It's Spring! It's Spring!

The farm continues, though blogging has lagged disgracefully. We are all well, thriving, and utterly thankful for the sunshine that promises to last for a week at least. While spring rain is necessary to get us through the summer, it becomes very trying when all one wants to do is dig in the dirt. Fortunately this spring has allowed a number of sunny opportunities for gardening, in between bouts of rain, and I've planted onions, potatoes, and strawberries. The garlic, planted last fall, is flourishing (although I stuck in another handful of cloves because marauding hens had thinned the crop already), and the asparagus, celery, leeks, and herbs overwintered nicely.

The hoophouse also surprised us, since my mother planted several rows of cole crops and then forgot about them all winter. A couple of months ago, I peeked in and was pleased to find an excellent harvest of kale, some broccoli, and a bit of spinach. We've been enjoying them as a welcome fresh addition to our diet, and a preview of the summer's bounty.

Once again I went crazy with the seed order, especially with a new catalogue that tempted me beyond resistance--Baker Creek in Missouri. It's like an art book! So I got more than I intended to, having planned a more modest attempt this year, but hopefully we'll be able to handle it all. Our big problem this year is that our space has been limited. I had the bright idea of moving half the chickens into the garden area to clean it up last fall, with the intention that Bill and I would then butcher them all as soon as they'd done their jobs. Well... they still run free. And the garden is a mud slick. So we have to get creative and squeeze things in where we can. I think it will be fine, but a little inconvenient. Ah well.

The animals are also grateful for the sunshine. The goats are all fat and happy on the green grass, and I'm hoping that health conditions will improve with the summer. No one's been really sick (except Prue, who has chronic issues and has been retired from breeding), but they're all itchy and dandruffy, and a few have rubbed their coats bare in patches. I've ordered some mineral supplements that I expect will help as well.

We brought Faithful, our little black buck, over from the neighbors' house in January, and watched in disbelief as all four does bulldozed him across the pen. The poor thing took refuge under the feeding trough and wouldn't have anything to do with the girls, so we returned him regretfully and got Samson instead. Owing to an eagerness to get rid of the buck goat smell ASAP, he was returned too soon, and Mercy soon proved not to be pregnant. Temerity is, fortunately, and we're pretty sure Peace is too ( though she's so wide naturally that it's hard to tell!), but Mercy will have to wait until the fall when we breed the little girls. So we're looking forward to a slightly less crazy summer with only one milker. Since a human baby is also on the way (due in late October), I'm glad to have the break!