HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 16, 2003 - A winter morning in the pasture The Suffolk Times • January 16, 2003
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Times/Review photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh
As the cows stand warming up in the morning sun, two deer wander up, wondering whether it would be a good idea
to join them or to just hop the garden fence and finish off some of the flowers and bushes that have already had a
preliminary trimming by the cows.
How Asot�T coMrN�wtTx me as 1 will notice is the twitching of an ear or and some warm gloves.With that
gc� out to feed the chickcns and the the slight movement of the tail.O�ften armor I'm ready to�ace winter's chill.
cows'. It would all start sometime they will be looking ribht at you and Of course,heavy boots are also a
between 6 and 7 o'clock,when we you can't see them. necessity,for with the rains of late the
usually get up.The first thing on the If we don't see deer,we might see four cows have made a quagmire of
agenda would be to look out into the one or two gray squirrels scampering the corral.
woods to see if there are any deer around looking for the prize hickory As I slide the patio door open,the
moving through.We usually have nuts they cache away�or winter's use. feeding birds on the patio and ground
three or four of them using the back How they ever get into those hickory fly off in all directions,the doves mak-
woods as a greenbelt to their bedding nuts I'll never know.They seem rock- ing a whirring sound with their win s
ground to the hard to me.Yet their tiny teeth can as they dash of£Give them five min-
north.They are gnaw into them with what appears to utes and they'll be back.
F�C V$ awfully hard to be great ease.We know they are suc- On my way out to feed the chickens
see,as they seem cessful because we find little pieces of
�N I pass the red hybrid rhododendron
to dissolve into chewed nut where they feast.
NATU RE the winter I usually dress pretty warmly when I our neighbor gave us.It was doing well
by Paul �'�ods so well. If head out in the morning to do the u n t i l t h e d e e r n e a t ly prune d i t.T hey
Stoutenbu h they're not mov- �hores,which means a pair of lined don't mind coming right up to your
� back yard and nibbling away on your
ing about,the dungarees and a thermal vest under- prize evergreens.To try to discoura e
first thin we neath the good old Carhartt jacket, g
th� ut a circle of snow fence
o ermg and diving about.Probably converte mto a vmeyard.My son
they are harassing their archenemy, bought the discarded posts and fence
the great horned owl.The reason for rails and gave them to me.I reassem-
all the fuss is that they want to drive bled them around our"keep out"
the owl out of their territory,as he's areas,garden and orchard to keep the
the culprit who silently sneaks into cows out.The problem is,the deer pay
their rookery at night and snatches little attention to my cow fence and
one of their kind for a meal.We go up jump over to eat just about every-
but find no owl.Perhaps they were thing.We have almQst completely
around the important ones in hopes harassing a fox.I've seen crows do given up trying to raise fruit,vegeta-
that we can get through the winter that and since I've seen one twice this bles and even flowers.Everything has
without the deer feasting on them. week,it could be the culprit.Once it to be deer-proof.You ean see how
Back to feeding the chickens.It's �'alked right across the pasture as if it deer make it difficult for the farmer,
only a short waik before I hear them owned it,its big fluffy tail flowing in the vineyard owner and,yes,even me
chattering among themselves.It's a back and its nose to the ground.Good to raise any kind of crop.
good thing I don't know chicken lan- reasons to keep my chickens penned There is nothing more pathetic
guage for I bet they are cussing me up and not let them roam. looking than my neglected
out for being so late to feed them. Off to the north is our '�e deer p�y winter garden;flower pots
Scraps from the table are a reciated �'indmill that I check every standing naked,the water-
pp morning as an indicator of ��ttle attent1011 ing can lies on its side,win-
even more than the pellets they're weather to come.When it t0 illy COW ter weeds galore.The dry
given,particularly if the scraps contain points to the east,"watch fence and look of a dead garden has
fatty material.The chickens supply us out for bad weather."It's taken over.The only
with just enough eggs so we don't been pointing east for the 1umP over to exception to this winter
have to buy any. past four or five days. eat IUS� abOUt blight is the bright spot of
Once the chickens are fed,the cows �Vhen I look up I see a everything. the scarlet berries on the
get their meal.The two bigger ones red-tailed hawk perched black alder.Evidently the
take over the stall in the barn and i fill on top.It uses the windmill deer do not care for them.
their manger with hay.As I leave the for a lookout as it scans the ground e ve rea they were poisonous.
barn I can hear their teeth grinding for mice,voles,rabbits,squirrels or just Guess the deer are just smart!
away on the dry hay.Outside,the two about anything that moves. We'll walk on,wondering what can
younger ones we got about two We'll walk along the perimeter of be salvaged next spring from this col-
months ago are fed their ration.Theirs our pasture on my way back.It's made lection of decay.Now it's through the
is on the ground.Next week,by the i�p of a mass of multiflora rose,that last of the garden and then under the
way,the big one goes down and is put persistent invader.It's so thick that now-bare rose arbor that has given us
in the freezer.These animals are not the cows don't even attempt to push such joy each year.Its buds are up out
pets but part of our way of life.We've through it.Any of you who have of reach of the deer.IYs a nice walk
been doing this for the past 25 years. worked amidst this devilish shrub around the perimeter and back to the
We know where our meat comes from know all too well its ability to snag house.There's always something new
and it supplies our whole family with your clothing,flip off your hat or rip to see.
good meat that has no additives,plus your skin.It's a mean one for sure,but Breakfast is always a calling card for
the cows keep our pasture grass down it does keep the animals in,plus it's me,so IeYs get going.It doesn't take
the year'round and they are nice to great cover and food for wildlife. long for Barbara to dish up some hot
see. When we first moved here,some 40- oatmeal with raisins or bacon and eggs
Once the animals are fed let's head plus years ago,our back pasture was (our own eggs,of course),or maybe it
up back where the crows have been part of a farm and it was farmed will just be toast and coffee by the big
almost up to our back door.Today,tlie open window where we sit and watch
trees and shrubs we have planted the new day rise out of the east.
through the years have formed a The blessing of a good day without
backdrop of 25-foot-tall evergreens, the hustle and bustle of the outside
30-foot maple trees and a collection of world makes life for Barbara and me
cedar trees mingled among the multi- quite enjoyable.My only hope is that
flora perimeter. others,in their own way,can find en-
Around the garden and orchard I've joyment in the outdoors,where things
put a new fence in.It came from one are real and always there to enjoy.
of the horse farms that recentl was Sometimes it takes a little lookin .