William Wallace, is at it again. FREEEDOM!

It has been a very odd day here on the homestead today…. So first some updates on the trip to Maine, I was so sure I would have to send Dr. Farmer Moomin, alone to represent us both. The trip has been saved! At the last moment we found a farm sitter. I hope to write a blog post singing her praises in a few days. But it looks like never giving up no matter how hopeless things get can prove a winning strategy. I feel like the hobbit who threw the ring into the lava river on Mount Doom, at the moment. In time, once we do a few small trips and things go well it may be time to make a bigger trip further afield to reconnect with everyone I wish I could see far more often than I have over the last few years, and make my apologies for that in person. But for now, we are going to Maine!!!

Side note, yes I know it looks bad in the greenhouse. Greenhouse season is over and I am mostly moved outside. So most of my work is outside and the greenhouse, well, I have not yet had time to clean it up and make it nice in there again. So just ignore the imperfection. I am a human being, a real person and a homesteader. Homesteads are seasonal especially in this part of the country where we often have strong winters. I really live here. I really do this. I am really only one woman, not an entire compound of plurally married women. So things can slip through the cracks. I also wear out. This means I prioritize. Right now, the greenhouse isn’t the priority, as there is only so much of me to go around.

Now that I have given the Maine trip update, and discussed why the greenhouse looks awful in the photo I am sharing in this post, let’s talk about the weirdness of today.

Dr. Farmer Moomin, saw a skunk. In all the years we have been here we have never seen a skunk. So this is a new bit of wildlife that we have now encountered…. At a major distance! We do NOT have a stink wish after all. The dog on the other hand might. So we will be keeping better watch over her now that we know skunks know where we live and sometimes stop by.

Other oddities…. It seems to have been Barn Yard Liberation Day. Mark that one on your calendars! 6/9/2025 the day the outside people collectively asserted their autonomy. First we had a goat escape event. Poor Dr. Farmer Moomin, had to come home and fix the fence. These events happen every so often. While not unheard of they are certainly not common or the norm. One of our milkers went on farm safari all around the property. She seemed to enjoy herself. The dog, however was not thrilled with this escapee roaming freely. It got worse for the dog when the goat decided to try to beat her up. This is why goats must be locked up. They are rather violent creatures that thrive on head butting. They love to hit with their heads. The dog, fortunately was unharmed but is now a bit traumatized by the battery committed against her.

But the weird, didn’t end with the uncaged match between the goat and dog… Nono…. It got weirder. We went to pick up some feed to ensure everyone would be comfy while we are traveling only to return home to find the under age chickens having themselves a party, free and loose, in the nightclub! They escaped their warming box! They have officially hit their rebellious phase it seems… We had to catch them and put them back in the box. Catching chickens, is a hellishly difficult experience. You would think they were oil slick, as they just slip through the fingers far too easily. But we finally did manage to get them all rounded up and boxed up again.

Finally, we had evening milking, which strangely was incredibly normal…. Maybe the only normal part of the day. But then it was over, and as we were leaving the enclosure, Asstrid, decided she wasn’t gonna be out done by one of our new milkers, Haley, who escaped and beat the dog earlier. Asstrid, is a very odd goat. She doesn’t just head butt. She also bites. Which is why her name is spelled with two Ses. It is a portion of a seven letter word that ends in “hole”. Historically, she has been our most prominent Houdini. I think she was upset at being out done. So when we were leaving through the fence she made a break for it. Then it took some effort and some treats to get her back in.

It seems as though everyone knows something special is in the works. Otherwise, they are acting in solidarity and supporting the protests going on in Las Angeles… Or I dunno maybe it’s something in the water??? Something is up since everyone is busting out to enjoy the bad weather we have been having today… I mean, it might make a little sense if they were escaping on warm sunny days and going to the pool for the afternoon…. But as I said, weird day. All around. Absolutely weird. Escapes…. Skunks…. Trip saviors…. Just a strange strange day.

Well, that was my day.
Rounding up some very naughty critters.
Tomorrow I prep for Maine! I will write to this blog again in about a week, when I get back, I hope to have some cool news to share and some nice photos of the Maine woods and waters.
Thanx for reading
Amanda of Wildflower Farm