A Beautiful Busy Day



      Mother Nature gifted us with a beautiful day and we used it to the fullest on the farm. With snow in the forecast for tomorrow we got a lot of projects completed, had some fun, and ended the day with a special surprise.



      We started work on clearing out a spot in the grove where we hope to build a tree house. It is going to be a lot of work and might take most of the summer but will also provide some learning experiences and lots of fun.  The kids are super stoked about getting a tree house, and lets face it so am I.

     We treated a few calves that had some loose stools or infected navels. We want to treat them before they get too sick and with the possible snow tomorrow we want to make sure they all are feeling their best. Today we also crossed the 100 mark for calves born this year. That leaves only 30 to go and we are still in the first cycle of breeding meaning that these cows all got bred during their first cycle with the bull or through AI (artificial insemination).

         We fed the market animals whom we are raising hormone free this year and they are looking very good. The buyer came by the other day and was very happy with them. He feels they will get a premium and that they should be ready for market around May 10th.

         The kids had some fun in the mud making rivers to drain our the water. Never a shortage of mud on the farm. Only a few boots got stuck and had to be pulled out.

       Dad helped the kids set up the trampoline that Santa brought for Christmas. They have been waiting patiently for the weather to get warm enough to set it up. They were out jumping on it until dark tonight. I have a feeling there will be much time spent on it this summer. Mom is glad to have something that will draw them outside to play and get exercise.

         Mary and I built a box to put the baby chicks in when they hatch two weeks from today. Mary wanted to paint it red. She has been watching the eggs in the incubator very closely. Every morning she checks on them and gives us the temperature report in the incubator. Next step is working on the coop and chicken run.

      And now for the biggest excitement of the day. Cookie our only kitty at the time had her kittens. Three little one's, half as many as she had last spring, but they all look healthy. She is a wonderful mother cat and a great hunter. The kids are already in love with the kittens and the hard part is keeping them from handling them too much. The checked and the two orange ones are females and the black one is a male. What a beautiful memorable day she choose to bring her little one's into the world. I know there are a lot more fun adventures ahead of us on the farm.