Raining here today…finally.

We have just been through what has undoubtedly been one of the driest summers in recent memory. Easy evidence of this can be found in our pond here on the farm, which is down perhaps almost 4′ from its top level. Last summer by comparison that pond was overflowing well into July, if not August.

Talking to other breeders in the region though it would appear that this has been a very local phenomenon. Friends of ours in both up state NY as well as northern VT have said that they’ve had plenty of rain and we were amazed on a family outing last weekend to see people in the Northeast Kingdom (you know…The Kingdom) mowing their lawns. We haven’t really had to do that in almost a month!  Thankfully there was enough moisture in the area that our local hay folks were able to get a decent crop of 2nd cut in well before the end of August and our two lower barns were finally squared away with their yearly supply of feed on Labor Day weekend. All that being said, it’s really great to hear the rain falling on the roof again as I write this, even if it did turn show animal selection this AM into even more of a joke than it normally is. We are curmudgeonly New Englanders: we complain, it’s our nature.  I for one though am also happy to be starting autumn with a distinct touch of green in the pastures…