9JpfxpdhjS7M/s400/DSCN4103.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Two additional pens on the backside of the barn.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DsBUfUjPdx0QV7qmOulJIkT8XV60_v4DtoJQ3I8jMFChuwASmEkPkuzCREdaJC1Zc3eJAUIsqU8PRfJyYXLr90eQXtwRAyFWXrXG1o4-ohEd0YX5jI8VDzS86Fy-fDkh6rjGHAYNHObg/s1600/DSCN4105.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9DsBUfUjPdx0QV7qmOulJIkT8XV60_v4DtoJQ3I8jMFChuwASmEkPkuzCREdaJC1Zc3eJAUIsqU8PRfJyYXLr90eQXtwRAyFWXrXG1o4-ohEd0YX5jI8VDzS86Fy-fDkh6rjGHAYNHObg/s400/DSCN4105.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are the two bays used for tractor implement storage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZUa3Ww1JC0Vy6HQcyd5Ys0Ol5IVTTVykBTETQx0_OLieaIvIn-_C5VmWsig9Tt9utwd96OI2cY-T0A1dZm9FHe2Knfs_XUKj8Mvc-FgJPxEfhxgEKPBD4UmKNlbuNKkrWmIxLK0M_J_3/s1600/DSCN4106.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXZUa3Ww1JC0Vy6HQcyd5Ys0Ol5IVTTVykBTETQx0_OLieaIvIn-_C5VmWsig9Tt9utwd96OI2cY-T0A1dZm9FHe2Knfs_XUKj8Mvc-FgJPxEfhxgEKPBD4UmKNlbuNKkrWmIxLK0M_J_3/s400/DSCN4106.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here are two bays being used for hay storage.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1-53m7-uAgl4uDYnKr9nrOgS8mSnDxp2-TD0nsLIYCTM80yKC9YSjocP3IJn228iCGDUYK6zg7xmzUa4DpMC4i7PSBOWpjtquX9wLihKtwRshseQk1cdOcmYMyjqlC8P8tPi4JTipJx7/s1600/DSCN4104.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie1-53m7-uAgl4uDYnKr9nrOgS8mSnDxp2-TD0nsLIYCTM80yKC9YSjocP3IJn228iCGDUYK6zg7xmzUa4DpMC4i7PSBOWpjtquX9wLihKtwRshseQk1cdOcmYMyjqlC8P8tPi4JTipJx7/s400/DSCN4104.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A look down the lane from the opposite side of the barn.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qCH6OHCaH7M6MFoQYwuZbbLR1IDuD4oWM5Y1ric6RgjklTdTASMc5gBTw4kVzwHkGXdXDFU2R0PFT_Xt7xkk2tmxyp-1Q3J_mXALpCYv4A7RHIFvPRnSkVQ2b9ype3Kg9UOlFvfBh8hf/s1600/DSCN4112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_qCH6OHCaH7M6MFoQYwuZbbLR1IDuD4oWM5Y1ric6RgjklTdTASMc5gBTw4kVzwHkGXdXDFU2R0PFT_Xt7xkk2tmxyp-1Q3J_mXALpCYv4A7RHIFvPRnSkVQ2b9ype3Kg9UOlFvfBh8hf/s400/DSCN4112.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We've added gravel to the backside of the barn. Soon this whole area will have a roof<br />
over it for the dual purpose of covering our processing area, and allowing for storing<br />
our tractor out of the elements. For the time being we store the tractor in the<br />
barn by the hay storage.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-51181775555768895692012-01-30T05:58:00.000-05:002012-01-30T05:58:00.175-05:00The Boys Are Back In Town<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoPKdMWzuXr85MjjZG5k1FlhOheoWvtiPBhGzp5FZHIlWnTVSstlQVHnQGif-atY0bpKDKaf-bmruR7YFbsnMMsQxHbBh0jQ_Kl_HZjj6dG4LtGEN93tEqcv04-HeUtO5VQJGoIrqAf7II/s1600/DSCN3847.JPG"></a><br />
Our three boys have been busy! Last fall we let The Damon out with Eglantine and Rosie to see if he couldn't do his duty as the herd sire. Turns out, he accomplished the task!<br />
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We're proud to announce that Eglantine and Rosie are both pregnant with TWINS!!</div>
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We didn't have The Damon breed with Kikki or Eva. Kikki was still weening Eva at the time, and Eva is much too young to have kids. Even though she is physically able to have kids, there are a lot of complications associated with a tiny goat getting pregnant. So to be on the safe side, we kept Kikki and Eva inside on the big day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNMvW9DSEWr-IP5Plfz3asBNLHmElnTSPfJstBF3jJddTa7lTOewRq1U1WTwe1PwbpOd6FQJIsMDKZVUjh1MQ-G1elsACp6za7q9KeOKUeK3z7eajd7lxCHLqelgq9VI6-XiJIhaUTL_r/s1600/DSCN3810.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrNMvW9DSEWr-IP5Plfz3asBNLHmElnTSPfJstBF3jJddTa7lTOewRq1U1WTwe1PwbpOd6FQJIsMDKZVUjh1MQ-G1elsACp6za7q9KeOKUeK3z7eajd7lxCHLqelgq9VI6-XiJIhaUTL_r/s400/DSCN3810.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Damon: proud soon-to-be daddy goat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sammy: excited to have more (hopefully) does around.</td></tr>
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The jury is still out on whether or not Star has been living up to his potential. The only things we've seen him mount are the Gator (a six wheeled farm utility vehicle), and the walk behind mower. We're hoping he's just very secretive about the deed and isn't really into mechanical objects only. Time will tell! Soon we will give a call to the vet to have some ultrasounds taken.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starlight</td></tr>
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<br />Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-51221181855976644312012-01-27T06:20:00.000-05:002012-01-27T08:31:00.669-05:00Starlight<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3Auu_UL2waV6NpHmr8BNTJK_6X0YX5m5nqisoMEm91-r3buLImRgzxk_p3X3WwEPR041X6-xM-6FHRJvxP25hygnu3Ud-UNSWCqw5W-CUQzPWZ1PGywFPBgMWHw7NhSrTrw6y6oeFqsUQ/s1600/DSCN3856.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6K4R_ydWrFrmN9lSc8GLVpsFcn1FYPq16g_iMNjE9gOagQwerLwD3HNwt6CTfoxdi465gHdvmRrOsUxc8JPLh9iZFEDGbs1gfIKBXafgbpk6bR5gNro9oS238NKN9o1ENoh2wufVhpVX6/s1600/DSCN3856.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6K4R_ydWrFrmN9lSc8GLVpsFcn1FYPq16g_iMNjE9gOagQwerLwD3HNwt6CTfoxdi465gHdvmRrOsUxc8JPLh9iZFEDGbs1gfIKBXafgbpk6bR5gNro9oS238NKN9o1ENoh2wufVhpVX6/s400/DSCN3856.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br />
<div style="font-family: inherit;">
<span style="font-size: small;"> For the passed several months, we have been graced with the presence of Starlight! Star (for short) is a beautiful</span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;"> championship pedigreed
Lincoln Longwool English Ram decsending from </span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">5 generations of champions</span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">. He was about 8 months old when he arrived to our farm all the way from Ithaca,
NY. Our friend Malou Stark purchased Starlight </span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">at the Maryland Fiber Festival in May and they immediately bonded. After purchase, Malou</span><span style="color: black; font-size: small;">
drove to NY to pick him up farther upstate along the Canadian border
in a small town called Brennan where he was brown. We've brought Star to
our flock to breed with our ewes! If all goes well, we will be
expecting lambs in the spring! </span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Starlight's only visiting our farm for a short time, so if you haven't had a chance to meet him yet, come on up for a visit! I know you'll find him to be the most pleasant ram you've ever met.</span></span></div>Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-19895563700707860212012-01-16T10:55:00.000-05:002012-01-26T20:47:34.788-05:00It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year: Part I<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Christmas at Cair Paravel is celebrated with the gathering of family, incredible food, and huge trees. Every year for the passed who-knows-how-many Christmases the Ledford family Christmas tree has gotten bigger and bigger. This year was no exception. We decided to support a local business, so Whitt, Martha, Maddie, Mia, our good friend and farm-helper-extraordinaire Max, and I headed to <a href="http://www.virginiachristmastrees.org/farms/sprucerock/index.html">Spruce Rock Farm Inc.</a> in Madison, Va just north of Stanardsville. There we had a great selection of trees ranging all sizes. Tim, the owner of the farm, was more than helpful and gave us the grand tour of the tree selection, and pricing.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-bPkLO-UBt63uRPdSUf7dmgCmDcPKQOCreAJ659mrUGlrxTazLBfGFXnmfa6jK9vNQYqZBSOx5Sn2hmA8ocoYfJ6j-Nl5EjZUTJswJS9CXZWu1FeBW04jFKscQpg0B-KSxmyV1jho6Pj/s1600/IMG_0717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb-bPkLO-UBt63uRPdSUf7dmgCmDcPKQOCreAJ659mrUGlrxTazLBfGFXnmfa6jK9vNQYqZBSOx5Sn2hmA8ocoYfJ6j-Nl5EjZUTJswJS9CXZWu1FeBW04jFKscQpg0B-KSxmyV1jho6Pj/s400/IMG_0717.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mia ready to tree hunt!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iMNgsLO1KS96IqIC8LCttb-MsVv5G0tBVb31HKSPiIBVnQBtjKTnfnh0qYbDwqDtyLYgZVyWJyt_qM_jIE5wrS6u7tE-J9Kj6gqiKTu41FR2NZhSGIz8uA4jOckxRlvUoXyeK16-WNrF/s1600/IMG_0718.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9iMNgsLO1KS96IqIC8LCttb-MsVv5G0tBVb31HKSPiIBVnQBtjKTnfnh0qYbDwqDtyLYgZVyWJyt_qM_jIE5wrS6u7tE-J9Kj6gqiKTu41FR2NZhSGIz8uA4jOckxRlvUoXyeK16-WNrF/s400/IMG_0718.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Max enjoying some hot cider as he waits for the search to begin!</td></tr>
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After looking through the selection (and a lot of convincing) Maddie chose the biggest tree available for the Ledford family tree: a nineteen foot monster of a douglas fir. Mia and I were excited to choose our second tree together as a married couple, and our first tree living up on the farm. We don't have quite as much space for a tree as Whitt and Martha do in the main house, so we settled on a measly little eleven foot tall tree.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvQAz-_7tAwM4TIm7EUqwXjLAYnUR6JTVu13PeqCVUc8eJKu97EodUllYRjZmZTq708QcYF69jbXdPLGN2Dnqin1bC6EVRle6Rii9GaxFoX4H3xymUH4SXQDEoGD9qXwUZx9e8sbtZxo5/s1600/IMG_0722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXvQAz-_7tAwM4TIm7EUqwXjLAYnUR6JTVu13PeqCVUc8eJKu97EodUllYRjZmZTq708QcYF69jbXdPLGN2Dnqin1bC6EVRle6Rii9GaxFoX4H3xymUH4SXQDEoGD9qXwUZx9e8sbtZxo5/s400/IMG_0722.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitt standing in front of the chosen tree!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9s8HLQKWhy0mwVaZhi0CanTBZ9x5-jLo0RrwI2upnYKJE2TkHGboSV4UALsPSwrNpLzR_AvOrSALrdJKXIGMEdl2LSb3GFK8VMlUhDH6AkdbtTvRPn9vwflsaFdroU4ftFbUw_L0u9R_j/s1600/IMG_0720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9s8HLQKWhy0mwVaZhi0CanTBZ9x5-jLo0RrwI2upnYKJE2TkHGboSV4UALsPSwrNpLzR_AvOrSALrdJKXIGMEdl2LSb3GFK8VMlUhDH6AkdbtTvRPn9vwflsaFdroU4ftFbUw_L0u9R_j/s400/IMG_0720.JPG" width="297" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mia and my choice!</td></tr>
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Out with the chainsaws and our selected trees came tumbling down. Usually yelling "timber" is a bit unnecessary when it comes to Christmas trees, but these two were the exception. The video below is Mia and my tree being cut down.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxIXwUKBCh8LNRxj_EZY0DhCzknn8drmUsOsSjWgN0LNvZ4ChOdd0enr0y9ZoXXsgn9sTdB_Cr853Pp3QGqsg' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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With the trees felled all we had to do was load them up and off we were for home! Fortunately Tim let Whitt drive the truck to the tree as opposed to having to carry the tree all the way back up to the parking area. With the help of the farm owner, we were able to carry the smaller tree over to be loaded onto our car.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The tree all loaded up.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO5_le2rEsAS4s7-spWq2HZpGcTHhUs9zhu8-JvZzmf-bvd8oQhXerlXkGNXlMCOuK1S0439iCdzrBDHpq0aJrBvZgY0CWybPBHVAKMqHr6FV5cD-baoCFM6k8XOX_WK-1kD9HICWQHcR/s1600/IMG_0731.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwO5_le2rEsAS4s7-spWq2HZpGcTHhUs9zhu8-JvZzmf-bvd8oQhXerlXkGNXlMCOuK1S0439iCdzrBDHpq0aJrBvZgY0CWybPBHVAKMqHr6FV5cD-baoCFM6k8XOX_WK-1kD9HICWQHcR/s400/IMG_0731.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Maddie, Max, and Mia showing off the great feat!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsYOAZM1qeb_QysmmaIeCJdOlThzwun2UmKqodSy64qBWhyphenhyphenowLD5kAXrcVR9uiX0o4e68oEpLDXfma7SBXfLsA4qnQvvg6EeIndaIpT__IYLkP_Hz-c65sDHj2maIpVgy70aCGmV-qUWQ/s1600/IMG_0726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDsYOAZM1qeb_QysmmaIeCJdOlThzwun2UmKqodSy64qBWhyphenhyphenowLD5kAXrcVR9uiX0o4e68oEpLDXfma7SBXfLsA4qnQvvg6EeIndaIpT__IYLkP_Hz-c65sDHj2maIpVgy70aCGmV-qUWQ/s400/IMG_0726.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTYEw62CkM9ZzXX8Mj2PkiZz6Xs11QiJMmOnw7RfYMWPzCMhGGNfaG1hNk1ln-rhEaz0-IMgbFyI-UY65-N8UJi2qpax36Aa0WAsTThFzzs0ZU8PHB11lG5zbzHyIiYfodTdLryCUIAV6/s1600/IMG_0732.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTYEw62CkM9ZzXX8Mj2PkiZz6Xs11QiJMmOnw7RfYMWPzCMhGGNfaG1hNk1ln-rhEaz0-IMgbFyI-UY65-N8UJi2qpax36Aa0WAsTThFzzs0ZU8PHB11lG5zbzHyIiYfodTdLryCUIAV6/s400/IMG_0732.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mia and I before the journey home.</td></tr>
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Next Christmas keep Spruce Rock Farm in mind! Their prices cannot be beat!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Tim & Doris Williams </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.virginiachristmastrees.org/farms/sprucerock/index.html">Spruce Rock Farm Inc.</a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
P.O. Box 789</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
Madison, Va 22727</div>
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<br />Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-39264626051504899512012-01-12T11:56:00.000-05:002012-01-26T20:48:04.529-05:00Happy New Year! Happy New Year from Cair Paravel! We're looking forward to 2012 and all it has to offer! Just in the passed week and a half our planning for the year has shown this year to be a busy one. With the new year come some fun changes to our blog to help it and us become more interactive with you the reader. A new "tab" feature has been added to the top of the blog to act as a handbook for the farm. It's our hope that these tabs will help to make our blog a hub for all things Cair Paravel so that our day-to-day activities, BnB availability and reservations, food we make, animals we tend, even the current weather conditions and forecasts for the farm are all a click away from our blog home page.<br />
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At the top of the screen just below our title picture and e-mail subscription bar, you'll see tabs across your screen. Click on any of these tabs and it will take you there! More and more tabs will be added in the next few weeks so feel free to explore! What better way to keep up with the farm then adding our blog as your home screen? These tabs will help our blog be a more useful tool. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Thank you for all the support in making 2011 a great year! <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;">
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<br />Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-90987552889958123012011-12-14T06:30:00.000-05:002011-12-14T06:30:02.583-05:00Thanksgiving: In Review! Thanksgiving this year was a fun-packed weekend-long undertaking filled with incredible food, awesome friends and family, warm fires, and merriment. Whitt and Martha had the usual suspects up for Thanksgiving dinner aside from Grethcen and Austin. Unfortunately they were unable to make it up from Asheville, NC.<br />
The meal consisted of three (yes, three!) of our turkeys prepared in different ways. Two birds had been brined by Mia and Martha prior to cooking: one in a water and salt mixture, the other in a mixture of water, milk, salt, and various spices. The third was relatively untouched prior to cooking. The idea behind brining is that the salt and liquid mixture will coat the skin and form a protective coating that holds in the moisture of the bird while being cooked with minimum basting required. The two brined birds were grilled while the third was cooked as normal in the oven. Howard and Whitt spear-headed the grilling of the turkeys.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlujv58ENtmvh_-UmsBk6W2RIFz-YDs1x7bK-960Ac09r6EjVRnThY8InoCfJl_BXODT-3SADx-ph7YJE6Myk7sEMgmIztNAWsYIQr-eZCgdVbKO5pMHwNtdw5gFSP71RPnRg_tWyXrzmB/s1600/DSCN3897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlujv58ENtmvh_-UmsBk6W2RIFz-YDs1x7bK-960Ac09r6EjVRnThY8InoCfJl_BXODT-3SADx-ph7YJE6Myk7sEMgmIztNAWsYIQr-eZCgdVbKO5pMHwNtdw5gFSP71RPnRg_tWyXrzmB/s400/DSCN3897.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfhZow-65lsdJeg2_Zmrjmwg2q7x9ytjE4BR34551RQANmKR3fbE4-ykR_V-Fuv7mXVnp9P2H1kn3BdjJYaadAhCNislo29uzjQRXxKUZhD0YSi3MmwBGprhyFvwmhs9aI7HSsALz2st4/s1600/DSCN3898.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAfhZow-65lsdJeg2_Zmrjmwg2q7x9ytjE4BR34551RQANmKR3fbE4-ykR_V-Fuv7mXVnp9P2H1kn3BdjJYaadAhCNislo29uzjQRXxKUZhD0YSi3MmwBGprhyFvwmhs9aI7HSsALz2st4/s400/DSCN3898.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Howard sprinkling on some magic.</td></tr>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvVjpDaw2HHS8zlO7SuUXO2NLLvyUXN0DYuF9BGzrkt9JsBR3grPhL-TdcXx3tqmSTbsvnnMWfDMIE5HayxFh7mX81D1iEs3EKmdFc9Hki0N0LxwG9UegKsmtb9OjE3XD2jPBGuiCvU_d/s1600/DSCN3899.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvVjpDaw2HHS8zlO7SuUXO2NLLvyUXN0DYuF9BGzrkt9JsBR3grPhL-TdcXx3tqmSTbsvnnMWfDMIE5HayxFh7mX81D1iEs3EKmdFc9Hki0N0LxwG9UegKsmtb9OjE3XD2jPBGuiCvU_d/s400/DSCN3899.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A couple swipes of goodness...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And viola!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDIzjH-gxKb-wzhcbOEAs0y9BQsxbzY2hMxE-QM2MWDRJmzeyVW6_-GEURD3jv_X44aOdiyiCirnuaZmh5hE4tlyPnMY_r0cA3cc8PHerKocxm0Ms7aARJd0-O6PUwHBP1i-_3Qje_4Fn/s1600/DSCN3902.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDIzjH-gxKb-wzhcbOEAs0y9BQsxbzY2hMxE-QM2MWDRJmzeyVW6_-GEURD3jv_X44aOdiyiCirnuaZmh5hE4tlyPnMY_r0cA3cc8PHerKocxm0Ms7aARJd0-O6PUwHBP1i-_3Qje_4Fn/s400/DSCN3902.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitt and Howard talking about the boring view.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMj7cGvcHfS0M7XjrndK29nI1TXZHhfBZlHvWbdMsbfRRUZe0jzt4DOwJTOPFXx6YZiLr3tp2BhYxVLaOb_fRTTE7A2V9CRFhqVIGkYzEMqPdT-9G_QV8oqlBqPNTmV2lCGP5FVWGzIp-/s1600/DSCN3904.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuMj7cGvcHfS0M7XjrndK29nI1TXZHhfBZlHvWbdMsbfRRUZe0jzt4DOwJTOPFXx6YZiLr3tp2BhYxVLaOb_fRTTE7A2V9CRFhqVIGkYzEMqPdT-9G_QV8oqlBqPNTmV2lCGP5FVWGzIp-/s400/DSCN3904.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In goes the bird!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrdnDv0qwcsIdOiegyZKf4be-aE6n26EAoWTKrVR10-B7aSSlIuC8WrsDtFqvnKn4kfFYDPO_grOEtjIvC_Ufe6WwtWdEbbYWAUtojhjeIBLa0JmikqTwMns1PeWzo4eE_MhLMZEDeSLZ/s1600/DSCN3905.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKrdnDv0qwcsIdOiegyZKf4be-aE6n26EAoWTKrVR10-B7aSSlIuC8WrsDtFqvnKn4kfFYDPO_grOEtjIvC_Ufe6WwtWdEbbYWAUtojhjeIBLa0JmikqTwMns1PeWzo4eE_MhLMZEDeSLZ/s400/DSCN3905.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Annie doing one last nose check before the lid is closed to make sure it smells good.</td></tr>
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According to all present, every bird was unbelievable, but the grilled birds where exceptionally good. Of course the birds were merely the center piece to the meal. All of the sides and desserts were also, as normal, incredible.<br />
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</tbody></table>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-69383507918977173152011-12-12T11:02:00.000-05:002011-12-12T11:03:04.236-05:00This Is Ground Control to Major Tom<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxu4B8ARNlyOZ0jQagx2PKsZnHSI91ZrH9OCWayDEMbus-tTbHM19bN_hi6feA_D-2MIiqO9PXFU53_WjNqM_UC21cHQJiIPJS2PICdCd5F1_NX2X7zwR1_-cM2km8PUzRkFd_Bh7BFuY/s1600/DSCN3749.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKxu4B8ARNlyOZ0jQagx2PKsZnHSI91ZrH9OCWayDEMbus-tTbHM19bN_hi6feA_D-2MIiqO9PXFU53_WjNqM_UC21cHQJiIPJS2PICdCd5F1_NX2X7zwR1_-cM2km8PUzRkFd_Bh7BFuY/s400/DSCN3749.jpg" width="400" /></a>Hello blog followers!<br />
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As many of you may have expected, the holidays on top of our regular work schedule have been swallowing us whole. Thanksgiving is always a blast at the farm because not only do we celebrate on Thursday, but we also have Thanksgiving Pt. II! The barn was in dire need of a re-vamping with the influx of animals in need of storage. I'm glad to say we have finished most of that project up. We've been able to get Christmas trees, decorate for the season, throw a holiday party, host lot's of visitors, AND rent a ram to breed our ewes. Needless to say, the blog will not be neglected for the next few weeks.<br />
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There's so much to tell you about! Stay tuned!<br />
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-Brendan and the whole Cair Paravel Family!Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-18127840782229079792011-12-09T06:17:00.000-05:002011-12-12T17:55:24.480-05:00Hunting As most of you may know, it is hunting season here in Virginia. For you hunters, it's the season for waking up early, stocking the truck with bullets and beer, and sitting in a tree for hours and hours on end. For us non-hunters in the middle of the action, the season consists of our loveable dogs bringing back all the pieces the hunters didn't want one disgusting piece at a time, and constantly being worried someone is going to shoot them. So, we have come up with an attempt at a practical, yet fashionable, way to help prevent buck shot from finding our dogs.<br />
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Here we have Tsuki modeling a dog safety vest complete with a handy pocket for treats or anything else she wants to put in there. Actual dog vests run a surprising amount of money, so I just ended up making these with 97¢ human vests and a 47¢ spool of thread. Hurray for safety!<br />
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<br />Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-36369579922500165282011-11-21T06:30:00.000-05:002011-11-22T08:44:41.186-05:00Get Your Turkey!<span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: x-large;"> Thanksgiving is on Thursday! If you don't know where your turkey is coming from, we have the solution!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <span style="font-size: large;"> <span style="font-size: small;">We still have a limited quantity of birds left that have not been reserved for the big day. All of our birds are heritage breed, grass fed, organic Bourbon, Narragansett, and Palm turkeys. Turkeys were processed on Sunday (11/20) and are sold un-frozen. It's as fresh as they come! </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;"> $5.50/lb --- weights vary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> If you're in need of a last minute turkey, e-mail Cair Paravel at</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"> <b>CPARAVEL@GMAIL.COM </b>with "TURKEY" in the subject line.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: small;">Remember to buy local and support small businesses this holiday season! </span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-78988072660730168722011-11-18T06:48:00.000-05:002011-11-18T06:48:00.450-05:00Broken Bones<br />
A few weeks ago Maddie broke her ankle. She has since had surgery to repair the break and is on a quick path to recovery. Keep her in your thoughts and wish her well! I'm sure she's thrilled I posted this picture of her pre-surgery (and hyped up on pain meds) on the internet. <br />
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<br />Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-75837231288881466502011-11-16T05:49:00.000-05:002011-11-16T10:46:16.182-05:00Pumpkin Carving!<div style="text-align: right;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPB7xA6Tsjhb8aTbit0wEaAWH70_sdGITIUGEBEFuiiWeVOHSzyv9enlbSqqum4eTRLFk6OJjBqq6j7NBLCapKgbbbV4ofl1_wGwH2sadvnTMNIk6tNe4MlpZuJeAsQdAbru5TU_F1wBE/s1600/IMG_0387.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYPB7xA6Tsjhb8aTbit0wEaAWH70_sdGITIUGEBEFuiiWeVOHSzyv9enlbSqqum4eTRLFk6OJjBqq6j7NBLCapKgbbbV4ofl1_wGwH2sadvnTMNIk6tNe4MlpZuJeAsQdAbru5TU_F1wBE/s200/IMG_0387.JPG" width="149" /></a><i>Disclaimer:</i> Yes. This post is late. <i>Very</i> late.</div>
<br /> Halloween fell on a Monday this year. That meant children across America were bummed having to trick-or-treat on a school night. For us up on the farm it meant hurray! More candy for us! Actually, seeing as we don't get trick-or-treaters, there was no need for us to get candy at all... but we did carve pumpkins!<br />
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I'm horrible at carving pumpkins. I have really great ideas, however, executing them is very difficult for me. Yes, it would be rad to carve Moby Dick exploding out of the sea with a ship between his jaws, but I can't draw it on paper let alone carve it out of a pumpkin. So after beginning the most epic pumpkin carving on the planet, my pumpkin ended up looking like this:<br />
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Whitt's pumpkin didn't turn out nearly as primitive as mine. Nor did he spend two hours of cursing only to cut a huge hole out of the center of the pumpkin.<br />
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Maddie went for the abstract. I'm not sure if there was a face, or if I just took a picture of the wrong side of the pumpkin. Either way, I still really like the design!<br />
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Now Mia: she is a professional. She took pumpkin carving to the next level -- a huge long-neck squash! Ever seen those big dragons used in parades and festivals? You know, the ones with forty people wearing the same dragon costume and dancing down the street? Well, that is what Mia turned her squash into. Check it out!<br />
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Mia hard at work!</div>
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The finished product!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uOytsxJsm_GU95_mbzcSCgJjijrvDuUzFT73nSDQRWLY9_x2vC356HPPYe1ItoOjBgd3d2GacA9M-ZzNircyJuVdWqVGQbI6AFPwx24qEFTfHmarAulS7gfOeNiNH7ttigzq5MiXlPvr/s1600/IMG_0398.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8uOytsxJsm_GU95_mbzcSCgJjijrvDuUzFT73nSDQRWLY9_x2vC356HPPYe1ItoOjBgd3d2GacA9M-ZzNircyJuVdWqVGQbI6AFPwx24qEFTfHmarAulS7gfOeNiNH7ttigzq5MiXlPvr/s640/IMG_0398.JPG" width="476" /></a></div>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-3072887516277475782011-11-14T11:04:00.000-05:002011-11-16T11:10:33.561-05:00Follow Us!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66jlzROgBhyFCFCyK6yiYI8qsGbnfvHy44iNSKTKsicFW59Ihaq-4wUpWaBvpK6jOkTVXhOhMhEHWa4psJjyUHVnthVtJ4fIoBXJs0sEmb9Q7vsihRZbr_1kkB-F8YSLzZnSIC_o_K8jM/s1600/Twitter-Logo-300x293.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="195" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj66jlzROgBhyFCFCyK6yiYI8qsGbnfvHy44iNSKTKsicFW59Ihaq-4wUpWaBvpK6jOkTVXhOhMhEHWa4psJjyUHVnthVtJ4fIoBXJs0sEmb9Q7vsihRZbr_1kkB-F8YSLzZnSIC_o_K8jM/s200/Twitter-Logo-300x293.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Cair Paravel now has a twitter! Follow us @CairParavelFarm!<br />
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Consider it the addendum to the blog, the more day-to-day, the fun filled fact machine of the farm, the picture gateway, the...well, you get the idea. We'll also post news, available products and prices, as well as requests for help with certain projects. Become a bigger part of our farm with Twitter!<br />
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@CairParavelFarmBrendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-24071270602029703172011-11-08T12:33:00.009-05:002011-11-16T09:24:51.392-05:00Herding the Flock<span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSy68jmBEf0NAZDI2OG5uVDHlnAWqeo5d7738XPI_38cFv8243gEi5TB7QVefcoN0q_lDyL_rWH5NdE740jo313DRGp1OIqiguZMB8M9uBaVNq3Y__3iLMgCilkKWwSUs6M8DOqQhmXnMP/s1600/DSCN3813.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672685843628092994" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSy68jmBEf0NAZDI2OG5uVDHlnAWqeo5d7738XPI_38cFv8243gEi5TB7QVefcoN0q_lDyL_rWH5NdE740jo313DRGp1OIqiguZMB8M9uBaVNq3Y__3iLMgCilkKWwSUs6M8DOqQhmXnMP/s320/DSCN3813.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><br /> Down at the barn Mikey hears me call, "Sheeeep, here sheeep." He is always the first to come thinking he is going to get a treat!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITEhFmz_IQ5tfi4tnVCE3POoVdbi2fFwqXDN-tKucwau22DyH-Khc8_x81cAgBmuPsw_Q1idJCcXECQcLuN5Bvgs7LwobjH-2X8H2SCO31380Q04l6nvHZmLwHKP5ZG07cHsVNvhT2cuw/s1600/DSCN3815.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672684869684292082" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgITEhFmz_IQ5tfi4tnVCE3POoVdbi2fFwqXDN-tKucwau22DyH-Khc8_x81cAgBmuPsw_Q1idJCcXECQcLuN5Bvgs7LwobjH-2X8H2SCO31380Q04l6nvHZmLwHKP5ZG07cHsVNvhT2cuw/s320/DSCN3815.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><br /> Flora, resting in the shrubs this warm day decides to join... but maybe not...but sees Noelle ambling up with Mikey.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyM3vz1DLJo1JavlaPrq0CFztH6VxqJ_uW-y9SnTrnF3SF6FfMS8ckliJ6yY_hrYo5qLafjO9UQJgbhm2oHQNA6czfZ2covUwGUcMbDlMQFP5Bpya0rOIHo58-XsBHZ6ZmAUU-J57ih53U/s1600/DSCN3814.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672683638385151762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyM3vz1DLJo1JavlaPrq0CFztH6VxqJ_uW-y9SnTrnF3SF6FfMS8ckliJ6yY_hrYo5qLafjO9UQJgbhm2oHQNA6czfZ2covUwGUcMbDlMQFP5Bpya0rOIHo58-XsBHZ6ZmAUU-J57ih53U/s320/DSCN3814.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><br /> Noelle and Mikey realize they are going to the green pasture. The area around the barn has been nibbled to nubs so they are going out to the stockpiled fescue, red clover, and landino clover pasture. There is also browse for them along the meadow edges.<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_DZ_EtdmzBB3wIVxnIn7R6qC3YtYkmoY78MKDb_dU8812q0wGDmt_-y7K79X1JAXLOHK3qqMnBf_5Ja3C5o2T0LgDZTXW6qfnthL7c2LVtNeIJ6EXwQBFBNo0ImQmqvaRW7-vC1pDoU2/s1600/DSCN3824.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672682087809354626" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgl_DZ_EtdmzBB3wIVxnIn7R6qC3YtYkmoY78MKDb_dU8812q0wGDmt_-y7K79X1JAXLOHK3qqMnBf_5Ja3C5o2T0LgDZTXW6qfnthL7c2LVtNeIJ6EXwQBFBNo0ImQmqvaRW7-vC1pDoU2/s320/DSCN3824.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><br /><br /> Mikey, of course was the first to get into the knee deep grasses however....<br /><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bTa3oEOTGUCQ64-Z8BI585v4dRSq9VoVeDyIbbqwUn3ASmaK99aeUJxaReOJrZyR1BuMBsOx1snwzAYG3Nt_f0PV4qFDCAI4M3LmIwQ3tX-wyh1r3Od1f89xfi1GKb1wtpFJ1pM8kAvA/s1600/DSCN3825.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672681331679877794" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5bTa3oEOTGUCQ64-Z8BI585v4dRSq9VoVeDyIbbqwUn3ASmaK99aeUJxaReOJrZyR1BuMBsOx1snwzAYG3Nt_f0PV4qFDCAI4M3LmIwQ3tX-wyh1r3Od1f89xfi1GKb1wtpFJ1pM8kAvA/s320/DSCN3825.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><br />.....the rest did not lag behind! Herding this trio is not difficult. Just show them food and they will follow.<br /><br /> See how the great grazing has help the sheep produce fantastic fleece!<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqBoB-bX4ptDHRNaO-c7_dfBwb_RoAGLnBkAkLi0zvXHwjuf7dSiZ_Mn95eUkxf6S0s8vdWVQqK05WWa0IxLD0Y724FJ-d756zMIkHOFtDYVfesgkySOg17Ck35OglFlJ3N_aAbo_8NhG/s1600/DSCN3816.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672680812996269522" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEqBoB-bX4ptDHRNaO-c7_dfBwb_RoAGLnBkAkLi0zvXHwjuf7dSiZ_Mn95eUkxf6S0s8vdWVQqK05WWa0IxLD0Y724FJ-d756zMIkHOFtDYVfesgkySOg17Ck35OglFlJ3N_aAbo_8NhG/s320/DSCN3816.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"> This is Mikey's long-stapled white locks...<br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkLUXtA-MSbyoXLlW3SRBTWjPByZqTYq7Ek9iim91yIG4PGjpqu2402Rd92ePQT-RWOJT4sc8v7qpzOnYEFy0mo2Bf_ypQatExqvFP3BYNwxVAKKFRaX-eaosk-fMKCkYkHWaIuFUeEuG/s1600/DSCN3817.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672680112985072914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKkLUXtA-MSbyoXLlW3SRBTWjPByZqTYq7Ek9iim91yIG4PGjpqu2402Rd92ePQT-RWOJT4sc8v7qpzOnYEFy0mo2Bf_ypQatExqvFP3BYNwxVAKKFRaX-eaosk-fMKCkYkHWaIuFUeEuG/s320/DSCN3817.JPG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 240px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 320px;" /></a></span><span style="font-family: lucida grande; font-size: 130%;"><br />....and Noelle's creamy brown that deepens into dark chocolate.! I am looking forward to working with the wool this winter.<br /></span>Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-86850132680740669772011-11-08T10:08:00.002-05:002011-11-16T09:24:22.871-05:00Chicken ProcessingComing up this Sunday, November 13, 2011 the last 2011 chicken processing (plus a few roosters and some geese. If you want to help/learn come and join us. Set up will start at 9:00 AM.Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-51892103870385772012011-11-04T10:17:00.001-04:002011-11-08T12:32:30.165-05:00Fall Garden<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-iUBbu5TE-g6aDOU6wDHox0P6czPOF4IuLa6Pb30J7MK85Ax1b7dD7eyWf81skAkQKt9wRFcFESkM8PQt6vqn2G7JLh2I5pCrV7WtoFAwH8F9wQdSc16E3Zbhh55jRt3KE_bIOZ_E10t/s1600/DSCN3832.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-iUBbu5TE-g6aDOU6wDHox0P6czPOF4IuLa6Pb30J7MK85Ax1b7dD7eyWf81skAkQKt9wRFcFESkM8PQt6vqn2G7JLh2I5pCrV7WtoFAwH8F9wQdSc16E3Zbhh55jRt3KE_bIOZ_E10t/s320/DSCN3832.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672664310906974034" border="0" /><span style="font-family: lucida grande;">The fall garden is producing big round heads of cabbage. Looking forward to stuffed cabbage rolls!</span></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ3iNTkALI-879S5YrCEfMgGoWPA_UGuDgDN0rMHyMABUY_YgtiO7hXyWQgJt9A4cO888_MFn1YeFWsZGfU1TyHlm51x5_rvmD6p6bCY1C63vy2hZBSALwEitAv990m1cxZ9i08ohGflK/s1600/DSCN3831.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOQ3iNTkALI-879S5YrCEfMgGoWPA_UGuDgDN0rMHyMABUY_YgtiO7hXyWQgJt9A4cO888_MFn1YeFWsZGfU1TyHlm51x5_rvmD6p6bCY1C63vy2hZBSALwEitAv990m1cxZ9i08ohGflK/s320/DSCN3831.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672663663709201746" border="0" /></a>We have had roller coaster weather. Last week we were treated to 4" of heavy sloppy snow and now are basking in unseasonably warm weather. The artichokes survived under floating row covers....<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVd__ajOLYW8ySElW3UiThM_KSs2HnxOYnfge4Y2RvIzIJ3GdRgpsH3crnDg_Ej6xnd-E5_Yp__W3ZfQzw-WxCbws-Ze9kXARal1FqXG844CdyDqzzvGZncYkCeg4rh20Gydt0R6JmK28/s1600/DSCN3830.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSVd__ajOLYW8ySElW3UiThM_KSs2HnxOYnfge4Y2RvIzIJ3GdRgpsH3crnDg_Ej6xnd-E5_Yp__W3ZfQzw-WxCbws-Ze9kXARal1FqXG844CdyDqzzvGZncYkCeg4rh20Gydt0R6JmK28/s320/DSCN3830.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672663044743836562" border="0" /></a>....and the curly leafed kale as well. You can't really see from this shot but I planted parsnips between the kale and the picket fence. Hopefully we will enjoy them in February.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnhh7Wq_rJo23TvjK3uqHRl2xR7PDjThNDXSmRipwZzkRJQf3O32ztq9-1zj5AgMz7KbeQt1sBrb7KxZ_Vd0p1W52pY31ebCIkGZN8PaXMYfCpkU4to0Y2ojUJHllnSvyKcJJEgUsckzL/s1600/DSCN3827.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAnhh7Wq_rJo23TvjK3uqHRl2xR7PDjThNDXSmRipwZzkRJQf3O32ztq9-1zj5AgMz7KbeQt1sBrb7KxZ_Vd0p1W52pY31ebCIkGZN8PaXMYfCpkU4to0Y2ojUJHllnSvyKcJJEgUsckzL/s320/DSCN3827.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672657298596015442" border="0" /></a> It was an adventure putting up the poly tunnels in advance of the snow. We used pvc pipe jammed into the raised beds. The force of the hoop against the board sides of the beds provides enough support to keep the hoops in place. Then it was draping the sheets of plastic over the hoops and securing it with rocks. Fortunately we have an abundance of rocks.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno6THh_fl-eZP_k1hRSkUGQ-fQp4Ts9rW3ZvFolckIgPPJ57I2T8gVK0rfdGVG2kuAX1jC8Kh6_se9UuWcPmphu11BknQXUrIV2wux6pCa4GEOdQ3rsHH1RHgGGTOOit5KUvyYk3GEBWn/s1600/DSCN3826.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhno6THh_fl-eZP_k1hRSkUGQ-fQp4Ts9rW3ZvFolckIgPPJ57I2T8gVK0rfdGVG2kuAX1jC8Kh6_se9UuWcPmphu11BknQXUrIV2wux6pCa4GEOdQ3rsHH1RHgGGTOOit5KUvyYk3GEBWn/s320/DSCN3826.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672656055619774914" border="0" /></a> The parsley is loving the additional warmth.....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_zYTkNdDSc3ZJOIATHMdBKzxuBUHXcxEh3ftt5HYgSvG8DfVvmC-MvSl1ie1HCbuZEx0voVlnMMSFjp1eScwoar0tEVvlV7rcjnXTSCpB4zAdwGmd0dlg0AJRWeSZYNQ-srcLgtPZClW/s1600/DSCN3828.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7_zYTkNdDSc3ZJOIATHMdBKzxuBUHXcxEh3ftt5HYgSvG8DfVvmC-MvSl1ie1HCbuZEx0voVlnMMSFjp1eScwoar0tEVvlV7rcjnXTSCpB4zAdwGmd0dlg0AJRWeSZYNQ-srcLgtPZClW/s320/DSCN3828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5672652703982359762" border="0" /></a>...as well as the Swiss Chard and arugula. Lettuce, beets, carrots, fava beans and some hearty peppers are still producing as well has numerous herbs leading to experiments with herbed ricotta and ravioli. I even have one tunnel with a late tomato trying to hang on!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family:lucida grande;"><br /></span>Cair Paravelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18292521550824776695noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-38429877585876123852011-10-28T06:34:00.000-04:002011-10-27T09:35:20.144-04:00Garry the Chicken We've acquired quite a few more birds here at the farm. A rather mixed batch actually; rhode island reds, marans, cochins, more barred rocks, orpingtons. Although new to our farm, nothing out of the ordinary as far as chickens go. Except Garry.<br />
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We have <i>no</i> idea what kind of chicken he is. We actually thought he was a hen for a few months until we witnessed him crow in person. Not only is he tiny compared to our other birds, but he is the epitome of the "little man complex." He antagonizes our biggest, baddest rooster and actually wins! I honestly think it's because our top rooster is so surprised/bewildered it doesn't have time to come up with any other reaction than running away in shock. Please, if anyone has an idea of his breed, let us know!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dztj5BOzsZH2-ZJl4cCNKQl6eMebRv9BAhhYwSAPClT0OSsu-EpS1XDrZOz1nvrBqtdzsBpDVE-EiQ7inOiFQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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And now for Garry's name-sake. He is only the second chicken that we have named. The first was "Big Dude," who is in fact a big...dude. Really the only reason why we named Garry at all is because of his incredible likeness to our good friend Mara's dog Garry. The similarities in Garry the chicken's behavior to Garry the dog's were so uncanny that Mia and I came to the same conclusion while watching him one day. We literally looked at each other at the same time and said, "IT'S EXACTLY LIKE GARRY!!!!"<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIt5129DDILE6ykVKzXnxKpS3WFQsa993YDO_CXODH4rPCdcBFy9gUJFnsHLBaAwUnRwCUsU_BA4w2i1FzSGUOml_nTobtkpN3jO8ekd4RvWkbvJxR2IX4q_fb8ZiTBqvGj0yPWn9bTry/s1600/IMG_0323.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipIt5129DDILE6ykVKzXnxKpS3WFQsa993YDO_CXODH4rPCdcBFy9gUJFnsHLBaAwUnRwCUsU_BA4w2i1FzSGUOml_nTobtkpN3jO8ekd4RvWkbvJxR2IX4q_fb8ZiTBqvGj0yPWn9bTry/s400/IMG_0323.JPG" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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Here is a shot of Garry (the dog)in all his glory. We hope one day they will meet</div>
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and become best friends.</div>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-75620645227837937672011-10-21T06:18:00.000-04:002011-10-21T06:18:00.406-04:00Goat For Sale, Trade, or BarterCPE needs a new home for Samuel! Samuel is a very happy and healthy purebred Nubian buck born July 6th, 2011. He has been de-horned and will soon be ready for breeding.<br />
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What we are looking for:<br />
-outright sale of Samuel for a price TBD<br />
-trade for other livestock (i.e.-goats, sheep, turkeys, et cetera)<br />
-a mutually beneficial trade of breeding services<br />
-establish a network between ourselves and another goat farm<br />
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We would love to talk and work out some sort of deal that can benefit us and the buyer. We're more interested in starting a relationship with other goateries than a plain cut and dry exchange of money. <br />
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If you would like more information, please contact us through e-mail at cparavel@gmail.com.<br />
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<br />Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-88684261817985255002011-10-19T06:15:00.000-04:002011-10-19T10:04:20.931-04:00Eva Update! I'm pleased to inform little Eva's leg has healed beautifully! For those
that may not remember, she broke her leg a few weeks after she was born
and had to hobble around with a cast. Now the cast is off and her leg
isn't giving her any issues at all!<br />
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<br />Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-86089048444596057392011-10-10T10:05:00.001-04:002011-10-19T10:05:47.732-04:00Tomætoes, Tomátoes Martha has picked the last of the tomatoes before the gardens are switched to fall/winter mode. With the nights getting colder, and ultimately the day's temperatures catching up, that means it's time to break out the green house structures for the raised beds and move as much as we can into the affixed greenhouse off of the lower apartment. I've been working on tilling all of this years plants into the soil to decompose and nourish the ground. As a good way to end the time of year that the bulk of our veggie production slows down by sharing some pictures of the different tomato varieties we grew this year.<br />
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Our tomatoes were good to us this year! Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7949604269824370192.post-22328047264882768142011-10-07T06:30:00.001-04:002011-10-19T10:05:47.627-04:00Egglentine and Damon, Sittin' In A Tree...The Damon has become sexually mature! This is great for us because it means we are now able to increase our herd. Kikki is too fresh from her previous pregnancy to be bred, but Egglentine and Rosie aren't.<br /><br /> The bad part about male goats is 100% related to their sexual maturity. As a means of attracting females, bucks urinate on their own face and hump everything in their path. Apparently the stinkier the goat, the more appealing he is to the ladies. The stink aspect is also true with female goats. It's rather unmistakable when a doe is in heat.<br /><br /> All gross-ness aside, Egglentine has been showing signs of being ready to mate, so we've put her and The Damon together. Boy...it is <i>hilarious</i>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Here is what we humans see of the interaction:<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='413' height='343' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyrgko7e1HJroDntnVT-AoCqn-LqCrxGldB-41Hii4K_pQC9hHVb3jc6IQ8ip5fmAI2H3e-fsVebgmTGUZifw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">However, I feel if we were to see this through the eyes of a goat,<br />the struggle for Eggie's heart would look much more like this.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/FuKP7BeBdDs" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"> So, hopefully if everything goes according to plan, we will be welcoming a few more goats to our herd come springtime! I will keep you posted!!</div></div>Brendanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09195616499315517728noreply@blogger.com1