Early Summer On The Farm

This is an assortment of photos from around the farm and from the nearby roads. Only a few days after rescuing a Wood Turtle from the road, I encountered this massive Snapping Turtle in the middle of another road. I hesitated, but decided to help it across the road if I could do so safely. It was a nasty animal, trying hard to bite me, but I managed to get it across the road to safety:

Our long winter and spring drought severely hurt local hay crops, but farms with well maintained fields have been haying for several weeks now:

I've seen only one farm baling hay so far, but lots of folks are cutting their fields for silage:

My Rugosa Roses showed their first buds on May 31:

By June 1 they were blooming nicely, and I expect them to continue doing so through much of the summer:

The chickens collected at the barn door, hoping I'd open it for them so they could go in and look for grain. I didn't:

A closer look at the wildflowers in the hay fields revealed some old favorites, such as this Cow Vetch:

And Ragged Robin. Mine looked pale and scraggly, but I've seen other local fields which were almost a sea of purple:

Lesser Stitchwort, a Chickweed:

A Bedstraw, and I think it was Rough Bedstraw:

Common Fleabane and the ubiquitous Buttercups. There were lots of other flowers also, but they'll have to wait for another day:

A short video of the three calves frolicking as the cattle came to the barn for some grain. At 25 and 26 seconds, you get all four calves (including Rosella) lined up in order of age, from oldest to youngest, left to right - Rosella, Annie, Gladys, Loretta: