spring days

Zander's first baby chicks!

It's Spring. That means it's time for baby chicks and we're already on our second batch. This season, we've redesigned our poultry schedule and are getting chicks every 2 weeks. Nate spent a few days renovating the brooder building to get ready for them. We needed a different setup since we'll be having 2 different batches of chicks - at different ages, in the brooder at the same time. Nate worked really hard and it looks great.

The laying hens have been moved out of their winter homes and are now back on lush, green pasture. It's hard to keep them inside during the cold months. Hard for them and hard for us. So, everyone is happier these days.

The rest of the farm crew has been working hard starting seeds, potting up seedlings, prepping the fields and transplanting. There is much food to come from this farm! By the way, there's still time to subscribe to our veggie CSA. Members have first dibs on purchasing our eggs and poultry. Check out the link over on the right. 

The pigs have moved out to pasture this week too. They're loving the grass!

Ella and Lucy have been traveling around the farm, doing some mowing for us. This week it's been the back yard.

(Those big tanks are part of our rainwater harvesting system.)

There's nothing like looking out of your kitchen window and seeing this . . .

Nate and I are still adjusting to life with Zander and how it affects our day-to-day work. I love spending my days with my son but it's hard to watch Nate sometimes struggle with doing the work of 2 people. I can do a lot on the farm with the baby but it often limits my abilities as far as bending over or having both hands free and it all revolves around his naps. I feel bad that I'm not able to help Nate as much and he feels bad that he's not able to help with the baby much during the day. We're all doing what we need to do right now and that's okay. We both have a deep appreciation for each others jobs.

The bright side, since I am a bright side kind of girl, is that we work at home. We're lucky enough to both be home with our child and that means a lot to us and to Zander. Being the only child of parents who divorced when I was a baby, I spent a lot of time with babysitters or in daycare. I was away from my parents and it was really lonely. I'm so happy Zander has us, all the time.

It's hard to put into words just how amazing this kid is. I love him.

 

Nate mows the lawn.

this moment

adventures in babywearing

I'm still trying to figure out ways to incorporate this new little person into my work life. It's best that I learn now before the busy farming season starts. It sure would be easier though if Zander could help by carrying a 5 gallon water jug or something!

Sometimes he's perfectly content in a stroller and those are the times I'm really quick and efficient at whatever I'm doing. But that never lasts very long so I wear him in a wrap, sling or carrier.

What I've found, so far, is that there are different babywearing tools for different jobs. All are valuable in their own way and each with their own learning curve. I might have banged my baby's head walking into the chicken coop while wearing him on my back. And I might have forgotten to cover his bare feet while bending down to collect eggs, resulting in a little toe pecking. Poor kid.

I've also learned that whether it's feeding or watering animals, carrying water jugs or buckets of feed, milking the cow or collecting eggs, I can still do it while wearing him. It might take a little longer and I may have to stop and nurse a fussy baby for a few minutes and then start again. But I can do it.

No matter how I carry him around, I'm a little slower these days. My life is a series of incomplete tasks. I have a running list in my head of things I'll do or finish while the baby sleeps. Wash diapers, hang laundry, organize baby clothes, finish taxes, farm paperwork, box up eggs, clean, feed myself, shower, blog. I'll get to it.

Like I said before, it's the new normal. Feeling pulled in a million different directions.

And I wouldn't change a thing.

wordless wednesday ~ milking Ella

wordless wednesday

Zander learns that chickens will be a big part of his life. . . and he thinks it's hilarious.

it's a girl!

Ella, who was supposedly due on February 2nd, had her calf on the 25th! She was most definitely not that overdue so we think they miscalculated her due date.

She did a great job and we have a beautiful new baby girl. Jen had been out to check on her early in the morning and when Nate went out to check a few hours later, there she was. She couldn't have been more than a few minutes old. He called me and I grabbed the baby, threw him in a wrap and ran out to see. We got to watch Ella lovingly clean her off and then see the calf make her first attempt to stand up. And then fall down. And then try to stand again. Ella is such a good mother.

The best part? We've got milk! The whole reason we got Ella was so we can have our own milk. Nate's started milking her and we're enjoying her milk, butter and rich cream.

Still deciding on a name...