What Betty is Doing Now June 2025

Spring is Busy

Now that winter is over, life is outdoor-busy from sunup to sundown. There’s so much to do on the farm—mowing, moving pasture fences, tending trees, working the garden, and caring for animals. I try to carve out time for porch coffee and the occasional horseback ride. I have a tendency to go, go, go—and sometimes I need to remind myself that it’s okay if I don’t get it all done.

One more ewe, Dos, is due to lamb around June 12.

The non-GMO beans are planted. Now it’s my job to mow the field perimeters to knock down leftover rye. Pastures are due for mowing, too.

The garden is mostly in. This year, I’m planting pumpkins instead of watermelon. Pumpkins are good for the sheep—they offer some parasite resistance—and they’re great for the dogs and people, too. I also planted peas, zucchini, cucumbers, yellow squash, onions, greens, and carrots. I’ve been harvesting rhubarb. The asparagus didn’t come up as well as I hoped, so I’m letting it go to seed again and hoping for a better stand next year.

A big decision this month: I signed all of my fields up for CRP (conservation reserve program). Which means no more annual planting—just long-term habitat and soil-building. It’s a ten-year commitment. I also enrolled in a windbreak program. It’ll run 30 feet along the south edge of my tillable field and include a few rows of trees and likely some shrubs. NRCS will help design it, and I’ll plant it before next summer.

Want to buy lamb? I’m now offering local lamb for sale by the live weight. You pay me for the lamb, and then you work directly with Allen’s Meats in Homer, Illinois to customize your processing preferences. It’s a great way to stock your freezer with flavorful, pasture-raised meat that’s high in nutrients. If you're interested, just email me and I’ll walk you through how it works.

I’ve added more videos to the Bluestem Springs Farm YouTube channel. If there’s something you’d like to see—more sheep content, land management updates, or what I’m reading—drop me a note. And if you’d like a little piece of the farm in your mailbox, Bluestem Springs Farm stickers are now available in the shop - https://bluestemspringsfarm.com/shop.

—Betty

If you're interested in working together or have any questions, feel free to contact me via email or LinkedIn!

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bettybrennan/

bettybrennan@pm.me