APRIL SHOWERS....A LITTLE EARLY!!!

With the much needed rain, we don't mind the fact that the every day chores involve wet animals, mud, soggy clothes and rubber boots. As we are well into the Easter weekend, there is a sense of fresh and new on the farm, with the trees all leafing out, the bees emerging daily from their hives, the spring grasses and wildflowers poking up from the dormant soil in the pastures. The girls make a beeline for the open gate at first light, hungry for a tender salad for breakfast, walking past the large rolls of dry hay in the hay rings, not even giving them a passing glance. As we patiently await the first of the goat babies,( yes, our vigil is ongoing) we are grateful that the weather has warmed somewhat and we can say with confidence that it is certain that none of the newborns will freeze to death. We are also playing the waiting game with seed planting. Next week it will be time to plant the warm weather crops. Watermelons, cantaloupes, cucumbers, summer squash, black eyed peas, etc. Our first assessment of the strawberry field after the hard freeze last week was overly optomistic. A good share of the little green strawberries that were doing so well, suffered as the frost and cold creeped in during the early morning hours. It is a sure thing that the little black nubs on the edge of the stems are goners. Not to worry, there are lots of new blossoms that should replace what was lost, and just like everything else this year, the season will be a little later than expected,  although maybe not as abundant as it could have been. If nothing else, the Farming profession is never ever boring and predictable, with more ups and downs than a Six Flags roller coaster,  and this is one of  the reasons we are Farmers..... this is our walk on the wild side! Our thanks to our Father in Heaven for sending His Son, our Brother, to make a huge payment for our sins and misbehaviors. May we walk this Earth with a consious effort to try and make it a much better place to live for all of those whose lives we touch. I just want to make sure He feels that the sacrifice was worth it.  From our farmstead to your table thank you for all of your support!!!