It's Fawning Time

This week the fawns started showing up on camera for the first time.  This doe has twins.

This fawn looks alot larger - maybe because he wasn't a twin.

It's hard to tell how many different fawns there are right now.

This week, only one set of twins on camera - we often have multiple sets.  When deer have good nutrition, twins are pretty common.

And there are hazards for newborn fawns - it's interesting that these does have them out in daylight.

Normally the predators are nocturnal - maybe that's why the does are risking movement in daylight.

This is the biggest hazard for newborn fawns - coyotes.

It's interesting that I'm seeing him in daylight too.  That's pretty unusual.

The mature turkeys can usually escape the coyotes but the coyotes do prey upon the poults (young turkeys).  These are mature gobblers (see the beard).

I don't know if a coyote would go after a groundhog - might be a pretty good match.

When we arrived at the farm, the fridge was showing 58 degrees.  Here's Joan purging.  It appears that someone (probably me) didn't get a door closed tight.  It seems to be working fine now.

Almost 2" in the rain gauge.  The ground is really wet and I'm not sure how much work I can get done in the pumpkin patch.

Sunflower field from the dining room.  It's coming in quite nicely and should be in bloom in a couple of weeks.

Same view Sunday morning - the fog was thick.

Close up of the sunflowers - over waist high.

This is another sunflower field that I planted a couple of weeks later.

The pumpkin patch has a good start.  I planted some pumpkins earlier than others. Also some zucchini, beans, melon, squash and gourds.

Rows of the early planting are starting to run.

The late plantings are recently emerged.  Notice the weeds starting too.  Ugh.

The apple trees look really good this year.

Both yellow and red apples.

I never do anything with this grape arbor but it produces every year.  Concord grapes with seeds.

This was a new plot planted in soybeans - it's pretty marginal right now.  If I have time, I'll spray it and it may be ok.

The clover plots are really looking good.  There are some weed/grass issues but certainly no shortage of deer food.

Another clover field.

The bucks are really growing their antlers. June is prime time but they keep growing until September.

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I give them their vitamins and minerals to assist in the antler growing process.

Checking cameras in the rain.

The minerals also help the does who are nursing.

Planting Is Done

I was in Pittsburgh for a meeting and I stopped by the farm on the way home.  I finished planting the last couple of rows in the pumpkin patch.  We're staying home this weekend so I snuck my farm time in on Friday.

I did check the cameras and there was a lot of coyote activity.

I assume that this may be due to fawning season.  I haven't seen any fawns yet but it has to be about time.

The foxes were out and about too.

I was also surprised to see bucks this big in June.  This one looks like it might be the Browbeast from previous years.  Two or more months of antler growing season still to go.

This buck also has a good start.  I noticed that he has an affliction that I've seen on other deer too.

This is the same picture blown up.  Look at the bumps on the back of his ears - I believe this is insect related.  These animals are pestered mercilessly thru the summer by flies and ticks.

In the pumpkin patch, I found a couple areas like this where the turkeys have been dusting themselves in the dirt.  The exclusion tape doesn't seem to have any effect on the turkeys.  It works by smell and the turkeys don't seem at all concerned by it.

I'm starting to fight the onslaught of weeds.  I have a new Stihl cultivator machine that helps to turn the dirt beside the rows.  We could use some rain but I don't see much in the forecast.

The wildflowers are at their peak out in the fields.  This is Indian Paintbrush.  It's actually much brighter than it looks in this picture.

Making the camera tour.

Spreading minerals.

Checking cameras.

There are others checking my cameras too.

Some bachelor groups forming.

Got an itch.

There aren't alot of does on camera - too busy giving birth?  This one is chasing a young buck away from a mineral lick.

Striking a nice pose.