August Heat is Here

Temps promise to be dangerously high again today. Day of the hot weather take a tole on all the animals. All the critters here at the farm have fans running on them. The quail and rabbits have ice packs are in their space to lay on and help get them through the  nasty heat wave. At morning chores today there were signs of coons snooping around last night. Digging in the compost and water tubs spilled all pointed to visiting coons. Once agin I am so thankful to have Ruby the best guard dog in the world on patrol every night here at the farm. 

        The baby bunnies are growing so fast it is shocking.  I swear they double in a weeks time. I spent last sunday "baby proofing" part of the outside run. They are all having a great time playing outside in the cool of the day.  Hazel (the brown bunny in this shot) and Bluebell one of the white ones in the batch will  be staying here at the farm to help me produce some great angora fiber.  So many spinners have ask about buying baby bunnies and Violet has been such a great mom that I am planning on breeding her again  in a few months.  I found a male french angora who is a tortoise shell. This is the color of our wild rabbits, and color I would love to add to my bunny fiber .  I am planning to divide the bunny house so thatViolet will have her own room and outside run when she is ready to birth her next litter. Time to sign off and go open the store.  

 

August at the farm

Gardens and bunnies are growing like mad and the weather in Iowa is absolutly perfect. On Tuesday we filled the barn with hay. A barn of sweet smelling hay is food security and one of the greatest feelings for a farmer this time of year.  The prairie plant that were tiny plugs in 2013 are thriving and in bloom.

I can't wait to see the switch grass as it turns to the tawny color of autumn. 

   The last two weekends the baby bunnies have been in the store for their socialization.  They get bigger every day now. Violet is the best mother bunny in the world. She loves her babies so much  and is teaching them all the important life lessons, what is the bet to eat, how to keep yourself clean and even where to poop to keep the bunny house all clean and fresh. They are eating lots of lambs quarters and dandyloins these days.

Sara has picked the two babies that will get to be going home with her soon. They will get to be house bunnies  to pet and a fiber source for her spinning soon.

 Lots more bunny petting on saturdays until the weather turns so cold the bunnies move to their winter home on the north end of the farm.