Southeast Messenger - January 26th, 2020

PAGE 4 - SOUTHEAST MESSENGER - January 26, 2020
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A winter’s day on the farm
(Distribution: 23,591)
Rick Palsgrove ...................................Southeast Editor
southeast@ columbusmessenger.com
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Editor’s Notebook
This winter had been somewhat mild with many days with temperatures
in the 40 degree range, which for some Ohioans is still
t-shirt and shorts weather.
But, by mid-
January, dreaded arctic
cold reached down
into Ohio with its icy
grip. So, in our winter
madness my friend Marie Kujawski and I
thought, what a nice day to go for a walk at
Metro Parks’ Slate Run Living Historical Farm!
The farm, which is a bustling place in the
spring, summer, and fall, is quiet in winter.
There are few visitors and much of the agricultural
work has slowed. Still, the place
remains a place that can delight one’s senses.
As we walked the path toward the farmhouse,
the only sound we heard was that of
our feet scuffing the ground.
Marie noted how the farmhouse looks like
a family homestead from a simpler time.
“There’s no modern intrusion here,” she said.
The wind had a cold bite, so I plunged my gloved hands deeper
Rick
Palsgrove
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into my heavy coat. Marie nestled further into her warm coat.
Slowly more sounds were audible. A wooden fence gate creaked
in the wind. Chickens clucked as they foraged. The sound of the
stream that flows through the farm, not yet frozen, softly rippled.
Marie noted some gentle smells wafting in the wintry air of the
farm - hay, burnt wood, manure...
“It’s an aroma of sweet earthiness,” said Marie.
There was so much to see and drink in. The brown hues of the
fields biding their time till spring planting. A grape arbor waiting
out the winter. The well cared for farmhouse, barn, and outbuildings.
Best of all there were the animals.
As we came upon the barn, some cows were braced against the
cold wind. When I took their photo they gave me a look that
seemed to say, “What are ‘moo’ looking at?”
My ears picked up the fluttering of bird
wings as the feathered friends swooped into
the barn to feast on cobs of corn hanging
from the ceiling.
Then in the general silence, the “tap, tap,
tap” of hammer on nail could be heard coming
from the turkey pen. The sound came
from Slate Run Living Historical Farm
farmer Mike Huels who was repairing the
door to the turkey pen.
“Winter’s a time when we can do some
small repairs around the farm,” said Huels.
“We also plan to build a wooden wagon to
use here on the farm.”
I asked Huels about the cows I photographed.
“Those are milking short horn cows,”
said Huels. “In the 1880s they were used for
both dairy and beef.”
Leaving Huels to his work and bidding
farewell to a flock of friendly bustling
turkeys, we wandered over to some sheds
and found a large, sleeping, hog nestled in
straw and snoring away the winter’s day.
I looked about and noticed the circular
dirt path, carved out by the hooves of horses,
of the threshing area. This is a busy spot
in summer filled with the sounds of the belt
driven threshing machine at work, but now
the area was empty and silent.
We stood and closed our eyes and listened.
So much quiet, so much peace.
Rick Palsgrove is editor of the Southeast
Messenger.
Messenger photos by Rick Palsgrove
These milking short horn cows at Metro Parks’ Slate Run Living
Historical Farm seem to be saying, “What are ‘moo’ looking at?”
to the camera on a frigid January day. Slate Run Living
Historical Farm farmer Mike Huels said in the 1880s this type of
cow was used for both dairy and beef.
Turkeys crowd together in the turkey pen.
Slate Run Living Historical Farm farmer Mike Huels took some
time to repair the door on the turkey pen. Huels said winter on
the farm is a time for farm workers to make repairs. He also said
the farm workers plan on building a new wooden wagon this
winter to use on the farm.