Spring On The Farm

May is such a cool time on the Farm, both literally as in cool and wet, and cool as in awesome. Trees are finally leafing out, flowers are starting to pop and everywhere you look its so super greeeeeeeeen.

Spring and fall are my favorite times of year because of the massive transitions that occur both with the earth and with our animals.

This morning I was walking around doing chores and thought I’d show ya a glimpse of what’s happening on a typical day in May

Enjoy.

#1 The Chicks Assortment

This year I tried the red ranger variety of meat/broiler birds that I raise for meat.

They are longer to mature than the Cornish crosses that I have raised in the past and that you see most other farmers and commercial growers using (the traditional fat white chickens). I like the red rangers because they are natural foragers and hunt and peck for most of their food, where as the Cornish crosses are bread to mainly EAT chick food and grow super fast.

And by eat, I mean they basically binge on the stuff to the point of worrying that they may grow so fast they have heart attacks. To help prevent this you can take their food away from them at night so this doesn’t happen.

This is typically not a problem with the rangers. They are also beautiful. And they taste amazing. I will “harvest” them July/August depending on weight.

This year I have 6 turkeys that will harvest a few in the fall and then keep some on for next year.

I also have 9 ducklings. The Pekins we will harvest for food, as duck fat is one of my favorite things of all time. And the mallards I will prolly keep for egg laying and entertainment.

I heart ducks for all things. They are a very cool bird to have on the farm. I love love them.

And all these guys go through food and water like crazy. I check them three times a day.

#2 The Goat Babies

Gah! Seriously the cutest farm animal of all time, well, next to ducklings.

I have two bucklings and a doe. They are wildly entertaining.

#3 Milking

I have two does in milk right now so we have a milking station ready for them when their babies are weaned.

I canNOT wait to start making cheeeeeeeeeese.

#4 The Mud Situation

Um. By far my least favorite part of spring weather. And every year I’m shocked as to how fast it dries up. So every morning I repeat that to myself to make it all ok in my head. Cuz it drives me bananas.

#5 Fencing

Animals are hard on fences. And I’m baffled with how many different KINDS of fencing there is.

And no matter what type you have, they will find a way to be hard on it.

So it’s a never ending J. O. B.

#6 The Garden

To be planted. See #9

#7 Lamb

I’m gonna tell you my version of the story of the Velveteen Rabbit.

When I was six months old my grandmother gave me a stuffed lamb that she had bought from the famous FAO Schwartz. And not that I remember it, but in that moment of my six months of life I decided that that lamb would be my very favorite stuffed aaaaanything.

And when I could talk I named her, well, Lamb…logically.

She went with me everywhere I slept with her every night; I loved her so so much. So much that I rubbed most of her synthetic wool off, she lost an ear, an eye, need patches around her neck constantly because that’s where I would hold and carry her from.

And then I grew up.

And yet, never let her go. And will forever have her in my life.

And now, now I have two.

Because the other day, this happened:

Our neighbor, Lorca, raises Icelandic sheep a beautiful heritage breed known for its ability to withstand harsh weather, they have beautiful wool are mild mannered and taste amazing.

One of her ewes gave birth and then past away. So Lorca was left with this little bum lamb to feed and care for and with the amount that she had going on at the time it wasn’t working for her to care for this lamb.

So I got a phone call.

And of course, gah! I had to say yes.

And when Lorca brought her over that night I saw something that I couldn’t believe.

I’ll let you see for yourself, as pictures tell all.

My Velveteen Lamb came to life.

So we named her Lamb…logically.

#8 Shedding

This is one of the first signs of spring, when the horses start to shed out. It takes Kermit the longest to get his full on summer coat. And I love seeing him transform color form a dark bay to a lighter shiny bay.

Sage is done.

And P still has some time.

#9 My Never Ending Lists

Its never ending and I love it. Makes getting up every day a super adventure.

Loving y’all and happy spring.