SPRING field Note
It’s finally Spring and Walhalla Farm is bustling with energy! We’re teeming with fresh life- new animals, projects, and of course new artists-in-residence! We spent Winter dreaming about and planning for our Spring season in the Schoharie Valley, and we’re so excited that it’s finally here. This week we’re building a new pasture for the animals, sowing wildflower seeds, and making sure the garden gets a fresh plow and is prepped for planting all the fruits & veggies we’ll enjoy and share in community all Summer.
Rescuing animals is a lot like getting tattoos….once you get one, you just can’t help getting more! As soon as we adopted our beautiful cow Harvey Meghan Milk, we knew she needed a friend. We were so thrilled to stumble upon these two gorgeous goats in need of rescuing- introducing Ellie, and her son Elvis! We might be giving them brand new names , and FYI Ellie is the one with the majestic and dignified beard (we LOVE a gender nonconforming Queen.) They are the sweetest Mother & Son pair, and we were told when we brought them home that Ellie might be pregnant…either that or she just had an incredibly lovely and rotund belly. We were so happy to have these two either way, but obviously we were hoping for BABY GOATS and got on ELLIE BIRTH WATCH around the clock!
And then, in late March…our rescued momma goat had her kids! Goats are incredible by the way…one morning we went into the barn and the babies were just THERE, already nursing and being lovingly licked clean by Mama Ellie. Basil’s wife Ely, who had two arduous labors birthing she and Basil’s two daughters, was particularly awestruck at Ellie’s resilience. Their oldest daughter Goldie named the little girl Sparkles, and Jenna and her wife Lucy named the two little boys Roots and Brad. Yes, Brad. Every sibling trio needs one basic bro, right?
New additions come with the need for more space! Along with a few neighbors, Basil’s been clearing a field and building a new fence for a bigger pasture. This front field at Walhalla hasn’t been cleaned up for over 20 years. Overgrowth had to be excavated from around the sides, and there’s still more work to be done to get this space back in shape. We can’t wait to release all of the animals into their new spacious pasture so they can roam freely to their hearts’ content and live their best lives.
