Category Archives: Farm Life

Farewell Warrior Princes

March 7, 2017

Bubbles farewell girl you've made me to realize that I was a closeted small dog guy Go terriers and types!

Bubbles, farewell my girl. You’ve made me to realize that I was a closeted small dog guy Go terriers and  terrier types!

Bubbles the JRT, got to us about twelve years ago from the Manhattan ASPCA where she was facing euthanasia.  She was already five years old. When I picked her up I thought I’ve seen it all.  Bubbles thought otherwise. It took us months to build a relationship. When we moved to the farm, Bubbles has gone through a cathartic change. From an urban menace she turned into a hard working farm dog. She has never left our side while doing the chores and she has faithfully patrolled the chicken and duck coop where she has decimated the annoying rat population daily.  She killed  martins, several weasels, even one fox with the assistance of Schatze, the other JRT. Bubbles had an unsavory relationship with skunks. She has always lost those battles. One day after a major loss, she could not open her eyes for three days.

Bubbles enjoying the sun

Bubbles meditating before the next kill

She’s always terrorized the UPS guy and learned how to extort  at least three “Large” biscuits out of him at delivery times. In my estimation poor guy left at least $100 worth of dog biscuits here over the years.

Bubbles was a tough cookie, she growled and fought most of the Pumis and got into trouble with Fruska all the time.

Bubble also has a gentle side. when one of the goat kids got sick, she has guarded her from the Pumis.

Bubbles also had a gentle side. when one of the goat kids got sick, she has fiercely guarded her from the Pumis. She had an uncanny ability to understand the difference btw farm animals and wild creatures, infants and adults.

Bub the beast. She was the greatest protector of our chicken and ducks. This fox had taken seven chickens in three weeks until one night ran into Bub in the barn.

Bub the beast. She was the greatest protector of our chicken and ducks. This fox had taken seven chickens in three weeks until one night he ran into Bub in the barn.

We will always fondly remember you  Bub. Rest in Peace.

The Sheer Joy of Sheep Shearing

April 7, 2014

Nancy is working on one of the Shetlands...

Nancy is working on one of the Shetlands…

Paula is shearing while Csupasz id taking a Break before getting the next sheep from ourside

Paula is shearing while Csupasz is taking a break before getting the next sheep from ourside

We had to ignore the pups for a while today, because we were busy outside with sheep shearing.  We do it twice a year, in the spring and at the beginning of the fall. We always hire people to do it. (we work with the same two ladies, Nancy and Paula for years because they are skilled, fast and gentle with our flock). We’ve tried to do it ourselves the first year when we bought the farm but we realized very soon that this is a back breaking hard job and one really needs to know how to handle effectively and safely those dangerous high powered electric clippers.  So we just select the sheep with the help of one of the dogs and collect the wool.

Isolating the sheep during the spring shearing is not an easy task.  The ewes are not long after lambing and especially shetlands, tend to be nasty and dangerous for the dog as they try to protect their lambs.  (On the video it sort of shows that we do not let the dog too close to the sheep and rather try working with him from a safer distance.  This way the ewes and the lambs do not get stressed out and also keeps the dog out of harms way.)

The highlight of the day was shearing Harang, our Komondor, after all the sheep were done. Click here ———>   Video Shearing Harang Apr 07, 12 31 07 PM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwCsIJUT–Q <——- Click here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKNStn3P8_g&sns=em <——-Click here (a funny one)

Silentium Pumi Americanus….

March 16, 2014

We’ve gotten some short break on the farm but not from the weather…  We are done with lambing and kidding ( no kidding…!?!?).

Fruska has slowly been ballooning her pregnancy to the end of its term.  Nothing really is happening so we are just Waiting for Godot…

We’ve gotten 71 lambs and 9 goat kids. ewes and does are up in arms to protect their lambs and kids therefore, to avoid stress, herding is out of question at least until May.

There are some exciting plans for the spring and summer, however.  We hope to start the new herding facility and along the way start the process of getting certified by AKC to start tests and trials.

But for now, we take life one step at a time until Fruska’s pups arrive.

Enjoy some recycled videos…

http://youtu.be/JE2gVpeJ8o4  <——-Click here…

http://youtu.be/hbBYOE5LPPA <——— Click here…

http://youtu.be/gVh7OT_dM3s <——–Click here…

New Lambs, New Season…

February 7. 2014

Happy New Year readers!

it is bitter cold -9F real temperature at 8AM this morning with a foot of snow.

it is bitter cold -9F real temperature at 8AM this morning with a foot of snow.

While winter is beautiful, it is also long and exhausting. We have been dueling with arctic cold spells and significant amount of snow from an undisciplined Polar Vortex (writing this in the toasty warm radiating from the wood stove, “Polar Vortex” sounds more like a record label…) .

the horses are blanketed while munching on their hay on the winter paddock

the horses are blanketed while munching on their hay on the winter paddock

It is only the first week of February so no surprise that “Old Man Winter” has a serious attitude problem and keeps pushing his arctic onslaught on us  with high intensity. However, the good thing is that February is the shortest month of the year so winter’s temper tantrums after all, amounts to no more than a well designed extinction burst before the long awaited spring appears on the horizon.  But right now, it’s awful cold and we’ve been in negative F temperature territories with around a foot of snow on the ground for more than two weeks.

the cabin on the top of the property where we escape from the stress of country life. :-) sleeping loft, woodstove and the deepest silence you've ever experienced. A great place to get away on Valentine's Day

the cabin on the top of the property where we escape from the stress of country life. 🙂 sleeping loft, woodstove and the deepest silence you’ve ever experienced. A great place to get away for Valentine’s Day

While we’ve been struggling with the capricious nature of climate change, life on the farm has to run as business usual. Lambing and kidding  follows its own regular cycle, however, we have to implement  carefully orchestrated safety measures such as heat lamps, heated water buckets, blankets, safe and dry isolation cubicles and frequent visits to the barn in the daytime as well as in the middle of the night to help moms and the new borns this time of the year.

The first two newborns have arrived last night around 9PM with no complications.  Although, the temperature was -9F and it will get colder before it  starts warming  up again, the arrival of new lambs is a clear signal that spring is on its way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8GKe6I5c5w <—– Click here

 

 

What? Goat and Sheep Social Services…?

June 15, 2013

goat pasture

unsuspecting kids enjoying the lush pastures not long before taking them from their moms

Not exactly… but this ominous day happens once a year when weaning or the breaking up of livestock families takes place. It is dramatic, and emotional but it has to happen. It is an artificial rite of passage into adulthood. Ewes, does, and nannies finally can get rid of their burdensome offsprings and can start rejuvenating their nutrition deprived bodies.

For us, it is a back breaking and tedious process.  We have to separate adult ewes, does, ram lambs, kid bucks, lamb and kid girls onto separate paddocks and into separate buildings. Dogs have to be delicate, not to put too much pressure on an individual kid or lamb because too much stress  can kill a youngster.  This is also the time for last vaccinations and inspections, so we have to catch each animal individually, grab, lift turn pull, etc.  The whole process have taken us somewhere  about four to five hours.  Even though, we have a goat and sheep farm, by the time we finish everything, we look like pigs.

And honestly, the next four or five days, I would not want to be my own neighbor and listen to the screaming and crying from every corner of the farm until the youngsters accept that their moms are not available anymore.

http://youtu.be/CIlecDnFy6g <—-Click here…

Fenceless Tending…

June 12, 2013

South African Boer goats, Transylvanian Shepherd, Australian Wine...Welcome to the United States...

South African Boer goats, French Pumi, Transylvanian Shepherd, Australian Wine…Welcome to the United States…

 

If the wind blows from the right direction everything is fine, including those famous ears. I guess, not today...

If the wind blows from the right direction everything is fine, including those famous ears;  perhaps not today…

My visit to Hortobagy has been paying off…  We have several pasture fields with no fencing.   Previously, we used electric netting to keep the stock in place.  After returning from Hortobagy, I said, it is ENOUGH…! let those Pumis do what they have been bred for.  So we took Fruska wearing her new collar with the brass bell and magic has happened…

If you have a good herding dog just lean back and and smile at the sky (and most likely an NSA satelite...)

If you have a good herding dog just lean back and smile at the sky (and most likely at an NSA satelite…)

Thank you Hortobagy!

 

http://youtu.be/fbjVzyRI-nc <—Click here

 

 

 

 

 

Improving Productivity Through Better Workwear…

June, 10, 2013

The three Musketeers proudly showing up wearing their new collars

The Three Musketeers proudly showing up wearing their new collars

Finally unpacked everything down to the last piece.  Suitcases are back in the closet waiting for the next trip.

Photo 10-06-2013 09 29 54

Proper workwear for Pumis. Beautiful craftsmanship…

In the bottom of one of the suitcases I happily discovered the new fancy herding collars with bells  that I bought for the Pumis in Hortobagy.  Now they have proper  workwear to herd the stock.

Yesterday, we actually tried the collar on Fruska the first time and let her wear it for the evening chores.  It really worked.  Because the sheep heard the bell ringing they knew in advance Fruska’s position and they moved much calmer and more predictably, so the whole operation went much smoother.

So it turns out that yes, after all, one can improve productivity through better workwear…

http://youtu.be/IVH3_K_nlXA  <——Click here

 

 

If Pluto was a Pumi…

June 9, 2013

Someone asked me the other day, why I call my blog “Planet Pumi?” Here is my answer,

Pluto“On August 24, 2006, the International Astronomical Union passed two resolutions that collectively revoked Pluto’s planetary status.

I have only one thing to say; if Pluto was a Pumi, this decision would have never been approved …”

So based on this assumption,  welcome to my blog, “Planet Pumi…”

Trctor Parade CallicoonBy the way, if you felt that the temperature was higher today than usual, you were right and I tell you the reason why.  We love marches and parades in general here in the United States . Today, in Callicoon, NY, Sullivan County farmersTractor Parade Callicoon,/2 organized their annual “Tractor Parade” releasing some serious diesel engine fume in the air, creating as big of a carbon footprint as a Jeti’s footprint from the Himalayas.

How big is the Jeti’s footprint on Everest? It is hard to tell anymore because the snow that has held the footprint forever, in the altitute where the Jeti walks around has mostly melted, partially because of the air pollution from previous years’ tractor parades…

 

Tractor Parade

 

Play, Play, Play…

June 6, 2013

I could not get up for the radio interview this morning,  so Laszlo went by himself and  had his 15 minutes of fame (actually it was a 30-minute segment) I think he scheduled it this way on purpose…:-)

We’ve been taking it easy today.  Went hiking and just enjoyed watching the dogs.  Before we went back down to the house, they cooled themselves down in the horse tub.

click here…  —->  Bathing Time

click here… —-> HIking With The Dogs