Summer on a Farm

Oh my goodness! Where has the summer gone? It's already mid-June and we have yet to really start lazing around by the pool all day. We have yet to plan or take our big summer vacation and we have YET to sleep in!!!!!

Oh wait! We have milking cows. We have chickens and sheep. We have a horse and several dogs. We have lots of children too.
Our summer is not one of laying around all day or sleeping in or taking vacations.

In fact, we probably have more time to lay around and relax during the winter months when the garden and bees do not need frequent maintenance.

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                                                   **Belle and Stella together**

The heifer calf Stella was brought up to the front paddocks to be with Lucy and Belle. She had, after all, been weaned a good three months and I really need to get her tamed some and halter trained while she is still small.
For three days she loved being with the big mamma cows and they loved her. Every time I looked out the back window I could see Lucy and Belle licking  little Stella madly. Everything was just as I had planned .

By day four my plans were demolished as Stella took to nursing on Lucy like a starved newborn calf, and BOTH cows decided to hold up milk from me at milking time. Sheesh, time for plan B.

Now Stella is close to the cows, but in her own fenced area. There is an occasional bellow from her and Lucy will try and escape to Stella every now and then, but overall things are better.

Belle is trying to dry up and she is way past due getting bred so I will spend the next month trying to set her up with a bull.

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                           **The steer and Athena out loose, visiting the pasture chickens**

The pasture chickens are FINALLY gaining weight and they should be ready to process at the end of the month. I am planning to run them an extra week and some an extra 2 weeks. They just simply do not like their organic grain and in fact not even the horse likes the stuff. She was out loose last week and managed to knock my feed can over that has my chicken grain. Thankfully she didn't eat it, because I am never in the mood for a horse with colic! If a horse doesn't like a big bag of organic grains......then what does that tell you? I do keep bricks on the can lid now, however, just in case Athena changes her mind.

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                                           **Willow, soon to be birthday girl!**

Baby number four turns 11 this weekend so we are planning a birthday party here with a few friends and family.
In addition, Willow has requested a trip to the Tennessee Aquarium. Devin and I are planning to load everyone up for a day in Chattanooga to see the aquarium and to eat dinner. Eating dinner out is a huge treat for his crew so I know the kids will have a great time. In fact, that counts as a staycation, right?

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** Journee and Athena**

We might lack the late sleep in each summer morning, but there is really no use in being lazy. There are days we want to sell the animals off but the good days out number the bad days by far. We couldn't plan a beach vacation this summer due to dry off period timings with the cows, but we have local fun spots and weekend movie nights with friends. I never have been the type to run my kids around to a million summer activities like bible school or summer camps either. I much prefer homemade ice cream cones, afternoon card games and warm night lightening bug adventures.
The last few evenings the kids have spent hours in the woods catching toads and playing in the wooded trails. If it weren't for mosquitoes it would be perfect!

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                                            **Fender, the great mouse killer**

Speaking of movie night!
The next movie night is Friday, June 28th. We are watching Oz the Great and Powerful'
If you are local, come on by! Movie starts at dusk. Bring a chair! I will have lots of popcorn popping!

Here's to enjoying the summer!!