Doggy Dawn

Taking the dogs out pre-dawn on a crispy winter morning makes me appreciate the awakening process. The dogs stretch and snort sort of like humans do when they get up early. I find dogs particularly affectionate in the early morning. After a long night they seem to want to commune with the humans.

Dogs were the first animal to be domesticated by humans around 10,000 BC in Southwest Asia, China and North America. Humans wanted them as sentinels and hunting companions. Unfortunately for the dog they were also raised for food in some societies. But regular dog eating has been a last resort of meat-deprived human societies.

Our "sentinel" dogs mainly preoccupy themselves with eating, sleeping, and playing with each other and the humans. They look so peaceful on a cold morning sleeping on a warm pad. They certainly make a walk around the farm more interesting.

Winter warm up

I think most farmers hope and count on some warmish days peppered throughout the late fall and early winter to finish hunkering down before the deeper cold and snow arrives. Today in the uplands the temperature is pushing 50 degrees with no wind. One is able to get out and grade the road, fuss with the truck, and move around outside without having to pull your head in like a turtle.

For farmers with animals, the warm up provides an opportunity to check and repair fence and feed with relative ease. The rabbit hunters were out today and the dogs sounded happy as they ran around the hills. A big skillet of braised wild rabbit with root vegetables would be nice on a chilly post-solstice night.

Snow on the Allegheny Front

Cheat Mountain east of Morgantown is the western front of the Allegheny Mountains. After you cross this long ridge, which runs from West Virgina up into Pennsylvania , you drop down into the rolling hills which stretch out toward the more level lands of Ohio. A hike on this ridge down the Scott's Run trail turned out to be a chance to walk on a very blustery day. The rains which had preceded the snow had turned the Scott's Run trail into a run itself. The creeks were swift and high. It seemed like most of the wildlife was hunkered down waiting for better weather to feed.

Our small group had the trail to ourselves. The forecast was accurate that day and deterred the casual hiker. We were dressed appropriately and enjoyed the beauty of the snow in the woods. As I left to return home, I noticed 2 crows on a perched on a power pole. At that moment one carefully nudged under the wing of the other with its beak. It was as though it was tending to the other bird. They were much more oblivious to the weather than we were--- right "gear" I guess.

Back to Appalachia

It was soothing to turn east onto Ohio state route 725 and leave the sprawl and big boxes behind. It is a nice road cutting through an edge of Centerville, Ohio and coasting down into the Little Miami River valley. I glanced up to see a red tail hawk all puffed out surveying a large field next to the river. Soon a large cloud of blackbirds shifted back and forth over the road. The road wound through farm country with large exurban houses peeking out here and there. It took me to US 42 on which I headed north toward US 35 around Zenia. Both 42 and 35 were smooth wide roads with restful scenery. US 35 is one of the roads to travel if you want to get the high end EPA rating on your car's window sicker. It has very little roll and driving is effortless. Large farms border US 35 for miles as it heads around Washington Court House toward Chillicothe.

The next day I was able to take state route 32 back into Appalachia. The rolling hills were a welcome site. On both days the sky was an even grey but seemed appropriate for the time of year. The bare trees and earthy tones had a winter solstice look. Daylight seemed to drain away early. It was good to arrive home and be snug on a cold night.

Sprawl Land

Last week I was a temporary resident of Sprawl Land= Big box stores clustered together near the interstate. It was kind of a shock to the system after enjoying the textures of rural Southwestern Ohio. These blobs of concrete and obnoxious lighting jar the senses. I am sure even the persistent white tail deer aren't even tempted by the shrubbery around the chain hotels.

During the week my coworkers and I traveled up and down the interstate 75 to sample some of the local fare. Unfortunately we only managed to eat at one truly local restaurant, the Red Onion in Monroe. The other meals were at upscale chain restaurants. The wait staff at these corporate establishments parrot scripts cooked up by some MBA school grad. The food was good, but Sysco reins supreme.

I fortunately was only a temporary resident of Sprawl Land, and turned east on Friday back toward Appalachia.

Out of Appalachia

Traveling across southern Ohio toward Cincinnati, one sees the landscape flatten out leaving Appalachia. The farms look more substantial west of Chillicothe. The further west you travel the less trees and more plowed fields you see. Relief from the "cultivation" comes as you approach the Little Miami River. State Route 350 suddenly plunges, via some hairpin turns, down to the river and pops back up just as quickly on the other side. It looked like an interesting area to explore, but it was getting dark and I had to reach my destination.

It was encouraging to traverse the town of Greenfield, Ohio. The main street looked like commerce was alive, and the old building facades were largely intact preserving the historic vernacular. The New York Times reported recently the world's population has changed from a rural majority to an urban one. This is a scary statistic, as it seems to me that rural life facilitates a sustainable lifestyle better than an urban one. Although the big carbon footprint from commuting from the country to a city is a negative. That's why it is nice to see viable small towns scattered at through the countryside.

Bare Trees

Winter seems to have set in. Last year, fall seemed to run through December. But this year the woodburner has been running constantly for the last 2 weeks. The bare trees make it look like winter, so I am resigned to it. Winter was invented so farmers(except dairy) get a break for a couple of months. Another cup of coffee in the morning is nice..........

It is a good time to look for air leaks in the house. Although it sometimes feels like cold air is getting in, actually hot air is going out. Stopping up those "holes" will save significant energy. With the price of energy going through the roof (no pun intended), it is a good time to think about weatherization, turning off lights not in use, and programmable thermostats. The country seemed to be taking energy CONSERVATION seriously in the 70s and early 80s. Unlike those times, energy is not ever going back to the old rates. Where is the conservation conversation these days? The current focus is all about alternative energy sources, with very little about less energy consumption. Energy audits make more sense than ever.

Clear Skies

It is so nice to walk out on a clear cold night after it has been cloudy for days. You take deep breath and cool your lungs. The wood smoke from the chimney perfumes the air. The temps aren't very frosty yet, but the air feels cold. The same temps a few months from now will feel like spring is here.

It is a nice night for viewing stars. Nature's Blog had a nice discussion of The Pleiades cluster. It sounds interesting and worth looking for.

The clear night was followed by a clear morning sky criss crossed with jet vapor trails. It must have been a calm day to fly, as most of the trails were still fairly narrow and straight. It was a fine day for a walk on the Cheat Lake trail. This 4 + mile trail follows the eastern shore of Cheat Lake east of Morgantown, West Virginia. I was trying to imagine how far above the original river bed we were while walking on this trail.

Cheat Lake (formerly Lake Lynn) was created in the late 1920s by a hydroelectric dam built by West Penn Power. This 58 megawatt generating station is basically a starter engine for the larger coal fired power plants at Fort Martin and Albright, West Virginia, according to Allegheny Power who now owns the dam.

Following the flood here in 1985, Lake Lynn dam was the stopping point for many of the structures washed down the swollen Cheat River.

A Pile of Heat

I completed a cutting and splitting a large load of hickory logs this weekend. It is a joy to behold. It is a big pile of heat. Hickory is second only to black locust in the amount of heat it generates per cord burned. It is dense, heavy, and splits well with a hydraulic splitter. Lots of BTUs are laying ready to load in the wood stove. I figure I have 1.5 to 2 cords of hickory, or up to 39 million BTUs of heat. Now if I had the stove cranked, I would be burning 55,000 BTUs per hour. At that rate I could run the stove at full steam for 30 days with my pile of hickory. Needless to say, we don't have to wear sweaters in the house.

BTU = the amount of heat required to increase the temperature of a pound of water 1 degree Fahrenheit.

Energy Values for Hickory

Density(lb./cu.ft.) 50.9
Weight per cord (lb.) 4327
BTUs per cord(millions) 27.7
Recoverable BTUs per cord (millions) 19.39

Following the Nose

By going for a walk with beagle mix dog I observe how much I am missing by not having a powerful nose. That nose scans an inch or two above the ground as we walk. Soon we come upon a deer scent, or a chipmunk sent, or coyote, or bear for that matter, and stop dead. The dog is transfixed on the powerful scent. She seems to be trying to get the history of the olfactory message. She enjoys it so much it makes me sort of jealous. Occasionally (like today) she finds a particularly ripe spot and flips over and rolls in it. Various web sites claim dogs do that either for camouflage or to bring back their discovery to the pack. As proud as the dog was, that smell was not going to fit into her house life. Even shampoo doesn't erase that calling card very easily.

I have heard more shots this deer season than in years past. I assume either there is more deer or the hunters are poor shots. None of the neighbors have stopped by with any Boone and Crockett trophies.

Sabine

It's Thanksgiving and we are preparing to enjoy Sabine. Sabine is the organic turkey we bought at a silent auction at The Pennsylvania Association of Sustainable Agriculture conference. We were assured that Sabine enjoyed a life outdoors, grazing and dining on organic feed. She was not crammed into a cage or large building with a zillion other birds loaded with antibiotics.

She has been lounging in the deep freeze since last February. Sabine is now soaking in brine in the fridge. She will get an herb rubdown soon and spend some hours on the grill cooking and being bathed in hickory smoke.

We will roll out other organic goodies that we, or friends, have raised to give Sabine some company on the table. Good friends will top off the occasion.

How far did your food have to travel to your table this Thanksgiving? The closer to home the better.

Roadside "attraction"

Walking and driving the dirt roads adjacent to the farm, I feel like the adopt-a-highway crew. For some reason folks must think that rural means just pitch those containers out of the window. It is quite an assortment: cans, bottles, cardboard, Styrofoam, and paper. Some of the vehicles they drive makes me think the trash would not affect the aesthetics of the interiors much.

My wife has started washing the containers we get from restaurants to bring home leftovers. It is a bit of a hassle keeping them in the vehicles, but we have won points from restaurants and wait-people for bringing our own reused container.

Throwing something "away" it is a phony notion. There is no "away", there is just someplace else. The more we reuse the less we send someplace else.

Buck Season

I was reminded by multiple shots at sunrise that deer season opens today in West Virginia. According to the Associated Press, 320,000 hunters are expected to look for the elusive bucks between now and December 1. Last year 65,000+ bucks where harvested here in WV.

Buck season is a cultural phenomena here in the Appalachians. Both West Virginia and Pennsylvania have a school holiday (or 2) the beginning of buck season. Hunters in blaze orange and camo are cruising country roads in pickups, often with a 4 wheeler (ATV to you city folks) in the back. Some people have been hunting for months as they start scouting in the fall. Then they hunt bucks and does during bow season, then comes buck gun season, followed by doe gun season, followed by muzzleloader season. All this hunting pushes the deer around constantly. Often they run aimlessly out into the middle of the road-- and boom "grilled venison".

For me, hunting is a chance to mindfully listen and observe. I have harvested deer, but my luck has been poor lately. It is just as enjoyable for me to walk quietly through the woods. I see so much when I get off the trail. For the best venison, harvest a young doe. Not as "manly", but much tastier.

The Mundane

One must shift from the observer to the do'er at times on the farm. Today the task was to resolve a septic tank problem. It turned out to be a treasure hunt producing no treasure. We will prevail.

The trip to town for parts reminds me how Morgantown is a farm of condos and appartments. Nice pastures adjacent to town turn into the air-nailed, vinyl-sided, Holiday Inn like "dwelings". No more cattle grazing........... eliminated along with the wildlife that kept the sanity going there. Now these areas are cars and parking lots and runoff. Large machines carve the soul out of the landscape.....Almost level---West Virginia.

Glad to be back to the snug house; warm fire, dogs snoring, sanity preserved.

Ben Franklin's Favorite Bird

Ben Franklin wanted the wild turkey to be the national bird but the bald eagle won. Here at the farm the turkeys are hard at work out in the pasture. They work the old cow patties for fly larvae, grubs, and undigested seed. The turkeys scratch up the patties which causes them to break down faster. They are fun to watch as they fly low through the woods and walk across the road with impunity.

The first snow has come to the Uplands. It is wet and cold outside making the fire very inviting.

A Reminder from a Finch

Crossing the yard yesterday I heard the familiar feeee...feeee... of a goldfinch. Many of them used to hang out here when I kept the feeders stocked with their favorite niger thistle seed. I have been wanting to clean and disinfect the feeders before refilling them. My finch neighbor was reminding me that I need to get to that soon.

Yesterday a chipmunk was scolding someone or something. I suppose he is putting on that winter fat and someone was interfering with the feeding frenzy.

A neighbor is having bear problems. Word is it killed one of their Great Pyrenees guard dogs. These dogs live with the sheep and keep the coyotes away. I say poor dog and, maybe soon, poor bear.

Rain on the Roof

The farm house has an old standing seam metal roof. This type of roof was common 100 + years ago prior to asphalt shingles and air nailers. Rain makes a particularly comforting sound on a metal roof. It creates a special kind of white "noise" which will put one to sleep even if you are restless. Sometimes, during dry spells, the rain on the metal will wake you up long enough to celebrate the welcome moisture.

Catching rain off the roof for use later reduces the need to water plants with chlorinated city water or running one's well pump. This saves water and carbon.

Woodstove Tuning

Most airtight woodstoves have to be inspected and "tuned" to make them truly airtight. My new stove needed some tweaking of the door gaskets and adjustment of the door latches to keep the air flow under my control. If one wants to bank a stove at night, the air flow has to be reduced to a bare minimum to have adequate coals present in the am. Ideally one just opens the damper in the morning to energize the remaining coals, and adds a couple of chunks of wood. The sound of the woodburner roaring to life is almost as comforting as the sound of the coffee brewing.

Water

A free running spring is a thing of beauty. I marvel how the water can just "run out of the hill". One of our springs feeds the back pond and supports fish and birds and other "locals". A time may come when we will reflect on worrying about running out of oil. By that time we will be running out of water. We can live without oil........

Wood heat

The charm of farm life is being able to control your comfort level by plowing in sweat equity. Heating with wood is a classic example. You toil away cutting and stacking your heat. But the payoff comes in November when you come in the house and it is toasty.



Each wood stove has it's personality. I now have a new Consolidated Dutchwest. I researched the unit carefully. But as with all my stoves over the last 30 years, the C.D. does not perform exactly as the product literature describes. But it has lots of adjustments which pleases a wood heat fan.



So I tweak away. It is an activity that warms one thoroughly.



I hope I have staying power to keep this flow of conciousness going. Thanks to my friend Bob Folzenlogen for his encouragement. See his great blog at naturesblog.