Apple-Oak Meadows

Apple-Oak Meadows Welcome to Apple-Oak Meadows! Check out what our Katahdin Hair Sheep & other critters have been doing on our small farm and nature sanctuary.

We raise Katahdin Hair Sheep, mostly on pasture using mostly natural methods, on our 15 acres of diverse habitats. While we raise our lambs for breeding seedstock, what we want to share with our fans is the adventure of living a life in the country attempting to do so in cooperation with nature. Check in for news about what the sheep, chickens, cats, birds & other wildlife are doing at Apple-Oak Meadows and enjoy some of the flavors of nature where ever you are!

A few days ago while mowing high grass, I spotted this box turtle! We have lived here 30 years and this is the first one...
06/16/2024

A few days ago while mowing high grass, I spotted this box turtle! We have lived here 30 years and this is the first one I can recall (or second?) finding on our little farm. I had to stop and check her out. She was shy at first, but once she realized I was not going to hurt her, she stuck her head out. I put her next to some higher grass next to some bushes and woods, and off she went! Great to see a box turtle on our land. Reminds me of my grandfather's farm in Highland County, Ohio--we found box turtles down there several times. Another neat critter that indicates our little nature sanctuary is supporting a good variety of species.

Momma cat Miss Pumpkin decided to join Grumpy Girl and have her babies in the same tote "house"--they share mothering d...
04/08/2024

Momma cat Miss Pumpkin decided to join Grumpy Girl and have her babies in the same tote "house"--they share mothering duties. Here Pumpkin is with Grumpy's three kittens (the 2 reds and the dark cutie) with at least 1 of Pumpkins two "cream" kittens behind the trio. All seem to be doing fine so far in their "upper suite" at our "Cat Hotel."

Earlier, before the weather got really cold (Dec. 2023 perhaps?) I decided the deck cats needed better accommodations in...
03/12/2024

Earlier, before the weather got really cold (Dec. 2023 perhaps?) I decided the deck cats needed better accommodations in our Cat Hotel. I got two new tubs and dug out an old one, and turned them into the "ballroom" (the really big one), the "penthouse" the top red & black one with the balcony and rooftop space, and the teal "upper suite"--which is the smallest one, but the most popular one. The deck cats love these and stay nice and warm on cold winter nights--or even days, if it is really nasty. One of the deck cats inspecting the new options, and gives me a look of approval and thanks!

Our resident "friendly" doe is finally showing off her twins! She likes the short grass between our deck and the garden ...
07/04/2023

Our resident "friendly" doe is finally showing off her twins! She likes the short grass between our deck and the garden fencing, as it is full of white clover. The fawns are learning their way around the farm, watching carefully what mama eats and doesn't eat. It is a great joy to finally see them.

Planted a cover crop of buckwheat in Garden Bed #3 this year, hoping to cut down on weeding and build the soil tilth to...
07/04/2023

Planted a cover crop of buckwheat in Garden Bed #3 this year, hoping to cut down on weeding and build the soil tilth to prepare it for cultivation in a future year. Bicycle wheels are not turning--no wind at the moment. We double-fenced the garden this year about all four beds, with our old sheep electro-netting, just electrifying the outer fencing. So far it has worked well, and the deer and rabbits seem to be staying out of the garden. Huzzah!

Who knew our deck cats would love to loaf on these old bales of hay I arranged in the late fall to form a bit of a wind ...
04/25/2023

Who knew our deck cats would love to loaf on these old bales of hay I arranged in the late fall to form a bit of a wind break to shelter their feeding area on the patio? This spring pic (March?) shows 5 cats on bales and one on the rail, all hanging out after a light rain. The bale with 4 cats is better sheltered by the patio roof, whereas the western bale with only one cat gets exposed to more rain and is less desirable for catnapping. Ah, the joys of the simple country life!

A few weeks ago, a praying mantis stopped by the cat's mats on our back porch. Two deck cats interrupted their nap to ch...
11/18/2022

A few weeks ago, a praying mantis stopped by the cat's mats on our back porch. Two deck cats interrupted their nap to check out this new critter. The insect fiercely defended itself for a while. Eventually the cats started playing roughly with the mantis, so I intervened, got leather gloves, captured the insect, and released it in some shrubs to get it away from the curious cats. (This was to protect both the insect and the cats--the mantis' forelegs are very sharp and can give nasty cuts.) All's well that ends well!

Clematis is in bloom! I have kept our 3 "windows" to the west open. Through the left window you can see the old sheep el...
09/11/2022

Clematis is in bloom! I have kept our 3 "windows" to the west open. Through the left window you can see the old sheep electro-netting we use to protect the garden, and the marigolds planted at the east end of the bed. Just beyond the flowers, in the deep shade, are the staked tomatoes and the beans past them. They are in shade for several hours each midday. Lots of sun in the am up till about 10 and from mid-afternoon on. I think that midday shade and our light mulch on the garden have really helped the garden not dry out this year. I have only watered a few times this season, and we got a lot of produce. How did your garden grow?

Our garden has done well this year. Loads of beans, tomatoes, zuchini, and swiss chard. Our favorite are the Fortex pole...
09/11/2022

Our garden has done well this year. Loads of beans, tomatoes, zuchini, and swiss chard. Our favorite are the Fortex polebeans. We planted three 8' sections with cattle panel supports. In addition to what we have eaten fresh, Diana has frozen 54 bags of fortex beans so far for us for winter and spring eating (each bag about a generous serving for two). Recently I picked enough fortex beans to fill three tubs: this made 6 bags frozen, and a couple of meals fresh. Hope you had good luck with your gardens this year too!

Planted the Russian Mammoth sunflowers this year--wow! Top of my hat should be about 6 feet--this big girl is several fe...
09/11/2022

Planted the Russian Mammoth sunflowers this year--wow! Top of my hat should be about 6 feet--this big girl is several feet above that. Birds getting to the seeds, so we harvested to save them for our chickens. These are the strongest sunflower stalk we have ever grown, and the tallest.

Rotated the main garden to bed #1 this year (bed #2 to right, planted with cover crops). Note it has midday shade, whi...
05/13/2022

Rotated the main garden to bed #1 this year (bed #2 to right, planted with cover crops). Note it has midday shade, which helps the plants survive intense drying effects of the summer sun. Marigolds in front, then 6 tomatoes on the left, followed by pole beans on cattle panels; on the right, in the box, swiss chard, then zukes, bush beans, then naked seed pumpkins (new this year for us) and sunflowers. Note the sheep fence to keep the deer out. With all of that tilling, prep work, planting, and mowing-mulching done for phase one, we can rest for a day and wait for rain. Oops--wife just reminded me that the rest of the yardS need mowing too! Ah, life down on the farm.

While hiking around the farm after the snow storm, we noticed these berries are still available for wild birds. Pretty s...
02/10/2022

While hiking around the farm after the snow storm, we noticed these berries are still available for wild birds. Pretty sure these are Asian Bittersweet--an invasive species that we need to better control now that we will not be moving sheep electro-netting this coming year. Glad our feathered friends still have some emergency rations!

Soon after the recent sleet & snow storm, we walked out the check on the pond. Surface was iced over of course, with a l...
02/10/2022

Soon after the recent sleet & snow storm, we walked out the check on the pond. Surface was iced over of course, with a layer of snow on top. We noticed the deer had been walking across the pond!

It has been 6 months since we sold our sheep, and I miss them. But I don't miss the work, and their absence has freed up...
02/10/2022

It has been 6 months since we sold our sheep, and I miss them. But I don't miss the work, and their absence has freed up my wife to help her elderly parents much more. Now I consider "our" herd of whitetail deer as our "new" sheep and I very much enjoy watching them graze, excuse me--browse. We still had some old hay left over, so I decided to put out two flakes close to the salt block we put out for them. Later that afternoon they were trying out the hay and seem to like it. This pic is after I started talking to them, and one bold ewe, er I mean doe, approached me. Ah, the pleasures of watching my new sheep, without any of the work. Wisdom does seem to come with age--sometimes!

Talk abut trimming the tree! Andrew Smith, of Andrew's Tree Care brought his son and his bucket truck in to cut back the...
10/10/2021

Talk abut trimming the tree! Andrew Smith, of Andrew's Tree Care brought his son and his bucket truck in to cut back the 60% of our big silver maple tree that was hanging over the roof of the house and our little shed and barnyard fence. It was amazing to watch him do his work. We left the part of the tree that was not likely to fall and damage any structures (silver maple branches seem to break and fall rather easily). He dropped each piece safely and now there will be a lot less work on my part trimming those branches back above the house and cleaning the leaves and maple seeds out of the gutters--yeah!

One of the barn/deck cats has brought her surviving kitten to the patio feeding area to start weaning it. Kitten is havi...
07/12/2021

One of the barn/deck cats has brought her surviving kitten to the patio feeding area to start weaning it. Kitten is having its first taste of dry catfood, sharing a meal with mom. Ah, sweet. Now we will get to enjoy watching the kitten grow up and play--another litter of 3 kittens might soon be playmates!

Mrs. Turkey is viewing the swiss chard and tomatoes inside the garden fence. "Looks yummy to me! But I don't want to get...
07/06/2021

Mrs. Turkey is viewing the swiss chard and tomatoes inside the garden fence. "Looks yummy to me! But I don't want to get tangled up in those white spider-webby things!" The week before she got into the last paddock away from the barn, after the sheep were gone, and she could not figure out how to get out. (Dope--she had to fly to get in!). I started opening the fence for her, but she got so excited she started running along the fencing and then suddenly remembered she could fly just before she ran into the corner. Yeah! It was great seeing such a big bird fly!

Wren, our 13 year old flock matriarch, is enjoying a fine patch of spring clover--"Yummy!"
05/28/2021

Wren, our 13 year old flock matriarch, is enjoying a fine patch of spring clover--"Yummy!"

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