If you are a regular customer here at the farm you may have noticed that there’s a bit more noise, a bit more traffic, and oh yeah a new building being built out behind the barn.
In spring of 2021 we received a grant to build a covered barnyard- which we were very excited about. As with most construction projects, the actual building of the barnyard has been greatly delayed and we are just getting the roof on now (the week before Christmas). In the last two weeks they have put up all the trusses, support beams, and are now adding tin to the roof. In just a day or two, the whole project will be finished. Exciting news for the resident ladies here at the farm.
Most people don’t necessarily understand why such a simple building is so exciting to us- after all, it doesn’t even have walls… So we thought we’d give you a little bit of insight on how the barnyard will be used. In the spring once the girls go out on pasture again, the barnyard will give them a solid place to stand when the fields are muddy and they don’t feel like trekking through it. It will also provide cover from those rainy spring days allowing them to stay dry if they choose. In the summer the barnyard will provide a bit of extra shade, especially on the way back to the barn from the fields. As the year draws to a close and grass isn’t growing as much, it is harder and harder for our cows to get the nutrients they need from the fields. The barnyard has a built in feeder path, where we will be able to put down hay or balayage for them to munch on allowing them to eat their fill and making sure they have lots of energy to make their milk and keep them healthy. This is perhaps the most important function of the barnyard and what we are absolutely most excited for.
So the building itself may be very simple, but we always want our cows to be happy, healthy and comfortable, and what makes them happy, makes us happy. Merry Christmas All!
