Harmony

This week’s photo challenge: Harmony.

Last summer we stayed a week in upstate New York with my wonderful brother and sister in law. They took us to visit their friends’ small farm. About thirty acres, if I remember correctly. A stream, a pond, wooded area, swamp, meadows. An open barn where the animals can come and go as they please.

During the day most of the animals were wandering the wild landscape, and towards sundown they gathered around the barn and by the time we left in the evening the chickens, guinea fowl, geese and ducks were roosting inside and the horse, the calf and the goats were walking in as well.

The guinea fowl keep the deer ticks in check, the horse, somehow by its presence, keeps raccoons and rats away. Everyone contributes their natural fertilizer to the lush ecosystem.

As we gathered chairs around a cable table in knee-high grass and tasted some absolutely to die for goat cheeses, two of the goats were standing around, as if waiting to be complimented on what they had produced. And then we ladled out a stew made from one of their aunties…

But this is what I felt a farm should be. These animals live in farm paradise. Literally free-range, eating what they choose, strolling around in so much space, through a wide variety of plants so lush it made me want to be a cow. I just couldn’t stop taking pictures.

The photos aren’t great quality, I know. Taken from my phone in a the end of the day, and on my new computer I still can’t access my new Photoshop, so I haven’t edited anything in a while. But hopefully you get the idea.