I spent a couple of hours the other day, on my property, packing a trail on my snowshoes out across what we call, “The Back Ridge.”  It was exciting, but not nearly as exciting as what I found when I returned a few days later.  My efforts were appreciated.  On top of my snowshoe tracks, cloved hooves, from the deer, belonging to both young and old bucks and does, had traveled the entire length of the trail.  A set of larger cloved hoof tracks belonging to my aloof moose friend who never lets me see him, meandered on and off the trail.  Rabbit tracks hopped in and out, and grey squirrels chatted about the comings and goings.  A wood pecker had scattered bark in the trail from his evening meal on a poplar tree and a porcupine had done the same with a hemlock tree.  Several dog tracks from hungry coyote followed the deer tracks.  A larger dog print, Cooper, my neighbor’s dog and his person’s boot prints revealed more winter action.

When everything seems dark, cold, and asleep, especially this winter, tracks in the snow tell us otherwise.  Winter is awake, when we get out and take a peek.  March is apt to bring us a little more snow, so why not let your children come make tracks in the snow with Farmer’s Helpers at Chip-in Farm.  Farmer Sandy has chores to do, but also wants to play in the snow.  It’s not too late to sign-up for winter classes in March.  Find the sign-ups on our website calendar.  Don’t forget our Farm-Drop Ins starting in March.  Sign-up through Eventbrite.    Visit us on Facebook.   Can’t find what you need, send us an email at  chippinfarmclasses@gmail.com.

Kristi Atherton

Educational Program Coordinator

Farmer’s Helpers at Chip-In Farm