Ole Lake Farm: Getting Sidetracked

Getting sidetracked is not going to be the entire content of the blog, but I will start with it. Even now, as I type these words which will be posted later in the day, I am on a sidetrack from cleaning the Winter Coop. I had to come in to visit the powder room, and just sat down to jot down a quick note. That’s all. Really.

Here is a typical sidetrack for me. I am starting to clean the coop. I take a couple of loads of bedding and poo out to the compost pile to layer in with the veggies trimmings and coffee grounds. There is some long grass growing into the bin, so I pull the long grass. Vinca sees me from the goat pasture and calls to me in her sweet voice. I take the grass to the goats and am reminded that I wanted to put the bell back on Vinca’s collar. I go to the house to get the bell, and remember that I need to get a load of jeans hung on the line. So, I hung the jeans, belled the goat, then finally got back to the coop. It’s a wonder I get anything done.

Vinca is fashionable wearing her brass sleighbell

The goats are still giving an adequate amount of milk, enough so that if we don't all sit down and have a big glass or two at suppertime, I need to make some cheese to use it up. The goats are venturing much deeper into their tree and brush filled pasture area these days. That is why I decided to put the bell back on Vinca... sometimes they are hard to spot and frequently at afternoon milking time they are way out there so I call and call for them. They come running, and with the bell I can hear that they are on the way.

I think Chicky wants one too, but it's a pretty heavy bell

Chicky attracts cockleburrs that stick tight in her coat. The other does do not have so much trouble with them

You may remember that I was cleaning the coop a few weeks ago too. That was just the “chick room” side of the Winter Coop. Today I cleaned out the bigger, main room. It’s time to get the flock moved back to warmer quarters.

Cleaning the coop is one of those repetitive outdoor tasks that, as I have mentioned before, affords me good think time. Today I was thinking about getting sidetracked and making mental lists. There is my MUST DO list, my SHOULD DO list, and my WANT TO DO list. These lists will not get written down anywhere besides in my head. Some tasks are on more than one list, but not always. You might think that there would one of those HONEY DO lists too, but I try to avoid that one as Kevin has plenty to do without me coming up with more.

Speaking of Kevin, I am not seeing much of him or Kurt this weekend, even though they are just on the other side of the woods. It’s Flowers Funny Farm Weekend, a popular scout event; Kori was here to join the festivities too. More on that tomorrow.

For repetitive indoor tasks, I like to have some distraction. Frequently this is ball game or an audio book of which I have many, thanks to my generous sister Carolyn. Today though, I had something different and I want to share it with you. Kurt listens to Podcasts that he downloads on his phone device. I don’t have a fancy phone to download to (I prefer the caveman model with actual buttons) but our computer is right in the kitchen where I spend most of my waking indoor hours at home. So, I just googled gardening podcast, and voila, I found mikethegardener.podbean.com. So today while cutting up apples for sauce I listened to Mike interview Jennifer Bartley who is a garden designer (dream job!) and has authored a couple of kitchen-garden design books. It was great! If you have internet service that allows you to do this, go for it! Google your interest and see what you can find. Hmmm, I wonder if there are goat or chicken blogs? I wouldn’t be surprised.

So, what can I check off my DO lists today? Well, Mickey and I got a run in, I made 2 batches of applesauce which will be canned tomorrow, made mozzarella cheese, started a batch of yogurt. Cleaned the big room of the Winter Coop and put down new bedding. Washed and hung out 2 loads of laundry, loaded the dehydrator with oregano, harvested some of the cornmeal corn. Mixed up a batch of goat kibble. Posted a blog. What didn’t get done? Let’s not go there!