Friday Farm Photos: First Day of Fall

More photos below. . .

Monday Farm Photo: At Least It Started Out Peaceful

This morning in Donkeyland

The Daily Donkey 93: Sometimes You Just Gotta Roll with It

© FarmgirlFare.com, glad to be finally heading toward bed—by way of the kitchen in the hopes of foraging something for dinner—after a very long, hot day both on and off the farm. Ah, sleep.

Sunday Extreme Dose of Cute:Welcome to the Farm, Little Donkey!

Just Before Noon Today, Not Long After Being Born

Congratulations, Big Dolores! As you can see, it's been a very exciting day here on the farm. I was so thrilled to be able to witness this newborn donkey's first few. . . well, firsts—first moments of life, first time standing on those wobbly legs (Dolores literally helped and held the baby up), first drink of milk, first wiggling of the ears (they're so long!), first touch of human hands. Amazing.

I'll share more photos soon. I've already taken dozens, despite having to make a mad quarter-mile dash from the front field back to The Shack to replace the batteries that died after the first few newborn shots. It took a while before I could tear myself away (I didn't want to miss a minute!), and for once wished I'd driven out there instead of walked.

In the meantime, mother and baby are both doing fine—and have been fiercely guarded all afternoon by our hardworking, baby loving Great Pyrenees, Crazy Daisy. But the best news of all? I'm 99% sure our new arrival is a girl—which means I get to keep her. I love her dark coloring. And she already let me pet her and hug her and snuggle her all over (while mom was busy burying her head in a much deserved bucket of treats).

Life is good.

Can't wait for more? Get a fix with these past pics:
Fernando (born 7/09)
Evie (born 7/08)
Esmeralda (born 7/08)
Dinky (born 7/07)

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the newborn foodie farm blog where you know I'm already thinking about F names. . . Felicity? Frances? Faye? Fanny? (I love that name, and my sweet Doll Face—who was born during my very first lambing season and whose real name was actually Fanny—just died this past winter at the ripe old age of 13). I guess we'll have to wait and get to know this dark beauty a little better before we make a decision—and after we confirm it is indeed a girl (they really tuck their baby tails in tight!).

Saturday Dose of Cute:Off To Do Some Live Blogging at Farm Aid 2009 in St. Louis!

Daphne and Her Baby Boy

As I mentioned a few weeks back (what the heck happened to September?), I'm going to be at the Farm Aid 2009 concert tomorrow doing some live blogging for the Farm Aid website. I'm so excited! There's going to be an incredible lineup of artists performing, plus the HOMEGROWN Village where concertgoers can get their hands dirty and learn about food production, growing your own, composting, how farmers care for the environment, beekeeping, and more.

And of course there will be all kinds of fabulous food from local and family farms—which is one of the things I'll be blogging about. I'll also be spending some time in the FarmYard, a special place in HOMEGROWN village where farmers and concert-goers can meet, greet, and exchange a story or two throughout the concert day.

If you're in the St. Louis area, a very limited number of reserved seats for Farm Aid 2009 Presented by Horizon Organic have just been released. Tickets are available at livenation.com (click here), at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater Box Office, by calling (877) 598-8703, or at participating Blockbuster stores (visit livenation.com for list of locations).

If you're not in St. Louis you can still enjoy the concert! It'll be broadcast live on DIRECTV's The 101 Network, live on FarmAid.org's Webcast, and live on Willie's Place on Sirius XM Radio. Click here for more info. And check out the just released video of Willie Nelson & Lukas Nelson talking about Farm Aid 2009 here.

Pre-concert events include The Homegrown Urban Country Fair in St. Louis today from 10am to 2:30pm at the Tower Grove Farmers Market. This hands-on, interactive and educational festival features exhibits, workshops and demos celebrating modern homesteading and how we're connecting to good food, farmers and the earth, and great live music. You can read more about it here.

Tonight there will be a public briefing called 'A Farmer/Urban Connection,' which will run from 5:00 - 6:30pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 7200 Delmar Blvd in St. Louis. Farm Aid, Missouri Rural Crisis Center, and other local, regional and national family farm organizations will discuss the challenges and opportunities facing family farm agriculture. Learn about how you can use your voice to push for a vibrant 'family farm' food system that builds thriving rural economies, strong communities, and resilient ecosystems to nourish us for generations to come. This is a free event open to the farmers, non-farmers, and all others interested in supporting family farmers. Click here to RSVP.

What is Farm Aid? Farm Aid is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to keep family farmers on their land. Over the past 24 years, Farm Aid has raised nearly $36 million dollars to support programs that help farmers thrive, create and strengthen connections between farmers and eaters, take action to change the dominant system of industrial agriculture, and promote food from family farms.

Farm Aid’s mission is to build a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Farm Aid artists and board members Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp and Dave Matthews host an annual concert to raise funds to support Farm Aid’s work with family farmers and to inspire people to choose family-farmed food.

Want to get involved? Find out how you can take action here, become a Farm Aid member here, learn more about the Farm Aid community here, connect to the land and each other at Homegrown.org, or follow Farm Aid on Twitter here.

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the rushing around trying to get on the road foodie farm blog where we can't think of anything better than combining great music, great food, and a really great cause—keeping our family farms. Thanks for your support!

Thursday Dose of Cute: Love Those Longears

Daphne and Fernando (taken 7/25/09)

Want to see more of this sweet little guy?
7/25/09: New Baby Donkey Alert!
7/27/09: Mama Love
7/30/09: Sacked Out in the Sun
8/19/09: Wordless Wednesday Dose of Cute (I really love these photos)
10/13/09: Who's Soggy Now?
10/17/09: Have You Heard? Winter Weather Is on the Way!
10/26/09: One Scene, Two Angles
11/30/09: Um, Excuse Me
12/7/09: Lean on Me

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the soft and cuddly foodie farm blog where somebody around here doesn't seem to get the 'cuddly' part—as in, he still won't let me touch him. We're getting closer, though; today he kept creeping toward me as his curiosity got the best of him while watching Evie and Esmeralda practically crush me (in a good way) with hugs and affection. I'm determined to win him over soon. In the meantime, isn't the word longears the best? I'd never heard it until a year or two ago, but I immediately fell in love with it. It's even the name of the American Donkey and Mule Society's website.

Wordless Wednesday Dose of Cute

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the soft and cuddly foodie farm blog where grown up donkeys are always lots of fun to have around, but baby donkeys make you want to squeal with delight, nuzzle those big ears, and bury your face in their furry necks (soon, soon he'll let me I hope!).

Thursday Dose of Cute: Sacked Out in the Sun

Daphne's New Baby Boy in the Middle of Some Serious Napping

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the black bellied (how cute is that?) foodie farm blog where this fast growing little guy needs plenty of rest, and if he ever has trouble getting to sleep, all he has to do is look around and count some sheep.

Monday Dose of Cute: Mama Love

Daphne and Her New Baby Boy

Need more cute for a Monday? We've been capturing it for a while:
The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6
Daily Doses of Cute Part 7
Daily Doses of Cute Part 8
Daily Doses of Cute Part 9
Daily Doses of Cute Part 10

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the happy we're in babyland foodie farm blog where this curious little guy finally (three days felt like an eternity!) allowed me to pet the top of his sweet head this morning. It is so incredibly soft.

Saturday Extreme Dose of Cute: New Baby Donkey Alert!!

Say Hello to Daphne's Brand New Baby Boy

Talk about cute overload. Is this little guy adorable or what? I'll have more photos of him up hopefully soon—I'm headed back out to see them now. In the meantime, baby and mama Daphne are both doing fine, big sister Evie (who just had her first birthday two weeks ago) is demanding lots of extra hugs and pets, a very proud Donkey Doodle Daddy passed out congratulatory organic carrots to everyone, and I tucked a celebratory bottle of champagne in the fridge.

© 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the squealing with delight foodie farm blog where life is definitely better with donkeys—especially when they have babies.

Sunday Dose of Cute: Happy Birthday Evie!

It's the Big One for Her, Too! (And Only Two Days Late)

Evie by the Fourth of July Front Yard 'Fireworks'



And Baby Evie on 7/26/08, age 16 Days, with Mother Daphne

Want to see more of Evie?
7/10/08: It's Another Birthday Girl!
7/11/08: Up and Running (and Trying to Air Dry?)
7/13/08: All Dried Off and Raring to Go
8/27/08: You Just Roll With It, Baby
9/13/08: Here a Nibble, There a Nibble
9/26/08: Are Those Donkey Treats in that Bucket?
10/10/08: Getting to Know You
10/17/08: Baby Love
11/2/08: Fashion Statement
11/29/08: Thirsty Girls
1/10/09: Let's Get Together, Yeah Yeah Yeah
2/2/09: Icy Looks
2/7/09: Being Watched
2/11/09: Are You Ready for the Great Backyard Bird Count?
2/27/09: A Baby Donkey Look Back
3/5/09: Last Snow Photo of the Season
4/23/09: Creek's Up!
5/4/09: What Donkey Girls Do During Lambing Season

© Copyright 2009 FarmgirlFare.com, the birthday week foodie farm blog where little Evie is getting big and her mother Daphne is even bigger—at least around the middle. If all goes well, Evie will have an adorable new sibling soon! (Please be a girl. Please be a girl.)

Saturday Daily Dose of Cute: Thirsty Girls

It Takes A Lot of Water to Look This Cute (Treats Help, Too)

Want to see more donkey cuteness?
(some categories overlap)
Evie Photos
Esmeralda Photos
Dolores Photos
Daphne Photos
Donkey Doodle Dandy Photos
Dinky Photos
More Donkey Photos
And even more Donkey Photos

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where this afternoon as we were driving past the five donkeys in the front field (we still have Dinky, too, but he has to be kept separate from Dan) Joe said, "I hadn't noticed that Evie has Neopolitan ears—they're dark brown at the base, vanilla in the middle, and light chocolate on top." "You mean like the ice cream?" "Yeah, only she doesn't have strawberry."

Sunday Daily Dose of Cute: Fashion Statement

Evie Models the Newest Look in Baby Donkey Halters

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where Evie is actually wearing Esmeralda's halter, which I chose because I thought it would look nice against her darker fur. Evie's halter is blue to match her lead, but Esmeralda wasn't a willing halter wearer when I started this project and Evie was. She let me slip it right on her (amazing!) and doesn't seem to mind that it's Esmeralda's—just don't tell her it doesn't fit quite right because it was actually made for a baby horse (I unbuckle the back strap rather than cramming it over her slightly-larger-than-foal ears to get it on). No matter what, it's certainly a lot spiffier than that infamous ratty blue halter Donkey Doodle Dandy arrived on the farm wearing all those years ago.

Saturday Daily Dose of Cute:Getting to Know You (Come On, Sing Along!)

Getting to Know All About You

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where stock dog Lucky Buddy Bear (who is half English Shepherd and half Australian Shepherd) knows that one of the most important parts of his job is to sit back and let the farm animals inspect him. He also knows that patience is a very handy virtue. Oh, and Evie looks a little bit odd because she's wet from munching grass that's covered with thick morning dew. Esmeralda isn't as fluffy so she doesn't get quite as damp—or else she's just learned how to eat without getting soggy.

Friday Daily Dose of Cute: Baby Love?

Or Just Pestering Mom?









I'll Let You Decide

Need more cute in your life?
Baby Donkey Photos
Donkey Photos
The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where baby Evie did indeed chomp down on Daphne's ear right after that last photo was taken—and we've decided that, besides being incredibly cute and entertaining, Evie's antics are the perfect payback for all the times Daphne has gotten into mischief.

Saturday Daily Dose of Cute: Cleanup Crew

Will Work for Treats

A year of Farm Photos ago:
9/27/07: Made for Each Other?
9/30/07: It's A Stock Dog's Life
10/2/07: Love on the Rocks
10/5/07: Staredown

Two years ago:
9/28/06: Our New Ram Is Showing Some Style
9/29/06: Perfect Landing
9/30/06: Seeing Double
10/1/06: He Looks More Like a Bodyguard than a Nanny Bear
10/2/06: Be Back Soon I Hope
10/3/06: Follow the Yellow Dirt Road

Three years ago:
9/27/05: Autumn Bloom
9/28/05: It's Starting. . .
9/29/05: Heart of Vine
9/30/05: Name That Sheep Contest! You Could Win a Sheep!
10/1/05: I Wonder if Anyone Has Noticed I'm Gone
10/1/05: Weekend Cat Blogging #17—I Heart Patchy Cat
10/1/05: Weekend Chicken Blogging #1—Whitey Gets Even

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where people often ask if our donkeys do anything besides look cute. The answer is sort of. The idea was that they would help protect the sheep by chasing off the coyotes, but as Joe puts it, now that we have a whole herd of donkeys, they pretty much just like to protect each other. They do eat a lot of weeds and brush that the sheep don't care for. And of course their entertainment value is priceless. Besides, you know how far cute goes in my book.

Friday Daily Dose of Cute:Are Those Donkey Treats in that Bucket?

Sorry Girls, Just Dog Food

Need to stock up on cute for the weekend?
Baby Donkey Photos
Donkey Photos
The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where baby donkeys Evie and Esmeralda have taken on the job of border patrol guards, and you can't get past them without an inspection—only they don't actually pay attention to any borders.

Monday Daily Dose of Cute:Bonding with Her Baby

Dolores & Daughter Esmeralda (who is already 2-1/2 months old!)

Need more hee haw in your life?
Baby Donkeys
Donkey Photos
More Donkey Photos
Donkey Doodle Dandy

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where having two baby donkeys who can't seem to get enough pets and snuggles is almost more cuteness than we can bear—and all the donkeys have this ability to look at you in such a way that you always feel as if you've just interrupted something really important.

Saturday Daily Dose of Cute:Here A Nibble, There A Nibble

Evie & Daphne Enjoy Brunch by The Shack

Not enough cute for you?
Baby Donkey Photos
Donkey Photos
The First Daily Doses of Cute
Daily Doses of Cute Part 2
Daily Doses of Cute Part 3
Daily Doses of Cute Part 4
Daily Doses of Cute Part 5
Daily Doses of Cute Part 6

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where little Evie—who is already seriously fluffing up for winter—has finally (finally!) crossed over into the Land of Lets You Hug & Pet Her. I'm absolutely thrilled, but little attention hound Esmeralda is not liking the fact that now she only gets scratched and snuggled with one hand instead of two.

Wednesday Daily Dose of Cute:You Just Roll With It, Baby

Taking A Little Donkey Dust Bath Before Naptime

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where Daphne's baby girl (who now has an adorably fluffy face) still likes to race around at top speed, but once in a while she does stop and take a cleaning break. We're probably going to name her Evie (pronounced Eee-vee) but still haven't decided yet for sure, since you offered up so many wonderful 'E' name suggestions.

Tuesday Daily Dose of Cute:Nap Time for Esmeralda

Sleepy Girl

© Copyright 2008 FarmgirlFare.com, the award-winning blog where, try as you might, sometimes you just can't keep your eyes open—or your ears up.