STAPLES FARM

My Dad, HL Staples, was a true craftsman. He designed and constructed much of the equipment used on the farm from 1971 until he and Mom retired at the end of 2009. Whenever we start a new building project, I think of him. This morning, Jon, Travis, and I began building another 10-by-20-foot mobile livestock shelter for our sheep and donkeys. Late in the day, Travis noticed something on my neck. When I swept it away, it landed on my face and seemed in no hurry to leave. The butterfly floated from me to Travis, making slow, lazy circles above our heads. Jon joked that it must be Grandpa (HL), stopping by to inspect our work. When the Monarch settled briefly on the welding stinger, Jon said that it looked like Grandpa wanted to help with the welding. Seeing Monarchs in November isn’t unheard of, but we’ve never had one linger quite like this. After a long, tiring day, its presence lifted our spirits. Just one of the many magical things we see every day at the farm. -Leo

Soil Health and Our Fall Cover Crop

At Staples Farm, animal health and well-being are more than simple words. In fact, they guide everything we do. This evening, as Jon and I finished up and put away our tools, an unfamiliar sound grabbed my attention. We checked on all the animals but found nothing amiss. Later, during our 9:00 pm bed check, I paid extra attention to the new baby donkey. That’s when I heard the strange noise again—this time coming from the hut where Tiana’s litter sleeps. Two weeks earlier, some of our breeding stock and feeder pigs had come down with a respiratory infection. We only medicate animals that are truly sick, and up until now, Tiana’s litter had stayed healthy. But this time, the noise was unmistakable—one of her barrows was wheezing. At first, I thought I could wait until morning to treat him, but after consulting with Jewel, I realized it was wiser not to delay. Andi reminded me about a new, single-dose medication for respiratory infections, a welcome change from the usual multi-day antibiotic regimens. For context, just two weeks ago, Tiana’s piglets weighed in at about 42 pounds each. I knew catching and holding the wheezing barrow would be no easy task. I trapped him in the hut, but he made it clear he wasn’t interested in my help or the shot. After a struggle, where the pig was definitely winning at first, I finally managed to hold him down long enough to give the shot. As we say here at Staples Farm, “It's always something”.

Donkey Billie has her baby.

It was just starting to rain when Layla and I did the bed check this evening. Everyone was warm and dry. I'm always amazed at how the pigs love to snuggle. Sandy was in her farrowing hut, but hasn't shown any signs that she will give birth anytime soon.