Recipe for Sub-Zero Chores

1. Think to self, "I really do have to go do chores."(insert sigh here)
   
2. Drink large mug of hot coffee to fortify self
3. Begin to add layers of clothing to protect self from cold
4. Drink more hot coffee to further fortify self
5. Add final layers of outerwear protect inner-layered self from deep cold
6. Look thoughtfully at empty coffee pot and realize your self now has to go to the bathroom
7. (insert deep sigh here)
8. Begin to strip off layers to find overheating self buried within
9. Take self to bathroom
10. Start over with Step #1, skipping over Steps #2, 4, 6 & 8 if you ever hope to actually make it outside
11. Fill buckets with hot water for livestock, spill some on self
12. Slowly move self outdoors under the weight of hot water buckets to work through chores.

It seems somehow appropriate that this process works out to 12 steps.

And just in case you are from the south and are unfamiliar with how to dress when choring (yes, here in rural Iowa that is a word) during sub-zero temperatures, here's a hint...
If more than your eyes are visible, you wont last long!

New Tenant

I have been very negligent of the blog recently. I appologize for the long break, but spring on the farm takes no prisoners. Things are being planted, weeded, harvested, weeded, tilled, cultivated, harrowed and yes, weeded. So its a little crazy around here.

We've been trying to make it into the woods for a little mushroom hunting a couple times a week. So far we've found about 9 pounds. Its been a weird year for morels. Our tried and true spots aren't producing but we are finding them in new places. We even had one come up in the flower garden beside the back door! I'm hoping we might get one more flush this week.

Our new discovery on the farm this week was a 3 1/2' long snake. Sean found it in the prairie grass near the lane. I couldn't immediately identify it, so had to take photos and do a little research online. Our new friend is a Prairie Kingsnake, a breif description from HerpNet.net:

A medium sized Iowa snake that is 30 to 42 inches in length. It is
nonvenomous.

Prairie kingsnakes are dietary generalists and feed on a wide variety of
prey. Mammals, birds, birds eggs, snakes, lizards, frogs, and reptile eggs
have been reported as food. Prairie kings, like other kingsnakes, will eat
venomous snakes. They are immune to the venom of North American venomous
snakes and such snakes will use other methods to escape kingsnakes. Instead of
striking, the venomous species will throw loops of coils at the kingsnake in an attempt to bat the head and make a quick escape. Prairie kingsnakes are even known to consume other prairie kingsnakes (Smith, 1961).
Kingsnakes are constrictors; killing their prey by suffocation before devouring it.

Always something new to learn around here!

Not Your (My) Average Day

Yesterday started out ordinary enough. Sean was away at a PFI field Day, so I had the farm to myself. Over breakfast I started a list of all the things I wanted to accomplish in the next couple of days...it was an impressive list. Actually, it was a paralyzing list...so many things that needed to happen, each more important than the one before. I decided to start small, run out and load up all the wood that I had split the day before.
Cross that off the list, then take a quick spin out to the timber to check the ramps...still too small to harvest (sorry Lois!)
Cross that off the list, then notice that the list doesn't look any shorter. My goals for the day are beginning to falter, yikes, how will I ever get everything done?

Then the phone rings, the ID says Reichert's cell. Probably Lois calling to check on the ramp status, oh  she is going to be disappointed. Nope, wild leeks are the last thing on her mind, she has a goat in labor and things aren't progressing as they should. Could I come and give her a hand?

Ah, a reprieve from 'the list', "sure, I'll be right there."
Now that said, its not like calling in an expert. I used to work with horses, not goats. My only goaty experience is through Reichert's Dairy Air. I don't know anything about does (girl goats) in labor...but off I go to 'lend a hand'. Luckily for us all, I was in charge of the "head end" of the goat and Lois took care of the other end. It was a tough situation and I had the only easy job.

We worked at it for a couple of hours and finally made some progress. It's a good thing that its dark inside a goat, because if that first baby had seen the hand reaching for her head, ready to drag her out into the bright world she might never have come out. At one point, that was our fear, but come out she did, with lots of help. And not too much longer her sister followed in similar fashion. Whew!
I have no doubt that today, that was one sore mama goat, but I'm sure relieved that all turned out so well.

And, according to Lois, now I'm an official Dairy Goat Doula! I was even honored to have the first little girl of Reichert's 2009 kidding season named after me. Now you know how to make a farmer blush!

So welcome to the world Lil' Jill & Brenda, it was a tough start but we know you'll like your new home!