Winter on the Farm

On the farm, it is extremely wet and muddy. We have just finished the last batch of broilers. All the lambs and turkeys are gone. It's just us, some milk cows, some beef cattle, and about 3000 laying hens. We are in full winter mode now, but it seems like its really late to be reaching this point. The fall/early winter work was a challenge and has drug into the new year. We better catch our breath fast, because planning for spring is just around the corner. In fact, we will be ordering our first batch of 2019 chicks in just a few weeks and preparing pastures for spring grazing. When I was young I remember telling my dad that I was bored (only once or twice). He looked at me as if boredom was a completely foreign concept. He would say "You should never be bored on a farm. Turn around twice and you will see plenty to do." I knew what he meant then, but I really know what he meant now. Please don't take this as a complaint. I love this lifestyle and all that comes with it. But, I always try to share with yall what its like on the farm in a truly transparent way. This week I just wanted to share that even life on the farm can become too busy, filled with undone overdue tasks, overwhelming, and sometimes even a little discouraging. Fear not though, tomorrow we will get up and do what we do. We will pull our boots on and put our head down into the task at hand. We will take care of the animals and eventually work through the winter chores and projects. Then at some point, we will get several warm sunny days in a row, and a green sheen will appear over the pastures. At that point, we are off to the races, and all will be right with the world...or at least the farm.