This afternoon, I finally carved out a little time to relax.  I decided to ride Cinder.  I was actually test riding a new saddle, but it didn’t fit well.  So, I took the saddle off and rode Cinder bareback for a little while.  He was feeling quite frisky from the increased grain ration lately and lack of work, so the bucking and misbehavior was a little more challenging without a saddle.  I only came off once, and it was a controlled dismount (that means I landed on my feet).

Anna and I have decided to take Cinder off the sale market for a while.  I am going to work on riding him more and show him some this summer.  We still might sell him eventually, but not right now.

Earlier this week, I promised to get some more pictures updated on the changes to the rabbitry.  Well, what I expected to be a 4-6hr project became more like a 4 day project.  I ended up working until dark every night and still haven’t taken the pictures.  We only have 1 more cage to relocate and then the rabbits will be settled into their new area.  I also started clearing the area that will become a buck pen for the new goats in May.

I did manage to get a little more than a cord of wood cut into log lengths from the tree I took down in the front yard and 2 other trees I cut at the gun club property.  When you don’t do it every day, it’s amazing how much swinging a chainsaw will wear you out (and carrying 16+” oak logs around).

Our second incubator is now in operation.  We have begun incremental loads in the incubators to have weekly hatches.  Right now we have about 53 chicks growing out in various brooders in the garage and basement.  Since the weather is nice, we are hoping sales will start soon…

Tomorrow morning I am picking up 11 more hens, including Americanas!  We will now have easter eggers and will distribute colored eggs in the sale cartons.  This will bring our active layer flock to 47 hens.  We are also getting another rooster on Monday or Tuesday to ensure we keep the eggs fertile for hatching.

Now it’s time for Anna and I to relax and enjoy a short movie.  Tomorrow is another busy day on the farm.

I decided to take 4 days of leave this week to spend some time working on various farm projects.  While the list is never-ending, Anna and I are working hard on a few specific projects before spring gets here.  I did manage to spend a few minutes with Betty and her kids outside in their pen.  You can see all the pictures on the goat page, but here is one doeling getting a quick snack.

By the way, the doelings are for sale.

We spent the afternoon working on cutting down a large oak that was dying and clearing brush from the area that will become the rabbitry.  Since the rabbitry has grown significantly, we have decided to move it away from the chickens and into the opposite side of the yard.  Hopefully the weather will be nice enough tomorrow to allow me to finish clearing and move all the cages.  I’ll add photos when it is finished.

Anna worked with Alex and Vicki to make their Valentine’s cards from scratch, and then made chocolate covered strawberries after they went to bed while I worked in the basement.  I have finished building a new chick hatchery, with the exception of shelves.  Once I get the shelves done tomorrow night, I’ll post pictures of the whole thing.

Some people take leave to go on vacation.  I prefer to work on the farm.

While I was the Engineer on USS Annapolis, Howard Craig was the Weapons Officer.  We didn’t always agree on leadership techniques, but we were able to respect each other, and have healthy debates about life subjects.  In fact, Clark Scharman (Navigator) and Matt Curitti (Supply Officer) used to join Howard and I in religious debates/discussions during private department head meetings.

Throughout my tour, Howard always said something that stuck with me.  “Everyone has something to offer.  You just have to figure out what it is.”  His point was, make a living doing what you love.  In fact, he was constantly pushing me that our horses were what we had to offer, and we should be making money on our passion.

Thanks for the inspiration Weps.

Friends frequently ask us how we do so much on the farm.  I usually answer, it’s just what we do.  Everyone makes choices in life on how to spend your time.  We don’t watch sports.  We don’t watch much tv – in fact I think most shows glorify behaviors we are opposed to.  We don’t go on big vacations to resorts.

We do go outside every day.  So do the kids.  We teach our family about responsibility through chores.  If the kids want to watch tv or play a video game, they usually have to work for the reward.  Our kids understand where the chicken on their plate came from, they know rabbits in the cages, while fun to play with, will eventually be dinner.  It doesn’t traumatize them; it educates them.

Don’t get me wrong, I fully support everyone’s choice to live their own lives. In fact, if everyone had farms, we wouldn’t have customers. I’m just explaining our choice.

Don’t ask how we do so much.  Look at what you could have done instead.

We have decided that we need a web page for our farm.  It will take a while to transfer all the vision in my head to a computer, but we will get started.  I expect most of the blogging will be done by me (Rob) but Anna will probably sit next to me and tell me what to write.  Our main intent is to capture life on a modern, family farm. Also, we want to share what we learn to encourage others who want to do the same thing.

Feel free to leave us comments and suggestions.