10 June

Curious: The New Landscape

by Jon Katz
The New Landscape
The New Landscape

A new landscape for Bedlam Farm. This morning, I took Red out to work with the sheep, as I do every morning. This time, a pony came to fence, curious to see what the dog and the sheep were doing. I think Chloe is happy here, we are happy to have her. Red ignores her, he cannot be distracted from his work. The sheep are getting a workout. New animal on the farm, two herding dogs now to push them around, one of them a puppy no less.

10 June

Life As A Landscape

by Jon Katz
Life's Landscapes
Life’s Landscapes

I think one reason I love photography so much is that I  have always believed that life is a series of landscapes, they change all the time, almost every day. I never took a photograph in my life until I got a camera at the first Bedlam Farm six years ago, now there is hardly a day that goes by that I do not take more than one picture. My life is a landscape, it seems to change all of the time.

This morning, a new landscape emerged here, backlit against the rising sun. I put my camera up to my face and caught this still strange but beautiful scene, Maria greeting her pony and her beloved donkeys Lulu and Fanny and Chloe are a herd now, inseparable. Sometimes, Chloe will find herself off grazing and will notice Lulu and Fanny aren’t nearby, she gives off a beautiful whinny and takes off looking for them.

They are always together now, and she has stopped trying to stomp the sheep. One constant in the landscape at the farm is our love for the animals here. I can’t say I love them all equally, but I love them all. Maria loves her pony and  her donkeys, she is overjoyed to see them every day, and they return the favor.

Chloe fits in. She loves people is a ham for attention, is calm and good to the other animals. She seems to love dogs, a good thing for a Bedlam Farm animal. Today, I am happy to share a new landscape with you, the farm is a Mother in a way, it gives and gives.

10 June

Mary Kellogg At The Open House: “Dance Of Life Is Full”

by Jon Katz
How To Dance
How To Dance

On June 27-28, at the Spring Bedlam Farm Open House (the second Open House will be held in October, on Columbus Day Weekend), Mary Kellogg will read from her newest volume of poetry “How To Dance,” published by Bedlam Farm Books, the publisher of her first two volumes of poetry. Maria and I are proud to present this work and sell it at our open house, Mary is a dear friend and inspiration to both of us, and a witness and supporter of our love and connection.

Mary Kellogg is a powerful warrior for creativity and encouragement, she started writing poetry when she was six years old and never showed it to anyone until she showed it to me when she was 80 years old. We are proud to be welcoming Mary to the open house, she came to Maria’s studio today to go over the final proofs for her new book. A number of poets – Doug Anderson, Kate Rantilla, Tom Atkins – will be reading from their works at the Open House.

Maria will be selling her work and the of other talented artists. People can meet Chloe, our new pony. They can tour Maria’s studio and see the art displayed there. Blue Star Equiculture is planning to bring some big draft horses to the farm that weekend, Pamela Rickenbach of Blue Star is planning to speak. So is Joshua Rockwood, the young farmer from Glenville, N.Y., so unjustly accused of animal cruelty and abuse. He is coming to speak as well. The famed photographer George Forss is coming to do portraits for people who are interested.

They can also visit with Lulu and Fanny, our sweet donkey sisters, see Red work with the sheep and watch some herding lessons with Fate. We are asking that people not bring any dogs or other animals to the farm, it is disturbing to the people and animals here. More details about the Open House here.

Mary’s book is about the dance of life, something she knows very well. I’ll quote from one verse in the book, the poem is called “Dance Of Life.”

“question

how to dance

within the frame

step within sight

where walls are high

feet tangle

dance of life is full.”

Mary knows how to dance, she teaches us every day of her life. You are welcome to come and meet  her and the rest of us on June 27 and 28.

10 June

Puppy In The Brush

by Jon Katz
Dog In The Brush
Dog In The Brush

I see that we will need to brushhog the pasture shortly, I appreciated this photo, it offers a sense of  scale when a puppy goes to work with a flock of sheep. Fate almost vanishes in the grass when she lies down, she is only 15 weeks old. I called for her to “lie down” at a great distance and she did, and when she did, the sheep stopped to graze. This is important, as it teaches the sheep and the dog to be calm together, this isn’t around racing around, although that is sometimes necessary. At first, I had trouble finding her.

10 June

Determination

by Jon Katz
Determination
Determination

Fate weighs about 16 pounds and the sheep weight about 150. When the flock is together, Fate is nose to nose with more than 1,500 pounds of rebellious livestock. But the eye is more powerful than the fleece, it seems, and Fate has an eye that would cut through steel. She held them all and backed them up. The sheep are already learning that they have to deal with her.

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