Feeling like a farmer
When I started raising pigs people started calling me a farmer and I didn’t like it. I had a great deal of respect for farmers and me going to feed four little pigs didn’t warrant the title. I had a very specific image in my head of a weathered old man and woman with dirt permantly stuck in their jeans and a look on their face that was conerned, but at the same time knew there was nothing they could do about the weather or life and death. I picured a couple up at sunrise and not back until just before dark to get some “supper” in before bed. I wasn’t any of that. Now that we are well into our first month of CSA I know this feeling.
Sarah went away this week for a much needed time away with her girlfriends, so that leaves me to get it done. So let me tell you about this week. Tuesday we got up at 5:00 to take Sarah to her ride to the airport and I needed to get back to the farm to feed everybody and check on Oprah. I had noticed the day before she was giving signs of giving birth that I wasn’t expecting for a few more days. All was clear by the time I got to the farm and I went about my day as normal all the way to bed time. I tuck in the dogs (yes I know) and climb into bed and think I need to go check on Oprah just to be sure. So grab the dogs and go up to the farm and sure enough her water had broke and all I had was the flash light on my phone that was at 10% battery. So I run home and back to the farm at 11:00, well past bed time. When I got back she had one baby on the ground and I new I was in for a long night. One came after the next, some she needed a bit of help but most she got out all on her own. By 3:00am she had pushed out 12 babies, and that is a huge number for a first time mom. Nature took five of the babies all from different things that can happen. Its just farming. I know now that she is all done and looks settled in for the night I run home to get a few hours of sleep and at 7:00 I am back to the farm. Oprah is up and moving around and for a new mom this can be dangerous because she can step or sit on a baby or two. I sat with her and the babies for all morning and part of the afternoon just to be sure.
For those of you who don’t know Wednesday is our CSA pick up and I had a ton to do to get ready for it. I called and asked a favor or two from Gordan, Sarah’s younger brother, and Courtney, his girlfriend. They ran to Dundee Dirtbox for Strawberries (THANK YOU! Lady Lew) I ran to get some goat colostrum for the runt that wasn’t strong enough to get to his mom’s milk. By 2:30 we met back at the farm and harvested green onions and Flashy Trouts Back lettuce. I needed to go get some Rainbow Chard and get back to the house to pick up. I had been a bachelor for a day and a half and had been home for about 6 hours of that and some how managed to make the house a mess. When I got home the house was picked up and lettuce was being washed. Thank you again to Gordon and Courtney. Intern Aubrey showed up and the give away started. 4:00 hit and I could finally sit and have a beer.
Thursday I work at a winery to make a little extra cash to help pay for GAS and extra baby stuff. I welcomed the day off the farm, but still worried about the the pigs and all the produce because of the heavy rain we had, but when I got up to the farm everybody was great. I was so proud of Oprah. I bought Oprah last year when she was just six weeks old so that I could breed her and have grown very attached to her. I was so afraid after the last birth we had went terribly wrong that this one was doomed to go wrong.
Friday is here and a its raining off and on so I come to the coffee shop to get some work done and felt compelled to tell you all the story. I finally feel like a farmer it might be small, but filled with just as much worry and success. Thanks for all the help and support from all of you. Needless to say I cant wait tell Sarah and the little one gets back so life will be back to normal.
P.S. I am just a humble farmer not a writer. Sorry for the spelling and grammar mistakes.
Bubba