Puppy Feet
We lost our old dog, Dozer, in September. He was 12 years old. And as all good dogs do, he left an impression. And a void.
Dozer, grey was a good color on him
I had been thinking about our next dog for about 4 years before Dozer left us. It wasn’t that I wasn’t happy with our current dogs, Dozer was a great family dog and Ruger is a loveable, easy going guy that does a great job turning on the juice when he needs to chase the fox out of the yard.
You’d never guess that Ruger is 1/4 Standard Poodle, would you?
But in 2018 I had discovered a breed of dog that seemed to match the idea of the ideal dog that I had in my head, but didn’t know existed. And I couldn’t shake the thought of owning one of my own someday.
Now, if you know me well, you know that dogs are sort of my thing. Even before my first career as an assistance dog trainer, I loved dogs. Growing up I watched dog shows, read breed magazines, and spent time memorizing the Encyclopedia of Dogs. I could name any AKC breed by photo and tell you what they were bred for, what their temperament was like, and what their common health issues were.
So, when I say that I discovered my dream dog in my late 30’s and DIDN’T EVEN KNOW that it existed before that, you can imagine my excitement. From there, it was a short trip into research and obsession.
Nimue, a blue merle Scotch Collie, and the mother of our new pup
The Old-Time Scotch Collie, my new favorite dog breed, is not an AKC recognized breed, which is maybe why I had never heard of it before. It is considered a heritage breed, a mix of several different types of Collie’s and other herding dogs that have ebbed and flowed over the centuries. Breeding dogs were selected to meet the changing needs of the farmer. This means that these dogs have a good dose of genetic diversity in their lines which translates to flexibility, adaptability and health.
Here’s a little more background for you from the Old-Time Scotch Collie Association:
Defining Characteristics:
Biddable – meekly ready to accept and follow instructions; docile and obedient.
Intelligence – dogs of outstanding, and sometimes surprising intelligence.
Herding – the ability and desire to move livestock.
Hunting – the desire to pursue and/or kill wild game or farm-yard vermin.
Guardian – the natural inclination to bark at and chase off strange animals or people, also protecting livestock from predators.
Whiskey, our new farm pup, at 10 weeks old
As luck would have it, there just so happened to be a litter of Scotch Collie puppies born in Connecticut just 2 days after we lost Dozer. And here we are 2 months later with our first puppy in almost 20 years. Whiskey is confident, but sensitive. Smart, but deferring. And he has a heck of a lot of potential.
Plus he has these adorable puppy feet
I can’t wait to watch him grow and get back into training with him. Keep an eye on our social media pages to see our adventures.
Behind the Scenes
A sneak peek at some other things we’ve been up to lately. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more!
Harvest Season
The frost has arrived in New England, and that means the end of the growing season. For us, that means processing all of our non-breeding livestock animals. We’re down to 3 just turkeys and no pigs for the winter. But our freezers are full and we are tired but so grateful for the ability to give our animals a happy, healthy life while they are with us. This year, Kalina opted to help with the cleaning of the turkey carcasses. In true barefoot fashion.
Rendering Lard
I personally render all of the lard and tallow that goes into our soap. This year our 2 pasture-raised pigs produced about 20 gallons of lard—enough to last us for most of the year. When we run out I source from other local farms who raise their animals organically and humanely. Our tagline is Sustainable, Ethical, Local, and all of our ingredients comply with that promise.
Goats Bred
All 3 of our adult does have been bred for March kids. Moon and Snowflake are dried off for the winter, but Rose is still wanting to milk a bit. Whiskey is happy for the extension on the goat milk supplement to his puppy food for now. If you are interested in spring goat kids let us know, as our waiting list is filling up already.
A very happy harvest and holiday season to you and your loved ones. Thank you for being a part of our farm family.
Love, Christy