I have been thoroughly chastised for my delinquency in updating my blog. Mea culpa. I will try to to be better. (There’s just so much going on.)

First, Dr. Doug Hammill is going to be featured on “Rural Heritage” on RFD, the rural channel. February 3rd, they will show Part 1 of “Preventing Wrecks” with Part 2 to follow on February 17th. This is invaluable information for anyone working with horses. If you get RFD (DirecTV definitely carries it) check to see what time of the day Rural Heritage will show. 

Second, I went to Cavalia in Marymoor Park this last weekend. The show is a mixture of Cirque D’Soleil and your favorite horse show. One breed they showcased was the Comtois, a smaller French draft horse. I’ve never seen one before. He looked a lot like a tiny version of our Belgians, but with light feathering and just a star on his face. The breed is said to be very gentle in nature and perfect for small farm work. (I just have to remind myself that I don’t need another horse, no matter how cool they are.)

Third, I had a lovely chat with Miriam at Farmigo.com. This online tool streamlines CSA systems so that local, small farmers can grow from subsistence to profitability. By eliminating the paperwork of planning, marketing, collecting payment, and statistical analysis, it frees farmers to do what  they do best – grow stuff. Take a tour of the customer-facing site and see what you think. I’ve talked at length with one farmer who was able to increase the number of families his 10 acres could feed from 80 to 130. It was enough to keep him from having to work off the farm and with the statistical analysis he received, he has some great planning tools for next year.

Fourth, the FDA, in response to the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections, has just restricted the use of cephalosporins in livestock, according to a New York Times article. Interesting…

Oh, and a few hundred thousand people made their voices known. It looks like SOPA and PIPA will not make it through congress.

Hey, don’t mess with our internet.

So, I’ll add more tomorrow. Time for sleep…