Winter brings changes in many aspects of what is occurring at our farm and in the fields. During the winter months, with the waterfowl migrations that often fill our fields with cackling Canada geese, many species of ducks as well as Tundra swans, the eagles, both bald and Golden come following their food sources. It is not uncommon when visitors come out to the bakery/store to be treated to an up close view of eagles in the trees on the property. Trees provide them the opportunity to both rest and survey the fields for weak waterfowl or carcasses of other life that they will then scavenge. During the bitter cold we have just experienced, one can only wonder at how difficult it is for these raptors to remain fed and warm. We welcome the eagles since they tend to deter the geese, who can come in such large numbers to do great damage to fields during the winter, and they try to avoid being nearby when eagles are present. One of the amazing occurrences in nature as we watch the interactions between so many species.
A kale seed field on one of our farms that was planted in September and is surviving the cold. Brassica seed crops such as kale prove to be a very good rotational crop for us, as we typically will be able to no-till plant a fall cereal grain next fall into the remaining residue of the prior brassica crop. Our Renan wheat, Buck barley and Skagit 1109 winter wheat were all planted this fall following a kale seed crop in 2016. These rotations help maintain a diverse soil microbiology, as well as helping break disease and weed cycles naturally.
Tom Hunton
Camas Country Mill
