Some days here on the "Hobby Farm" are just plain long while other days are long and wide. Especially those days when Keith and I are running in different directions which is quite the feat since we own only one vehicle.
A couple of days ago when a customer of ours asked if he could work with us today (yes, he volunteered) we said yes immediately. Extra help is always a great opportunity. Then when we received a phone call from a local newspaper wanting to do a story about us we also said Yes. Free publicity is also a great opportunity.
The fact that both folk were coming on the same day was no big deal, because as I said Keith goes one way and I go another. If we actually worked together in a side by side fashion, we wouldn't get anything done.
The morning took off with arrival of Matt who jumped right in to help me pack my meat order for delivery to Green Grocer in Chicago. Half way through the invoice prep the rep from the Fencing Company came to give us an estimate on some work we needed done. We walked and talked and shook hands and then I sent him on his way while Keith sent me on mine.
Back to Green Grocer. We really do love that store, they are so good at just taking whatever we have available and understand completely we just can't meat all their organic meat needs. The trip is long though, 5 hrs round trip when you include traffic, delivery time in and out of the store and a walk around the neighborhood so I can get my city fix before heading back to Mayberry RFD.
While I was frittering away the day Keith and Matt, milked cows, castrated seven, 5 days old Red Wattle Piglets (this is normally my job, I felt a little replaced but sometimes sacrifices must be made in the name of education) , fixed fence, finished more chores, waited on 6 store customers and ground grain for us and Matt's mum. (Hello Deb!)
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| Keith and Matt getting their stories straight so I don't figure out they were watching The Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummond, on the Food Network all day |
I made it home about 2:30, (speed? me?) spent some time with bookwork and then horse work tying pretty ribbons to our electric fence in order to keep my new horse safe while we turned her out to graze. Keith and Matt ran to another nearby town to pick up mineral needed to mix with our grain ration.
Shortly after they returned the reporter from The Leader showed up. Keith and I team tagged the young fellow in the kitchen while Matt operated heavy machinery all by himself. (Something you can do with a 30 year old intern VS a 16 year old one.)
After "the talk"
"Yes we think pasture raised meat is better"
"No, we don't have a staff of 10"
"Yes, it would be cool if we could make organic juice and sell it in our store but we're old and would like to sleep once in a while"
we walked with our reporter Luke (I made an early reference to Obie Wan Kenobi but he was smart enough to ignore me) and introduced him to the gang.
LOOK at that green grass! We had rain and more rain and more the last two weeks and it shows.
About 6 everyone had to go home except Keith and I , so we went inside had a leisurely supper and hit the sack at 7:15.
Except we didn't. Horses had to be restructured. New horse off pasture, old horse back into pasture and frankly I have no idea where Doolin the donkey ended up nor do I care as long as I don't see his hairy dusty rump on my side of the bed I'm happy. One of those in our small full sized bed is enough.
Tomorrow all we have on the schedule our our regular chores, bookwork, horse work, and customer service. Not sure what we'll do with all our free time.
Have I mentioned lately our wonderful farm is for sale?
So, another quiet day. Do let us see what the hack wrote!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you sell it, what will you do with yourself all day? Oh, silly me. Shop for shoes in Chicago..
ReplyDeletei like the name for your blog. i suppose i could call myself a mid-life ranch wife, but we don't have a ranch, just 25 acres 20 minutes from town. i've lived in the new house a week. i'm still adjusting.
ReplyDeleteOh, Donna. I am exhausted just reading this. Castrating? You actually do that yourself? Wow.
ReplyDeleteI hope they got a good recipe from Pioneer Woman and fixed it for supper! :) You didn't mention when in that long day you fixed supper, so I hope you had leftovers and didn't have to!
ReplyDeleteNo wonder your farm is for sale--so you can get some rest!
Cro, yes quiet. When none of the critters get loose and tear up the farm we do indeed consider it "quiet"
ReplyDeleteRusty, When we sell I plan to write and write and write. Can't get my first book done with all these ridiculous farm distractions!
Michelle. We own 10.88 acres and rent 40 but we call it a ranch cause we're all ballsy that way
Susan. I learned to castrate our piggies by watching youtube! Yup folks actually filmed themselves doing it. Mostly bad films. I'm ready to do one of my own. Being anurse made the scapel stuff not so scarey.
Zephyr. I gave up cooking in 1994. One year after we married. Mostly now we thaw some beef in the sun and eat it raw. Our teeth are immaculate. Our neighbors keep their distance
you make me exhausted! you are fabulous in all you do!
ReplyDeleteWow, I feel exhausted just reading that post. You must be in great shape with all that running around.
ReplyDeleteMichelle